end of the tether-第13节
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came from the bottom cavernously。 This was the way
in which the second engineer answered his chief。
He was a middle…aged man with an inattentive man…
ner； and apparently wrapped up in such a taciturn con…
cern for his engines that he seemed to have lost the use
of speech。 When addressed directly his only answer
would be a grunt or a hoot； according to the distance。
For all the years he had been in the Sofala he had never
been known to exchange as much as a frank Good…morn…
ing with any of his shipmates。 He did not seem aware
that men came and went in the world； he did not seem
to see them at all。 Indeed he never recognized his ship
mates on shore。 At table （the four white men of the
Sofala messed together） he sat looking into his plate
dispassionately； but at the end of the meal would jump
up and bolt down below as if a sudden thought had im…
pelled him to rush and see whether somebody had not
stolen the engines while he dined。 In port at the end of
the trip he went ashore regularly； but no one knew
where he spent his evenings or in what manner。 The
local coasting fleet had preserved a wild and incoherent
tale of his infatuation for the wife of a sergeant in an
Irish infantry regiment。 The regiment； however； had
done its turn of garrison duty there ages before； and
was gone somewhere to the other side of the earth； out
of men's knowledge。 Twice or perhaps three times in
the course of the year he would take too much to drink。
On these occasions he returned on board at an earlier
hour than usual； ran across the deck balancing himself
with his spread arms like a tight…rope walker； and
locking the door of his cabin； he would converse and
argue with himself the livelong night in an amazing
variety of tones； storm； sneer； and whine with an inex…
haustible persistence。 Massy in his berth next door；
raising himself on his elbow； would discover that his
second had remembered the name of every white man
that had passed through the Sofala for years and years
back。 He remembered the names of men that had died；
that had gone home； that had gone to America： he
remembered in his cups the names of men whose con…
nection with the ship had been so short that Massy had
almost forgotten its circumstances and could barely re…
call their faces。 The inebriated voice on the other side
of the bulkhead commented upon them all with an ex…
traordinary and ingenious venom of scandalous inven…
tions。 It seems they had all offended him in some way；
and in return he had found them all out。 He muttered
darkly； he laughed sardonically； he crushed them one
after another； but of his chief； Massy； he babbled with
an envious and naive admiration。 Clever scoundrel！
Don't meet the likes of him every day。 Just look at
him。 Ha！ Great！ Ship of his own。 Wouldn't catch
HIM going wrong。 No fearthe beast！ And Massy；
after listening with a gratified smile to these artless
tributes to his greatness； would begin to shout； thump…
ing at the bulkhead with both fists
〃Shut up； you lunatic！ Won't you let me go to
sleep； you fool！〃
But a half smile of pride lingered on his lips； outside
the solitary lascar told off for night duty in harbor；
perhaps a youth fresh from a forest village； would stand
motionless in the shadows of the deck listening to the
endless drunken gabble。 His heart would be thumping
with breathless awe of white men： the arbitrary and
obstinate men who pursue inflexibly their incompre…
hensible purposes；beings with weird intonations in the
voice； moved by unaccountable feelings； actuated by in…
scrutable motives。
VIII
For a while after his second's answering hoot Massy
hung over the engine…room gloomily。 Captain Whal…
ley； who； by the power of five hundred pounds； had kept
his command for three years； might have been suspected
of never having seen that coast before。 He seemed un…
able to put down his glasses； as though they had been
glued under his contracted eyebrows。 This settled
frown gave to his face an air of invincible and just
severity； but his raised elbow trembled slightly； and
the perspiration poured from under his hat as if a
second sun had suddenly blazed up at the zenith by the
side of the ardent still globe already there； in whose
blinding white heat the earth whirled and shone like a
mote of dust。
From time to time； still holding up his glasses； he
raised his other hand to wipe his streaming face。 The
drops rolled down his cheeks； fell like rain upon the
white hairs of his beard； and brusquely； as if guided
by an uncontrollable and anxious impulse； his arm
reached out to the stand of the engine…room telegraph。
The gong clanged down below。 The balanced vibra…
tion of the dead…slow speed ceased together with every
sound and tremor in the ship； as if the great stillness
that reigned upon the coast had stolen in through her
sides of iron and taken possession of her innermost re…
cesses。 The illusion of perfect immobility seemed to
fall upon her from the luminous blue dome without a
stain arching over a flat sea without a stir。 The faint
breeze she had made for herself expired； as if all at
once the air had become too thick to budge； even the
slight hiss of the water on her stem died out。 The nar…
row； long hull； carrying its way without a ripple；
seemed to approach the shoal water of the bar by
stealth。 The plunge of the lead with the mournful；
mechanical cry of the lascar came at longer and longer
intervals； and the men on her bridge seemed to hold
their breath。 The Malay at the helm looked fixedly
at the compass card； the Captain and the Serang stared
at the coast。
Massy had left the skylight； and； walking flat…footed；
had returned softly to the very spot on the bridge he
had occupied before。 A slow； lingering grin exposed
his set of big white teeth： they gleamed evenly in the
shade of the awning like the keyboard of a piano in a
dusky room。
At last； pretending to talk to himself in excessive as…
tonishment； he said not very loud
〃Stop the engines now。 What next； I wonder？〃
He waited； stooping from the shoulders； his head
bowed； his glance oblique。 Then raising his voice a
shade
〃If I dared make an absurd remark I would say that
you haven't the stomach to 。 。 。〃
But a yelling spirit of excitement； like some frantic
soul wandering unsuspected in the vast stillness of the
coast； had seized upon the body of the lascar at the lead。
The languid monotony of his sing…song changed to a
swift； sharp clamor。 The weight flew after a single
whir； the line whistled； splash followed splash in haste。
The water had shoaled； and the man； instead of the
drowsy tale of fathoms； was calling out the soundings
in feet。
〃Fifteen feet。 Fifteen； fifteen！ Fourteen； four…
teen 。 。 。〃
Captain Whalley lowered the arm holding the glasses。
It descended slowly as if by its own weight； no other
part of his towering body stirred； and the swift cries
with their eager warning note passed him by as though
he had been deaf。
Massy； very still； and turning an attentive ear； had
fastened his eyes upon the silvery； close…cropped back
of the steady old head。 The ship herself seemed to be
arrested but for the gradual decrease of depth under
her keel。
〃Thirteen feet 。 。 。 Thirteen！ Twelve！〃 cried the
leadsman anxiously below the bridge。 And suddenly
the barefooted Serang stepped away noiselessly to steal
a glance over the side。
Narrow of shoulder； in a suit of faded blue cotton； an
old gray felt hat rammed down on his head； with a hollow
in the nape of his dark neck； and with his slender limbs；
he appeared from the back no bigger than a boy of
fourteen。 There was a childlike impulsiveness in the
curiosity with which he watched the spread of the
voluminous； yellowish convolutions rolling up from be…
low to the surface of the blue water like massive clouds
driving slowly upwards on the unfathomable sky。 He
was not startled at the sight in the least。 It was not
doubt； but the certitude that the keel of the Sofala must
be stirring the mud now； which made him peep over the
side。
His peering eyes；
