falk-第5章

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

think　he　has　six　drinks　from　year's　end　to　year's　end

in　my　place。　　But　my　advice　is；　gentlemen；　don't

you　have　anything　to　do　with　him；　if　you　can　help

it。〃



This　advice；　apart　from　unavoidable　business　re…

lations；　was　easy　to　follow　because　Falk　intruded

upon　no　one。　　It　seems　absurd　to　compare　a　tug…

boat　skipper　to　a　centaur：　but　he　reminded　me　some…

how　of　an　engraving　in　a　little　book　I　had　as　a　boy；

which　represented　centaurs　at　a　stream；　and　there

was　one；　especially　in　the　foreground；　prancing　bow

and　arrows　in　hand；　with　regular　severe　features

and　an　immense　curled　wavy　beard；　flowing　down

his　breast。　　Falk's　face　reminded　me　of　that　cen…

taur。　　Besides；　he　was　a　composite　creature。　　Not

a　man…horse；　it　is　true；　but　a　man…boat。　　He　lived

on　board　his　tug；　which　was　always　dashing　up　and

down　the　river　from　early　morn　till　dewy　eve。



In　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　you　could　pick

out　far　away　down　the　reach　his　beard　borne　high

up　on　the　white　structure；　foaming　up　stream　to

anchor　for　the　night。　　There　was　the　white…clad

man's　body；　and　the　rich　brown　patch　of　the　hair；

and　nothing　below　the　waist　but　the　'thwart…ship

white　lines　of　the　bridge…screens；　that　lead　the　eye

to　the　sharp　white　lines　of　the　bows　cleaving　the

muddy　water　of　the　river。



Separated　from　his　boat　to　me　at　least　he　seemed

incomplete。　　The　tug　herself　without　his　head　and

torso　on　the　bridge　looked　mutilated　as　it　were。

But　he　left　her　very　seldom。　　All　the　time　I　re…

mained　in　harbour　I　saw　him　only　twice　on　shore。

On　the　first　occasion　it　was　at　my　charterers；　where

he　came　in　misanthropically　to　get　paid　for　towing

out　a　French　barque　the　day　before。　　The　second

time　I　could　hardly　believe　my　eyes；　for　I　beheld

him　reclining　under　his　beard　in　a　cane…bottomed

chair　in　the　billiard…room　of　Schomberg's　hotel。



It　was　very　funny　to　see　Schomberg　ignoring

him　pointedly。　　The　artificiality　of　it　contrasted

strongly　with　Falk's　natural　unconcern。　　The　big

Alsatian　talked　loudly　with　his　other　customers；　go…

ing　from　one　little　table　to　the　other；　and　passing

Falk's　place　of　repose　with　his　eyes　fixed　straight

ahead。　　Falk　sat　there　with　an　untouched　glass　at

his　elbow。　　He　must　have　known　by　sight　and　name

every　white　man　in　the　room；　but　he　never　addressed

a　word　to　anybody。　　He　acknowledged　my　presence

by　a　drop　of　his　eyelids；　and　that　was　all。　　Sprawl…

ing　there　in　the　chair；　he　would；　now　and　again；

draw　the　palms　of　both　his　hands　down　his　face；

giving　at　the　same　time　a　slight；　almost　impercepti…

ble；　shudder。



It　was　a　habit　he　had；　and　of　course　I　was　per…

fectly　familiar　with　it；　since　you　could　not　remain

an　hour　in　his　company　without　being　made　to　won…

der　at　such　a　movement　breaking　some　long　period

of　stillness。　　it　was　a　passionate　and　inexplicable

gesture。　　He　used　to　make　it　at　all　sorts　of　times；

as　likely　as　not　after　he　had　been　listening　to　little

Lena's　chatter　about　the　suffering　doll；　for　instance。

The　Hermann　children　always　besieged　him　about

his　legs　closely；　though；　in　a　gentle　way；　he　shrank

from　them　a　little。　　He　seemed；　however；　to　feel　a

great　affection　for　the　whole　family。　　For　Hermann

himself　especially。　　He　sought　his　company。　　In

this　case；　for　instance；　he　must　have　been　waiting

for　him；　because　as　soon　as　he　appeared　Falk　rose

hastily；　and　they　went　out　together。　　Then　Schom…

berg　expounded　in　my　hearing　to　three　or　four

people　his　theory　that　Falk　was　after　Captain　Her…

mann's　niece；　and　asserted　confidently　that　nothing

would　come　of　it。　　It　was　the　same　last　year　when

Captain　Hermann　was　loading　here；　he　said。



Naturally；　I　did　not　believe　Schomberg；　but　I

own　that　for　a　time　I　observed　closely　what　went

on。　　All　I　discovered　was　some　impatience　on　Her…

mann's　part。　　At　the　sight　of　Falk；　stepping　over

the　gangway；　the　excellent　man　would　begin　to

