falk-第14部分

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ular　eyes；　his　puffy　pale　face；　his　fat　knees　and　the

vast　flat　slippers　on　his　fatherly　feet。　　Only　his

short　arms　in　respectable　white　shirt…sleeves　re…

mained　very　visible；　propped　up　like　the　flippers　of

a　seal　reposing　on　the　strand。



〃Falk　wouldn't　settle　anything　about　repairs。

Told　me　to　find　out　first　how　much　wood　I　should

require　and　he　would　see；〃　he　remarked；　and　after

he　had　spat　peacefully　in　the　dusk　we　heard　over

the　water　the　beat　of　the　tug's　floats。　　There　is；　on

a　calm　night；　nothing　more　suggestive　of　fierce　and

headlong　haste　than　the　rapid　sound　made　by　the

paddle…wheels　of　a　boat　threshing　her　way　through

a　quiet　sea；　and　the　approach　of　Falk　towards　his

fate　seemed　to　be　urged　by　an　impatient　and　pas…

sionate　desire。　　The　engines　must　have　been　driven

to　the　very　utmost　of　their　revolutions。　　We　heard

them　slow　down　at　last；　and；　vaguely；　the　white

hull　of　the　tug　appeared　moving　against　the　black

islets；　whilst　a　slow　and　rhythmical　clapping　as　of

thousands　of　hands　rose　on　all　sides。　　It　ceased　all

at　once；　just　before　Falk　brought　her　up。　　A　sin…

gle　brusque　splash　was　followed　by　the　long　drawn

rumbling　of　iron　links　running　through　the　hawse

pipe。　　Then　a　solemn　silence　fell　upon　the　Road…

stead。



〃He　will　soon　be　here；〃　I　murmured；　and　after

that　we　waited　for　him　without　a　word。　　Meantime；

raising　my　eyes；　I　beheld　the　glitter　of　a　lofty　sky

above　the　Diana's　mastheads。　　The　multitude　of

stars　gathered　into　clusters；　in　rows；　in　lines；　in

masses；　in　groups；　shone　all　together；　unanimously

and　the　few　isolated　ones；　blazing　by　themselves

in　the　midst　of　dark　patches；　seemed　to　be　of　a　su…

perior　kind　and　of　an　inextinguishable　nature。　　But

long　striding　footsteps　were　heard　hastening　along

the　deck；　the　high　bulwarks　of　the　Diana　made　a

deeper　darkness。　　We　rose　from　our　chairs　quickly；

and　Falk；　appearing　before　us；　all　in　white；　stood

still。



Nobody　spoke　at　first；　as　though　we　had　been

covered　with　confusion。　　His　arrival　was　fiery；　but

his　white　bulk；　of　indefinite　shape　and　without　fea…

tures；　made　him　loom　up　like　a　man　of　snow。



〃The　captain　here　has　been　telling　me　。　。　。〃

Hermann　began　in　a　homely　and　amicable　voice；

and　Falk　had　a　low；　nervous　laugh。　　His　cool；　neg…

ligent　undertone　had　no　inflexions；　but　the　strength

of　a　powerful　emotion　made　him　ramble　in　his

speech。　　He　had　always　desired　a　home。　　It　was

difficult　to　live　alone；　though　he　was　not　answera…

ble。　　He　was　domestic；　there　had　been　difficulties；

but　since　he　had　seen　Hermann's　niece　he　found

that　it　had　become　at　last　impossible　to　live　by　him…

self。　　〃I　meanimpossible；〃　he　repeated　with　no

sort　of　emphasis　and　only　with　the　slightest　of

pauses；　but　the　word　fell　into　my　mind　with　the

force　of　a　new　idea。



〃I　have　not　said　anything　to　her　yet；〃　Hermann

observed　quietly。　　And　Falk　dismissed　this　by　a

〃That's　all　right。　　Certainly。　　Very　proper。〃

There　was　a　necessity　for　perfect　franknessin

marrying；　especially。　　Hermann　seemed　attentive；

but　he　seized　the　first　opportunity　to　ask　us　into　the

cabin。　　〃And　by…the…by；　Falk；〃　he　said　innocent…

ly；　as　we　passed　in；　〃the　timber　came　to　no　less

than　forty…seven　dollars　and　fifty　cents。〃



