the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第23节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
down easily enough。 Then Lyte broke out into honest； hearty laughter。
But he laughed alone； and when he discovered it he looked around at our
faces。 I had reached his side and was trying to get him to come away；
but he took no notice of me。 He was gazing； fascinated； at Kaluna；
who was brushing at his own throat in a flurried； nervous way； as if to
brush off the contamination of the fingers that had clutched him。 The
action was unreasoned； genuine。
〃Lyte looked around at us； slowly passing from face to face。
〃'My God； fellows！ My God！' he said。
〃He did not speak it。 It was more a hoarse whisper of fright and
horror。 It was fear that fluttered in his throat； and I don't think that ever
in his life before he had known fear。
〃Then his colossal optimism asserted itself； and he laughed again。
〃'A good jokewhoever put it up；' he said。 'The drinks are on me。
I had a scare for a moment。 But； fellows； don't do it again； to anybody。
It's too serious。 I tell you I died a thousand deaths in that moment。 I
thought of my wife and the kids； and 。 。 。 '
〃His voice broke； and the half…caste； still throat…brushing； drew his
eyes。 He was puzzled and worried。
〃'John；' he said； turning toward me。
〃His jovial； rotund voice rang in my ears。 But I could not answer。
I was swallowing hard at that moment； and besides； I knew my face
didn't look just right。
〃'John；' he called again； taking a step nearer。
〃He called timidly； and of all nightmares of horrors the most frightful
was to hear timidity in Lyte Gregory's voice。
〃'John； John； what does it mean？' he went on； still more timidly。 'It's
a joke； isn't it？ John； here's my hand。 If I were a leper would I offer
72
… Page 73…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
you my hand？ Am I a leper； John？'
〃He held out his hand； and what in high heaven or hell did I care？
He was my friend。 I took his hand； though it cut me to the heart to see
the way his face brightened。
〃'It was only a joke； Lyte；' I said。 'We fixed it up on you。 But
you're right。 It's too serious。 We won't do it again。'
〃He did not laugh this time。 He smiled； as a man awakened from a
bad dream and still oppressed by the substance of the dream。
〃'All right； then；' he said。 'Don't do it again； and I'll stand for the
drinks。 But I may as well confess that you fellows had me going south
for a moment。 Look at the way I've been sweating。'
〃He sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he started to
step toward the bar。
〃'It is no joke；' Kaluna said abruptly。 I looked murder at him； and I
felt murder； too。 But I dared not speak or strike。 That would have
precipitated the catastrophe which I somehow had a mad hope of still
averting。
〃'It is no joke；' Kaluna repeated。 'You are a leper； Lyte Gregory； and
you've no right putting your hands on honest men's fleshon the clean
flesh of honest men。'
〃Then Gregory flared up。
〃'The joke has gone far enough！ Quit it！ Quit it； I say； Kaluna； or
I'll give you a beating！'
〃'You undergo a bacteriological examination；' Kaluna answered； 'and
then you can beat meto death； if you want to。 Why； man； look at
yourself there in the glass。 You can see it。 Anybody can see it。
You're developing the lion face。 See where the skin is darkened there
over your eyes。
〃Lyte peered and peered； and I saw his hands trembling。
〃'I can see nothing；' he said finally； then turned on the hapa… haole。
'You have a black heart； Kaluna。 And I am not ashamed to say that you
have given me a scare that no man has a right to give another。 I take
you at your word。 I am going to settle this thing now。 I am going
straight to Doc Strowbridge。 And when I come back； watch out。'
73
… Page 74…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
〃He never looked at us； but started for the door。
〃'You wait here； John；' he said； waving me back from accompanying
him。
〃We stood around like a group of ghosts。
〃'It is the truth；' Kaluna said。 'You could see it for yourselves。'
〃They looked at me； and I nodded。 Harry Burnley lifted his glass to
his lips； but lowered it untasted。 He spilled half of it over the bar。 His
lips were trembling like a child that is about to cry。 Ned Austin made a
clatter in the ice…chest。 He wasn't looking for anything。 I don't think
he knew what he was doing。 Nobody spoke。 Harry Burnley's lips
were trembling harder than ever。 Suddenly； with a most horrible；
malignant expression he drove his fist into Kaluna's face。 He followed
it up。 We made no attempt to separate them。 We didn't care if he
killed the half…caste。 It was a terrible beating。 We weren't interested。
I don't even remember when Burnley ceased and let the poor devil crawl
away。 We were all too dazed。
〃Doc Strowbridge told me about it afterward。 He was working late
over a report when Lyte came into his office。 Lyte had already
recovered his optimism； and came swinging in； a trifle angry with
Kaluna to be sure； but very certain of himself。 'What could I do？' Doc
asked me。 'I knew he had it。 I had seen it coming on for months。 I
couldn't answer him。 I couldn't say yes。 I don't mind telling you I
broke down and cried。 He pleaded for the bacteriological test。 〃Snip
out a piece； Doc；〃 he said； over and over。 〃Snip out a piece of skin and
make the test。〃
〃The way Doc Strowbridge cried must have convinced Lyte。 The
Claudine was leaving next morning for Honolulu。 We caught him when
he was going aboard。 You see； he was headed for Honolulu to give
himself up to the Board of Health。 We could do nothing with him。 He
had sent too many to Molokai to hang back himself。 We argued for
Japan。 But he wouldn't hear of it。 'I've got to take my medicine；
fellows；' was all he would say； and he said it over and over。 He was
obsessed with the idea。
〃He wound up all his affairs from the Receiving Station at Honolulu；
74
… Page 75…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
and went down to Molokai。 He didn't get on well there。 The resident
physician wrote us that he was a shadow of his old self。 You see he was
grieving about his wife and the kids。 He knew we were taking care of
them； but it hurt him just the same。 After six months or so I went down
to Molokai。 I sat on one side a plate… glass window； and he on the other。
We looked at each other through the glass and talked through what might
be called a speaking tube。 But it was hopeless。 He had made up his
mind to remain。 Four mortal hours I argued。 I was exhausted at the
end。 My steamer was whistling for me； too。
〃But we couldn't stand for it。 Three months later we chartered the
schooner Halcyon。 She was an opium smuggler； and she sailed like a
witch。 Her master was a squarehead who would do anything for money；
and we made a charter to China worth his while。 He sailed from San
Francisco； and a few days later we took out Landhouse's sloop for a
cruise。 She was only a five…ton yacht； but we slammed her fifty
