amy foster-第5节
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rammed the German ship amidships （a breach
as one of the divers told me afterwards'that you
could sail a Thames barge through'）； and then
had gone out either scathless or damaged； who shall
say； but had gone out； unknown； unseen； and fatal；
to perish mysteriously at sea。 Of her nothing ever
came to light； and yet the hue and cry that was
raised all over the world would have found her out
if she had been in existence anywhere on the face
of the waters。
〃A completeness without a clue； and a stealthy
silence as of a neatly executed crime； characterise
this murderous disaster； which； as you may remem…
ber； had its gruesome celebrity。 The wind would
have prevented the loudest outcries from reaching
the shore； there had been evidently no time for sig…
nals of distress。 It was death without any sort of
fuss。 The Hamburg ship； filling all at once； cap…
sized as she sank； and at daylight there was not
even the end of a spar to be seen above water。 She
was missed； of course； and at first the Coastguard…
men surmised that she had either dragged her an…
chor or parted her cable some time during the
night； and had been blown out to sea。 Then； after
the tide turned； the wreck must have shifted a little
and released some of the bodies； because a child
a little fair…haired child in a red frock
came ashore abreast of the Martello tower。 By
the afternoon you could see along three miles of
beach dark figures with bare legs dashing in
and out of the tumbling foam； and rough…look…
ing men； women with hard faces； children； mostly
fair…haired； were being carried； stiff and dripping；
on stretchers； on wattles； on ladders； in a long
procession past the door of the 'Ship Inn；' to be
laid out in a row under the north wall of the
Brenzett Church。
〃Officially； the body of the little girl in the red
frock is the first thing that came ashore from that
ship。 But I have patients amongst the seafaring
population of West Colebrook； and； unofficially； I
am informed that very early that morning two
brothers； who went down to look after their cobble
hauled up on the beach； found； a good way from
Brenzett； an ordinary ship's hencoop lying high
and dry on the shore； with eleven drowned ducks
inside。 Their families ate the birds； and the hen…
coop was split into firewood with a hatchet。 It is
possible that a man （supposing he happened to be
on deck at the time of the accident） might have
floated ashore on that hencoop。 He might。 I ad…
mit it is improbable； but there was the manand
for days； nay； for weeksit didn't enter our heads
that we had amongst us the only living soul that
had escaped from that disaster。 The man himself；
even when he learned to speak intelligibly； could
tell us very little。 He remembered he had felt bet…
ter （after the ship had anchored； I suppose）； and
that the darkness； the wind； and the rain took his
breath away。 This looks as if he had been on deck
some time during that night。 But we mustn't forget
he had been taken out of his knowledge； that he
had been sea…sick and battened down below for four
days； that he had no general notion of a ship or of
the sea； and therefore could have no definite idea
of what was happening to him。 The rain； the
wind； the darkness he knew； he understood the
bleating of the sheep； and he remembered the pain
of his wretchedness and misery； his heartbroken as…
tonishment that it was neither seen nor understood；
his dismay at finding all the men angry and all the
women fierce。 He had approached them as a beg…
gar； it is true； he said； but in his country； even if
they gave nothing； they spoke gently to beggars。
The children in his country were not taught to
throw stones at those who asked for compassion。
Smith's strategy overcame him completely。 The
wood…lodge presented the horrible aspect of a dun…
geon。 What would be done to him next？ 。 。 。
No wonder that Amy Foster appeared to his eyes
with the aureole of an angel of light。 The girl
had not been able to sleep for thinking of the poor
man； and in the morning； before the Smiths were
up； she slipped out across the back yard。 Holding
the door of the wood…lodge ajar； she looked in and
extended to him half a loaf of white bread'such
bread as the rich eat in my country；' he used to
say。
〃At this he got up slowly from amongst all sorts
of rubbish； stiff； hungry； trembling； miserable； and
doubtful。 'Can you eat this？' she asked in her
soft and timid voice。 He must have taken her for
a 'gracious lady。' He devoured ferociously； and
tears were falling on the crust。 Suddenly he
dropped the bread； seized her wrist； and im…
printed a kiss on her hand。 She was not fright…
ened。 Through his forlorn condition she had
observed that he was good…looking。 She shut
the door and walked back slowly to the kitchen。
Much later on； she told Mrs。 Smith； who shud…
dered at the bare idea of being touched by that
creature。
〃Through this act of impulsive pity he was
brought back again within the pale of human rela…
tions with his new surroundings。 He never forgot
itnever。
〃That very same morning old Mr。 Swaffer
（Smith's nearest neighbour） came over to give his
advice； and ended by carrying him off。 He stood；
unsteady on his legs； meek； and caked over in half…
dried mud； while the two men talked around him in
an incomprehensible tongue。 Mrs。 Smith had re…
fused to come downstairs till the madman was off
the premises； Amy Foster； far from within the dark
kitchen； watched through the open back door； and
he obeyed the signs that were made to him to the
best of his ability。 But Smith was full of mistrust。
'Mind； sir！ It may be all his cunning；' he cried
repeatedly in a tone of warning。 When Mr。
Swaffer started the mare； the deplorable being sit…
ting humbly by his side； through weakness； nearly
fell out over the back of the high two…wheeled cart。
Swaffer took him straight home。 And it is then
that I come upon the scene。
〃I was called in by the simple process of the old
man beckoning to me with his forefinger over the
gate of his house as I happened to be driving past。
I got down； of course。
〃'I've got something here；' he mumbled； lead…
ing the way to an outhouse at a little distance from
his other farm…buildings。
〃It was there that I saw him first； in a long low
room taken upon the space of that sort of coach…
house。 It was bare and whitewashed； with a small
square aperture glazed with one cracked； dusty
pane at its further end。 He was lying on his back
upon a straw pallet； they had given him a couple
of horse…blankets； and he seemed to have spent the
remainder of his strength in the exertion of clean…
ing himself。 He was almost speechless； his quick
breathing under the blankets pulled up to his chin；
his glittering； restless black eyes reminded me of a
wild bird caught in a snare。 While I was examining
him； old Swaffer stood silently by the door； passing
the tips of his fingers along his shaven upper lip。
I gave some directions； promised to send a bottle of
medicine； and naturally made some inquiries。
〃'Smith caught him in the stackyard at New
Barns；' said the old chap in his deliberate； unmoved
manner； and as if the other had been indeed a sort
of wild animal。 'That's how I came by him。
Quite a curiosity； isn't he？ Now tell me； doctor
you've been all over the worlddon't you think
that's a bit of a Hindoo we've got hold of here。'
〃I was greatly surprised。 His long black hair
scattered over the straw bolster contrasted with the
olive pallor of his face。 It occurred to me he might
be a Basque。 It didn't necessarily follow that he
should understand Spanish； but I tried him with
the few words I know； and also with some French。
The whispered sounds I caught by bending my ear
to his lips puzzled me utterly。 That afternoon the
young ladies from the Rectory （one of them read
Goethe with a dictionary； and the other had strug…
gled with Dante for years）； coming to see Miss
Swaffer； tried their German and Italian on him
from the doorway。 They retreated； just the least
bit scared by the flood of passionate speech which；
turning on his pallet；
