michael, brother of jerry-第15节

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〃Yes；　and　one　beauty。　　I　found　it　afterward　in　the　boat　bottom　and　presented　it　to　the　sandalwood　trader　who　rescued　me。　　It　was　a　large　diamond。　　I　paid　one　hundred　and　eighty　guineas　for　it　to　an　English　sailor　in　the　Barbadoes。　　He'd　stolen　it；　and　of　course　it　was　worth　more。　　It　was　a　beautiful　gem。　　The　sandalwood　man　did　not　merely　save　my　life　for　it。　　In　addition；　he　spent　fully　a　hundred　pounds　in　outfitting　me　and　buying　me　a　passage　from　Thursday　Island　to　Shanghai。〃


〃There's　no　getting　away　from　them　rings　he　wears；〃　Daughtry　overheard　Simon　Nishikanta　that　evening　telling　Grimshaw　in　the　dark　on　the　weather　poop。　　〃You　don't　see　that　kind　nowadays。　They're　old；　real　old。　　They're　not　men's　rings　so　much　as　what　you'd　call；　in　the　old…fashioned　days；　gentlemen's　rings。　　Real　gentlemen；　I　mean；　grand　gentlemen；　wore　rings　like　them。　　I　wish　collateral　like　them　came　into　my　loan　offices　these　days。　They're　worth　big　money。〃


〃I　just　want　to　tell　you；　Killeny　Boy；　that　maybe　I'll　be　wishin'　before　the　voyage　is　over　that　I'd　gone　on　a　lay　of　the　treasure　instead　of　straight　wages；〃　Dag　Daughtry　confided　to　Michael　that　night　at　turning…in　time　as　Kwaque　removed　his　shoes　and　as　he　paused　midway　in　the　draining　of　his　sixth　bottle。　　〃Take　it　from　me；　Killeny；　that　old　gentleman　knows　what　he's　talkin'　about；　an'　has　been　some　hummer　in　his　days。　　Men　don't　lose　the　fingers　off　their　hands　and　get　their　faces　chopped　open　just　for　nothingnor　sport　rings　that　makes　a　Jew　pawnbroker's　mouth　water。〃



CHAPTER　XI



Before　the　voyage　of　the　Mary　Turner　came　to　an　end；　Dag　Daughtry；　sitting　down　between　the　rows　of　water…casks　in　the　main…hold；　with　a　great　laugh　rechristened　the　schooner　〃the　Ship　of　Fools。〃　But　that　was　some　weeks　after。　　In　the　meantime　he　so　fulfilled　his　duties　that　not　even　Captain　Doane　could　conjure　a　shadow　of　complaint。

Especially　did　the　steward　attend　upon　the　Ancient　Mariner；　for　whom　he　had　come　to　conceive　a　strong　admiration；　if　not　affection。　　The　old　fellow　was　different　from　his　cabin…mates。　They　were　money…lovers；　everything　in　them　had　narrowed　down　to　the　pursuit　of　dollars。　　Daughtry；　himself　moulded　on　generously　careless　lines；　could　not　but　appreciate　the　spaciousness　of　the　Ancient　Mariner；　who　had　evidently　lived　spaciously　and　who　was　ever　for　sharing　the　treasure　they　sought。

〃You'll　get　your　whack；　steward；　if　it　comes　out　of　my　share；〃　he　frequently　assured　Daughtry　at　times　of　special　kindness　on　the　latter's　part。　　〃There's　oodles　of　it；　and　oodles　of　it；　and；　without　kith　or　kin；　I　have　so　little　time　longer　to　live　that　I　shall　not　need　it　much　or　much　of　it。〃

And　so　the　Ship　of　Fools　sailed　on；　all　aft　fooling　and　befouling；　from　the　guileless…eyed；　gentle…souled　Finnish　mate；　who；　with　the　scent　of　treasure　pungent　in　his　nostrils；　with　a　duplicate　key　stole　the　ship's　daily　position　from　Captain　Doane's　locked　desk；　to　Ah　Moy；　the　cook；　who　kept　Kwaque　at　a　distance　and　never　whispered　warning　to　the　others　of　the　risk　they　ran　from　continual　contact　with　the　carrier　of　the　terrible　disease。

