falk-第7部分

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here　twice　in　a　week。　　How　do　you　account　for

that？〃



He　squeezed　my　arm　till　he　extorted　from　me

some　sort　of　mumble。



〃He　makes　ten　times　the　money　I　do。　　I've

another　hotel　to　fight　against；　and　there　is　no　other

tug　on　the　river。　　I　am　not　in　his　way；　am　I？　　He

wouldn't　be　fit　to　run　an　hotel　if　he　tried。　　But　that's

just　his　nature。　　He　can't　bear　to　think　I　am　mak…

ing　a　living。　　I　only　hope　it　makes　him　properly

wretched。　　He's　like　that　in　everything。　　He

would　like　to　keep　a　decent　table　well　enough。

But　nofor　the　sake　of　a　few　cents。　　Can't　do　it。

It's　too　much　for　him。　　That's　what　I　call　being　a

slave　to　it。　　But　he's　mean　enough　to　kick　up　a　row

when　his　nose　gets　tickled　a　bit。　　See　that？　　That

just　paints　him。　　Miserly　and　envious。　　You　can't

account　for　it　any　other　way。　　Can　you？　　I　have

been　studying　him　these　three　years。〃



He　was　anxious　I　should　assent　to　his　theory。

And　indeed　on　thinking　it　over　it　would　have　been

plausible　enough　if　there　hadn't　been　always　the

essential　falseness　of　irresponsibility　in　Schom…

berg's　chatter。　　However；　I　was　not　disposed　to　in…

vestigate　the　psychology　of　Falk。　　I　was　engaged

just　then　in　eating　despondently　a　piece　of　stale

Dutch　cheese；　being　too　much　crushed　to　care　what

I　swallowed　myself；　let　along　bothering　my　head

about　Falk's　ideas　of　gastronomy。　　I　could　expect

from　their　study　no　clue　to　his　conduct　in　matters

of　business；　which　seemed　to　me　totally　unrestrained

by　morality　or　even　by　the　commonest　sort　of　de…

cency。　　How　insignificant　and　contemptible　I　must

appear；　for　the　fellow　to　dare　treat　me　like　thisI

reflected　suddenly；　writhing　in　silent　agony。　　And

I　consigned　Falk　and　all　his　peculiarities　to　the　devil

with　so　much　mental　fervour　as　to　forget　Schom…

berg's　existence；　till　he　grabbed　my　arm　urgently。

〃Well；　you　may　think　and　think　till　every　hair　of

your　head　falls　off；　captain；　but　you　can't　explain

it　in　any　other　way。〃



For　the　sake　of　peace　and　quietness　I　admitted

hurriedly　that　I　couldn't：　persuaded　that　now　he

would　leave　off。　　But　the　only　result　was　to　make

his　moist　face　shine　with　the　pride　of　cunning。　　He

removed　his　hand　for　a　moment　to　scare　a　black

mass　of　flies　off　the　sugar…basin　and　caught　hold　of

my　arm　again。



〃To　be　sure。　　And　in　the　same　way　everybody　is

aware　he　would　like　to　get　married。　　Only　he　can't。

Let　me　quote　you　an　instance。　　Well；　two　years　ago

a　Miss　Vanlo；　a　very　ladylike　girl；　came　from　home

to　keep　house　for　her　brother；　Fred；　who　had　an　en…

gineering　shop　for　small　repairs　by　the　water　side。

Suddenly　Falk　takes　to　going　up　to　their　bunga…

low　after　dinner；　and　sitting　for　hours　in　the　veran…

dah　saying　nothing。　　The　poor　girl　couldn't　tell

for　the　life　of　her　what　to　do　with　such　a　man；　so　she

would　keep　on　playing　the　piano　and　singing　to

him　evening　after　evening　till　she　was　ready　to

drop。　　And　it　wasn't　as　if　she　had　been　a　strong

young　woman　either。　　She　was　thirty；　and　the　cli…

mate　had　been　playing　the　deuce　with　her。　　Then

don't　you　knowFred　had　to　sit　up　with　them　for

propriety；　and　during　whole　weeks　on　end　never　got

a　single　chance　to　get　to　bed　before　midnight。

That　was　not　pleasant　for　a　tired　manwas　it？