mumble　and　chew　between　his　teeth　something　that

sounded　like　German　swear…words。　　However；　as

I've　said；　I'm　not　familiar　with　the　language；　and

Hermann's　soft；　round…eyed　countenance　remained

unchanged。　　Staring　stolidly　ahead　he　greeted

him　with；　〃Wie　gehts；〃　or　in　English；　〃How　are

you？〃　with　a　throaty　enunciation。　　The　girl　would

look　up　for　an　instant　and　move　her　lips　slightly：

Mrs。　Hermann　let　her　hands　rest　on　her　lap　to　talk

volubly　to　him　for　a　minute　or　so　in　her　pleasant

voice　before　she　went　on　with　her　sewing　again。

Falk　would　throw　himself　into　a　chair；　stretch　his

big　legs；　as　like　as　not　draw　his　hands　down　his　face

passionately。　　As　to　myself；　he　was　not　pointedly

impertinent：　it　was　rather　as　though　he　could　not

be　bothered　with　such　trifles　as　my　existence；　and

the　truth　is　that　being　a　monopolist　he　was　under

no　necessity　to　be　amiable。　　He　was　sure　to　get　his

own　extortionate　terms　out　of　me　for　towage

whether　he　frowned　or　smiled。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；

he　did　neither：　but　before　many　days　elapsed　he

managed　to　astonish　me　not　a　little　and　to　set

Schomberg's　tongue　clacking　more　than　ever。



It　came　about　in　this　way。　　There　was　a　shallow

bar　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　which　ought　to　have

been　kept　down；　but　the　authorities　of　the　State

were　piously　busy　gilding　afresh　the　great　Buddhist

Pagoda　just　then；　and　I　suppose　had　no　money　to

spare　for　dredging　operations。　　I　don't　know　how

it　may　be　now；　but　at　the　time　I　speak　of　that　sand…

bank　was　a　great　nuisance　to　the　shipping。　　One　of

its　consequences　was　that　vessels　of　a　certain

draught　of　water；　like　Hermann's　or　mine；　could　not

complete　their　loading　in　the　river。　　After　taking

in　as　much　as　possible　of　their　cargo；　they　had　to

go　outside　to　fill　up。　　The　whole　procedure　was　an

unmitigated　bore。　　When　you　thought　you　had　as

much　on　board　as　your　ship　could　carry　safely　over

the　bar；　you　went　and　gave　notice　to　your　agents。

They；　in　their　turn；　notified　Falk　that　so…and…so

was　ready　to　go　out。　　Then　Falk　（ostensibly　when　it

fitted　in　with　his　other　work；　but；　if　the　truth　were

known；　simply　when　his　arbitrary　spirit　moved

him）；　after　ascertaining　carefully　in　the　office　that

there　was　enough　money　to　meet　his　bill；　would

come　along　unsympathetically；　glaring　at　you　with

his　yellow　eyes　from　the　bridge；　and　would　drag　you

out　dishevelled　as　to　rigging；　lumbered　as　to　the

decks；　with　unfeeling　haste；　as　if　to　execution。　　And

he　would　force　you　too　to　take　the　end　of　his　own

wire　hawser；　for　the　use　of　which　there　was　of　course

an　extra　charge。　　To　your　shouted　remonstrances

against　that　extortion　this　towering　trunk　with　one

hand　on　the　engine…room　telegraph　only　shook　its

bearded　head　above　the　splash；　the　racket；　and　the

clouds　of　smoke　in　which　the　tug；　backing　and　fill…

ing　in　the　smother　of　churning　paddle…wheels　be…

haved　like　a　ferocious　and　impatient　creature。　　He

had　her　manned　by　the　cheekiest　gang　of　lascars　I

ever　did　see；　whom　he　allowed　to　bawl　at　you　inso…

lently；　and；　once　fast；　he　plucked　you　out　of　your

berth　as　if　he　did　not　care　what　he　smashed。　　Eigh…

teen　miles　down　the　river　you　had　to　go　behind　him；

and　then　three　more　along　the　coast　to　where　a

group　of　uninhabited　rocky　islets　enclosed　a　shel…

tered　anchorage。　　There　you　would　have　to　lie　at

single　anchor　with　your　naked　spars　showing　to

seaward　over　these　barren　fragments　of　land　scat…

tered　upon　a　very　intensely　blue　sea。　　There　was

nothing　to　look　at　besides　but　a　bare　coast；　the　mud…

dy　edge　of　the　brown　plain　with　the　sinuosities　of

the　river　you　had　left；　traced　in　dull　green；　and　the

Great　Pagoda　uprising　lonely　and　massive　with

shining　curves　and　pinnacles　like　the　gorgeous　and

stony　efflorescence　of　tropical　rocks。　　You　had

nothing　to　do　but　to　wait　fretfully　for　the　balance

of　your　cargo；　which　was　sent　out　of　the　river　with

the　greatest　irregularity。　　And　it　was　open　to　you