the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第15节
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
She laughed aloud； hysterically； at the recollection。 With such
expression！when he had been pouring his heart out in his voice。 She
knew now； and it was too late。 Why had he not spoken？ Then she
realized that girls of her age did not marry。 But girls of her age did
marryin Hawaiiwas her instant thought。 Hawaii had ripened her
Hawaii； where flesh is golden and where all women are ripe and sun…
kissed。
Vainly she scanned the packed multitude on the dock。 What had
become of him？ She felt she could pay any price for one more glimpse
of him； and she almost hoped that some mortal sickness would strike the
lonely captain on the bridge and delay departure。 For the first time in
her life she looked at her father with a calculating eye； and as she did she
noted with newborn fear the lines of will and determination。 It would
be terrible to oppose him。 And what chance would she have in such a
struggle？ But why had Steve not spoken？ Now it was too late。 Why
had he not spoken under the hau tree at Waikiki？
And then； with a great sinking of the heart； it came to her that she
knew why。 What was it she had heard one day？ Oh； yes； it was at
Mrs。 Stanton's tea； that afternoon when the ladies of the 〃Missionary
Crowd〃 had entertained the ladies of the Senatorial party。 It was Mrs。
Hodgkins； the tall blonde woman； who had asked the question。 The
scene came back to her vividlythe broad lanai； the tropic flowers； the
noiseless Asiatic attendants； the hum of the voices of the many women
and the question Mrs。 Hodgkins had asked in the group next to her。
Mrs。 Hodgkins had been away on the mainland for years； and was
evidently inquiring after old island friends of her maiden days。 〃What
has become of Susie Maydwell？〃 was the question she had asked。 〃Oh；
we never see her any more； she married Willie Kupele；〃 another island
woman answered。 And Senator Behrend's wife laughed and wanted to
know why matrimony had affected Susie Maydwell's friendships。
〃Hapa…haole；〃 was the answer； 〃he was a half…caste； you know； and we
of the Islands have to think about our children。〃
Dorothy turned to her father； resolved to put it to the test。
〃Papa； if Steve ever comes to the United States； mayn't he come and
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
see us some time？〃
〃Who？ Steve？〃
〃Yes； Stephen Knightyou know him。 You said good…bye to him not
five minutes ago。 Mayn't he； if he happens to be in the United States
some time； come and see us？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 Jeremy Sambrooke answered shortly。 〃Stephen
Knight is a hapa…haole and you know what that means。〃
〃Oh；〃 Dorothy said faintly； while she felt a numb despair creep into
her heart。
Steve was not a hapa…haoleshe knew that； but she did not know that
a quarter…strain of tropic sunshine streamed in his veins； and she knew
that that was sufficient to put him outside the marriage pale。 It was a
strange world。 There was the Honourable A。 S。 Cleghorn； who had
married a dusky princess of the Kamehameha blood； yet men considered
it an honour to know him； and the most exclusive women of the ultra…
exclusive 〃Missionary Crowd〃 were to be seen at his afternoon teas。
And there was Steve。 No one had disapproved of his teaching her to
ride a surf…board； nor of his leading her by the hand through the perilous
places of the crater of Kilauea。 He could have dinner with her and her
father； dance with her； and be a member of the entertainment committee；
but because there was tropic sunshine in his veins he could not marry
her。
And he didn't show it。 One had to be told to know。 And he was so
good…looking。 The picture of him limned itself on her inner vision； and
before she was aware she was pleasuring in the memory of the grace of
his magnificent body； of his splendid shoulders； of the power in him that
tossed her lightly on a horse； bore her safely through the thundering
breakers； or towed her at the end of an alpenstock up the stern lava crest
of the House of the Sun。 There was something subtler and mysterious
that she remembered； and that she was even then just beginning to
understandthe aura of the male creature that is man； all man； masculine
man。 She came to herself with a shock of shame at the thoughts she
had been thinking。 Her cheeks were dyed with the hot blood which
quickly receded and left them pale at the thought that she would never
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
see him again。 The stem of the transport was already out in the stream；
and the promenade deck was passing abreast of the end of the dock。
〃There's Steve now；〃 her father said。 〃Wave good…bye to him；
Dorothy。〃
Steve was looking up at her with eager eyes； and he saw in her face
what he had not seen before。 By the rush of gladness into his own face
she knew that he knew。 The air was throbbing with the song …
My love to you。 My love be with you till we meet again。
There was no need for speech to tell their story。 About her；
passengers were flinging their garlands to their friends on the dock。
Steve held up his hands and his eyes pleaded。 She slipped her own
garland over her head； but it had become entangled in the string of
Oriental pearls that Mervin； an elderly sugar king； had placed around her
neck when he drove her and her father down to the steamer。
She fought with the pearls that clung to the flowers。 The transport
was moving steadily on。 Steve was already beneath her。 This was the
moment。 The next moment and he would be past。 She sobbed； and
Jeremy Sambrooke glanced at her inquiringly。
〃Dorothy！〃 he cried sharply。
She deliberately snapped the string； and； amid a shower of pearls； the
flowers fell to the waiting lover。 She gazed at him until the tears
blinded her and she buried her face on the shoulder of Jeremy
Sambrooke； who forgot his beloved statistics in wonderment at girl
babies that insisted on growing up。 The crowd sang on； the song
growing fainter in the distance； but still melting with the sensuous love…
languor of Hawaii； the words biting into her heart like acid because of
their untruth。
Aloha oe； Aloha oe； e ke onaona no ho ika lipo； A fond embrace； ahoi
ae au； until we meet again。
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
CHUN AH CHUN
There was nothing striking in the appearance of Chun Ah Chun。 He
was rather undersized； as Chinese go； and the Chinese narrow shoulders
and spareness of flesh were his。 The average tourist； casually
glimpsing him on the streets of Honolulu； would have concluded that he
was a good…natured little Chinese； probably the proprietor of a
prosperous laundry or tailorshop。 In so far as good nature and
prosperity went； the judgment would be correct； though beneath the
mark； for Ah Chun was as good…natured as he was prosperous； and of
the latter no man knew a t
