falk-第6部分

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fixed　grin；　and　in　a　great　leaping　tumult　of　water

between　the　two　ships　the　Diana　whisked　past　so

close　that　I　could　have　flung　a　hair…brush　at　his

head；　for；　it　seems；　I　had　kept　them　in　my　hands

all　the　time。　　Meanwhile　Mrs。　Hermann　sat　placidly

on　the　skylight；　with　a　woollen　shawl　on　her　shoul…

ders。　　The　excellent　woman　in　response　to　my　in…

dignant　gesticulations　fluttered　a　handkerchief；

nodding　and　smiling　in　the　kindest　way　imagina…

ble。　　The　boys；　only　half…dressed；　were　jumping

about　the　poop　in　great　glee；　displaying　their

gaudy　braces；　and　Lena　in　a　short　scarlet　petticoat；

with　peaked　elbows　and　thin　bare　arms；　nursed　the

rag…doll　with　devotion。　　The　whole　family　passed

before　my　sight　as　if　dragged　across　a　scene　of　un…

paralleled　violence。　　The　last　I　saw　was　Hermann's

niece　with　the　baby　Hermann　in　her　arms　standing

apart　from　the　others。　　Magnificent　in　her　close…

fitting　print　frock　she　displayed　something　so　com…

manding　in　the　manifest　perfection　of　her　figure

that　the　sun　seemed　to　be　rising　for　her　alone。　　The

flood　of　light　brought　out　the　opulence　of　her　form

and　the　vigour　of　her　youth　in　a　glorifying　way。

She　went　by　perfectly　motionless　and　as　if　lost　in

meditation；　only　the　hem　of　her　skirt　stirred　in　the

draught；　the　sun　rays　broke　on　her　sleek　tawny

hair；　that　bald…headed　ruffian；　Nicholas；　was　whack…

ing　her　on　the　shoulder。　　I　saw　his　tiny　fat　arm

rise　and　fall　in　a　workmanlike　manner。　　And　then

the　four　cottage　windows　of　the　Diana　came　into

view　retreating　swiftly　down　the　river。　　The　sashes

were　up；　and　one　of　the　white　calico　curtains　was

fluttered　straight　out　like　a　streamer　above　the　agi…

tated　water　of　the　wake。



To　be　thus　tricked　out　of　one's　turn　was　an　un…

heard　of　occurrence。　　In　my　agent's　office；　where　I

went　to　complain　at　once；　they　protested　with　apol…

ogies　they　couldn't　understand　how　the　mistake

arose：　but　Schomberg　when　I　dropped　in　later　to　get

some　tiffin；　though　surprised　to　see　me；　was　perfect…

ly　ready　with　an　explanation。　　I　found　him　seated　at

the　end　of　a　long　narrow　table；　facing　his　wifea

scraggy　little　woman；　with　long　ringlets　and　a　blue

tooth；　who　smiled　abroad　stupidly　and　looked

frightened　when　you　spoke　to　her。　　Between　them　a

waggling　punkah　fanned　twenty　cane…bottomed

chairs　and　two　rows　of　shiny　plates。　　Three　China…

men　in　white　jackets　loafed　with　napkins　in　their

hands　around　that　desolation。　　Schomberg's　pet

table　d'hote　was　not　much　of　a　success　that　day。

He　was　feeding　himself　ferociously　and　seemed　to

overflow　with　bitterness。



He　began　by　ordering　in　a　brutal　voice　the　chops

to　be　brought　back　for　me；　and　turning　in　his　chair：

〃Mistake　they　told　you？　　Not　a　bit　of　it！　　Don't

you　believe　it　for　a　moment；　captain！　　Falk　isn't　a

man　to　make　mistakes　unless　on　purpose。〃　　His

firm　conviction　was　that　Falk　had　been　trying　all

along　to　curry　favour　on　the　cheap　with　Hermann。

〃On　the　cheapmind　you！　　It　doesn't　cost　him　a

