a question of latitude-第4章

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lifted　his　tired　eyes　to　those　of　the　white　man。　　Still；　dumbly；
they　begged　the　answer　to　the　same　question。

During　the　five　months　Everett　spent　up　the　river　he　stopped　at
many　missions；　stations；　one…man　wood　posts。　　He　talked　to　Jesuit
fathers；　to　inspecteurs；　to　collectors　for　the　State　of　rubber；
taxes；　elephant　tusks；　in　time；　even　in　Bangalese；　to　chiefs　of　the
native　villages。　　According　to　the　point　of　view；　he　was　told　tales
of　oppression；　of　avarice；　of　hideous　crimes；　of　cruelties
committed　in　the　name　of　trade　that　were　abnormal；　unthinkable。
The　note　never　was　of　hope；　never　of　cheer；　never　inspiring。　　There
was　always　the　grievance；　the　spirit　of　unrest；　of　rebellion　that
ranged　from　dislike　to　a　primitive；　hot　hate。　　Of　his　own　land　and
life　he　heard　nothing；　not　even　when　his　face　was　again　turned
toward　the　east。　　Nor　did　he　think　of　it。　　As　now　he　saw　them；　the
rules　and　principles　and　standards　of　his　former　existence　were
petty　and　credulous。　　But　he　assured　himself　he　had　not　abandoned
those　standards。　　He　had　only　temporarily　laid　them　aside；　as　he
had　left　behind　him　in　London　his　frock…coat　and　silk　hat。　　Not
because　he　would　not　use　them　again；　but　because　in　the　Congo　they
were　ridiculous。

For　weeks；　with　a　missionary　as　a　guide；　he　walked　through　forests
into　which　the　sun　never　penetrated；　or；　on　the　river；　moved
between　banks　where　no　white　man　had　placed　his　foot；　where；　at
night；　the　elephants　came　trooping　to　the　water；　and；　seeing　the
lights　of　the　boat；　fled　crashing　through　the　jungle；　where　the
great　hippos；　puffing　and　blowing；　rose　so　close　to　his　elbow　that
he　could　have　tossed　his　cigarette　and　hit　them。　　The　vastness　of
the　Congo；　toward　which　he　had　so　jauntily　set　forth；　now　weighed
upon　his　soul。　　The　immeasurable　distances；　the　slumbering
disregard　of　time；　the　brooding；　interminable　silences；　the　efforts
to　conquer　the　land　that　were　so　futile；　so　puny；　and　so　cruel；　at
first　appalled　and；　later；　left　him　unnerved；　rebellious；
childishly　defiant。

What　health　was　there；　he　demanded　hotly；　in　holding　in　a　dripping
jungle　to　morals；　to　etiquette；　to　fashions　of　conduct？　　Was　he；
the　white　man；　intelligent；　trained；　disciplined　in　mind　and　body；
to　be　judged　by　naked　cannibals；　by　chattering　monkeys；　by　mammoth
primeval　beasts？　　His　code　of　conduct　was　his　own。　　He　was　a　law
unto　himself。

He　came　down　the　river　on　one　of　the　larger　steamers　of　the　State；
and；　on　this　voyage；　with　many　fellow…passengers。　　He　was　now　on
his　way　home；　but　in　the　fact　he　felt　no　elation。　　Each　day　the
fever　ran　tingling　through　his　veins；　and　left　him　listless；
frightened；　or　choleric。　　One　night　at　dinner；　in　one　of　these
moods　of　irritation；　he　took　offence　at　the　act　of　a　lieutenant
who；　in　lack　of　vegetables；　drank　from　the　vinegar　bottle。　　Everett
protested　that　such　table　manners　were　unbecoming　an　officer；　even
an　officer　of　the　Congo；　and　on　the　lieutenant　resenting　his
criticism；　Everett　drew　his　revolver。　　The　others　at　the　table　took
it　from　him；　and　locked　him　in　his　cabin。　　In　the　morning；　when　he
tried　to　recall　what　had　occurred；　he　could　remember　only　that；　for
some　excellent　reason；　he　had　hated　some　one　with　a　hatred　that
could　be　served　only　with　death。　　He　knew　it　could　not　have　been
drink；　as　each　day　the　State　allowed　him　but　one　half…bottle　of
claret。　　That　but　for　the　interference　of　strangers　he　might　have
shot　a　man；　did　not　interest　him。　　In　the　outcome　of　what　he
regarded　merely　as　an　incident；　he　saw　cause　neither　for
congratulation　or　self…reproach。　　For　his　conduct　he　laid　the　blame
upon　the　sun；　and　doubled　his　dose　of　fruit　salts。

Everett　was　again　at　Matadi；　waiting　for　the　Nigeria　to　take　on
cargo　before　returning　to　Liverpool。　　During　the　few　days　that　must
intervene　before　she　sailed；　he　lived　on　board。　　Although　now
actually　bound　north；　the　thought　afforded　him　no　satisfaction。
His　spirits　were　depressed；　his　mind　gloomy；　a　feeling　of
rebellion；　of　outlawry；　filled　him　with　unrest。

While　the　ship　lay　at　the　wharf；　Hardy；　her　English　captain；
Cuthbert；　the　purser；　and　Everett　ate　on　deck　under　the　awning；
assailed　by　electric　fans。　　Each　was　clad　in　nothing　more　intricate
than　pajamas。

