falk-第6章

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cents　from　the　fishing　boats　outside　is　what　he　lives

on。　　You　would　hardly　credit　iteh？　　A　white

man；　too。　。　。　。〃



He　wiped　his　lips；　using　the　napkin　with　indig…

nation；　and　looking　at　me。　　It　flashed　through　my

mind　in　the　midst　of　my　depression　that　if　all　the

meat　in　the　town　was　like　these　table　d'hote　chops；

Falk　wasn't　so　far　wrong。　　I　was　on　the　point　of

saying　this；　but　Schomberg's　stare　was　intimidat…

ing。　　〃He's　a　vegetarian；　perhaps；〃　I　murmured

instead。



〃He's　a　miser。　　A　miserable　miser；〃　affirmed　the

hotel…keeper　with　great　force。　　〃The　meat　here　is

not　so　good　as　at　homeof　course。　　And　dear　too。

But　look　at　me。　　I　only　charge　a　dollar　for　the　tif…

fin；　and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　for　the　dinner。

Show　me　anything　cheaper。　　Why　am　I　doing　it？

There's　little　profit　in　this　game。　　Falk　wouldn't

look　at　it。　　I　do　it　for　the　sake　of　a　lot　of　young

white　fellows　here　that　hadn't　a　place　where　they

could　get　a　decent　meal　and　eat　it　decently　in　good

company。　　There's　first…rate　company　always　at

my　table。〃



The　convinced　way　he　surveyed　the　empty　chairs

made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　intruded　upon　a　tiffin　of

ghostly　Presences。



〃A　white　man　should　eat　like　a　white　man；　dash

it　all；〃　he　burst　out　impetuously。　　〃Ought　to　eat

meat；　must　eat　meat。　　I　manage　to　get　meat　for　my

patrons　all　the　year　round。　　Don't　I？　　I　am　not　ca…

tering　for　a　dam'　lot　of　coolies：　Have　another　chop

captain。　。　。　。　　No？　　You；　boytake　away！〃



He　threw　himself　back　and　waited　grimly　for　the

curry。　　The　half…closed　jalousies　darkened　the　room

pervaded　by　the　smell　of　fresh　whitewash：　a　swarm

of　flies　buzzed　and　settled　in　turns；　and　poor　Mrs。

Schomberg's　smile　seemed　to　express　the　quintes…

sence　of　all　the　imbecility　that　had　ever　spoken；　had

ever　breathed；　had　ever　been　fed　on　infamous　buffalo

meat　within　these　bare　walls。　　Schomberg　did　not

open　his　lips　till　he　was　ready　to　thrust　therein　a

spoonful　of　greasy　rice。　　He　rolled　his　eyes　ridicu…

lously　before　he　swallowed　the　hot　stuff；　and　only

then　broke　out　afresh。



〃It　is　the　most　degrading　thing。　　They　take　the

dish　up　to　the　wheelhouse　for　him　with　a　cover　on　it；

and　he　shuts　both　the　doors　before　he　begins　to　eat。

Fact！　　Must　be　ashamed　of　himself。　　Ask　the　engi…

neer。　　He　can't　do　without　an　engineerdon't　you

seeand　as　no　respectable　man　can　be　expected　to

put　up　with　such　a　table；　he　allows　them　fifteen　dol…

lars　a　month　extra　mess　money。　　I　assure　you　it　is

so！　　You　just　ask　Mr。　Ferdinand　da　Costa。　　That's

the　engineer　he　has　now。　　You　may　have　seen　him

about　my　place；　a　delicate　dark　young　man；　with

very　fine　eyes　and　a　little　moustache。　　He　arrived

here　a　year　ago　from　Calcutta。　　Between　you　and

me；　I　guess　the　money…lenders　there　must　have　been

after　him。　　He　rushes　here　for　a　meal　every　chance

he　can　get；　for　just　please　tell　me　what　satisfaction

is　that　for　a　well…educated　young　fellow　to　feed　all

alone　in　his　cabinlike　a　wild　beast？　　That's　what

Falk　expects　his　engineers　to　put　up　with　for　fifteen

dollars　extra。　　And　the　rows　on　board　every　time　a

little　smell　of　cooking　gets　about　the　deck！　　You

wouldn't　believe！　　The　other　day　da　Costa　got　the

cook　to　fry　a　steak　for　hima　turtle　steak　it　was

too；　not　beef　at　alland　the　fat　caught　or　some…

thing。　　Young　da　Costa　himself　was　telling　me　of

it　here　in　this　room。　　'Mr。　Schomberg'says　he

'if　I　had　let　a　cylinder　cover　blow　off　through　the

skylight　by　my　negligence　Captain　Falk　couldn't

have　been　more　savage。　　He　frightened　the　cook　so

that　he　won't　put　anything　on　the　fire　for　me　now。'

