michael, brother of jerry-第3部分

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that'd　be　awful。　Think　of　the　cruel　fates　that　sometimes　happens　to　dogs。　　It's　a　damn　shame。　　No　white　man's　stand　for　a　nigger　ownin'　the　likes　of　you；　an'　here's　one　white　man　that　ain't　goin'　to　stand　for　it。　The　idea！　　A　nigger　ownin'　you　an'　not　knowin'　how　to　train　you。　Of　course　a　nigger　stole　you。　　If　I　laid　eyes　on　him　right　now　I'd　up　and　knock　seven　bells　and　the　Saint　Paul　chimes　out　of　'm。　　'　Sure　thing　I　would。　　Just　show　'm　to　me；　that's　all；　an'　see　what　I'd　do　to　him。　　The　idea　of　you　takin'　orders　from　a　nigger　an'　fetchin'　'n'　carryin'　for　him！　　No；　sir；　dog；　you　ain't　goin'　to　do　it　any　more。　　You're　comin'　along　of　me；　an'　I　reckon　I　won't　have　to　urge　you。〃

Dag　Daughtry　stood　up　and　turned　carelessly　along　the　beach。　Michael　looked　after　him；　but　did　not　follow。　　He　was　eager　to；　but　had　received　no　invitation。　　At　last　Daughtry　made　a　low　kissing　sound　with　his　lips。　　So　low　was　it　that　he　scarcely　heard　it　himself　and　almost　took　it　on　faith；　or　on　the　testimony　of　his　lips　rather　than　of　his　ears；　that　he　had　made　it。　　No　human　being　could　have　heard　it　across　the　distance　to　Michael；　but　Michael　heard　it；　and　sprang　away　after　in　a　great　delighted　rush。



CHAPTER　II



Dag　Daughtry　strolled　along　the　beach；　Michael　at　his　heels　or　running　circles　of　delight　around　him　at　every　repetition　of　that　strange　low　lip…noise；　and　paused　just　outside　the　circle　of　lantern　light　where　dusky　forms　laboured　with　landing　cargo　from　the　whale…boats　and　where　the　Commissioner's　clerk　and　the　Makambo's　super…cargo　still　wrangled　over　the　bill　of　lading。　When　Michael　would　have　gone　forward；　the　man　withstrained　him　with　the　same　inarticulate；　almost　inaudible　kiss。

For　Daughtry　did　not　care　to　be　seen　on　such　dog…stealing　enterprises　and　was　planning　how　to　get　on　board　the　steamer　unobserved。　　He　edged　around　outside　the　lantern　shine　and　went　on　along　the　beach　to　the　native　village。　　As　he　had　foreseen；　all　the　able…bodied　men　were　down　at　the　boat…landing　working　cargo。　The　grass　houses　seemed　lifeless；　but　at　last；　from　one　of　them；　came　a　challenge　in　the　querulous；　high…pitched　tones　of　age：

〃What　name？〃

〃Me　walk　about　plenty　too　much；〃　he　replied　in　the　beche…de…mer　English　of　the　west　South　Pacific。　　〃Me　belong　along　steamer。　Suppose　'm　you　take　'm　me　along　canoe；　washee…washee；　me　give　'm　you　fella　boy　two　stick　tobacco。〃

〃Suppose　'm　you　give　'm　me　ten　stick；　all　right　along　me；〃　came　the　reply。

〃Me　give　'm　five　stick；〃　the　six…quart　steward　bargained。　〃Suppose　'm　you　no　like　'm　five　stick　then　you　fella　boy　go　to　hell　close　up。〃

There　was　a　silence。

〃You　like　'm　five　stick？〃　Daughtry　insisted　of　the　dark　interior。

〃Me　like　'm；〃　the　darkness　answered；　and　through　the　darkness　the　body　that　owned　the　voice　approached　with　such　strange　sounds　that　the　steward　lighted　a　match　to　see。

