south sea tales-第17章

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the　inevitable　white　man　stamped　upon　his　soul。　He　must　be　inevitable。　He　must

have　a　certain　grand　carelessness　of　odds；　a　certain　colossal

self…satisfaction；　and　a　racial　egotism　that　convinces　him　that　one　white　is

better　than　a　thousand　niggers　every　day　in　the　week；　and　that　on　Sunday　he　is

able　to　clean　out　two　thousand　niggers。　For　such　are　the　things　that　have　made

the　white　man　inevitable。　Oh；　and　one　other　thingthe　white　man　who　wishes　to

be　inevitable；　must　not　merely　despise　the　lesser　breeds　and　think　a　lot　of

himself；　he　must　also　fail　to　be　too　long　on　imagination。　He　must　not

understand　too　well　the　instincts；　customs；　and　mental　processes　of　the

blacks；　the　yellows；　and　the　browns；　for　it　is　not　in　such　fashion　that　the

white　race　has　tramped　its　royal　road　around　the　world。



Bertie　Arkwright　was　not　inevitable。　He　was　too　sensitive；　too　finely　strung；

and　he　possessed　too　much　imagination。　The　world　was　too　much　with　him。　He

projected　himself　too　quiveringly　into　his　environment。　Therefore；　the　last

place　in　the　world　for　him　to　come　was　the　Solomons。　He　did　not　come；

expecting　to　stay。　A　five　weeks'　stop…over　between　steamers；　he　decided；　would

satisfy　the　call　of　the　primitive　he　felt　thrumming　the　strings　of　his　being。

At　least；　so　he　told　the　lady　tourists　on　the　MAKEMBO；　though　in　different

terms；　and　they　worshipped　him　as　a　hero；　for　they　were　lady　tourists　and　they

would　know　only　the　safety　of　the　steamer's　deck　as　she　threaded　her　way

through　the　Solomons。



There　was　another　man　on　board；　of　whom　the　ladies　took　no　notice。　He　was　a

little　shriveled　wisp　of　a　man；　with　a　withered　skin　the　color　of　mahogany。

His　name　on　the　passenger　list　does　not　matter；　but　his　other　name；　Captain

Malu；　was　a　name　for　niggers　to　conjure　with；　and　to　scare　naughty

pickaninnies　to　righteousness　from　New　Hanover　to　the　New　Hebrides。　He　had

farmed　savages　and　savagery；　and　from　fever　and　hardship；　the　crack　of　Sniders

and　the　lash　of　the　overseers；　had　wrested　five　millions　of　money　in　the　form

of　b坈he…de…mer；　sandalwood；　pearl…shell　and　turtle…shell；　ivory　nuts　and

copra；　grasslands；　trading　stations；　and　plantations。　Captain　Malu's　little

finger；　which　was　broken；　had　more　inevitableness　in　it　than　Bertie

Arkwright's　whole　carcass。　But　then；　the　lady　tourists　had　nothing　by　which　to

judge　save　appearances；　and　Bertie　certainly　was　a　fine…looking　man。　



Bertie　talked　with　Captain　Malu　in　the　smoking　room；　confiding　to　him　his

intention　of　seeing　life　red　and　bleeding　in　the　Solomons。　Captain　Malu　agreed

that　the　intention　was　ambitious　and　honorable。　It　was　not　until　several　days

later　that　he　became　interested　in　Bertie；　when　that　young　adventurer　insisted

on　showing　him　an　automatic　44…caliber　pistol。　Bertie　explained　the　mechanism

and　demonstrated　by　slipping　a　loaded　magazine　up　the　hollow　butt。



〃It　is　so　simple；〃　he　said。　He　shot　the　outer　barrel　back　along　the　inner　one。