Poor　da　Costa　had　tears　in　his　eyes。　　Only　try　to

put　yourself　in　his　place；　captain：　a　sensitive；　gen…

tlemanly　young　fellow。　　Is　he　expected　to　eat　his

food　raw？　　But　that's　your　Falk　all　over。　　Ask　any

one　you　like。　　I　suppose　the　fifteen　dollars　extra　he

has　to　give　keep　on　ranklingin　there。〃



And　Schomberg　tapped　his　manly　breast。　　I　sat

half　stunned　by　his　irrelevant　babble。　　Suddenly

he　gripped　my　forearm　in　an　impressive　and　cau…

tious　manner；　as　if　to　lead　me　into　a　very　cavern　of

confidence。



〃It's　nothing　but　enviousness；〃　he　said　in　a　low…

ered　tone；　which　had　a　stimulating　effect　upon　my

wearied　hearing。　　〃I　don't　suppose　there　is　one

person　in　this　town　that　he　isn't　envious　of。　　I　tell

you　he's　dangerous。　　Even　I　myself　am　not　safe

from　him。　　I　know　for　certain　he　tried　to　poi…

son　。　。　。　。〃



〃Oh；　come　now；〃　I　cried；　revolted。



〃But　I　know　for　certain。　　The　people　themselves

came　and　told　me　of　it。　　He　went　about　saying

everywhere　I　was　a　worse　pest　to　this　town　than　the

cholera。　　He　had　been　talking　against　me　ever　since

I　opened　this　hotel。　　And　he　poisoned　Captain　Her…

mann's　mind　too。　　Last　time　the　Diana　was　loading

here　Captain　Hermann　used　to　come　in　every　day

for　a　drink　or　a　cigar。　　This　time　he　hasn't　been

here　twice　in　a　week。　　How　do　you　account　for

that？〃



He　squeezed　my　arm　till　he　extorted　from　me

some　sort　of　mumble。



〃He　makes　ten　times　the　money　I　do。　　I've

another　hotel　to　fight　against；　and　there　is　no　other

tug　on　the　river。　　I　am　not　in　his　way；　am　I？　　He

wouldn't　be　fit　to　run　an　hotel　if　he　tried。　　But　that's

just　his　nature。　　He　can't　bear　to　think　I　am　mak…

ing　a　living。　　I　only　hope　it　makes　him　properly

wretched。　　He's　like　that　in　everything。　　He

would　like　to　keep　a　decent　table　well　enough。

But　nofor　the　sake　of　a　few　cents。　　Can't　do　it。

It's　too　much　for　him。　　That's　what　I　call　being　a

slave　to　it。　　But　he's　mean　enough　to　kick　up　a　row

when　his　nose　gets　tickled　a　bit。　　See　that？　　That

just　paints　him。　　Miserly　and　envious。　　You　can't

account　for　it　any　other　way。　　Can　you？　　I　have

been　studying　him　these　three　years。〃



He　was　anxious　I　should　assent　to　his　theory。

And　indeed　on　thinking　it　over　it　would　have　been

plausible　enough　if　there　hadn't　been　always　the

essential　falseness　of　irresponsibility　in　Schom…

berg's　chatter。　　However；　I　was　not　disposed　to　in…

vestigate　the　psychology　of　Falk。　　I　was　engaged

just　then　in　eating　despondently　a　piece　of　stale

Dutch　cheese；　being　too　much　crushed　to　care　what

I　swallowed　myself；　let　along　bothering　my　head

about　Falk's　ideas　of　gastronomy。　　I　could　expect

from　their　study　no　clue　to　his　conduct　in　matters

of　business；　which　seemed　to　me　totally　unrestrained

by　morality　or　even　by　the　commonest　sort　of　de…

cency。　　How　insignificant　and　contemptible　I　must

appear；　for　the　fellow　to　dare　treat　me　like　thisI

reflected　suddenly；　writhing　in　silent　agony。　　And

I　consigned　Falk　and　all　his　peculiarities　to　the　devil

with　so　much　mental　fervour　as　to　forget　Schom…

berg's　existence；　till　he　grabbed　my　arm　urgently。

〃Well；　you　may　think　and　think　till　every　hair　of

your　head　falls　off；　captain；　but　you　can't　explain

it　in　any　other　way。〃



For　the　sake　of　peace　and　quietness　I　admitted

hurriedly　that　I　couldn't：　persuaded　that　now　he

would　leave　off。　　But　the　only　result　was　to　make

his　moist　face　shine　with　the　pride　of　cunning。　　He

removed　his　hand　for　a　moment　to　scare　a　black

mass　of　flies　off　the　sugar…basin　and　caught　hold　of

my　arm　again。



〃To　be　sure。　　And　in　the　same　way　everybody　is

