falk-第19节

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exercise　of　memory。　　Next　day　the　doors　of　the

chart…room　were　swinging　open　to　the　roll　of　the

ship；　and　the　captain　had　disappeared。　　He　must

during　the　night　have　jumped　into　the　sea。　　Falk

locked　both　the　doors　and　kept　the　keys。



The　organised　life　of　the　ship　had　come　to　an

end。　　The　solidarity　of　the　men　had　gone。　　They

became　indifferent　to　each　other。　　It　was　Falk　who

took　in　hand　the　distribution　of　such　food　as　re…

mained。　　They　boiled　their　boots　for　soup　to　eke

out　the　rations；　which　only　made　their　hunger　more

intolerable。　　Sometimes　whispers　of　hate　were

heard　passing　between　the　languid　skeletons　that

drifted　endlessly　to　and　fro；　north　and　south；　east

and　west；　upon　that　carcase　of　a　ship。



And　in　this　lies　the　grotesque　horror　of　this　som…

bre　story。　　The　last　extremity　of　sailors；　overtaking

a　small　boat　or　a　frail　craft；　seems　easier　to　bear；

because　of　the　direct　danger　of　the　seas。　　The　con…

fined　space；　the　close　contact；　the　imminent　menace

of　the　waves；　seem　to　draw　men　together；　in　spite

of　madness；　suffering　and　despair。　　But　there　was

a　shipsafe；　convenient；　roomy：　a　ship　with　beds；

bedding；　knives；　forks；　comfortable　cabins；　glass

and　china；　and　a　complete　cook's　galley；　pervaded；

ruled　and　possessed　by　the　pitiless　spectre　of　star…

vation。　　The　lamp　oil　had　been　drunk；　the　wicks

cut　up　for　food；　the　candles　eaten。　　At　night　she

floated　dark　in　all　her　recesses；　and　full　of　fears。

One　day　Falk　came　upon　a　man　gnawing　a　splinter

of　pine　wood。　　Suddenly　he　threw　the　piece　of　wood

away；　tottered　to　the　rail；　and　fell　over。　　Falk；　too

late　to　prevent　the　act；　saw　him　claw　the　ship's

side　desperately　before　he　went　down。　　Next　day

another　man　did　the　same　thing；　after　uttering　hor…

rible　imprecations。　　But　this　one　somehow　man…

aged　to　get　hold　of　the　broken　rudder　chains　and

hung　on　there；　silently。　　Falk　set　about　trying　to

save　him；　and　all　the　time　the　man；　holding　with

both　hands；　looked　at　him　anxiously　with　his　sunken

eyes。　　Then；　just　as　Falk　was　ready　to　put　his　hand

on　him；　the　man　let　go　his　hold　and　sank　like　a

stone。　　Falk　reflected　on　these　sights。　　His　heart

revolted　against　the　horror　of　death；　and　he　said

to　himself　that　he　would　struggle　for　every　pre…

cious　minute　of　his　life。



One　afternoonas　the　survivors　lay　about　on

the　after　deckthe　carpenter；　a　tall　man　with　a

black　beard；　spoke　of　the　last　sacrifice。　　There　was

nothing　eatable　left　on　board。　　Nobody　said　a

word　to　this；　but　that　company　separated　quickly；

these　listless　feeble　spectres　slunk　off　one　by　one

to　hide　in　fear　of　each　other。　　Falk　and　the　car…

penter　remained　on　deck　together。　　Falk　liked

the　big　carpenter。　　He　had　been　the　best　man　of

the　lot；　helpful　and　ready　as　long　as　there　was

anything　to　do；　the　longest　hopeful；　and　had

preserved　to　the　last　some　vigour　and　decision　of

mind。



They　did　not　speak　to　each　other。　　Henceforth

no　voices　were　to　be　heard　conversing　sadly　on

board　that　ship。　　After　a　time　the　carpenter　tot…

tered　away　forward；　but　later　on；　Falk　going　to

drink　at　the　fresh…water　pump；　had　the　inspiration

to　turn　his　head。　　The　carpenter　had　stolen　upon

him　from　behind；　and；　summoning　all　his　strength；

was　aiming　with　a　crowbar　a　blow　at　the　back　of

his　skull。



Dodging　just　in　time；　Falk　made　his　escape　and

ran　into　his　cabin。　　While　he　was　loading　his　re…

volver　there；　he　heard　the　sound　of　heavy　blows

struck　upon　the　bridge。　　The　locks　of　the　chart…

room　doors　were　slight；　they　flew　open；　and　the　car…

penter；　possessing　himself　of　the　captain's　revolver；

fired　a　shot　of　defiance。



Falk　was　about　to　go　on　deck　and　have　it　out

at　once；　when　he　remarked　that　one　of　the　ports　of

his　cabin　commanded　the　approaches　to　the　fresh…

water　pump。　　Instead　of　going　out　he　remained　in

and　secured　the　door。　　〃The　best　man　shall　sur…

vive；〃　he　said　to　himselfand　the　other；　he　rea…

soned；　must　at　some　time　or　other　come　there　to

drink。　　These　starving　men　would　drink　often　to

cheat　the　pangs　of　their　hunger。　　But　the　carpen…

ter　too　must　have　noticed　the　position　of　the　port。

They　were　the　two　best　men　in　the　ship；　and　the

game　was　with　them。　　All　the　rest　of　the　day　Falk

saw　no　one　and　heard　no　sound。　　At　night　he

strained　his　eyes。　　It　was　darkhe　heard　a　rustling

noise　once；　but　he　was　certain　that　no　one　could