And　besides　Fred　had　worries　then　because　his　shop

didn't　pay　and　he　was　dropping　money　fast。　　He

just　longed　to　get　away　from　here　and　try　his　luck

somewhere　else；　but　for　the　sake　of　his　sister　he

hung　on　and　on　till　he　ran　himself　into　debt　over　his

earsI　can　tell　you。　　I；　myself；　could　show　a　hand…

ful　of　his　chits　for　meals　and　drinks　in　my　drawer。

I　could　never　find　out　tho'　where　he　found　all　the

money　at　last。　　Can't　be　but　he　must　have　got　some…

thing　out　of　that　brother　of　his；　a　coal　merchant　in

Port　Said。　　Anyhow　he　paid　everybody　before　he

left；　but　the　girl　nearly　broke　her　heart。　　Disap…

pointment；　of　course；　and　at　her　age；　don't　you

know。　。　。　。　　Mrs。　Schomberg　here　was　very　friendly

with　her；　and　she　could　tell　you。　　Awful　despair。

Fainting　fits。　　It　was　a　scandal。　　A　notorious　scan…

dal。　　To　that　extent　that　old　Mr。　Siegersnot

your　present　charterer；　but　Mr。　Siegers　the　father；

the　old　gentleman　who　retired　from　business　on　a

fortune　and　got　buried　at　sea　going　home；　HE　had

to　interview　Falk　in　his　private　office。　　He　was　a

man　who　could　speak　like　a　Dutch　Uncle；　and；　be…

sides；　Messrs。　Siegers　had　been　helping　Falk　with

a　good　bit　of　money　from　the　start。　　In　fact　you

may　say　they　made　him　as　far　as　that　goes。

It　so　happened　that　just　at　the　time　he　turned　up

here；　their　firm　was　chartering　a　lot　of　sailing　ships

every　year；　and　it　suited　their　business　that　there

should　be　good　towing　facilities　on　the　river。　　See？

。　。　。　　Wellthere's　always　an　ear　at　the　keyhole

isn't　there？　　In　fact；〃　he　lowered　his　tone　confiden…

tially；　〃in　this　case　a　good　friend　of　mine；　a　man

you　can　see　here　any　evening；　only　they　conversed

rather　low。　　Anyhow　my　friend's　certain　that　Falk

was　trying　to　make　all　sorts　of　excuses；　and　old　Mr。

Siegers　was　coughing　a　lot。　　And　yet　Falk　wanted

all　the　time　to　be　married　too。　　Why！　　It's　notorious

the　man　has　been　longing　for　years　to　make　a　home

for　himself。　　Only　he　can't　face　the　expense。

When　it　comes　to　putting　his　hand　in　his　pocket

it　chokes　him　off。　　That's　the　truth　and　no　other。

I've　always　said　so；　and　everybody　agrees　with　me

by　this　time。　　What　do　you　think　of　thateh？〃



He　appealed　confidently　to　my　indignation；　but

having　a　mind　to　annoy　him　I　remarked；　〃that　it

seemed　to　me　very　pitifulif　true。〃



He　bounced　in　his　chair　as　if　I　had　run　a　pin　into

him。　　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have　said；　only

at　that　moment　we　heard　through　the　half　open

door　of　the　billiard…room　the　footsteps　of　two　men

entering　from　the　verandah；　a　murmur　of　two

voices；　at　the　sharp　tapping　of　a　coin　on　a　table

Mrs。　Schomberg　half　rose　irresolutely。　　〃Sit　still；〃

he　hissed　at　her；　and　then；　in　an　hospitable；　jovial

tone；　contrasting　amazingly　with　the　angry　glance

that　had　made　his　wife　sink　in　her　chair；　he　cried

very　loud：　〃Tiffin　still　going　on　in　here；　gentle…

men。〃



There　was　no　answer；　but　the　voices　dropped　sud…

denly。　　The　head　Chinaman　went　out。　　We　heard

the　clink　of　ice　in　the　glasses；　pouring　sounds；　the

shuffling　of　feet；　the　scraping　of　chairs。　　Schom…

berg；　after　wondering　in　a　low　mutter　who　the　devil

could　be　there　at　this　time　of　the　day；　got　up　napkin

in　hand　to　peep　through　the　doorway　cautiously。

He　retreated　rapidly　on　tip…toe；　and　whispering　be…