aware　he　would　like　to　get　married。　　Only　he　can't。

Let　me　quote　you　an　instance。　　Well；　two　years　ago

a　Miss　Vanlo；　a　very　ladylike　girl；　came　from　home

to　keep　house　for　her　brother；　Fred；　who　had　an　en…

gineering　shop　for　small　repairs　by　the　water　side。

Suddenly　Falk　takes　to　going　up　to　their　bunga…

low　after　dinner；　and　sitting　for　hours　in　the　veran…

dah　saying　nothing。　　The　poor　girl　couldn't　tell

for　the　life　of　her　what　to　do　with　such　a　man；　so　she

would　keep　on　playing　the　piano　and　singing　to

him　evening　after　evening　till　she　was　ready　to

drop。　　And　it　wasn't　as　if　she　had　been　a　strong

young　woman　either。　　She　was　thirty；　and　the　cli…

mate　had　been　playing　the　deuce　with　her。　　Then

don't　you　knowFred　had　to　sit　up　with　them　for

propriety；　and　during　whole　weeks　on　end　never　got

a　single　chance　to　get　to　bed　before　midnight。

That　was　not　pleasant　for　a　tired　manwas　it？

And　besides　Fred　had　worries　then　because　his　shop

didn't　pay　and　he　was　dropping　money　fast。　　He

just　longed　to　get　away　from　here　and　try　his　luck

somewhere　else；　but　for　the　sake　of　his　sister　he

hung　on　and　on　till　he　ran　himself　into　debt　over　his

earsI　can　tell　you。　　I；　myself；　could　show　a　hand…

ful　of　his　chits　for　meals　and　drinks　in　my　drawer。

I　could　never　find　out　tho'　where　he　found　all　the

money　at　last。　　Can't　be　but　he　must　have　got　some…

thing　out　of　that　brother　of　his；　a　coal　merchant　in

Port　Said。　　Anyhow　he　paid　everybody　before　he

left；　but　the　girl　nearly　broke　her　heart。　　Disap…

pointment；　of　course；　and　at　her　age；　don't　you

know。　。　。　。　　Mrs。　Schomberg　here　was　very　friendly

with　her；　and　she　could　tell　you。　　Awful　despair。

Fainting　fits。　　It　was　a　scandal。　　A　notorious　scan…

dal。　　To　that　extent　that　old　Mr。　Siegersnot

your　present　charterer；　but　Mr。　Siegers　the　father；

the　old　gentleman　who　retired　from　business　on　a

fortune　and　got　buried　at　sea　going　home；　HE　had

to　interview　Falk　in　his　private　office。　　He　was　a

man　who　could　speak　like　a　Dutch　Uncle；　and；　be…

sides；　Messrs。　Siegers　had　been　helping　Falk　with

a　good　bit　of　money　from　the　start。　　In　fact　you

may　say　they　made　him　as　far　as　that　goes。

It　so　happened　that　just　at　the　time　he　turned　up

here；　their　firm　was　chartering　a　lot　of　sailing　ships

every　year；　and　it　suited　their　business　that　there

should　be　good　towing　facilities　on　the　river。　　See？

。　。　。　　Wellthere's　always　an　ear　at　the　keyhole

isn't　there？　　In　fact；〃　he　lowered　his　tone　confiden…

tially；　〃in　this　case　a　good　friend　of　mine；　a　man

you　can　see　here　any　evening；　only　they　conversed

rather　low。　　Anyhow　my　friend's　certain　that　Falk

was　trying　to　make　all　sorts　of　excuses；　and　old　Mr。

Siegers　was　coughing　a　lot。　　And　yet　Falk　wanted

all　the　time　to　be　married　too。　　Why！　　It's　notorious

the　man　has　been　longing　for　years　to　make　a　home

for　himself。　　Only　he　can't　face　the　expense。

When　it　comes　to　putting　his　hand　in　his　pocket

it　chokes　him　off。　　That's　the　truth　and　no　other。

I've　always　said　so；　and　everybody　agrees　with　me

by　this　time。　　What　do　you　think　of　thateh？〃



He　appealed　confidently　to　my　indignation；　but

having　a　mind　to　annoy　him　I　remarked；　〃that　it

seemed　to　me　very　pitifulif　true。〃



He　bounced　in　his　chair　as　if　I　had　run　a　pin　into

him。　　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have　said；　only

at　that　moment　we　heard　through　the　half　open

door　of　the　billiard…room　the　footsteps　of　two　men

entering　from　the　verandah；　a　murmur　of　two

voices；　at　the　sharp　tapping　of　a　coin　on　a　table

Mrs。　Schomberg　half　rose　irresolutely。　　〃Sit　still；〃

he　hissed　at　her；　and　then；　in　a