the red one(红色的那人)-第27节
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father； will not contribute a penny。 Yet he has a big balance in the
treasury。 And Manatomana is not poor。 Much money is made and
squandered； I know。 I hear the gossip of the wild ways of the beach。
Less than a month ago you lost more in one night； gambling at cards； than
the cost of the upkeep of our poor church for a year。'
〃And I told her it was true； but that it was before I had seen the light。
（I'd had an infernal run of bad luck。） I told her I had not tasted liquor
since； nor turned a card。 I told her that the roof would be repaired at once；
by Christian carpenters selected by her from the congregation。 But she
was filled with the thought of a great revival that Ebenezer Naismith could
preach … she was a dear saint … and she spoke of a great church； saying：
〃'You are rich。 You have many schooners； and traders in far islands；
and I have heard of a great contract you have signed to recruit labour for
the German plantations of Upolu。 They say； next to Sweitzer； you are the
richest trader here。 I should love to see some use of all this money
placed to the glory of God。 It would be a noble thing to do； and I should
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be proud to know the man who would do it。'
〃I told her that Ebenezer Naismith would preach the revival； and that I
would build a church great enough in which to house it。
〃'As big as the Catholic church？' she asked。
〃This was the ruined cathedral； built at the time when the entire
population was converted； and it was a large order； but I was afire with
love； and I told her that the church I would build would be even bigger。
〃'But it will take money；' I explained。 'And it takes time to make
money。'
〃'You have much；' she said。 'Some say you have more money than
my father； the King。
〃'I have more credit；' I explained。 'But you do not understand money。
It takes money to have credit。 So； with the money I have； and the credit I
have； I will work to make more money and credit； and the church shall be
built。'
〃Work！ I was a surprise to myself。 It is an amazement； the amount
of time a man finds on his hands after he's given up carousing； and
gambling； and all the time…eating diversions of the beach。 And I didn't
waste a second of all my new…found time。 Instead I worked it overtime。
I did the work of half a dozen men。 I became a driver。 My captains
made faster runs than ever and earned bigger bonuses； as did my
supercargoes； who saw to it that my schooners did not loaf and dawdle
along the way。 And I saw to it that my supercargoes did see to it。
〃And good！ By the Lord Harry I was so good it hurt。 My
conscience got so expansive and fine…strung it lamed me across the
shoulders to carry it around with me。 Why； I even went back over my
accounts and paid Sweitzer fifty quid I'd jiggered him out of in a deal in
Fiji three years before。 And I compounded the interest as well。
〃Work！ I planted sugar cane … the first commercial planting on
Manatomana。 I ran in cargoes of kinky…heads from Malaita； which is in
the Solomons； till I had twelve hundred of the blackbirds putting in cane。
And I sent a schooner clear to Hawaii to bring back a dismantled sugar
mill and a German who said he knew the field…end of cane。 And he did；
and he charged me three hundred dollars screw a month； and I took hold of
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the mill…end。 I installed the mill myself； with the help of several
mechanics I brought up from Queensland。
〃Of course there was a rival。 His name was Motomoe。 He was the
very highest chief blood next to King John's。 He was full native； a
strapping； handsome man； with a glowering way of showing his dislikes。
He certainly glowered at me when I began hanging around the palace。
He went back in my history and circulated the blackest tales about me。
The worst of it was that most of them were true。 He even made a voyage
to Apia to find things out … as if he couldn't find a plenty right there on the
beach of Manatomana！ And he sneered at my failing for religion； and at
my going to prayer… meeting； and； most of all； at my sugar…planting。 He
challenged me to fight； and I kept off of him。 He threatened me； and I
learned in the nick of time of his plan to have me knocked on the head。
You see； he wanted the Princess just as much as I did； and I wanted her
more。
〃She used to play the piano。 So did I； once。 But I never let her
know after I'd heard her play the first time。 And she thought her playing
was wonderful； the dear； fond girl！ You know the sort； the mechanical
one…two…three tum…tum…tum school…girl stuff。 And now I'll tell you
something funnier。 Her playing WAS wonderful to me。 The gates of
heaven opened to me when she played。 I can see myself now； worn out
and dog…tired after the long day； lying on the mats of the palace veranda
and gazing upon her at the piano； myself in a perfect idiocy of bliss。
Why； this idea she had of her fine playing was the one flaw in her
deliciousness of perfection； and I loved her for it。 It kind of brought her
within my human reach。 Why； when she played her one…two…three； tum…
tum…tum； I was in the seventh heaven of bliss。 My weariness fell from
me。 I loved her； and my love for her was clean as flame； clean as my
love for God。 And do you know； into my fond lover's fancy continually
intruded the thought that God in most ways must look like her。
〃 … That's right； Bruce Cadogan Cavendish； sneer as you like。 But I
tell you that's love that I've been describing。 That's all。 It's love。 It's the
realest； purest； finest thing that can happen to a man。 And I know what
I'm talking about。 It happened to me。〃
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Whiskers； his beady squirrel's eye glittering from out his ruined
eyebrow like a live coal in a jungle ambush； broke off long enough to
down a sedative draught from his condensed milk can and to mix another。
〃The cane；〃 he resumed； wiping his prodigious mat of face hair with
the back of his hand。 〃It matured in sixteen months in that climate； and I
was ready； just ready and no more； with the mill for the grinding。
Naturally； it did not all mature at once； but I had planted in such
succession that I could grind for nine months steadily； while more was
being planted and the ratoons were springing up。
〃I had my troubles the first several days。 If it wasn't one thing the
matter with the mill； it was another。 On the fourth day； Ferguson； my
engineer； had to shut down several hours in order to remedy his own
troubles。 I was bothered by the feeder。 After having the niggers （who
had been feeding the cane） pour cream of lime on the rollers to keep
everything sweet； I sent them out to join the cane…cutting squads。 So I
was all alone at that end； just as Ferguson started up the mill； just as I
discovered what was the matter with the feed…rollers； and just as Motomoe
strolled up。
〃He stood there； in Norfolk jacket； pigskin puttees； and all the rest of
the fashionable get…up out of a bandbox； sneering at me covered with filth
and grease to the eyebrows and looking like a navvy。 And； the rollers
now white from the lime； I'd just seen what was wrong。 The rollers were
not in plumb。
