within the tides-第34部分

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couple　of　Kalashes　jumped　down　on　it；　took　a　turn　with　the　ropes



thrown　to　them　round　the　posts；　and　the　Sissie　came　to　rest　without



a　single　loud　word　or　the　slightest　noise。　　And　just　in　time　too；



for　the　tide　turned　even　before　she　was　properly　moored。







〃Davidson　had　something　to　eat；　and　then；　coming　on　deck　for　a　last



look　round；　noticed　that　the　light　was　still　burning　in　the　house。







〃This　was　very　unusual；　but　since　they　were　awake　so　late；　Davidson



thought　that　he　would　go　up　to　say　that　he　was　in　a　hurry　to　be　off



and　to　ask　that　what　rattans　there　were　in　store　should　be　sent　on



board　with　the　first　sign　of　dawn。







〃He　stepped　carefully　over　the　shaky　planks；　not　being　anxious　to



get　a　sprained　ankle；　and　picked　his　way　across　the　waste　ground　to



the　foot　of　the　house　ladder。　　The　house　was　but　a　glorified　hut　on



piles；　unfenced　and　lonely。







〃Like　many　a　stout　man；　Davidson　is　very　lightfooted。　　He　climbed



the　seven　steps　or　so；　stepped　across　the　bamboo　platform　quietly；



but　what　he　saw　through　the　doorway　stopped　him　short。







〃Four　men　were　sitting　by　the　light　of　a　solitary　candle。　　There



was　a　bottle；　a　jug　and　glasses　on　the　table；　but　they　were　not



engaged　in　drinking。　　Two　packs　of　cards　were　lying　there　too；　but



they　were　not　preparing　to　play。　　They　were　talking　together　in



whispers；　and　remained　quite　unaware　of　him。　　He　himself　was　too



astonished　to　make　a　sound　for　some　time。　　The　world　was　still；



except　for　the　sibilation　of　the　whispering　heads　bunched　together



over　the　table。







〃And　Davidson；　as　I　have　quoted　him　to　you　before；　didn't　like　it。



He　didn't　like　it　at　all。







〃The　situation　ended　with　a　scream　proceeding　from　the　dark；



interior　part　of　the　room。　　'O　Davy！　you've　given　me　a　turn。'







〃Davidson　made　out　beyond　the　table　Anne's　very　pale　face。　　She



laughed　a　little　hysterically；　out　of　the　deep　shadows　between　the



gloomy　mat　walls。　　'Ha！　ha！　ha！'







〃The　four　heads　sprang　apart　at　the　first　sound；　and　four　pairs　of



eyes　became　fixed　stonily　on　Davidson。　　The　woman　came　forward；



having　little　more　on　her　than　a　loose　chintz　wrapper　and　straw



slippers　on　her　bare　feet。　　Her　head　was　tied　up　Malay　fashion　in　a



red　handkerchief；　with　a　mass　of　loose　hair　hanging　under　it



behind。　　Her　professional；　gay；　European　feathers　had　literally



dropped　off　her　in　the　course　of　these　two　years；　but　a　long



necklace　of　amber　beads　hung　round　her　uncovered　neck。　　It　was　the



only　ornament　she　had　left；　Bamtz　had　sold　all　her　poor…enough



trinkets　during　the　flight　from　Saigon　…　when　their　association



began。







〃She　came　forward；　past　the　table；　into　the　light；　with　her　usual



groping　gesture　of　extended　arms；　as　though　her　soul；　poor　thing！



had　gone　blind　long　ago；　her　white　cheeks　hollow；　her　eyes　darkly



wild；　distracted；　as　Davidson　thought。　　She　came　on　swiftly；



grabbed　him　by　the　arm；　dragged　him　in。　　'It's　heaven　itself　that



sends　you　to…night。　　My　Tony's　so　bad　…　come　and　see　him。　　Come



along　…　do！'







〃Davidson　submitted。　　The　only　one　of　the　men　to　move　was　Bamtz；



who　made　as　if　to　get　up　but　dropped　back　in　his　chair　again。



Davidson　in　passing　heard　him　mutter　confusedly　something　that



sounded　like　'poor　little　beggar。'