〃That　loads　it　and　cocks　it；　you　see。　And　then　all　I　have　to　do　is　pull　the

trigger；　eight　times；　as　fast　as　I　can　quiver　my　finger。　See　that　safety

clutch。　That's　what　I　like　about　it。　It　is　safe。　It　is　positively　fool…proof。〃

He　slipped　out　the　magazine。　〃You　see　how　safe　it　is。〃



As　he　held　it　in　his　hand；　the　muzzle　came　in　line　with　Captain　Malu's

stomach。　Captain　Malu's　blue　eyes　looked　at　it　unswervingly。



〃Would　you　mind　pointing　it　in　some　other　direction？〃　he　asked。



〃It's　perfectly　safe；〃　Bertie　assured　him。　〃I　withdrew　the　magazine。　It's　not

loaded　now；　you　know。〃



〃A　gun　is　always　loaded。〃



〃But　this　one　isn't。〃



〃Turn　it　away　just　the　same。〃



Captain　Malu's　voice　was　flat　and　metallic　and　low；　but　his　eyes　never　left

the　muzzle　until　the　line　of　it　was　drawn　past　him　and　away　from　him。



〃I'll　bet　a　fiver　it　isn't　loaded；〃　Bertie　proposed　warmly。



The　other　shook　his　head。



〃Then　I'll　show　you。〃



Bertie　started　to　put　the　muzzle　to　his　own　temple　with　the　evident　intention

of　pulling　the　trigger。



〃Just　a　second；〃　Captain　Malu　said　quietly；　reaching　out　his　hand。　〃Let　me

look　at　it。〃



He　pointed　it　seaward　and　pulled　the　trigger。　A　heavy　explosion　followed；

instantaneous　with　the　sharp　click　of　the　mechanism　that　flipped　a　hot　and

smoking　cartridge　sidewise　along　the　deck。



Bertie's　jaw　dropped　in　amazement。



〃I　slipped　the　barrel　back　once；　didn't　I？〃　he　explained。　It　was　silly　of　me；

I　must　say。〃



He　giggled　flabbily；　and　sat　down　in　a　steamer　chair。　The　blood　had　ebbed　from

his　face；　exposing　dark　circles　under　his　eyes。　　His　hands　were　trembling　and

unable　to　guide　the　shaking　cigarette　to　his　lips。　The　world　was　too　much　with

him；　and　he　saw　himself　with　dripping　brains　prone　upon　the　deck



〃Really；〃　he　said；　〃。　。　。　really。〃



〃It's　a　pretty　weapon；〃　said　Captain　Malu；　returning　the　automatic　to　him。



The　Commissioner　was　on　board　the　Makembo；　returning　from　Sydney；　and　by　his

permission　a　stop　was　made　at　Ugi　to　land　a　missionary。　And　at　Ugi　lay　the

ketch　ARLA；　Captain　Hansen；　skipper。　Now　the　Arla　was　one　of　many　vessels

owned　by　Captain　Malu；　and　it　was　at　his　suggestion　and　by　his　invitation　that

Bertie　went　aboard　the　Arla　as　guest　for　a　four　days'　recruiting　cruise　on　the

coast　of　Malaita。　Thereafter　the　ARLA　would　drop　him　at　Reminge　Plantation

（also　owned　by　Captain　Malu）；　where　Bertie　could　remain　for　a　week；　and　then

be　sent　over　to　Tulagi；　the　seat　of　government；　where　he　would　become　the

Commissioner's　guest。　Captain　Malu　was　responsible　for　two　other　suggestions；

which　given；　he　disappears　from　this　narrative。　One　was　to　Captain　Hansen；　the

other　to　Mr。　Harriwell；　manager　of　Reminge　Plantation。　Both　suggestions　were

similar　in　tenor；　namely；　to　give　Mr。　Bertram　Arkwright　an　insight　into　the

rawness　and　redness　of　life　in　the　Solomons。　Also；　it　is　whispered　that

Captain　Malu　mentioned　that　a　case　of　Scotch　would　be　coincidental　with　any

particularly　gorgeous　insight　Mr。　Arkwright　might　receive。　　　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　

