falk-第15章

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was　something　else。　　And　with　Hermann　being　so

set　against　him　。　。　。



〃I　see；〃　I　said　thoughtfully；　while　my　heart　beat

fast　with　the　excitement　of　my　diplomacy。　　〃I

don't　mind　sounding　Hermann。　　In　fact；　to　show

you　how　mistaken　you　were；　I　am　ready　to　do　all　I

can　for　you　in　that　way。〃



A　light　sigh　escaped　him。　　He　drew　his　hands

down　his　face；　and　it　emerged；　bony；　unchanged　of

expression；　as　if　all　the　tissues　had　been　ossified。

All　the　passion　was　in　those　big　brown　hands。　　He

was　satisfied。　　Then　there　was　that　other　matter。

If　there　were　anybody　on　earth　it　was　I　who　could

persuade　Hermann　to　take　a　reasonable　view！　　I

had　a　knowledge　of　the　world　and　lots　of　expe…

rience。　　Hermann　admitted　this　himself。　　And　then

I　was　a　sailor　too。　　Falk　thought　that　a　sail…

or　would　be　able　to　understand　certain　things

best。　。　。　。



He　talked　as　if　the　Hermanns　had　been　living　all

their　life　in　a　rural　hamlet；　and　I　alone　had　been

capable；　with　my　practice　in　life；　of　a　large　and

indulgent　view　of　certain　occurrences。　　That　was

what　my　diplomacy　was　leading　me　to。　　I　began

suddenly　to　dislike　it。



〃I　say；　Falk；〃　I　asked　quite　brusquely；　〃you

haven't　already　a　wife　put　away　somewhere？〃



The　pain　and　disgust　of　his　denial　were　very

striking。　　Couldn't　I　understand　that　he　was　as

respectable　as　any　white　man　hereabouts；　earning

his　living　honestly。　　He　was　suffering　from　my　sus…

picion；　and　the　low　undertone　of　his　voice　made　his

protestations　sound　very　pathetic。　　For　a　moment

he　shamed　me；　but；　my　diplomacy　notwithstanding；

I　seemed　to　develop　a　conscience；　as　if　in　very

truth　it　were　in　my　power　to　decide　the　success　of

this　matrimonial　enterprise。　　By　pretending　hard

enough　we　come　to　believe　anythinganything　to

our　advantage。　　And　I　had　been　pretending　very

hard；　because　I　meant　yet　to　be　towed　safely　down

the　river。　　But　through　conscience　or　stupidity；　I

couldn't　help　alluding　to　the　Vanlo　affair。　　〃You

acted　rather　badly　there。　　Didn't　you？〃　was　what

I　ventured　actually　to　sayfor　the　logic　of　our

conduct　is　always　at　the　mercy　of　obscure　and　un…

foreseen　impulses。



His　dilated　pupils　swerved　from　my　face；　glan…

cing　at　the　window　with　a　sort　of　scared　fury。　　We

heard　behind　the　blinds　the　continuous　and　sudden

clicking　of　ivory；　a　jovial　murmur　of　many　voices；

and　Schomberg's　deep　manly　laugh。



〃That　confounded　old　woman　of　a　hotel…keeper

then　would　never；　never　let　it　rest！〃　Falk　ex…

claimed。　　〃Well；　yes！　　It　had　happened　two　years

ago。〃　　When　it　came　to　the　point　he　owned　he

couldn't　make　up　his　mind　to　trust　Fred　Vanlo

no　sailor；　a　bit　of　a　fool　too。　　He　could　not　trust

him；　but；　to　stop　his　row；　he　had　lent　him　enough

money　to　pay　all　his　debts　before　he　left。　　I　was

greatly　surprised　to　hear　this。　　Then　Falk　could

not　be　such　a　miser　after　all。　　So　much　the　better

for　the　girl。　　For　a　time　he　sat　silent；　then　he

picked　up　a　card；　and　while　looking　at　it　he

said：



〃You　need　not　think　of　anything　bad。　　It　was

an　accident。　　I've　been　unfortunate　once。〃



〃Then　in　heaven's　name　say　nothing　about　it。〃



As　soon　as　these　words　were　out　of　my　mouth　I

fancied　I　had　said　something　immoral。　　He　shook

his　head　negatively。　　It　had　to　be　told。　　He　con…

sidered　it　proper　that　the　relations　of　the　lady

should　know。　　No　doubtI　thought　to　myself

had　Miss　Vanlo　not　been　thirty　and　damaged　by　the

climate　he　would　have　found　it　possible　to　entrust

Fred　Vanlo　with　this　confidence。　　And　then　the　fig…

ure　of　Hermann's　niece　appeared　before　my　mind's

eye；　with　the　wealth　of　her　opulent　form；　her　rich

youth；　her　lavish　strength。　　With　that　powerful

and　immaculate　vitality；　her　girlish　form　must　have

shouted　aloud　of　life　to　that　man；　whereas　poor

Miss　Vanlo　could　only　sing　sentimental　songs　to

the　strumming　of　a　piano。



〃And　that　Hermann　hates　me；　I　know　it！〃　he

cried　in　his　undertone；　with　a　sudden　recrudescence