〃The　child；　lying　very　flushed　in　a　miserable　cot　knocked　up　out　of



gin…cases；　stared　at　Davidson　with　wide；　drowsy　eyes。　　It　was　a　bad



bout　of　fever　clearly。　　But　while　Davidson　was　promising　to　go　on



board　and　fetch　some　medicines；　and　generally　trying　to　say



reassuring　things；　he　could　not　help　being　struck　by　the



extraordinary　manner　of　the　woman　standing　by　his　side。　　Gazing



with　despairing　expression　down　at　the　cot；　she　would　suddenly



throw　a　quick；　startled　glance　at　Davidson　and　then　towards　the



other　room。







〃'Yes；　my　poor　girl；'　he　whispered；　interpreting　her　distraction　in



his　own　way；　though　he　had　nothing　precise　in　his　mind。　　'I'm



afraid　this　bodes　no　good　to　you。　　How　is　it　they　are　here？'







〃She　seized　his　forearm　and　breathed　out　forcibly：　　'No　good　to　me！



Oh；　no！　　But　what　about　you！　　They　are　after　the　dollars　you　have



on　board。'







〃Davidson　let　out　an　astonished　'How　do　they　know　there　are　any



dollars？'







〃She　clapped　her　hands　lightly；　in　distress。　　'So　it's　true！　　You



have　them　on　board？　　Then　look　out　for　yourself。'







〃They　stood　gazing　down　at　the　boy　in　the　cot；　aware　that　they



might　be　observed　from　the　other　room。







〃'We　must　get　him　to　perspire　as　soon　as　possible；'　said　Davidson



in　his　ordinary　voice。　　'You'll　have　to　give　him　hot　drink　of　some



kind。　　I　will　go　on　board　and　bring　you　a　spirit…kettle　amongst



other　things。'　　And　he　added　under　his　breath：　　'Do　they　actually



mean　murder？'







〃She　made　no　sign；　she　had　returned　to　her　desolate　contemplation



of　the　boy。　　Davidson　thought　she　had　not　heard　him　even；　when　with



an　unchanged　expression　she　spoke　under　her　breath。







〃'The　Frenchman　would；　in　a　minute。　　The　others　shirk　it　…　unless



you　resist。　　He's　a　devil。　　He　keeps　them　going。　　Without　him　they



would　have　done　nothing　but　talk。　　I've　got　chummy　with　him。　What



can　you　do　when　you　are　with　a　man　like　the　fellow　I　am　with　now。



Bamtz　is　terrified　of　them；　and　they　know　it。　　He's　in　it　from



funk。　　Oh；　Davy！　take　your　ship　away　…　quick！'







〃'Too　late；'　said　Davidson。　　'She's　on　the　mud　already。'







〃If　the　kid　hadn't　been　in　this　state　I　would　have　run　off　with　him



…　to　you　…　into　the　woods　…　anywhere。　　Oh；　Davy！　will　he　die？'　she



cried　aloud　suddenly。







〃Davidson　met　three　men　in　the　doorway。　　They　made　way　for　him



without　actually　daring　to　face　his　glance。　　But　Bamtz　was　the　only



one　who　looked　down　with　an　air　of　guilt。　　The　big　Frenchman　had



remained　lolling　in　his　chair；　he　kept　his　stumps　in　his　pockets



and　addressed　Davidson。







〃'Isn't　it　unfortunate　about　that　child！　　The　distress　of　that



woman　there　upsets　me；　but　I　am　of　no　use　in　the　world。　　I　couldn't



smooth　the　sick　pillow　of　my　dearest　friend。　　I　have　no　hands。



Would　you　mind　sticking　one　of　those　cigarettes　there　into　the



mouth　of　a　poor；　harmless　cripple？　　My　nerves　want　soothing　…　upon



my　honour；　they　do。'