have　come　near　the　pump。　　It　was　to　the　left　of　his

deck　port；　and　he　could　not　have　failed　to　see　a

man；　for　the　night　was　clear　and　starry。　　He　saw

nothing；　towards　morning　another　faint　noise

made　him　suspicious。　　Deliberately　and　quietly　he

unlocked　his　door。　　He　had　not　slept；　and　had　not

given　way　to　the　horror　of　the　situation。　　He

wanted　to　live。



But　during　the　night　the　carpenter；　without　at

all　trying　to　approach　the　pump；　had　managed　to

creep　quietly　along　the　starboard　bulwark；　and；

unseen；　had　crouched　down　right　under　Falk's　deck

port。　　When　daylight　came　he　rose　up　suddenly；

looked　in；　and　putting　his　arm　through　the　round

brass　framed　opening；　fired　at　Falk　within　a　foot。

He　missedand　Falk；　instead　of　attempting　to

seize　the　arm　holding　the　weapon；　opened　his　door

unexpectedly；　and　with　the　muzzle　of　his　long　re…

volver　nearly　touching　the　other's　side；　shot　him

dead。



The　best　man　had　survived。　　Both　of　them　had

at　the　beginning　just　strength　enough　to　stand　on

their　feet；　and　both　had　displayed　pitiless　resolu…

tion；　endurance；　cunning　and　courageall　the

qualities　of　classic　heroism。　　At　once　Falk　threw

overboard　the　captain's　revolver。　　He　was　a　born

monopolist。　　Then　after　the　report　of　the　two

shots；　followed　by　a　profound　silence；　there　crept

out　into　the　cold；　cruel　dawn　of　Antarctic　regions；

from　various　hiding…places；　over　the　deck　of　that

dismantled　corpse　of　a　ship　floating　on　a　grey　sea

ruled　by　iron　necessity　and　with　a　heart　of　ice

there　crept　into　view　one　by　one；　cautious；　slow；　ea…

ger；　glaring；　and　unclean；　a　band　of　hungry　and

livid　skeletons。　　Falk　faced　them；　the　possessor　of

the　only　fire…arm　on　board；　and　the　second　best　man

the　carpenterwas　lying　dead　between　him　and

them。



〃He　was　eaten；　of　course；〃　I　said。



He　bent　his　head　slowly；　shuddered　a　little；　draw…

ing　his　hands　over　his　face；　and　said；　〃I　had　never

any　quarrel　with　that　man。　　But　there　were　our

lives　between　him　and　me。〃



Why　continue　the　story　of　that　ship；　that　story

before　which；　with　its　fresh…water　pump　like　a

spring　of　death；　its　man　with　the　weapon；　the　sea

ruled　by　iron　necessity；　its　spectral　band　swayed　by

terror　and　hope；　its　mute　and　unhearing　heaven？

the　fable　of　the　Flying　Dutchman　with　its　conven…

tion　of　crime　and　its　sentimental　retribution　fades

like　a　graceful　wreath；　like　a　wisp　of　white　mist。

What　is　there　to　say　that　every　one　of　us　cannot

guess　for　himself？　　I　believe　Falk　began　by　going

through　the　ship；　revolver　in　hand；　to　annex　all　the

matches。　　Those　starving　wretches　had　plenty　of

matches！　　He　had　no　mind　to　have　the　ship　set　on

fire　under　his　feet；　either　from　hate　or　from　despair。

He　lived　in　the　open；　camping　on　the　bridge；　com…

manding　all　the　after　deck　and　the　only　approach

to　the　pump。　　He　lived！　　Some　of　the　others　lived

tooconcealed；　anxious；　coming　out　one　by　one

from　their　hiding…places　at　the　seductive　sound　of

a　shot。　　And　he　was　not　selfish。　　They　shared；　but

only　three　of　them　all　were　alive　when　a　whaler；　re…

turning　from　her　cruising　ground；　nearly　ran　over

the　water…logged　hull　of　the　Borgmester　Dahl；

which；　it　seems；　in　the　end　had　in　some　way　sprung

a　leak　in　both　her　holds；　but　being　loaded　with　deals

could　not　sink。



〃They　all　died；〃　Falk　said。　　〃These　three　too；

afterwards。　　But　I　would　not　die。　　All　died；　all！

under　this　terrible　misfortune。　　But　was　I　too　to

throw　away　my　life？　　Could　I？　　Tell　me；　captain？

I　was　alone　there；　quite　alone；　just　like　the　others。

Each　man　was　alone。　　Was　I　to　give　up　my　re…

volver？　　Who　to？　　Or　was　I　to　throw　it　into　the

sea？　　What　would　have　been　the　good？　　Only　the

best　man　would　survive。　　It　was　a　great；　terrible；

and　cruel　misfortune。〃



He　had　survived！　　I　saw　him　before　me　as

though　preserved　for　a　witness　to　the　mighty　truth

of　an　unerring　and　eternal　principle。　　Great　beads

of　perspiration　stood　on　his　forehead。　　And　sud…

denly　it　struck　the　table　with　a　heavy　blow；　as　he

fell　forward　throwing　his　hands　out。



〃And　this　is　worse；〃　he　cried。　　〃This　is　a　worse

pain！　　This　is　more　terrible。〃



He　made　my　heart　thump　with　the　profound　con…

viction　of　his　cries。　　And　after　he　had　left　me

alone　I　called　up　before　my　mental　eye　the　image

of　the　girl　weeping　silently；　abundantly；　patiently；

and　as　if　irresistibly。　　I　thought　of　her　tawny

hair。　　I　thought　how；　if　unplaited；　it　would　have

covered　her　all　round　as　low　as　the　hips；　like　the

hair　of　a　sir