A　blear…eyed　ancient　stood　before　him；　balancing　on　a　single　crutch。　　His　eyes　were　half…filmed　over　by　a　growth　of　morbid　membrane；　and　what　was　not　yet　covered　shone　red　and　irritated。　His　hair　was　mangy；　standing　out　in　isolated　patches　of　wispy　grey。　　His　skin　was　scarred　and　wrinkled　and　mottled；　and　in　colour　was　a　purplish　blue　surfaced　with　a　grey　coating　that　might　have　been　painted　there　had　it　not　indubitably　grown　there　and　been　part　and　parcel　of　him。

A　blighted　leperwas　Daughtry's　thought　as　his　quick　eyes　leapt　from　hands　to　feet　in　quest　of　missing　toe…　and　finger…joints。　But　in　those　items　the　ancient　was　intact；　although　one　leg　ceased　midway　between　knee　and　thigh。

〃My　word！　　What　place　stop　'm　that　fella　leg？〃　quoth　Daughtry；　pointing　to　the　space　which　the　member　would　have　occupied　had　it　not　been　absent。

〃Big　fella　shark…fish；　that　fella　leg　stop　'm　along　him；〃　the　ancient　grinned；　exposing　a　horrible　aperture　of　toothlessness　for　a　mouth。

〃Me　old　fella　boy　too　much；〃　the　one…legged　Methuselah　quavered。　〃Long　time　too　much　no　smoke　'm　tobacco。　　Suppose　'm　you　big　fella　white　marster　give　'm　me　one　fella　stick；　close　up　me　washee…　washee　you　that　fella　steamer。〃

〃Suppose　'm　me　no　give？〃　the　steward　impatiently　temporized。

For　reply；　the　old　man　half…turned；　and；　on　his　crutch；　swinging　his　stump　of　leg　in　the　air；　began　sidling　hippity…hop　into　the　grass　hut。

〃All　right；〃　Daughtry　cried　hastily。　　〃Me　give　'm　you　smoke　'm　quick　fella。〃

He　dipped　into　a　side　coat…pocket　for　the　mintage　of　the　Solomons　and　stripped　off　a　stick　from　the　handful　of　pressed　sticks。　　The　old　man　was　transfigured　as　he　reached　avidly　for　the　stick　and　received　it。　　He　uttered　little　crooning　noises；　alternating　with　sharp　cries　akin　to　pain；　half…ecstatic；　half…petulant；　as　he　drew　a　black　clay　pipe　from　a　hole　in　his　ear…lobe；　and　into　the　bowl　of　it；　with　trembling　fingers；　untwisted　and　crumbled　the　cheap　leaf　of　spoiled　Virginia　crop。

Pressing　down　the　contents　of　the　full　bowl　with　his　thumb；　he　suddenly　plumped　upon　the　ground；　the　crutch　beside　him；　the　one　limb　under　him　so　that　he　had　the　seeming　of　a　legless　torso。　From　a　small　bag　of　twisted　coconut　hanging　from　his　neck　upon　his　withered　and　sunken　chest；　he　drew　out　flint　and　steel　and　tinder；　and；　even　while　the　impatient　steward　was　proffering　him　a　box　of　matches；　struck　a　spark；　caught　it　in　the　tinder；　blew　it　into　strength　and　quantity；　and　lighted　his　pipe　from　it。

With　the　first　full　puff　of　the　smoke　he　gave　over　his　moans　and　yelps；　the　agitation　began　to　fade　out　of　him；　and　Daughtry；　appreciatively　waiting；　saw　the　trembling　go　out　of　his　hands；　the　pendulous　lip…quivering　cease；　the　saliva　stop　flowing　from　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　and　placidity　come　into　the　fiery　remnants　of　his　eyes。

What　the　old　man　visioned　in　the　silence　that　fell；　Daughtry　did　not　try　to　guess。　　He　was　too　occupied　with　his　own　vision；　and　vividly　burned　before　him　the　sordid　barrenness　of　a　poorhouse　ward；　where　an　ancient；　very　like　what　he　himself　would　become；　maundered　and　gibbered　and　drooled　for　a　crumb　of　tobacco　for　his　old　clay　pipe；　and　where；　of　all　horrors；　no　sip　of　beer　ever　obtained；　much　less　six　quarts　of　it。

