michael, brother of jerry-第14节

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return　he　found　Ah　Moy　had　transferred　back　to　the　port　side；　but　this　time　into　the　last　bunk　aft。

〃Seems　the　beggar's　taken　a　fancy　to　me；〃　the　steward　smiled　to　himself。

Nor　was　he　capable　of　guessing　Ah　Moy's　reason　for　bunking　always　on　the　opposite　side　from　Kwaque。

〃I　changee；〃　the　little　old　cook　explained；　with　anxious　eyes　to　please　and　placate；　in　response　to　Daughtry's　direct　question。　〃All　the　time　like　that；　changee；　plentee　changee。　　You　savvee？〃

Daughtry　did　not　savvee；　and　shook　his　head；　while　Ah　Moy's　slant　eyes　betrayed　none　of　the　anxiety　and　fear　with　which　he　privily　gazed　on　Kwaque's　two　permanently　bent　fingers　of　the　left　hand　and　on　Kwaque's　forehead；　between　the　eyes；　where　the　skin　appeared　a　shade　darker；　a　trifle　thicker；　and　was　marked　by　the　first　beginning　of　three　short　vertical　lines　or　creases　that　were　already　giving　him　the　lion…like　appearance；　the　leonine　face　so　named　by　the　experts　and　technicians　of　the　fell　disease。

As　the　days　passed；　the　steward　took　facetious　occasions；　when　he　had　drunk　five　quarts　of　his　daily　allowance；　to　shift　his　and　Kwaque's　bunks　about。　　And　invariably　Ah　Moy　shifted；　though　Daughtry　failed　to　notice　that　he　never　shifted　into　a　bunk　which　Kwaque　had　occupied。　　Nor　did　he　notice　that　it　was　when　the　time　came　that　Kwaque　had　variously　occupied　all　the　six　bunks　that　Ah　Moy　made　himself　a　canvas　hammock；　suspended　it　from　the　deck　beams　above　and　thereafter　swung　clear　in　space　and　unmolested。

Daughtry　dismissed　the　matter　from　his　thoughts　as　no　more　than　a　thing　in　keeping　with　the　general　inscrutability　of　the　Chinese　mind。　　He　did　notice；　however；　that　Kwaque　was　never　permitted　to　enter　the　galley。　　Another　thing　he　noticed；　which；　expressed　in　his　own　words；　was：　　〃That's　the　all…dangdest　cleanest　Chink　I've　ever　clapped　my　lamps　on。　　Clean　in　galley；　clean　in　steerage；　clean　in　everything。　　He's　always　washing　the　dishes　in　boiling　water；　when　he　isn't　washing　himself　or　his　clothes　or　bedding。　My　word；　he　actually　boils　his　blankets　once　a　week！〃

For　there　were　other　things　to　occupy　the　steward's　mind。　　Getting　acquainted　with　the　five　men　aft　in　the　cabin；　and　lining　up　the　whole　situation　and　the　relations　of　each　of　the　five　to　that　situation　and　to　one　another；　consumed　much　time。　　Then　there　was　the　path　of　the　Mary　Turner　across　the　sea。　　No　old　sailor　breathes　who　does　not　desire　to　know　the　casual　course　of　his　ship　and　the　next　port…of…call。

〃We　ought　to　be　moving　along　a　line　that'll　cross　somewhere　northard　of　New　Zealand；〃　Daughtry　guessed　to　himself；　after　a　hundred　stolen　glances　into　the　binnacle。　　But　that　was　all　the　information　concerning　the　ship's　navigation　he　could　steal；　for　Captain　Doane　took　the　observations　and　worked　them　out；　to　the　exclusion　of　the　mate；　and　Captain　Doane　always　methodically　locked　up　his　chart　and　log。　　That　there　were　heated　discussions　in　the　cabin；　in　which　terms　of　latitude　and　longitude　were　bandied　back　and　forth；　Daughtry　did　know；　but　more　than　that　he　could　not　know；　because　it　was　early　impressed　upon　him　that　the　one　place　for　him　never　to　be；　at　such　times　of　council；　was　the　cabin。　　Also；　he　could　not　but　conclude　that　these　councils　were　real　battles　wherein　Messrs。　Doane；　Nishikanta；　and　Grimahaw　screamed　at　each　other　and　pounded　the　table　at　each　other；　when　they　were　not　patiently　and　most　politely　interrogating　the　Ancient　Mariner。

