stories by english authors-orient (英国作家故事集)-第20章
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BY MORLEY ROBERTS
King Billy was given to strolling up and down the streets of Ballarat
when that eviscerated city was merely in process of disembowelment；
before alluvial mining gave way to quartz…crushing； when the individual
had a chance； if a very vague one； of sudden and delightful fortune。 The
Ballarat blacks were a scaly lot； to talk of them like ill…fed hogs； as men
were wont to do。 They dwined and dwindled； as natives will before the
resources of civilisation： the bloodthirsty ones got killed out； the
rumthirsty ones died out； the wild corroboree was reduced to a poverty…
stricken imitation of its former glory。 King Billy's authority grew less with
the increase of his clothes。 The brass plate with his name on it was about
the last relic of his precarious power； and was chiefly valued as a means of
notifying the public generally that they might stand drinks to a monarch if
they saw fit and were not too humble。 He was not haughty； and never
presumed on his plate； as parvenus will。 He came of an ancient stock； and
could afford to condescend； even if he could not afford to pay for drinks。
He was very kind to children；white children； of course；and was hale…
fellow…well…met with many of them。
He was particularly fond of Annie Colborn； whose father was a
magistrate and a gold commissioner； and a person of very great
importance。 Whether or not King Billy was wise in his generation； and out
of the unwritten Scriptures of the somber bush had culled a maxim
inculcating the wisdom of making friends of the sons of Mammon； I
cannot say； but he was always good to Annie。 For my own part； I do not
believe the simple…hearted old king had any such notion inside his thick
antipodean skull。 He was good because he was not bad； which is the very
best morality after all； and a great advance on much we hear of。 And；
besides； he was sometimes hungry； and Mr。 Colborn's Chinese cook was
very haughty； and not to be approached except through an intermediary。
And who so capable of conciliating Wong as Annie？ Wong would make
her cakes even when his pigtail hung despondently from his aching head
after an opium debauch； and his cheeks were shining with anything but
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gladness； for if you get drunk very often on opium you shine。
Old Billy was mostly to be found where there was a chance of a drink；
but if the fountains were dried up； or he had been insulted by some
democratic； revolutionary； king…hating miner knocking his high hat down
over his eyes； he usually went up to Mr。 Colborn's place； and sat on the
fence； or on a log outside the gate。 So he was often very melancholy when
Annie came out。 One day his hat was very； very badly bulged indeed。
〃Your hat is very bad to…day； King Billy；〃 said six…year…old Annie； as
she stood in front of him critically； with her head on one side。 Without
knowing it； the child had come to look upon the state of the poor king's hat
as emblematical of his state of mind。 When it shut up like a closed
concertina his barometer was low。
〃Yes； missy；〃 said the king； 〃white man knock 'um over eyes； and〃
with a rub down his face〃skin 'um nose。〃
She inspected his nose carefullythough from a certain distance；
because her own nose was very good； both inside and out； and she knew
the king never got washed unless it rained when he was very drunk。 And
this was the end of summer。 It had not rained since November。
〃There is not very much skin off；〃 said Annie。 〃You had better wash
it。〃
The king made a wry face and changed the conversation。
〃You got 'um hat； Missy Annie？ One hat baal brokum； allasame white
fellow hat。 Bad hat； King Billy bad； black fellow； white fellow laugh。〃
He peered into his hat； and； trying to straighten it out； put his fist
through the side。 Poor Billy looked as if he could cry。
〃You stop a minute；〃 said Annie； and； flying indoors； she brought out a
very good high hat indeed。 〃Budgeree！〃 thought the king； that was a good
hat。 He could go down the streets like a king indeed； able to hold up his
head with any rich man in Ballarat。 He tried it on； and though it was much
too big； he knew it shone。 And the glory of a hat is in its shining as much
as its shape； even a black fellow knows that。
But that hat very nearly led to serious trouble。 For one thing； Mr。
Colborn missed it； and never thinking Annie had given it away； when he
saw the king sitting on the fence decorated with it； he stopped and
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interviewed him。
〃Where did you get that hat； you old thief？〃 asked the magistrate；
without any politeness to him who ruled the land before white men broke
