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Page 14
"I cannot," interrupted the captain--then choked at a mental vision of
Mrs. Pudge, who scorned such frivolous inventions as whalebone to
support the figure--then trumpeted behind his handkerchief, ending in
that combined half-snort, half-giggle which is so disastrous to dignity
and complexion, "I cannot allow the--the--er--form of the Company's
stewardesses to be so discussed."
"Beggin' yer pardon, sir," fiercely rejoined Chips--who was getting a
bit of his own back on Mrs. Pudge--"I'm using the nautical expression,
sir; she failed to get about when that there dawg"--pointing of stub
thumb at heedless dog--"growled 'cause she has water in the knee. I'm
usin' a an--anatomical expression now, sir--her knee--this,
sir"--slapping of knee with horny hand of toil--"The ship's knees,
miss," addressing Damaris, whose straight brows had almost met in
puzzlement, "is a chock on the forepart of the lowermast on which the
'eel--heel, miss, of the topmast rests. Yuss, sir. Her knee may 'ave
water in it; but no one couldn't say the same of her _grog_."
To prevent death from combustion, the speechless captain here intimated
by signs that the culprit should stand up. And the brindle of Rodney
Stone strain stood, whilst the men's eyes glistened as they fidgeted
upon their feet from very joy in the spectacle.
His skull was massive and perfectly-shaped, the under-jaw square and
strong, thrust up and beyond the upper; the teeth were perfect, even,
large and also strong; the nose was black and large, well back between
the eyes, which were set low down and wide apart, but well in front and
round, with a deep "stop" between them; the honestest outward sign of
his gallant loving heart. The ears were rose; not in colour, of
course, but of rose-leaf shape, set high and small and fine; the face
was closely-wrinkled, the "chop" well down, and the loose skin in
abundant folds about his throat and neck.
The chest was wide and deep and prominent; the shoulders were
tremendously muscular; the body was short, with a Roach back, fine in
the rear; the forelegs, short and strong, with the developed calves
which give them the appearance of being bowed, whereas the bones are
really straight; the feet turned out a bit, with toes split up and
arched; the tail set low and straight down and anything but a glad
tail. His heart was of the finest, honest, loving, courageous, capable
of hurling its owner to instant battle or death, in defence of the one
loved, at other times rendering him, in its gentleness, an almost
ludicrous spectacle of adoration. Of such was Wellington, and if the
description is somewhat detailed and technical it is because he happens
a good deal into the book.
The duchess had been put into the train for Port Said by Ben Kelham,
who, inwardly kicking at her sage advice, looked as despondent as a
camel who considers its strength unequal to its burden.
"Cheer up, lad," she cried as the train moved off. "Cheer up;
something is sure to happen before long."
Which was a perfectly safe prophecy to make where Damaris was concerned.
Arrived at Port Said, she put off in a boat with her maid and her
parrot, and found her godchild, who did not expect her, on deck,
entranced with all she saw.
Yes! of course Port Said is a sink of iniquity and a place of odours
and a fold for native wolves in sheep's clothing; also a centre for
antiquities made in Birmingham, or by the vendor himself in the hot
weather; and a market for things which should not be sold, much less
bought.
In fact, in one short sentence, it is a deal of cosmopolitan
wrong-doing.
All the same, you need not buy and you need not listen nor look, and if
it is the first bit of the Orient you have meet with for the first time
in your life, well! it is the East, and jolly exciting and interesting,
too.
Damaris rushed at the old lady, and having curtsied to her, gathered
her up in her strong arms and hugged her tightly, just as Captain X,
who during one trip had had the duchess as passenger and therefore
loved her, came along.
As they turned in the direction of the dining-saloon, the girl looked
over her shoulder at the two maids, and smiled.
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