Falk；　uncovering　his　head；　lingered　in　the　pas…

sage。　　〃Some　other　time；〃　he　said；　and　Hermann

nudged　me　angrilyI　don't　know　why。　　The　girl

alone　in　the　cabin　sat　sewing　at　some　distance　from

the　table。　　Falk　stopped　short　in　the　doorway。

Without　a　word；　without　a　sign；　without　the　slight…

est　inclination　of　his　bony　head；　by　the　silent　in…

tensity　of　his　look　alone；　he　seemed　to　lay　his　her…

culean　frame　at　her　feet。　　Her　hands　sank　slowly

on　her　lap；　and　raising　her　clear　eyes；　she　let　her

soft；　beaming　glance　enfold　him　from　head　to　foot

like　a　slow　and　pale　caress。　　He　was　very　hot　when

he　sat　down；　she；　with　bowed　head；　went　on　with

her　sewing；　her　neck　was　very　white　under　the　light

of　the　lamp；　but　Falk；　hiding　his　face　in　the　palms

of　his　hands；　shuddered　faintly。　　He　drew　them

down；　even　to　his　beard；　and　his　uncovered　eyes　as…

tonished　me　by　their　tense　and　irrational　expres…

sionas　though　he　had　just　swallowed　a　heavy

gulp　of　alcohol。　　It　passed　away　while　he　was

binding　us　to　secrecy。　　Not　that　he　cared；　but　he

did　not　like　to　be　spoken　about；　and　I　looked　at　the

girl's　marvellous；　at　her　wonderful；　at　her　regal

hair；　plaited　tight　into　that　one　astonishing　and

maidenly　tress。　　Whenever　she　moved　her　well…

shaped　head　it　would　stir　stiffly　to　and　fro　on　her

back。　　The　thin　cotton　sleeve　fitted　the　irreproach…

able　roundness　of　her　arm　like　a　skin；　and　her　very

dress；　stretched　on　her　bust；　seemed　to　palpitate

like　a　living　tissue　with　the　strength　of　vitality　ani…

mating　her　body。　　How　good　her　complexion　was；

the　outline　of　her　soft　cheek　and　the　small　convo…

luted　conch　of　her　rosy　ear！　　To　pull　her　needle　she

kept　the　little　finger　apart　from　the　others；　it

seemed　a　waste　of　power　to　see　her　sewingeter…

nally　sewingwith　that　industrious　and　precise

movement　of　her　arm；　going　on　eternally　upon　all

the　oceans；　under　all　the　skies；　in　innumerable　har…

bours。　　And　suddenly　I　heard　Falk's　voice　declare

that　he　could　not　marry　a　woman　unless　she　knew

of　something　in　his　life　that　had　happened　ten

years　ago。　　It　was　an　accident。　　An　unfortunate　ac…

cident。　　It　would　affect　the　domestic　arrangements

of　their　home；　but；　once　told；　it　need　not　be　alluded

to　again　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。　　〃I　should　want

my　wife　to　feel　for　me；〃　he　said。　　〃It　has　made　me

unhappy。〃　　And　how　could　he　keep　the　knowledge

of　it　to　himselfhe　asked　usperhaps　through

years　and　years　of　companionship？　　What　sort　of

companionship　would　that　be？　　He　had　thought　it

over。　　A　wife　must　know。　　Then　why　not　at　once？

He　counted　on　Hermann's　kindness　for　presenting

the　affair　in　the　best　possible　light。　　And　Her…

mann's　countenance；　mystified　before；　became　very

sour。　　He　stole　an　inquisitive　glance　at　me。　　I

shook　my　head　blankly。　　Some　people　thought；

Falk　went　on；　that　such　an　experience　changed　a

man　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　　He　couldn't　say。　　It

was　hard；　awful；　and　not　to　be　forgotten；　but　he

did　not　think　himself　a　worse　man　than　before。

Only　he　talked　in　his　sleep　now；　he　believed。　。　。　。

At　last　I　began　to　think　he　had　accidentally　killed

some　one；　perhaps　a　friendhis　own　father　may…

be；　when　he　went　on　to　say　that　probably　we　were

aware　he　never　touched　meat。　　Throughout　he

spoke　English；　of　course　of　my　account。



