michael, brother of jerry-第13节

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；　pay　me　due　an'　proper　what's　comin'　to　me　the　first　of　each　an'　every　month；　an'　pay　me　off　final　in　San　Francisco。　　As　long　as　you　keep　up　your　end；　I'll　sail　with　you　to　the　Pit　'n'　back　an'　watch　you　sweatin'　the　casks　'n'　chests　out　of　the　sand。　　What　I　want　is　to　sail　with　you　if　you　want　me　to　sail　with　you　enough　to　satisfy　me。〃

Simon　Nishikanta　glanced　about。　　Grimshaw　and　Captain　Doane　nodded。

〃At　three　o'clock　to…morrow　afternoon；　at　the　shipping　commissioner's；〃　the　Jew　agreed。　　〃When　will　you　report　for　duty？〃

〃When　will　you　sail；　sir？〃　Daughtry　countered。

〃Bright　and　early　next　morning。〃

〃Then　I'll　be　on　board　and　on　duty　some　time　to…morrow　night；　sir。〃

And　as　he　went　up　the　cabin　companion；　he　could　hear　the　Ancient　Mariner　maundering：　　〃Eighteen　days　in　the　longboat；　eighteen　days　of　scorching　hell　。　。　。　〃



CHAPTER　X



Michael　left　the　Makambo　as　he　had　come　on　board；　through　a　porthole。　　Likewise；　the　affair　occurred　at　night；　and　it　was　Kwaque's　hands　that　received　him。　　It　had　been　quick　work；　and　daring；　in　the　dark　of　early　evening。　　From　the　boat…deck；　with　a　bowline　under　Kwaque's　arms　and　a　turn　of　the　rope　around　a　pin；　Dag　Daughtry　had　lowered　his　leprous　servitor　into　the　waiting　launch。

On　his　way　below；　he　encountered　Captain　Duncan；　who　saw　fit　to　warn　him：

〃No　shannigan　with　Killeny　Boy；　Steward。　　He　must　go　back　to　Tulagi　with　us。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　steward　agreed。　　〃An'　I'm　keepin'　him　tight　in　my　room　to　make　safe。　　Want　to　see　him；　sir？〃

The　very　frankness　of　the　invitation　made　the　captain　suspicious；　and　the　thought　flashed　through　his　mind　that　perhaps　Killeny　Boy　was　already　hidden　ashore　somewhere　by　the　dog…stealing　steward。

〃Yes；　indeed　I'd　like　to　say　how…do…you…do　to　him；〃　Captain　Duncan　answered。

And　his　was　genuine　surprise；　on　entering　the　steward's　room；　to　behold　Michael　just　rousing　from　his　curled…up　sleep　on　the　floor。　But　when　he　left；　his　surprise　would　have　been　shocking　could　he　have　seen　through　the　closed　door　what　immediately　began　to　take　place。　　Out　through　the　open　porthole；　in　a　steady　stream；　Daughtry　was　passing　the　contents　of　the　room。　　Everything　went　that　belonged　to　him；　including　the　turtle…shell　and　the　photographs　and　calendars　on　the　wall。　　Michael；　with　the　command　of　silence　laid　upon　him；　went　last。　　Remained　only　a　sea…chest　and　two　suit…cases；　themselves　too　large　for　the　porthole　but　bare　of　contents。

When　Daughtry　sauntered　along　the　main　deck　a　few　minutes　later　and　paused　for　a　gossip　with　the　customs　officer　and　a　quartermaster　at　the　head　of　the　gang…plank；　Captain　Duncan　little　dreamed　that　his　casual　glance　was　resting　on　his　steward　for　the　last　time。　　He　watched　him　go　down　the　gang…plank　empty…handed；　with　no　dog　at　his　heels；　and　stroll　off　along　the　wharf　under　the　electric　lights。

Ten　minutes　after　Captain　Duncan　saw　the　last　of　his　broad　back；　Daughtry；　in　the　launch　with　his　belongings　and　heading　for　Jackson　Bay；　was　hunched　over　Michael　and　caressing　him；　while　Kwaque；　crooning　with　joy　under　his　breath　that　he　was　with　all　that　was　precious　to　him　in　the　world；　felt　once　again　in　the　side…pocket　of　his　flimsy　coat　to　make　sure　that　his　beloved　jews'　harp　had　not　been　left　behind。