〃Davidson　complied　with　his　naturally　kind　smile。　　As　his　outward



placidity　becomes　only　more　pronounced；　if　possible；　the　more



reason　there　is　for　excitement；　and　as　Davidson's　eyes；　when　his



wits　are　hard　at　work；　get　very　still　and　as　if　sleepy；　the　huge



Frenchman　might　have　been　justified　in　concluding　that　the　man



there　was　a　mere　sheep　…　a　sheep　ready　for　slaughter。　　With　a



'MERCI　BIEN'　he　uplifted　his　huge　carcase　to　reach　the　light　of　the



candle　with　his　cigarette；　and　Davidson　left　the　house。







〃Going　down　to　the　ship　and　returning；　he　had　time　to　consider　his



position。　　At　first　he　was　inclined　to　believe　that　these　men



（Niclaus　…　the　white　Nakhoda　…　was　the　only　one　he　knew　by　sight



before；　besides　Bamtz）　were　not　of　the　stamp　to　proceed　to



extremities。　　This　was　partly　the　reason　why　he　never　attempted　to



take　any　measures　on　board。　　His　pacific　Kalashes　were　not　to　be



thought　of　as　against　white　men。　　His　wretched　engineer　would　have



had　a　fit　from　fright　at　the　mere　idea　of　any　sort　of　combat。



Davidson　knew　that　he　would　have　to　depend　on　himself　in　this



affair　if　it　ever　came　off。







〃Davidson　underestimated　naturally　the　driving　power　of　the



Frenchman's　character　and　the　force　of　the　actuating　motive。　　To



that　man　so　hopelessly　crippled　these　dollars　were　an　enormous



opportunity。　　With　his　share　of　the　robbery　he　would　open　another



shop　in　Vladivostok；　Haiphong；　Manila　…　somewhere　far　away。







〃Neither　did　it　occur　to　Davidson；　who　is　a　man　of　courage；　if　ever



there　was　one；　that　his　psychology　was　not　known　to　the　world　at



large；　and　that　to　this　particular　lot　of　ruffians；　who　judged　him



by　his　appearance；　he　appeared　an　unsuspicious；　inoffensive；　soft



creature；　as　he　passed　again　through　the　room；　his　hands　full　of



various　objects　and　parcels　destined　for　the　sick　boy。







〃All　the　four　were　sitting　again　round　the　table。　　Bamtz　not　having



the　pluck　to　open　his　mouth；　it　was　Niclaus　who；　as　a　collective



voice；　called　out　to　him　thickly　to　come　out　soon　and　join　in　a



drink。







〃'I　think　I'll　have　to　stay　some　little　time　in　there；　to　help　her



look　after　the　boy；'　Davidson　answered　without　stopping。







〃This　was　a　good　thing　to　say　to　allay　a　possible　suspicion。　　And；



as　it　was；　Davidson　felt　he　must　not　stay　very　long。







〃He　sat　down　on　an　old　empty　nail…keg　near　the　improvised　cot　and



looked　at　the　child；　while　Laughing　Anne；　moving　to　and　fro；



preparing　the　hot　drink；　giving　it　to　the　boy　in　spoonfuls；　or



stopping　to　gaze　motionless　at　the　flushed　face；　whispered



disjointed　bits　of　information。　　She　had　succeeded　in　making



friends　with　that　French　devil。　　Davy　would　understand　that　she



knew　how　to　make　herself　pleasant　to　a　man。







〃And　Davidson　nodded　without　looking　at　her。







〃The　big　beast　had　got　to　be　quite　confidential　with　her。　　She　held



his　cards　for　him　when　they　were　having　a　game。　　Bamtz！　　Oh！　　Bamtz



in　his　funk　was　only　too　glad　to　see　the　Frenchman　humoured。　　And



the　Frenchman　had　come　to　believe　that　she　was　a　woman　who　didn't



care　what　she　did。　　That's　how　it　came　about　they　got　to　talk



before　her　openly。　　For　a　long　time　she　could　not　make　out　what



game　they　were　up　to。　　The　new　arrivals；　not　expecting　to　find　a



woman　with　Bamtz；　had　been　very　startled　and　annoyed　at　first；　she



explained。







〃She　busied　herself　in　attending　to　the　boy；　and　nobody　looking



i