falk-第7章

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their　towing　chock。〃　　And　then；　with　enthusiasm；

〃Oh！　　Look！　　Look！　sir；　Look！　at　them　Dutchmen

skipping　out　of　the　way　on　the　forecastle。　　I　hope

to　goodness　he'll　break　a　few　of　their　shins　before

he's　done　with　'em。〃



I　yelled　my　vain　protests。　　The　rays　of　the　rising

sun　coursing　level　along　the　plain　warmed　my　back；

but　I　was　hot　enough　with　rage。　　I　could　not　have

believed　that　a　simple　towing　operation　could　sug…

gest　so　plainly　the　idea　of　abduction；　of　rape。　　Falk

was　simply　running　off　with　the　Diana。



The　white　tug　careered　out　into　the　middle　of　the

river。　　The　red　floats　of　her　paddle…wheels　revolv…

ing　with　mad　rapidity　tore　up　the　whole　reach　into

foam。　　The　Diana　in　mid…stream　waltzed　round

with　as　much　grace　as　an　old　barn；　and　flew　after

her　ravisher。　　Through　the　ragged　fog　of　smoke

driving　headlong　upon　the　water　I　had　a　glimpse

of　Falk's　square　motionless　shoulders　under　a　white

hat　as　big　as　a　cart…wheel；　of　his　red　face；　his　yel…

low　staring　eyes；　his　great　beard。　　Instead　of　keep…

ing　a　lookout　ahead；　he　was　deliberately　turning　his

back　on　the　river　to　glare　at　his　tow。　　The　tall

heavy　craft；　never　so　used　before　in　her　life；　seemed

to　have　lost　her　senses；　she　took　a　wild　sheer　against

her　helm；　and　for　a　moment　came　straight　at　us；

menacing　and　clumsy；　like　a　runaway　mountain。

She　piled　up　a　streaming；　hissing；　boiling　wave

half…way　up　her　blunt　stem；　my　crew　let　out　one

great　howl；and　then　we　held　our　breaths。　　It　was

a　near　thing。　　But　Falk　had　her！　　He　had　her　in

his　clutch。　　I　fancied　I　could　hear　the　steel　hawser

ping　as　it　surged　across　the　Diana's　forecastle；　with

the　hands　on　board　of　her　bolting　away　from　it　in

all　directions。　　It　was　a　near　thing。　　Hermann；　with

his　hair　rumpled；　in　a　snuffy　flannel　shirt　and　a　pair

of　mustard…coloured　trousers；　had　rushed　to　help

with　the　wheel。　　I　saw　his　terrified　round　face；　I

saw　his　very　teeth　uncovered　by　a　sort　of　ghastly

fixed　grin；　and　in　a　great　leaping　tumult　of　water

between　the　two　ships　the　Diana　whisked　past　so

close　that　I　could　have　flung　a　hair…brush　at　his

head；　for；　it　seems；　I　had　kept　them　in　my　hands

all　the　time。　　Meanwhile　Mrs。　Hermann　sat　placidly

on　the　skylight；　with　a　woollen　shawl　on　her　shoul…

ders。　　The　excellent　woman　in　response　to　my　in…

dignant　gesticulations　fluttered　a　handkerchief；

nodding　and　smiling　in　the　kindest　way　imagina…

ble。　　The　boys；　only　half…dressed；　were　jumping

about　the　poop　in　great　glee；　displaying　their

gaudy　braces；　and　Lena　in　a　short　scarlet　petticoat；

with　peaked　elbows　and　thin　bare　arms；　nursed　the

rag…doll　with　devotion。　　The　whole　family　passed

before　my　sight　as　if　dragged　across　a　scene　of　un…

paralleled　violence。　　The　last　I　saw　was　Hermann's

niece　with　the　baby　Hermann　in　her　arms　standing

apart　from　the　others。　　Magnificent　in　her　close…

fitting　print　frock　she　displayed　something　so　com…

manding　in　the　manifest　perfection　of　her　figure

that　the　sun　seemed　to　be　rising　for　her　alone。　　The

flood　of　light　brought　out　the　opulence　of　her　form

and　the　vigour　of　her　youth　in　a　glorifying　way。

She　went　by　perfectly　motionless　and　as　if　lost　in

meditation；　only　the　hem　of　her　skirt　stirred　in　the

draught；　the　sun　rays　broke　on　her　sleek　tawny

hair；　that　bald…headed　ruffian；　Nicholas；　was　whack…

ing　her　on　the　shoulder。　　I　saw　his　tiny　fat　arm

rise　and　fall　in　a　workmanlike　manner。　　And　then

the　four　cottage　windows　of　the　Diana　came　into

view　retreating　swiftly　down　the　river。　　The　sashes

were　up；　and　one　of　the　white　calico　curtains　was

fluttered　straight　out　like　a　streamer　above　the　agi…

tated　water　of　the　wake。



To　be　thus　tricked　out　of　one's　turn　was　an　un…

heard　of　occurrence。　　In　my　agent's　office；　where　I

went　to　complain　at　once；　they　protested　with　apol…

ogies　they　couldn't　understand　how　the　mistake

arose：　but　Schomberg　when　I　dropped　in　later　to　get

