michael, brother of jerry-第28节

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ows　much　more　he'll　develop　the　T。B。　　For　the　good　of　his　health；　an'　mine　an'　yours；　an'　all　of　us；　we　got　to　get　up　anchor　pretty　soon　an'　hit　out　for　the　home　of　the　trade　winds　that　kiss　you　through　an'　through　with　the　salt　an'　the　life　of　the　sea。〃


In　truth；　Kwaque；　who　never　complained；　was　ailing　fast。　　A　swelling；　slow　and　sensationless　at　first；　under　his　right　arm…　pit；　had　become　a　mild　and　unceasing　pain。　　No　longer　could　he　sleep　a　night　through。　　Although　he　lay　on　his　left　side；　never　less　than　twice；　and　often　three　and　four　times；　the　hurt　of　the　swelling　woke　him。　　Ah　Moy；　had　he　not　long　since　been　delivered　back　to　China　by　the　immigration　authorities；　could　have　told　him　the　meaning　of　that　swelling；　just　as　he　could　have　told　Dag　Daughtry　the　meaning　of　the　increasing　area　of　numbness　between　his　eyes　where　the　tiny；　vertical；　lion…lines　were　cutting　more　conspicuously。　　Also；　could　he　have　told　him　what　was　wrong　with　the　little　finger　on　his　left　hand。　　Daughtry　had　first　diagnosed　it　as　a　sprain　of　a　tendon。　　Later；　he　had　decided　it　was　chronic　rheumatism　brought　on　by　the　damp　and　foggy　Sun　Francisco　climate。　It　was　one　of　his　reasons　for　desiring　to　get　away　again　to　sea　where　the　tropic　sun　would　warm　the　rheumatism　out　of　him。

As　a　steward；　Daughtry　had　been　accustomed　to　contact　with　men　and　women　of　the　upper　world。　　But　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　here　in　the　underworld　of　San　Francisco；　in　all　equality　he　met　such　persons　from　above。　　Nay；　more；　they　were　eager　to　meet　him。　They　sought　him。　　They　fawned　upon　him　for　an　invitation　to　sit　at　his　table　and　buy　beer　for　him　in　whatever　garish　cabaret　Michael　was　performing。　　They　would　have　bought　wine　for　him；　at　enormous　expense；　had　he　not　stubbornly　stuck　to　his　beer。　　They　were；　some　of　them；　for　inviting　him　to　their　homes〃An'　bring　the　wonderful　dog　along　for　a　sing…song〃；　but　Daughtry；　proud　of　Michael　for　being　the　cause　of　such　invitations；　explained　that　the　professional　life　was　too　arduous　to　permit　of　such　diversions。　To　Michael　he　explained　that　when　they　proffered　a　fee　of　fifty　dollars；　the　pair　of　them　would　〃come　a…runnin'。〃

Among　the　host　of　acquaintances　made　in　their　cabaret…life；　two　were　destined；　very　immediately；　to　play　important　parts　in　the　lives　of　Daughtry　and　Michael。　　The　first；　a　politician　and　a　doctor；　by　name　EmoryWalter　Merritt　Emorywas　several　times　at　Daughtry's　table；　where　Michael　sat　with　them　on　a　chair　according　to　custom。　　Among　other　things；　in　gratitude　for　such　kindnesses　from　Daughtry；　Doctor　Emory　gave　his　office　card　and　begged　for　the　privilege　of　treating；　free　of　charge；　either　master　or　dog　should　they　ever　become　sick。　　In　Daughtry's　opinion；　Dr。　Walter　Merritt　Emory　was　a　keen；　clever　man；　undoubtedly　able　in　his　profession；　but　passionately　selfish　as　a　hungry　tiger。　　As　he　told　him；　in　the　brutal　candour　he　could　afford　under　such　changed　conditions：　　〃Doc；　you're　a　wonder。　　Anybody　can　see　it　with　half　an　eye。　　What　you　want　you　just　go　and　get。　　Nothing'd　stop　you　except　。　。　。　〃

〃Except？〃

〃Oh；　except　that　it　was　nailed　down；　or　locked　up；　or　had　a　policeman　standing　guard　over　it。　　I'd　sure　hate　to　have　anything　you　wanted。〃