〃To…night；〃　announced　Hardy；　with　a　sigh；　〃we　got　to　dress　ship。
Mr。　Ducret　and　his　wife　are　coming　on　board。　　We　carry　his　trade
goods；　and　I　got　to　stand　him　a　dinner　and　champagne。　　You　boys；〃
he　commanded；　〃must　wear　'whites；'　and　talk　French。〃

〃I'll　dine　on　shore；〃　growled　Everett。

〃Better　meet　them；〃　advised　Cuthbert。　　The　purser　was　a　pink…
cheeked；　clear…eyed　young　man；　who　spoke　the　many　languages　of　the
coast　glibly；　and　his　own　in　the　soft；　detached　voice　of　a　well…
bred　Englishman。　　He　was　in　training　to　enter　the　consular　service。
Something　in　his　poise；　in　the　assured　manner　in　which　he　handled
his　white　stewards　and　the　black　Kroo　boys；　seemed　to　Everett　a
constant　reproach；　and　he　resented　him。

〃They're　a　picturesque　couple；〃　explained　Cuthbert。　　〃Ducret　was
originally　a　wrestler。　　Used　to　challenge　all　comers　from　the　front
of　a　booth。　　He　served　his　time　in　the　army　in　Senegal；　and　when　he
was　mustered　out　moved　to　the　French　Congo　and　began　to　trade；　in　a
small　way；　in　ivory。　　Now　he's　the　biggest　merchant；　physically　and
every　other　way；　from　Stanley　Pool　to　Lake　Chad。　　He　has　a　house　at
Brazzaville　built　of　mahogany；　and　a　grand　piano；　and　his　own　ice…
plant。　　His　wife　was　a　supper…girl　at　Maxim's。　　He　brought　her　down
here　and　married　her。　　Every　rainy　season　they　go　back　to　Paris　and
run　race…horses；　and　they　say　the　best　table　in　every　all…night
restaurant　is　reserved　for　him。　　In　Paris　they　call　her　the　Ivory
Queen。　　She's　killed　seventeen　elephants　with　her　own　rifle。〃

In　the　Upper　Congo；　Everett　had　seen　four　white　women。　　They　were
pallid；　washed…out；　bloodless；　even　the　youngest　looked　past
middle…age。　　For　him　women　of　any　other　type　had　ceased　to　exist。
He　had　come　to　think　of　every　white　woman　as　past　middle…age；　with
a　face　wrinkled　by　the　sun；　with　hair　bleached　white　by　the　sun；
with　eyes　from　which；　through　gazing　at　the　sun；　all　light　and
lustre　had　departed。　　He　thought　of　them　as　always　wearing　boots　to
protect　their　ankles　from　mosquitoes；　and　army　helmets。

When　he　came　on　deck　for　dinner；　he　saw　a　woman　who　looked　as
though　she　was　posing　for　a　photograph　by　Reutlinger。　　She　appeared
to　have　stepped　to　the　deck　directly　from　her　electric　victoria；
and　the　Rue　de　la　Paix。　　She　was　tall；　lithe；　gracefully　erect；
with　eyes　of　great　loveliness；　and　her　hair　brilliantly　black；
drawn；　a　la　Merode；　across　a　broad；　fair　forehead。　　She　wore　a　gown
and　long　coat　of　white　lace；　as　delicate　as　a　bridal　veil；　and　a
hat　with　a　flapping　brim　from　which；　in　a　curtain；　hung　more　lace。
When　she　was　pleased；　she　lifted　her　head　and　the　curtain　rose；
unmasking　her　lovely　eyes。　　Around　the　white；　bare　throat　was　a
string　of　pearls。　　They　had　cost　the　lives　of　many　elephants。

Cuthbert；　only　a　month　from　home；　saw　Madame　Ducret　just　as　she
wasa　Parisienne；　elegant；　smart；　soigne。　　He　knew　that　on　any
night　at　Madrid　or　d'Armenonville　he　might　look　upon　twenty　women
of　the　same　charming　type。　　They　might　lack　that　something　this
girl　from　Maxim's　possessedthe　spirit　that　had　caused　her　to
follow　her　husband　into　the　depths　of　darkness。　　But　outwardly；　for
show　purposes；　they　were　even　as　she。

But　to　Everett　she　was　no　messenger　from　another　world。　　She　was
unique。　　To　his　famished　eyes；　starved　senses；　and　fever…driven
brain；　she　was　her　entire　sex　personified。　　She　was　the　one　woman
for　whom　he　had　always　sought；　alluring；　soothing；　maddening；　if
need　be；　to　be　fought　for；　the　one　thing　to　be　desired。　　Opposite；
across　the　table；　her　husband；　the　ex…wrestler；　chasseur　d'Afrique；
elephant　poacher；　bulked　large　as　an　ox。　　Men　felt　as　well　as　saw
his　bigness。　　Captain　Hardy　deferred　to　him　on　matters　of　trade。
The　purser　deferred　to　him　on　questions　of　administration。　　He
answered　them　in　his　big　way；　with　big　thoughts；　in　big　figures。
He　was　fifty　years　ahead　of　his　time。　　He　beheld　the　Congo　open　to
the　world；　in　the　fore