The Old Adam: A Story of Adventure

by Arnold Bennett

  V.

  That same evening, in the colossal many-tabled dining-saloon of the_Lithuania_ Edward Henry sat as usual to the left of the purser's emptychair at the purser's table, where were about a dozen other men. A pagebrought him a marconigram. He opened it, and read the single word"Nineteen." It was the amount of the previous evening's receipts at theRegent, in pounds. He was now losing something like forty pounds anight--without counting the expenses of the present excursion. The bandbegan to play as the soup was served, and the ship rolled politely,gently, but nevertheless unmistakably, accomplishing one complete rollto about sixteen bars of the music. Then the entire saloon was suddenlyexcited. Isabel Joy had entered. She was in the gallery, near theorchestra, at a small table alone. Everybody became aware of the factin an instant, and scores of necks on the lower floor were twisted toglimpse the celebrity on the upper. It was remarked that she wore amagnificent evening dress.

  One subject of conversation now occupied all the tables. And it wasfully occupying the purser's table when the purser, generally a littlelate, owing to the arduousness of his situation on the ship, entered andsat down. Now the purser was a Northerner, from Durham, a delightfulcompanion in his lighter moods, but dour, and with a high conception ofauthority and of the intelligence of dogs. He would relate that when heand his wife wanted to keep a secret from their Yorkshire terrier theyhad to spell the crucial words in talk, for the dog understood theirevery sentence.

  The purser's views about the cause represented by Isabel Joy wereabsolutely clear. None could mistake them, and the few clauses which hecurtly added to the discussion rather damped the discussion, and therewas a pause.

  "What should you do, Mr. Purser," said Edward Henry, "if she began toplay any of her tricks here?"

  "If she began to play any of her tricks on this ship," answered thepurser, putting his hands on his stout knees, "we should know what todo."

  "Of course you can arrest?"

  "Most decidedly. I could tell you things--" The purser stopped, forexperience had taught him to be very discreet with passengers until hehad voyaged with them at least ten times. He concluded: "The captain isthe representative of English law on an English ship."

  And then, in the silence created by the resting orchestra, all in thesaloon could hear a clear, piercing woman's voice, oratorical at firstand then quickening:

  "Ladies and gentlemen: I wish to talk to you to-night on the subject ofthe injustice of men to women." Isabel Joy was on her feet and leaningover the gallery rail. As she proceeded, a startled hush changed touproar. And in the uproar could be caught now and then a detachedphrase, such as "For example, this man-governed ship."

  Possibly it was just this phrase that roused the Northerner in thepurser. He rose, and looked toward the captain's table. But thecaptain was not dining in the saloon that evening. Then he strode tothe centre of the saloon, beneath the renowned dome which has been sooften photographed for the illustrated papers, and sought to destroyIsabel Joy with a single marine glance. Having failed, he called outloudly:

  "Be quiet, madam. Resume your seat."

  Isabel Joy stopped for a second, gave him a glance far more homicidalthan his own, and resumed her discourse.

  "Steward," cried the purser, "take that woman out of the saloon."

  The whole complement of first-class passengers was now standing up, andmany of them saw a plate descend from on high, and grace the purser'sshoulder. With the celerity of a sprinter the man of authority fromDurham disappeared from the ground floor and was immediately seen in thegallery. Accounts differed, afterward, as to the exact order of events;but it is certain that the leader of the band lost his fiddle, which wasbroken by the lusty Isabel on the Purser's head. It was known laterthat Isabel, though not exactly in irons, was under arrest in herstateroom.

  "She really ought to have thought of that for herself, if she's as smartas she thinks she is," said Edward Henry privately.