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第11章

end of the tether-第11章

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to Manilla。  It was a mania。  That fellow Massy had



been bitten by it like the rest of them from the first;



but after winning once he seemed to have persuaded



himself he had only to try again to get another big



prize。  He had taken dozens and scores of tickets for



every drawing since。  What with this vice and his ig…



norance of affairs; ever since he had improvidently



bought that steamer he had been more or less short of



money。







This; in Captain Eliott's opinion; gave an opening



for a sensible sailor…man with a few pounds to step in



and save that fool from the consequences of his folly。



It was his craze to quarrel with his captains。  He had



had some really good men too; who would have been



too glad to stay if he would only let them。  But no。  He



seemed to think he was no owner unless he was kicking



somebody out in the morning and having a row with



the new man in the evening。  What was wanted for him



was a master with a couple of hundred or so to take



an interest in the ship on proper conditions。  You don't



discharge a man for no fault; only because of the fun



of telling him to pack up his traps and go ashore; when



you know that in that case you are bound to buy back



his share。  On the other hand; a fellow with an interest



in the ship is not likely to throw up his job in a huff



about a trifle。  He had told Massy that。  He had said:



〃'This won't do; Mr。 Massy。  We are getting very



sick of you here in the Marine Office。  What you must



do now is to try whether you could get a sailor to join



you as partner。  That seems to be the only way。'  And



that was sound advice; Harry。〃







Captain Whalley; leaning on his stick; was perfectly



still all over; and his hand; arrested in the act of strok…



ing; grasped his whole beard。  And what did the fellow



say to that?







The fellow had the audacity to fly out at the Master…



Attendant。  He had received the advice in a most im…



pudent manner。  〃I didn't come here to be laughed at;〃



he had shrieked。  〃I appeal to you as an Englishman



and a shipowner brought to the verge of ruin by an



illegal conspiracy of your beggarly sailors; and all you



condescend to do for me is to tell me to go and get a



partner!〃 。 。 。  The fellow had presumed to stamp



with rage on the floor of the private office。  Where was



he going to get a partner?  Was he being taken for



a fool?  Not a single one of that contemptible lot ashore



at the 〃Home〃 had twopence in his pocket to bless



himself with。  The very native curs in the bazaar knew



that much。 。 。 。  〃And it's true enough; Harry;〃 rum…



bled Captain Eliott judicially。  〃They are much more



likely one and all to owe money to the Chinamen in



Denham Road for the clothes on their backs。  'Well;'



said I; 'you make too much noise over it for my taste;



Mr。 Massy。  Good morning。'  He banged the door after



him; he dared to bang my door; confound his cheek!〃







The head of the Marine department was out of breath



with indignation; then recollecting himself as it were;







〃I'll end by being late to dinneryarning with you



here 。 。 。 wife doesn't like it。〃







He clambered ponderously into the trap; leaned out



sideways; and only then wondered wheezily what on



earth Captain Whalley could have been doing with



himself of late。  They had had no sight of each other



for years and years till the other day when he had seen



him unexpectedly in the office。







What on earth 。 。 。







Captain Whalley seemed to be smiling to himself in his



white beard。







〃The earth is big;〃 he said vaguely。







The other; as if to test the statement; stared all round



from his driving…seat。  The Esplanade was very quiet;



only from afar; from very far; a long way from the sea…



shore; across the stretches of grass; through the long



ranges of trees; came faintly the toottoottoot of



the cable car beginning to roll before the empty peristyle



of the Public Library on its three…mile journey to the



New Harbor Docks。







〃Doesn't seem to be so much room on it;〃 growled the



Master…Attendant; 〃since these Germans came along



shouldering us at every turn。  It was not so in our



time。〃







He fell into deep thought; breathing stertorously; as



though he had been taking a nap open…eyed。  Perhaps



he too; on his side; had detected in the silent pilgrim…



like figure; standing there by the wheel; like an arrested



wayfarer; the buried lineaments of the features belong…



ing to the young captain of the Condor。  Good fellow



Harry Whalleynever very talkative。  You never



knew what he was up toa bit too off…hand with people



of consequence; and apt to take a wrong view of a fel…



low's actions。  Fact was he had a too good opinion of



himself。  He would have liked to tell him to get in and



drive him home to dinner。  But one never knew。  Wife



would not like it。







〃And it's funny to think; Harry;〃 he went on in a



big; subdued drone; 〃that of all the people on it there



seems only you and I left to remember this part of the



world as it used to be 。 。 。〃







He was ready to indulge in the sweetness of a senti…



mental mood had it not struck him suddenly that Cap…



tain Whalley; unstirring and without a word; seemed



to be awaiting somethingperhaps expecting 。 。 。  He



gathered the reins at once and burst out in bluff; hearty



growls







〃Ha!  My dear boy。  The men we have knownthe



ships we've saileday! and the things we've done 。 。 。〃







The pony plungedthe syce skipped out of the way。



Captain Whalley raised his arm。







〃Good…by。〃











VI







The sun had set。  And when; after drilling a deep hole



with his stick; he moved from that spot the night had



massed its army of shadows under the trees。  They



filled the eastern ends of the avenues as if only waiting



the signal for a general advance upon the open spaces



of the world; they were gathering low between the deep



stone…faced banks of the canal。  The Malay prau; half…



concealed under the arch of the bridge; had not altered



its position a quarter of an inch。  For a long time Cap…



tain Whalley stared down over the parapet; till at last



the floating immobility of that beshrouded thing seemed



to grow upon him into something inexplicable and



alarming。  The twilight abandoned the zenith; its re…



flected gleams left the world below; and the water of the



canal seemed to turn into pitch。  Captain Whalley



crossed it。







The turning to the right; which was his way to his



hotel; was only a very few steps farther。  He stopped



again (all the houses of the sea…front were shut up; the



quayside was deserted; but for one or two figures of



natives walking in the distance) and began to reckon the



amount of his bill。  So many days in the hotel at so



many dollars a day。  To count the days he used his



fingers: plunging one hand into his pocket; he jingled a



few silver coins。  All right for three days more; and



then; unless something turned up; he must break into



the five hundredIvy's moneyinvested in her father。



It seemed to him that the first meal coming out of that



reserve would choke himfor certain。  Reason was of



no use。  It was a matter of feeling。  His feelings had



never played him false。







He did not turn to the right。  He walked on; as if



there still had been a ship in the roadstead to which



he could get himself pulled off in the evening。  F

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