of　anxiety。　　〃I　must　tell　them。　　It　is　proper　that

they　should　know。　　You　would　say　so　yourself。〃



He　then　murmured　an　utterly　mysterious　allu…

sion　to　the　necessity　for　peculiar　domestic　arrange…

ments。　　Though　my　curiosity　was　excited　I　did　not

want　to　hear　any　of　his　confidences。　　I　feared　he

might　give　me　a　piece　of　information　that　would

make　my　assumed　role　of　match…maker　odious

however　unreal　it　was。　　I　was　aware　that　he　could

have　the　girl　for　the　asking；　and　keeping　down　a

desire　to　laugh　in　his　face；　I　expressed　a　confident

belief　in　my　ability　to　argue　away　Hermann's　dis…

like　for　him。　　〃I　am　sure　I　can　make　it　all　right；〃

I　said。　　He　looked　very　pleased。



And　when　we　rose　not　a　word　had　been　said　about

towage！　　Not　a　word！　　The　game　was　won　and　the

honour　was　safe。　　Oh！　blessed　white　cotton　um…

brella！　　We　shook　hands；　and　I　was　holding　myself

with　difficulty　from　breaking　into　a　step　dance　of

joy　when　he　came　back；　striding　all　the　length　of

the　verandah；　and　said　doubtfully：



〃I　say；　captain；　I　have　your　word？　　Youyou

won't　turn　round？〃



Heavens！　　The　fright　he　gave　me。　　Behind　his

tone　of　doubt　there　was　something　desperate　and

menacing。　　The　infatuated　ass。　　But　I　was　equal　to

the　situation。



〃My　dear　Falk；〃　I　said；　beginning　to　lie　with

a　glibness　and　effrontery　that　amazed　me　even　at

the　time〃confidence　for　confidence。〃　　（He　had

made　no　confidences。）　　〃I　will　tell　you　that　I　am

already　engaged　to　an　extremely　charming　girl　at

home；　and　so　you　understand。　。　。　。〃



He　caught　my　hand　and　wrung　it　in　a　crushing

grip。



〃Pardon　me。　　I　feel　it　every　day　more　difficult

to　live　alone　。　。　。〃



〃On　rice　and　fish；〃　I　interrupted　smartly；　gig…

gling　with　the　sheer　nervousness　of　a　danger　es…

caped。



He　dropped　my　hand　as　if　it　had　become　sud…

denly　red　hot。　　A　moment　of　profound　silence　en…

sued；　as　though　something　extraordinary　had　hap…

pened。



〃I　promise　you　to　obtain　Hermann's　consent；〃

I　faltered　out　at　last；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　he

could　not　help　seeing　through　that　humbug…

ging　promise。　　〃If　there's　anything　else　to　get

over　I　shall　endeavour　to　stand　by　you；〃　I　conceded

further；　feeling　somehow　defeated　and　overborne；

〃but　you　must　do　your　best　yourself。〃



〃I　have　been　unfortunate　once；〃　he　muttered

unemotionally；　and　turning　his　back　on　me　he　went

away；　thumping　slowly　the　plank　floor　as　if　his　feet

had　been　shod　with　iron。



Next　morning；　however；　he　was　lively　enough　as

man…boat；　a　combination　of　splashing　and　shout…

ing；　of　the　insolent　commotion　below　with　the

steady　overbearing　glare　of　the　silent　head…piece

above。　　He　turned　us　out　most　unnecessarily　at　an

ungodly　hour；　but　it　was　nearly　eleven　in　the　morn…

ing　before　he　brought　me　up　a　cable's　length　from

Hermann's　ship。　　And　he　did　it　very　badly　too；　in

a　hurry；　and　nearly　contriving　to　miss　altogether

the　patch　of　good　holding　ground；　because；　for…

sooth；　he　had　caught　sight　of　Hermann's　niece　on

the　poop。　　And　so　did　I；　and　probably　as　soon　as

he　had　seen　her　himself。　　I　saw　the　modest；　sleek

glory　of　the　tawny　head；　and　the　full；　grey　shape

of　the　girlish　print　frock　she　filled　so　perfectly；　so

satisfactorily；　with　the　seduction　of　unfaltering

curvesa　very　nymph　of　Diana　the　Huntress。

And　Diana　the　ship　sat；　high…walled　and　as　solid

as　an　institution；　on　the　smooth　level　of　the　water；

the　most　uninspiring　and　respectable　craft　upon

the　seas；　useful　and　ugly；　devoted　to　the　support

of　domestic　virtues　like　any　grocer's　shop　on　shore。

At　once　Falk　steamed　away；　for　there　was　some

work　for　him　to　do。　　He　would　return　in　the　even…

ing。



He　ranged　close　by　us；　passing　out　dead　slow；

without　a　hail。　　The　beat　of　the　paddle…wheels　re…

verberating　amongst　the　stony　islets；　as　if　from　the

ruined　walls　of　a　vast　arena；　filled　the　anchorage

confusedly　with　the　clapping　sounds　of　a　mighty

and　leisurely　applause。　　Ab