〃Well；　you　have；〃　Doctor　assured　him；　with　a　significant　nod　at　Michael　on　the　chair　between　them。

〃Br…r…r！〃　Daughtry　shivered。　　〃You　give　me　the　creeps。　　If　I　thought　you　really　meant　it；　San　Francisco　couldn't　hold　me　two　minutes。〃　　He　meditated　into　his　beer…glass　a　moment；　then　laughed　with　reassurance。　　〃No　man　could　get　that　dog　away　from　me。　　You　see；　I'd　kill　the　man　first。　　I'd　just　up　an'　tell　'm；　as　I'm　tellin'　you　now；　I'd　kill　'm　first。　　An'　he'd　believe　me；　as　you're　believin'　me　now。　　You　know　I　mean　it。　　So'd　he　know　I　meant　it。　　Why；　that　dog　。　。　。　〃

In　sheer　inability　to　express　the　profundity　of　his　emotion；　Dag　Daughtry　broke　off　the　sentence　and　drowned　it　in　his　beer…glass。

Of　quite　different　type　was　the　other　person　of　destiny。　　Harry　Del　Mar；　he　called　himself；　and　Harry　Del　Mar　was　the　name　that　appeared　on　the　programmes　when　he　was　doing　Orpheum　〃time。〃　Although　Daughtry　did　not　know　it；　because　Del　Mar　was　laying　off　for　a　vacation；　the　man　did　trained…animal　turns　for　a　living。　He；　too；　bought　drinks　at　Daughtry's　table。　　Young；　not　over　thirty；　dark　of　complexion　with　large；　long…lashed　brown　eyes　that　he　fondly　believed　were　magnetic；　cherubic　of　lip　and　feature；　he　belied　all　his　appearance　by　talking　business　in　direct　business　fashion。

〃But　you　ain't　got　the　money　to　buy　'm；〃　Daughtry　replied；　when　the　other　had　increased　his　first　offer　of　five　hundred　dollars　for　Michael　to　a　thousand。

〃I've　got　the　thousand；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃

〃No；〃　Daughtry　shook　his　head。　　〃I　mean　he　ain't　for　sale　at　any　price。　　Besides；　what　do　you　want　'm　for？〃

〃I　like　him；〃　Del　Mar　answered。　　〃Why　do　I　come　to　this　joint？　Why　does　the　crowd　come　here？　　Why　do　men　buy　wine；　run　horses；　sport　actresses；　become　priests　or　bookworms？　　Because　they　like　to。　　That's　the　answer。　　We　all　do　what　we　like　when　we　can；　go　after　the　thing　we　want　whether　we　can　get　it　or　not。　　Now　I　like　your　dog；　I　want　him。　　I　want　him　a　thousand　dollars'　worth。　　See　that　big　diamond　on　that　woman's　hand　over　there。　　I　guess　she　just　liked　it；　and　wanted　it；　and　got　it；　never　mind　the　price。　The　price　didn't　mean　as　much　to　her　as　the　diamond。　　Now　that　dog　of　yours〃

〃Don't　like　you；〃　Dag　Daughtry　broke　in。　　〃Which　is　strange。　　He　likes　most　everybody　without　fussin'　about　it。　　But　he　bristled　at　you　from　the　first。　　No　man'd　want　a　dog　that　don't　like　him。〃

〃Which　isn't　the　question；〃　Del　Mar　stated　quietly。　　〃I　like　him。　As　for　him　liking　or　not　liking　me；　that's　my　look…out；　and　I　guess　I　can　attend　to　that　all　right。〃

It　seemed　to　Daughtry　that　he　glimpsed　or　sensed　under　the　other's　unfaltering　cherubicness　of　expression　a　steelness　of　cruelty　that　was　abysmal　in　that　it　was　of　controlled　intelligence。　　Not　in　such　terms　did　Daughtry　think　his　impression。　　At　the　most；　it　was　a　feeling；　and　feelings　do　not　require　words　in　order　to　be　experienced　or　comprehended。

〃There's　an　all…night　bank；〃　the　other　went　on。　　〃We　can　stroll　over；　I'll　cash　a　cheque；　and　in　half　an　hour　the　cash　will　be　in　your　hand。〃