cent　to　put　that　insult　upon　you；　and　Captain　Her…

mann　gets　in　a　day　ahead　of　your　ship。　　Time's

money！　　Eh？　　You　are　very　friendly　with　Captain

Hermann　I　believe；　but　a　man　is　bound　to　be　pleased

at　any　little　advantage　he　may　get。　　Captain　Her…

mann　is　a　good　business　man；　and　there's　no　such

thing　as　a　friend　in　business。　　Is　there？〃　　He

leaned　forward　and　began　to　cast　stealthy　glances

as　usual。　　〃But　Falk　is；　and　always　was；　a　misera…

ble　fellow。　　I　would　despise　him。〃



I　muttered；　grumpily；　that　I　had　no　particular

respect　for　Falk。



〃I　would　despise　him；〃　he　insisted；　with　an　ap…

pearance　of　anxiety　which　would　have　amused　me

if　I　had　not　been　fathoms　deep　in　discontent。　　To

a　young　man　fairly　conscientious　and　as　well…mean…

ing　as　only　the　young　man　can　be；　the　current　ill…

usage　of　life　comes　with　a　peculiar　cruelty。　　Youth

that　is　fresh　enough　to　believe　in　guilt；　in　innocence；

and　in　itself；　will　always　doubt　whether　it　have　not

perchance　deserved　its　fate。　　Sombre　of　mind　and

without　appetite；　I　struggled　with　the　chop　while

Mrs。　Schomberg　sat　with　her　everlasting　stupid

grin　and　Schomberg's　talk　gathered　way　like　a　slide

of　rubbish。



〃Let　me　tell　you。　　It's　all　about　that　girl。　　I

don't　know　what　Captain　Hermann　expects；　but　if

he　asked　me　I　could　tell　him　something　about　Falk。

He's　a　miserable　fellow。　　That　man　is　a　perfect

slave。　　That's　what　I　call　him。　　A　slave。　　Last

year　I　started　this　table　d'hote；　and　sent　cards　out

you　know。　　You　think　he　had　one　meal　in　the

house？　　Give　the　thing　a　trial？　　Not　once。　　He　has

got　hold　now　of　a　Madras　cooka　blamed　fraud

that　I　hunted　out　of　my　cookhouse　with　a　rattan。

He　was　not　fit　to　cook　for　white　men。　　No；　not　for

the　white　men's　dogs　either；　but；　see；　any　damned

native　that　can　boil　a　pot　of　rice　is　good　enough　for

Mr。　Falk。　　Rice　and　a　little　fish　he　buys　for　a　few

cents　from　the　fishing　boats　outside　is　what　he　lives

on。　　You　would　hardly　credit　iteh？　　A　white

man；　too。　。　。　。〃



He　wiped　his　lips；　using　the　napkin　with　indig…

nation；　and　looking　at　me。　　It　flashed　through　my

mind　in　the　midst　of　my　depression　that　if　all　the

meat　in　the　town　was　like　these　table　d'hote　chops；

Falk　wasn't　so　far　wrong。　　I　was　on　the　point　of

saying　this；　but　Schomberg's　stare　was　intimidat…

ing。　　〃He's　a　vegetarian；　perhaps；〃　I　murmured

instead。



〃He's　a　miser。　　A　miserable　miser；〃　affirmed　the

hotel…keeper　with　great　force。　　〃The　meat　here　is

not　so　good　as　at　homeof　course。　　And　dear　too。

But　look　at　me。　　I　only　charge　a　dollar　for　the　tif…

fin；　and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　for　the　dinner。

Show　me　anything　cheaper。　　Why　am　I　doing　it？

There's　little　profit　in　this　game。　　Falk　wouldn't

look　at　it。　　I　do　it　for　the　sake　of　a　lot　of　young

white　fellows　here　that　hadn't　a　place　where　they

could　get　a　decent　meal　and　eat　it　decently　in　good

company。　　There's　first…rate　company　always　at

my　table。〃



The　convinced　way　he　surveyed　the　empty　chairs

made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　intruded　upon　a　tiffin　of

