michael, brother of jerry-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


as　anchoredKwaque；　the　Black　Papuan　monstrosity　whom　he　had　saved　from　the　bellies　of　his　fellows；　Ah　Moy；　the　little　old　sea…cook　whose　age　was　problematical　only　by　decades；　the　Ancient　Mariner；　the　dignified；　the　beloved；　and　the　respected；　gangly　Big　John；　the　youthful　Scandinavian　with　the　inches　of　a　giant　and　the　mind　of　a　child；　Killeny　Boy；　the　wonder　of　dogs；　Scraps；　the　outrageously　silly　and　fat…rolling　puppy；　Cocky；　the　white…　feathered　mite　of　life；　imperious　as　a　steel…blade　and　wheedlingly　seductive　as　a　charming　child；　and　even　the　forecastle　cat；　the　lithe　and　tawny　slayer　of　rats；　sheltering　between　the　legs　of　Ah　Moy。　　And　the　Marquesas　were　two　hundred　miles　distant　full…hauled　on　the　tradewind　which　had　ceased　but　which　was　as　sure　to　live　again　as　the　morning　sun　in　the　sky。

The　steward　heaved　a　sigh；　and　whimsically　shot　into　his　mind　the　memory…picture　in　his　nursery…book　of　the　old　woman　who　lived　in　a　shoe。　　He　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　and　was　dimly　aware　of　the　area　of　the　numbness　that　bordered　the　centre　that　was　sensationless　between　his　eyebrows；　as　he　said：

〃Well；　children；　rowing　won't　fetch　us　to　the　Marquesas。　　We'll　need　a　stretch　of　wind　for　that。　　But　it's　up　to　us；　right　now；　to　put　a　mile　or　so　between　us　an'　that　peevish　old　cow。　　Maybe　she'll　revive；　and　maybe　she　won't；　but　just　the　same　I　can't　help　feelin'　leary　about　her。〃



CHAPTER　XVI



Two　days　later；　as　the　steamer　Mariposa　plied　her　customary　route　between　Tahiti　and　San　Francisco；　the　passengers　ceased　playing　deck　quoits；　abandoned　their　card　games　in　the　smoker；　their　novels　and　deck　chairs；　and　crowded　the　rail　to　stare　at　the　small　boat　that　skimmed　to　them　across　the　sea　before　a　light　following　breeze。　　When　Big　John；　aided　by　Ah　Moy　and　Kwaque；　lowered　the　sail　and　unstepped　the　mast；　titters　and　laughter　arose　from　the　passengers。　　It　was　contrary　to　all　their　preconceptions　of　mid…　ocean　rescue　of　ship…wrecked　mariners　from　the　open　boat。

It　caught　their　fancy　that　this　boat　was　the　Ark；　what　of　its　freightage　of　bedding；　dry　goods　boxes；　beer…cases；　a　cat；　two　dogs；　a　white　cockatoo；　a　Chinaman；　a　kinky…headed　black；　a　gangly　pallid…haired　giant；　a　grizzled　Dag　Daughtry；　and　an　Ancient　Mariner　who　looked　every　inch　the　part。　　Him　a　facetious；　vacationing　architect's　clerk　dubbed　Noah；　and　so　greeted　him。

〃I　say；　Noah；〃　he　called。　　〃Some　flood；　eh？　　Located　Ararat　yet？〃

〃Catch　any　fish？〃　bawled　another　youngster　down　over　the　rail。

〃Gracious！　　Look　at　the　beer！　　Good　English　beer！　　Put　me　down　for　a　case！〃

Never　was　a　more　popular　wrecked　crew　more　merrily　rescued　at　sea。　The　young　blades　would　have　it　that　none　other　than　old　Noah　himself　had　come　on　board　with　the　remnants　of　the　Lost　Tribes；　and　to　elderly　female　passengers　spun　hair…raising　accounts　of　the　sinking　of　an　entire　tropic　island　by　volcanic　and　earthquake　action。

