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Here he discovered new cause for dissatisfaction. "Worminger, where is your
bait? I ordered double-bait, with aroma of Allure!"
"Sir, one cannot drench while the worm exerts itself for bait."
"Why then did you drench? I ordered no Mulcent!"
Cugel drew himself up. "Sir, I drenched that worm according to the dictates of
my best judgment and experience."
Captain Baunt stared blankly, threw his arms in the air, turned and went back
to his bed.
2 LAUSICAA
THE SUN, dropping down the sky, passed behind a ledge of low clouds and
twilight came early. The air was still; the ocean lay flat, with a surface
like heavy satin, exactly reflecting the sky, so that the
Galante seemed to float through a void of marvellous lavender luminosity. Only
the bow waves, spreading away at V-angles in rolling black and lavender
ripples, defined the surface of the sea.
An hour before sunset Lausicaa appeared on the horizon: a shadow almost lost
in the plum-colored murk.
As darkness fell, a dozen lights flickered from the town Pompodouros,
reflecting across the opening into the harbor and easing the approach for
Captain Baunt.
A wharf fronting the town showed as a heavy mark, blacker than black, across
the reflections. In unfamiliar waters and in the dark, Captain Baunt prudently
elected to drop anchor rather than attempt mooring at the dock.
From the quarter-deck Captain Baunt called forward: "Drofo! Bring up your
69
baits!"
"Up baits!" came back Drofo's acknowledgment, then, in a different voice:
"Cugel! Debait all worms!"
Cugel snatched bait from the two port worms, scrambled across the deck, jumped
down upon the starboard sponson and debaited the starboard worm.
The
Galante barely drifted through the water, to idle motions of the worms'
flukes.
Captain Baunt called out again: "Drofo, muffle your worms!"
"Muffle worms!" came Drofo's response, and then: "Cugel, muffles all around!
Quick now!"
Cugel muffled the starboard worm, but fell into the water and was slow with
the port muffles, prompting a complaint from Captain Baunt. "Drofo, hurry the
muffles! Are you conducting a rite for the dead? Boatswain, ready the anchor!"
"Muffles going on!" sang out Drofo. "Look sharp, Cugel!"
"Anchor at the ready, sir."
The worms were muffled at last, and the
Galante barely drifted through the water.
"Let go the anchor!" called Captain Baunt.
"Anchor in the water, sir! Bottom at six fathoms."
The
Galante lay placidly to anchor. Cugel eased the worms in their cinctures,
applied unguent and fed each worm a measure of victual.
After the evening meal Captain Baunt assembled the ship's company on the
midship deck. Standing halfway up the companionway ladder he spoke a few words
Page 52
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
in regard to Lausicaa and the town Pompodouros.
"Those of you who have visited this place before, I doubt if there are many,
will understand why I must issue warnings. In a nut-shell, you will find
certain customs which guide the folk of this island to be at variance with our
own.
They may impress you as strange, grotesque, laughable, disgraceful,
picturesque or commendable, depending upon your point of view. Whatever the
case, we must take note of these customs and abide by them, since the folk of
Lausicaa will definitely not alter their ways in favor of ours."
Captain Baunt smilingly acknowledged the presence of Madame Soldinck and her
three daughters. "My remarks apply almost exclusively to the gentlemen aboard,
and if I touch upon topics which might be considered tasteless, I can only
plead necessity; so I beg your indulgence!"
Soldinck cried out bluffly: "Enough of your breast-beating, Baunt! Speak up!
We are all reasonable people aboard, Madame Soldinck included!"
Captain Baunt waited until the laughter had died down. "Very well then!
Look along the dock yonder; you will notice three persons standing under the
70
street-lamp. All are men. The faces of each are hidden behind hoods and veils.
For this precaution there is reason; the ebullience of the local females. So
vivacious is their nature that men dare not display their faces for fear of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]