the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第3章
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didn't know！〃
As in answer； Percival Ford's cheeks turned slowly grey。
〃It's a ghastly joke；〃 he said； 〃a ghastly joke。〃
The doctor had got himself in hand。
〃Everybody knows it；〃 he said。 〃I thought you knew it。 And since
you don't know it； it's time you did； and I'm glad of the chance of setting
you straight。 Joe Garland and you are brothershalf… brothers。〃
〃It's a lie；〃 Ford cried。 〃You don't mean it。 Joe Garland's mother
was Eliza Kunilio。〃 （Dr。 Kennedy nodded。） 〃I remember her well；
with her duck pond and taro patch。 His father was Joseph Garland； the
beach…comber。〃 （Dr。 Kennedy shook his head。） 〃He died only two or
three years ago。 He used to get drunk。 There's where Joe got his
dissoluteness。 There's the heredity for you。〃
〃And nobody told you；〃 Kennedy said wonderingly； after a pause。
〃Dr。 Kennedy； you have said something terrible； which I cannot allow
to pass。 You must either prove or； or 。 。 。 〃
〃Prove it yourself。 Turn around and look at him。 You've got him in
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profile。 Look at his nose。 That's Isaac Ford's。 Yours is a thin edition
of it。 That's right。 Look。 The lines are fuller； but they are all there。〃
Percival Ford looked at the Kanaka half…breed who played under the
hau tree； and it seemed； as by some illumination； that he was gazing on a
wraith of himself。 Feature after feature flashed up an unmistakable
resemblance。 Or； rather； it was he who was the wraith of that other
full…muscled and generously moulded man。 And his features； and that
other man's features； were all reminiscent of Isaac Ford。 And nobody
had told him。 Every line of Isaac Ford's face he knew。 Miniatures；
portraits； and photographs of his father were passing in review through
his mind； and here and there； over and again； in the face before him； he
caught resemblances and vague hints of likeness。 It was devil's work
that could reproduce the austere features of Isaac Ford in the loose and
sensuous features before him。 Once； the man turned； and for one
flashing instant it seemed to Percival Ford that he saw his father； dead
and gone； peering at him out of the face of Joe Garland。
〃It's nothing at all；〃 he could faintly hear Dr。 Kennedy saying； 〃They
were all mixed up in the old days。 You know that。 You've seen it all
your life。 Sailors married queens and begat princesses and all the rest
of it。 It was the usual thing in the Islands。〃
〃But not with my father；〃 Percival Ford interrupted。
〃There you are。〃 Kennedy shrugged his shoulders。 〃Cosmic sap
and smoke of life。 Old Isaac Ford was straitlaced and all the rest； and
I know there's no explaining it； least of all to himself。 He understood it
no more than you do。 Smoke of life； that's all。 And don't forget one
thing； Ford。 There was a dab of unruly blood in old Isaac Ford； and Joe
Garland inherited itall of it； smoke of life and cosmic sap； while you
inherited all of old Isaac's ascetic blood。 And just because your blood
is cold； well…ordered； and well… disciplined； is no reason that you should
frown upon Joe Garland。 When Joe Garland undoes the work you do；
remember that it is only old Isaac Ford on both sides； undoing with one
hand what he does with the other。 You are Isaac Ford's right hand； let
us say； Joe Garland is his left hand。〃
Percival Ford made no answer； and in the silence Dr。 Kennedy
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finished his forgotten Scotch and soda。 From across the grounds an
automobile hooted imperatively。
〃There's the machine；〃 Dr。 Kennedy said； rising。 〃I've got to run。
I'm sorry I've shaken you up； and at the same time I'm glad。 And know
one thing； Isaac Ford's dab of unruly blood was remarkably small； and
Joe Garland got it all。 And one other thing。 If your father's left hand
offend you； don't smite it off。 Besides； Joe is all right。 Frankly； if I
could choose between you and him to live with me on a desert isle； I'd
choose Joe。〃
Little bare…legged children ran about him； playing； on the grass； but
Percival Ford did not see them。 He was gazing steadily at the singer
under the hau tree。 He even changed his position once； to get closer。
The clerk of the Seaside went by； limping with age and dragging his
