when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第20节
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the same time； with his head； he indicated the near…by thicket。
〃You can't bluff me；〃 Al snarled。
〃It is not a bluff； Al。 Look at me。 I mean it。 And if you don't do it
for yourself； I shall have to do it for you。〃
They faced each other； the proffered revolver still extended。 Al
debated for a moment； then his eyes blazed。 With a quick movement he
seized the revolver。
〃My God！ I'll do it；〃 he said。 〃I'll show you what I've got in me。〃
George felt suddenly sick。 He turned away。 He did not see his
brother enter the thicket； but he heard the passage of his body through the
leaves and branches。
〃Good…bye； Al；〃 he called。
〃Good…bye；〃 came from the thicket。
George felt the sweat upon his forehead。 He began mopping his face
with his handkerchief。 He heard； as from a remote distance； the voice of
the servant again calling to him that the carriage was waiting。 The
woodpecker dropped down through the mottled sunshine and lighted on
the trunk of a tree a dozen feet away。 George felt that it was all a dream；
and yet through it all he felt supreme justification。 It was the right thing
to do。 It was the only thing。
His whole body gave a spasmodic start； as though the revolver had
been fired。 It was the voice of Al； close at his back。
〃Here's your gun；〃 Al said。 〃I'll stay。〃
The servant appeared among the trees； approaching rapidly and calling
anxiously。 George put the weapon in his pocket and caught both his
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brother's hands in his own。
〃God bless you； old man；〃 he murmured ； 〃and〃with a final squeeze
of the hands〃good luck！〃
〃I'm coming；〃 he called to the servant； and turned and ran through the
trees toward the carriage。
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
THE CHINAGO
〃The coral waxes； the palm grows； but man departs。〃Tahitian
proverb。
Ah Cho did not understand French。 He sat in the crowded court
room； very weary and bored； listening to the unceasing； explosive French
that now one official and now another uttered。 It was just so much
gabble to Ah Cho； and he marvelled at the stupidity of the Frenchmen who
took so long to find out the murderer of Chung Ga； and who did not find
him at all。 The five hundred coolies on the plantation knew that Ah San
had done the killing； and here was Ah San not even arrested。 It was true
that all the coolies had agreed secretly not to testify against one another；
but then； it was so simple； the Frenchmen should have been able to
discover that Ah San was the man。 They were very stupid； these
Frenchmen。
Ah Cho had done nothing of which to be afraid。 He had had no hand
in the killing。 It was true he had been present at it； and Schemmer； the
overseer on the plantation； had rushed into the barracks immediately
afterward and caught him there； along with four or five others； but what of
that？ Chung Ga had been stabbed only twice。 It stood to reason that
five or six men could not inflict two stab wounds。 At the most； if a man
had struck but once； only two men could have done it。
So it was that Ah Cho reasoned； when he； along with his four
companions； had lied and blocked and obfuscated in their statements to the
court concerning what had taken place。 They had heard the sounds of the
killing； and； like Schemmer； they had run to the spot。 They had got there
before Schemmerthat was all。 True； Schemmer had testified that；
attracted by the sound of quarrelling as he chanced to pass by； he had
stood for at least five minutes outside； that then； when he entered； he
found the prisoners already inside； and that they had not entered just
before； because he had been standing by the one door to the barracks。
But what of that？ Ah Cho and his four fellow…prisoners had testified that
Schemmer was mistaken。 In the end they would be let go。 They were
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all confident of that。 Five men could not have their heads cut off for two
stab wounds。 Besides； no foreign devil had seen the killing。 But these
Frenchmen were so stupid。 In China； as Ah Cho well knew； the
magistrate would order all of them to the torture and learn the truth。 The
truth was very easy to learn under torture。 But these Frenchmen did not
torturebigger fools they！ Therefore they would never find out who
killed Chung Ga。
But Ah Cho did not understand everything。 The English Company
that owned the plantation had imported into Tahiti； at great expense； the
five hundred coolies。 The stockholders were clamouring for dividends；
and the Company had not yet paid any； wherefore the Company did not
want its costly contract labourers to start the practice of killing one another。
Also； there were the French； eager and willing to impose upon the
Chinagos the virtues and excellences of French law。 There was nothing
like setting an example once in a while； and； besides； of what use was
New Caledonia except to send men to live out their days in misery and
pain in payment of the penalty for being frail and human？
Ah Cho did not understand all this。 He sat in the court room and
waited for the baffled judgment that would set him and his comrades free
to go back to the plantation and work out the terms of their contracts。
This judgment would soon be rendered。 Proceedings were drawing to a
close。 He could see that。 There was no more testifying； no more gabble
of tongues。 The French devils were tired； too； and evidently waiting for
the judgment。 And as he waited he remembered back in his life to the time
when he had signed the contract and set sail in the ship for Tahiti。 Times
had been hard in his sea…coast village； and when he indentured himself to
labour for five years in the South Seas at fifty cents Mexican a day； he had
thought himself fortunate。 There were men in his village who toiled a
whole year for ten dollars Mexican； and there were women who made nets
all the year round for five dollars； while in the houses of shopkeepers there
were maidservants who received four dollars for a year of service。 And
here he was to receive fifty cents a day； for one day； only one day； he was
to receive that princely sum！ What if the work were hard？ At the end
of the five years he would return homethat was in the contractand he
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would never have to work again。 He would be a rich man for life； with a
house of his own； a wife； and children growing up to venerate him。 Yes；
and back of the house he would have a small garden； a place of meditation
and repose； with goldfish in a tiny lakelet； and wind bells tinkling in the
several trees； and there would be a high wall all around so that his
meditation and repose should be undisturbed。
Well； he had worked out three of those five years。 He was already a
wealthy man （in his own country） through his earnings； and only two
years more intervened between the cotton plantation on Tahiti and the
meditation and repose that awaited him。 But just now he was losing
money because of the unfortunate accident of being present at the killing
of Chung Ga。 He had lain three weeks in prison； and for each day of
those three weeks he had lost fifty cents。 But now judgment would soon
be given； and