〃I'm　a　steward；〃　Dag　Daughtry　told　the　Mariposa's　captain；　〃and　I'll　be　glad　and　grateful　to　berth　along　with　your　stewards　in　the　glory…hole。　　Big　John　there's　a　sailorman；　an'　the　fo'c's'le　'll　do　him。　　The　Chink　is　a　ship's　cook；　and　the　nigger　belongs　to　me。　But　Mr。　Greenleaf；　sir；　is　a　gentleman；　and　the　best　of　cabin　fare　and　staterooms'll　be　none　too　good　for　him；　sir。〃

And　when　the　news　went　around　that　these　were　part　of　the　survivors　of　the　three…masted　schooner；　Mary　Turner；　smashed　into　kindling　wood　and　sunk　by　a　whale；　the　elderly　females　no　more　believed　than　had　they　the　yarn　of　the　sunken　island。

〃Captain　Hayward；〃　one　of　them　demanded　of　the　steamer's　skipper；　〃could　a　whale　sink　the　Mariposa？〃

〃She　has　never　been　so　sunk；〃　was　his　reply。

〃I　knew　it！〃　she　declared　emphatically。　　〃It's　not　the　way　of　ships　to　go　around　being　sunk　by　whales；　is　it；　captain？〃

〃No；　madam；　I　assure　you　it　is　not；〃　was　his　response。　〃Nevertheless；　all　the　five　men　insist　upon　it。〃

〃Sailors　are　notorious　for　their　unveracity；　are　they　not？〃　the　lady　voiced　her　flat　conclusion　in　the　form　of　a　tentative　query。

〃Worst　liars　I　ever　saw；　madam。　　Do　you　know；　after　forty　years　at　sea；　I　couldn't　believe　myself　under　oath。〃


Nine　days　later　the　Mariposa　threaded　the　Golden　Gate　and　docked　at　San　Francisco。　　Humorous　half…columns　in　the　local　papers；　written　in　the　customary　silly　way　by　unlicked　cub　reporters　just　out　of　grammar　school；　tickled　the　fancy　of　San　Francisco　for　a　fleeting　moment　in　that　the　steamship　Mariposa　had　rescued　some　sea…waifs　possessed　of　a　cock…and…bull　story　that　not　even　the　reporters　believed。　　Thus；　silly　reportorial　unveracity　usually　proves　extraordinary　truth　a　liar。　　It　is　the　way　of　cub　reporters；　city　newspapers；　and　flat…floor　populations　which　get　their　thrills　from　moving　pictures　and　for　which　the　real　world　and　all　its　spaciousness　does　not　exist。

〃Sunk　by　a　whale！〃　demanded　the　average　flat…floor　person。　〃Nonsense；　that's　all。　　Just　plain　rotten　nonsense。　　Now；　in　the　'Adventures　of　Eleanor；'　which　is　some　film；　believe　me；　I'll　tell　you　what　I　saw　happen　。　。　。　〃

So　Daughtry　and　his　crew　went　ashore　into　'Frisco　Town　uheralded　and　unsung；　the　second　following　morning's　lucubrations　of　the　sea　reporters　being　varied　disportations　upon　the　attack　on　an　Italian　crab　fisherman　by　an　enormous　jellyfish。　　Big　John　promptly　sank　out　of　sight　in　a　sailors'　boarding…house；　and；　within　the　week；　joined　the　Sailors'　Union　and　shipped　on　a　steam　schooner　to　load　redwood　ties　at　Bandon；　Oregon。　　Ah　Moy　got　no　farther　ashore　than　the　detention　sheds　of　the　Federal　Immigration　Board；　whence　he　was　deported　to　China　on　the　next　Pacific　Mail　steamer。　　The　Mary　Turner's　cat　was　adopted　by　the　sailors'　forecastle　of　the　Mariposa；　and　on　the　Mariposa　sailed　away　on　the　back　trip　to　Tahiti。　　Scraps　was　taken　ashore　by　a　quartermaster　and　left　in　the　bosom　of　his　family。

And　ashore　went　Dag　Daughtry；　with　his　small　savings；　to　rent　two　cheap　rooms　for　himself　and　his　remaining　responsibilities；　namely；　Charles　Stough　Greenleaf；　Kwaque；　Michael；　and；　not　least；　Cocky。　　But　not　for　long　did　he　permit　the　Ancient　Mariner　to　live　with　him。

