michael, brother of jerry-第30节

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So　speaking；　he　tossed　the　cigar　into　a　cuspidor。　　And　Kwaque；　leaning　back　in　the　queerest　chair　in　which　he　had　ever　sat；　was　unaware　that　the　end　of　his　finger　had　been　burned　and　roasted　half　an　inch　deep；　and　merely　wondered　when　the　medicine　doctor　would　cease　talking　and　begin　looking　at　the　swelling　that　hurt　his　side　under　his　arm。

And　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　and　for　the　ultimate　time；　Dag　Daughtry　fell　down。　　It　was　an　irretrievable　fall…down。　　Life；　in　its　freedom　of　come　and　go；　by　heaving　sea　and　reeling　deck；　through　the　home　of　the　trade…winds；　back　and　forth　between　the　ports；　ceased　there　for　him　in　Walter　Merritt　Emory's　office；　while　the　calm…browed　Miss　Judson　looked　on　and　marvelled　that　a　man's　flesh　should　roast　and　the　man　wince　not　from　the　roasting　of　it。

Doctor　Emory　continued　to　talk；　and　tried　a　fresh　cigar；　and；　despite　the　fact　that　his　reception…room　was　overflowing；　delivered；　not　merely　a　long；　but　a　live　and　interesting；　dissertation　on　the　subject　of　cigars　and　of　the　tobacco　leaf　and　filler　as　grown　and　prepared　for　cigars　in　the　tobacco…favoured　regions　of　the　earth。

〃Now；　as　regards　this　swelling；〃　he　was　saying；　as　he　began　a　belated　and　distant　examination　of　Kwaque's　affliction；　〃I　should　say；　at　a　glance；　that　it　is　neither　tumour　nor　cancer；　nor　is　it　even　a　boil。　　I　should　say　。　。　。　〃

A　knock　at　the　private　door　into　the　hall　made　him　straighten　up　with　an　eagerness　that　he　did　not　attempt　to　mask。　　A　nod　to　Miss　Judson　sent　her　to　open　the　door；　and　entered　two　policemen；　a　police　sergeant；　and　a　professionally　whiskered　person　in　a　business　suit　with　a　carnation　in　his　button…hole。

〃Good　morning；　Doctor　Masters；〃　Emory　greeted　the　professional　one；　and；　to　the　others：　　〃Howdy；　Sergeant；〃　〃Hello；　Tim；〃　〃Hello；　Johnsonwhen　did　they　shift　you　off　the　Chinatown　squad？〃

And　then；　continuing　his　suspended　sentence；　Walter　Merritt　Emory　held　on；　looking　intently　at　Kwaque's　swelling：

〃I　should　say；　as　I　was　saying；　that　it　is　the　finest；　ripest；　perforating　ulcer　of　the　bacillus　leprae　order；　that　any　San　Francisco　doctor　has　had　the　honour　of　presenting　to　the　board　of　health。〃

〃Leprosy！〃　exclaimed　Doctor　Masters。

And　all　started　at　his　pronouncement　of　the　word。　　The　sergeant　and　the　two　policemen　shied　away　from　Kwaque；　Miss　Judson；　with　a　smothered　cry；　clapped　her　two　hands　over　her　heart；　and　Dag　Daughtry；　shocked　but　sceptical；　demanded：

〃What　are　you　givin'　us；　Doc。？〃

〃Stand　still！　don't　move！〃　Walter　Merritt　Emory　said　peremptorily　to　Daughtry。　　〃I　want　you　to　take　notice；〃　he　added　to　the　others；　as　he　gently　touched　the　live…end　of　his　fresh　cigar　to　the　area　of　dark　skin　above　and　between　the　steward's　eyes。　　〃Don't　move；〃　he　commanded　Daughtry。　　〃Wait　a　moment。　　I　am　not　ready　yet。〃

And　while　Daughtry　waited；　perplexed；　confused；　wondering　why　Doctor　Emory　did　not　proceed；　the　coal　of　fire　burned　his　skin　and　flesh；　till　the　smoke　of　it　was　apparent　to　all；　as　was　the　smell　of　it。　　With　a　sharp　laugh　of　triumph；　Doctor　Emory　stepped　back。

