end of the tether-第26节
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A plank or two creaked under a heavy tread； he swung
half round on the music…stool； listening with his finger…
tips at rest on the keyboard。 His little terrier barked
violently； backing in from the veranda。 A deep voice
apologized gravely for 〃this intrusion。〃 He walked out
quickly。
At the head of the steps the patriarchal figure； who
was the new captain of the Sofala apparently （he had
seen a round dozen of them； but not one of that sort）；
towered without advancing。 The little dog barked un…
ceasingly； till a flick of Mr。 Van Wyk's handkerchief
made him spring aside into silence。 Captain Whalley；
opening the matter； was met by a punctiliously polite
but determined opposition。
They carried on their discussion standing where they
had come face to face。 Mr。 Van Wyk observed his
visitor with attention。 Then at last； as if forced out of
his reserve
〃I am surprised that you should intercede for such a
confounded fool。〃
This outbreak was almost complimentary； as if its
meaning had been； 〃That such a man as you should
intercede！〃 Captain Whalley let it pass by without
flinching。 One would have thought he had heard noth…
ing。 He simply went on to state that he was personally
interested in putting things straight between them。
Personally 。 。 。
But Mr。 Van Wyk； really carried away by his disgust
with Massy； became very incisive
〃Indeedif I am to be frank with youhis whole
character does not seem to me particularly estimable or
trustworthy 。 。 。〃
Captain Whalley； always straight； seemed to grow an
inch taller and broader； as if the girth of his chest had
suddenly expanded under his beard。
〃My dear sir； you don't think I came here to discuss
a man with whom I amI amh'mclosely asso…
ciated。〃
A sort of solemn silence lasted for a moment。 He was
not used to asking favors； but the importance he at…
tached to this affair had made him willing to try。 。 。 。
Mr。 Van Wyk； favorably impressed； and suddenly mol…
lified by a desire to laugh； interrupted
〃That's all right if you make it a personal matter；
but you can do no less than sit down and smoke a cigar
with me。〃
A slight pause； then Captain Whalley stepped forward
heavily。 As to the regularity of the service； for the
future he made himself responsible for it； and his name
was Whalleyperhaps to a sailor （he was speaking to
a sailor； was he not？） not altogether unfamiliar。 There
was a lighthouse now； on an island。 Maybe Mr。 Van
Wyk himself 。 。 。
〃Oh yes。 Oh indeed。〃 Mr。 Van Wyk caught on at
once。 He indicated a chair。 How very interesting。
For his own part he had seen some service in the last
Acheen War； but had never been so far East。 Whalley
Island？ Of course。 Now that was very interesting。
What changes his guest must have seen since。
〃I can look further back evenon a whole half…
century。〃
Captain Whalley expanded a bit。 The flavor of a
good cigar （it was a weakness） had gone straight to his
heart； also the civility of that young man。 There was
something in that accidental contact of which he had
been starved in his years of struggle。
The front wall retreating made a square recess fur…
nished like a room。 A lamp with a milky glass shade；
suspended below the slope of the high roof at the end
of a slender brass chain； threw a bright round of light
upon a little table bearing an open book and an ivory
paper…knife。 And； in the translucent shadows beyond；
other tables could be seen； a number of easy…chairs of
various shapes； with a great profusion of skin rugs
strewn on the teakwood planking all over the veranda。
The flowering creepers scented the air。 Their foliage
clipped out between the uprights made as if several
frames of thick unstirring leaves reflecting the lamp…
light in a green glow。 Through the opening at his
elbow Captain Whalley could see the gangway lantern
of the Sofala burning dim by the shore； the shadowy
masses of the town beyond the open lustrous darkness
of the river； and； as if hung along the straight edge
of the projecting eaves； a narrow black strip of the
night sky full of starsresplendent。 The famous cigar
in hand he had a moment of complacency。
〃A trifle。 Somebody must lead the way。 I just
showed that the thing could be done； but you men
brought up to the use of steam cannot conceive the
vast importance of my bit of venturesomeness to
the Eastern trade of the time。 Why； that new route
reduced the average time of a southern passage by
eleven days for more than half the year。 Eleven days！
It's on record。 But the remarkable thingspeaking
to a sailorI should say was 。 。 。〃
He talked well； without egotism； professionally。 The
powerful voice； produced without effort； filled the
bungalow even into the empty rooms with a deep and
limpid resonance； seemed to make a stillness outside；
and Mr。 Van Wyk was surprised by the serene quality
of its tone； like the perfection of manly gentleness。
Nursing one small foot； in a silk sock and a patent
leather shoe； on his knee； he was immensely entertained。
It was as if nobody could talk like this now； and the
overshadowed eyes； the flowing white beard； the big
frame； the serenity； the whole temper of the man； were
an amazing survival from the prehistoric times of the
world coming up to him out of the sea。
Captain Whalley had been also the pioneer of the early
trade in the Gulf of Pe…tchi…li。 He even found occasion
to mention that he had buried his 〃dear wife〃 there
six…and…twenty years ago。 Mr。 Van Wyk； impassive；
could not help speculating in his mind swiftly as to
the sort of woman that would mate with such a man。
Did they make an adventurous and well…matched pair？
No。 Very possible she had been small； frail； no doubt
very feminineor most likely commonplace with do…
mestic instincts； utterly insignificant。 But Captain
Whalley was no garrulous bore； and shaking his head
as if to dissipate the momentary gloom that had settled
on his handsome old face； he alluded conversationally to
Mr。 Van Wyk's solitude。
Mr。 Van Wyk affirmed that sometimes he had more
company than he wanted。 He mentioned smilingly
some of the peculiarities of his intercourse with 〃My
Sultan。〃 He made his visits in force。 Those people
damaged his grass plot in front （it was not easy to
obtain some approach to a lawn in the tropics； and the
other day had broken down some rare bushes he had
planted over there。 And Captain Whalley remembered
immediately that； in 'forty…seven； the then Sultan； 〃this
man's grandfather；〃 had been notorious as a great pro…
tector of the piratical fleets of praus from farther East。
They had a safe refuge in the river at Batu Beru。 He
financed more especially a Balinini chief called Haji
Daman。 Captain Whalley； nodding significantly his
bushy white eyebrows； had very good reason to know
something of that。 The world had progressed since
that time。
Mr。 Van Wyk demurred with unexpected acrimony。
Progressed in what？ he wanted to know。
Why； in knowledge of truth； in decency； in justice； in
orderin honesty too； since men harmed each other
mostly from ignorance。 It was； Captain Whalley con…
cluded quaintly； more pleasant to live in。
Mr。 Van Wyk whimsically would not admit that Mr。
Massy； for instance； was more pleasant naturally than
the Balinini pirates。
The river had not gained much by the change。 They
were in their way every bit as honest。 Massy was less
ferocious than Haji Daman no doubt； but 。 。 。
〃And what about you； my good sir？〃 Captain
Whalley laughed a deep soft laugh。 〃YOU are an im…
provement； surely。〃
He continued in a vein of pleasantry。 A good cigar
was better than a knock on the headthe sort of wel…
come he would have found on this river forty or fifty
years ago。 Then leaning forward slightly； he became
earnestly serious。 It seems as if； outside their own sea…
gypsy tribes； these rovers had hated all mankind with
an incomprehensible； bloodthirsty hatred。 Meantime
their depredations had been stopped； and what was the
consequence？ The new generation was orderly； peace…
able； settled
