falk-第16章

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ruined　walls　of　a　vast　arena；　filled　the　anchorage

confusedly　with　the　clapping　sounds　of　a　mighty

and　leisurely　applause。　　Abreast　of　Hermann's

ship　he　stopped　the　engines；　and　a　profound　si…

lence　reigned　over　the　rocks；　the　shore　and　the　sea；

for　the　time　it　took　him　to　raise　his　hat　aloft　before

the　nymph　of　the　grey　print　frock。　　I　had　snatched

up　my　binoculars；　and　I　can　answer　for　it　she　didn't

stir　a　limb；　standing　by　the　rail　shapely　and　erect；

with　one　of　her　hands　grasping　a　rope　at　the　height

of　her　head；　while　the　way　of　the　tug　carried　slowly

past　her　the　lingering　and　profound　homage　of　the

man。　　There　was　for　me　an　enormous　significance

in　the　scene；　the　sense　of　having　witnessed　a　solemn

declaration。　　The　die　was　cast。　　After　such　a　man…

ifestation　he　couldn't　back　out。　　And　I　reflected

that　it　was　nothing　whatever　to　me　now。　　With　a

rush　of　black　smoke　belching　suddenly　out　of　the

funnel；　and　a　mad　swirl　of　paddle…wheels　provoking

a　burst　of　weird　and　precipitated　clapping；　the　tug

shot　out　of　the　desolate　arena。　　The　rocky　islets

lay　on　the　sea　like　the　heaps　of　a　cyclopean　ruin

on　a　plain；　the　centipedes　and　scorpions　lurked　un…

der　the　stones；　there　was　not　a　single　blade　of　grass

in　sight　anywhere；　not　a　single　lizard　sunning　him…

self　on　a　boulder　by　the　shore。　　When　I　looked

again　at　Hermann's　ship　the　girl　had　disappeared。

I　could　not　detect　the　smallest　dot　of　a　bird　on　the

immense　sky；　and　the　flatness　of　the　land　continued

the　flatness　of　the　sea　to　the　naked　line　of　the　hori…

zon。



This　is　the　setting　now　inseparably　connected

with　my　knowledge　of　Falk's　misfortune。　　My　di…

plomacy　had　brought　me　there；　and　now　I　had　only

to　wait　the　time　for　taking　up　the　role　of　an　ambas…

sador。　　My　diplomacy　was　a　success；　my　ship　was

safe；　old　Gambril　would　probably　live；　a　feeble

sound　of　a　tapping　hammer　came　intermittently

from　the　Diana。　　During　the　afternoon　I　looked

at　times　at　the　old　homely　ship；　the　faithful　nurse

of　Hermann's　progeny；　or　yawned　towards　the　dis…

tant　temple　of　Buddha；　like　a　lonely　hillock　on　the

plain；　where　shaven　priests　cherish　the　thoughts　of

that　Annihilation　which　is　the　worthy　reward　of　us

all。　　Unfortunate！　　He　had　been　unfortunate　once。

Well；　that　was　not　so　bad　as　life　goes。　　And　what

the　devil　could　be　the　nature　of　that　misfortune？

I　remembered　that　I　had　known　a　man　before　who

had　declared　himself　to　have　fallen；　years　ago；　a

victim　to　misfortune；　but　this　misfortune；　whose

effects　appeared　permanent　（he　looked　desper…

ately　hard　up）　when　considered　dispassionately；

seemed　indistinguishable　from　a　breach　of　trust。

Could　it　be　something　of　that　nature？　　Apart；

however；　from　the　utter　improbability　that　he

would　offer　to　talk　of　it　even　to　his　future　uncle…

in…law；　I　had　a　strange　feeling　that　Falk's　physique

unfitted　him　for　that　sort　of　delinquency。　　As　the

person　of　Hermann's　niece　exhaled　the　profound

physical　charm　of　feminine　form；　so　her　ador…

er's　big　frame　embodied　to　my　senses　the　hard；

straight　masculinity　that　would　conceivably　kill

but　would　not　condescend　to　cheat。　　The　thing

was　obvious。　　I　might　just　as　well　have　suspected

the　girl　of　a　curvature　of　the　spine。　　And　I　per…

ceived　that　the　sun　was　about　to　set。



The　smoke　of　Falk's　tug　hove　in　sight；　far

away　at　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　It　was　time　for

me　to　assume　the　character　of　an　ambassador；　and

the　negotiation　would　not　be　difficult　except　in　the

matter　of　keeping　my　countenance。　　It　was　all　too

extravagantly　nonsensical；　and　I　conceived　that　it

would　be　best　to　compose　for　myself　a　grave　de…

meanour。　　I　practised　this　in　my　boat　as　I　went

along；　but　the　bashfulness　that　came　secretly　upon

me　the　moment　I　stepped　on　the　deck　of　the　Diana

is　inexplicable。　　As　soon　as　we　had　exchanged

greetings　Hermann　asked　me　eagerly　if　I　knew

whether　Falk　had　found　his　white　parasol。