Dag　Daughtry　was　paying　for　Michael；　and　paying　well。　　Among　other　things；　he　had　not　cared　to　arouse　suspicion　by　drawing　his　wages　from　Burns　Philp。　　The　twenty　pounds　due　him　he　had　abandoned；　and　this　was　the　very　sum；　that　night　on　the　beach　at　Tulagi；　he　had　decided　he　could　realize　from　the　sale　of　Michael。　　He　had　stolen　him　to　sell。　　He　was　paying　for　him　the　sales　price　that　had　tempted　him。

For；　as　one　has　well　said：　　the　horse　abases　the　base；　ennobles　the　noble。　　Likewise　the　dog。　　The　theft　of　a　dog　to　sell　for　a　price　had　been　the　abasement　worked　by　Michael　on　Dag　Daughtry。　To　pay　the　price　out　of　sheer　heart…love　that　could　recognize　no　price　too　great　to　pay；　had　been　the　ennoblement　of　Dag　Daughtry　which　Michael　had　worked。　　And　as　the　launch　chug…chugged　across　the　quiet　harbour　under　the　southern　stars；　Dag　Daughtry　would　have　risked　and　tossed　his　life　into　the　bargain　in　a　battle　to　continue　to　have　and　to　hold　the　dog　he　had　originally　conceived　of　as　being　interchangeable　for　so　many　dozens　of　beer。


The　Mary　Turner；　towed　out　by　a　tug；　sailed　shortly　after　daybreak；　and　Daughtry；　Kwaque；　and　Michael　looked　their　last　for　ever　on　Sydney　Harbour。

〃Once　again　these　old　eyes　have　seen　this　fair　haven；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner；　beside　them　gazing；　babbled；　and　Daughtry　could　not　help　but　notice　the　way　the　wheat…farmer　and　the　pawnbroker　pricked　their　ears　to　listen　and　glanced　each　to　the　other　with　scant　eyes。　　〃It　was　in　'52；　in　1852；　on　such　a　day　as　this；　all　drinking　and　singing　along　the　decks；　we　cleared　from　Sydney　in　the　Wide　Awake。　　A　pretty　craft；　oh　sirs；　a　most　clever　and　pretty　craft。　　A　crew；　a　brave　crew；　all　youngsters；　all　of　us；　fore　and　aft；　no　man　was　forty；　a　mad；　gay　crew。　　The　captain　was　an　elderly　gentleman　of　twenty…eight；　the　third　officer　another　of　eighteen；　the　down；　untouched　of　steel；　like　so　much　young　velvet　on　his　cheek。　　He；　too；　died　in　the　longboat。　　And　the　captain　gasped　out　his　last　under　the　palm　trees　of　the　isle　unnamable　while　the　brown　maidens　wept　about　him　and　fanned　the　air　to　his　parching　lungs。〃

Dag　Daughtry　heard　no　more；　for　he　turned　below　to　take　up　his　new　routine　of　duty。　　But　while　he　made　up　bunks　with　fresh　linen　and　directed　Kwaque's　efforts　to　cleaning　long…neglected　floors；　he　shook　his　head　to　himself　and　muttered；　〃He's　a　keen　'un。　　He's　a　keen　'un。　　All　ain't　fools　that　look　it。〃

The　fine　lines　of　the　Mary　Turner　were　explained　by　the　fact　that　she　had　been　built　for　seal…hunting；　and　for　the　same　reason　on　board　of　her　was　room　and　to　spare。　　The　forecastle　with　bunk…　space　for　twelve；　bedded　but　eight　Scandinavian　seamen。　　The　five　staterooms　of　the　cabin　accommodated　the　three　treasure…hunters；　the　Ancient　Mariner；　and　the　matethe　latter　a　large…bodied；　gentle…souled　Russian…Finn；　known　as　Mr。　Jackson　through　inability　of　his　shipmates　to　pronounce　the　name　he　had　signed　on　the　ship's　articles。

