some reminiscences-第16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！





His　answer　was　a　sinister　〃No　fear；〃　as　much　as　to　say　that　even



that　way　of　escape　from　inclement　fortune　was　closed　to　him。







〃I　just　came　down。　。　。〃　he　mumbled　after　a　while。







〃Well　then；　now　you're　here　I　will　land　that　pony　for　you　at　once



and　you　can　lead　him　home。　　I　really　don't　want　him　on　deck。



He's　in　the　way。〃







Almayer　seemed　doubtful。　　I　insisted：







〃Why；　I　will　just　swing　him　out　and　land　him　on　the　wharf　right



in　front　of　you。　　I'd　much　rather　do　it　before　the　hatches　are



off。　　The　little　devil　may　jump　down　the　hold　or　do　some　other



deadly　thing。〃







〃There's　a　halter？〃　postulated　Almayer。







〃Yes；　of　course　there's　a　halter。〃　　And　without　waiting　any　more



I　leaned　over　the　bridge　rail。







〃Serang；　land　Tuan　Almayer's　pony。〃







The　cook　hastened　to　shut　the　door　of　the　galley　and　a　moment



later　a　great　scuffle　began　on　deck。　　The　pony　kicked　with



extreme　energy；　the　kalashes　skipped　out　of　the　way；　the　serang



issued　many　orders　in　a　cracked　voice。　　Suddenly　the　pony　leaped



upon　the　fore…hatch。　　His　little　hoofs　thundered　tremendously；　he



plunged　and　reared。　　He　had　tossed　his　mane　and　his　forelock　into



a　state　of　amazing　wildness；　he　dilated　his　nostrils；　bits　of



foam　flecked　his　broad　little　chest；　his　eyes　blazed。　　He　was



something　under　eleven　hands；　he　was　fierce；　terrible；　angry；



warlike；　he　said　ha！　ha！　distinctly；　he　raged　and　thumpedand



sixteen　able…bodied　kalashes　stood　round　him　like　disconcerted



nurses　round　a　spoilt　and　passionate　child。　　He　whisked　his　tail



incessantly；　he　arched　his　pretty　neck；　he　was　perfectly



delightful；　he　was　charmingly　naughty。　　There　was　not　an　atom　of



vice　in　that　performance；　no　savage　baring　of　teeth　and　lying



back　of　ears。　　On　the　contrary；　he　pricked　them　forward　in　a



comically　aggressive　manner。　　He　was　totally　unmoral　and　lovable；



I　would　have　liked　to　give　him　bread；　sugar；　carrots。　　But　life



is　a　stern　thing　and　the　sense　of　duty　the　only　safe　guide。　　So　I



steeled　my　heart　and　from　my　elevated　position　on　the　bridge　I



ordered　the　men　to　fling　themselves　upon　him　in　a　body。







The　elderly　serang；　emitting　a　strange　inarticulate　cry；　gave　the



example。　He　was　an　excellent　petty　officervery　competent



indeed；　and　a　moderate　opium　smoker。　　The　rest　of　them　in　one



great　rush　smothered　that　pony。　They　hung　on　to　his　ears；　to　his



mane；　to　his　tail；　they　lay　in　piles　across　his　back；　seventeen



in　all。　　The　carpenter；　seizing　the　hook　of　the　cargo…chain；



flung　himself　on　top　of　them。　　A　very　satisfactory　petty　officer



too；　but　he　stuttered。　　Have　you　ever　heard　a　light…yellow；　lean；



sad；　earnest　Chinaman　stutter　in　pidgin…English？　　It's　very　weird



indeed。　He　made　the　eighteenth。　　I　could　not　see　the　pony　at　all；



but　from　the　swaying　and　heaving　of　that　heap　of　men　I　knew　that



there　was　something　alive　inside。







From　the　wharf　Almayer　hailed　in　quavering　tones：







〃Oh；　I　say！〃







Where　he　stood　he　could　not　see　what　was　going　on　on　deck　unless



perhaps　the　tops　of　the　men's　heads；　he　could　only　hear　the



scuffle；　the　mighty　thuds；　as　if　the　ship　were　being　knocked　to



pieces。　　I　looked　over：　　〃What　is　it？〃







〃Don't　let　them　break　his　legs；〃　he　entreated　me　plaintively。







〃Oh；　nonsense！　　He's　all　right　now。　　He　can't　move。〃







