end of the tether-第12节
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him。
〃Mr。 Sterne；〃 he said violently； 〃let me tell you
as a shipownerthat you are no better than a con…
founded fool。〃
VII
Sterne went down smirking and apparently not at
all disconcerted； but the engineer Massy remained on
the bridge； moving about with uneasy self…assertion。
Everybody on board was his inferioreveryone with…
out exception。 He paid their wages and found them in
their food。 They ate more of his bread and pocketed
more of his money than they were worth； and they had
no care in the world； while he alone had to meet all the
difficulties of shipowning。 When he contemplated his
position in all its menacing entirety； it seemed to him
that he had been for years the prey of a band of para…
sites： and for years he had scowled at everybody con…
nected with the Sofala except； perhaps； at the Chinese
firemen who served to get her along。 Their use was
manifest： they were an indispensable part of the ma…
chinery of which he was the master。
When he passed along his decks he shouldered those
he came across brutally； but the Malay deck hands had
learned to dodge out of his way。 He had to bring him…
self to tolerate them because of the necessary manual
labor of the ship which must be done。 He had to
struggle and plan and scheme to keep the Sofala afloat
and what did he get for it？ Not even enough respect。
They could not have given him enough of that if all
their thoughts and all their actions had been directed
to that end。 The vanity of possession； the vainglory
of power； had passed away by this time； and there re…
mained only the material embarrassments； the fear of
losing that position which had turned out not worth
having； and an anxiety of thought which no abject sub…
servience of men could repay。
He walked up and down。 The bridge was his own
after all。 He had paid for it； and with the stem of
the pipe in his hand he would stop short at times as
if to listen with a profound and concentrated attention
to the deadened beat of the engines （his own engines）
and the slight grinding of the steering chains upon the
continuous low wash of water alongside。 But for these
sounds； the ship might have been lying as still as if
moored to a bank； and as silent as if abandoned by every
living soul； only the coast； the low coast of mud and
mangroves with the three palms in a bunch at the back；
grew slowly more distinct in its long straight line； with…
out a single feature to arrest attention。 The native
passengers of the Sofala lay about on mats under the
awnings； the smoke of her funnel seemed the only sign
of her life and connected with her gliding motion in a
mysterious manner。
Captain Whalley on his feet； with a pair of binoculars
in his hand and the little Malay Serang at his elbow；
like an old giant attended by a wizened pigmy； was tak…
ing her over the shallow water of the bar。
This submarine ridge of mud； scoured by the stream
out of the soft bottom of the river and heaped up far
out on the hard bottom of the sea； was difficult to get
over。 The alluvial coast having no distinguishing
marks； the bearings of the crossing…place had to be
taken from the shape of the mountains inland。 The
guidance of a form flattened and uneven at the top like
a grinder tooth； and of another smooth； saddle…backed
summit； had to be searched for within the great un…
clouded glare that seemed to shift and float like a dry
fiery mist； filling the air； ascending from the water；
shrouding the distances； scorching to the eye。 In this
veil of light the near edge of the shore alone stood
out almost coal…black with an opaque and motionless
solidity。 Thirty miles away the serrated range of the
interior stretched across the horizon； its outlines and
shades of blue； faint and tremulous like a background
painted on airy gossamer on the quivering fabric of an
impalpable curtain let down to the plain of alluvial soil；
and the openings of the estuary appeared； shining
white； like bits of silver let into the square pieces snipped
clean and sharp out of the body of the land bordered
with mangroves。
On the forepart of the bridge the giant and the pigmy
muttered to each other frequently in quiet tones。 Be…
hind them Massy stood sideways with an expression of
disdain and suspense on his face。 His globular eyes
were perfectly motionless； and he seemed to have for…
gotten the long pipe he held in his hand。
On the fore…deck below the bridge； steeply roofed with
the white slopes of the awnings； a young lascar seaman
had clambered outside the rail。 He adjusted quickly
a broad band of sail canvas under his armpits； and
throwing his chest against it； leaned out far over the
water。 The sleeves of his thin cotton shirt； cut off close
to the shoulder； bared his brown arm of full rounded
form and with a satiny skin like a woman's。 He swung
it rigidly with the rotary and menacing action of a
slinger： the 14…lb。 weight hurtled circling in the air；
then suddenly flew ahead as far as the curve of the bow。
The wet thin line swished like scratched silk running
through the dark fingers of the man； and the plunge of
the lead close to the ship's side made a vanishing silvery
scar upon the golden glitter； then after an interval the
voice of the young Malay uplifted and long…drawn de…
clared the depth of the water in his own language。
〃Tiga stengah；〃 he cried after each splash and pause；
gathering the line busily for another cast。 〃Tiga
stengah；〃 which means three fathom and a half。 For
a mile or so from seaward there was a uniform depth
of water right up to the bar。 〃Half…three。 Half…
three。 Half…three；〃and his modulated cry； returned
leisurely and monotonous； like the repeated call of a
bird； seemed to float away in sunshine and disappear in
the spacious silence of the empty sea and of a lifeless
shore lying open； north and south； east and west； with…
out the stir of a single cloud…shadow or the whisper of
any other voice。
The owner…engineer of the Sofala remained very still
behind the two seamen of different race； creed； and
color； the European with the time…defying vigor of
his old frame； the little Malay； old； too； but slight and
shrunken like a withered brown leaf blown by a chance
wind under the mighty shadow of the other。 Very
busy looking forward at the land； they had not a glance
to spare； and Massy； glaring at them from behind；
seemed to resent their attention to their duty like a per…
sonal slight upon himself。
This was unreasonable； but he had lived in his own
world of unreasonable resentments for many years。 At
last； passing his moist palm over the rare lanky wisps
of coarse hair on the top of his yellow head； he began
to talk slowly。
〃A leadsman； you want！ I suppose that's your cor…
rect mail…boat style。 Haven't you enough judgment
to tell where you are by looking at the land？ Why；
before I had been a twelvemonth in the trade I was up
to that trickand I am only an engineer。 I can point
to you from here where the bar is； and I could tell you
besides that you are as likely as not to stick her in the
mud in about five minutes from now； only you would
call it interfering； I suppose。 And there's that written
agreement of ours； that says I mustn't interfere。〃
His voice stopped。 Captain Whalley； without relax…
ing the set severity of his features； moved his lips to ask
in a quick mumble
〃How near； Serang？〃
〃Very near now； Tuan；〃 the Malay muttered rapidly。
〃Dead slow；〃 said the Captain aloud in a firm tone。
The Serang snatched at the handle of the telegraph。
A gong clanged down below。 Massy with a scornful
snigger walked off and put his head down the engine…
room skylight。
〃You may expect some rare fooling with the engines；
Jack；〃 he bellowed。 The space into which he stared was
deep and full of gloom； and the gray gleams of steel
down there seemed cool after the intense glare of the
sea around the ship。 The air； however； came up clammy
and hot on his face。 A short hoot on which it would
have been impossible to put any sort of interpretation
came from the bottom cavernously。 This was the way
in which the second enginee
