falk-第4章

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to　detect　in　this　too　a　sentimental　excess；　as　if　dirt

had　been　removed　in　very　love。　　It　is　impossible　to

give　you　an　idea　of　such　a　meticulous　neatness。　　It

was　as　if　every　morning　that　ship　had　been　ardu…

ously　explored　withwith　toothbrushes。　　Her　very

bowsprit　three　times　a　week　had　its　toilette　made

with　a　cake　of　soap　and　a　piece　of　soft　flannel。　　Ar…

rayedI　MUST　say　arrayedarrayed　artlessly　in

dazzling　white　paint　as　to　wood　and　dark　green　as

to　ironwork　the　simple…minded　distribution　of　these

colours　evoked　the　images　of　simple…minded　peace；

of　arcadian　felicity；　and　the　childish　comedy　of

disease　and　sorrow　struck　me　sometimes　as　an　abom…

inably　real　blot　upon　that　ideal　state。



I　enjoyed　it　greatly；　and　on　my　part　I　brought

a　little　mild　excitement　into　it。　　Our　intimacy　arose

from　the　pursuit　of　that　thief。　　It　was　in　the　even…

ing；　and　Hermann；　who；　contrary　to　his　habits；　had

stayed　on　shore　late　that　day；　was　extricating　him…

self　backwards　out　of　a　little　gharry　on　the　river

bank；　opposite　his　ship；　when　the　hunt　passed。

Realising　the　situation　as　though　he　had　eyes　in　his

shoulder…blades；　he　joined　us　with　a　leap　and　took

the　lead。　　The　Chinaman　fled　silent　like　a　rapid

shadow　on　the　dust　of　an　extremely　oriental　road。

I　followed。　　A　long　way　in　the　rear　my　mate

whooped　like　a　savage。　　A　young　moon　threw　a

bashful　light　on　a　plain　like　a　monstrous　waste

ground：　the　architectural　mass　of　a　Buddhist　tem…

ple　far　away　projected　itself　in　dead　black　on　the

sky。　　We　lost　the　thief　of　course；　but　in　my　disap…

pointment　I　had　to　admire　Hermann's　presence　of

mind。　　The　velocity　that　stodgy　man　developed　in

the　interests　of　a　complete　stranger　earned　my


warm　gratitudethere　was　something　truly　cordial

in　his　exertions。



He　seemed　as　vexed　as　myself　at　our　failure；　and

would　hardly　listen　to　my　thanks。　　He　said　it　was

〃nothings；〃　and　invited　me　on　the　spot　to　come　on

board　his　ship　and　drink　a　glass　of　beer　with　him。

We　poked　sceptically　for　a　while　amongst　the

bushes；　peered　without　conviction　into　a　ditch　or

two。　　There　was　not　a　sound：　patches　of　slime　glim…

mered　feebly　amongst　the　reeds。　　Slowly　we　trudged

back；　drooping　under　the　thin　sickle　of　the　moon；

and　I　heard　him　mutter　to　himself；　〃Himmel！　　Zwei

und　dreissig　Pfund！〃　　He　was　impressed　by　the

figure　of　my　loss。　　For　a　long　time　we　had　ceased　to

hear　the　mate's　whoops　and　yells。



Then　he　said　to　me；　〃Everybody　has　his　troub…

les；〃　and　as　we　went　on　remarked　that　he　would

never　have　known　anything　of　mine　hadn't　he　by　an

extraordinary　chance　been　detained　on　shore　by

Captain　Falk。　　He　didn't　like　to　stay　late　ashore

he　added　with　a　sigh。　　The　something　doleful　in　his

tone　I　put　to　his　sympathy　with　my　misfortune；　of

course。



On　board　the　Diana　Mrs。　Hermann's　fine　eyes

expressed　much　interest　and　commiseration。　　We

had　found　the　two　women　sewing　face　to　face　under

the　open　skylight　in　the　strong　glare　of　the　lamp。

Hermann　walked　in　first；　starting　in　the　very　door…

way　to　pull　off　his　coat；　and　encouraging　me　with

loud；　hospitable　ejaculations：　〃Come　in！　　This

way！　　Come　in；　captain！〃　　At　once；　coat　in　hand；

he　began　to　tell　his　wife　all　about　it。　　Mrs。　Hermann

put　the　palms　of　her　plump　hands　together；　I

smiled　and　bowed　with　a　heavy　heart：　the　niece　got

up　from　her　sewing　to　bring　Hermann's　slippers

and　his　embroidered　calotte；　which　he　assumed　pon…

tifically；　talking　（about　me）　all　the　time。　　Billows

of　white　stuff　lay　between　the　chairs　on　the　cabin

floor；　I　caught　the　words　〃Zwei　und　dreissig

Pfund〃　repeated　several　times；　and　presently　came

the　beer；　which　seemed　delicious　to　my　throat；

parched　with　running　and　the　emotions　of　the　chase。



I　didn't　get　away　till　well　past　midnight；　long

after　the　women　had　retired。　　Hermann　had　been

trading　in　the　East　for　three　years　or　more；　carry…

ing　freights　of　rice　and　timber　mostly。　　His　ship