Kwaque　himself　had　neither　thought　nor　worry　of　the　matter。　　He　knew　the　thing　as　a　thing　that　occasionally　happened　to　human　creatures。　　It　bothered　him；　from　the　pain　standpoint；　scarcely　at　all；　and　it　never　entered　his　kinky　head　that　his　master　did　not　know　about　it。　　For　the　same　reason　he　never　suspected　why　Ah　Moy　kept　him　so　at　a　distance。　　Nor　had　Kwaque　other　worries。　　His　god；　over　all　gods　of　sea　and　jungle；　he　worshipped；　and；　himself　ever　intimately　allowed　in　the　presence；　paradise　was　wherever　he　and　his　god；　the　steward；　might　be。

And　so　Michael。　　Much　in　the　same　way　that　Kwaque　loved　and　worshipped　did　he　love　and　worship　the　six…quart　man。　　To　Michael　and　Kwaque；　the　daily；　even　hourly；　recognition　and　consideration　of　Dag　Daughtry　was　tantamount　to　resting　continuously　in　the　bosom　of　Abraham。　　The　god　of　Messrs。　Doane；　Nishikanta；　and　Grimshaw　was　a　graven　god　whose　name　was　Gold。　　The　god　of　Kwaque　and　Michael　was　a　living　god；　whose　voice　could　be　always　heard；　whose　arms　could　be　always　warm；　the　pulse　of　whose　heart　could　be　always　felt　throbbing　in　a　myriad　acts　and　touches。

No　greater　joy　was　Michael's　than　to　sit　by　the　hour　with　Steward　and　sing　with　him　all　songs　and　tunes　he　sang　or　hummed。　　With　a　quantity　or　pitch　even　more　of　genius　or　unusualness　in　him　than　in　Jerry；　Michael　learned　more　quickly；　and　since　the　way　of　his　education　was　singing；　he　came　to　sing　far　beyond　the　best　Villa　Kennan　ever　taught　Jerry。

Michael　could　howl；　or　sing；　rather　（because　his　howling　was　so　mellow　and　so　controlled）；　any　air　that　was　not　beyond　his　register　that　Steward　elected　to　sing　with　him。　　In　addition；　he　could　sing　by　himself；　and　unmistakably；　such　simple　airs　as　〃Home；　Sweet　Home；〃　〃God　save　the　King；〃　and　〃The　Sweet　By　and　By。〃　　Even　alone；　prompted　by　Steward　a　score　of　feet　away　from　him；　could　he　lift　up　his　muzzle　and　sing　〃Shenandoah〃　and　〃Roll　me　down　to　Rio。〃

Kwaque；　on　stolen　occasions　when　Steward　was　not　around；　would　get　out　his　Jews'　harp　and　by　the　sheer　compellingness　of　the　primitive　instrument　make　Michael　sing　with　him　the　barbaric　and　devil…devil　rhythms　of　King　William　Island。　　Another　master　of　song；　but　one　in　whom　Michael　delighted；　came　to　rule　over　him。　This　master's　name　was　Cocky。　　He　so　introduced　himself　to　Michael　at　their　first　meeting。

〃Cocky；〃　he　said　bravely；　without　a　quiver　of　fear　or　flight；　when　Michael　had　charged　upon　him　at　sight　to　destroy　him。　　And　the　human　voice；　the　voice　of　a　god；　issuing　from　the　throat　of　the　tiny；　snow…white　bird；　had　made　Michael　go　back　on　his　haunches；　while；　with　eyes　and　nostrils；　he　quested　the　steerage　for　the　human　who　had　spoken。　　And　there　was　no　human　。　。　。　only　a　small　cockatoo　that　twisted　his　head　impudently　and　sidewise　at　him　and　repeated；　〃Cocky。〃

The　taboo　of　the　chicken　Michael　had　been　well　taught　in　his　earliest　days　at　Meringe。　　Chickens；　esteemed　by　MISTER　Haggin　and　his　white…god　fellows；　were　things　that　dogs　must　even　defend　instead　of　ever　attack。　　But　this　thing；　itself　no　chicken；　with　the　seeming　of　a　wild　feathered　thing　of　the　jungle　that　was　fair　game　for　any　dog；　talked　to　him　with　the　voice　of　a　god。