。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。



〃Yes；　Swartz　always　was　too　pig…headed。　You　see；　he　took　four　of　his　boat's

crew　to　Tulagi　to　be　floggedofficially；　you　knowthen　started　back　with

them　in　the　whaleboat。　It　was　pretty　squally；　and　the　boat　capsized　just

outside。　Swartz　was　the　only　one　drowned。　Of　course；　it　was　an　accident。〃



〃Was　it？　Really？〃　Bertie　asked；　only　half…interested；　staring　hard　at　the

black　man　at　the　wheel。



Ugi　had　dropped　astern；　and　the　ARLA　was　sliding　along　through　a　summer　sea

toward　the　wooded　ranges　of　Malaita。　The　helmsman　who　so　attracted　Bertie's

eyes　sported　a　ten　penny　nail；　stuck　skewerwise　through　his　nose。　About　his

neck　was　a　string　of　pants　buttons。　Thrust　through　holes　in　his　ears　were　a

can　opener；　the　broken　handle　of　a　toothbrush；　a　clay　pipe；　the　brass　wheel　of

an　alarm　clock；　and　several　Winchester　rifle　cartridges。



On　his　chest；　suspended　from　around　his　neck　hung　the　half　of　a　china　plate。

Some　forty　similarly　appareled　blacks　lay　about　the　deck；　fifteen　of　which

were　boat's　crew；　the　remainder　being　fresh　labor　recruits。



〃Of　course　it　was　an　accident；〃　spoke　up　the　ARLA'S　mate；　Jacobs；　a　slender；

dark…eyed　man　who　looked　more　a　professor　than　a　sailor。　〃Johnny　Bedip　nearly

had　the　same　kind　of　accident。　He　was　bringing　back　several　from　a　flogging；

when　they　capsized　him。　But　he　knew　how　to　swim　as　well　as　they；　and　two　of

them　were　drowned。　He　used　a　boat　stretcher　and　a　revolver。　Of　course　it　was

an　accident。〃



〃Quite　common；　them　accidents；〃　remarked　the　skipper。　〃You　see　that　man　at　the

wheel；　Mr。　Arkwright？　He's　a　man　eater。　Six　months　ago；　he　and　the　rest　of　the

boat's　crew　drowned　the　then　captain　of　the　ARLA。　They　did　it　on　deck；　sir；

right　aft　there　by　the　mizzen…traveler。〃



〃The　deck　was　in　a　shocking　state；〃　said　the　mate。



〃Do　I　understand？〃　Bertie　began。



〃Yes；　just　that；〃　said　Captain　Hansen。　〃It　was　an　accidental　drowning。〃



〃But　on　deck？〃



〃Just　so。　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　in　confidence；　of　course；　that　they　used

an　axe。〃



〃This　present　crew　of　yours？〃



Captain　Hansen　nodded。



〃The　other　skipper　always　was　too　careless；〃　explained　the　mate。　　He　but　just

turned　his　back；　when　they　let　him　have　it。〃



〃We　haven't　any　show　down　here；〃　was　the　skipper's　complaint。　　〃The　government

protects　a　nigger　against　a　white　every　time。　　You　can't　shoot　first。　You've

got　to　give　the　nigger　first　shot；　or　else　the　government　calls　it　murder　and

you　go　to　Fiji。　　That's　why　there's　so　many　drowning　accidents。〃



Dinner　was　called；　and　Bertie　and　the　skipper　went　below；　leaving　the　mate　to

watch　on　deck。



〃Keep　an　eye　out　for　that　black　devil；　Auiki；〃　was　the　skipper's　parting

caution。　〃I　haven't　liked　his　looks　for　several　days。〃



〃Right　O；〃　said　the　mate。



Dinner　was　part　way　along；　and　the　skipper　was　in　the　middle　of　his　story　of

the　cutting　out　of　the　Scottish　Chiefs。



〃Yes；〃　he　was　saying；　〃she　was　the　finest　vessel　on　the　coast。　　But　when　she

missed　stays；　and　before　ever　she　hit　the　reef；　the　canoes　started　for　her。

There　were　five　white　men；　a　crew　of　twenty　Santa　Cruz　boys　and　Samoans；　and

only　the　supercargo　escaped。　Besides；　there　were　sixty　recruits。　They　were　all

kai…kai'd。　Kai…kai？oh；　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　mean　they　were　eaten。　Then　there

was　the　James　Edwards；　a　dandy…rigged〃



But　at　that　moment　there　was　a　sharp　oath　from　the　mate　on　deck　and　a　chorus

of　savage　cries。　A　revolver　went　off　three　times；　and　then　was　heard　a　loud

splash。　Captain　Hansen　had　sprung　up　the　companionway　on　the　instant；　and

Bertie's　eyes　had　been　fascinated　by　a　glimpse　of　him　drawing　his　revolver　as

he　sprang。



Bertie　went　up　more　circumspectly；　hesitating　before　he　put　his　head　above　the

companionway　slide。　But　nothing　happened。　The　mate　was　shaking　with

excitement；　his　revolver　in　his　hand。　Once　he　startled；　and　half…jumped

around；　as　if　danger　threatened　his　back。



〃One　of　the　natives　fell　overboard；〃　he　was　saying；　in　a　queer　tense　voice。

〃He　couldn't　swim。〃



〃Who　was　it？〃　the　skipper　demanded。



〃Auiki；〃　was　the　answer。



〃But　I　say；　you　know；　I　heard　shots；〃　Bertie　said；　in　trembling　eagerness；　for

he　scented　adventure；　and　adventure　that　was　happily　over　with。



The　mate　whirled　upon　him；　snarling：



〃It〃s　a　damned　lie。　There　ain't　been　a　shot　fired。　The　nigger　fell　overboard。〃



Captain　Hansen　regarded　Bertie　with　unblinking；　lack…luster　eyes。



〃II　thought〃　Bertie　was　beginning。



〃Shots？〃　said　Captain　Hansen；　dreamily。　〃Shots？　Did　you　hear　any　shots；　Mr。

Jacobs？〃



〃Not　a　shot；〃　replied　Mr。　Jacobs。



The　skipper　looked　at　his　guest　triumphantly；　and　said：



〃Evidently　an　accident。　Let　us　go　down；　Mr。　Arkwright；　and　finish　dinner。〃



Bertie　slept　that　night　in　the　captain's　cabin；　a　tiny　stateroom　off　the　main

cabin。　The　for'ard　bulkhead