〃Well；　go　ahead　with　what　you　was　goin'　to　do；〃　Daughtry　grumbled；　the　rush　of　events　too　swift　and　too　hidden　for　him　to　comprehend。　〃An'　when　you're　done　with　that；　I　just　want　you　to　explain　what　you　said　about　leprosy　an'　that　nigger…boy　there。　　He's　my　boy；　an'　you　can't　pull　anything　like　that　off　on　him　。　。　。　or　me。〃

〃Gentlemen；　you　have　seen；〃　Doctor　Emory　said。　　〃Two　undoubted　cases　of　it；　master　and　man；　the　man　more　advanced；　with　the　combination　of　both　forms；　the　master　with　only　the　anaesthetic　formhe　has　a　touch　of　it；　too；　on　his　little　finger。　　Take　them　away。　　I　strongly　advise；　Doctor　Masters；　a　thorough　fumigation　of　the　ambulance　afterward。〃

〃Look　here　。　。　。　〃　Dag　Daughtry　began　belligerently。

Doctor　Emory　glanced　warningly　to　Doctor　Masters；　and　Doctor　Masters　glanced　authoritatively　at　the　sergeant　who　glanced　commandingly　at　his　two　policemen。　　But　they　did　not　spring　upon　Daughtry。　　Instead；　they　backed　farther　away；　drew　their　clubs；　and　glared　intimidatingly　at　him。　　More　convincing　than　anything　else　to　Daughtry　was　the　conduct　of　the　policemen。　　They　were　manifestly　afraid　of　contact　with　him。　　As　he　started　forward；　they　poked　the　ends　of　their　extended　clubs　towards　his　ribs　to　ward　him　off。

〃Don't　you　come　any　closer；〃　one　warned　him；　flourishing　his　club　with　the　advertisement　of　braining　him。　　〃You　stay　right　where　you　are　until　you　get　your　orders。〃

〃Put　on　your　shirt　and　stand　over　there　alongside　your　master；〃　Doctor　Emory　commanded　Kwaque；　having　suddenly　elevated　the　chair　and　spilled　him　out　on　his　feet　on　the　floor。

〃But　what　under　the　sun　。　。　。　〃　Daughtry　began；　but　was　ignored　by　his　quondam　friend；　who　was　saying　to　Doctor　Masters：

〃The　pest…house　has　been　vacant　since　that　Japanese　died。　　I　know　the　gang　of　cowards　in　your　department　so　I'd　advise　you　to　give　the　dope　to　these　here　so　that　they　can　disinfect　the　premises　when　they　go　in。〃

〃For　the　love　of　Mike；〃　Daughtry　pleaded；　all　of　stunned　belligerence　gone　from　him　in　his　state　of　stunned　conviction　that　the　dread　disease　possessed　him。　　He　touched　his　finger　to　his　sensationless　forehead；　then　smelled　it　and　recognized　the　burnt　flesh　he　had　not　felt　burning。　　〃For　the　love　of　Mike；　don't　be　in　such　a　rush。　　If　I've　got　it；　I've　got　it。　　But　that　ain't　no　reason　we　can't　deal　with　each　other　like　white　men。　　Give　me　two　hours　an'　I'll　get　outa　the　city。　　An'　in　twenty…four　I'll　be　outa　the　country。　　I'll　take　ship〃

〃And　continue　to　be　a　menace　to　the　public　health　wherever　you　are；〃　Doctor　Masters　broke　in；　already　visioning　a　column　in　the　evening　papers；　with　scare…heads；　in　which　he　would　appear　the　hero；　the　St。　George　of　San　Francisco　standing　with　poised　lance　between　the　people　and　the　dragon　of　leprosy。

〃Take　them　away；〃　said　Waiter　Merritt　Emory；　avoiding　looking　Daughtry　in　the　eyes。

