the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第4节
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choose Joe。〃
Little bare…legged children ran about him； playing； on the grass； but
Percival Ford did not see them。 He was gazing steadily at the singer
under the hau tree。 He even changed his position once； to get closer。
The clerk of the Seaside went by； limping with age and dragging his
reluctant feet。 He had lived forty years on the Islands。 Percival Ford
beckoned to him； and the clerk came respectfully； and wondering that he
should be noticed by Percival Ford。
〃John；〃 Ford said； 〃I want you to give me some information。 Won't
you sit down？〃
The clerk sat down awkwardly； stunned by the unexpected honour。
He blinked at the other and mumbled； 〃Yes； sir； thank you。〃
〃John； who is Joe Garland？〃
The clerk stared at him； blinked； cleared his throat； and said nothing。
〃Go on；〃 Percival Ford commanded。
〃Who is he？〃
〃You're joking me； sir；〃 the other managed to articulate。
〃I spoke to you seriously。〃
The clerk recoiled from him。
〃You don't mean to say you don't know？〃 he questioned； his question
in itself the answer。
〃I want to know。〃
〃Why； he's〃 John broke off and looked about him helplessly。
〃Hadn't you better ask somebody else？ Everybody thought you knew。
We always thought 。 。 。 〃
〃Yes； go ahead。〃
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
〃We always thought that that was why you had it in for him。〃
Photographs and miniatures of Isaac Ford were trooping through his
son's brain； and ghosts of Isaac Ford seemed in the air about hint 〃I wish
you good night； sir；〃 he could hear the clerk saying； and he saw him
beginning to limp away。
〃John；〃 he called abruptly。
John came back and stood near him； blinking and nervously
moistening his lips。
〃You haven't told me yet； you know。〃
〃Oh； about Joe Garland？〃
〃Yes； about Joe Garland。 Who is he？〃
〃He's your brother； sir； if I say it who shouldn't。〃
〃Thank you； John。 Good night。〃
〃And you didn't know？〃 the old man queried； content to linger； now
that the crucial point was past。
〃Thank you； John。 Good night；〃 was the response。
〃Yes； sir； thank you； sir。 I think it's going to rain。 Good night；
sir。〃
Out of the clear sky； filled only with stars and moonlight； fell a rain
so fine and attenuated as to resemble a vapour spray。 Nobody minded
it； the children played on； running bare…legged over the grass and
leaping into the sand； and in a few minutes it was gone。 In the south…
east； Diamond Head； a black blot； sharply defined； silhouetted its crater…
form against the stars。 At sleepy intervals the surf flung its foam across
the sands to the grass； and far out could be seen the black specks of
swimmers under the moon。 The voices of the singers； singing a waltz；
died away； and in the silence； from somewhere under the trees； arose the
laugh of a woman that was a love…cry。 It startled Percival Ford； and it
reminded him of Dr。 Kennedy's phrase。 Down by the outrigger canoes；
where they lay hauled out on the sand； he saw men and women； Kanakas；
reclining languorously； like lotus…eaters； the women in white holokus；
and against one such holoku he saw the dark head of the steersman of
the canoe resting upon the woman's shoulder。 Farther down； where the
strip of sand widened at the entrance to the lagoon； he saw a man and
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
woman walking side by side。 As they drew near the light lanai； he saw
the woman's hand go down to her waist and disengage a girdling arm。
And as they passed him； Percival Ford nodded to a captain he knew； and
to a major's daughter。 Smoke of life； that was it； an ample phrase。
And again； from under the dark algaroba tree arose the laugh of a
woman that was a love…cry； and past his chair； on the way to bed； a bare…
legged youngster was led by a chiding Japanese nurse…maid。 The
voices of the singers broke softly and meltingly into an Hawaiian love…
song； and officers and women； with encircling arms； were gliding and
whirling on the lanai； and once again the woman laughed under the
algaroba trees。
And Percival Ford knew only disapproval of it all。 He was irritated
by the love…laugh of the woman； by the steersman with pillowed head on
the white holoku； by the couples that walked on the beach； by the
officers and women that danced； and by the voices of the singers singing
of love； and his brother singing there with them under the hau tree。
The woman that laughed especially irritated him。 A curious train of
thought was aroused。 He was Isaac Ford's son； and what had happened
with Isaac Ford might happen with him。 He felt in his cheeks the faint
heat of a blush at the thought； and experienced a poignant sense of
shame。 He was appalled by what was in his blood。 It was like
learning suddenly that his father had been a leper and that his own blood
might bear the taint of that dread disease。 Isaac Ford； the austere
soldier of the Lordthe old hypocrite！ What difference between him
and any beach…comber？ The house of pride that Percival Ford had
builded was tumbling about his ears。
The hours passed； the army people laughed and danced； the native
orchestra played on； and Percival Ford wrestled with the abrupt and
overwhelming problem that had been thrust upon him。 He prayed
quietly； his elbow on the table； his head bowed upon his hand； with all
the appearance of any tired onlooker。 Between the dances the army
men and women and the civilians fluttered up to him and buzzed
conventionally； and when they went back to the lanai he took up his
wrestling where he had left it off。
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He began to patch together his shattered ideal of Isaac Ford； and for
cement he used a cunning and subtle logic。 It was of the sort that is
compounded in the brain laboratories of egotists； and it worked。 It was
incontrovertible that his father had been made of finer clay than those
about him； but still； old Isaac had been only in the process of becoming；
while he； Percival Ford； had become。 As proof of it； he rehabilitated
his father and at the same time exalted himself。 His lean little ego
waxed to colossal proportions。 He was great enough to forgive。 He
glowed at the thought of it。 Isaac Ford had been great； but he was
greater； for he could forgive Isaac Ford and even restore him to the holy
place in his memory； though the place was not quite so holy as it had
been。 Also； he applauded Isaac Ford for having ignored the outcome of
his one step aside。 Very well； he； too； would ignore it。
The dance was breaking up。 The orchestra had finished 〃Aloha Oe〃
and was preparing to go home。 Percival Ford clapped his hands for the
Japanese servant。
〃You tell that man I want to see him；〃 he said； pointing out Joe
Garland。 〃Tell him to come here； now。〃
Joe Garland approached and halted respectfully several paces away；
nervously fingering the guitar which he still carried。 The other did