〃He's　got　their　goat；〃　the　steward　early　concluded　to　himself；　but；　thereafter；　try　as　he　would；　he　failed　to　get　the　Ancient　Mariner's　goat。

Charles　Stough　Greenleaf　was　the　Ancient　Mariner's　name。　　This；　Daughtry　got　from　him；　and　nothing　else　did　he　get　save　maunderings　and　ravings　about　the　heat　of　the　longboat　and　the　treasure　a　fathom　deep　under　the　sand。

〃There's　some　of　us　plays　games；　an'　some　of　us　as　looks　on　an'　admires　the　games　they　see；〃　the　steward　made　his　bid　one　day。　〃And　I'm　sure　these　days　lookin'　on　at　a　pretty　game。　　The　more　I　see　it　the　more　I　got　to　admire。〃

The　Ancient　Mariner　dreamed　back　into　the　steward's　eyes　with　a　blank；　unseeing　gaze。

〃On　the　Wide　Awake　all　the　stewards　were　young；　mere　boys；〃　he　murmured。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Daughtry　agreed　pleasantly。　　〃From　all　you　say；　the　Wide　Awake；　with　all　its　youngsters；　was　sure　some　craft。　　Not　like　the　crowd　of　old　'uns　on　this　here　hooker。　　But　I　doubt；　sir；　that　them　youngsters　ever　played　as　clever　games　as　is　being　played　aboard　us　right　now。　　I　just　got　to　admire　the　fine　way　it's　being　done；　sir。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　something；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　replied；　with　such　confidential　air　that　almost　Daughtry　leaned　to　hear。　　〃No　steward　on　the　Wide　Awake　could　mix　a　high…ball　in　just　the　way　I　like；　as　well　as　you。　　We　didn't　know　cocktails　in　those　days；　but　we　had　sherry　and　bitters。　　A　good　appetizer；　too；　a　most　excellent　appetizer。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　something　more；〃　he　continued；　just　as　it　seemed　he　had　finished；　and　just　in　time　to　interrupt　Daughtry　away　from　his　third　attempt　to　ferret　out　the　true　inwardness　of　the　situation　on　the　Mary　Turner　and　of　the　Ancient　Mariner's　part　in　it。　　〃It　is　mighty　nigh　five　bells；　and　I　should　be　very　pleased　to　have　one　of　your　delicious　cocktails　ere　I　go　down　to　dine。〃

More　suspicious　than　ever　of　him　was　Daughtry　after　this　episode。　But；　as　the　days　went　by；　he　came　more　and　more　to　the　conclusion　that　Charles　Stough　Greenleaf　was　a　senile　old　man　who　sincerely　believed　in　the　abiding　of　a　buried　treasure　somewhere　in　the　South　Seas。

Once；　polishing　the　brasswork　on　the　hand…rails　of　the　cabin　companionway；　Daughtry　overheard　the　ancient　one　explaining　his　terrible　scar　and　missing　fingers　to　Grimshaw　and　the　Armenian　Jew。　　The　pair　of　them　had　plied　him　with　extra　drinks　in　the　hope　of　getting　more　out　of　him　by　way　of　his　loosened　tongue。

