the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第13章
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Some of them own boats。 One has a gasoline launch。 They have
nothing to do but have a good time。 Food； shelter； clothes； medical
attendance； everything； is theirs。 They are the wards of the Territory。
They have a much finer climate than Honolulu； and the scenery is
magnificent。 I shouldn't mind going down there myself for the rest of
my days。 It is a lovely spot。〃
So Kersdale on the joyous leper。 He was not afraid of leprosy。 He
said so himself； and that there wasn't one chance in a million for him or
any other white man to catch it； though he confessed afterward that one
of his school chums； Alfred Starter； had contracted it； gone to Molokai；
and there died。
〃You know； in the old days；〃 Kersdale explained； 〃there was no
certain test for leprosy。 Anything unusual or abnormal was sufficient to
send a fellow to Molokai。 The result was that dozens were sent there
who were no more lepers than you or I。 But they don't make that
mistake now。 The Board of Health tests are infallible。 The funny
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
thing is that when the test was discovered they immediately went down
to Molokai and applied it； and they found a number who were not lepers。
These were immediately deported。 Happy to get away？ They wailed
harder at leaving the settlement than when they left Honolulu to go to it。
Some refused to leave； and really had to be forced out。 One of them
even married a leper woman in the last stages and then wrote pathetic
letters to the Board of Health； protesting against his expulsion on the
ground that no one was so well able as he to take care of his poor old
wife。〃
〃What is this infallible test？〃 I demanded。
〃The bacteriological test。 There is no getting away from it。 Doctor
Herveyhe's our expert； you knowwas the first man to apply it here。
He is a wizard。 He knows more about leprosy than any living man； and
if a cure is ever discovered； he'll be that discoverer。 As for the test； it is
very simple。 They have succeeded in isolating the bacillus leprae and
studying it。 They know it now when they see it。 All they do is to snip
a bit of skin from the suspect and subject it to the bacteriological test。
A man without any visible symptoms may be chock full of the leprosy
bacilli。〃
〃Then you or I； for all we know；〃 I suggested； 〃may be full of it
now。〃
Kersdale shrugged his shoulders and laughed。
〃Who can say？ It takes seven years for it to incubate。 If you have
any doubts go and see Doctor Hervey。 He'll just snip out a piece of
your skin and let you know in a jiffy。〃
Later on he introduced me to Dr。 Hervey； who loaded me down with
Board of Health reports and pamphlets on the subject； and took me out
to Kalihi； the Honolulu receiving station； where suspects were examined
and confirmed lepers were held for deportation to Molokai。 These
deportations occurred about once a month； when； the last good… byes said；
the lepers were marched on board the little steamer； the Noeau； and
carried down to the settlement。
One afternoon； writing letters at the club； Jack Kersdale dropped in
on me。
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〃Just the man I want to see；〃 was his greeting。 〃I'll show you the
saddest aspect of the whole situationthe lepers wailing as they depart
for Molokai。 The Noeau will be taking them on board in a few minutes。
But let me warn you not to let your feelings be harrowed。 Real as their
grief is； they'd wail a whole sight harder a year hence if the Board of
Health tried to take them away from Molokai。 We've just time for a
whiskey and soda。 I've a carriage outside。 It won't take us five
minutes to get down to the wharf。〃
To the wharf we drove。 Some forty sad wretches； amid their mats；
blankets； and luggage of various sorts； were squatting on the stringer
piece。 The Noeau had just arrived and was making fast to a lighter that
lay between her and the wharf。 A Mr。 McVeigh； the superintendent of
the settlement； was overseeing the embarkation； and to him I was
introduced； also to Dr。 Georges； one of the Board of Health physicians
whom I had already met at Kalihi。 The lepers were a woebegone lot。
The faces of the majority were hideoustoo horrible for me to describe。
But here and there I noticed fairly good…looking persons； with no
apparent signs of the fell disease upon them。 One； I noticed； a little
white girl； not more than twelve； with blue eyes and golden hair。 One
cheek； however； showed the leprous bloat。 On my remarking on the
sadness of her alien situation among the brown…skinned afflicted ones；
Doctor Georges replied：…
〃Oh； I don't know。 It's a happy day in her life。 She comes from
Kauai。 Her father is a brute。 And now that she has developed the
disease she is going to join her mother at the settlement。 Her mother
was sent down three years agoa very bad case。〃
〃You can't always tell from appearances；〃 Mr。 McVeigh explained。
That man there； that big chap； who looks the pink of condition； with
nothing the matter with him； I happen to know has a perforating ulcer in
his foot and another in his shoulder…blade。 Then there are othersthere；
see that girl's hand； the one who is smoking the cigarette。 See her
twisted fingers。 That's the anaesthetic form。 It attacks the nerves。
You could cut her fingers off with a dull knife； or rub them off on a
nutmeg…grater； and she would not experience the slightest sensation。〃
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〃Yes； but that fine…looking woman； there；〃 I persisted； 〃surely； surely；
there can't be anything the matter with her。 She is too glorious and
gorgeous altogether。〃
〃A sad case；〃 Mr。 McVeigh answered over his shoulder； already
turning away to walk down the wharf with Kersdale。
She was a beautiful woman； and she was pure Polynesian。 From my
meagre knowledge of the race and its types I could not but conclude that
she had descended from old chief stock。 She could not have been more
than twenty…three or four。 Her lines and proportions were magnifi
