michael, brother of jerry-第13章

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　was　the　〃Ancient　Mariner；〃　sitting　back　and　apart　with　washed　eyes　of　such　palest　blue　that　they　seemed　a　faded　white。　　Long　thin　wisps　of　silvery；　unkempt　hair　framed　his　face　like　an　aureole。　　He　was　slender　to　emaciation；　cavernously　checked；　roll　after　roll　of　skin；　no　longer　encasing　flesh　or　muscle；　hanging　grotesquely　down　his　neck　and　swathing　the　Adam's　apple　so　that　only　occasionally；　with　queer　swallowing　motions；　did　it　peep　out　of　the　mummy…wrappings　of　skin　and　sink　back　again　from　view。

A　proper　ancient　mariner；　thought　Daughtry。　　Might　be　seventy…　five；　might　just　as　well　be　a　hundred　and　five；　or　a　hundred　and　seventy…five。

Beginning　at　the　right　temple；　a　ghastly　scar　split　the　cheek…　bone；　sank　into　the　depths　of　the　hollow　cheek；　notched　across　the　lower　jaw；　and　plunged　to　disappearance　among　the　prodigious　skin…　folds　of　the　neck。　　The　withered　lobes　of　both　ears　were　perforated　by　tiny　gypsy…like　circles　of　gold。　　On　the　skeleton　fingers　of　his　right　hand　were　no　less　than　five　ringsnot　men's　rings；　nor　women's；　but　foppish　rings〃that　would　fetch　a　price；〃　Daughtry　adjudged。　　On　the　left　hand　were　no　rings；　for　there　were　no　fingers　to　wear　them。　　Only　was　there　a　thumb；　and；　for　that　matter；　most　of　the　hand　was　missing　as　well；　as　if　it　had　been　cut　off　by　the　same　slicing　edge　that　had　cleaved　him　from　temple　to　jaw　and　heaven　alone　knew　how　far　down　that　skin…draped　neck。

The　Ancient　Mariner's　washed　eyes　seemed　to　bore　right　through　Daughtry　（or　at　least　so　Daughtry　felt）；　and　rendered　him　so　uncomfortable　as　to　make　him　casually　step　to　the　side　for　the　matter　of　a　yard。　　This　was　possible；　because；　a　servant　seeking　a　servant's　billet；　he　was　expected　to　stand　and　face　the　four　seated　ones　as　if　they　were　judges　on　the　bench　and　he　the　felon　in　the　dock。　　Nevertheless；　the　gaze　of　the　ancient　one　pursued　him；　until；　studying　it　more　closely；　he　decided　that　it　did　not　reach　to　him　at　all。　　He　got　the　impression　that　those　washed　pale　eyes　were　filmed　with　dreams；　and　that　the　intelligence；　the　THING；　that　dwelt　within　the　skull；　fluttered　and　beat　against　the　dream…films　and　no　farther。

〃How　much　would　you　expect？〃　the　captain　was　asking；a　most　unsealike　captain；　in　Daughtry's　opinion；　rather；　a　spick…and…　span；　brisk　little　business…man　or　floor…walker　just　out　of　a　bandbox。

〃He　shall　not　share；〃　spoke　up　another　of　the　four；　huge；　raw…　boned；　middle…aged；　whom　Daughtry　identified　by　his　ham…like　hands　as　the　California　wheat…farmer　described　by　the　departed　steward。

〃Plenty　for　all；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　startled　Daughtry　by　cackling　shrilly。　　〃Oodles　and　oodles　of　it；　my　gentlemen；　in　cask　and　chest；　in　cask　and　chest；　a　fathom　under　the　sand。〃

〃ShareWHAT；　sir？〃　Daughtry　queried；　though　well　he　knew；　the　other　steward　having　cursed　to　him　the　day　he　sailed　from　San　Francisco　on　a　blind　lay　instead　of　straight　wages。　　〃Not　that　it　matters；　sir；〃　he　hastened　to　add。　　〃I　spent　a　whalin'　voyage　once；　three　years　of　it；　an'　paid　off　with　a　dollar。　　Wages　for　mine；　an'　sixty　gold　a　month；　seein'　there's　only　four　of　you。〃

〃And　a　mate；〃　the　captain　added。

〃And　a　mate；〃　Daughtry　repeated。　　〃Very　good；　sir。　　An'　no　share。〃

〃But　yourself？〃　spoke　up　the　fourth　man；　a　huge…bulking；　colossal…　bodied；　greasy…seeming　grossness　of　fleshthe　Armenian　Jew　and　San　Francisco　pawnbroker　the　previous　steward　had　warned　Daughtry　about。　　〃Have　you　papersletters　of　recommendation；　the　documents　you　receive　when　you　are　paid　off　before　the　shipping　commissioners？〃

〃I　might　ask；　sir；〃　Dag　Daughtry　brazened　it；　〃for　your　own　papers。　　This　ain't　no　regular　cargo…carrier　or　passenger…carrier；　no　more　than　you　gentlemen　are　a　regular　company　of　ship…owners；　with　regular　offices；　doin'　business　in　a　regular　way。　　How　do　I　know　if　you　own　the　ship　even；　or　that　the　charter　ain't　busted　long　ago；　or　that　you're　being　libelled　ashore　right　now；　or　that　you　won't　dump　me　on　any　old　beach　anywheres　without　a　soo…markee　of　what's　comin'　to　me？　　Howsoever〃he　anticipated　by　a　bluff　of　his　own　the　show　of　wrath　from　the　Jew　that　he　knew　would　be　wind　and　bluff〃howsoever；　here's　my　papers　。　。　。　〃