〃He's　going　to　bring　it　to　you　himself　directly；〃

I　said　with　great　solemnity。　　〃Meantime　I　am

charged　with　an　important　message　for　which　he

begs　your　favourable　consideration。　　He　is　in　love

with　your　niece。　。　。　。〃



〃Ach　So！〃　he　hissed　with　an　animosity　that

made　my　assumed　gravity　change　into　the　most

genuine　concern。　　What　meant　this　tone？　　And　I

hurried　on。



〃He　wishes；　with　your　consent　of　course；　to　ask

her　to　marry　him　at　oncebefore　you　leave　here；

that　is。　　He　would　speak　to　the　Consul。〃



Hermann　sat　down　and　smoked　violently。　　Five

minutes　passed　in　that　furious　meditation；　and

then；　taking　the　long　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　he

burst　into　a　hot　diatribe　against　Falkagainst　his

cupidity；　his　stupidity　（a　fellow　that　can　hardly

be　got　to　say　〃yes〃　or　〃no〃　to　the　simplest　ques…

tion）against　his　outrageous　treatment　of　the

shipping　in　port　（because　he　saw　they　were　at　his

mercy）and　against　his　manner　of　walking；

which　to　his　（Hermann's）　mind　showed　a　conceit

positively　unbearable。　　The　damage　to　the　old

Diana　was　not　forgotten；　of　course；　and　there　was

nothing　of　any　nature　said　or　done　by　Falk　（even

to　the　last　offer　of　refreshment　in　the　hotel）　that

did　not　seem　to　have　been　a　cause　of　offence。

〃Had　the　cheek〃　to　drag　him　（Hermann）　into

that　coffee…room；　as　though　a　drink　from　him　could

make　up　for　forty…seven　dollars　and　fifty　cents　of

damage　in　the　cost　of　wood　alonenot　counting

two　days'　work　for　the　carpenter。　　Of　course　he

would　not　stand　in　the　girl's　way。　　He　was　going

home　to　Germany。　　There　were　plenty　of　poor

girls　walking　about　in　Germany。



〃He's　very　much　in　love；〃　was　all　I　found　to

say。



〃Yes；〃　he　cried。　　〃And　it　is　time　too　after　mak…

ing　himself　and　me　talked　about　ashore　the　last

voyage　I　was　here；　and　then　now　again；　coming　on

board　every　evening　unsettling　the　girl's　mind；　and

saying　nothing。　　What　sort　of　conduct　is　that？〃



The　seven　thousand　dollars　the　fellow　was　always

talking　about　did　not；　in　his　opinion；　justify　such

behaviour。　　Moreover；　nobody　had　seen　them。　　He

（Hermann）　seriously　doubted　if　there　were　seven

thousand　cents；　and　the　tug；　no　doubt；　was　mort…

gaged　up　to　the　top　of　the　funnel　to　the　firm　of

Siegers。　　But　let　that　pass。　　He　wouldn't　stand　in

the　girl's　way。　　Her　head　was　so　turned　that　she

had　become　no　good　to　them　of　late。　　Quite　unable

even　to　put　the　children　to　bed　without　her　aunt。

It　was　bad　for　the　children；　they　got　unruly；　and

yesterday　he　actually　had　to　give　Gustav　a　thrash…

ing。



For　that；　too；　Falk　was　made　responsible　ap…

parently。　　And　looking　at　my　Hermann's　heavy；

puffy；　good…natured　face；　I　knew　he　would　not　ex…

ert　himself　till　greatly　exasperated；　and；　therefore；

would　thrash　very　hard；　and　being　fat　would　resent

the　necessity。　　How　Falk　had　managed　to　turn　the

girl's　head　was　more　difficult　to　understand。　　I　sup…

posed　Hermann　would　know。　　And　then　hadn't

there　been　Miss　Vanlo？　　It　could　not　be　his　silvery

tongue；　or　the　subtle　seduction　of　his　manner；　he

had　no　more　of　what　is　called　〃manner〃　than　an

animalwhich；　however；　on　the　other　hand；　is

never；　and　can　never　be　called　vulgar。　　Therefore

it　must　have　been　his　bodily　appearance；　exhibiting

a　virility　of　nature　as　exaggerated　as　his　beard；　and

resembling　a　sort　of　constant　ruthlessness。　　It　was

seen　in　the　very　manner　he　lolled　in　the　chair。　　He

meant　no　offence；　but　his　intercourse　was　charac…

terised　by　that　sort　of　frank　disregard　of　suscepti…

bilities　a　man　of　seven　foot　six；　living　in　a　world　of

dwarfs；　would　naturally　assume；　without　in　the

least　wishing　to　be　unkind。　　But　amongst　men　of

his　own　stature；　or　nearly；　this　frank　use　of　his　ad…

vantages；　in　such　matters　as　the　awful　towage　bills

for　instance；　caused　much　impotent　gnashing　of

teeth。　　When　attentively　considered　it　seemed　ap…

palling　at　times。　　He　was　a　strange　beast。　　But

maybe　women　liked　it。　　Seen　in　that　light　he　was

well　worth　taming；　and　I　suppo