hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第3章
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urope and in his own country。 He had a regular income from oil leases on land his grandfather had owned。 It had been grazing land and when it was sold the mineral rights had been retained。 About half of this income went into alimony and the balance provided him with security so that he could paint exactly as he wanted to with no commercial pressure。 It also enabled him to live where he wished and to travel when he cared to。
He had been successful in almost every way except in his married life； although he had never cared； truly； about success。 What he cared about was painting and his children and he was still in love with the first woman he had been in love with。 He had loved many women since and sometimes someone would come to stay on the island。 He needed to see women and they were welcome for a while。 He liked having them there； sometimes for quite a long time。 But in the end he was always glad when they were gone； even when he was very fond of them。 He had trained himself not to quarrel with women anymore and he had learned how not to get married。 These two things had been nearly as difficult to learn as how to settle down and paint in a steady and well…ordered way。 But he had learned them and he hoped that he had learned them permanently。 He had known how to paint for a long time and he believed he learned more every year。 But learning how to settle down and how to paint with discipline had been hard for him because there had been a time in his life when he had not been disciplined。 He had never been truly irresponsible； but he had been undisciplined； selfish； and ruthless。 He knew this now； not only because many women had told it to him； but because he had finally discovered it for himself。 Then he had resolved that he would be selfish only for his painting； ruthless only for his work； and that he would discipline himself and accept the discipline。
He was going to enjoy life within the limits of the discipline that he imposed and work hard。 And today he was very happy because his children were coming in the morning。
¨Mr。 Tom； donˇt you want nothing？〃 Joseph the house…boy asked him。 ¨You knocked off for the day； ainˇt you？〃
Joseph was tall with a very long； very black face and big hands and big feet。 He wore a white jacket and trousers and was barefooted。
¨Thank you； Joseph。 I donˇt think I want anything。〃
¨Little gin and tonic？〃
¨No。 I think Iˇll go down and have one at Mr。 Bobbyˇs。〃
¨Drink one here。 Itˇs cheaper。 Mr。 Bobby was in an evil mood when I went by。 Too many mixed drinks he says。 Somebody off a yacht asked him for something called a White Lady and he served her a bottle of that American mineral water with a lady in white kinda mosquito netting dress sitting by a spring。〃
¨I better be getting down there。〃
¨Let me mix you one first。 You got some mails on the pilot boat。 You can read your mails and drink the drink and then go down to Mr。 Bobbyˇs。〃
¨All right。〃
¨Good thing；〃 said Joseph。 ¨Because I already mixed it。 Mails donˇt look to amount to anything； Mr。 Tom。〃
¨Where are they？〃
¨Down in the kitchen。 Iˇll bring them up。 Couple with womenˇs writing on them。 One from New York。 One from Palm Beach。 Pretty writing。 One from that gentleman sells your pictures in New York。 Couple more unknown to me。〃
¨You want to answer them for me？〃
¨Yes sir。 If thatˇs what you want。 Iˇm educated way beyond my means。〃
¨Better bring them up。〃
¨Yes sir； Mr。 Tom。 Thereˇs a paper too。〃
¨Save it for breakfast； please； Joseph。〃
Thomas Hudson sat and read his mail and sipped at the cool drink。 He read one letter over again and then put them all in a drawer of his desk。
¨Joseph；〃 he called。 ¨Have you everything ready for the boys？〃
¨Yes sir； Mr。 Tom。 And two extra cases of Coca…Cola。 Young Tom； he must be bigger than me； ainˇt he？〃
¨Not yet。〃
¨Think he can lick me now？〃
¨I donˇt think so。〃
