falk-第3章
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frank。 It may； of course； have been Hermann's
skilful seamanship； but to me it looked as if the al…
lied oceans had refrained from smashing these high
bulwarks； unshipping the lumpy rudder； frighten…
ing the children； and generally opening this fam…
ily's eyes out of sheer reticence。 It looked like reti…
cence。 The ruthless disclosure was in the end left
for a man to make； a man strong and elemental
enough and driven to unveil some secrets of the sea
by the power of a simple and elemental desire。
This； however； occurred much later； and mean…
time I took sanctuary in that serene old ship early
every evening。 The only person on board that
seemed to be in trouble was little Lena； and in due
course I perceived that the health of the rag…doll
was more than delicate。 This object led a sort of
〃in extremis〃 existence in a wooden box placed
against the starboard mooring…bitts； tended and
nursed with the greatest sympathy and care by all
the children； who greatly enjoyed pulling long faces
and moving with hushed footsteps。 Only the baby
Nicholaslooked on with a cold； ruffianly leer；
as if he had belonged to another tribe altogether。
Lena perpetually sorrowed over the box； and all of
them were in deadly earnest。 It was wonderful the
way these children would work up their compassion
for that bedraggled thing I wouldn't have touched
with a pair of tongs。 I suppose they were exercis…
ing and developing their racial sentimentalism by
the means of that dummy。 I was only surprised
that Mrs。 Hermann let Lena cherish and hug that
bundle of rags to that extent； it was so disreputably
and completely unclean。 But Mrs。 Hermann would
raise her fine womanly eyes from her needlework to
look on with amused sympathy； and did not seen to
see it； somehow； that this object of affection was a
disgrace to the ship's purity。 Purity； not cleanli…
ness； is the word。 It was pushed so far that I seemed
to detect in this too a sentimental excess； as if dirt
had been removed in very love。 It is impossible to
give you an idea of such a meticulous neatness。 It
was as if every morning that ship had been ardu…
ously explored withwith toothbrushes。 Her very
bowsprit three times a week had its toilette made
with a cake of soap and a piece of soft flannel。 Ar…
rayedI MUST say arrayedarrayed artlessly in
dazzling white paint as to wood and dark green as
to ironwork the simple…minded distribution of these
colours evoked the images of simple…minded peace；
of arcadian felicity； and the childish comedy of
disease and sorrow struck me sometimes as an abom…
inably real blot upon that ideal state。
I enjoyed it greatly； and on my part I brought
a little mild excitement into it。 Our intimacy arose
from the pursuit of that thief。 It was in the even…
ing； and Hermann； who； contrary to his habits； had
stayed on shore late that day； was extricating him…
self backwards out of a little gharry on the river
bank； opposite his ship； when the hunt passed。
Realising the situation as though he had eyes in his
shoulder…blades； he joined us with a leap and took
the lead。 The Chinaman fled silent like a rapid
shadow on the dust of an extremely oriental road。
I followed。 A long way in the rear my mate
whooped like a savage。 A young moon threw a
bashful light on a plain like a monstrous waste
ground： the architectural mass of a Buddhist tem…
ple far away projected itself in dead black on the
sky。 We lost the thief of course； but in my disap…
pointment I had to admire Hermann's presence of
mind。 The velocity that stodgy man developed in
the interests of a complete stranger earned my
warm gratitudethere was something truly cordial
in his exertions。
He seemed as vexed as myself at our failure； and
would hardly listen to my thanks。 He said it was
〃nothings；〃 and invited me on the spot to come on
board his ship and drink a glass of beer with him。
We poked sceptically for a while amongst the
bushes； peered without conviction into a ditch or
two。 There was not a sound： patches of slime glim…
mered feebly amongst the reeds。 Slowly we trudged
back； drooping under the thin sickle of the moon；
and I heard him mutter to himself； 〃Himmel！ Zwei
und dreissig Pfund！〃 He was impressed by the
figure of my loss。 For a long time we had ceased to
hear the mate's whoops and yells。
Then he said to me； 〃Everybody has his troub…
les；〃 and as we went on remarked that he would
never have known anything of mine hadn't he by an
extraordinary chance been detained on shore by
Captain Falk。 He didn't like to stay late ashore
he added with a sigh。 The something doleful in his
tone I put to his sympathy with my misfortune； of
course。
On board the Diana Mrs。 Hermann's fine eyes
expressed much interest and commiseration。 We
had found the two women sewing face to face under
the open skylight in the strong glare of the lamp。
Hermann walked in first； starting in the very door…
way to pull off his coat； and encouraging me with
loud； hospitable ejaculations： 〃Come in！ This
way！ Come in； captain！〃 At once； coat in hand；
he began to tell his wife all about it。 Mrs。 Hermann
put the palms of her plump hands together； I
smiled and bowed with a heavy heart： the niece got
up from her sewing to bring Hermann's slippers
and his embroidered calotte； which he assumed pon…
