end of the tether-第33节
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〃Mr。 Massy；〃 repeated the other stolidly。
Disheveled； with dull blood…shot eyes； a snuffy； grimy
shirt； greasy trowsers； naked feet thrust into ragged
slippers； he bolted in head down directly Massy had
made way for him。
The chief engineer looked around。 The deck was
empty as far as the taffrail。 All the native passengers
had left in Batu Beru this time； and no others had
joined。 The dial of the patent log tinkled periodically
in the dark at the end of the ship。 It was a dead calm；
and； under the clouded sky； through the still air that
seemed to cling warm； with a seaweed smell； to her slim
hull； on a sea of somber gray and unwrinkled； the ship
moved on an even keel； as if floating detached in empty
space。 But Mr。 Massy slapped his forehead； tottered
a little； caught hold of a belaying…pin at the foot of
the mast。
〃I shall go mad；〃 he muttered； walking across the deck
unsteadily。 A shovel was scraping loose coal down be…
lowa fire…door clanged。 Sterne on the bridge began
whistling a new tune。
Captain Whalley； sitting on the couch； awake and fully
dressed； heard the door of his cabin open。 He did not
move in the least； waiting to recognize the voice； with
an appalling strain of prudence。
A bulkhead lamp blazed on the white paint； the crim…
son plush； the brown varnish of mahogany tops。 The
white wood packing…case under the bed…place had re…
mained unopened for three years now； as though Cap…
tain Whalley had felt that； after the Fair Maid was
gone； there could be no abiding…place on earth for his
affections。 His hands rested on his knees； his hand…
some head with big eyebrows presented a rigid profile
to the doorway。 The expected voice spoke out at
last。
〃Once more； then。 What am I to call you？〃
Ha！ Massy。 Again。 The weariness of it crushed his
heartand the pain of shame was almost more than he
could bear without crying out。
〃Well。 Is it to be 'partner' still？〃
〃You don't know what you ask。〃
〃I know what I want 。 。 。〃
Massy stepped in and closed the door。
〃。 。 。 And I am going to have a try for it with you
once more。〃
His whine was half persuasive； half menacing。
〃For it's no manner of use to tell me that you are
poor。 You don't spend anything on yourself； that's
true enough； but there's another name for that。 You
think you are going to have what you want out of me
for three years； and then cast me off without hearing
what I think of you。 You think I would have submitted
to your airs if I had known you had only a beggarly
five hundred pounds in the world。 You ought to have
told me。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Captain Whalley； bowing his head。
〃And yet it has saved you。〃 。 。 。 Massy laughed
scornfully。 。 。 。 〃I have told you often enough
since。〃
〃And I don't believe you now。 When I think how
I let you lord it over my ship！ Do you remember how
you used to bullyrag me about my coat and YOUR bridge？
It was in his way。 HIS bridge！ 'And I won't be a
party to thisand I couldn't think of doing that。'
Honest man！ And now it all comes out。 'I am poor；
and I can't。 I have only this five hundred in the world。'〃
He contemplated the immobility of Captain Whalley；
that seemed to present an inconquerable obstacle in
his path。 His face took a mournful cast。
〃You are a hard man。〃
〃Enough；〃 said Captain Whalley； turning upon him。
〃You shall get nothing from me； because I have noth…
ing of mine to give away now。〃
〃Tell that to the marines！〃
Mr。 Massy； going out； looked back once； then the door
closed； and Captain Whalley； alone； sat as still as before。
He had nothing of his owneven his past of honor；
of truth； of just pride； was gone。 All his spotless life
had fallen into the abyss。 He had said his last good…by
to it。 But what belonged to HER； that he meant to save。
Only a little money。 He would take it to her in his own
handsthis last gift of a man that had lasted too long。
And an immense and fierce impulse； the very passion of
paternity； flamed up with all the unquenched vigor of
his worthless life in a desire to see her face。
Just across the deck Massy had gone straight to his
cabin； struck a light； and hunted up the note of the
dreamed number whose figures had flamed up also with
the fierceness of another passion。 He must contrive
somehow not to miss a drawing。 That number meant
something。 But what expedient could he contrive to
keep himself going？
〃Wretched miser！〃 he mumbled。
If Mr。 Sterne could at no time have told him anything
new about his partner； he could have told Mr。 Sterne
that another use could be made of a man's affliction than
just to kick him out； and thus defer the term of a diffi…
cult payment for a year。 To keep the secret of the
affliction and induce him to stay was a better move。 If
without means； he would be anxious to remain； and that
settled the question of refunding him his share。 He did
not know exactly how much Captain Whalley was dis…
abled； but if it so happened that he put the ship ashore
somewhere for good and all； it was not the owner's fault
was it？ He was not obliged to know that there was
anything wrong。 But probably nobody would raise
such a point； and the ship was fully insured。 He had
had enough self…restraint to pay up the premiums。 But
this was not all。 He could not believe Captain Whalley
to be so confoundedly destitute as not to have some more
money put away somewhere。 If he； Massy； could get
hold of it； that would pay for the boilers； and every…
thing went on as before。 And if she got lost in the
end； so much the better。 He hated her： he loathed the
troubles that took his mind off the chances of fortune。
He wished her at the bottom of the sea； and the in…
surance money in his pocket。 And as； baffled； he left
Captain Whalley's cabin； he enveloped in the same
hatred the ship with the worn…out boilers and the man
with the dimmed eyes。
And our conduct after all is so much a matter of outside
suggestion； that had it not been for his Jack's drunken
gabble he would have there and then had it out with this
miserable man； who would neither help； nor stay； nor
yet lose the ship。 The old fraud！ He longed to kick
him out。 But he restrained himself。 Time enough for
thatwhen he liked。 There was a fearful new thought
put into his head。 Wasn't he up to it after all？ How
that beast Jack had raved！ 〃Find a safe trick to get
rid of her。〃 Well； Jack was not so far wrong。 A very
clever trick had occurred to him。 Aye！ But what of
the risk？
A feeling of pridethe pride of superiority to com…
mon prejudicescrept into his breast； made his heart
beat fast； his mouth turn dry。 Not everybody would
dare； but he was Massy； and he was up to it！
Six bells were struck on deck。 Eleven！ He drank a
glass of water； and sat down for ten minutes or so to
calm himself。 Then he got out of his chest a small
bull's…eye lantern of his own and lit it。
Almost opposite his berth； across the narrow passage
under the bridge； there was； in the iron deck…structure
covering the stokehold fiddle and the boiler…space； a
storeroom with iron sides； iron roof； iron…plated floor；
too； on account of the heat below。 All sorts of rubbish
was shot there： it had a mound of scrap…iron in a corner；
rows of empty oil…cans； sacks of cotton…waste； with a
heap of charcoal； a deck…forge； fragments of an old hen…
coop； winch…covers all in rags； remnants of lamps； and
a brown felt hat； discarded by a man dead now （of a
fever on the Brazil coast）； who had been once mate of
the Sofala； had remained for years jammed forcibly be…
hind a length of burst copper pipe； flung at some time
or other out of the engine…room。 A complete and im…
perious blackness pervaded that Capharnaum of for…
gotten things。 A small shaft of light from Mr。 Massy's
bull's…eye fell slanting right through it。
His coat was unbuttoned； he shot the bolt of the door
（there was no other opening）； and； squatting before the
scrap…heap； began to pack his pockets with pieces of
iron。 He packed them carefully； as if the rusty nuts；