ghostly　Presences。



〃A　white　man　should　eat　like　a　white　man；　dash

it　all；〃　he　burst　out　impetuously。　　〃Ought　to　eat

meat；　must　eat　meat。　　I　manage　to　get　meat　for　my

patrons　all　the　year　round。　　Don't　I？　　I　am　not　ca…

tering　for　a　dam'　lot　of　coolies：　Have　another　chop

captain。　。　。　。　　No？　　You；　boytake　away！〃



He　threw　himself　back　and　waited　grimly　for　the

curry。　　The　half…closed　jalousies　darkened　the　room

pervaded　by　the　smell　of　fresh　whitewash：　a　swarm

of　flies　buzzed　and　settled　in　turns；　and　poor　Mrs。

Schomberg's　smile　seemed　to　express　the　quintes…

sence　of　all　the　imbecility　that　had　ever　spoken；　had

ever　breathed；　had　ever　been　fed　on　infamous　buffalo

meat　within　these　bare　walls。　　Schomberg　did　not

open　his　lips　till　he　was　ready　to　thrust　therein　a

spoonful　of　greasy　rice。　　He　rolled　his　eyes　ridicu…

lously　before　he　swallowed　the　hot　stuff；　and　only

then　broke　out　afresh。



〃It　is　the　most　degrading　thing。　　They　take　the

dish　up　to　the　wheelhouse　for　him　with　a　cover　on　it；

and　he　shuts　both　the　doors　before　he　begins　to　eat。

Fact！　　Must　be　ashamed　of　himself。　　Ask　the　engi…

neer。　　He　can't　do　without　an　engineerdon't　you

seeand　as　no　respectable　man　can　be　expected　to

put　up　with　such　a　table；　he　allows　them　fifteen　dol…

lars　a　month　extra　mess　money。　　I　assure　you　it　is

so！　　You　just　ask　Mr。　Ferdinand　da　Costa。　　That's

the　engineer　he　has　now。　　You　may　have　seen　him

about　my　place；　a　delicate　dark　young　man；　with

very　fine　eyes　and　a　little　moustache。　　He　arrived

here　a　year　ago　from　Calcutta。　　Between　you　and

me；　I　guess　the　money…lenders　there　must　have　been

after　him。　　He　rushes　here　for　a　meal　every　chance

he　can　get；　for　just　please　tell　me　what　satisfaction

is　that　for　a　well…educated　young　fellow　to　feed　all

alone　in　his　cabinlike　a　wild　beast？　　That's　what

Falk　expects　his　engineers　to　put　up　with　for　fifteen

dollars　extra。　　And　the　rows　on　board　every　time　a

little　smell　of　cooking　gets　about　the　deck！　　You

wouldn't　believe！　　The　other　day　da　Costa　got　the

cook　to　fry　a　steak　for　hima　turtle　steak　it　was

too；　not　beef　at　alland　the　fat　caught　or　some…

thing。　　Young　da　Costa　himself　was　telling　me　of

it　here　in　this　room。　　'Mr。　Schomberg'says　he

'if　I　had　let　a　cylinder　cover　blow　off　through　the

skylight　by　my　negligence　Captain　Falk　couldn't

have　been　more　savage。　　He　frightened　the　cook　so

that　he　won't　put　anything　on　the　fire　for　me　now。'

Poor　da　Costa　had　tears　in　his　eyes。　　Only　try　to

put　yourself　in　his　place；　captain：　a　sensitive；　gen…

tlemanly　young　fellow。　　Is　he　expected　to　eat　his

food　raw？　　But　that's　your　Falk　all　over。　　Ask　any

one　you　like。　　I　suppose　the　fifteen　dollars　extra　he

has　to　give　keep　on　ranklingin　there。〃



And　Schomberg　tapped　his　manly　breast。　　I　sat

half　stunned　by　his　irrelevant　babble。　　Suddenly

he　gripped　my　forearm　in　an　impressive　and　cau…

tious　manner；　as　if　to　lead　me　into　a　very　cavern　of

confidence。



〃It's　nothing　but　enviousness；〃　he　said　in　a　low…

ered　tone；　which　had　a　stimulating　effect　upon　my

wearied　hearing。　　〃I　don't　suppose　there　is　one

person　in　this　town　that　he　isn't　envious　of。　　I　tell

you　he's　dangerous。　　Even　I　myself　am　not　safe

from　him。　　I　know　for　certain　he　tried　to　poi…

son　。　。　。　。〃



〃Oh；　come　now；〃　I　cried；　revolted。



〃But　I　know　for　certain。　　The　people　themselves

came　and　told　me　of　it。　　He　went　about　saying

everywhere　I　was　a　worse　pest　to　this　town　than　the

cholera。　　He　had　been　talking　against　me　ever　since

I　opened　this　hotel。　　And　he　poisoned　Captain　Her…

mann's　mind　too。　　Last　time　the　Diana　was　loading

here　Captain　Hermann　used　to　come　in　every　day

for　a　drink　or　a　cigar。　　This　time　he　hasn't　been

here　twice　in　a　week。　　How　do　you　account　for

that？〃



He　squeezed　my　arm　till　he　extort