some reminiscences-第19节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
by incredible assumptions； which rendered his logic impenetrable
to any reasonable person。 I learned all this later。 That
morning seeing the figure in pyjamas moving in the mist I said to
myself： 〃That's the man。〃
He came quite close to the ship's side and raised a harassed
countenance； round and flat； with that curl of black hair over
the forehead and a heavy； pained glance。
〃Good morning。〃
〃Good morning。〃
He looked hard at me： I was a new face； having just replaced
the chief mate he was accustomed to see； and I think that this
novelty inspired him； as things generally did； with deep…seated
mistrust。
〃Didn't expect you in till this evening；〃 he remarked
suspiciously。
I don't know why he should have been aggrieved； but he seemed to
be。 I took pains to explain to him that having picked up the
beacon at the mouth of the river just before dark and the tide
serving； Captain C was enabled to cross the bar and there was
nothing to prevent him going up river at night。
〃Captain C knows this river like his own pocket；〃 I concluded
discursively； trying to get on terms。
〃Better；〃 said Almayer。
Leaning over the rail of the bridge I looked at Almayer； who
looked down at the wharf in aggrieved thought。 He shuffled his
feet a little； he wore straw slippers with thick soles。 The
morning fog had thickened considerably。 Everything round us
dripped： the derricks； the rails； every single rope in the ship…
…as if a fit of crying had come upon the universe。
Almayer again raised his head and in the accents of a man
accustomed to the buffets of evil fortune asked hardly audibly：
〃I suppose you haven't got such a thing as a pony on board？〃
I told him almost in a whisper； for he attuned my communications
to his minor key； that we had such a thing as a pony； and I
hinted； as gently as I could； that he was confoundedly in the way
too。 I was very anxious to have him landed before I began to
handle the cargo。 Almayer remained looking up at me for a long
while with incredulous and melancholy eyes as though it were not
a safe thing to believe my statement。 This pathetic mistrust in
the favourable issue of any sort of affair touched me deeply； and
I added：
〃He doesn't seem a bit the worse for the passage。 He's a nice
pony too。〃
Almayer was not to be cheered up； for all answer he cleared his
throat and looked down again at his feet。 I tried to close with
him on another tack。
〃By Jove！〃 I said。 〃Aren't you afraid of catching pneumonia or
bronchitis or something； walking about in a singlet in such a wet
fog？〃
He was not to be propitiated by a show of interest in his health。
His answer was a sinister 〃No fear；〃 as much as to say that even
that way of escape from inclement fortune was closed to him。
〃I just came down。 。 。〃 he mumbled after a while。
〃Well then； now you're here I will land that pony for you at once
and you can lead him home。 I really don't want him on deck。
He's in the way。〃
Almayer seemed doubtful。 I insisted：
〃Why； I will just swing him out and land him on the wharf right
in front of you。 I'd much rather do it before the hatches are
off。 The little devil may jump down the hold or do some other
deadly thing。〃
〃There's a halter？〃 postulated Almayer。
〃Yes； of course there's a halter。〃 And without waiting any more
I leaned over the bridge rail。
〃Serang； land Tuan Almayer's pony。〃
The cook hastened to shut the door of the galley and a moment
later a great scuffle began on deck。 The pony kicked with
extreme energy； the kalashes skipped out of the way； the serang
issued many orders in a cracked voice。 Suddenly the pony leaped
upon the fore…hatch。 His little hoofs thundered tremendously； he
plunged and reared。 He had tossed his mane and his forelock into
a state of amazing wildness； he dilated his nostrils； bits of
foam flecked his broad little chest； his eyes blazed。 He was
something under eleven hands； he was fierce； terrible； angry；
warlike； he said ha！ ha！ distinctly； he raged and thumpedand
sixteen able…bodied kalashes stood round him like disconcerted
nurses round a spoilt and passionate child。 He whisked his tail
incessantly； he arched his pretty neck； he was perfectly
delightful； he was charmingly naughty。 There was not an atom of
vice in that performance； no savage baring of teeth and lying
back of ears。 On the contrary； he pricked them forward in a
comically aggressive manner。 He was totally unmoral and lovable；
I would have liked to give him bread； sugar； carrots。 But life
is a stern thing and the sense of duty the only safe guide。 So I
steeled my heart and from my elevated position on the bridge I
ordered the men to fling themselves upon him in a body。
The elderly serang； emitting a strange inarticulate cry； gave the
example。 He was an excellent petty officervery competent
indeed； and a moderate opium smoker。 The rest of them in one
great rush smothered that pony。 They hung on to his ears； to his
mane； to his tail； they lay in piles across his back； seventeen
in all。 The carpenter； seizing the hook of the cargo…chain；
flung himself on top of them。 A very satisfactory petty officer
too； but he stuttered。 Have you ever heard a light…yellow； lean；
sad； earnest Chinaman stutter in pidgin…English？ It's very weird
indeed。 He made the eighteenth。 I could not see the pony at all；
but from the swaying and heaving of that heap of men I knew that
there was something alive inside。
From the wharf Almayer hailed in quavering tones：
〃Oh； I say！〃
Where he stood he could not see what was going on on deck unless
perhaps the tops of the men's heads； he could only hear the
scuffle； the mighty thuds； as if the ship were being knocked to
pieces。 I looked over： 〃What is it？〃
〃Don't let them break his legs；〃 he entreated me plaintively。
〃Oh； nonsense！ He's all right now。 He can't move。〃
By that time the cargo…chain had been hooked to the broad canvas
belt round the pony's body； the kalashes sprang off
simultaneously in all directions； rolling over each other； and
the worthy serang； making a dash behind the winch； turned the
steam on。
〃Steady！〃 I yelled； in great apprehension of seeing the animal
snatched up to the very head of the derrick。
On the wharf Almayer shuffled his straw slippers uneasily。 The
rattle of the winch stopped； and in a tense； impressive silence
that pony began to swing across the deck。
How limp he was！ Directly he felt himself in the air he relaxed
every muscle in a most wonderful manner。 His four hoofs knocked
together in a bunch； his head hung down； and his tail remained
pendent in a nerveless and absolute immobility。 He reminded me
vividly of the pathetic little sheep which hangs on the collar of
the Order of the Golden Fleece。 I had no idea that anything in
the shape of a horse could be so limp as that； either living or
dead。 His wild mane hung down lumpily； a mere mass of inanimate
horsehair； his aggressive ears had collapsed； but as he went
swaying slowly across the front of the bridge I noticed an astute
gleam in his dreamy； half…closed eye。 A trustworthy
quartermaster； his glance anxious and his mouth on the broad
grin； was easing over the derrick watchfully。 I superintended；
greatly interested。
〃So！ That will do。〃
The derrick…head stopped。 The kalashes lined the rail。 The rope
of the halter hung perpendicular and motionless like a bell…pull
in front of Almayer。 Everything was very still。 I suggested
amicably that he should catch hold of the rope and mind what he
was about。 He extended a provokingly casual and superior hand。
〃Look out then！ Lower away！〃
Almayer gathered in the rope intelligently enough； but when the
pony's hoofs touched the wharf he gave way all at once to a most
foolish optimism。 Without pausing； without thinking； almost
without looking； he disengaged the hook suddenly from the sling；
and the cargo…chain； after hitting the pony's quarters； swung
back against the ship's side with a noisy； rattling slap。 I
suppose I must have blinked。 I know I missed something； because
the next thing I