He　swayed　forward　heavily。



The　girl；　with　her　hands　raised　before　her　pale

eyes；　was　threading　her　needle。　　He　glanced　at　her；

and　his　mighty　trunk　overshadowed　the　table；

bringing　nearer　to　us　the　breadth　of　his　shoulders；

the　thickness　of　his　neck；　and　that　incongruous；　an…

chorite　head；　burnt　in　the　desert；　hollowed　and　lean

as　if　by　excesses　of　vigils　and　fasting。　　His　beard

flowed　imposingly　downwards；　out　of　sight；　be…

tween　the　two　brown　hands　gripping　the　edge　of

the　table；　and　his　persistent　glance　made　sombre　by

the　wide　dilations　of　the　pupils；　fascinated。



〃Imagine　to　yourselves；〃　he　said　in　his　ordinary

voice；　〃that　I　have　eaten　man。〃



I　could　only　ejaculate　a　faint　〃Ah！〃　of　com…

plete　enlightenment。　　But　Hermann；　dazed　by　the

excessive　shock；　actually　murmured；　〃Himmel！

What　for？〃



〃It　was　my　terrible　misfortune　to　do　so；〃　said

Falk　in　a　measured　undertone。　　The　girl；　uncon…

scious；　sewed　on。　　Mrs。　Hermann　was　absent　in

one　of　the　state…rooms；　sitting　up　with　Lena；　who

was　feverish；　but　Hermann　suddenly　put　both　his

hands　up　with　a　jerk。　　The　embroidered　calotte

fell；　and；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　he　had　rum…

pled　his　hair　all　ends　up　in　a　most　extravagant

manner。　　In　this　state　he　strove　to　speak；　with

every　effort　his　eyes　seemed　to　start　further　out　of

their　sockets；　his　head　looked　like　a　mop。　　He

choked；　gasped；　swallowed；　and　managed　to　shriek

out　the　one　word；　〃Beast！〃



From　that　moment　till　Falk　went　out　of　the　cab…

in　the　girl；　with　her　hands　folded　on　the　work　lying

in　her　lap；　never　took　her　eyes　off　him。　　His　own；

in　the　blindness　of　his　heart；　darted　all　over　the

cabin；　only　seeking　to　avoid　the　sight　of　Hermann's

raving。　　It　was　ridiculous；　and　was　made　almost

terrible　by　the　stillness　of　every　other　person　pres…

ent。　　It　was　contemptible；　and　was　made　appalling

by　the　man's　overmastering　horror　of　this　awful

sincerity；　coming　to　him　suddenly；　with　the　confes…

sion　of　such　a　fact。　　He　walked　with　great　strides；

he　gasped。　　He　wanted　to　know　from　Falk　how

dared　he　to　come　and　tell　him　this？　　Did　he　think

himself　a　proper　person　to　be　sitting　in　this　cabin

where　his　wife　and　children　lived？　　Tell　his　niece！

Expected　him　to　tell　his　niece！　　His　own　brother's

daughter！　　Shameless！　　Did　I　ever　hear　tell　of　such

impudence？he　appealed　to　me。　　〃This　man　here

ought　to　have　gone　and　hidden　himself　out　of　sight

instead　of　。　。　。〃



〃But　it's　a　great　misfortune　for　me。　　But　it's　a

great　misfortune　for　me；〃　Falk　would　ejaculate

from　time　to　time。



However；　Hermann　kept　on　running　frequently

against　the　corners　of　the　table。　　At　last　he　lost　a

slipper；　and　crossing　his　arms　on　his　breast；　walked

up　with　one　stocking　foot　very　close　to　Falk；　in　or…

der　to　ask　him　whether　he　did　think　there　was　any…

where　on　earth　a　woman　abandoned　enough　to　mate

with　such　a　monster。　　〃Did　he？　　Did　he？　　Did

he？〃　　I　tried　to　restrain　him。　　He　tore　himself　out

of　my　hands；　he　found　his　slipper；　and；　endeavour…

ing　to　put　it　on；　stormed　standing　on　one　leg

and　Falk；　with　a　face　unmoved　and　averted

eyes；　grasped　all　his　mighty　beard　in　one　vast

palm。



〃Was　it　right　then　for　me　to　die　myself？〃　he

asked　thoughtfully。　　I　laid　my　hand　on　his　shoul…

der。



〃Go　away；〃　I　whispered　imper