tifically； talking （about me） all the time。 Billows
of white stuff lay between the chairs on the cabin
floor； I caught the words 〃Zwei und dreissig
Pfund〃 repeated several times； and presently came
the beer； which seemed delicious to my throat；
parched with running and the emotions of the chase。
I didn't get away till well past midnight； long
after the women had retired。 Hermann had been
trading in the East for three years or more； carry…
ing freights of rice and timber mostly。 His ship
was well known in all the ports from Vladivostok to
Singapore。 She was his own property。 The profits
had been moderate； but the trade answered well
enough while the children were small yet。 In an…
other year or so he hoped he would be able to sell the
old Diana to a firm in Japan for a fair price。 He
intended to return home； to Bremen； by mail boat；
second class； with Mrs。 Hermann and the children。
He told me all this stolidly； with slow puffs at his
pipe。 I was sorry when knocking the ashes out he
began to rub his eyes。 I would have sat with him
till morning。 What had I to hurry on board my
own ship for？ To face the broken rifled drawer in
my state…room。 Ugh！ The very thought made me
feel unwell。
I became their daily guest； as you know。 I think
that Mrs。 Hermann from the first looked upon me
as a romantic person。 I did not； of course； tear my
hair coram populo over my loss； and she took it for
lordly indifference。 Afterwards； I daresay； I did
tell them some of my adventuressuch as they were
and they marvelled greatly at the extent of my
experience。 Hermann would translate what he
thought the most striking passages。 Getting up on
his legs； and as if delivering a lecture on a phenom…
enon； he addressed himself； with gestures； to the
two women； who would let their sewing sink slowly
on their laps。 Meantime I sat before a glass of
Hermann's beer； trying to look modest。 Mrs。 Her…
mann would glance at me quickly； emit slight
〃Ach's！〃 The girl never made a sound。 Never。
But she too would sometimes raise her pale eyes to
look at me in her unseeing gentle way。 Her glance
was by no means stupid； it beamed out soft and dif…
fuse as the moon beams upon a landscapequite
differently from the scrutinising inspection of the
stars。 You were drowned in it； and imagined your…
self to appear blurred。 And yet this same glance
when turned upon Christian Falk must have been
as efficient as the searchlight of a battle…ship。
Falk was the other assiduous visitor on board；
but from his behaviour he might have been coming
to see the quarter…deck capstan。 He certainly used
to stare at it a good deal when keeping us company
outside the cabin door； with one muscular arm
thrown over the back of the chair； and his big
shapely legs； in very tight white trousers； extended
far out and ending in a pair of black shoes as
roomy as punts。 On arrival he would shake Her…
mann's hand with a mutter； bow to the women； and
take up his careless and misanthropic attitude by
our side。 He departed abruptly； with a jump； go…
ing through the performance of grunts； hand…
shakes； bow； as if in a panic。 Sometimes； with a
sort of discreet and convulsive effort； he approached
the women and exchanged a few low words with
them； half a dozen at most。 On these occasions Her…
mann's usual stare became positively glassy and
Mrs。 Hermann's kind countenance would colour up。
The girl herself never turned a hair。
Falk was a Dane or perhaps a Norwegian； I
can't tell now。 At all events he was a Scandinavian
of some sort； and a bloated monopolist to boot。 It
is possible he was unacquainted with the word； but
he had a clear perception of the thing itself。 His
tariff of charges for towing ships in and out was
the most brutally inconsiderate document of the sort
I had ever seen。 He was the commander and owner
of the only tug…boat on the river； a very trim white
craft of 150 tons or more； as elegantly neat as a
yacht； with a round wheel…house rising like a glazed
turret high above her sharp bows； and with one slen…
der varnished pole mast forward。 I daresay there
are yet a few shipmasters afloat who remember Falk
and his tug very well。 He extracted his pound and
a half of flesh from each of us merchant…skippers
with an inflexible sort of indifference which made
him detested and even feared。 Schomberg used to
remark： 〃I won't talk about the fellow。 I don't
think he has six drinks from year's end to year's end
in my place。 But my advice is； gentlemen； don't
you have anything to do with him； if you can help
it。〃
This advice； apart from unavoidable business re…
lations； was easy to follow because Falk intruded
upon no one。 It seems absurd to compare a tug…
boat skipper to a centaur： but he reminded me some…
how of an engraving in a little book I had as a boy；
which represented centaurs at a stream； and there
was one； especially in the foreground； prancing bow
and arrows in hand； with regular severe features
and an immense curled wavy beard； flowing down
his breast。 Falk's face reminded me of that cen…
taur。 Besides； he was a composite creature。 Not
a man…horse； it is true； but a man…boat。 He lived
on board his tug； which was always dashing up and
down the river from early morn till dewy eve。
In the last rays of the setting sun； you could pick
out far away down the reach his beard borne high
up on the white structure； foaming up st
