michael, brother of jerry-第21章

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！


　being　crowded；　I　had　been　forced　to　accept　an　upper　berth。　　It　was　only　the　other　day。　A　few　years　ago。　　I　was　an　old　man　then。　　We　were　coming　up　from　Florida。　　It　was　a　collision　on　a　high　trestle。　　The　train　crumpled　up；　and　some　of　the　cars　fell　over　sideways　and　fell　off；　ninety　feet　into　the　bottom　of　a　dry　creek。　　It　was　dry；　though　there　was　a　pool　of　water　just　ten　feet　in　diameter　and　eighteen　inches　deep。　　All　the　rest　was　dry　boulders；　and　I　bull's…eyed　that　pool。

〃This　is　the　way　it　was。　　I　had　just　got　on　my　shoes　and　pants　and　shirt；　and　had　started　to　get　out　of　the　bunk。　　There　I　was；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bunk；　my　legs　dangling　down；　when　the　locomotives　came　together。　　The　berths；　upper　and　lower；　on　the　opposite　side　had　already　been　made　up　by　the　porter。

〃And　there　I　was；　sitting；　legs　dangling；　not　knowing　where　I　was；　on　a　trestle　or　a　flat；　when　the　thing　happened。　　I　just　naturally　left　that　upper　berth；　soared　like　a　bird　across　the　aisle；　went　through　the　glass　of　the　window　on　the　opposite　side　clean　head…　first；　turned　over　and　over　through　the　ninety　feet　of　fall　more　times　than　I　like　to　remember；　and　by　some　sort　of　miracle　was　mostly　flat…out　in　the　air　when　I　bull's…eyed　that　pool　of　water。　It　was　only　eighteen　inches　deep。　　But　I　hit　it　flat；　and　I　hit　it　so　hard　that　it　must　have　cushioned　me。　　I　was　the　only　survivor　of　my　car。　　It　struck　forty　feet　away　from　me；　off　to　the　side。　And　they　took　only　the　dead　out　of　it。　　When　they　took　me　out　of　the　pool　I　wasn't　dead　by　any　means。　　And　when　the　surgeons　got　done　with　me；　there　were　the　fingers　gone　from　my　hand；　that　scar　down　the　side　of　my　face　。　。　。　and；　though　you'd　never　guess　it；　I've　been　three　ribs　short　of　the　regular　complement　ever　since。

〃Oh；　I　had　no　complaint　coming。　　Think　of　the　others　in　that　car　all　dead。　　Unfortunately；　I　was　riding　on　a　pass；　and　so　could　not　sue　the　railroad　company。　　But　here　I　am；　the　only　man　who　ever　dived　ninety　feet　into　eighteen　inches　of　water　and　lived　to　tell　the　tale。Steward；　if　you　don't　mind　replenishing　my　glass　。　。　。　〃

Dag　Daughtry　complied　and　in　his　excitement　of　interest　pulled　off　the　top　of　another　quart　of　beer　for　himself。

〃Go　on；　go　on；　sir；〃　he　murmured　huskily；　wiping　his　lips；　〃and　the　treasure…hunting　graft。　　I'm　straight　dying　to　hear。　　Sir；　I　salute　you。〃

〃I　may　say；　steward；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　resumed；　〃that　I　was　born　with　a　silver　spoon　that　melted　in　my　mouth　and　left　me　a　proper　prodigal　son。　　Also；　that　I　was　born　with　a　back…bone　of　pride　that　would　not　melt。　　Not　for　a　paltry　railroad　accident；　but　for　things　long　before　as　well　as　after；　my　family　let　me　die；　and　I　。　。　。　I　let　it　live。　　That　is　the　story。　　I　let　my　family　live。　　Furthermore；　it　was　not　my　family's　fault。　　I　never　whimpered。　　I　never　let　on。　　I　melted　the　last　of　my　silver　spoon…　…South　Sea　cotton；　an'　it　please　you；　cacao　in　Tonga；　rubber　and　mahogany　in　Yucatan。　　And　do　you　know；　at　the　end；　I　slept　in　Bowery　lodging…houses　and　ate　scrapple　in　East…Side　feeding…dens；　and；　on　more　than　one　occasion；　stood　in　the　bread…line　at　midnight　and　pondered　whether　or　not　I　should　faint　before　I　fed。〃

〃And　you　never　squealed　to　your　family；〃　Dag　Daughtry　murmured　admiringly　in　the　pause。

The　Ancient　Mariner　straightened　up　his　shoulders；　threw　his　head　back；　then　bowed　it　and　repeated；　〃No；　I　never　squealed。　　I　went　into　the　poor…house；　or　the　county　poor…farm　as　they　call　it。　　I　lived　sordidly。　　I　lived　like　a　beast。　　For　six　months　I　lived　like　a　beast；　and　then　I　saw　my　way　out。　　I　set　about　building　the　Wide　Awake。　　I　built　her　plank　by　plank；　and　copper…fastened　her；　selected　her　masts　and　every　timber　of　her；　and　personally　signed　on　her　full　ship's　complement　fore…and…aft；　and　outfitted　her　amongst　the　Jews；　and　sailed　with　her　to　the　South　Seas　and　the　treasure　buried　a　fathom　under　the　sand。

〃You　see；〃　he　explained；　〃all　this　I　did　in　my　mind；　for　all　the　time　I　was　a　hostage　in　the　poor…farm　of　broken　men。〃