was　well　known　in　all　the　ports　from　Vladivostok　to

Singapore。　　She　was　his　own　property。　　The　profits

had　been　moderate；　but　the　trade　answered　well

enough　while　the　children　were　small　yet。　　In　an…

other　year　or　so　he　hoped　he　would　be　able　to　sell　the

old　Diana　to　a　firm　in　Japan　for　a　fair　price。　　He

intended　to　return　home；　to　Bremen；　by　mail　boat；

second　class；　with　Mrs。　Hermann　and　the　children。

He　told　me　all　this　stolidly；　with　slow　puffs　at　his

pipe。　　I　was　sorry　when　knocking　the　ashes　out　he

began　to　rub　his　eyes。　　I　would　have　sat　with　him

till　morning。　　What　had　I　to　hurry　on　board　my

own　ship　for？　　To　face　the　broken　rifled　drawer　in

my　state…room。　　Ugh！　　The　very　thought　made　me

feel　unwell。



I　became　their　daily　guest；　as　you　know。　　I　think

that　Mrs。　Hermann　from　the　first　looked　upon　me

as　a　romantic　person。　　I　did　not；　of　course；　tear　my

hair　coram　populo　over　my　loss；　and　she　took　it　for

lordly　indifference。　　Afterwards；　I　daresay；　I　did

tell　them　some　of　my　adventuressuch　as　they　were

and　they　marvelled　greatly　at　the　extent　of　my

experience。　　Hermann　would　translate　what　he

thought　the　most　striking　passages。　　Getting　up　on

his　legs；　and　as　if　delivering　a　lecture　on　a　phenom…

enon；　he　addressed　himself；　with　gestures；　to　the

two　women；　who　would　let　their　sewing　sink　slowly

on　their　laps。　　Meantime　I　sat　before　a　glass　of

Hermann's　beer；　trying　to　look　modest。　　Mrs。　Her…

mann　would　glance　at　me　quickly；　emit　slight

〃Ach's！〃　　The　girl　never　made　a　sound。　　Never。

But　she　too　would　sometimes　raise　her　pale　eyes　to

look　at　me　in　her　unseeing　gentle　way。　　Her　glance

was　by　no　means　stupid；　it　beamed　out　soft　and　dif…

fuse　as　the　moon　beams　upon　a　landscapequite

differently　from　the　scrutinising　inspection　of　the

stars。　　You　were　drowned　in　it；　and　imagined　your…

self　to　appear　blurred。　　And　yet　this　same　glance

when　turned　upon　Christian　Falk　must　have　been

as　efficient　as　the　searchlight　of　a　battle…ship。



Falk　was　the　other　assiduous　visitor　on　board；

but　from　his　behaviour　he　might　have　been　coming

to　see　the　quarter…deck　capstan。　　He　certainly　used

to　stare　at　it　a　good　deal　when　keeping　us　company

outside　the　cabin　door；　with　one　muscular　arm

thrown　over　the　back　of　the　chair；　and　his　big

shapely　legs；　in　very　tight　white　trousers；　extended

far　out　and　ending　in　a　pair　of　black　shoes　as

roomy　as　punts。　　On　arrival　he　would　shake　Her…

mann's　hand　with　a　mutter；　bow　to　the　women；　and

take　up　his　careless　and　misanthropic　attitude　by

our　side。　　He　departed　abruptly；　with　a　jump；　go…

ing　through　the　performance　of　grunts；　hand…

shakes；　bow；　as　if　in　a　panic。　　Sometimes；　with　a

sort　of　discreet　and　convulsive　effort；　he　approached

the　women　and　exchanged　a　few　low　words　with

them；　half　a　dozen　at　most。　　On　these　occasions　Her…

mann's　usual　stare　became　positively　glassy　and

Mrs。　Hermann's　kind　countenance　would　colour　up。

The　girl　herself　never　turned　a　hair。



Falk　was　a　Dane　or　perhaps　a　Norwegian；　I

can't　tell　now。　　At　all　events　he　was　a　Scandinavian

of　some　sort；　and　a　bloated　monopolist　to　boot。　　It

is　possible　he　was　unacquainted　with　the　word；　but

he　had　a　clear　perception　of　the　thing　itself。　　His

tariff　of　charges　for　towing　ships　in　and　out　was

the　most　brutally　inconsiderate　document　of　the　sort

I　had　ever　seen。　　He　was　the　commander　and　owner

of　the　only　tug…boat　on　the　river；　a　very　trim　white

craft　of　150　tons　or　more；　as　elegantly　neat　as　a

yacht；　with　a　round　wheel…house　rising　like　a　glazed

turret　high　above　her　sharp　bows；　and　with　one　slen…

der　varnished　pole　mast　forward。　　I　daresay　there

are　yet　a　few　shipmasters　afloat　who　remember　Falk

and　his　tug　very　well。　　He　extracted　his　pound　and

a　half　of　flesh　from　each　of　us　merchant…skippers

with　an　inflexible　sort　of　indifference　which　made

him　detested　and　even　feared。　　Schomberg　used　to

remark：　〃I　won't　talk　about　the　fellow。　　I　don't

think　he　has　six　drin