Daughtry　shook　his　head。

〃Even　as　a　business　proposition；　nothing　doing；〃　he　said。　　〃Look　you。　　Here's　the　dog　earnin'　twenty　dollars　a　night。　　Say　he　works　twenty…five　days　in　the　month。　　That's　five　hundred　a　month；　or　six　thousand　a　year。　　Now　say　that's　five　per　cent。；　because　it's　easier　to　count；　it　represents　the　interest　on　a　capital　value　of　one　hundred　an'　twenty　thousand…dollars。　　Then　we'll　suppose　expenses　and　salary　for　me　is　twenty　thousand。　　That　leaves　the　dog　worth　a　hundred　thousand。　　Just　to　be　fair；　cut　it　in　halfa　fifty…thousand　dog。　　And　you're　offerin'　a　thousand　for　him。〃

〃I　suppose　you　think　he'll　last　for　ever；　like　so　much　land'；〃　Del　Mar　smiled　quietly。

Daughtry　saw　the　point　instantly。

〃Give　'm　five　years　of　workthat's　thirty　thousand。　　Give　'm　one　year　of　workit's　six　thousand。　　An'　you're　offerin'　me　one　thousand　for　six　thousand。　　That　ain't　no　kind　of　businessfor　me　。　。　。　an'　him。　　Besides；　when　he　can't　work　any　more；　an'　ain't　worth　a　cent；　he'll　be　worth　just　a　plumb　million　to　me；　an'　if　anybody　offered　it；　I'd　raise　the　price。〃



CHAPTER　XIX



〃I'll　see　you　again；〃　Harry　Del　Mar　told　Daughtry；　at　the　end　of　his　fourth　conversation　on　the　matter　of　Michael's　sale。

Wherein　Harry　Del　Mar　was　mistaken。　　He　never　saw　Daughtry　again；　because　Daughtry　saw　Doctor　Emory　first。

Kwaque's　increasing　restlessness　at　night；　due　to　the　swelling　under　his　right　arm…pit；　had　began　to　wake　Daughtry　up。　　After　several　such　experiences；　he　had　investigated　and　decided　that　Kwaque　was　sufficiently　sick　to　require　a　doctor。　　For　which　reason；　one　morning　at　eleven；　taking　Kwaque　along；　he　called　at　Walter　Merritt　Emory's　office　and　waited　his　turn　in　the　crowded　reception…room。

〃I　think　he's　got　cancer；　Doc。；〃　Daughtry　said；　while　Kwaque　was　pulling　off　his　shirt　and　undershirt。　　〃He　never　squealed；　you　know；　never　peeped。　　That's　the　way　of　niggers。　　I　didn't　find　our　till　he　got　to　wakin'　me　up　nights　with　his　tossin'　about　an'　groanin'　in　his　sleep。There！　　What'd　you　call　it？　　Cancer　or　tumourno　two　ways　about　it；　eh？〃

But　the　quick　eye　of　Walter　Merritt　Emory　had　not　missed；　in　passing；　the　twisted　fingers　of　Kwaque's　left　hand。　　Not　only　was　his　eye　quick；　but　it　was　a　〃leper　eye。〃　　A　volunteer　surgeon　in　the　first　days　out　in　the　Philippines；　he　had　made　a　particular　study　of　leprosy；　and　had　observed　so　many　lepers　that　infallibly；　except　in　the　incipient　beginnings　of　the　disease；　he　could　pick　out　a　leper　at　a　glance。　　From　the　twisted　fingers；　which　was　the　anaesthetic　form；　produced　by　nerve…disintegration；　to　the　corrugated　lion　forehead　（again　anaesthetic）；　his　eyes　flashed　to　the　swelling　under　the　right　arm…pit　and　his　brain　diagnosed　it　as　the　tubercular　form。

Just　as　swiftly　flashed　through　his　brain　two　thoughts：　　the　first；　the　axiom；　WHENEVER　AND　WHEREVER　YOU　FIND　A　LEPER；　LOOK　FOR　THE　OTHER　LEPER；　the　second；　the　desired　Irish　terrier；　who　was　owned　b