end of the tether-第34节
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iron。 He packed them carefully； as if the rusty nuts；
the broken bolts； the links of cargo chain； had been so
much gold he had that one chance to carry away。 He
packed his side…pockets till they bulged； the breast
pocket； the pockets inside。 He turned over the pieces。
Some he rejected。 A small mist of powdered rust began
to rise about his busy hands。 Mr。 Massy knew some…
thing of the scientific basis of his clever trick。 If you
want to deflect the magnetic needle of a ship's compass；
soft iron is the best； likewise many small pieces in the
pockets of a jacket would have more effect than a few
large ones； because in that way you obtain a greater
amount of surface for weight in your iron； and it's sur…
face that tells。
He slipped out swiftlytwo strides sufficedand in
his cabin he perceived that his hands were all redred
with rust。 It disconcerted him； as though he had found
them covered with blood： he looked himself over hastily。
Why； his trowsers too！ He had been rubbing his rusty
palms on his legs。
He tore off the waistband button in his haste； brushed
his coat； washed his hands。 Then the air of guilt left
him； and he sat down to wait。
He sat bolt upright and weighted with iron in his
chair。 He had a hard； lumpy bulk against each hip；
felt the scrappy iron in his pockets touch his ribs at
every breath； the downward drag of all these pounds
hanging upon his shoulders。 He looked very dull too；
sitting idle there； and his yellow face； with motionless
black eyes； had something passive and sad in its quiet…
ness。
When he heard eight bells struck above his head； he
rose and made ready to go out。 His movements seemed
aimless； his lower lip had dropped a little； his eyes
roamed about the cabin； and the tremendous tension of
his will had robbed them of every vestige of intelligence。
With the last stroke of the bell the Serang appeared
noiselessly on the bridge to relieve the mate。 Sterne
overflowed with good nature； since he had nothing more
to desire。
〃Got your eyes well open yet； Serang？ It's middling
dark； I'll wait till you get your sight properly。〃
The old Malay murmured； looked up with his worn
eyes； sidled away into the light of the binnacle； and；
crossing his hands behind his back； fixed his eyes on the
compass…card。
〃You'll have to keep a good look…out ahead for
land； about half…past three。 It's fairly clear； though。
You have looked in on the captain as you came
alongeh？ He knows the time？ Well； then； I am
off。〃
At the foot of the ladder he stood aside for the captain。
He watched him go up with an even； certain tread； and
remained thoughtful for a moment。 〃It's funny；〃 he
said to himself； 〃but you can never tell whether that
man has seen you or not。 He might have heard me
breathe this time。〃
He was a wonderful man when all was said and done。
They said he had had a name in his day。 Mr。 Sterne
could well believe it； and he concluded serenely that
Captain Whalley must be able to see people more or less
as himself just now； for instancebut not being cer…
tain of anybody； had to keep up that unnoticing silence
of manner for fear of giving himself away。 Mr。 Sterne
was a shrewd guesser。
This necessity of every moment brought home to Cap…
tain Whalley's heart the humiliation of his falsehood。
He had drifted into it from paternal love； from in…
credulity； from boundless trust in divine justice meted
out to men's feelings on this earth。 He would give his
poor Ivy the benefit of another month's work； perhaps
the affliction was only temporary。 Surely God would
not rob his child of his power to help； and cast him
naked into a night without end。 He had caught at
every hope； and when the evidence of his misfortune
was stronger than hope； he tried not to believe the mani…
fest thing。
In vain。 In the steadily darkening universe a sinister
clearness fell upon his ideas。 In the illuminating mo…
ments of suffering he saw life； men； all things； the whole
earth with all her burden of created nature； as he had
never seen them before。
Sometimes he was seized with a sudden vertigo and an
overwhelming terror； and then the image of his daughter
appeared。 Her； too； he had never seen so clearly before。
Was it possible that he should ever be unable to do
anything whatever for her？ Nothing。 And not see
her any more？ Never。
Why？ The punishment was too great for a little pre…
sumption； for a little pride。 And at last he came to
cling to his deception with a fierce determination to carry
it out to the end； to save her money intact； and behold
her once more with his own eyes。 Afterwardswhat？
The idea of suicide was revolting to the vigor of his
manhood。 He had prayed for death till the prayers had
stuck in his throat。 All the days of his life he had
prayed for daily bread； and not to be led into tempta…
tion； in a childlike humility of spirit。 Did words mean
anything？ Whence did the gift of speech come？ The
violent beating of his heart reverberated in his head
seemed to shake his brain to pieces。
He sat down heavily in the deck…chair to keep the pre…
tense of his watch。 The night was dark。 All the nights
were dark now。
〃Serang；〃 he said； half aloud。
〃Ada； Tuan。 I am here。〃
〃There are clouds on the sky？〃
〃There are； Tuan。〃
〃Let her be steered straight。 North。〃
〃She is going north； Tuan。〃
The Serang stepped back。 Captain Whalley recog…
nized Massy's footfalls on the bridge。
The engineer walked over to port and returned； pass…
ing behind the chair several times。 Captain Whalley
detected an unusual character as of prudent care in this
prowling。 The near presence of that man brought with
it always a recrudescence of moral suffering for Captain
Whalley。 It was not remorse。 After all； he had done
nothing but good to the poor devil。 There was also
a sense of dangerthe necessity of a greater care。
Massy stopped and said
〃So you still say you must go？〃
〃I must indeed。〃
〃And you couldn't at least leave the money for a term
of years？〃
〃Impossible。〃
〃Can't trust it with me without your care； eh？〃
Captain Whalley remained silent。 Massy sighed
deeply over the back of the chair。
〃It would just do to save me；〃 he said in a tremulous
voice。
〃I've saved you once。〃
The chief engineer took off his coat with careful
movements； and proceeded to feel for the brass hook
screwed into the wooden stanchion。 For this purpose he
placed himself right in front of the binnacle； thus hid…
ing completely the compass…card from the quarter…
master at the wheel。 〃Tuan！〃 the lascar at last mur…
mured softly； meaning to let the white man know that
he could not see to steer。
Mr。 Massy had accomplished his purpose。 The coat
was hanging from the nail； within six inches of the
binnacle。 And directly he had stepped aside the quarter…
master； a middle…aged； pock…marked； Sumatra Malay；
almost as dark as a negro； perceived with amazement
that in that short time； in this smooth water； with no
wind at all； the ship had gone swinging far out of her
course。 He had never known her get away like this
before。 With a slight grunt of astonishment he turned
the wheel hastily to bring her head back north； which
was the course。 The grinding of the steering…chains；
the chiding murmurs of the Serang； who had come over
to the wheel； made a slight stir； which attracted Cap…
tain Whalley's anxious attention。 He said； 〃Take
better care。〃 Then everything settled to the usual quiet
on the bridge。 Mr。 Massy had disappeared。
But the iron in the pockets of the coat had done its
work； and the Sofala； heading north by the compass；
made untrue by this simple device； was no longer mak…
ing a safe course for Pangu Bay。
The hiss of water parted by her stem； the throb of her
engines； all the sounds of her faithful and laborious life；
went on uninterrupted in the great calm of the sea join…
ing on all sides the motionless layer of cloud over the
sky。 A gentle stillness as vast