〃Get　off　your　foot；〃　it　commanded　so　peremptorily；　so　humanly；　as　again　to　startle　Michael　and　made　him　quest　about　the　steerage　for　the　god…throat　that　had　uttered　it。

〃Get　off　your　foot；　or　I'll　throw　the　leg　of　Moses　at　you；〃　was　the　next　command　from　the　tiny　feathered　thing。

After　that　came　a　farrago　of　Chinese；　so　like　the　voice　of　Ah　Moy；　that　again；　though　for　the　last　time；　Michael　sought　about　the　steerage　for　the　utterer。

At　this　Cocky　burst　into　such　wild　and　fantastic　shrieks　of　laughter　that　Michael；　ears　pricked；　head　cocked　to　one　side；　identified　in　the　fibres　of　the　laughter　the　fibres　of　the　various　voices　he　had　just　previously　heard。

And　Cocky；　only　a　few　ounces　in　weight；　less　than　half　a　pound；　a　tiny　framework　of　fragile　bone　covered　with　a　handful　of　feathers　and　incasing　a　heart　that　was　as　big　in　pluck　as　any　heart　on　the　Mary　Turner；　became　almost　immediately　Michael's　friend　and　comrade；　as　well　as　ruler。　　Minute　morsel　of　daring　and　courage　that　Cocky　was；　he　commanded　Michael's　respect　from　the　first。　And　Michael；　who　with　a　single　careless　paw…stroke　could　have　broken　Cocky's　slender　neck　and　put　out　for　ever　the　brave　brightness　of　Cocky's　eyes；　was　careful　of　him　from　the　first。　And　he　permitted　him　a　myriad　liberties　that　he　would　never　have　permitted　Kwaque。

Ingrained　in　Michael's　heredity；　from　the　very　beginning　of　four…　legged　dogs　on　earth；　was　the　DEFENCE　OF　THE　MEAT。　　He　never　reasoned　it。　　Automatic　and　involuntary　as　his　heart…beating　and　air…breathing；　was　his　defence　of　his　meat　once　he　had　his　paw　on　it；　his　teeth　in　it。　　Only　to　Steward；　by　an　extreme　effort　of　will　and　control；　could　he　accord　the　right　to　touch　his　meat　once　he　had　himself　touched　it。　　Even　Kwaque；　who　most　usually　fed　him　under　Steward's　instructions；　knew　that　the　safety　of　fingers　and　flesh　resided　in　having　nothing　further　whatever　to　do　with　anything　of　food　once　in　Michael's　possession。　　But　Cocky；　a　bit　of　feathery　down；　a　morsel…flash　of　light　and　life　with　the　throat　of　a　god；　violated　with　sheer　impudence　and　daring　Michael's　taboo；　the　defence　of　the　meat。

Perched　on　the　rim　of　Michael's　pannikin；　this　inconsiderable　adventurer　from　out　of　the　dark　into　the　sun　of　life；　a　mere　spark　and　mote　between　the　darks；　by　a　ruffing　of　his　salmon…pink　crest；　a　swift　and　enormous　dilation　of　his　bead…black　pupils；　and　a　raucous　imperative　cry；　as　of　all　the　gods；　in　his　throat；　could　make　Michael　give　back　and　permit　the　fastidious　selection　of　the　choicest　tidbits　of　his　dish。

For　Cocky　had　a　way　with　him；　and　ways　and　ways。　　He；　who　was　sheer　bladed　steel　in　the　imperious　flashing　of　his　will；　could　swashbuckle　and　bully　like　any　over…seas　roisterer；　or　wheedle　as　wickedly　winningly　as　the　first　woman　out　of　Eden　or　the　last　woman　of　that　descent。　　When　Cocky；　balanced　on　one　leg；　the　other　leg　in　the　air　as　the　foot　of　it　held　the　scruff　of　Michael's　neck；　leaned　to　Michael's