into the country。 Some in authority are polite to those they dispossess； the
Prussians； for instance； to the miserable King Billys who strut about the
empire。 But the Anglo…Saxon only respects himself； and even that to a
limited extent； in new conquests。
The question troubled King Billy greatly。 He did not know that Mr。
Colborn would as soon have thought of murdering Annie as of bullying
her； so he lied promptly： 〃Me buy 'um； Mistah Cobon！〃
Mr。 Colborn took it off of his head； and saw that it was his； as he had
thought。 What he would have said I do not know； for just then he heard a
voice behind him：
〃Papa； it is my fault； I gave it to King Billy。〃
Colborn turned round and took her up； letting fall the hat as he did so。
Billy made a jump； picked it up； and； in his agitation； brushed it carefully
the wrong way。
〃My dear； if you gave it to him it's all right。 But why didn't the old fool
tell me？〃
〃He's not an old fool； papa； and you must not say so。 He's a good man；
and I think he thought you would be angry with me。 Didn't you； King
Billy？〃 And the king； with a smile of conscious rectitude； admitted it was
so。
Mr。 Colborn gave him sixpence； and he gave Annie a great many
kisses； declaring； with uncommon thoughtlessness； that whatever she did
was right； and that she could give the king all his house； and Australia to
boot。 Whereon King Billy smiled a smile that was portentous； and showed
his teeth to the uttermost recesses of his ample mouth。 Looking down； he
surveyed the rest of his clothes； which in parts resembled the child's
definition of a net as a lot of holes tied together with string； and； looking
up； he inspected Mr。 Colborn as if estimating the resources of his
wardrobe。 But being urgently smitten with the necessity of getting rid of
his sixpence； he shambled off into the town。 Other matters might wait； that
admitted of no delay。
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The mind of King Billy was not a big mind； it would no more have
taken in an abstract idea than his /gunyah/ would have accommodated a
grand piano。 He was as simple as sunlight； and to resolve his intellect into
seven colours would want the most ingenious spectroscope。 But he could
make an inference from a positive fact； and； having made it； he did not
allow more remote deductions to trouble his legitimate conclusion。 He
ceased to fear Mr。 Colborn； and began to look upon the magistrate's
property as if it were at least half his own。 So he got very drunk on the
hospitality of a new chum miner who had been successful； and presently；
presuming on his new possessions； got into a fight with his entertainer and
a disrespectful subking of his own blacks； and was reduced to worse rags
than ever。
Next morning he sat outside the magistrate's house； on the lowest log
he could find； and when Mr。 Colborn came out he tackled him with the air
of a subject king demanding redress of his suzerain。
〃Well； Billy； what is it？〃 asked the suzerain。
〃You belong gublement？〃 said Billy the king； with a question； an
implied doubt； and a great complaint in his voice。 Colborn laughed。
〃Why； yes； Billy； I belong to the government； I suppose。〃
〃Then；〃 said Billy； 〃what you say to white fellow make 'um black
fellow drunk； knock 'um all about？ Call you that gublement？〃 And he
showed his kingly robe； which had once been a frock…coat； with great
disgust。
However； he met with no favour； and was told that he should not get
drunkthat it served him right； with which magisterial decision Colborn
got on his horse and rode off to the flat。
The king sat down sadly and considered thickly in his slow brain。
Annie did not come out； and he knew better than to ask for her； for Mr。
Colborn's niece； who kept house for him； was but newly come from home；
and thought all black fellows congenital murderers； which indeed they are
in some parts of the north。 So Billy sat and waited； for he wanted a new
coat。 How could he be respected in one whose natural divisions were
unnaturally extended to the very neck？ It was obviously necessary to get a
new garment at once； and the best chance of a good one lay in little
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Annie's kindness。 But in order to obviate the slightest chance of his girl
patron's refusing； he must bring her some offering。 He went off into the
bush at the back of the town； and； coming to where three or four black
fellows were camped； he sat down and talked with them。 In spite of the
heat； a wretched old gin； muffled up in her one garment； a ragged blanket；
held her hands over the few burning sticks which represent an Australian
native's idea of a fire。 Presently King Billy rose； and； taking a tomahawk；
went farther into the bush。 He looked about； and at last came to a tree；
which he climbed native fashio
