the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第6节
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rocky beach that marked the entrance of Kalalau Valley； but the weather
must be very fine。 And a cool… headed mountaineer might climb from the
beach to the head of Kalalau Valley； to this pocket among the peaks
where Koolau ruled； but such a mountaineer must be very cool of head；
and he must know the wild… goat trails as well。 The marvel was that the
mass of human wreckage that constituted Koolau's people should have
been able to drag its helpless misery over the giddy goat…trails to this
inaccessible spot。
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〃Brothers；〃 Koolau began。
But one of the mowing； apelike travesties emitted a wild shriek of
madness； and Koolau waited while the shrill cachination was tossed
back and forth among the rocky walls and echoed distantly through the
pulseless night。
〃Brothers； is it not strange？ Ours was the land； and behold； the
land is not ours。 What did these preachers of the word of God and the
word of Rum give us for the land？ Have you received one dollar； as
much as one dollar； any one of you； for the land？ Yet it is theirs； and in
return they tell us we can go to work on the land； their land； and that
what we produce by our toil shall be theirs。 Yet in the old days we did
not have to work。 Also； when we are sick； they take away our
freedom。〃
〃Who brought the sickness； Koolau？〃 demanded Kiloliana； a lean and
wiry man with a face so like a laughing faun's that one might expect to
see the cloven hoofs under him。 They were cloven； it was true； but the
cleavages were great ulcers and livid putrefactions。 Yet this was
Kiloliana； the most daring climber of them all； the man who knew every
goat…trail and who had led Koolau and his wretched followers into the
recesses of Kalalau。
〃Ay； well questioned；〃 Koolau answered。 〃Because we would not
work the miles of sugar…cane where once our horses pastured； they
brought the Chinese slaves from overseas。 And with them came the
Chinese sicknessthat which we suffer from and because of which they
would imprison us on Molokai。 We were born on Kauai。 We have
been to the other islands； some here and some there； to Oahu； to Maui； to
Hawaii； to Honolulu。 Yet always did we come back to Kauai。 Why did
we come back？ There must be a reason。 Because we love Kauai。 We
were born here。 Here we have lived。 And here shall we dieunless… …
unlessthere be weak hearts amongst us。 Such we do not want。 They
are fit for Molokai。 And if there be such； let them not remain。
Tomorrow the soldiers land on the shore。 Let the weak hearts go down
to them。 They will be sent swiftly to Molokai。 As for us； we shall
stay and fight。 But know that we will not die。 We have rifles。 You
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know the narrow trails where men must creep； one by one。 I； alone；
Koolau； who was once a cowboy on Niihau； can hold the trail against a
thousand men。 Here is Kapalei； who was once a judge over men and a
man with honour； but who is now a hunted rat； like you and me。 Hear
him。 He is wise。〃
Kapalei arose。 Once he had been a judge。 He had gone to college at
Punahou。 He had sat at meat with lords and chiefs and the high
representatives of alien powers who protected the interests of traders and
missionaries。 Such had been Kapalei。 But now； as Koolau had said；
he was a hunted rat； a creature outside the law； sunk so deep in the mire
of human horror that he was above the law as well as beneath it。 His
face was featureless； save for gaping orifices and for the lidless eyes that
burned under hairless brows。
〃Let us not make trouble；〃 he began。 〃We ask to be left alone。 But
if they do not leave us alone； then is the trouble theirs and the penalty。
My fingers are gone； as you see。〃 He held up his stumps of hands that
all might see。 〃Yet have I the joint of one thumb left； and it can pull a
trigger as firmly as did its lost neighbour in the old days。 We love
Kauia。 Let us live here； or die here； but do not let us go to the prison of
Molokai。 The sickness is not ours。 We have not sinned。 The men
who preached the word of God and the word of Rum brought the
sickness with the coolie slaves who work the stolen land。 I have been a
judge。 I know the law and the justice； and I say to you it is unjust to
steal a man's land； to make that man sick with the Chinese sickness； and
then to put that man in prison for life。〃
〃Life is short； and the days are filled with pain；〃 said Koolau。 〃Let
us drink and dance and be happy as we can。〃
From one of the rocky lairs calabashes were produced and passed
round。 The calabashes were filled with the fierce distillation of the root
of the ti…plant； and as the liquid fire coursed through them and mounted
to their brains； they forgot that they had once been men and women； for
they were men and women once more。 The woman who wept scalding
tears from open eye…pits was indeed a woman apulse with life as she
plucked the strings of an ukulele and lifted her voice in a barbaric love…
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call such as might have come from the dark forest…depths of the
primeval world。 The air tingled with her cry； softly imperious and
seductive。 Upon a mat； timing his rhythm to the woman's song
Kiloliana danced。 It was unmistakable。 Love danced in all his
movements； and； next； dancing with him on the mat； was a woman
whose heavy hips and generous breast gave the lie to her disease…
corroded face。 It was a dance of the living dead； for in their
disintegrating bodies life still loved and longed。 Ever the woman
whose sightless eyes ran scalding tears chanted her love…cry； ever the
dancers of love danced in the warm night； and ever the calabashes went
around till in all their brains were maggots crawling of memory and
desire。 And with the woman on the mat danced a slender maid whose
face was beautiful and unmarred； but whose twisted arms that rose and
fell marked the disease's ravage。 And the two idiots； gibbering and
mouthing strange noises； danced apart； grotesque； fantastic； travestying
love as they themselves had been travestied by life。
But the woman's love…cry broke midway； the calabashes were lowered；
and the dancers ceased； as all gazed into the abyss above the sea； where
a rocket flared like a wan phantom through the moonlit air。
〃It is the soldiers；〃 said Koolau。 〃Tomorrow there will be fighting。
It is well to sleep and be prepared。〃
The lepers obeyed； crawling away to their lairs in the cliff； until only
Koolau remained； sitting motionless in the moonlight； his rifle across his
knees； as he gazed far down to the boats landing on the beach。
The far head of Kalalau Valley had been well chosen as a refuge。
Except Kiloliana； who knew back…trails up the precipitous walls； no man
could win to the gorge save by advancing across a knife…edged ridge。
This passage