With　a　swift　dip　of　his　hand　into　his　inside　coat…pocket　he　scattered　out　in　a　wealth　of　profusion　on　the　cabin　table　all　the　papers；　sealed　and　stamped；　that　he　had　collected　in　forty…five　years　of　voyaging；　the　latest　date　of　which　was　five　years　back。

〃I　don't　ask　your　papers；〃　he　went　on。　　〃What　I　ask　is；　cash　payment　in　full　the　first　of　each　month；　sixty　dollars　a　month　gold〃

〃Oodles　and　oodles　of　it；　gold　and　gold　and　better　than　gold；　in　cask　and　chest；　in　cask　and　chest；　a　fathom　under　the　sand；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　assured　him　in　beneficent　cackles。　　〃Kings；　principalities　and　powers！all　of　us；　the　least　of　us。　　And　plenty　more；　my　gentlemen；　plenty　more。　　The　latitude　and　longitude　are　mine；　and　the　bearings　from　the　oak　ribs　on　the　shoal　to　Lion's　Head；　and　the　cross…bearings　from　the　points　unnamable；　I　only　know。　　I　only　still　live　of　all　that　brave；　mad；　scallywag　ship's　company　。　。　。　〃

〃Will　you　sign　the　articles　to　that？〃　the　Jew　demanded；　cutting　in　on　the　ancient's　maunderings。

〃What　port　do　you　wind　up　the　cruise　in？〃　Daughtry　asked。

〃San　Francisco。〃

〃I'll　sign　the　articles　that　I'm　to　sign　off　in　San　Francisco　then。〃

The　Jew；　the　captain；　and　the　farmer　nodded。

〃But　there's　several　other　things　to　be　agreed　upon；〃　Daughtry　continued。　　〃In　the　first　place；　I　want　my　six　quarts　a　day。　　I'm　used　to　it；　and　I'm　too　old　a　stager　to　change　my　habits。〃

〃Of　spirits；　I　suppose？〃　the　Jew　asked　sarcastically。

〃No；　of　beer；　good　English　beer。　　It　must　be　understood　beforehand；　no　matter　what　long　stretches　we　may　be　at　sea；　that　a　sufficient　supply　is　taken　along。〃

〃Anything　else？〃　the　captain　queried。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Daughtry　answered。　　〃I　got　a　dog　that　must　come　along。〃

〃Anything　else？a　wife　or　family　maybe？〃　the　farmer　asked。

〃No　wife　or　family；　sir。　　But　I　got　a　nigger；　a　perfectly　good　nigger；　that's　got　to　come　along。　　He　can　sign　on　for　ten　dollars　a　month　if　he　works　for　the　ship　all　his　time。　　But　if　he　works　for　me　all　the　time；　I'll　let　him　sign　on　for　two　an'　a　half　a　month。〃

〃Eighteen　days　in　the　longboat；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　shrilled；　to　Daughtry's　startlement。　　〃Eighteen　days　in　the　longboat；　eighteen　days　of　scorching　hell。〃

〃My　word；〃　quoth　Daughtry；　〃the　old　gentleman'd　give　one　the　jumps。　　There'll　sure　have　to　be　plenty　of　beer。〃

〃Sea　stewards　put　on　some　style；　I　must　say；〃　commented　the　wheat…　farmer；　oblivious　to　the　Ancient　Mariner；　who　still　declaimed　of　the　heat　of　the　longboat。

〃Suppose　we　don't　see　our　way　to　signing　on　a　steward　who　travels　in　such　style？〃　the　Jew　asked；　mopping　the　inside　of　his　collar…　band　with　a　coloured　silk　handkerchief。

〃Then　you'll　never　know　what　a　good　steward　you've　missed；　sir；〃　Daughtry　responded　airily。

〃I　guess　there's　plenty　more　stewards　on　Sydney　beach；〃　the　captain　said　briskly。　　〃And　I　guess　I　haven't　forgotten　old　days；　when　I　hired　them　like　so　much　dirt；　yes；　by　Jinks；　so　much　dirt；　there　were　so　many　of　them。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Steward；　for　looking　us　up；〃　the　Jew　took　up　the　idea　with　insulting　oiliness。　　〃We　very　much　regret　our　inability　to　meet　your　wishes　in　the　matter〃

〃And　I　saw　it　go　under　the　sand；　a　fathom　under　the　sand；　on　cross…bearings　unnamable；　where　the　mangroves　fade　away；　and　the　coconuts　grow；　and　the　rise　of　land　lifts　from　the　beach　to　the　Lion's　Head。〃

〃Hold　your　horses；〃　the　wheat…farmer　said；　with　a　flare　of　irritation；　directed；　not　at　the　Ancient　Mariner；　but　at　the　captain　and　the　Jew。　　〃Who's　putting　up　for　this　expedition？　Don't　I　get　no　say　so？　　Ain't　my　opinion　ever　to　be　asked？　　I　like　this　steward。　　Strikes　me　he's　the　real　goods。　　I　notice　he's　as　polite　as　all　get…out；　and　I　can　see　he　can　take　an　order　without　arguing。　　And　he　ain't　no　fool　by　a　long　shot。〃

〃That's　the　very　point；　Grimshaw；〃　the　Jew　answered　soothingly。　〃Considering　the　unusualness　of　our　。　。　。　of　the　expedition；　we'd　be　better　served　by　a　steward　who　is　more　of　a　fool。　　Another　point；　which　I'd　esteem　a　real　favour　from　you；　is　not　to　forget　that　you　haven't　put　a　red