some　tiffin；　though　surprised　to　see　me；　was　perfect…

ly　ready　with　an　explanation。　　I　found　him　seated　at

the　end　of　a　long　narrow　table；　facing　his　wifea

scraggy　little　woman；　with　long　ringlets　and　a　blue

tooth；　who　smiled　abroad　stupidly　and　looked

frightened　when　you　spoke　to　her。　　Between　them　a

waggling　punkah　fanned　twenty　cane…bottomed

chairs　and　two　rows　of　shiny　plates。　　Three　China…

men　in　white　jackets　loafed　with　napkins　in　their

hands　around　that　desolation。　　Schomberg's　pet

table　d'hote　was　not　much　of　a　success　that　day。

He　was　feeding　himself　ferociously　and　seemed　to

overflow　with　bitterness。



He　began　by　ordering　in　a　brutal　voice　the　chops

to　be　brought　back　for　me；　and　turning　in　his　chair：

〃Mistake　they　told　you？　　Not　a　bit　of　it！　　Don't

you　believe　it　for　a　moment；　captain！　　Falk　isn't　a

man　to　make　mistakes　unless　on　purpose。〃　　His

firm　conviction　was　that　Falk　had　been　trying　all

along　to　curry　favour　on　the　cheap　with　Hermann。

〃On　the　cheapmind　you！　　It　doesn't　cost　him　a

cent　to　put　that　insult　upon　you；　and　Captain　Her…

mann　gets　in　a　day　ahead　of　your　ship。　　Time's

money！　　Eh？　　You　are　very　friendly　with　Captain

Hermann　I　believe；　but　a　man　is　bound　to　be　pleased

at　any　little　advantage　he　may　get。　　Captain　Her…

mann　is　a　good　business　man；　and　there's　no　such

thing　as　a　friend　in　business。　　Is　there？〃　　He

leaned　forward　and　began　to　cast　stealthy　glances

as　usual。　　〃But　Falk　is；　and　always　was；　a　misera…

ble　fellow。　　I　would　despise　him。〃



I　muttered；　grumpily；　that　I　had　no　particular

respect　for　Falk。



〃I　would　despise　him；〃　he　insisted；　with　an　ap…

pearance　of　anxiety　which　would　have　amused　me

if　I　had　not　been　fathoms　deep　in　discontent。　　To

a　young　man　fairly　conscientious　and　as　well…mean…

ing　as　only　the　young　man　can　be；　the　current　ill…

usage　of　life　comes　with　a　peculiar　cruelty。　　Youth

that　is　fresh　enough　to　believe　in　guilt；　in　innocence；

and　in　itself；　will　always　doubt　whether　it　have　not

perchance　deserved　its　fate。　　Sombre　of　mind　and

without　appetite；　I　struggled　with　the　chop　while

Mrs。　Schomberg　sat　with　her　everlasting　stupid

grin　and　Schomberg's　talk　gathered　way　like　a　slide

of　rubbish。



〃Let　me　tell　you。　　It's　all　about　that　girl。　　I

don't　know　what　Captain　Hermann　expects；　but　if

he　asked　me　I　could　tell　him　something　about　Falk。

He's　a　miserable　fellow。　　That　man　is　a　perfect

slave。　　That's　what　I　call　him。　　A　slave。　　Last

year　I　started　this　table　d'hote；　and　sent　cards　out

you　know。　　You　think　he　had　one　meal　in　the

house？　　Give　the　thing　a　trial？　　Not　once。　　He　has

got　hold　now　of　a　Madras　cooka　blamed　fraud

that　I　hunted　out　of　my　cookhouse　with　a　rattan。

He　was　not　fit　to　cook　for　white　men。　　No；　not　for

the　white　men's　dogs　either；　but；　see；　any　damned

native　that　can　boil　a　pot　of　rice　is　good　enough　for

Mr。　Falk。　　Rice　and　a　little　fish　he　buys　for　a　few

cents　from　the　fishing　boats　outside　is　what　he　lives

on。　　You　would　hardly　credit　iteh？　　A　white

man；　too。　。　。　。〃



He　wiped　his　lips；　using　the　napkin　with　indig…

nation；　and　looking　at　me。　　It　flashed　through　my

mind　in　the　midst　of　my　depression　that　if　all　the

meat　in　the　town　was　like　these　table　d'hote　chops；

Falk　wasn't　so　far　wrong。　　I　was　on　the　point　of

saying　this；　but　Schomberg's　stare　was　intimidat…

ing。　　〃He's　a　vegetarian；　perhaps；〃　I　murmured

instead。



〃He's　a　miser。　　A　miserable　miser；〃　affirmed　the

hotel…keeper　with　great　force。　　〃The　meat　here　is

not　so　good　as　at　homeof　course。　　And　dear　too。

But　look　at　me。　　I　only　charge　a　dollar　for　the　tif…

fin；　and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　for　the　dinner。

Show　me　anything　cheaper。　　Why　am　I　doing　it？

There's　little　profit　in　this　game。　　Falk　wouldn't

look　at　it。　　I　do　it　for　the　sake　of　a　lot　of　young

white　fellows　here　that　hadn't　a　place　where　they

could　get　a　decent　meal　and　eat　it　decently　in　good

company。　　There's　first…rate　company　always　at

my　table。〃



The