Remained　the　steerage；　just　for'ard　of　the　cabin；　separated　from　it　by　a　stout　bulkhead　and　entered　by　a　companionway　on　the　main　deck。　　On　this　deck；　between　the　break　of　the　poop　and　the　steerage　companion；　stood　the　galley。　　In　the　steerage　itself；　which　possessed　a　far　larger　living…space　than　the　cabin；　were　six　capacious　bunks；　each　double　the　width　of　the　forecastle　bunks；　and　each　curtained　and　with　no　bunk　above　it。

〃Some　fella　glory…hole；　eh；　Kwaque？〃　Daughtry　told　his　seventeen…　years…old　brown…skinned　Papuan　with　the　withered　ancient　face　of　a　centenarian；　the　legs　of　a　living　skeleton；　and　the　huge…stomached　torso　of　an　elderly　Japanese　wrestler。　　〃Eh；　Kwaque！　　What　you　fella　think？〃

And　Kwaque；　too　awed　by　the　spaciousness　to　speak；　eloquently　rolled　his　eyes　in　agreement。

〃You　likee　this　piecee　bunk？〃　the　cook；　a　little　old　Chinaman；　asked　the　steward　with　eager　humility；　inviting　the　white　man's　acceptance　of　his　own　bunk　with　a　wave　of　arm。

Daughtry　shook　his　head。　　He　had　early　learned　that　it　was　wise　to　get　along　well　with　sea…cooks；　since　sea…cocks　were　notoriously　given　to　going　suddenly　lunatic　and　slicing　and　hacking　up　their　shipmates　with　butcher　knives　and　meat　cleavers　on　the　slightest　remembered　provocation。　　Besides；　there　was　an　equally　good　bunk　all　the　way　across　the　width　of　the　steerage　from　the　Chinaman's。　The　bunk　next　on　the　port　side　to　the　cook's　and　abaft　of　it　Daughtry　allotted　to　Kwaque。　　Thus　he　retained　for　himself　and　Michael　the　entire　starboard　side　with　its　three　bunks。　　The　next　one　abaft　of　his　own　he　named　〃Killeny　Boy's；〃　and　called　on　Kwaque　and　the　cook　to　take　notice。　　Daughtry　had　a　sense　that　the　cook；　whose　name　had　been　quickly　volunteered　as　Ah　Moy；　was　not　entirely　satisfied　with　the　arrangement；　but　it　affected　him　no　more　than　a　momentary　curiosity　about　a　Chinaman　who　drew　the　line　at　a　dog　taking　a　bunk　in　the　same　apartment　with　him。

Half　an　hour　later；　returning；　from　setting　the　cabin　aright；　to　the　steerage　for　Kwaque　to　serve　him　with　a　bottle　of　beer；　Daughtry　observed　that　Ah　Moy　had　moved　his　entire　bunk　belongings　across　the　steerage　to　the　third　bunk　on　the　starboard　side。　　This　had　put　him　with　Daughtry　and　Michael　and　left　Kwaque　with　half　the　steerage　to　himself。　　Daughtry's　curiosity　recrudesced。

〃What　name　along　that　fella　Chink？〃　he　demanded　of　Kwaque。　　〃He　no　like　'm　you　fella　boy　stop　'm　along　same　fella　side　along　him。　What　for？　　My　word！　　What　name？　　That　fella　Chink　make　'm　me　cross　along　him　too　much！〃

〃Suppose　'm　that　fella　Chink　maybe　he　think　'm　me　kai…kai　along　him；〃　Kwaque　grinned　in　one　of　his　rare　jokes。

〃All　right；〃　the　steward　concluded。　　〃We　find　out。　　You　move　'm　along　my　bunk；　I　move　'm　along　that　fella　Chink's　bunk。〃

This　accomplished；　so　that　Kwaque；　Michael；　and　Ah　Moy　occupied　the　starboard　side　and　Daughtry　alone　bunked　on　the　port　side；　he　went　on　deck　and　aft　to　his　duties。　　On　his　next　return　he　found　Ah　Moy　had　transferred　back　to　the　port　side；　but　this　time　into　the　last　bunk　aft。