falk-第14节

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with　difficulty　from　breaking　into　a　step　dance　of

joy　when　he　came　back；　striding　all　the　length　of

the　verandah；　and　said　doubtfully：



〃I　say；　captain；　I　have　your　word？　　Youyou

won't　turn　round？〃



Heavens！　　The　fright　he　gave　me。　　Behind　his

tone　of　doubt　there　was　something　desperate　and

menacing。　　The　infatuated　ass。　　But　I　was　equal　to

the　situation。



〃My　dear　Falk；〃　I　said；　beginning　to　lie　with

a　glibness　and　effrontery　that　amazed　me　even　at

the　time〃confidence　for　confidence。〃　　（He　had

made　no　confidences。）　　〃I　will　tell　you　that　I　am

already　engaged　to　an　extremely　charming　girl　at

home；　and　so　you　understand。　。　。　。〃



He　caught　my　hand　and　wrung　it　in　a　crushing

grip。



〃Pardon　me。　　I　feel　it　every　day　more　difficult

to　live　alone　。　。　。〃



〃On　rice　and　fish；〃　I　interrupted　smartly；　gig…

gling　with　the　sheer　nervousness　of　a　danger　es…

caped。



He　dropped　my　hand　as　if　it　had　become　sud…

denly　red　hot。　　A　moment　of　profound　silence　en…

sued；　as　though　something　extraordinary　had　hap…

pened。



〃I　promise　you　to　obtain　Hermann's　consent；〃

I　faltered　out　at　last；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　he

could　not　help　seeing　through　that　humbug…

ging　promise。　　〃If　there's　anything　else　to　get

over　I　shall　endeavour　to　stand　by　you；〃　I　conceded

further；　feeling　somehow　defeated　and　overborne；

〃but　you　must　do　your　best　yourself。〃



〃I　have　been　unfortunate　once；〃　he　muttered

unemotionally；　and　turning　his　back　on　me　he　went

away；　thumping　slowly　the　plank　floor　as　if　his　feet

had　been　shod　with　iron。



Next　morning；　however；　he　was　lively　enough　as

man…boat；　a　combination　of　splashing　and　shout…

ing；　of　the　insolent　commotion　below　with　the

steady　overbearing　glare　of　the　silent　head…piece

above。　　He　turned　us　out　most　unnecessarily　at　an

ungodly　hour；　but　it　was　nearly　eleven　in　the　morn…

ing　before　he　brought　me　up　a　cable's　length　from

Hermann's　ship。　　And　he　did　it　very　badly　too；　in

a　hurry；　and　nearly　contriving　to　miss　altogether

the　patch　of　good　holding　ground；　because；　for…

sooth；　he　had　caught　sight　of　Hermann's　niece　on

the　poop。　　And　so　did　I；　and　probably　as　soon　as

he　had　seen　her　himself。　　I　saw　the　modest；　sleek

glory　of　the　tawny　head；　and　the　full；　grey　shape

of　the　girlish　print　frock　she　filled　so　perfectly；　so

satisfactorily；　with　the　seduction　of　unfaltering

curvesa　very　nymph　of　Diana　the　Huntress。

And　Diana　the　ship　sat；　high…walled　and　as　solid

as　an　institution；　on　the　smooth　level　of　the　water；

the　most　uninspiring　and　respectable　craft　upon

the　seas；　useful　and　ugly；　devoted　to　the　support

of　domestic　virtues　like　any　grocer's　shop　on　shore。

At　once　Falk　steamed　away；　for　there　was　some

work　for　him　to　do。　　He　would　return　in　the　even…

ing。



He　ranged　close　by　us；　passing　out　dead　slow；

without　a　hail。　　The　beat　of　the　paddle…wheels　re…

verberating　amongst　the　stony　islets；　as　if　from　the

ruined　walls　of　a　vast　arena；　filled　the　anchorage

confusedly　with　the　clapping　sounds　of　a　mighty

and　leisurely　applause。　　Abreast　of　Hermann's

ship　he　stopped　the　engines；　and　a　profound　si…

lence　reigned　over　the　rocks；　the　shore　and　the　sea；

for　the　time　it　took　him　to　raise　his　hat　aloft　before

the　nymph　of　the　grey　print　frock。　　I　had　snatched

up　my　binoculars；　and　I　can　answer　for　it　she　didn't

stir　a　limb；　standing　by　the　rail　shapely　and　erect；

with　one　of　her　hands　grasping　a　rope　at　the　height

of　her　head；　while　the　way　of　the　tug　carried　slowly

past　her　the　lingering　and　profound　homage　of　the

man。　　There　was　for　me　an　enormous　significance

in　the　scene；　the　sense　of　having　witnessed　a　solemn

declaration。　　The　die　was　cast。　　After　such　a　man…

ifestation　he　couldn't　back　out。　　And　I　reflected

that　it　was　nothing　whatever　to　me　now。　　With　a

rush　of　black　smoke　belching　suddenly　out　of　the

funnel；　and　a　mad　swirl　of　paddle…wheels　provoking

a　burst　of　weird　and　precipitated　clapping；　the　tug

shot　out　of　the　desolate　arena。　　The　rocky　islets

lay　on　the　sea　like　the　heaps　of　a　cyclopean　ruin

on　a　plain；　the　centipedes　and　scorpions　lurked　un…

der　the　stones；　there　was　not　a　single　blade　of　grass

in　sight　anywhere；　not　a　single　lizard　sunning　him…

self　on　a　boulder　by　the　shore。　　When　I　looked

again　at　Hermann's　ship　the　girl　had　disappeared。

I　could　not　detect　the　smallest　dot　of　a　bird　on　the

immense　sky；　and　the　flatness　of　the　land　continued

