the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第5节
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nervously fingering the guitar which he still carried。 The other did not
ask him to sit down。
〃You are my brother；〃 he said。
〃Why； everybody knows that；〃 was the reply； in tones of wonderment。
〃Yes； so I understand；〃 Percival Ford said dryly。 〃But I did not
know it till this evening。〃
The half…brother waited uncomfortably in the silence that followed；
during which Percival Ford coolly considered his next utterance。
〃You remember that first time I came to school and the boys ducked
me？〃 he asked。 〃Why did you take my part？〃
The half…brother smiled bashfully。
〃Because you knew？〃
〃Yes； that was why。〃
〃But I didn't know；〃 Percival Ford said in the same dry fashion。
〃Yes；〃 the other said。
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Another silence fell。 Servants were beginning to put out the lights
on the lanai。
〃You know 。 。 。 now；〃 the half…brother said simply。
Percival Ford frowned。 Then he looked the other over with a
considering eye。
〃How much will you take to leave the Islands and never come back？〃
he demanded。
〃And never come back？〃 Joe Garland faltered。 〃It is the only land I
know。 Other lands are cold。 I do not know other lands。 I have many
friends here。 In other lands there would not be one voice to say； 'Aloha；
Joe； my boy。'〃
〃I said never to come back；〃 Percival Ford reiterated。 〃The Alameda
sails tomorrow for San Francisco。〃
Joe Garland was bewildered。
〃But why？〃 he asked。 〃You know now that we are brothers。〃
〃That is why；〃 was the retort。 〃As you said yourself； everybody
knows。 I will make it worth your while。〃
All awkwardness and embarrassment disappeared from Joe Garland。
Birth and station were bridged and reversed。
〃You want me to go？〃 he demanded。
〃I want you to go and never come back；〃 Percival Ford answered。
And in that moment； flashing and fleeting； it was given him to see
his brother tower above him like a mountain； and to feel himself dwindle
and dwarf to microscopic insignificance。 But it is not well for one to
see himself truly； nor can one so see himself for long and live； and only
for that flashing moment did Percival Ford see himself and his brother in
true perspective。 The next moment he was mastered by his meagre and
insatiable ego。
〃As I said； I will make it worth your while。 You will not suffer。 I
will pay you well。〃
〃All right；〃 Joe Garland said。 〃I'll go。〃
He started to turn away。
〃Joe；〃 the other called。 〃You see my lawyer tomorrow morning。
Five hundred down and two hundred a month as long as you stay away。〃
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〃You are very kind；〃 Joe Garland answered softly。 〃You are too
kind。 And anyway； I guess I don't want your money。 I go tomorrow
on the Alameda。〃
He walked away； but did not say goodbye。
Percival Ford clapped his hands。
〃Boy；〃 he said to the Japanese； 〃a lemonade。〃
And over the lemonade he smiled long and contentedly to himself。
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
KOOLAU THE LEPER
〃Because we are sick they take away our liberty。 We have obeyed the
law。 We have done no wrong。 And yet they would put us in prison。
Molokai is a prison。 That you know。 Niuli； there； his sister was sent
to Molokai seven years ago。 He has not seen her since。 Nor will he
ever see her。 She must stay there until she dies。 This is not her will。
It is not Niuli's will。 It is the will of the white men who rule the land。
And who are these white men？
〃We know。 We have it from our fathers and our fathers' fathers。
They came like lambs； speaking softly。 Well might they speak softly；
for we were many and strong； and all the islands were ours。 As I say；
they spoke softly。 They were of two kinds。 The one kind asked our
permission； our gracious permission； to preach to us the word of God。
The other kind asked our permission； our gracious permission； to trade
with us。 That was the beginning。 Today all the islands are theirs； all
the land； all the cattleeverything is theirs。 They that preached the
word of God and they that preached the word of Rum have fore…gathered
and become great chiefs。 They live like kings in houses of many rooms；
with multitudes of servants to care for them。 They who had nothing
have everything； and if you； or I； or any Kanaka be hungry； they sneer
and say； 'Well； why don't you work？ There are the plantations。'
Koolau paused。 He raised one hand； and with gnarled and twisted
fingers lifted up the blazing wreath of hibiscus that crowned his black
hair。 The moonlight bathed the scene in silver。 It was a night of peace；
though those who sat about him and listened had all the seeming of
battle…wrecks。 Their faces were leonine。 Here a space yawned in a
face where should have been a nose； and there an arm…stump showed
where a hand had rotted off。 They were men and women beyond the
pale； the thirty of them； for upon them had been placed the mark of the
beast。
They sat； flower…garlanded； in the perfumed； luminous night； and
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their lips made uncouth noises and their throats rasped approval of
Koolau's speech。 They were creatures who once had been men and
women。 But they were men and women no longer。 They were
monsters in face and form grotesque caricatures of everything human。
They were hideously maimed and distorted； and had the seeming of
creatures that had been racked in millenniums of hell。 Their hands；
when they possessed them； were like harpy claws。 Their faces were the
misfits and slips； crushed and bruised by some mad god at play in the
machinery of life。 Here and there were features which the mad god had
smeared half away； and one woman wept scalding tears from twin pits of
horror； where her eyes once had been。 Some were in pain and groaned
from their chests。 Others coughed； making sounds like the tearing of
tissue。 Two were idiots； more like huge apes marred in the making；
until even an ape were an angel。 They mowed and gibbered in the
moonlight； under crowns of drooping； golden blossoms。 One； whose
bloated ear…lobe flapped like a fan upon his shoulder； caught up a
gorgeous flower of orange and scarlet and with it decorated the
monstrous ear that flip…flapped with his every movement。
And over these things Koolau was king。 And this was his kingdom；
a flower…throttled gorge； with beetling cliffs and crags； from which
floated the blattings of wild goats。 On three sides the grim walls rose；
festooned in fantastic draperies of tropic vegetation and pierced by cave…
entrancesthe rocky lairs of Koolau's subjects。 On the fourth side the
earth fell away into a tremendous abyss； and； far below； could be seen
the summits of lesser peaks and crags； at whose bases foamed and
rumbled the Pacific surge。 In fine weather a boat could land on the
rocky beach that marked the entrance of Kalalau Valley； but the weather
must be very fi
