the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第11节
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youth essaying his first adventures in politics。 In fact； he played a most
creditable and courageous part in the last revolution； when the native
dynasty was overthrown； and he could not have been over sixteen at the
time。 I am pointing out that he was no coward； in order that you may
appreciate what happens later on。 I've seen him in the breaking yard at
the Haleakala Ranch； conquering a four…year…old brute that for two years
had defied the pick of Von Tempsky's cow…boys。 And I must tell of one
other thing。 It was down in Kona；or up； rather； for the Kona people
scorn to live at less than a thousand feet elevation。 We were all on the
lanai of Doctor Goodhue's bungalow。 I was talking with Dottie
Fairchild when it happened。 A big centipedeit was seven inches； for
we measured it afterwardsfell from the rafters overhead squarely into
her coiffure。 I confess； the hideousness of it paralysed me。 I couldn't
move。 My mind refused to work。 There； within two feet of me； the
ugly venomous devil was writhing in her hair。 It threatened at any
moment to fall down upon her exposed shoulderswe had just come out
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from dinner。
〃What is it？〃 she asked； starting to raise her hand to her head。
〃Don't！〃 I cried。 〃Don't！〃
〃But what is it？〃 she insisted； growing frightened by the fright she
read in my eyes and on my stammering lips。
My exclamation attracted Kersdale's attention。 He glanced our way
carelessly； but in that glance took in everything。 He came over to us；
but without haste。
〃Please don't move； Dottie；〃 he said quietly。
He never hesitated； nor did he hurry and make a bungle of it。
〃Allow me；〃 he said。
And with one hand he caught her scarf and drew it tightly around her
shoulders so that the centipede could not fall inside her bodice。 With
the other handthe righthe reached into her hair； caught the repulsive
abomination as near as he was able by the nape of the neck； and held it
tightly between thumb and forefinger as he withdrew it from her hair。
It was as horrible and heroic a sight as man could wish to see。 It made
my flesh crawl。 The centipede； seven inches of squirming legs； writhed
and twisted and dashed itself about his hand； the body twining around
the fingers and the legs digging into the skin and scratching as the beast
endeavoured to free itself。 It bit him twiceI saw itthough he assured
the ladies that he was not harmed as he dropped it upon the walk and
stamped it into the gravel。 But I saw him in the surgery five minutes
afterwards； with Doctor Goodhue scarifying the wounds and injecting
permanganate of potash。 The next morning Kersdale's arm was as big
as a barrel； and it was three weeks before the swelling went down。
All of which has nothing to do with my story； but which I could not
avoid giving in order to show that Jack Kersdale was anything but a
coward。 It was the cleanest exhibition of grit I have ever seen。 He
never turned a hair。 The smile never left his lips。 And he dived with
thumb and forefinger into Dottie Fairchild's hair as gaily as if it had been
a box of salted almonds。 Yet that was the man I was destined to see
stricken with a fear a thousand times more hideous even than the fear
that was mine when I saw that writhing abomination in Dottie Fairchild's
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hair； dangling over her eyes and the trap of her bodice。
I was interested in leprosy； and upon that； as upon every other island
subject； Kersdale had encyclopedic knowledge。 In fact； leprosy was
one of his hobbies。 He was an ardent defender of the settlement at
Molokai； where all the island lepers were segregated。 There was much
talk and feeling among the natives； fanned by the demagogues；
concerning the cruelties of Molokai； where men and women； not alone
banished from friends and family； were compelled to live in perpetual
imprisonment until they died。 There were no reprieves； no
commutations of sentences。 〃Abandon hope〃 was written over the
portal of Molokai。
〃I tell you they are happy there；〃 Kersdale insisted。 〃And they are
infinitely better off than their friends and relatives outside who have
nothing the matter with them。 The horrors of Molokai are all
poppycock。 I can take you through any hospital or any slum in any of
the great cities of the world and show you a thousand times worse
horrors。 The living death！ The creatures that once were men！ Bosh！
You ought to see those living deaths racing horses on the Fourth of July。
Some of them own boats。 One has a gasoline launch。 They have
nothing to do but have a good time。 Food； shelter； clothes； medical
attendance； everything； is theirs。 They are the wards of the Territory。
They have a much finer climate than Honolulu； and the scenery is
magnificent。 I shouldn't mind going down there myself for the rest of
my days。 It is a lovely spot。〃
So Kersdale on the joyous leper。 He was not afraid of leprosy。 He
said so himself； and that there wasn't one chance in a million for him or
any other white man to catch it； though he confessed afterward that one
of his school chums； Alfred Starter； had contracted it； gone to Molokai；
and there died。
〃You know； in the old days；〃 Kersdale explained； 〃there was no
certain test for leprosy。 Anything unusual or abnormal was sufficient to
send a fellow to Molokai。 The result was that dozens were sent there
who were no more lepers than you or I。 But they don't make that
mistake now。 The Board of Health tests are infallible。 The funny
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thing is that when the test was discovered they immediately went down
to Molokai and applied it； and they found a number who were not lepers。
These were immediately deported。 Happy to get away？ They wailed
harder at leaving the settlement than when they left Honolulu to go to it。
Some refused to leave； and really had to be forced out。 One of them
even married a leper woman in the last stages and then wrote pathetic
letters to the Board of Health； protesting against his expulsion on the
ground that no one was so well able as he to take care of his poor old
wife。〃
〃What is this infallible test？〃 I demanded。
〃The bacteriological test。 There is no getting away from it。 Doctor
Herveyhe's our expert； you knowwas the first man to apply it here。
He is a wizard。 He knows more about leprosy than any living man； and
if a cure is ever discovered； he'll be that discoverer。 As for the test； it is
very simple。 They have succeeded in isolating the bacillus leprae and
studying it。 They know it now when they see it。 All they do is to snip
a bit of skin from the suspect and subject it to the bacteriological test。
A man without any visible symptoms may be chock full of the leprosy
bacilli。〃
〃Then you or I； for all we know；〃 I suggested； 〃may be full of it
now。〃
Kersdale shrugged his shoulders and laughed。
