falk-第2节

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dren　had　learned　to　walk　on　her　roomy　quarter…deck。

In　such　thoughts　there　is　something　pretty；　even

touching。　　Their　teeth；　I　should　judge；　they　had

cut　on　the　ends　of　her　running　gear。　　I　have　many

times　observed　the　baby　Hermann　（Nicholas）　en…

gaged　in　gnawing　the　whipping　of　the　fore…royal

brace。　　Nicholas'　favourite　place　of　residence　was

under　the　main　fife…rail。　　Directly　he　was　let　loose

he　would　crawl　off　there；　and　the　first　seaman　who

came　along　would　bring　him；　carefully　held　aloft

in　tarry　hands；　back　to　the　cabin　door。　　I　fancy

there　must　have　been　a　standing　order　to　that　effect。

In　the　course　of　these　transportations　the　baby；

who　was　the　only　peppery　person　in　the　ship；　tried

to　smite　these　stalwart　young　German　sailors　on　the

face。



Mrs。　Hermann；　an　engaging；　stout　housewife；

wore　on　board　baggy　blue　dresses　with　white　dots。

When；　as　happened　once　or　twice　I　caught　her　at　an

elegant　little　wash…tub　rubbing　hard　on　white　col…

lars；　baby's　socks；　and　Hermann's　summer　neck…

ties；　she　would　blush　in　girlish　confusion；　and　rais…

ing　her　wet　hands　greet　me　from　afar　with　many

friendly　nods。　　Her　sleeves　would　be　rolled　up　to

the　elbows；　and　the　gold　hoop　of　her　wedding　ring

glittered　among　the　soapsuds。　　Her　voice　was

pleasant；　she　had　a　serene　brow；　smooth　bands　of

very　fair　hair；　and　a　good…humoured　expression　of

the　eyes。　　She　was　motherly　and　moderately　talka…

tive。　　When　this　simple　matron　smiled；　youthful

dimples　broke　out　on　her　fresh　broad　cheeks。　　Her…

mann's　niece　on　the　other　hand；　an　orphan　and　very

silent；　I　never　saw　attempt　a　smile。　　This；　however；

was　not　gloom　on　her　part　but　the　restraint　of

youthful　gravity。



They　had　carried　her　about　with　them　for　the

last　three　years；　to　help　with　the　children　and　be

company　for　Mrs。　Hermann；　as　Hermann　men…

tioned　once　to　me。　　It　had　been　very　necessary　while

they　were　all　little；　he　had　added　in　a　vexed　manner。

It　was　her　arm　and　her　sleek　head　that　I　had

glimpsed　one　morning；　through　the　stern…windows

of　the　cabin；　hovering　over　the　pots　of　fuchsias　and

mignonette；　but　the　first　time　I　beheld　her　full

length　I　surrendered　to　her　proportions。　　They　fix

her　in　my　mind；　as　great　beauty；　great　intelligence；

quickness　of　wit　or　kindness　of　heart　might　have

made　some　her　other　woman　equally　memorable。



With　her　it　was　form　and　size。　　It　was　her　physi…

cal　personality　that　had　this　imposing　charm。　　She

might　have　been　witty；　intelligent；　and　kind　to　an

exceptional　degree。　　I　don't　know；　and　this　is　not　to

the　point。　　All　I　know　is　that　she　was　built　on　a

magnificent　scale。　　Built　is　the　only　word。　　She　was

constructed；　she　was　erected；　as　it　were；　with　a　regal

lavishness。　　It　staggered　you　to　see　this　reckless　ex…

penditure　of　material　upon　a　chit　of　a　girl。　　She

was　youthful　and　also　perfectly　mature；　as　though

she　had　been　some　fortunate　immortal。　　She　was

heavy　too；　perhaps；　but　that's　nothing。　　It　only

added　to　that　notion　of　permanence。　　She　was　bare…

ly　nineteen。　　But　such　shoulders！　　Such　round

arms！　　Such　a　shadowing　forth　of　mighty　limbs

when　with　three　long　strides　she　pounced　across　the

deck　upon　the　overturned　Nicholasit's　perfectly

indescribable！　　She　seemed　a　good；　quiet　girl；　vigi…

lant　as　to　Lena's　needs；　Gustav's　tumbles；　the　state

of　Carl's　dear　little　noseconscientious；　hardwork…

ing；　and　all　that。　　But　what　magnificent　hair　she

had！　　Abundant；　long；　thick；　of　a　tawny　colour。

It　had　the　sheen　of　precious　metals。　　She　wore　it

plaited　tightly　into　one　single　tress　hanging　girl…

ishly　down　her　back　and　its　end　reached　down　to

her　waist。　　The　massiveness　of　it　surprised　you。

On　my　word　it　reminded　one　of　a　club。　　Her　face

was　big；　comely；　of　an　unruffled　expression。　　She

had　a　good　complexion；　and　her　blue　eyes　were　so

pale　that　she　appeared　to　look　at　the　world　with

the　empty　white　candour　of　a　statue。　　You　could

not　call　her　good…looking。　　It　was　something　much

more　impressive。　　The　simplicity　of　her　apparel；

the　opulence　of　her　form；　her　imposing　stature；

and　the　extraordinary　sense　of　vigorous　life　that

seemed　to　emanate　from　her　like　a　perfume　exhaled

by　a　flower；　made　her　beautiful　with　a　beauty　of　a

rustic　and　olympian　order。　　To　watch　her　reaching

up　to　the　clothes…line　with　both　arms　raised　high

above　her　head；　caused　you　to　fall　a　musing　in　a

strain　of　pagan　piety。　　Excellent　Mrs。　Hermann's

