within the tides-第40节
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clicked； and then throwing it down to take the other in his right
hand。
〃He had been hearing in the din the Frenchman's infuriated yells
'TUEZ…LE！ TUEZ…LE！' above the fierce cursing of the others。 But
though they fired at him they were only thinking of clearing out。
In the flashes of the last shots Davidson saw them scrambling over
the rail。 That he had hit more than one he was certain。 Two
different voices had cried out in pain。 But apparently none of
them were disabled。
〃Davidson leaned against the bulwark reloading his revolver without
haste。 He had not the slightest apprehension of their coming back。
On the other hand； he had no intention of pursuing them on shore in
the dark。 What they were doing he had no idea。 Looking to their
hurts probably。 Not very far from the bank the invisible Frenchman
was blaspheming and cursing his associates； his luck； and all the
world。 He ceased； then with a sudden； vengeful yell； 'It's that
woman！ … it's that woman that has sold us；' was heard running off
in the night。
〃Davidson caught his breath in a sudden pang of remorse。 He
perceived with dismay that the stratagem of his defence had given
Anne away。 He did not hesitate a moment。 It was for him to save
her now。 He leaped ashore。 But even as he landed on the wharf he
heard a shrill shriek which pierced his very soul。
〃The light was still burning in the house。 Davidson； revolver in
hand； was making for it when another shriek； away to his left； made
him change his direction。
〃He changed his direction … but very soon he stopped。 It was then
that he hesitated in cruel perplexity。 He guessed what had
happened。 The woman had managed to escape from the house in some
way； and now was being chased in the open by the infuriated
Frenchman。 He trusted she would try to run on board for
protection。
〃All was still around Davidson。 Whether she had run on board or
not； this silence meant that the Frenchman had lost her in the
dark。
〃Davidson； relieved； but still very anxious； turned towards the
river…side。 He had not made two steps in that direction when
another shriek burst out behind him； again close to the house。
〃He thinks that the Frenchman had lost sight of the poor woman
right enough。 Then came that period of silence。 But the horrible
ruffian had not given up his murderous purpose。 He reasoned that
she would try to steal back to her child； and went to lie in wait
for her near the house。
〃It must have been something like that。 As she entered the light
falling about the house…ladder； he had rushed at her too soon；
impatient for vengeance。 She had let out that second scream of
mortal fear when she caught sight of him； and turned to run for
life again。
〃This time she was making for the river； but not in a straight
line。 Her shrieks circled about Davidson。 He turned on his heels；
following the horrible trail of sound in the darkness。 He wanted
to shout 'This way； Anne！ I am here！' but he couldn't。 At the
horror of this chase； more ghastly in his imagination than if he
could have seen it； the perspiration broke out on his forehead；
while his throat was as dry as tinder。 A last supreme scream was
cut short suddenly。
〃The silence which ensued was even more dreadful。 Davidson felt
sick。 He tore his feet from the spot and walked straight before
him； gripping the revolver and peering into the obscurity
fearfully。 Suddenly a bulky shape sprang from the ground within a
few yards of him and bounded away。 Instinctively he fired at it；
started to run in pursuit； and stumbled against something soft
which threw him down headlong。
〃Even as he pitched forward on his head he knew it could be nothing
else but Laughing Anne's body。 He picked himself up and； remaining
on his knees； tried to lift her in his arms。 He felt her so limp
that he gave it up。 She was lying on her face； her long hair
scattered on the ground。 Some of it was wet。 Davidson； feeling
about her head； came to a place where the crushed bone gave way
under his fingers。 But even before that discovery he knew that she
was dead。 The pursuing Frenchman had flung her down with a kick
from behind； and； squatting on her back； was battering in her skull
with the weight she herself had fastened to his stump； when the
totally unexpected Davidson loomed up in the night and scared him
away。
〃Davidson； kneeling by the side of that woman done so miserably to
death； was overcome by remorse。 She had died for him。 His manhood
was as if stunned。 For the first time he felt afraid。 He might
have been pounced upon in the dark at any moment by the murderer of
Laughing Anne。 He confesses to the impulse of creeping away from
that pitiful corpse on his hands and knees to the refuge of the
ship。 He even says that he actually began to do so。 。 。
〃One can hardly picture to oneself Davidson crawling away on all
fours from the murdered woman … Davidson unmanned and crushed by
the idea that she had died for him in a sense。 But he could not
have gone very far。 What stopped him was the thought of the boy；
Laughing Anne's child； that （Davidson remembered her very words）
would not have a dog's chance。
〃This life the woman had left behind her appeared to Davidson's
conscience in the light of a sacred trust。 He assumed an erect
attitude and； quaking inwardly still； turned about and walked
towards the house。
〃For all his tremors he was very determined； but that smashed skull
had affected his imagination； and he felt very defenceless in the
darkness； in which he seemed to hear faintly now here； now there；
the prowling footsteps of the murderer without hands。 But he never
faltered in his purpose。 He got away with the boy safely after
all。 The house he found empty。 A profound silence encompassed him
all the time； except once； just as he got down the ladder with Tony
in his arms； when a faint groan reached his ears。 It seemed to
come from the pitch…black space between the posts on which the
house was built； but he did not stop to investigate。
〃It's no use telling you in detail how Davidson got on board with
the burden Anne's miserably cruel fate had thrust into his arms；
how next morning his scared crew； after observing from a distance
the state of affairs on board； rejoined with alacrity； how Davidson
went ashore and； aided by his engineer （still half dead with
fright）； rolled up Laughing Anne's body in a cotton sheet and
brought it on board for burial at sea later。 While busy with this
pious task； Davidson； glancing about； perceived a huge heap of
white clothes huddled up against the corner…post of the house。
That it was the Frenchman lying there he could not doubt。 Taking
it in connection with the dismal groan he had heard in the night；
Davidson is pretty sure that his random shot gave a mortal hurt to
the murderer of poor Anne。
〃As to the others； Davidson never set eyes on a single one of them。
Whether they had concealed themselves in the scared settlement； or
bolted into the forest； or were hiding on board Niclaus's prau；
which could be seen lying on the mud a hundred yards or so higher
up the creek； the fact is that they vanished； and Davidson did not
trouble his head about them。 He lost no time in getting out of the
creek directly the Sissie floated。 After steaming some twenty
miles clear of the coast； he （in his own words） 'committed the body
to the deep。' He did everything himself。 He weighted her down
with a few fire…bars； he read the service； he lifted the plank； he
was the only mourner。 And while he was rendering these last
services to the dead； the desolation of that life and the atrocious
wretchedness of its end cried aloud to his compassion； whispered to
him in tones of self…reproach。
〃He ought to have handled the warning she had given him in another
way。 He was convinced now that a simple display of watchfulness
would have been enough to restrain that vile and cowardly crew。
But the fact was that he had not quite believed that anything would
be attempted。
〃The body of Laughing Anne having been 'committed to the deep' some
twenty miles S。S。W。 from Cape Selatan； the task before Davidson was
to commit Laughing Anne's child to the care of his wife。 And there
poor； good Davidson made a fatal move。 He didn't want to tell her
the whole awful story； since it involved the knowledge of the
danger from which he； Davidson； had escaped。 And this； too； after
he had been laughing at her unreasonable fears only a short time
before。
〃'I thought that if I told her everyth