And　Michael；　by　the　dim　glows　of　the　pipe　surveying　the　scene　of　the　two　old　men；　one　squatted　in　the　dark；　the　other　standing；　knew　naught　of　the　tragedy　of　age；　and　was　only　aware；　and　overwhelmingly　aware；　of　the　immense　likableness　of　this　two…　legged　white　god；　who；　with　fingers　of　magic；　through　ear…roots　and　tail…roots　and　spinal　column；　had　won　to　the　heart　of　him。

The　clay　pipe　smoked　utterly　out；　the　old　black；　by　aid　of　the　crutch；　with　amazing　celerity　raised　himself　upstanding　on　his　one　leg　and　hobbled；　with　his　hippity…hop；　to　the　beach。　　Daughtry　was　compelled　to　lend　his　strength　to　the　hauling　down　from　the　sand　into　the　water　of　the　tiny　canoe。　　It　was　a　dug…out；　as　ancient　and　dilapidated　as　its　owner；　and；　in　order　to　get　into　it　without　capsizing；　Daughtry　wet　one　leg　to　the　ankle　and　the　other　leg　to　the　knee。　　The　old　man　contorted　himself　aboard；　rolling　his　body　across　the　gunwale　so　quickly；　that；　even　while　it　started　to　capsize；　his　weight　was　across　the　danger…point　and　counterbalancing　the　canoe　to　its　proper　equilibrium。

Michael　remained　on　the　beach；　waiting　invitation；　his　mind　not　quite　made　up；　but　so　nearly　so　that　all　that　was　required　was　that　lip…noise。　　Dag　Daughtry　made　the　lip…noise　so　low　that　the　old　man　did　not　hear；　and　Michael；　springing　clear　from　sand　to　canoe；　was　on　board　without　wetting　his　feet。　　Using　Daughtry's　shoulder　for　a　stepping…place；　he　passed　over　him　and　down　into　the　bottom　of　the　canoe。　　Daughtry　kissed　with　his　lips　again；　and　Michael　turned　around　so　as　to　face　him；　sat　down；　and　rested　his　head　on　the　steward's　knees。

〃I　reckon　I　can　take　my　affydavy　on　a　stack　of　Bibles　that　the　dog　just　up　an'　followed　me；〃　he　grinned　in　Michael's　ear。

〃Washee…washee　quick　fella；〃　he　commanded。

The　ancient　obediently　dipped　his　paddle　and　started　pottering　an　erratic　course　in　the　general　direction　of　the　cluster　of　lights　that　marked　the　Makambo。　　But　he　was　too　feeble；　panting　and　wheezing　continually　from　the　exertion　and　pausing　to　rest　off　strokes　between　strokes。　　The　steward　impatiently　took　the　paddle　away　from　him　and　bent　to　the　work。

Half…way　to　the　steamer　the　ancient　ceased　wheezing　and　spoke；　nodding　his　head　at　Michael。

〃That　fella　dog　he　belong　big　white　marster　along　schooner　。　。　。　You　give　'm　me　ten　stick　tobacco；〃　he　added　after　due　pause　to　let　the　information　sink　in。

〃I　give　'm　you　bang　alongside　head；〃　Daughtry　assured　him　cheerfully。　　〃White　marster　along　schooner　plenty　friend　along　me　too　much。　　Just　now　he　stop　'm　along　Makambo。　　Me　take　'm　dog　along　him　along　Makambo。〃

There　was　no　further　conversation　from　the　ancient；　and　though　he　lived　long　years　after；　he　never　mentioned　the　midnight　passenger　in　the　canoe　who　carried　Michael　away　with　him。　　When　he　saw　and　heard　the　confusion　and　uproar　on　the　beach　later　that　night　when　Captain　Kellar　turned　Tulagi　upside…down　in　his　search　for　Michael；　the　old　one…legged　one　remained　discreetly　silent。　　Who　was　he　to　seek　trouble　with　the　strange　ones；　the　white　masters　who　came　and　went　and　roved　and　ruled？

In　this　the　ancient　was　in　nowise　unl