a question of latitude-第3节

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he　once　had　been　familiar。　　〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　he　agreed。
〃Bind　'em　over　to　keep　the　peace。　　And　a　good　job；　too！　　But　who？〃
he　demanded　vaguely。　　〃That's　what　I　say！　　Who？〃　　From　the
confusion　into　which　Everett's　appeal　to　forgotten　memories　had
thrown　it；　his　mind　suddenly　emerged。　　〃But　what's　the　use！〃　he
demanded。　　〃Don't　you　see；〃　he　explained　triumphantly；　〃if　those
two　crazy　men　were　fit　to　listen　to　SENSE；　they'd　have　sense　enough
not　to　kill　each　other！〃

Each　succeeding　evening　Everett　watched　the　two　potential　murderers
with　lessening　interest。　　He　even　made　a　bet　with　Upsher；　of　a
bottle　of　fruit　salt；　that　the　chief　of　police　would　be　the　one　to
die。

A　few　nights　later　a　man；　groaning　beneath　his　balcony；　disturbed
his　slumbers。　　He　cursed　the　man；　and　turned　his　pillow　to　find　the
cooler　side。　　But　all　through　the　night　the　groans；　though　fainter；
broke　into　his　dreams。　　At　intervals　some　traditions　of　past
conduct　tugged　at　Everett's　sleeve；　and　bade　him　rise　and　play　the
good　Samaritan。　　But；　indignantly；　he　repulsed　them。　　Were　there
not　many　others　within　hearing？　　Were　there　not　the　police？　　Was　it
HIS　place　to　bind　the　wounds　of　drunken　stokers？　　The　groans　were
probably　a　trick；　to　entice　him；　unarmed；　into　the　night。　　And　so；
just　before　the　dawn；　when　the　mists　rose；　and　the　groans　ceased；
Everett；　still　arguing；　sank　with　a　contented　sigh　into
forgetfulness。

When　he　woke；　there　was　beneath　his　window　much　monkey…like
chattering；　and　he　looked　down　into　the　white　face　and　glazed　eyes
of　the　Italian　doctor；　lying　in　the　gutter　and　staring　up　at　him。
Below　his　shoulder…blades　a　pool　of　blood　shone　evilly　in　the
blatant　sunlight。

Across　the　street；　on　his　balcony；　Upsher；　in　pajamas　and　mosquito
boots；　was　shivering　with　fever　and　stifling　a　yawn。　　〃You　lose！〃
he　called。

Later　in　the　day；　Everett　analyzed　his　conduct　of　the　night
previous。　　〃At　home；〃　he　told　Upsher；　〃I　would　have　been
telephoning　for　an　ambulance；　or　been　out　in　the　street　giving　the
man　the　'first…aid'　drill。　　But　living　as　we　do　here；　so　close　to
death；　we　see　things　more　clearly。　　Death　loses　its　importance。
It's　a　bromide；〃　he　added。　　〃But　travel　certainly　broadens　one。
Every　day　I　have　been　in　the　Congo；　I　have　been　assimilating　new
ideas。〃　　Upsher　nodded　vigorously　in　assent。　　An　older　man　could
have　told　Everett　that　he　was　assimilating　just　as　much　of　the
Congo　as　the　rabbit　assimilates　of　the　boa…constrictor；　that　first
smothers　it　with　saliva　and　then　swallows　it。

Everett　started　up　the　Congo　in　a　small　steamer　open　on　all　sides
to　the　sun　and　rain；　and　with　a　paddle…wheel　astern　that　kicked　her
forward　at　the　rate　of　four　miles　an　hour。　　Once　every　day；　the
boat　tied　up　to　a　tree　and　took　on　wood　to　feed　her　furnace；　and
Everett　talked　to　the　white　man　in　charge　of　the　wood　post；　or；　if；
as　it　generally　happened；　the　white　man　was　on　his　back　with　fever；
dosed　him　with　quinine。　　On　board；　except　for　her　captain；　and　a
Finn　who　acted　as　engineer；　Everett　was　the　only　other　white　man。
The　black　crew　and　〃wood…boys〃　he　soon　disliked　intensely。　　At
first；　when　Nansen；　the　Danish　captain；　and　the　Finn　struck　them；
because　they　were　in　the　way；　or　because　they　were　not；　Everett
winced；　and　made　a　note　of　it。　　But　later　he　decided　the　blacks
were　insolent；　sullen；　ungrateful；　that　a　blow　did　them　no　harm。

