end of the tether-第7节
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hill； with a new flagstaff in front and a police orderly
on the veranda。 He remembered toiling up that hill
under a heavy sun for his audience； the unfurnished
aspect of the cool shaded room； the long table covered
at one end with piles of papers； and with two guns； a
brass telescope； a small bottle of oil with a feather stuck
in the neck at the otherand the flattering attention
given to him by the man in power。 It was an under…
taking full of risk he had come to expound； but a twenty
minutes' talk in the Government Bungalow on the hill
had made it go smoothly from the start。 And as he
was retiring Mr。 Denham； already seated before the
papers； called out after him； 〃Next month the Dido
starts for a cruise that way； and I shall request her
captain officially to give you a look in and see how
you get on。〃 The Dido was one of the smart frigates on
the China stationand five…and…thirty years make a big
slice of time。 Five…and…thirty years ago an enterprise
like his had for the colony enough importance to be
looked after by a Queen's ship。 A big slice of time。
Individuals were of some account then。 Men like him…
self； men； too； like poor Evans； for instance； with his
red face； his coal…black whiskers； and his restless eyes；
who had set up the first patent slip for repairing small
ships； on the edge of the forest； in a lonely bay three
miles up the coast。 Mr。 Denham had encouraged that
enterprise too； and yet somehow poor Evans had ended
by dying at home deucedly hard up。 His son； they said；
was squeezing oil out of cocoa…nuts for a living on some
God…forsaken islet of the Indian Ocean； but it was from
that patent slip in a lonely wooded bay that had sprung
the workshops of the Consolidated Docks Company； with
its three graving basins carved out of solid rock； its
wharves； its jetties； its electric…light plant； its steam…
power houseswith its gigantic sheer…legs； fit to lift the
heaviest weight ever carried afloat； and whose head could
be seen like the top of a queer white monument peeping
over bushy points of land and sandy promontories； as
you approached the New Harbor from the west。
There had been a time when men counted： there were
not so many carriages in the colony then； though Mr。
Denham； he fancied； had a buggy。 And Captain Whal…
ley seemed to be swept out of the great avenue by the
swirl of a mental backwash。 He remembered muddy
shores； a harbor without quays； the one solitary wooden
pier （but that was a public work） jutting out crookedly；
the first coal…sheds erected on Monkey Point； that caught
fire mysteriously and smoldered for days； so that
amazed ships came into a roadstead full of sulphurous
smoke； and the sun hung blood…red at midday。 He re…
membered the things； the faces； and something more
besideslike the faint flavor of a cup quaffed to the
bottom； like a subtle sparkle of the air that was not
to be found in the atmosphere of to…day。
In this evocation； swift and full of detail like a flash
of magnesium light into the niches of a dark memorial
hall； Captain Whalley contemplated things once impor…
tant； the efforts of small men； the growth of a great
place； but now robbed of all consequence by the great…
ness of accomplished facts； by hopes greater still； and
they gave him for a moment such an almost physical
grip upon time； such a comprehension of our unchange…
able feelings； that he stopped short； struck the ground
with his stick； and ejaculated mentally； 〃What the devil
am I doing here！〃 He seemed lost in a sort of surprise；
but he heard his name called out in wheezy tones once；
twiceand turned on his heels slowly。
He beheld then； waddling towards him autocratically；
a man of an old…fashioned and gouty aspect； with hair
as white as his own； but with shaved； florid cheeks； wear…
ing a necktiealmost a neckclothwhose stiff ends pro…
jected far beyond his chin； with round legs； round arms；
a round body； a round facegenerally producing the
effect of his short figure having been distended by means
of an air…pump as much as the seams of his clothing
would stand。 This was the Master…Attendant of the
port。 A master…attendant is a superior sort of harbor…
master； a person； out in the East； of some consequence
in his sphere； a Government official； a magistrate for
the waters of the port； and possessed of vast but ill…
defined disciplinary authority over seamen of all classes。
This particular Master…Attendant was reported to con…
sider it miserably inadequate； on the ground that it
did not include the power of life and death。 This was
a jocular exaggeration。 Captain Eliott was fairly satis…
fied with his position； and nursed no inconsiderable sense
of such power as he had。 His conceited and tyrannical
disposition did not allow him to let it dwindle in his
hands for want of use。 The uproarious； choleric frank…
ness of his comments on people's character and conduct
caused him to be feared at bottom； though in conversa…
tion many pretended not to mind him in the least； others
would only smile sourly at the mention of his name； and
there were even some who dared to pronounce him 〃a
meddlesome old ruffian。〃 But for almost all of them
one of Captain Eliott's outbreaks was nearly as distaste…
ful to face as a chance of annihilation。
V
As soon as he had come up quite close he said； mouth…
ing in a growl
〃What's this I hear； Whalley？ Is it true you're sell…
ing the Fair Maid？〃
Captain Whalley； looking away； said the thing was
donemoney had been paid that morning； and the other
expressed at once his approbation of such an extremely
sensible proceeding。 He had got out of his trap to
stretch his legs； he explained； on his way home to dinner。
Sir Frederick looked well at the end of his time。 Didn't
he？
Captain Whalley could not say； had only noticed the
carriage going past。
The Master…Attendant； plunging his hands into the
pockets of an alpaca jacket inappropriately short and
tight for a man of his age and appearance； strutted
with a slight limp； and with his head reaching only to
the shoulder of Captain Whalley； who walked easily；
staring straight before him。 They had been good com…
rades years ago； almost intimates。 At the time when
Whalley commanded the renowned Condor； Eliott had
charge of the nearly as famous Ringdove for the same
owners； and when the appointment of Master…Attendant
was created； Whalley would have been the only other
serious candidate。 But Captain Whalley； then in the
prime of life； was resolved to serve no one but his own
auspicious Fortune。 Far away； tending his hot irons；
he was glad to hear the other had been successful。 There
was a worldly suppleness in bluff Ned Eliott that would
serve him well in that sort of official appointment。 And
they were so dissimilar at bottom that as they came
slowly to the end of the avenue before the Cathedral； it
had never come into Whalley's head that he might have
been in that man's placeprovided for to the end of
his days。
The sacred edifice； standing in solemn isolation amongst
the converging avenues of enormous trees； as if to put
grave thoughts of heaven into the hours of ease； pre…
sented a closed Gothic portal to the light and glory of
the west。 The glass of the rosace above the ogive glowed
like fiery coal in the deep carvings of a wheel of stone。
The two men faced about。
〃I'll tell you what they ought to do next； Whalley；〃
growled Captain Eliott suddenly。
〃Well？〃
〃They ought to send a real live lord out here when
Sir Frederick's time is up。 Eh？〃
Captain Whalley perfunctorily did not see why a lord
of the right sort should not do as well as anyone else。
But this was not the other's point of view。
〃No； no。 Place runs itself。 Nothing can stop it now。
Good enough for a lord；〃 he growled in short sentences。
〃Look at the changes in our time。 We need a lord
here now。 They have got a lord in Bombay。〃
He dined once or twice every year at the Government
Housea many…windowed； arcaded palace upon a hill
laid out in roads and gardens。 And lately he had been
taking about a duke in his Master…Attendant's steam…
launch to visit the harbor improv
