falk-第15节
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The seven thousand dollars the fellow was always
talking about did not； in his opinion； justify such
behaviour。 Moreover； nobody had seen them。 He
（Hermann） seriously doubted if there were seven
thousand cents； and the tug； no doubt； was mort…
gaged up to the top of the funnel to the firm of
Siegers。 But let that pass。 He wouldn't stand in
the girl's way。 Her head was so turned that she
had become no good to them of late。 Quite unable
even to put the children to bed without her aunt。
It was bad for the children； they got unruly； and
yesterday he actually had to give Gustav a thrash…
ing。
For that； too； Falk was made responsible ap…
parently。 And looking at my Hermann's heavy；
puffy； good…natured face； I knew he would not ex…
ert himself till greatly exasperated； and； therefore；
would thrash very hard； and being fat would resent
the necessity。 How Falk had managed to turn the
girl's head was more difficult to understand。 I sup…
posed Hermann would know。 And then hadn't
there been Miss Vanlo？ It could not be his silvery
tongue； or the subtle seduction of his manner； he
had no more of what is called 〃manner〃 than an
animalwhich； however； on the other hand； is
never； and can never be called vulgar。 Therefore
it must have been his bodily appearance； exhibiting
a virility of nature as exaggerated as his beard； and
resembling a sort of constant ruthlessness。 It was
seen in the very manner he lolled in the chair。 He
meant no offence； but his intercourse was charac…
terised by that sort of frank disregard of suscepti…
bilities a man of seven foot six； living in a world of
dwarfs； would naturally assume； without in the
least wishing to be unkind。 But amongst men of
his own stature； or nearly； this frank use of his ad…
vantages； in such matters as the awful towage bills
for instance； caused much impotent gnashing of
teeth。 When attentively considered it seemed ap…
palling at times。 He was a strange beast。 But
maybe women liked it。 Seen in that light he was
well worth taming； and I suppose every woman at
the bottom of her heart considers herself as a tamer
of strange beasts。 But Hermann arose with pre…
cipitation to carry the news to his wife。 I had
barely the time； as he made for the cabin door； to
grab him by the seat of his inexpressibles。 I
begged him to wait till Falk in person had spoken
with him。 There remained some small matter to
talk over； as I understood。
He sat down again at once； full of suspicion。
〃What matter？〃 he said surlily。 〃I have had
enough of his nonsense。 There's no matter at all；
as he knows very well； the girl has nothing in the
world。 She came to us in one thin dress when my
brother died； and I have a growing family。〃
〃It can't be anything of that kind；〃 I opined。
〃He's desperately enamoured of your niece。 I
don't know why he did not say so before。 Upon
my word； I believe it is because he was afraid to
lose； perhaps； the felicity of sitting near her on
your quarter deck。〃
I intimated my conviction that his love was so
great as to be in a sense cowardly。 The effects of
a great passion are unaccountable。 It has been
known to make a man timid。 But Hermann looked
at me as if I had foolishly raved； and the twilight
was dying out rapidly。
〃You don't believe in passion； do you； Her…
mann？〃 I said cheerily。 〃The passion of fear will
make a cornered rat courageous。 Falk's in a cor…
ner。 He will take her off your hands in one thin
frock just as she came to you。 And after ten years'
service it isn't a bad bargain；〃 I added。
Far from taking offence； he resumed his air of
civic virtue。 The sudden night came upon him
while he stared placidly along the deck； bringing
in contact with his thick lips； and taking away
again after a jet of smoke； the curved mouthpiece
fitted to the stem of his pipe。 The night came
upon him and buried in haste his whiskers； his glob…
ular eyes； his puffy pale face； his fat knees and the
vast flat slippers on his fatherly feet。 Only his
short arms in respectable white shirt…sleeves re…
mained very visible； propped up like the flippers of
a seal reposing on the strand。
〃Falk wouldn't settle anything about repairs。
Told me to find out first how much wood I should
require and he would see；〃 he remarked； and after
he had spat peacefully in the dusk we heard over
the water the beat of the tug's floats。 There is； on
