the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Why； it's the Aloha Orchestra；〃 he said。 〃I thought they were with
the Hawaiian Hotel on Tuesday nights。 Some rumpus； I guess。〃
His eyes paused for a moment； and dwelt upon the one who was
playing a guitar and singing a Hawaiian song to the accompaniment of
all the instruments。
His face became grave as he looked at the singer； and it was still
grave as he turned it to his companion。
〃Look here； Ford； isn't it time you let up on Joe Garland？ I
understand you are in opposition to the Promotion Committee's sending
him to the States on this surf…board proposition； and I've been wanting to
speak to you about it。 I should have thought you'd be glad to get him
out of the country。 It would be a good way to end your persecution of
him。〃
〃Persecution？〃 Percival Ford's eyebrows lifted interrogatively。
〃Call it by any name you please；〃 Kennedy went on。 〃You've
hounded that poor devil for years。 It's not his fault。 Even you will
5
… Page 6…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
admit that。〃
〃Not his fault？〃 Percival Ford's thin lips drew tightly together for
the moment。 〃Joe Garland is dissolute and idle。 He has always been a
wastrel； a profligate。〃
〃But that's no reason you should keep on after him the way you do。
I've watched you from the beginning。 The first thing you did when you
returned from college and found him working on the plantation as
outside luna was to fire himyou with your millions； and he with his
sixty dollars a month。〃
〃Not the first thing；〃 Percival Ford said judicially； in a tone he was
accustomed to use in committee meetings。 〃I gave him his warning。
The superintendent said he was a capable luna。 I had no objection to
him on that ground。 It was what he did outside working hours。 He
undid my work faster than I could build it up。 Of what use were the
Sunday schools； the night schools； and the sewing classes； when in the
evenings there was Joe Garland with his infernal and eternal tum…
tumming of guitar and ukulele； his strong drink； and his hula dancing？
After I warned him； I came upon himI shall never forget itcame upon
him； down at the cabins。 It was evening。 I could hear the hula songs
before I saw the scene。 And when I did see it； there were the girls；
shameless in the moonlight and dancingthe girls upon whom I had
worked to teach clean living and right conduct。 And there were three
girls there； I remember； just graduated from the mission school。 Of
course I discharged Joe Garland。 I know it was the same at Hilo。
People said I went out of my way when I persuaded Mason and Fitch to
discharge him。 But it was the missionaries who requested me to do so。
He was undoing their work by his reprehensible example。〃
〃Afterwards； when he got on the railroad； your railroad； he was
discharged without cause；〃 Kennedy challenged。
〃Not so；〃 was the quick answer。 〃I had him into my private office
and talked with him for half an hour。〃
〃You discharged him for inefficiency？〃
〃For immoral living； if you please。〃
Dr。 Kennedy laughed with a grating sound。 〃Who the devil gave it to
6
… Page 7…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
you to be judge and jury？ Does landlordism give you control of the
immortal souls of those that toil for you？ I have been your physician。
Am I to expect tomorrow your ukase that I give up Scotch and soda or
your patronage？ Bah！ Ford； you take life too seriously。 Besides；
when Joe got into that smuggling scrape （he wasn't in your employ；
either）； and he sent word to you； asked you to pay his fine； you left him
to do his six months' hard labour on the reef。 Don't forget； you left Joe
Garland in the lurch that time。 You threw him down； hard； and yet I
remember the first day you came to schoolwe boarded； you were only
a day scholaryou had to be initiated。 Three times under in the
swimming tankyou remember； it was the regular dose every new boy
got。 And you held back。 You denied that you could swim。 You were
frightened； hysterical〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 Percival Ford said slowly。 〃I was frightened。 And
it was a lie； for I could swim 。 。 。 And I was frightened。〃
〃And you remember who fought for you？ who lied for you harder than