According　to　the　unprejudiced　testimony　of　those　who；　before　the
war；　in　his　own　country；　had　owned　slaves；　those　of　the　〃Southland〃
were　always　content；　always　happy。　　When　not　singing　close　harmony
in　the　cotton…fields；　they　danced　upon　the　levee；　they　twanged　the
old　banjo。　　But　these　slaves　of　the　Upper　Congo　were　not　happy。
They　did　not　dance。　　They　did　not　sing。　　At　times　their　eyes；　dull；
gloomy；　despairing；　lighted　with　a　sudden　sombre　fire；　and　searched
the　eyes　of　the　white　man。　　They　seemed　to　beg　of　him　the　answer　to
a　terrible　question。　　It　was　always　the　same　question。　　It　had　been
asked　of　Pharaoh。　　They　asked　it　of　Leopold。　　For　hours；　squatting
on　the　iron　deck…plates；　humped　on　their　naked　haunches；　crowding
close　together；　they　muttered　apparently　interminable　criticisms　of
Everett。　　Their　eyes　never　left　him。　　He　resented　this　unceasing
scrutiny。　　It　got　upon　his　nerves。　　He　was　sure　they　were　evolving
some　scheme　to　rob　him　of　his　tinned　sausages；　or；　possibly；　to
kill　him。　　It　was　then　he　began　to　dislike　them。　　In　reality；　they
were　discussing　the　watch　strapped　to　his　wrist。　　They　believed　it
was　a　powerful　juju；　to　ward　off　evil　spirits。　　They　were　afraid　of
it。

One　day；　to　pay　the　chief　wood…boy　for　a　carved　paddle；　Everett　was
measuring　a　bras　of　cloth。　　As　he　had　been　taught；　he　held　the
cloth　in　his　teeth　and　stretched　it　to　the　ends　of　his　finger…tips。
The　wood…boy　thought　the　white　man　was　giving　him　short　measure。
White　men　always　HAD　given　him　short　measure；　and；　at　a　glance；　he
could　not　recognize　that　this　one　was　an　Everett　of　Boston。

So　he　opened　Everett's　fingers。

All　the　blood　in　Everett's　body　leaped　to　his　head。　　That　he；　a
white　man；　an　Everett；　who　had　come　so　far　to　set　these　people
free；　should　be　accused　by　one　of　them　of　petty　theft！

He　caught　up　a　log　of　fire　wood　and　laid　open　the　scalp　of　the
black　boy；　from　the　eye　to　the　crown　of　his　head。　　The　boy　dropped；
and　Everett；　seeing　the　blood　creeping　through　his　kinky　wool；
turned　ill　with　nausea。　　Drunkenly；　through　a　red　cloud　of　mist；　he
heard　himself　shouting；　〃The　BLACK　nigger！　　The　BLACK　NIGGER！　　He
touched　me！　　I　TELL　you；　he　touched　me！〃　　Captain　Nansen　led
Everett　to　his　cot　and　gave　him　fizzy　salts；　but　it　was　not　until
sundown　that　the　trembling　and　nausea　ceased。

Then；　partly　in　shame；　partly　as　a　bribe；　he　sought　out　the　injured
boy　and　gave　him　the　entire　roll　of　cloth。　　It　had　cost　Everett　ten
francs。　　To　the　wood…boy　it　meant　a　year's　wages。　　The　boy　hugged
it　in　his　arms；　as　he　might　a　baby；　and　crooned　over　it。　　From
under　the　blood…stained　bandage；　humbly；　without　resentment；　he
lifted　his　tired　eyes　to　those　of　the　white　man。　　Still；　dumbly；
they　begged　the　answer　to　the　same　question。