By　that　time　the　cargo…chain　had　been　hooked　to　the　broad　canvas



belt　round　the　pony's　body；　the　kalashes　sprang　off



simultaneously　in　all　directions；　rolling　over　each　other；　and



the　worthy　serang；　making　a　dash　behind　the　winch；　turned　the



steam　on。







〃Steady！〃　I　yelled；　in　great　apprehension　of　seeing　the　animal



snatched　up　to　the　very　head　of　the　derrick。







On　the　wharf　Almayer　shuffled　his　straw　slippers　uneasily。　　The



rattle　of　the　winch　stopped；　and　in　a　tense；　impressive　silence



that　pony　began　to　swing　across　the　deck。







How　limp　he　was！　　Directly　he　felt　himself　in　the　air　he　relaxed



every　muscle　in　a　most　wonderful　manner。　　His　four　hoofs　knocked



together　in　a　bunch；　his　head　hung　down；　and　his　tail　remained



pendent　in　a　nerveless　and　absolute　immobility。　　He　reminded　me



vividly　of　the　pathetic　little　sheep　which　hangs　on　the　collar　of



the　Order　of　the　Golden　Fleece。　　I　had　no　idea　that　anything　in



the　shape　of　a　horse　could　be　so　limp　as　that；　either　living　or



dead。　　His　wild　mane　hung　down　lumpily；　a　mere　mass　of　inanimate



horsehair；　his　aggressive　ears　had　collapsed；　but　as　he　went



swaying　slowly　across　the　front　of　the　bridge　I　noticed　an　astute



gleam　in　his　dreamy；　half…closed　eye。　　A　trustworthy



quartermaster；　his　glance　anxious　and　his　mouth　on　the　broad



grin；　was　easing　over　the　derrick　watchfully。　　I　superintended；



greatly　interested。







〃So！　　That　will　do。〃







The　derrick…head　stopped。　　The　kalashes　lined　the　rail。　　The　rope



of　the　halter　hung　perpendicular　and　motionless　like　a　bell…pull



in　front　of　Almayer。　　Everything　was　very　still。　　I　suggested



amicably　that　he　should　catch　hold　of　the　rope　and　mind　what　he



was　about。　　He　extended　a　provokingly　casual　and　superior　hand。







〃Look　out　then！　　Lower　away！〃







Almayer　gathered　in　the　rope　intelligently　enough；　but　when　the



pony's　hoofs　touched　the　wharf　he　gave　way　all　at　once　to　a　most



foolish　optimism。　　Without　pausing；　without　thinking；　almost



without　looking；　he　disengaged　the　hook　suddenly　from　the　sling；



and　the　cargo…chain；　after　hitting　the　pony's　quarters；　swung



back　against　the　ship's　side　with　a　noisy；　rattling　slap。　　I



suppose　I　must　have　blinked。　　I　know　I　missed　something；　because



the　next　thing　I　saw　was　Almayer　lying　flat　on　his　back　on　the



jetty。　　He　was　alone。







Astonishment　deprived　me　of　speech　long　enough　to　give　Almayer



time　to　pick　himself　up　in　a　leisurely　and　painful　manner。　　The



kalashes　lining　the　rail　had　all　their　mouths　open。　　The　mist



flew　in　the　light　breeze；　and　it　had　come　over　quite　thick　enough



to　hide　the　shore　completely。







〃How　on　earth　did　you　manage　to　let　him　get　away？〃　I　asked



scandalised。







Almayer　looked　into　the　smarting　palm　of　his　right　hand；　but　did



not　answer　my　inquiry。







〃Where　do　you　think　he　will　get　to？〃　I　cried。　　〃Are　there　any



fences　anywhere　in　this　fog？　　Can　he　bolt　into　the　forest？



What's　to　be　done　now？〃







Almayer　shrugged　his　shoulders。







〃Some　of　my　men　are　sure　to　be　about。　　They　will　get　hold　of　him



sooner　or　later。〃







〃Sooner　or　later！　　That's　all　very　fine；　but　what　about　my　canvas



slinghe's　carried　it　off。　　I　want　it　now；　at　once；　to　land　two



Celebes　cows。〃







Since　Dongola　we　had　on　board　a　pair　of　the　pretty　little　island



cattle　in　addition　to　the　pony。　　Tied　up　on　the　other　side　of　the