〃Ready！　　March！〃　commanded　the　sergeant。

The　two　policemen　advanced　on　Daughtry　and　Kwaque　with　extended　clubs。

〃Keep　away；　an'　keep　movin'；〃　one　of　the　policemen　growled　fiercely。　　〃An'　do　what　we　say；　or　get　your　head　cracked。　　Out　you　go；　now。　　Out　the　door　with　you。　　Better　tell　that　coon　to　stick　right　alongside　you。〃

〃Doc。；　won't　you　let　me　talk　a　moment？〃　Daughtry　begged　of　Emory。

〃The　time　for　talking　is　past；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃This　is　the　time　for　segregation。Doctor　Masters；　don't　forget　that　ambulance　when　you're　quit　of　the　load。〃

So　the　procession；　led　by　the　board…of…heath　doctor　and　the　sergeant；　and　brought　up　in　the　rear　by　the　policemen　with　their　protectively　extended　clubs；　started　through　the　doorway。

Whirling　about　on　the　threshold；　at　the　imminent　risk　of　having　his　skull　cracked；　Dag　Daughtry　called　back：

〃Doc！　　My　dog！　　You　know　'm。〃

〃I'll　get　him　for　you；〃　Doctor　Emory　consented　quickly。　　〃What's　the　address？〃

〃Room　eight…seven；　Clay　street；　the　Bowhead　Lodging　House；　you　know　the　place；　entrance　just　around　the　corner　from　the　Bowhead　Saloon。　　Have　'm　sent　out　to　me　wherever　they　put　mewill　you？〃

〃Certainly　I　will；〃　said　Doctor　Emory；　〃and　you've　got　a　cockatoo；　too？〃

〃You　bet；　Cocky！　　Send　'm　both　along；　please；　sir。〃


〃My！〃　said　Miss　Judson；　that　evening；　at　dinner　with　a　certain　young　interne　of　St。　Joseph's　Hospital。　　〃That　Doctor　Emory　is　a　wizard。　　No　wonder　he's　successful。　　Think　of　it！　　Two　filthy　lepers　in　our　office　to…day！　　One　was　a　coon。　　And　he　knew　what　was　the　matter　the　moment　he　laid　eyes　on　them。　　He's　a　caution。　When　I　tell　you　what　he　did　to　them　with　his　cigar！　　And　he　was　cute　about　it！　　He　gave　me　the　wink　first。　　And　they　never　dreamed　what　he　was　doing。　　He　took　his　cigar　and　。　。　。　〃



CHAPTER　XX



The　dog；　like　the　horse；　abases　the　base。　　Being　base；　Waiter　Merritt　Emory　was　abased　by　his　desire　for　the　possession　of　Michael。　　Had　there　been　no　Michael；　his　conduct　would　have　been　quite　different。　　He　would　have　dealt　with　Daughtry　as　Daughtry　had　described；　as　between　white　men。　　He　would　have　warned　Daughtry　of　his　disease　and　enabled　him　to　take　ship　to　the　South　Seas　or　to　Japan；　or　to　other　countries　where　lepers　are　not　segregated。　　This　would　have　worked　no　hardship　on　those　countries；　since　such　was　their　law　and　procedure；　while　it　would　have　enabled　Daughtry　and　Kwaque　to　escape　the　hell　of　the　San　Francisco　pest…house；　to　which；　because　of　his　baseness；　he　condemned　them　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。

Furthermore；　when　the　expense　of　the　maintenance　of　armed　guards　over　the　pest…house；　day　and　night；　throughout　the　years；　is　considered；　Walter　Merritt　Emory　could　have　saved　many　thousands　of　dollars　to　the　tax…payers　of　the　city　and　county　of　San　Francisco；　which　thousands　of　dollars；　had　they　been　spent　otherwise；　could　have　been　diverted　to　the　reduction　of　the　notorious　crowding　in　school…rooms；　to　purer　milk　for　the　babies　of　the　poor；　or　to　an　increase　of　breathing…space　in　the　park　system　for　the　people　of　the　stifling　ghetto。　　But　had　Walter　Merritt　Emory　been　thus　considerate；　not　only　would　Daughtry　and　Kwaque　have　sailed　out　and　away　over　the　sea；　but　with　them　would　have　sailed　Michael。

Never　was　a　reception…roomful　of　patients　rushed　through　more　expediti