you could lie； and swore he knew you couldn't swim？ Who jumped into
the tank and pulled you out after the first under and was nearly drowned
for it by the other boys； who had discovered by that time that you
COULD swim？〃
〃Of course I know；〃 the other rejoined coldly。 〃But a generous act
as a boy does not excuse a lifetime of wrong living。〃
〃He has never done wrong to you？personally and directly； I mean？〃
〃No；〃 was Percival Ford's answer。 〃That is what makes my position
impregnable。 I have no personal spite against him。 He is bad； that is
all。 His life is bad〃
〃Which is another way of saying that he does not agree with you in
the way life should be lived；〃 the doctor interrupted。
〃Have it that way。 It is immaterial。 He is an idler〃
〃With reason；〃 was the interruption； 〃considering the jobs out of
which you have knocked him。〃
〃He is immoral〃
〃Oh； hold on now； Ford。 Don't go harping on that。 You are pure
New England stock。 Joe Garland is half Kanaka。 Your blood is thin。
7
… Page 8…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
His is warm。 Life is one thing to you； another thing to him。 He
laughs and sings and dances through life； genial； unselfish； childlike；
everybody's friend。 You go through life like a perambulating prayer…
wheel； a friend of nobody but the righteous； and the righteous are those
who agree with you as to what is right。 And after all； who shall say？
You live like an anchorite。 Joe Garland lives like a good fellow。 Who
has extracted the most from life？ We are paid to live； you know。
When the wages are too meagre we throw up the job； which is the cause；
believe me； of all rational suicide。 Joe Garland would starve to death
on the wages you get from life。 You see； he is made differently。 So
would you starve on his wages； which are singing； and love〃
〃Lust； if you will pardon me；〃 was the interruption。
Dr。 Kennedy smiled。
〃Love； to you； is a word of four letters and a definition which you
have extracted from the dictionary。 But love； real love； dewy and
palpitant and tender； you do not know。 If God made you and me； and
men and women； believe me He made love； too。 But to come back。
It's about time you quit hounding Joe Garland。 It is not worthy of you；
and it is cowardly。 The thing for you to do is to reach out and lend him
a hand。〃
〃Why I； any more than you？〃 the other demanded。 〃Why don't you
reach him a hand？〃
〃I have。 I'm reaching him a hand now。 I'm trying to get you not to
down the Promotion Committee's proposition of sending him away。 I
got him the job at Hilo with Mason and Fitch。 I've got him half a
dozen jobs； out of every one of which you drove him。 But never mind
that。 Don't forget one thingand a little frankness won't hurt youit is
not fair play to saddle another fault on Joe Garland； and you know that
you； least of all； are the man to do it。 Why； man； it's not good taste。
It's positively indecent。〃
〃Now I don't follow you；〃 Percival Ford answered。 〃You're up in the
air with some obscure scientific theory of heredity and personal
irresponsibility。 But how any theory can hold Joe Garland
irresponsible for his wrongdoings and at the same time hold me
8
… Page 9…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
personally responsible for themmore responsible than any one else；
including Joe Garlandis beyond me。〃
〃It's a matter of delicacy； I suppose； or of taste； that prevents you
from following me；〃 Dr。 Kennedy snapped out。 〃It's all very well； for
the sake of society； tacitly to ignore some things； but you do more than
tacitly ignore。〃
〃What is it； pray； that I tacitly ignore！〃
Dr。 Kennedy was angry。 A deeper red than that of constitutional
Scotch and soda suffused his face； as he answered：
〃Your father's son。〃
〃Now just what do you mean？〃
〃Damn it； man； you can't ask me to be plainer spoken than that。 But
if you will； all rightIsaac Ford's sonJoe Garlandyour brother。〃
Percival Ford sat quietly； an annoyed and shocked expression on his
face。 Kennedy looked at him curiously； then； as the slow minutes
dragged by； became embarrassed and frightened。
〃My God！〃 he cried finally； 〃you don't mean to tell me that you
didn't know！〃
As in answer； Percival Ford's cheeks turned slowly grey。