¨I fought that boy so many times in private life；〃 Joseph said。 ¨Sure is funny to call him mister。 Mr。 Tom； Mr。 David； and Mr。 Andrew。 Three of the finest goddam boys I know。 And the meanest is Andy。〃
¨He started out mean；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨And boy； did he continue；〃 Joseph said admiringly。
¨You set them a good example this summer。〃
¨Mr。 Tom； you donˇt want me to set those boys no good example this summer。 Maybe three four years back when I was innocent。 Me； Iˇm going to pattern myself on Tom。 Heˇs been to an expensive school and heˇs got good expensive manners。 I canˇt look like him exactly。 But I can act like him。 Free and easy but polite。 Then Iˇm going to be smart like Dave。 Thatˇs the hardest part。 Then Iˇm going to learn the secret of how Andy gets that mean。〃
¨Donˇt you get mean around here。〃
¨No； Mr。 Tom； you mistook what I meant。 That meanness isnˇt for in the house。 I want that for my private life。〃
¨It will be nice to have them； wonˇt it？〃
¨Mr。 Tom； there wonˇt be nothing like it since they had the big fire。 I rank it right along with the Second Coming。 Is it nice？ you ask me。 Yes sir； itˇs nice。〃
¨Weˇll have to figure out plenty of things for them to do to have fun。〃
¨No； Mr。 Tom；〃 Joseph said。 ¨We ought to figure out how to save them from their own fearsome projects。 Eddy can help us。 He knows them better than me。 Iˇm their friend and that makes it difficult。〃
¨Howˇs Eddy？〃
¨Heˇs been drinking a little in anticipation of the Queenˇs birthday。 Heˇs in tip…top shape。〃
¨I better get down to Mr。 Bobbyˇs while heˇs still in that evil mood。〃
¨He asked for you； Mr。 Tom。 Mr。 Bobbyˇs a gentleman if there ever was a gentleman and sometimes that trash comes in on yachts gets him worn down。 He was wore down almighty thin when I left。〃
¨What were you doing there？〃
¨I went for Coca…Cola and I stayed to keep my hand in shooting a stick of pool。〃
¨Howˇs the table？〃
¨Worse。〃
¨Iˇll go down；〃 said Thomas Hudson。 ¨I want to take a shower and change。〃
¨Iˇve got them laying out for you on the bed；〃 Joseph told him。 ¨You want another gin and tonic？〃
¨No thanks。〃
¨Mr。 Rogerˇs in on the boat。〃
¨Good。 Iˇll get hold of him。〃
¨Will he be staying here？〃
¨Maybe。〃
¨Iˇll make up a bed for him anyway。〃
¨Good。〃
III
THOMAS HUDSON TOOK A SHOWER； scrubbing his head with soap and then rinsing under the prickling drive of the sharp； jetted shower。 He was a big man and he looked bigger stripped than he did in his clothes。 He was very tanned and his hair was faded and streaked from the sun。 He carried no extra weight and on the scales he saw that he weighed 192 pounds。
I should have gone swimming before I took the shower； he thought。 But I had a long swim this morning before I started work and Iˇm tired now。 There will be plenty of swimming when the boys come。 And Rogerˇs here too。 Thatˇs good。
He put on a clean pair of shorts and an old Basque shut and moccasins and went out the door and down the slope and through the gate in the picket fence onto the white glare of the sun…bleached coral of the Kingˇs Highway。
Ahead a very erect…walking old Negro in a black alpaca coat and pressed dark trousers came out of one of the unpainted board shacks along the road that was shaded by two tall coconut palms and turned into the highway ahead of him。 Thomas Hudson saw his fine black face as he turned。
From behind the shack a childˇs voice came in an old English tune singing mockingly；
¨Uncle Edward came from Nassau
Some candy for to sell
I buy some and P。H。 buy some
and the candy give us hell〃
Uncle Edward turned his fine face； looking as sad as it was angry； in the bright afternoon light。
¨I know you；〃 he said。 ¨I canˇt see you but I know who you are。 Iˇll report you to Constable。〃
The childˇs voice went on； rising clear and gay；
¨Oh Edward
Oh Edward
Buff； rough； tough Uncle Edward
Your candy rotten。〃
¨Constable going to hear about this；〃 Uncle Edward said。 ¨Constable know what steps to take。〃
¨Any rotten candy today； Uncle Edward？〃 the childˇs voice called。 He was careful to keep out of sight。
¨Man is persecu