fore　deck　they　had　been　whisking　their　tails　into　the　other　door



of　the　galley。　　These　cows　were　not　for　Almayer；　however；　they



were　invoiced　to　Abdullah　bin　Selim；　his　enemy。　　Almayer's



disregard　of　my　requisites　was　complete。







〃If　I　were　you　I　would　try　to　find　out　where　he's　gone；〃　I



insisted。　　〃Hadn't　you　better　call　your　men　together　or



something？　　He　will　throw　himself　down　and　cut　his　knees。　　He　may



even　break　a　leg；　you　know。〃







But　Almayer；　plunged　in　abstracted　thought；　did　not　seem　to　want



that　pony　any　more。　　Amazed　at　this　sudden　indifference　I　turned



all　hands　out　on　shore　to　hunt　for　him　on　my　own　account；　or；　at



any　rate；　to　hunt　for　the　canvas　sling　which　he　had　round　his



body。　　The　whole　crew　of　the　steamer；　with　the　exception　of



firemen　and　engineers；　rushed　up　the　jetty　past　the　thoughtful



Almayer　and　vanished　from　my　sight。　　The　white　fog　swallowed　them



up；　and　again　there　was　a　deep　silence　that　seemed　to　extend　for



miles　up　and　down　the　stream。　　Still　taciturn；　Almayer　started　to



climb　on　board；　and　I　went　down　from　the　bridge　to　meet　him　on



the　after　deck。







〃Would　you　mind　telling　the　captain　that　I　want　to　see　him　very



particularly？〃　he　asked　me　in　a　low　tone；　letting　his　eyes　stray



all　over　the　place。







〃Very　well。　　I　will　go　and　see。〃







With　the　door　of　his　cabin　wide　open　Captain　C；　just　back　from



the　bathroom；　big　and　broad…chested；　was　brushing　his　thick；



damp；　iron…grey　hair　with　two　large　brushes。







〃Mr。　Almayer　told　me　he　wanted　to　see　you　very　particularly；



sir。〃







Saying　these　words　I　smiled。　　I　don't　know　why　I　smiled　except



that　it　seemed　absolutely　impossible　to　mention　Almayer's　name



without　a　smile　of　a　sort。　　It　had　not　to　be　necessarily　a



mirthful　smile。　　Turning　his　head　towards　me　Captain　C　smiled



too；　rather　joylessly。







〃The　pony　got　away　from　himeh？〃







〃Yes　sir。　　He　did。〃







〃Where　is　he？〃







〃Goodness　only　knows。〃







〃No。　　I　mean　Almayer。　　Let　him　come　along。〃







The　captain's　stateroom　opening　straight　on　deck　under　the



bridge；　I　had　only　to　beckon　from　the　doorway　to　Almayer；　who　had



remained　aft；　with　downcast　eyes；　on　the　very　spot　where　I　had



left　him。　　He　strolled　up　moodily；　shook　hands　and　at　once　asked



permission　to　shut　the　cabin　door。







〃I　have　a　pretty　story　to　tell　you；〃　were　the　last　words　I　heard。



The　bitterness　of　tone　was　remarkable。







I　went　away　from　the　door；　of　course。　　For　the　moment　I　had　no



crew　on　board；　only　the　Chinaman　carpenter；　with　a　canvas　bag



hung　round　his　neck　and　a　hammer　in　his　hand；　roamed　about　the



empty　decks　knocking　out　the　wedges　of　the　hatches　and　dropping



them　into　the　bag　conscientiously。　　Having　nothing　to　do　I　joined



our　two　engineers　at　the　door　of　the　engine…room。　　It　was　near



breakfast　time。







〃He's　turned　up　early；　hasn't　he？〃　commented　the　second　engineer；



and　smiled　indifferently。　　He　was　an　abstemious　man　with　a　good



digestion　and　a　placid；　reasonable　view　of　life　even　when　hungry。







〃Yes；〃　I　said。　　〃Shut　up　with　the　old　man。　　Some　very　particular



business。〃







〃He　will　spin　him　a　damned　endless　yarn；〃　observed　the　chief



engineer。







He　smiled　rather　sourly。　　He　was　dyspeptic　and　suffered　from



gnawing　hunger　in　the　morning。　　The　second　smiled　broadly；　a



smile　that　made　two　vertical　folds　on　his　shaven　cheeks。　　And　I



smiled　too；　but　I　was　not　exactly　amus