〃It　was　in　the　longboat；〃　the　aged　voice　cackled　up　the　companion。　〃On　the　eleventh　day　it　was　that　the　mutiny　broke。　　We　in　the　sternsheets　stood　together　against　them。　　It　was　all　a　madness。　We　were　starved　sore；　but　we　were　mad　for　water。　　It　was　over　the　water　it　began。　　For；　see　you；　it　was　our　custom　to　lick　the　dew　from　the　oar…blades；　the　gunwales；　the　thwarts；　and　the　inside　planking。　　And　each　man　of　us　had　developed　property　in　the　dew…　collecting　surfaces。　　Thus；　the　tiller　and　the　rudder…head　and　half　of　the　plank　of　the　starboard　stern…sheet　had　become　the　property　of　the　second　officer。　　No　one　of　us　lacked　the　honour　to　respect　his　property。　　The　third　officer　was　a　lad；　only　eighteen；　a　brave　and　charming　boy。　　He　shared　with　the　second　officer　the　starboard　stern…sheet　plank。　　They　drew　a　line　to　mark　the　division；　and　neither；　lapping　up　what　scant　moisture　fell　during　the　night…hours；　ever　dreamed　of　trespassing　across　the　line。　They　were　too　honourable。

〃But　the　sailorsno。　　They　squabbled　amongst　themselves　over　the　dew…surfaces；　and　only　the　night　before　one　of　them　was　knifed　because　he　so　stole。　　But　on　this　night；　waiting　for　the　dew；　a　little　of　it；　to　become　more；　on　the　surfaces　that　were　mine；　I　heard　the　noises　of　a　dew…lapper　moving　aft　along　the　port…　gunwalewhich　was　my　property　aft　of　the　stroke…thwart　clear　to　the　stern。　　I　emerged　from　a　nightmare　dream　of　crystal　springs　and　swollen　rivers　to　listen　to　this　night…drinker　that　I　feared　might　encroach　upon　what　was　mine。

〃Nearer　he　came　to　the　line　of　my　property；　and　I　could　hear　him　making　little　moaning；　whimpering　noises　as　he　licked　the　damp　wood。　　It　was　like　listening　to　an　animal　grazing　pasture…grass　at　night　and　ever　grazing　nearer。

It　chanced　I　was　holding　a　boat…stretcher　in　my　handto　catch　what　little　dew　might　fall　upon　it。　　I　did　not　know　who　it　was；　but　when　he　lapped　across　the　line　and　moaned　and　whimpered　as　he　licked　up　my　precious　drops　of　dew；　I　struck　out。　　The　boat…　stretcher　caught　him　fairly　on　the　noseit　was　the　bo's'nand　the　mutiny　began。　　It　was　the　bo's'n's　knife　that　sliced　down　my　face　and　sliced　away　my　fingers。　　The　third　officer；　the　eighteen…　year…old　lad；　fought　well　beside　me；　and　saved　me；　so　that；　just　before　I　fainted；　he　and　I；　between　us；　hove　the　bo's'n's　carcass　overside。〃

A　shifting　of　feet　and　changing　of　positions　of　those　in　the　cabin　plunged　Daughtry　back　into　his　polishing；　which　he　had　for　the　time　forgotten。　　And；　as　he　rubbed　the　brass…work；　he　told　himself　under　his　breath：　　〃The　old　party's　sure　been　through　the　mill。　Such　things　just　got　to　happen。〃

〃No；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　was　continuing；　in　his　thin　falsetto；　in　reply　to　a　query。　　〃It　wasn't　the　wounds　that　made　me　faint。　　It　was　the　exertion　I　made　in　the　struggle。　　I　was　too　weak。　　No；　so　little　moisture　was　there　in　my　system　that　I　didn't　bleed　much。　And　the　amazing　thing；　under　the　circumstances；　was　the　quickness　with　which　I　healed。　　The　second　officer　sewed　me　up　next　day　with　a　needle　he'd　made　out　of　an　ivory　toothpick　and　with　twine　he　twisted　out　of　the　threads　from　a　frayed　tarpaulin。〃

〃Might　I　ask；　Mr。　Greenleaf；　if　there　were　rings　at　the　time　on　the　fingers　that　were　cut　off？〃　Daughtry　heard　Simon　Nishikanta　ask。

〃Yes；　and　one　beauty。　　I　found　it　afterward　in　the　boat　bottom　and　presented　it　to　the　sandalwood　trader　who　rescued　me。