the red one(红色的那人)-第22章
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anyway； I had a bad reputation on a beach where there were no good
reputations。 I was reckless； dangerous； stopped at nothing in fight or
frolic； and the trading captains used to bring boiler…sheeted prodigies from
the vilest holes of the South Pacific to try and drink me under the table。 I
remember one； a calcined Scotchman from the New Hebrides。 It was a
great drinking。 He died of it； and we laded him aboard ship； pickled in a
cask of trade rum； and sent him back to his own place。 A sample； a fair
sample； of the antic tricks we cut up on the beach of Manatomana。
〃And of all unthinkable things； what did I up and do； one day； but look
upon the Princess to find her good and to fall in love with her。 It was the
real thing。 I was as mad as a March hare； and after that I got only
madder。 I reformed。 Think of that！ Think of what a slip of a woman
can do to a busy； roving man！ … By the Lord Harry； it's true。 I reformed。
I went to church。 Hear me！ I became converted。 I cleared my soul
before God and kept my hands … I had two then … off the ribald crew of the
beach when it laughed at this； my latest antic； and wanted to know what
was my game。
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〃I tell you I reformed； and gave myself in passion and sincerity to a
religious experience that has made me tolerant of all religion ever since。
I discharged my best captain for immorality。 So did I my cook； and a
better never boiled water in Manatomana。 For the same reason I
discharged my chief clerk。 And for the first time in the history of trading
my schooners to the westward carried Bibles in their stock。 I built a little
anchorite bungalow up town on a mango…lined street squarely alongside
the little house occupied by Ebenezer Naismith。 And I made him my pal
and comrade； and found him a veritable honey pot of sweetnesses and
goodnesses。 And he was a man； through and through a man。 And he
died long after like a man； which I would like to tell you about； were the
tale of it not so deservedly long。
〃It was the Princess； more than the missionary； who was responsible
for my expressing my faith in works； and especially in that crowning work；
the New Church； Our Church； the Queen…mother's church。
〃'Our poor church；' she said to me； one night after prayer…meeting。 I
had been converted only a fortnight。 'It is so small its congregation can
never grow。 And the roof leaks。 And King John； my hard…hearted
father； will not contribute a penny。 Yet he has a big balance in the
treasury。 And Manatomana is not poor。 Much money is made and
squandered； I know。 I hear the gossip of the wild ways of the beach。
Less than a month ago you lost more in one night； gambling at cards； than
the cost of the upkeep of our poor church for a year。'
〃And I told her it was true； but that it was before I had seen the light。
（I'd had an infernal run of bad luck。） I told her I had not tasted liquor
since； nor turned a card。 I told her that the roof would be repaired at once；
by Christian carpenters selected by her from the congregation。 But she
was filled with the thought of a great revival that Ebenezer Naismith could
preach … she was a dear saint … and she spoke of a great church； saying：
〃'You are rich。 You have many schooners； and traders in far islands；
and I have heard of a great contract you have signed to recruit labour for
the German plantations of Upolu。 They say； next to Sweitzer； you are the
richest trader here。 I should love to see some use of all this money
placed to the glory of God。 It would be a noble thing to do； and I should
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be proud to know the man who would do it。'
〃I told her that Ebenezer Naismith would preach the revival； and that I
would build a church great enough in which to house it。
〃'As big as the Catholic church？' she asked。
〃This was the ruined cathedral； built at the time when the entire
population was converted； and it was a large order； but I was afire with
love； and I told her that the church I would build would be even bigger。
〃'But it will take money；' I explained。 'And it takes time to make
money。'
〃'You have much；' she said。 'Some say you have more money than
my father； the King。
〃'I have more credit；' I explained。 'But you do not understand money。
It takes money to have credit。 So； with the money I have； and the credit I
have； I will work to make more money and credit； and the church shall be
built。'
〃Work！ I was a surprise to myself。 It is an amazement； the amount
of time a man finds on his hands after he's given up carousing； and
gambling； and all the time…eating diversions of the beach。 And I didn't
waste a second of all my new…found time。 Instead I worked it overtime。
I did the work of half a dozen men。 I became a driver。 My captains
made faster runs than ever and earned bigger bonuses； as did my
supercargoes； who saw to it that my schooners did not loaf and dawdle
along the way。 And I saw to it that my supercargoes did see to it。
〃And good！ By the Lord Harry I was so good it hurt。 My
conscience got so expansive and fine…strung it lamed me across the
shoulders to carry it around with me。 Why； I even went back over my
accounts and paid Sweitzer fifty quid I'd jiggered him out of in a deal in
Fiji three years before。 And I compounded the interest as well。
〃Work！ I planted sugar cane … the first commercial planting on
Manatomana。 I ran in cargoes of kinky…heads from Malaita； which is in
the Solomons； till I had twelve hundred of the blackbirds putting in cane。
And I sent a schooner clear to Hawaii to bring back a dismantled sugar
mill and a German who said he knew the field…end of cane。 And he did；
and he charged me three hundred dollars screw a month； and I took hold of
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the mill…end。 I installed the mill myself； with the help of several
mechanics I brought up from Queensland。
〃Of course there was a rival。 His name was Motomoe。 He was the
very highest chief blood next to King John's。 He was full native； a
strapping； handsome man； with a glowering way of showing his dislikes。
He certainly glowered at me when I began hanging around the palace。
He went back in my history and circulated the blackest tales about me。
The worst of it was that most of them were true。 He even made a voyage
to Apia to find things out … as if he couldn't find a plenty right there on the
beach of Manatomana！ And he sneered at my failing for religion； and at
my going to prayer… meeting； and； most of all； at my sugar…planting。 He
challenged me to fight； and I kept off of him。 He threatened me； and I
learned in the nick of time of his plan to have me knocked on the head。
You see； he wanted the Princess just as much as I did； and I wanted her
more。
〃She used to play the piano。 So did I； once。 But I never let her
know after I'd heard her play the first time。 And she thought her playing
was wonderful； the dear； fond girl！ You know the sort； the mechanical
one…two…three tum…tum…tum school…girl stuff。 And now I'll tell you
something funnier。 Her playing WAS wonderful to me。 The gates of
heaven opened to me when she played。 I can see myself now； worn out
and dog…tired after the long day； lying on the mats of the palace veranda
and gazing upon her at the piano； myself in a perfect idiocy of bliss。
Why； this idea she had of her fine playing was the one flaw in her
deliciousness of perfection； and I loved her for it。 It kind of brought her
within my human reach。 Why； when she played her one…two…three； tum…
tum…tum； I was in the seventh heaven of bliss。 My weariness fell from
me。 I loved her； and my love for her was clean as flame； clean as my
love for God。 And do you know； into my fond lover's fancy continually
intruded the thought that God in most ways must look like her。
〃 … That's right； Bruce Cadogan Cavendish； sneer as you like。 But I
tell you that's love that I've been describing。 That's all。 It's love。 It's the
realest； purest； finest thing that can happen to a man。 And I know what
I'm talking about。 It happened to me。〃
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Whiskers； his beady squirrel's eye glittering from out his ruined
eyebrow like a live coal in a jungle ambush； broke off long enough to
down a sedative draught from his condensed milk can and to mix another。
〃The cane；〃 he resumed； wiping his prodigious mat of face hair with
the back of his hand。 〃It matured in sixteen months in that climate； and I
was ready； just ready and no more； with the mill for the grinding。
Naturally； it did not all mature at once； but I had planted in such
succession that I could grind for nine months steadily； while more was
being planted and the ratoons were springing up。
〃I had my troubles the first several days。 If it wasn't one thing the
matter with the mill；