baggy　cotton　gowns　had　some　sort　of　rudimentary

frills　at　neck　and　bottom；　but　this　girl's　print　frocks

hadn't　even　a　wrinkle；　nothing　but　a　few　straight

folds　in　the　skirt　falling　to　her　feet；　and　these；　when

she　stood　still；　had　a　severe　and　statuesque　quality。

She　was　inclined　naturally　to　be　still　whether　sit…

ting　or　standing。　　However；　I　don't　mean　to　say

she　was　statuesque。　　She　was　too　generously　alive；

but　she　could　have　stood　for　an　allegoric　statue　of

the　Earth。　　I　don't　mean　the　worn…out　earth　of　our

possession；　but　a　young　Earth；　a　virginal　planet

undisturbed　by　the　vision　of　a　future　teeming　with

the　monstrous　forms　of　life　and　death；　clamorous

with　the　cruel　battles　of　hunger　and　thought。



The　worthy　Hermann　himself　was　not　very　en…

tertaining；　though　his　English　was　fairly　compre…

hensible。　　Mrs。　Hermann；　who　always　let　off　one

speech　at　least　at　me　in　an　hospitable；　cordial　tone

（and　in　Platt…Deutsch　I　suppose）　I　could　not　un…

derstand。　　As　to　their　niece；　however　satisfactory

to　look　upon　（and　she　inspired　you　somehow　with

a　hopeful　view　as　to　the　prospects　of　mankind）

she　was　a　modest　and　silent　presence；　mostly　en…

gaged　in　sewing；　only　now　and　then；　as　I　observed；

falling　over　that　work　into　a　state　of　maidenly

meditation。　　Her　aunt　sat　opposite　her；　sewing　also；

with　her　feet　propped　on　a　wooden　footstool。　　On

the　other　side　of　the　deck　Hermann　and　I　would

get　a　couple　of　chairs　out　of　the　cabin　and　settle

down　to　a　smoking　match；　accompanied　at　long　in…

tervals　by　the　pacific　exchange　of　a　few　words。　　I

came　nearly　every　evening。　　Hermann　I　would　find

in　his　shirt　sleeves。　　As　soon　as　he　returned　from

the　shore　on　board　his　ship　he　commenced　operations

by　taking　off　his　coat；　then　he　put　on　his　head　an

embroidered　round　cap　with　a　tassel；　and　changed

his　boots　for　a　pair　of　cloth　slippers。　　Afterwards

he　smoked　at　the　cabin…door；　looking　at　his　children

with　an　air　of　civic　virtue；　till　they　got　caught　one

after　another　and　put　to　bed　in　various　staterooms。

Lastly；　we　would　drink　some　beer　in　the　cabin；　which

was　furnished　with　a　wooden　table　on　cross　legs；　and

with　black　straight…backed　chairsmore　like　a　farm

kitchen　than　a　ship's　cuddy。　　The　sea　and　all　nauti…

cal　affairs　seemed　very　far　removed　from　the　hos…

pitality　of　this　exemplary　family。



And　I　liked　this　because　I　had　a　rather　worrying

time　on　board　my　own　ship。　　I　had　been　appointed

ex…officio　by　the　British　Consul　to　take　charge　of

her　after　a　man　who　had　died　suddenly；　leaving　for

the　guidance　of　his　successor　some　suspiciously　un…

receipted　bills；　a　few　dry…dock　estimates　hinting　at

bribery；　and　a　quantity　of　vouchers　for　three　years'

extravagant　expenditure；　all　these　mixed　up　to…

gether　in　a　dusty　old　violin…case　lined　with　ruby

velvet。　　I　found　besides　a　large　account…book；

which；　when　opened；　hopefully　turned　out　to　my

infinite　consternation　to　be　filled　with　versespage

after　page　of　rhymed　doggerel　of　a　jovial　and　im…

proper　character；　written　in　the　neatest　minute　hand

I　ever　did　see。　　In　the　same　fiddle…case　a　photograph

of　my　predecessor；　taken　lately　in　Saigon；　repre…

sented　in　front　of　a　garden　view；　and　in　company

of　a　female　in　strange　draperies；　an　elderly；　squat；

rugged　man　of　stern　aspect　in　a　clumsy　suit　of　black

broadcloth；　and　with　the　hair　brushed　forward　above

the　temples　in　a　manner　reminding　one　of　a　boar's

tusks。　　Of　a　fiddle；　however；　the　only　trace　on　board

was　the　case；　its　empty　husk　as　it　were；　but　of　the

two　last　freights　the　ship　had　indubitably　earned

of　late；　there　were　not　even　the　husks　left。　　It　was

impossible　to　say　where　all　that　money　had　gone　to。

It　wasn't　on　board。　　It　had　not　been　remitted　home；

for　a　letter　from　the　owners；　preserved　in　a　desk

evidently　by　the　merest　accident；　complained　mildly

enough　that　they　had　not　been　favoured　by　a

scratch　of　the　pen　for　the　last　eighteen　months。

There　were　next　to　no　stores　on　board；　not　an　inch

of　spare　rope　or　a　yard　of　canvas。　　The　ship　had

been　run　bare；　and　I　foresaw　no　end　of　difficulties

before　I　could　get　her　ready　for　sea。



As　I　was　young　thennot　thirty　yetI　took

myself　and　my　troubles　very　seriously。　　The　old

mate；　who　had　acted　as　chief　mourner　at　the　cap…

tain's　funeral；　was　not　particularly　pleased　at　my

coming。　　But　the　fact　is　the　fellow　was　not　legally

qualified　for　command；　and　the　Consul　was　bound；

if　at　all　possible；　to　put　a　properly　certifi