the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第9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！
sickness。 And now； because he had caught the sickness； he was worth a
thousand dollarsbut not to himself。 It was his worthless carcass；
rotten with disease or dead from a bursting shell； that was worth all that
money。
When the soldiers reached the knife…edged passage； he was prompted
to warn them。 But his gaze fell upon the body of the murdered maid；
and he kept silent。 When six had ventured on the knife…edge； he
opened fire。 Nor did he cease when the knife…edge was bare。 He
emptied his magazine； reloaded； and emptied it again。 He kept on
shooting。 All his wrongs were blazing in his brain； and he was in a fury
of vengeance。 All down the goat…trail the soldiers were firing； and
though they lay flat and sought to shelter themselves in the shallow
inequalities of the surface； they were exposed marks to him。 Bullets
whistled and thudded about him； and an occasional ricochet sang sharply
through the air。 One bullet ploughed a crease through his scalp； and a
second burned across his shoulder…blade without breaking the skin。
It was a massacre； in which one man did the killing。 The soldiers
began to retreat； helping along their wounded。 As Koolau picked them
off he became aware of the smell of burnt meat。 He glanced about him
at first； and then discovered that it was his own hands。 The heat of the
rifle was doing it。 The leprosy had destroyed most of the nerves in his
hands。 Though his flesh burned and he smelled it； there was no
sensation。
He lay in the thicket； smiling； until he remembered the war guns。
Without doubt they would open upon him again； and this time upon the
very thicket from which he had inflicted the danger。 Scarcely had he
changed his position to a nook behind a small shoulder of the wall where
he had noted that no shells fell； than the bombardment recommenced。
He counted the shells。 Sixty more were thrown into the gorge before
the war…guns ceased。 The tiny area was pitted with their explosions；
until it seemed impossible that any creature could have survived。 So
28
… Page 29…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
the soldiers thought； for； under the burning afternoon sun； they climbed
the goat…trail again。 And again the knife…edged passage was disputed；
and again they fell back to the beach。
For two days longer Koolau held the passage； though the soldiers
contented themselves with flinging shells into his retreat。 Then Pahau；
a leper boy； came to the top of the wall at the back of the gorge and
shouted down to him that Kiloliana； hunting goats that they might eat；
had been killed by a fall； and that the women were frightened and knew
not what to do。 Koolau called the boy down and left him with a spare
gun with which to guard the passage。 Koolau found his people
disheartened。 The majority of them were too helpless to forage food
for themselves under such forbidding circumstances； and all were
starving。 He selected two women and a man who were not too far gone
with the disease； and sent them back to the gorge to bring up food and
mats。 The rest he cheered and consoled until even the weakest took a
hand in building rough shelters for themselves。
But those he had dispatched for food did not return； and he started
back for the gorge。 As he came out on the brow of the wall； half a
dozen rifles cracked。 A bullet tore through the fleshy part of his
shoulder； and his cheek was cut by a sliver of rock where a second bullet
smashed against the cliff。 In the moment that this happened； and he
leaped back； he saw that the gorge was alive with soldiers。 His own
people had betrayed him。 The shell…fire had been too terrible； and they
had preferred the prison of Molokai。
Koolau dropped back and unslung one of his heavy cartridge…belts。
Lying among the rocks； he allowed the head and shoulders of the first
soldier to rise clearly into view before pulling trigger。 Twice this
happened； and then； after some delay； in place of a head and shoulders a
white flag was thrust above the edge of the wall。
〃What do you want？〃 be demanded。
〃I want you； if you are Koolau the leper；〃 came the answer。
Koolau forgot where he was； forgot everything； as he lay and
marvelled at the strange persistence of these haoles who would have
their will though the sky fell in。 Aye； they would have their will over
29
… Page 30…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
all men and all things； even though they died in getting it。 He could not
but admire them； too； what of that will in them that was stronger than
life and that bent all things to their bidding。 He was convinced of the
hopelessness of his struggle。 There was no gainsaying that terrible will
of the haoles。 Though he killed a thousand； yet would they rise like the
sands of the sea and come upon him； ever more and more。 They never
knew when they were beaten。 That was their fault and their virtue。 It
was where his own kind lacked。 He could see； now； how the handful of
the preachers of God and the preachers of Rum had conquered the land。
It was because …
〃Well； what have you got to say？ Will you come with me？〃
It was he voice of the invisible man under the white flag。 There he
was； like any haole； driving straight toward the end determined。
〃Let us talk；〃 said Koolau。
The man's head and shoulders arose； then his whole body。 He was a
smooth…faced； blue…eyed youngster of twenty…five； slender and natty in
his captain's uniform。 He advanced until halted； then seated himself a
dozen feet away。
〃You are a brave man；〃 said Koolau wonderingly。 〃I could kill you
like a fly。〃
〃No； you couldn't；〃 was the answer。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because you are a man； Koolau； though a bad one。 I know your
story。 You kill fairly。〃
Koolau grunted； but was secretly pleased。
〃What have you done with my people？〃 he demanded。 〃The boy； the
two women； and the man？〃
〃They gave themselves up； as I have now come for you to do。〃
Koolau laughed incredulously。
〃I am a free man；〃 he announced。 〃I have done no wrong。 All I ask
is to be left alone。 I have lived free； and I shall die free。 I will never
give myself up。〃
〃Then your people are wiser than you；〃 answered the young captain。
〃Lookthey are coming now。〃
30
… Page 31…
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
Koolau turned and watched the remnant of his band approach。
Groaning and sighing； a ghastly procession； it dragged its wretchedness
past。 It was given to Koolau to taste a deeper bitterness； for they hurled
imprecations and insults at him as they went by； and the panting hag
who brought up the rear halted； and with skinny； harpy…claws extended；
shaking her snarling death's head from side to side； she laid a curse upon
him。 One by one they dropped over the lip…edge and surrendered to the
hiding soldiers。
〃You can go now；〃 said Koolau to the captain。 〃I will never give
myself up。 That is my last word。 Good…bye。〃
The captain slipped over the cliff to his soldiers。 The next moment；
