when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第21节
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those three weeks he had lost fifty cents。 But now judgment would soon
be given； and he would go back to work。
Ah Cho was twenty…two years old。 He was happy and good…natured；
and it was easy for him to smile。 While his body was slim in the Asiatic
way； his face was rotund。 It was round； like the moon； and it irradiated a
gentle complacence and a sweet kindliness of spirit that was unusual
among his countrymen。 Nor did his looks belie him。 He never caused
trouble； never took part in wrangling。 He did not gamble。 His soul was
not harsh enough for the soul that must belong to a gambler。 He was
content with little things and simple pleasures。 The hush and quiet in the
cool of the day after the blazing toil in the cotton field was to him an
infinite satisfaction。 He could sit for hours gazing at a solitary flower
and philosophizing about the mysteries and riddles of being。 A blue
heron on a tiny crescent of sandy beach； a silvery splatter of flying fish； or
a sunset of pearl and rose across the lagoon； could entrance him to all
forgetfulness of the procession of wearisome days and of the heavy lash of
Schemmer。
Schemmer； Karl Schemmer； was a brute； a brutish brute。 But he
earned his salary。 He got the last particle of strength out of the five
hundred slaves； for slaves they were until their term of years was up。
Schemmer worked hard to extract the strength from those five hundred
sweating bodies and to transmute it into bales of fluffy cotton ready for
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export。 His dominant； iron…clad； primeval brutishness was what enabled
him to effect the transmutation。 Also； he was assisted by a thick leather
belt； three inches wide and a yard in length； with which he always rode
and which； on occasion； could come down on the naked back of a stooping
coolie with a report like a pistol…shot。 These reports were frequent when
Schemmer rode down the furrowed field。
Once； at the beginning of the first year of contract labour； he had killed
a coolie with a single blow of his fist。 He had not exactly crushed the
man's head like an egg…shell； but the blow had been sufficient to addle
what was inside； and； after being sick for a week； the man had died。 But
the Chinese had not complained to the French devils that ruled over Tahiti。
It was their own look out。 Schemmer was their problem。 They must
avoid his wrath as they avoided the venom of the centipedes that lurked in
the grass or crept into the sleeping quarters on rainy nights。 The
Chinagos such they were called by the indolent； brown…skinned island
folksaw to it that they did not displease Schemmer too greatly。 This
was equivalent to rendering up to him a full measure of efficient toil。
That blow of Schemmer's fist had been worth thousands of dollars to the
Company； and no trouble ever came of it to Schemmer。
The French； with no instinct for colonization； futile in their childish
playgame of developing the resources of the island； were only too glad to
see the English Company succeed。 What matter of Schemmer and his
redoubtable fist？ The Chinago that died？ Well； he was only a Chinago。
Besides； he died of sunstroke； as the doctor's certificate attested。 True； in
all the history of Tahiti no one had ever died of sunstroke。 But it was that；
precisely that； which made the death of this Chinago unique。 The doctor
said as much in his report。 He was very candid。 Dividends must be
paid； or else one more failure would be added to the long history of failure
in Tahiti。
There was no understanding these white devils。 Ah Cho pondered
their inscrutableness as he sat in the court room waiting the judgment。
There was no telling what went on at the back of their minds。 He had
seen a few of the white devils。 They were all alikethe officers and
sailors on the ship； the French officials； the several white men on the
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plantation； including Schemmer。 Their minds all moved in mysterious
ways there was no getting at。 They grew angry without apparent cause；
and their anger was always dangerous。 They were like wild beasts at
such times。 They worried about little things； and on occasion could out…
toil even a Chinago。 They were not temperate as Chinagos were
temperate； they were gluttons； eating prodigiously and drinking more
prodigiously。 A Chinago never knew when an act would please them or
arouse a storm of wrath。 A Chinago could never tell。 What pleased one
time； the very next time might provoke an outburst of anger。 There was a
curtain behind the eyes of the white devils that screened the backs of their
minds from the Chinago's gaze。 And then； on top of it all； was that
terrible efficiency of the white devils； that ability to do things； to make
things go； to work results； to bend to their wills all creeping； crawling
things； and the powers of the very elements themselves。 Yes； the white
men were strange and wonderful； and they were devils。 Look at
Schemmer。
Ah Cho wondered why the judgment was so long in forming。 Not a
man on trial had laid hand on Chung Ga。 Ah San alone had killed him。
Ah San had done it； bending Chung Ga's head back with one hand by a
grip of his queue； and with the other hand； from behind； reaching over and
driving the knife into his body。 Twice had he driven it in。 There in the
court room； with closed eyes； Ah Cho saw the killing acted over againthe
squabble； the vile words bandied back and forth； the filth and insult flung
upon venerable ancestors； the curses laid upon unbegotten generations； the
leap of Ah San； the grip on the queue of Chung Ga； the knife that sank
twice into his flesh； the bursting open of the door； the irruption of
Schemmer； the dash for the door； the escape of Ah San； the flying belt of
Schemmer that drove the rest into the corner； and the firing of the revolver
as a signal that brought help to Schemmer。 Ah Cho shivered as he lived
it over。 One blow of the belt had bruised his cheek； taking off some of the
skin。 Schemmer had pointed to the bruises when； on the witness…stand； he
had identified Ah Cho。 It was only just now that the marks had become
no longer visible。 That had been a blow。 Half an inch nearer the centre
and it would have taken out his eye。 Then Ah Cho forgot the whole
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happening in a vision he caught of the garden of meditation and repose
that would be his when he returned to his own land。
He sat with impassive face； while the magistrate rendered the
judgment。 Likewise were the faces of his four companions impassive。
And they remained impassive when the interpreter explained that the five
of them had been found guilty of the murder of Chung Ga； and that Ah
Chow should have his head cut off； Ah Cho serve twenty years in prison in
New Caledonia； Wong Li twelve years； and Ah Tong ten years。 There
was no use in getting excited about it。 Even Ah Chow remained
expressionless as a mummy； though it was his head that was to be cut off。
The magistrate added a few words； and the interpreter explained that Ah
Chow's face having been most severely bruised by Schemmer's strap had
made his identification so positive that； since one man must die； he migh