The　Ancient　Mariner's　face　grew　suddenly　bleak　and　fierce；　and　his　right　hand　flashed　out　to　Daughtry's　wrist；　prisoning　it　in　withered　fingers　of　steel。

〃It　was　a　long；　hard　way　to　get　out　of　the　poor…farm　and　finance　my　miserable　little；　pitiful　little；　adventure　of　the　Wide　Awake。　Do　you　know　that　I　worked　in　the　poor…farm　laundry　for　two　years；　for　one　dollar　and　a　half　a　week；　with　my　one　available　hand　and　what　little　I　could　do　with　the　other；　sorting　dirty　clothes　and　folding　sheets　and　pillow…slips　until　I　thought　a　thousand　times　my　poor　old　back　would　break　in　two；　and　until　I　knew　a　million　times　the　location　in　my　chest　of　every　fraction　of　an　inch　of　my　missing　ribs。〃

〃You　are　a　young　man　yet〃

Daughtry　grinned　denial　as　he　rubbed　his　grizzled　mat　of　hair。

〃You　are　a　young　man　yet；　steward；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　insisted　with　a　show　of　irritation。　　〃You　have　never　been　shut　out　from　life。　　In　the　poor…farm　one　is　shut　out　from　life。　　There　is　no　respectno；　not　for　age　alone；　but　for　human　life　in　the　poor…　house。　　How　shall　I　say　it？　　One　is　not　dead。　　Nor　is　one　alive。　One　is　what　once　was　alive　and　is　in　process　of　becoming　dead。　Lepers　are　treated　that　way。　　So　are　the　insane。　　I　know　it。　　When　I　was　young　and　on　the　sea；　a　brother…lieutenant　went　mad。　Sometimes　he　was　violent；　and　we　struggled　with　him；　twisting　his　arms；　bruising　his　flesh；　tying　him　helpless　while　we　sat　and　panted　on　him　that　he　might　not　do　harm　to　us；　himself；　or　the　ship。　　And　he；　who　still　lived；　died　to　us。　　Don't　you　understand？　He　was　no　longer　of　us；　like　us。　　He　was　something　other。　　That　is　itOTHER。　　And　so；　in　the　poor…farm；　we；　who　are　yet　unburied；　are　OTHER。　　You　have　heard　me　chatter　about　the　hell　of　the　longboat。　　That　is　a　pleasant　diversion　in　life　compared　with　the　poor…farm。　　The　food；　the　filth；　the　abuse；　the　bullying；　thethe　sheer　animalness　of　it！

〃For　two　years　I　worked　for　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　week　in　the　laundry。　　And　imagine　me；　who　had　melted　a　silver　spoon　in　my　moutha　sizable　silver　spoon　stewardimagine　me；　my　old　sore　bones；　my　old　belly　reminiscent　of　youth's　delights；　my　old　palate　ticklish　yet　and　not　all　withered　of　the　deviltries　of　taste　learned　in　younger　daysas　I　say；　steward；　imagine　me；　who　had　ever　been　free…handed；　lavish；　saving　that　dollar　and　a　half　intact　like　a　miser；　never　spending　a　penny　of　it　on　tobacco；　never　mitigating　by　purchase　of　any　little　delicacy　the　sad　condition　of　my　stomach　that　protested　against　the　harshness　and　indigestibility　of　our　poor　fare。　　I　cadged　tobacco；　poor　cheap　tobacco；　from　poor　doddering　old　chaps　trembling　on　the　edge　of　dissolution。　　Ay；　and　when　Samuel　Merrivale　I　found　dead　in　the　morning；　next　cot　to　mine；　I　first　rummaged　his　poor　old　trousers'　pocket　for　the　half…plug　of　tobacco　I　knew　was　the　total　estate　he　left；　then　announced　the　news。

〃Oh；　steward；　I　was　careful　of　that　dollar　and　a　half。　　Don't　you　see？I　was　a　prisoner　sawing　my　way　out　with　a　tiny　steel　saw。　And　I　sawed　out！〃　　His　voice　rose　in　a　shrill　cackle　of　triumph。　〃Steward；　I　sawed　out！〃

Dag　Daughtry　held　forth　and　up　his　beer…bottle　as　he　said　gravely　and　sincerely：

〃Sir；　I　salute　you。〃

〃And　I　thank　you；　siryou　understand；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　replied　with　simple　dignity　to　the　toast；　touching　his　glass　to　the　bottle　and　drinking　with　the　steward　eyes　to　eyes。

〃I　should　have　had　one　hundred　and　fifty…six　dollars　when　I　left　the　poor…farm；〃　the　ancient　one　continued。　　〃But　there　were　the　two　weeks　I　lost；　with　influenza；　and　the　one　week　from　a　confounded　pleurisy；　so　that　I　emerged　from　that　place　of　the　living　dead　with　but　one　hundred　and　fifty…one　dollars　and　fifty　cents。〃

〃I　see；　sir；〃　Daughtry　interrupted　with　honest　admiration。　　〃The　tiny　saw　had　become　a　crow…bar；　and　with　it　you　were　going　back　to　break　into　life　again。〃

All　the　scarred　face　and　washed　eyes　of　Charles　Stough　Greenleaf　beamed　as　he　held　his　glass　up。

〃Steward；　I　salute　you。　　You　understand。　　And　you　have　said　it　well。　　I　was　going　back　to　break　into　the　house　of　life。　　It　was　a　crowbar；　that　pitiful　sum　of　money　accumulated　by　two　years　of　crucifixion。　　Think　of　it！　　A　sum　that　in　the　days　ere　the　silver　spoon　ha