a calm night； nothing more suggestive of fierce and
headlong haste than the rapid sound made by the
paddle…wheels of a boat threshing her way through
a quiet sea； and the approach of Falk towards his
fate seemed to be urged by an impatient and pas…
sionate desire。 The engines must have been driven
to the very utmost of their revolutions。 We heard
them slow down at last； and； vaguely； the white
hull of the tug appeared moving against the black
islets； whilst a slow and rhythmical clapping as of
thousands of hands rose on all sides。 It ceased all
at once； just before Falk brought her up。 A sin…
gle brusque splash was followed by the long drawn
rumbling of iron links running through the hawse
pipe。 Then a solemn silence fell upon the Road…
stead。
〃He will soon be here；〃 I murmured； and after
that we waited for him without a word。 Meantime；
raising my eyes； I beheld the glitter of a lofty sky
above the Diana's mastheads。 The multitude of
stars gathered into clusters； in rows； in lines； in
masses； in groups； shone all together； unanimously
and the few isolated ones； blazing by themselves
in the midst of dark patches； seemed to be of a su…
perior kind and of an inextinguishable nature。 But
long striding footsteps were heard hastening along
the deck； the high bulwarks of the Diana made a
deeper darkness。 We rose from our chairs quickly；
and Falk； appearing before us； all in white； stood
still。
Nobody spoke at first； as though we had been
covered with confusion。 His arrival was fiery； but
his white bulk； of indefinite shape and without fea…
tures； made him loom up like a man of snow。
〃The captain here has been telling me 。 。 。〃
Hermann began in a homely and amicable voice；
and Falk had a low； nervous laugh。 His cool； neg…
ligent undertone had no inflexions； but the strength
of a powerful emotion made him ramble in his
speech。 He had always desired a home。 It was
difficult to live alone； though he was not answera…
ble。 He was domestic； there had been difficulties；
but since he had seen Hermann's niece he found
that it had become at last impossible to live by him…
self。 〃I meanimpossible；〃 he repeated with no
sort of emphasis and only with the slightest of
pauses； but the word fell into my mind with the
force of a new idea。
〃I have not said anything to her yet；〃 Hermann
observed quietly。 And Falk dismissed this by a
〃That's all right。 Certainly。 Very proper。〃
There was a necessity for perfect franknessin
marrying； especially。 Hermann seemed attentive；
but he seized the first opportunity to ask us into the
cabin。 〃And by…the…by； Falk；〃 he said innocent…
ly； as we passed in； 〃the timber came to no less
than forty…seven dollars and fifty cents。〃
Falk； uncovering his head； lingered in the pas…
sage。 〃Some other time；〃 he said； and Hermann
nudged me angrilyI don't know why。 The girl
alone in the cabin sat sewing at some distance from
the table。 Falk stopped short in the doorway。
Without a word； without a sign； without the slight…
est inclination of his bony head； by the silent in…
tensity of his look alone； he seemed to lay his her…
culean frame at her feet。 Her hands sank slowly
on her lap； and raising her clear eyes； she let her
soft； beaming glance enfold him from head to foot
like a slow and pale caress。 He was very hot when
he sat down； she； with bowed head； went on with
her sewing； her neck was very white under the light
of the lamp； but Falk； hiding his face in the palms
of his hands； shuddered faintly。 He drew them
down； even to his beard； and his uncovered eyes as…
tonished me by their tense and irrational expres…
sionas though he had just swallowed a heavy
gulp of alcohol。 It passed away while he was
binding us to secrecy。 Not that he cared； but he
did not like to be spoken about； and I looked at the
girl's marvellous； at her wonderful； at her regal
hair； plaited tight into that one astonishing and
maidenly tress。 Whenever she moved her well…
shaped head it would stir stiffly to and fro on her
back。 The thin cotton sleeve fitted the irreproach…
able roundness of her arm like a skin； and her very
dress； stretched on her bust； seemed to palpitate
like a living tissue with the strength of vitality ani…
mating her body。 How good her complexion was；
the outline of her soft cheek and the small convo…
luted conch of her rosy ear！ To pull her needle she
kept th