reluctant feet。 He had lived forty years on the Islands。 Percival Ford
beckoned to him； and the clerk came respectfully； and wondering that he
should be noticed by Percival Ford。
〃John；〃 Ford said； 〃I want you to give me some information。 Won't
you sit down？〃
The clerk sat down awkwardly； stunned by the unexpected honour。
He blinked at the other and mumbled； 〃Yes； sir； thank you。〃
〃John； who is Joe Garland？〃
The clerk stared at him； blinked； cleared his throat； and said nothing。
〃Go on；〃 Percival Ford commanded。
〃Who is he？〃
〃You're joking me； sir；〃 the other managed to articulate。
〃I spoke to you seriously。〃
The clerk recoiled from him。
〃You don't mean to say you don't know？〃 he questioned； his question
in itself the answer。
〃I want to know。〃
〃Why； he's〃 John broke off and looked about him helplessly。
〃Hadn't you better ask somebody else？ Everybody thought you knew。
We always thought 。 。 。 〃
〃Yes； go ahead。〃
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〃We always thought that that was why you had it in for him。〃
Photographs and miniatures of Isaac Ford were trooping through his
son's brain； and ghosts of Isaac Ford seemed in the air about hint 〃I wish
you good night； sir；〃 he could hear the clerk saying； and he saw him
beginning to limp away。
〃John；〃 he called abruptly。
John came back and stood near him； blinking and nervously
moistening his lips。
〃You haven't told me yet； you know。〃
〃Oh； about Joe Garland？〃
〃Yes； about Joe Garland。 Who is he？〃
〃He's your brother； sir； if I say it who shouldn't。〃
〃Thank you； John。 Good night。〃
〃And you didn't know？〃 the old man queried； content to linger； now
that the crucial point was past。
〃Thank you； John。 Good night；〃 was the response。
〃Yes； sir； thank you； sir。 I think it's going to rain。 Good night；
sir。〃
Out of the clear sky； filled only with stars and moonlight； fell a rain
so fine and attenuated as to resemble a vapour spray。 Nobody minded
it； the children played on； running bare…legged over the grass and
leaping into the sand； and in a few minutes it was gone。 In the south…
east； Diamond Head； a black blot； sharply defined； silhouetted its crater…
form against the stars。 At sleepy intervals the surf flung its foam across
the sands to the grass； and far out could be seen the black specks of
swimmers under the moon。 The voices of the singers； singing a waltz；
died away； and in the silence； from somewhere under the trees； arose the
laugh of a woman that was a love…cry。 It startled Percival Ford； and it
reminded him of Dr。 Kennedy's phrase。 Down by the outrigger canoes；
where they lay hauled out on the sand； he saw men and women； Kanakas；
reclining languorously； like lotus…eaters； the women in white holokus；
and against one such holoku he saw the dark head of the steersman of
the canoe resting upon the woman's shoulder。 Farther down； where the
strip of sand widened at the entrance to the lagoon； he saw a man and
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woman walking side by side。 As they drew near the light lanai； he saw
the woman's hand go down to her waist and disengage a girdling arm。
And as they passed him； Percival Ford nodded to a captain he knew； and
to a major's daughter。 Smoke of life； that was it； an ample phrase。
And again； from under the dark algaroba tree arose the laugh of a
woman that was a love…cry； and past his chair； on the way to bed； a bare…
legged youngster was led by a chiding Japanese nurse…maid。 The
voices of the singers broke softly and meltingly into an Hawaiian love…
song； and officers and women； with encircling arms； were gliding and
whirling on the lanai； and once again the woman laughed under the
algaroba trees。
And Percival Ford knew only disapproval of it all。 He was irritated
by the love…laugh of the woman； by the steersman with pillowed head on
the white holoku； by the couples that walked on the beach； by the
officers and women that danced； and by the voices of the singers singing
of love； and his brother singing there with them under the hau tree。
The woman that laughed especially irritated him。 A curious train of
thought was aroused。 He was Isaac Ford's son； and what had happened
with Isaac Ford might happen with him。 He felt in his cheeks the faint
heat of a blush at the thought； and experienced a poignant sense of
shame。
