when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第22节
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Chow's face having been most severely bruised by Schemmer's strap had
made his identification so positive that； since one man must die； he might
as well be that man。 Also； the fact that Ah Cho's face likewise had been
severely bruised； conclusively proving his presence at the murder and his
undoubted participation； had merited him the twenty years of penal
servitude。 And down to the ten years of Ah Tong； the proportioned
reason for each sentence was explained。 Let the Chinagos take the lesson
to heart； the Court said finally； for they must learn that the law would be
fulfilled in Tahiti though the heavens fell。
The five Chinagos were taken back to jail。 They were not shocked
nor grieved。 The sentences being unexpected was quite what they were
accustomed to in their dealings with the white devils。 From them a
Chinago rarely expected more than the unexpected。 The heavy
punishment for a crime they had not committed was no stranger than the
countless strange things that white devils did。 In the weeks that followed；
Ah Cho often contemplated Ah Chow with mild curiosity。 His head was
to be cut off by the guillotine that was being erected on the plantation。
For him there would be no declining years； no gardens of tranquillity。 Ah
Cho philosophized and speculated about life and death。 As for himself；
he was not perturbed。 Twenty years were merely twenty years。 By that
much was his garden removed from himthat was all。 He was young； and
the patience of Asia was in his bones。 He could wait those twenty years；
and by that time the heats of his blood would be assuaged and he would be
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
better fitted for that garden of calm delight。 He thought of a name for it；
he would call it The Garden of the Morning Calm。 He was made happy
all day by the thought； and he was inspired to devise a moral maxim on the
virtue of patience； which maxim proved a great comfort； especially to
Wong Li and Ah Tong。 Ah Chow； however； did not care for the maxim。
His head was to be separated from his body in so short a time that he had
no need for patience to wait for that event。 He smoked well； ate well；
slept well； and did not worry about the slow passage of time。
Cruchot was a gendarme。 He had seen twenty years of service in the
colonies； from Nigeria and Senegal to the South Seas； and those twenty
years had not perceptibly brightened his dull mind。 He was as slow…
witted and stupid as in his peasant days in the south of France。 He knew
discipline and fear of authority； and from God down to the sergeant of
gendarmes the only difference to him was the measure of slavish
obedience which he rendered。 In point of fact； the sergeant bulked bigger
in his mind than God； except on Sundays when God's mouthpieces had
their say。 God was usually very remote； while the sergeant was
ordinarily very close at hand。
Cruchot it was who received the order from the Chief Justice to the
jailer commanding that functionary to deliver over to Cruchot the person
of Ah Chow。 Now； it happened that the Chief Justice had given a dinner
the night before to the captain and officers of the French man…of…war。
His hand was shaking when he wrote out the order； and his eyes were
aching so dreadfully that he did not read over the order。 It was only a
Chinago's life he was signing away； anyway。 So he did not notice that he
had omitted the final letter in Ah Chow's name。 The order read 〃Ah
Cho；〃 and； when Cruchot presented the order； the jailer turned over to him
the person of Ah Cho。 Cruchot took that person beside him on the seat of a
wagon； behind two mules； and drove away。
Ah Cho was glad to be out in the sunshine。 He sat beside the
gendarme and beamed。 He beamed more ardently than ever when he
noted the mules headed south toward Atimaono。 Undoubtedly
Schemmer had sent for him to be brought back。 Schemmer wanted him
to work。 Very well； he would work well。 Schemmer would never have
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
cause to complain。 It was a hot day。 There had been a stoppage of the
trades。 The mules sweated； Cruchot sweated； and Ah Cho sweated。 But
it was Ah Cho that bore the heat with the least concern。 He had toiled three
years under that sun on the plantation。 He beamed and beamed with such
genial good nature that even Cruchot's heavy mind was stirred to
wonderment。
〃You are very funny；〃 he said at last。
Ah Cho nodded and beamed more ardently。 Unlike the magistrate；
Cruchot spoke to him in the Kanaka tongue； and this； like all Chinagos
and all foreign devils； Ah Cho understood。
〃You laugh too much；〃 Cruchot chided。 〃One's heart should be full
of tears on a day like this。〃
〃I am glad to get out of the jail。〃
〃Is that all？〃 The gendarme shrugged his shoulders。
〃Is it not enough？〃 was the retort。
〃Then you are not glad to have your head cut off？〃
Ah Cho looked at him in abrupt perplexity； and said
〃Why； I am going back to Atimaono to work on the plantation for
Schemmer。 Are you not taking me to Atimaono？〃
Cruchot stroked his long moustaches reflectively。 〃Well； well；〃 he
said finally； with a flick of the whip at the off mule； 〃so you don't know？〃
〃Know what？〃 Ah Cho was beginning to feel a vague alarm。
〃Won't Schemmer let me work for him any more？〃
〃Not after to…day。〃 Cruchot laughed heartily。 It was a good joke。
〃You see； you won't be able to work after to…day。 A man with his head
off can't work； eh？〃 He poked the Chinago in the ribs； and chuckled。
Ah Cho maintained silence while the mules trotted a hot mile。 Then
he spoke： 〃Is Schemmer going to cut off my head？〃
Cruchot grinned as he nodded。
〃It is a mistake；〃 said Ah Cho； gravely。 〃I am not the Chinago that is
to have his head cut off。 I am Ah Cho。 The honourable judge has
determined that I am to stop twenty years in New Caledonia。〃
The gendarme laughed。 It was a good joke； this funny Chinago
trying to cheat the guillotine。 The mules trotted through a coconut grove
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
and for half a mile beside the sparkling sea before Ah Cho spoke again。
〃I tell you I am not Ah Chow。 The honourable judge did not say that
my head was to go off。〃
〃Don't be afraid；〃 said Cruchot； with the philanthropic intention of
making it easier for his prisoner。 〃It is not difficult to die that way。〃 He
snapped his fingers。 〃It is quicklike that。 It is not like hanging on the
end of a rope and kicking and making faces for five minutes。 It is like
killing a chicken with a hatchet。 You cut its head off； that is all。 And it is
the same with a man。 Pouf！it is over。 It doesn't hurt。 You don't even
think it hurts。 You don't think。 Your head is gone； so you cannot think。
It is very good。 That is the way I want to diequick； ah； quick。 You are
lucky to die that way。 You might get the leprosy and fall to pieces slowly；
a finger at a time； and now and again a thumb； also the toes。 I knew a
man who was burned by hot water。 It took him two days to die。 You
could hear him yelling a kilometre away。 But you？ Ah！ so easy！
Chck！the knife cuts your neck like that。 It is finished。 The knife may
even tickle。 Who can say？ Nobody who died that way ever came back
to say。〃
He considere