the　flatness　of　the　sea　to　the　naked　line　of　the　hori…

zon。



This　is　the　setting　now　inseparably　connected

with　my　knowledge　of　Falk's　misfortune。　　My　di…

plomacy　had　brought　me　there；　and　now　I　had　only

to　wait　the　time　for　taking　up　the　role　of　an　ambas…

sador。　　My　diplomacy　was　a　success；　my　ship　was

safe；　old　Gambril　would　probably　live；　a　feeble

sound　of　a　tapping　hammer　came　intermittently

from　the　Diana。　　During　the　afternoon　I　looked

at　times　at　the　old　homely　ship；　the　faithful　nurse

of　Hermann's　progeny；　or　yawned　towards　the　dis…

tant　temple　of　Buddha；　like　a　lonely　hillock　on　the

plain；　where　shaven　priests　cherish　the　thoughts　of

that　Annihilation　which　is　the　worthy　reward　of　us

all。　　Unfortunate！　　He　had　been　unfortunate　once。

Well；　that　was　not　so　bad　as　life　goes。　　And　what

the　devil　could　be　the　nature　of　that　misfortune？

I　remembered　that　I　had　known　a　man　before　who

had　declared　himself　to　have　fallen；　years　ago；　a

victim　to　misfortune；　but　this　misfortune；　whose

effects　appeared　permanent　（he　looked　desper…

ately　hard　up）　when　considered　dispassionately；

seemed　indistinguishable　from　a　breach　of　trust。

Could　it　be　something　of　that　nature？　　Apart；

however；　from　the　utter　improbability　that　he

would　offer　to　talk　of　it　even　to　his　future　uncle…

in…law；　I　had　a　strange　feeling　that　Falk's　physique

unfitted　him　for　that　sort　of　delinquency。　　As　the

person　of　Hermann's　niece　exhaled　the　profound

physical　charm　of　feminine　form；　so　her　ador…

er's　big　frame　embodied　to　my　senses　the　hard；

straight　masculinity　that　would　conceivably　kill

but　would　not　condescend　to　cheat。　　The　thing

was　obvious。　　I　might　just　as　well　have　suspected

the　girl　of　a　curvature　of　the　spine。　　And　I　per…

ceived　that　the　sun　was　about　to　set。



The　smoke　of　Falk's　tug　hove　in　sight；　far

away　at　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　It　was　time　for

me　to　assume　the　character　of　an　ambassador；　and

the　negotiation　would　not　be　difficult　except　in　the

matter　of　keeping　my　countenance。　　It　was　all　too

extravagantly　nonsensical；　and　I　conceived　that　it

would　be　best　to　compose　for　myself　a　grave　de…

meanour。　　I　practised　this　in　my　boat　as　I　went

along；　but　the　bashfulness　that　came　secretly　upon

me　the　moment　I　stepped　on　the　deck　of　the　Diana

is　inexplicable。　　As　soon　as　we　had　exchanged

greetings　Hermann　asked　me　eagerly　if　I　knew

whether　Falk　had　found　his　white　parasol。



〃He's　going　to　bring　it　to　you　himself　directly；〃

I　said　with　great　solemnity。　　〃Meantime　I　am

charged　with　an　important　message　for　which　he

begs　your　favourable　consideration。　　He　is　in　love

with　your　niece。　。　。　。〃



〃Ach　So！〃　he　hissed　with　an　animosity　that

made　my　assumed　gravity　change　into　the　most

genuine　concern。　　What　meant　this　tone？　　And　I

hurried　on。



〃He　wishes；　with　your　consent　of　course；　to　ask

her　to　marry　him　at　oncebefore　you　leave　here；

that　is。　　He　would　speak　to　the　Consul。〃



Hermann　sat　down　and　smoked　violently。　　Five

minutes　passed　in　that　furious　meditation；　and

then；　taking　the　long　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　he

burst　into　a　hot　diatribe　against　Falkagainst　his

cupidity；　his　stupidity　（a　fellow　that　can　hardly

be　got　to　say　〃yes〃　or　〃no〃　to　the　simplest　ques…

tion）against　his　outrageous　treatment　of　the

shipping　in　port　（because　he　saw　they　were　at　his

mercy）and　against　his　manner　of　walking；

which　to　his　（Hermann's）　mind　showed　a　conceit

positively　unbearable。　　The　damage　to　the　old

Diana　was　not　forgotten；　of　course；　and　there　was

nothing　of　any　nature　said　or　done　by　Falk　（even

to　the　last　offer　of　refreshment　in　the　hotel）　that

did　not　seem　to　have　been　a　cause　of　offence。

〃Had　the　cheek〃　to　drag　him　（Hermann）　into

that　coffee…room；　as　though　a　drink　from　him　could

make　up　for　forty…seven　dollars　and　fifty　cents　of

damage　in　the　cost　of　wood　alonenot　counting

two　days'　work　for　the　carpenter。　　Of　course　he

would　not　stand　in　the　girl's　way。　　He　was　going

home　to　Germany。　　There　were　plenty　of　poor

girls　walking　about　in　Germany。



〃He's　very　much　in　love；〃　was　all　I　found　to

say。



〃Yes；〃　he　cried。　　〃And　it　is　time　too　after　mak…

ing　himself　and　me　talked　about　ashore　the　last

voyage　I　was　here；　and　then　now　again；　coming　on

board　every　evening　unsettling　the　girl's　mind；　and

saying　nothing。　　What　sort　of　conduct　is　that？〃



The　seven　thousand　dollars　the　fellow　was　always

talking　about　did　not；　in　his　opinion；　justi