the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第12节
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now。〃
Kersdale shrugged his shoulders and laughed。
〃Who can say？ It takes seven years for it to incubate。 If you have
any doubts go and see Doctor Hervey。 He'll just snip out a piece of
your skin and let you know in a jiffy。〃
Later on he introduced me to Dr。 Hervey； who loaded me down with
Board of Health reports and pamphlets on the subject； and took me out
to Kalihi； the Honolulu receiving station； where suspects were examined
and confirmed lepers were held for deportation to Molokai。 These
deportations occurred about once a month； when； the last good… byes said；
the lepers were marched on board the little steamer； the Noeau； and
carried down to the settlement。
One afternoon； writing letters at the club； Jack Kersdale dropped in
on me。
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〃Just the man I want to see；〃 was his greeting。 〃I'll show you the
saddest aspect of the whole situationthe lepers wailing as they depart
for Molokai。 The Noeau will be taking them on board in a few minutes。
But let me warn you not to let your feelings be harrowed。 Real as their
grief is； they'd wail a whole sight harder a year hence if the Board of
Health tried to take them away from Molokai。 We've just time for a
whiskey and soda。 I've a carriage outside。 It won't take us five
minutes to get down to the wharf。〃
To the wharf we drove。 Some forty sad wretches； amid their mats；
blankets； and luggage of various sorts； were squatting on the stringer
piece。 The Noeau had just arrived and was making fast to a lighter that
lay between her and the wharf。 A Mr。 McVeigh； the superintendent of
the settlement； was overseeing the embarkation； and to him I was
introduced； also to Dr。 Georges； one of the Board of Health physicians
whom I had already met at Kalihi。 The lepers were a woebegone lot。
The faces of the majority were hideoustoo horrible for me to describe。
But here and there I noticed fairly good…looking persons； with no
apparent signs of the fell disease upon them。 One； I noticed； a little
white girl； not more than twelve； with blue eyes and golden hair。 One
cheek； however； showed the leprous bloat。 On my remarking on the
sadness of her alien situation among the brown…skinned afflicted ones；
Doctor Georges replied：…
〃Oh； I don't know。 It's a happy day in her life。 She comes from
Kauai。 Her father is a brute。 And now that she has developed the
disease she is going to join her mother at the settlement。 Her mother
was sent down three years agoa very bad case。〃
〃You can't always tell from appearances；〃 Mr。 McVeigh explained。
That man there； that big chap； who looks the pink of condition； with
nothing the matter with him； I happen to know has a perforating ulcer in
his foot and another in his shoulder…blade。 Then there are othersthere；
see that girl's hand； the one who is smoking the cigarette。 See her
twisted fingers。 That's the anaesthetic form。 It attacks the nerves。
You could cut her fingers off with a dull knife； or rub them off on a
nutmeg…grater； and she would not experience the slightest sensation。〃
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
〃Yes； but that fine…looking woman； there；〃 I persisted； 〃surely； surely；
there can't be anything the matter with her。 She is too glorious and
gorgeous altogether。〃
〃A sad case；〃 Mr。 McVeigh answered over his shoulder； already
turning away to walk down the wharf with Kersdale。
She was a beautiful woman； and she was pure Polynesian。 From my
meagre knowledge of the race and its types I could not but conclude that
she had descended from old chief stock。 She could not have been more
than twenty…three or four。 Her lines and proportions were magnificent；
and she was just beginning to show the amplitude of the women of her
race。
〃It was a blow to all of us；〃 Dr。 Georges volunteered。 〃She gave
herself up voluntarily； too。 No one suspected。 But somehow she had
contracted the disease。 It broke us all up； I assure you。 We've kept it
out of the papers； though。 Nobody but us and her family knows what
has become of her。 In fact； if you were to ask any man in Honolulu；
he'd tell you it was his impression that she was somewhere in Europe。
It was at her request that we've been so quiet about it。 Poor girl； she
has a lot of pride。〃
〃But who is she？〃 I asked。 〃Certainly； from the way you talk about
her； she must be somebody。〃
〃Did you ever hear of Lucy Mokunui？〃 he asked。
〃Lucy Mokunui？〃 I repeated； haunted by some familiar association。 I
shook my head。 〃It seems to me I've heard the name； but I've forgotten
it。〃
〃Never heard of Lucy Mokunui！ The Hawaiian nightingale！ I beg
your pardon。 Of course you are a malahini； ｛1｝ and could not be
expected to know。 Well； Lucy Mokunui was the best beloved of
Honoluluof all Hawaii； for that matter。〃
〃You say WAS；〃 I interrupted。
〃And I mean it。 She is finished。〃 He shrugged his shoulders
pityingly。 〃A dozen haolesI beg your pardon； white menhave lost
their hearts to her at one time or another。 And I'm not counting in the
ruck。 The dozen I refer to were haoles of position and prominence。〃
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〃She could have married the son of the Chief Justice if she'd wanted
to。 You think she's beautiful； eh？ But you should hear her sing。
Finest native woman singer in Hawaii Nei。 Her throat is pure silver
and melted sunshine。 We adored her。 She toured America first with
the Royal Hawaiian Band。 After that she made two more trips on her
ownconcert work。〃
〃Oh！〃 I cried。 〃I remember now。 I heard her two years ago at the
Boston Symphony。 So that is she。 I recognize her now。〃
I was oppressed by a heavy sadness。 Life was a futile thing at best。
A short two years and this magnificent creature； at the summit of her
magnificent success； was one of the leper squad awaiting deportation to
Molokai。 Henley's lines came into my mind：…
〃The poor old tramp explains his poor old ulcers； Life is； I think； a
blunder and a shame。〃
I recoiled from my own future。 If this awful fate fell to Lucy
Mokunui； what might my lot not be？or anybody's lot？ I was
thoroughly aware that in life we are in the midst of deathbut to be in
the midst of living death； to die and not be dead； to be one of that draft
of creatures that once were men； aye； and women； like Lucy Mokunui；
the epitome of all Polynesian charms； an artist as well； and well beloved
of men …。 I am afraid I must have betrayed my perturbation； for Doctor
Georges hastened to assure me that they were very happy down in the
settlement。
It was all too inconceivably monstrous。 I could not bear to look at
her。 A short distance away； behind a stretched rope guarded by a
policeman； were the lepers' relatives and friends。 Th
