Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/454

 mouthful of burnt brandy, to keep out the raw moorland air. What I lack now, since I have seen your lovely lips, seems to be the chaste salute valour claims from beauty. We will take the brandy and cloves afterwards!"

So speaking, the captain moved a little round table out of his way, and, taking off his cocked hat with a flourish, advanced the red nose and forbidding face very close to Alice, as if to claim the desired salute. In his operations, the skirt of his heavily laced coat brought work, work-box, thimble, and all to the ground.

Alice stooped to pick them up. When she rose again her colour was very bright, possibly from the exertion, and she pointed once more to the bottles.

"Give your orders, sir," said she, angrily, "and go! I am sure I never—I never expected to be rude to a customer, but—there—it's too bad—I won't stand it, I won't—not if I go up to my aunt in her bedroom this very minute!"

Poor Alice was now dissolved in tears, but, true to her instincts, filled the captain his glass of brandy all the same.

The latter drank it slowly, relishing every drop, and, keeping his person between Alice and the half-door, seemed to enjoy her confusion, which, obviously, from the conceited satisfaction of his countenance, he attributed to an unfortunate passion for himself. Suddenly her face brightened, a well-known footstep hastened up the passage, and the next moment Slap-Jack entered the bar.

Alice dashed away her tears, the captain assumed an attitude of profound indifference, and the new arrival looked from one to the other with a darkening brow.

"What, again?" said he, turning fiercely on the intruder, and approaching very close, in that aggressive manner which is almost equivalent to a blow. "I thought as I'd given you warning already to let this here young woman be. You think as you're lying snug enough, may be, in smooth water, with your name painted out and a honest burgee at your truck; but I'll larn you better afore I've done with you, if you comes cruising any more in my fishing-ground. There's some here as 'll make you show your number, and we'll soon see who's captain then!"