During　the　five　months　Everett　spent　up　the　river　he　stopped　at
many　missions；　stations；　one…man　wood　posts。　　He　talked　to　Jesuit
fathers；　to　inspecteurs；　to　collectors　for　the　State　of　rubber；
taxes；　elephant　tusks；　in　time；　even　in　Bangalese；　to　chiefs　of　the
native　villages。　　According　to　the　point　of　view；　he　was　told　tales
of　oppression；　of　avarice；　of　hideous　crimes；　of　cruelties
committed　in　the　name　of　trade　that　were　abnormal；　unthinkable。
The　note　never　was　of　hope；　never　of　cheer；　never　inspiring。　　There
was　always　the　grievance；　the　spirit　of　unrest；　of　rebellion　that
ranged　from　dislike　to　a　primitive；　hot　hate。　　Of　his　own　land　and
life　he　heard　nothing；　not　even　when　his　face　was　again　turned
toward　the　east。　　Nor　did　he　think　of　it。　　As　now　he　saw　them；　the
rules　and　principles　and　standards　of　his　former　existence　were
petty　and　credulous。　　But　he　assured　himself　he　had　not　abandoned
those　standards。　　He　had　only　temporarily　laid　them　aside；　as　he
had　left　behind　him　in　London　his　frock…coat　and　silk　hat。　　Not
because　he　would　not　use　them　again；　but　because　in　the　Congo　they
were　ridiculous。

For　weeks；　with　a　missionary　as　a　guide；　he　walked　through　forests
into　which　the　sun　never　penetrated；　or；　on　the　river；　moved
between　banks　where　no　white　man　had　placed　his　foot；　where；　at
night；　the　elephants　came　trooping　to　the　water；　and；　seeing　the
lights　of　the　boat；　fled　crashing　through　the　jungle；　where　the
great　hippos；　puffing　and　blowing；　rose　so　close　to　his　elbow　that
he　could　have　tossed　his　cigarette　and　hit　them。　　The　vastness　of
the　Congo；　toward　which　he　had　so　jauntily　set　forth；　now　weighed
upon　his　soul。　　The　immeasurable　distances；　the　slumbering
disregard　of　time；　the　brooding；　interminable　silences；　the　efforts
to　conquer　the　land　that　were　so　futile；　so　puny；　and　so　cruel；　at
first　appalled　and；　later；　left　him　unnerved；　rebellious；
childishly　defiant。

What　health　was　there；　he　demanded　hotly；　in　holding　in　a　dripping
jungle　to　morals；　to　etiquette；　to　fashions　of　conduct？　　Was　he；
the　white　man；　intelligent；　trained；　disciplined　in　mind　and　body；
to　be　judged　by　naked　cannibals；　by　chattering　monkeys；　by　mammoth
primeval　beasts？　　His　code　of　conduct　was　his　own。　　He　was　a　law
unto　himself。

He　came　down　the　river　on　one　of　the　larger　steamers　of　the　State；
and；　on　this　voyage；　with　many　fellow…passengers。　　He　was　now　on
his　way　home；　but　in　the　fact　he　felt　no　elation。　　Each　day　the
fever　ran　tingling　through　his　veins；　and　left　him　listless；
frightened；　or　choleric。　　One　night　at　dinner；　in　one　of　these
moods　of　irritation；　he　took　offence　at　the　act　of　a　lieutenant
who；　in　lack　of　vegetables；　drank　from　the　vinegar　bottle。　　Everett
protested　that　such　table　manners　were　unbecoming　an　officer；　even
an　officer　of　the　Congo；　and　on　the　lieutenant　resenting　his
criticism；　Everett　drew　his　revolver。　　The　others　at　the　table　took
it　from　him；　and　locked　him　in　his　cabin。　　In　the　morning；　when　he
tried　to　recall　what　had　occurred；　he　coul