falk-第20节
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hair。 I thought how； if unplaited； it would have
covered her all round as low as the hips； like the
hair of a siren。 And she had bewitched him。 Fancy
a man who would guard his own life with the in…
flexibility of a pitiless and immovable fate； being
brought to lament that once a crowbar had missed
his skull！ The sirens sing and lure to death； but
this one had been weeping silently as if for the pity
of his life。 She was the tender and voiceless siren
of this appalling navigator。 He evidently wanted
to live his whole conception of life。 Nothing else
would do。 And she too was a servant of that life
that； in the midst of death； cries aloud to our senses。
She was eminently fitted to interpret for him its
feminine side。 And in her own way； and with her
own profusion of sensuous charms； she also seemed
to illustrate the eternal truth of an unerring prin…
ciple。 I don't know though what sort of principle
Hermann illustrated when he turned up early on
board my ship with a most perplexed air。 It
struck me； however； that he too would do his best
to survive。 He seemed greatly calmed on the sub…
ject of Falk； but still very full of it。
〃What is it you said I was last night？ You
know；〃 he asked after some preliminary talk。
〃TootooI don't know。 A very funny word。〃
〃Squeamish？〃 I suggested。
〃Yes。 What does it mean？〃
〃That you exaggerate thingsto yourself。
Without inquiry； and so on。〃
He seemed to turn it over in his mind。 We went
on talking。 This Falk was the plague of his life。
Upsetting everybody like this！ Mrs。 Hermann
was unwell rather this morning。 His niece was
crying still。 There was nobody to look after the
children。 He struck his umbrella on the deck。 She
would be like that for months。 Fancy carrying all
the way home； second class； a perfectly useless girl
who is crying all the time。 It was bad for Lena
too； he observed； but on what grounds I could not
guess。 Perhaps of the bad example。 That child
was already sorrowing and crying enough over the
rag doll。 Nicholas was really the least sentimental
person of the family。
〃Why does she weep？〃 I asked。
〃From pity；〃 cried Hermann。
It was impossible to make out women。 Mrs。 Her…
mann was the only one he pretended to understand。
She was very； very upset and doubtful。
〃Doubtful about what？〃 I asked。
He averted his eyes and did not answer this。 It
was impossible to make them out。 For instance；
his niece was weeping for Falk。 Now he （Her…
mann） would like to wring his neckbut then 。 。 。
He supposed he had too tender a heart。 〃Frank…
ly；〃 he asked at last； 〃what do you think of what
we heard last night； captain？〃
〃In all these tales；〃 I observed； 〃there is always
a good deal of exaggeration。〃
And not letting him recover from his surprise I
assured him that I knew all the details。 He begged
me not to repeat them。 His heart was too tender。
They made him feel unwell。 Then； looking at his
feet and speaking very slowly； he supposed that he
need not see much of them after they were married。
For； indeed； he could not bear the sight of Falk。
On the other hand it was ridiculous to take home a
girl with her head turned。 A girl that weeps all
the time and is of no help to her aunt。
〃Now you will be able to do with one cabin only
on your passage home；〃 I said。
〃Yes； I had thought of that；〃 he said brightly；
almost。 〃Yes！ Himself； his wife； four children
one cabin might do。 Whereas if his niece
went 。 。 。〃
〃And what does Mrs。 Hermann say to it？〃 I
inquired。
Mrs。 Hermann did not know whether a man of
that sort could make a girl happyshe had been
greatly deceived in Captain Falk。 She had been
very upset last night。
Those good people did not seem to be able to re…
tain an impression for a whole twelve hours。 I
assured him on my own personal knowledge that
Falk possessed in himself all the qualities to make
his niece's future prosperous。 He said he was glad
to hear this； and that he would tell his wife。 Then
the object of the visit came out。 He wished me to
help him to resume relations with Falk。 His niece；
he said； had expressed the hope I would do so in my
kindness。 He was evidently anxious that I should；
for though he seemed to have forgotten nine…tenths
of his last night's opinions and the whole of his in…
dignation； yet he evidently feared to be sent to the
right…about。 〃You told me he was very much in
love；〃 he concluded slyly； and leered in a sort of bu…
colic way。
〃As soon as he had left my ship I called Falk on
board by signalthe tug still lying at the anchor…
age。 He took the news with calm gravity； as
though he had all along expected the stars to fight
for him in their courses。
I saw them once more together； and only once
on the quarter…deck of the Diana。 Hermann sat
smoking with a shirt…sleeved elbow hooked over the
back of his chair。 Mrs。 Hermann was sewing
alone。 As Falk stepped over the gangway； Her…
mann's niece； with a slight swish of the skirt and a
swift friendly nod to me； glided past my chair。
They met in sunshine abreast of the mainmast。
He held her hands and looked down at them； and
she looked up at him with her candid and unseeing
glance。 It seemed to me they had come together
as if attracted； drawn and guided to each other by
a mysterious influence。 They were a complete
couple。 In her grey frock； palpitating with life；
generous of form； olympian and simple； she was in…
deed the siren to fascinate that dark navigator； this
ruthless lover of the five senses。 From afar I
seemed to feel the masculine strength with which
he grasped those hands she had extended to him
with a womanly swiftness。 Lena； a little pale；
nursing her beloved lump of dirty rags； ran to…
wards her big friend； and then in the drowsy si…
lence of the good old ship Mrs。 Hermann's voice
rang out so changed that it made me spin round in
my chair to see what was the matter。
〃Lena； come here！〃 she screamed。 And this
good…natured matron gave me a wavering glance；
dark and full of fearsome distrust。 The child ran
back； surprised to her knee。 But the two； stand…
ing before each other in sunlight with clasped
hands； had heard nothing； had seen nothing and
no one。 Three feet away from them in the shade
a seaman sat on a spar； very busy splicing a strop；
and dipping his fingers into a tar…pot； as if utterly
unaware of their existence。
When I returned in command of another ship；
some five years afterwards； Mr。 and Mrs。 Falk
had left the place。 I should not wonder if Schom…
berg's tongue had succeeded at last in scaring Falk
away for good； and； indubitably； there was a tale
still going about the town of a certain Falk； owner
of a tug； who had won his wife at cards from the
captain of an English ship。
THE END
