within the tides-第38节
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grabbed him by the arm； dragged him in。 'It's heaven itself that
sends you to…night。 My Tony's so bad … come and see him。 Come
along … do！'
〃Davidson submitted。 The only one of the men to move was Bamtz；
who made as if to get up but dropped back in his chair again。
Davidson in passing heard him mutter confusedly something that
sounded like 'poor little beggar。'
〃The child； lying very flushed in a miserable cot knocked up out of
gin…cases； stared at Davidson with wide； drowsy eyes。 It was a bad
bout of fever clearly。 But while Davidson was promising to go on
board and fetch some medicines； and generally trying to say
reassuring things； he could not help being struck by the
extraordinary manner of the woman standing by his side。 Gazing
with despairing expression down at the cot； she would suddenly
throw a quick； startled glance at Davidson and then towards the
other room。
〃'Yes； my poor girl；' he whispered； interpreting her distraction in
his own way； though he had nothing precise in his mind。 'I'm
afraid this bodes no good to you。 How is it they are here？'
〃She seized his forearm and breathed out forcibly： 'No good to me！
Oh； no！ But what about you！ They are after the dollars you have
on board。'
〃Davidson let out an astonished 'How do they know there are any
dollars？'
〃She clapped her hands lightly； in distress。 'So it's true！ You
have them on board？ Then look out for yourself。'
〃They stood gazing down at the boy in the cot； aware that they
might be observed from the other room。
〃'We must get him to perspire as soon as possible；' said Davidson
in his ordinary voice。 'You'll have to give him hot drink of some
kind。 I will go on board and bring you a spirit…kettle amongst
other things。' And he added under his breath： 'Do they actually
mean murder？'
〃She made no sign； she had returned to her desolate contemplation
of the boy。 Davidson thought she had not heard him even； when with
an unchanged expression she spoke under her breath。
〃'The Frenchman would； in a minute。 The others shirk it … unless
you resist。 He's a devil。 He keeps them going。 Without him they
would have done nothing but talk。 I've got chummy with him。 What
can you do when you are with a man like the fellow I am with now。
Bamtz is terrified of them； and they know it。 He's in it from
funk。 Oh； Davy！ take your ship away … quick！'
〃'Too late；' said Davidson。 'She's on the mud already。'
〃If the kid hadn't been in this state I would have run off with him
… to you … into the woods … anywhere。 Oh； Davy！ will he die？' she
cried aloud suddenly。
〃Davidson met three men in the doorway。 They made way for him
without actually daring to face his glance。 But Bamtz was the only
one who looked down with an air of guilt。 The big Frenchman had
remained lolling in his chair； he kept his stumps in his pockets
and addressed Davidson。
〃'Isn't it unfortunate about that child！ The distress of that
woman there upsets me； but I am of no use in the world。 I couldn't
smooth the sick pillow of my dearest friend。 I have no hands。
Would you mind sticking one of those cigarettes there into the
mouth of a poor； harmless cripple？ My nerves want soothing … upon
my honour； they do。'
〃Davidson complied with his naturally kind smile。 As his outward
placidity becomes only more pronounced； if possible； the more
reason there is for excitement； and as Davidson's eyes； when his
wits are hard at work； get very still and as if sleepy； the huge
Frenchman might have been justified in concluding that the man
there was a mere sheep … a sheep ready for slaughter。 With a
'MERCI BIEN' he uplifted his huge carcase to reach the light of the
candle with his cigarette； and Davidson left the house。
〃Going down to the ship and returning； he had time to consider his
position。 At first he was inclined to believe that these men
（Niclaus … the white Nakhoda … was the only one he knew by sight
before； besides Bamtz） were not of the stamp to proceed to
extremities。 This was partly the reason why he never attempted to
take any measures on board。 His pacific Kalashes were not to be
thought of as against white men。 His wretched engineer would have
had a fit from fright at the mere idea of any sort of combat。
Davidson knew that he would have to depend on himself in this
affair if it ever came off。
〃Davidson underestimated naturally the driving power of the
Frenchman's character and the force of the actuating motive。 To
that man so hopelessly crippled these dollars were an enormous
opportunity。 With his share of the robbery he would open another
shop in Vladivostok； Haiphong； Manila … somewhere far away。
〃Neither did it occur to Davidson； who is a man of courage； if ever
there was one； that his psychology was not known to the world at
large； and that to this particular lot of ruffians； who judged him
by his appearance； he appeared an unsuspicious； inoffensive； soft
creature； as he passed again through the room； his hands full of
various objects and parcels destined for the sick boy。
〃All the four were sitting again round the table。 Bamtz not having
the pluck to open his mouth； it was Niclaus who； as a collective
voice； called out to him thickly to come out soon and join in a
drink。
〃'I think I'll have to stay some little time in there； to help her
look after the boy；' Davidson answered without stopping。
〃This was a good thing to say to allay a possible suspicion。 And；
as it was； Davidson felt he must not stay very long。
〃He sat down on an old empty nail…keg near the improvised cot and
looked at the child； while Laughing Anne； moving to and fro；
preparing the hot drink； giving it to the boy in spoonfuls； or
stopping to gaze motionless at the flushed face； whispered
disjointed bits of information。 She had succeeded in making
friends with that French devil。 Davy would understand that she
knew how to make herself pleasant to a man。
〃And Davidson nodded without looking at her。
〃The big beast had got to be quite confidential with her。 She held
his cards for him when they were having a game。 Bamtz！ Oh！ Bamtz
in his funk was only too glad to see the Frenchman humoured。 And
the Frenchman had come to believe that she was a woman who didn't
care what she did。 That's how it came about they got to talk
before her openly。 For a long time she could not make out what
game they were up to。 The new arrivals； not expecting to find a
woman with Bamtz； had been very startled and annoyed at first； she
explained。
〃She busied herself in attending to the boy； and nobody looking
into that room would have seen anything suspicious in those two
people exchanging murmurs by the sick…bedside。
〃'But now they think I am a better man than Bamtz ever was；' she
said with a faint laugh。
〃The child moaned。 She went down on her knees； and； bending low；
contemplated him mournfully。 Then raising her head； she asked
Davidson whether he thought the child would get better。 Davidson
was sure of it。 She murmured sadly： 'Poor kid。 There's nothing
in life for such as he。 Not a dog's chance。 But I couldn't let
him go； Davy！ I couldn't。'
〃Davidson felt a profound pity for the child。 She laid her hand on
his knee and whispered an earnest warning against the Frenchman。
Davy must never let him come to close quarters。 Naturally Davidson
wanted to know the reason； for a man without hands did not strike
him as very formidable under any circumstances。
〃'Mind you don't let him … that's all；' she insisted anxiously；
hesitated； and then confessed that the Frenchman had got her away
from the others that afternoon and had ordered her to tie a seven…
pound iron weight （out of the set of weights Bamtz used in
business） to his right stump。 She had to do it for him。 She had
been afraid of his savage temper。 Bamtz was such a craven； and
neither of the other men would have cared what happened to her。
The Frenchman； however； with many awful threats had warned her not
to let the others know what she had done for him。 Afterwards he
had been trying to cajole her。 He had promised her that if she
stood by him faithfully in this business he would take her with him
to Haiphong or some other place。 A poor cripple needed somebody to
take care of him … always。
〃Davidson asked her again if they really meant mischief。 It was；
he told me； the hardest thing to believe he had run up against； as
yet； in his life。 Anne nodded。 The Frenchman's heart was set on
this robbery。 Da
