end of the tether-第32节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
must go。〃
〃The silly fool has taken it to heart；〃 muttered Massy
to himself。 And； listening with a softened expression
of face for any slight sign of returning drowsiness； he
was discouraged profoundly by a burst of laughter full
of joyful irony。
〃Would like to see her at the bottom of the sea！ Oh；
you clever； clever devil！ Wish her sunk； eh？ I should
think you would； my boy； the damned old thing and
all your troubles with her。 Rake in the insurance money
turn your back on your old chumall's wellgentle…
man again。〃
A grim stillness had come over Massy's face。 Only
his big black eyes rolled uneasily。 The raving fool。
And yet it was all true。 Yes。 Lottery tickets； too。
All true。 What？ Beginning again？ He wished he
wouldn't。 。 。 。
But it was even so。 The imaginative drunkard on
the other side of the bulkhead shook off the deathlike
stillness that after his last words had fallen on the dark
ship moored to a silent shore。
〃Don't you dare to say anything against George
Massy； Esquire。 When he's tired of waiting he will do
away with her。 Look out！ Down she goeschum and
all。 He'll know how to 。 。 。〃
The voice hesitated； weary； dreamy； lost； as if dying
away in a vast open space。
〃。 。 。 Find a trick that will work。 He's up to it
never fear 。 。 。〃
He must have been very drunk； for at last the heavy
sleep gripped him with the suddenness of a magic spell；
and the last word lengthened itself into an interminable；
noisy； in…drawn snore。 And then even the snoring
stopped； and all was still。
But it seemed as though Mr。 Massy had suddenly come
to doubt the efficacy of sleep as against a man's troubles；
or perhaps he had found the relief he needed in the
stillness of a calm contemplation that may contain the
vivid thoughts of wealth； of a stroke of luck； of long
idleness； and may bring before you the imagined form
of every desire； for； turning about and throwing his
arms over the edge of his bunk； he stood there with his
feet on his favorite old coat； looking out through the
round port into the night over the river。 Sometimes
a breath of wind would enter and touch his face； a cool
breath charged with the damp； fresh feel from a vast
body of water。 A glimmer here and there was all he
could see of it； and once he might after all suppose he
had dozed off； since there appeared before his vision；
unexpectedly and connected with no dream； a row of
flaming and gigantic figuresthree naught seven one
twomaking up a number such as you may see on a
lottery ticket。 And then all at once the port was no
longer black： it was pearly gray； framing a shore
crowded with houses； thatched roof beyond thatched
roof； walls of mats and bamboo； gables of carved teak
timber。 Rows of dwellings raised on a forest of piles
lined the steely band of the river； brimful and still； with
the tide at the turn。 This was Batu Beruand the
day had come。
Mr。 Massy shook himself； put on the tweed coat； and；
shivering nervously as if from some great shock； made
a note of the number。 A fortunate； rare hint that。
Yes； but to pursue fortune one wanted moneyready
cash。
Then he went out and prepared to descend into the
engine…room。 Several small jobs had to be seen to； and
Jack was lying dead drunk on the floor of his cabin；
with the door locked at that。 His gorge rose at the
thought of work。 Ay！ But if you wanted to do noth…
ing you had to get first a good bit of money。 A
ship won't save you。 He cursed the Sofala。 True； all
true。 He was tired of waiting for some chance that
would rid him at last of that ship that had turned out
a curse on his life。
XIV
The deep； interminable hoot of the steam…whistle had；
in its grave； vibrating note； something intolerable；
which sent a slight shudder down Mr。 Van Wyk's back。
It was the early afternoon； the Sofala was leaving Batu
Beru for Pangu； the next place of call。 She swung in
the stream； scantily attended by a few canoes； and； glid…
ing on the broad river； became lost to view from the
Van Wyk bungalow。
Its owner had not gone this time to see her off。 Gen…
erally he came down to the wharf； exchanged a few
words with the bridge while she cast off； and waved his
hand to Captain Whalley at the last moment。 This day
he did not even go as far as the balustrade of the
veranda。 〃He couldn't see me if I did；〃 he said to
himself。 〃I wonder whether he can make out the house
at all。〃 And this thought somehow made him feel more
alone than he had ever felt for all these years。 What
was it？ six or seven？ Seven。 A long time。
He sat on the veranda with a closed book on his knee；
and； as it were； looked out upon his solitude； as if the
fact of Captain Whalley's blindness had opened his
eyes to his own。 There were many sorts of heartaches
and troubles； and there was no place where they could
not find a man out。 And he felt ashamed； as though
he had for six years behaved like a peevish boy。
His thought followed the Sofala on her way。 On the
spur of the moment he had acted impulsively； turning
to the thing most pressing。 And what else could he
have done？ Later on he should see。 It seemed neces…
sary that he should come out into the world； for a time
at least。 He had moneysomething could be ar…
ranged； he would grudge no time； no trouble； no loss
of his solitude。 It weighed on him nowand Captain
Whalley appeared to him as he had sat shading his
eyes； as if； being deceived in the trust of his faith； he
were beyond all the good and evil that can be wrought
by the hands of men。
Mr。 Van Wyk's thoughts followed the Sofala down the
river； winding about through the belt of the coast forest；
between the buttressed shafts of the big trees； through
the mangrove strip； and over the bar。 The ship crossed
it easily in broad daylight； piloted； as it happened； by
Mr。 Sterne； who took the watch from four to six； and
then went below to hug himself with delight at the pros…
pect of being virtually employed by a rich manlike
Mr。 Van Wyk。 He could not see how any hitch could
occur now。 He did not seem able to get over the feeling
of being 〃fixed up at last。〃 From six to eight； in the
course of duty； the Serang looked alone after the ship。
She had a clear road before her now till about three in
the morning； when she would close with the Pangu
group。 At eight Mr。 Sterne came out cheerily to take
charge again till midnight。 At ten he was still chir…
ruping and humming to himself on the bridge； and
about that time Mr。 Van Wyk's thought abandoned the
Sofala。 Mr。 Van Wyk had fallen asleep at last。
Massy； blocking the engine…room companion； jerked
himself into his tweed jacket surlily； while the second
waited with a scowl。
〃Oh。 You came out？ You sot！ Well； what have
you got to say for yourself？〃
He had been in charge of the engines till then。 A
somber fury darkened his mind： a hot anger against
the ship； against the facts of life； against the men for
their cheating； against himself toobecause of an in…
ward tremor of his heart。
An incomprehensible growl answered him。
〃What？ Can't you open your mouth now？ You yelp
out your infernal rot loud enough when you are drunk。
What do you mean by abusing people in that way？
you old useless boozer； you！〃
〃Can't help it。 Don't remember anything about it。
You shouldn't listen。〃
〃You dare to tell me！ What do you mean by going
on a drunk like this！〃
〃Don't ask me。 Sick of the dam' boilersyou would
be。 Sick of life。〃
〃I wish you were dead； then。 You've made me sick
of you。 Don't you remember the uproar you made last
night？ You miserable old soaker！〃
〃No； I don't。 Don't want to。 Drink is drink。〃
〃I wonder what prevents me from kicking you out。
What do you want here？〃
〃Relieve you。 You've been long enough down there；
George。〃
〃Don't you George meyou tippling old rascal； you！
If I were to die to…morrow you would starve。 Remem…
ber that。 Say Mr。 Massy。〃
〃Mr。 Massy；〃 repeated the other stolidly。
Disheveled； with du