hind　his　hand　informed　me　that　it　was　Falk；　Falk

himself　who　was　in　there；　and；　what's　more；　he　had

Captain　Hermann　with　him。



The　return　of　the　tug　from　the　outer　Roads　was

unexpected　but　possible；　for　Falk　had　taken　away

the　Diana　at　half…past　five；　and　it　was　now　two

o'clock。　　Schomberg　wished　me　to　observe　that

neither　of　these　men　would　spend　a　dollar　on　a　tiffin；

which　they　must　have　wanted。　　But　by　the　time　I

was　ready　to　leave　the　dining…room　Falk　had　gone。

I　heard　the　last　of　his　big　boots　on　the　planks　of

the　verandah。　　Hermann　was　sitting　quite　alone　in

the　large；　wooden　room　with　the　two　lifeless　billiard

tables　shrouded　in　striped　covers；　mopping　his　face

diligently。　　He　wore　his　best　go…ashore　clothes；　a

stiff　collar；　black　coat；　large　white　waistcoat；　grey

trousers。　　A　white　cotton　sunshade　with　a　cane　han…

dle　reposed　between　his　legs；　his　side　whiskers　were

neatly　brushed；　his　chin　had　been　freshly　shaved；

and　he　only　distantly　resembled　the　dishevelled　and

terrified　man　in　a　snuffy　night　shirt　and　ignoble　old

trousers　I　had　seen　in　the　morning　hanging　on　to

the　wheel　of　the　Diana。



He　gave　a　start　at　my　entrance；　and　addressed

me　at　once　in　some　confusion；　but　with　genuine　ea…

gerness。　　He　was　anxious　to　make　it　clear　he　had

nothing　to　do　with　what　he　called　the　〃tam　piz…

ness〃　of　the　morning。　　It　was　most　inconvenient。

He　had　reckoned　upon　another　day　up　in　town　to

settle　his　bills　and　sign　certain　papers。　　There　were

also　some　few　stores　to　come；　and　sundry　pieces　of

〃my　ironwork；〃　as　he　called　it　quaintly；　landed　for

repairs；　had　been　left　behind。　　Now　he　would　have

to　hire　a　native　boat　to　take　all　this　out　to　the　ship。

It　would　cost　five　or　six　dollars　perhaps。　　He　had

had　no　warning　from　Falk。　　Nothing。　。　。　。　　He

hit　the　table　with　his　dumpy　fist。　。　。　。　　Der　ver…

fluchte　Kerl　came　in　the　morning　like　a　〃tam'

ropper；〃　making　a　great　noise；　and　took　him　away。

His　mate　was　not　prepared；　his　ship　was　moored

fasthe　protested　it　was　shameful　to　come　upon

a　man　in　that　way。　　Shameful！　　Yet　such　was　the

power　Falk　had　on　the　river　that　when　I　suggested

in　a　chilling　tone　that　he　might　have　simply　refused

to　have　his　ship　moved；　Hermann　was　quite　startled

at　the　idea。　　I　never　realised　so　well　before　that　this

is　an　age　of　steam。　　The　exclusive　possession　of　a

marine　boiler　had　given　Falk　the　whiphand　of　us

all。　　Hermann；　recovering；　put　it　to　me　appealingly

that　I　knew　very　well　how　unsafe　it　was　to　contra…

dict　that　fellow。　　At　this　I　only　smiled　distantly。



〃Der　Kerl！〃　he　cried。　　He　was　sorry　he　had　not

refused。　　He　was　indeed。　　The　damage！　　The　dam…

age！　　What　for　all　that　damage！　　There　was　no

occasion　for　damage。　　Did　I　know　how　much　dam…

age　he　had　done？　　It　gave　me　a　certain　satisfaction

to　tell　him　that　I　had　heard　his　old　waggon　of　a

ship　crack　fore　and　aft　as　she　went　by。　　〃You

passed　close　enough　to　me；〃　I　added　significantly。



He　threw　both　his　hands　up　to　heaven　at　the　rec…

ollection。　　One　of　them　grasped　by　the　middle　the

white　parasol；　and　he　resembled　curiously　a　carica…

ture　of　a　shopkeeping　citizen　in　one　of　his　own　Ger…

man　comic　papers。　　〃Ach！　　That　was　dangerous；〃

he　cried。　　I　was　amused。　　But　directly　he　added

with　an　appearance　of　simplicity；　〃The　side　of

your　iron　s