〃It's　not　playing　the　game；　sir；〃　he　told　him。　　〃What　we　need　is　capital。　　We've　got　to　interest　capital；　and　you've　got　to　do　the　interesting。　　Now　this　very　day　you've　got　to　buy　a　couple　of　suitcases；　hire　a　taxicab；　go　sailing　up　to　the　front　door　of　the　Bronx　Hotel　like　good　pay　and　be　damned。　　She's　a　real　stylish　hotel；　but　reasonable　if　you　want　to　make　it　so。　　A　little　room；　an　inside　room；　European　plan；　of　course；　and　then　you　can　economise　by　eatin'　out。〃

〃But；　steward；　I　have　no　money；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　protested。

〃That's　all　right；　sir；　I'll　back　you　for　all　I　can。〃

〃But；　my　dear　man；　you　know　I'm　an　old　impostor。　　I　can't　stick　you　up　like　the　others。　　You　。　。　。　why　。　。　。　why；　you're　a　friend；　don't　you　see？〃

〃Sure　I　do；　and　I　thank　you　for　sayin'　it；　sir。　　And　that's　why　I'm　with　you。　　And　when　you've　nailed　another　crowd　of　treasure…　hunters　and　got　the　ship　ready；　you'll　just　ship　me　along　as　steward；　with　Kwaque；　and　Killeny　Boy；　and　the　rest　of　our　family。　You've　adopted　me；　now；　an'　I'm　your　grown…up　son；　an'　you've　got　to　listen　to　me。　　The　Bronx　is　the　hotel　for　youfine…soundin'　name；　ain't　it？　　That's　atmosphere。　　Folk'll　listen　half　to　you　an'　more　to　your　hotel。　　I　tell　you；　you　leaning　back　in　a　big　leather　chair　talkin'　treasure　with　a　two…bit　cigar　in　your　mouth　an'　a　twenty…cent　drink　beside　you；　why　that's　like　treasure。　They　just　got　to　believe。　　An'　if　you'll　come　along　now；　sir；　we'll　trot　out　an'　buy　them　suit…cases。〃

Right　bravely　the　Ancient　Mariner　drove　to　the　Bronx　in　a　taxi；　registered　his　〃Charles　Stough　Greenleaf〃　in　an　old…fashioned　hand；　and　took　up　anew　the　activities　which　for　years　had　kept　him　free　of　the　poor…farm。　　No　less　bravely　did　Dag　Daughtry　set　out　to　seek　work。　　This　was　most　necessary；　because　he　was　a　man　of　expensive　luxuries。　　His　family　of　Kwaque；　Michael；　and　Cocky　required　food　and　shelter；　more　costly　than　that　was　maintenance　of　the　Ancient　Mariner　in　the　high…class　hotel；　and；　in　addition；　was　his　six…quart　thirst。

But　it　was　a　time　of　industrial　depression。　　The　unemployed　problem　was　bulking　bigger　than　usual　to　the　citizens　of　San　Francisco。　　And；　as　regarded　steamships　and　sailing　vessels；　there　were　three　stewards　for　every　Steward's　position。　　Nothing　steady　could　Daughtry　procure；　while　his　occasional　odd　jobs　did　not　balance　his　various　running　expenses。　　Even　did　he　do　pick…and…　shovel　work；　for　the　municipality；　for　three　days；　when　he　had　to　give　way；　according　to　the　impartial　procedure；　to　another　needy　one　whom　three　days'　work　would　keep　afloat　a　little　longer。

Daughtry　would　have　put　Kwaque　to　work；　except　that　Kwaque　was　impossible。　　The　black；　who　had　only　seen　Sydney　from　steamers'　decks；　had　never　been　in　a　city　in　his　life。　　All　he　knew　of　the　world　was　steamers；　far…outlying　south…sea　isles；　and　his　own　island　of　King　William　in　Melanesia。　　So　Kwaque　remained　in　the　two　rooms；　cooking　and　housekeeping　for　his　master　and　caring　for　Michael　and　Cocky。　　All　of　which　was　prison　for　Michael；　who　had　been　used　to　the　run　of　ships；　of　coral　beaches　and　p