hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第88章
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mangroves on the solid part of the key and they brought the height up even more so that he could not possibly see if there was any mast showing in the horseshoe…shaped shelter on the far side。 The big glasses hurt his eyes and he put them in their case and hung the strap of the case on a hook and laid the glasses flat on the frag rack。
He was happy to be alone again on the flying bridge and he relaxed for the short time of his reprieve。 He watched the shore birds working on the flats and he remembered what they had meant to him when he was a boy。 He could not feel the same about them now and he had no wish to kill them ever。 But he remembered the early days with his father in a blind on some sand…spit with tin decoys out and how they would come in as the tide lowered and bared the flats and how he would whistle the flock in as they were circling。 It was a sad whistle and he made it now and turned one flock。 But they veered off from the stranded ship and went far out to feed。
He swept the horizon with the big glasses once and there was no sign of any boat。 Maybe they have made it out through the new channel and into the inside passage； he thought。 It would be nice if someone else caught them。 We canˇt catch them now without a fight。 They will not surrender to a dinghy。
He had been thinking so long in their heads that he was tired of it。 I am really tired finally； he thought。 Well； I know what I have to do； so it is simple。 Duty is a wonderful thing。 I do not know what I would have done without duty since young Tom died。 You could have painted； he told himself。 Or you could have done something useful。 Maybe； he thought。 Duty is simpler。
This is useful； he thought。 Do not think against it。 It helps to get it over with。 Thatˇs all we are working for。 Christ knows what there is beyond that。 Weˇve chased these characters quite well and now take a ten…minute break and then proceed with your duty。 The hell with quite well； he thought。 Weˇve chased them very well。
¨Donˇt you want to eat； Tom？〃 Ara called up。
¨I donˇt feel hungry； kid；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Iˇll take the bottle of cold tea thatˇs on the ice。〃
Ara handed it up and Thomas Hudson took it and relaxed against the corner of the flying bridge。 He drank from the bottle of cold tea and watched the biggest key that was ahead。 The mangrove roots were showing plainly now and the key looked as though it were on stilts。 Then he saw a flight of flamingoes coming from the left。 They were flying low over the water； lovely to see in the sunlight。 Their long necks were slanted down and their incongruous legs were straight out； immobile while their pink and black wings beat； carrying them toward the mud bank that was ahead and to the right。 Thomas Hudson watched them and marvelled at their downswept black and white bills and the rose color they made in the sky； which made their strange individual structures unimportant and still each one was an excitement to him。 Then as they came up on the green key he saw them all swing sharply to the right instead of crossing the key。
¨Ara；〃 he called down。
Ara came up and said； ¨Yes； Tom。〃
¨Check out three ni？os with six clips apiece and put them in the boat with a dozen frags and the middle size aid kit。 Send Willie up here； please。〃
The flamingoes had settled on the bank to the far right and were feeding busily。 Thomas Hudson was watching them when Willie said； ¨Look at those goddam fillamingoes。〃
¨They spooked flying over the key。 Iˇm pretty sure that boat or another boat is inside there。 Do you want to go in with me； Willie？〃
¨Of course。〃
¨Did you finish chow？〃
¨The condemned man ate a hearty lunch。〃
¨Help Ara； then。〃
¨Is Ara going with us？〃
¨Iˇm taking Peters because he speaks German。〃
¨Canˇt we take Ara instead？ I donˇt want to be with Peters in a fight。〃
¨Peters may be able to talk us out of a fight。 Listen； Willie。 I want prisoners and I donˇt want their pilot to get killed。〃
¨Youˇre making a lot of conditions； Tom； with them eight or nine maybe and we three。 Who the hell knows we know they have the pilot anyway？〃
¨We know。〃
¨Letˇs not be so fucking noble。〃
¨I asked you if you wanted to come。〃
¨Iˇm coming；〃 Willie said。 ¨Only that Peters。〃
¨Peters will fight。 Send Antonio and Henry up； will you； please。〃
¨Do you think they are in there； Tom？〃 Antonio asked。
¨Iˇm pretty sure。〃
¨Canˇt I go with you； Tom？〃 Henry asked。
¨No。 She will only take three。 If anything happens to us； try and nail her with the 。50ˇs if she tries to come out on the first of the tide。 Afterwards youˇll find her in the long bay。 Sheˇll be damaged。 She probably wonˇt even be able to make it out。 Get a prisoner if you can and get into Cayo Franc？s and check in。〃
¨Couldnˇt I go in instead of Peters？〃 Henry asked。
¨No； Henry。 Iˇm sorry。 But he speaks German。 You have a good crew；〃 Thomas Hudson said to Antonio。 ¨If everything goes well with us Iˇll leave Willie and Peters on board with whatever there is and bring a prisoner back in the dinghy。〃
¨Our last prisoner didnˇt last very long。〃
¨Iˇll try and bring a good； strong； healthy one。 Go on down and see everything is secured。 I want to watch the flamingoes for a little while。〃
He stood on the flying bridge and watched the flamingoes。 It is not just their color； he thought。 Itˇs not just the black on that rose pink。 It is their size and that they are ugly in detail and yet perversely beautiful。 They must be a very old bird from the earliest times。
He did not watch them through the glasses because he did not want details now。 He wanted the roseate mass on the gray brown flat。 Two other flocks had come in now and the banks were colored in a way that he would not have dared to paint。 Or I would have dared to paint and would have painted； he thought。 It is nice to see flamingoes before you make this trip。 I better not give them time to worry or to think too much。
He climbed down from the bridge and said； ¨Gil； get up there and keep your glasses on the key。 Henry； if you hear a lot of noise and then the turtle boat should come out from behind the key； shoot her fucking bow off。 Everybody get up and glass where the survivors are and you can hunt them tomorrow。 Plug the dinghy where she is shot up and use her。 The turtle boat has a skiff and you can plug her up and use her too if we donˇt damage her too badly。〃
Antonio said； ¨Do you have any other orders？〃
¨Just keep your bowels open and try to lead clean lives。 Weˇll be back in a little while。 Come on； you two gentlemen bastards。 Letˇs go。〃
¨Grandmother always claimed I wasnˇt a bastard；〃 Peters said。 ¨She said I was the nicest…looking； most legitimate little baby in the county。〃
¨Mother claimed I wasnˇt a bastard； too；〃 Willie said。 ¨Where do you want us； Tom？〃
¨She trims best with you in the bow。 But Iˇll take the bow if you like。〃
¨Get in and steer her；〃 Willie said。 ¨You got a really good ship now。〃
¨I got my finger on my number；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Iˇm working up。 Come aboard； Mr。 Peters。〃
¨Happy to be on board； admiral；〃 Peters said。
¨Good hunting；〃 Henry said。
¨Drop dead；〃 Willie called。 The motor caught and they were off toward the silhouette of the key that was lower in the water now because of their lack of altitude。
¨Iˇm going alongside and weˇll board her without hailing。〃
The two men nodded； one amidships and one in the bow。
¨Get your junk hung。 I donˇt give a shit if it shows；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨I donˇt know where Iˇd hide it；〃 Peters said。 ¨I feel like one of grandmaˇs mules now。〃
¨Then be a mule。 Itˇs a fucking good animal。〃
¨Tom； do I have to remember all that shit about the pilot？〃
¨Remember it but use your head。〃
¨Well；〃 said Peters。 ¨We havenˇt any fucking troubles anymore。〃
¨We better all pipe down；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Weˇll all three board at the same time and if they are below； you ask them in Kraut to come out with their hands up。 We have to stop talking because they can hear voices a long way above the noise of an outboard。〃
¨What do we
