when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第24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！
called his orders to the blacksmith for a twenty…five…pound piece of iron。
As he stooped over to attach the iron to the broad top of the blade； Ah Cho
glanced at the sergeant and saw his opportunity。
〃The honourable judge said that Ah Chow was to have his head cut
off；〃 he began。
The sergeant nodded impatiently。 He was thinking of the fifteen…mile
ride before him that afternoon； to the windward side of the island； and of
Berthe； the pretty half…caste daughter of Lafiere； the pearl…trader； who was
waiting for him at the end of it。
〃Well； I am not Ah Chow。 I am Ah Cho。 The honourable jailer has
made a mistake。 Ah Chow is a tall man； and you see I am short。〃
83
… Page 84…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
The sergeant looked at him hastily and saw the mistake。
〃Schemmer！〃 he called； imperatively。 〃Come here。〃
The German grunted； but remained bent over his task till the chunk of
iron was lashed to his satisfaction。 〃Is your Chinago ready？〃 he
demanded。
〃Look at him；〃 was the answer。 〃Is he the Chinago？〃
Schemmer was surprised。 He swore tersely for a few seconds； and
looked regretfully across at the thing he had made with his own hands and
which he was eager to see work。 〃Look here；〃 he said finally； 〃we can't
postpone this affair。 I've lost three hours' work already out of those five
hundred Chinagos。 I can't afford to lose it all over again for the right
man。 Let's put the performance through just the same。 It is only a
Chinago。〃
The sergeant remembered the long ride before him； and the pearl…
trader's daughter； and debated with himself。
〃They will blame it on Cruchotif it is discovered；〃 the German urged。
〃But there's little chance of its being discovered。 Ah Chow won't give it
away； at any rate。〃
〃The blame won't lie with Cruchot； anyway；〃 the sergeant said。 〃It
must have been the jailer's mistake。〃
〃Then let's go on with it。 They can't blame us。 Who can tell one
Chinago from another？ We can say that we merely carried out
instructions with the Chinago that was turned over to us。 Besides； I
really can't take all those coolies a second time away from their labour。〃
They spoke in French； and Ah Cho； who did not understand a word of
it； nevertheless knew that they were determining his destiny。 He knew；
also； that the decision rested with the sergeant； and he hung upon that
official's lips。
〃All right；〃 announced the sergeant。 〃Go ahead with it。 He is only a
Chinago。〃
〃I'm going to try it once more； just to make sure。〃 Schemmer moved
the banana trunk forward under the knife； which he had hoisted to the top
of the derrick。
Ah Cho tried to remember maxims from 〃The Tract of the Quiet Way。〃
84
… Page 85…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
〃Live in concord；〃 came to him； but it was not applicable。 He was not
going to live。 He was about to die。 No； that would not do。 〃Forgive
malice〃yes； but there was no malice to forgive。 Schemmer and the rest
were doing this thing without malice。 It was to them merely a piece of
work that had to be done； just as clearing the jungle； ditching the water；
and planting cotton were pieces of work that had to be done。 Schemmer
jerked the cord； and Ah Cho forgot 〃The Tract of the Quiet Way。〃 The
knife shot down with a thud； making a clean slice of the tree。
〃Beautiful！〃 exclaimed the sergeant； pausing in the act of lighting a
cigarette。 〃Beautiful； my friend。〃
Schemmer was pleased at the praise。
〃Come on； Ah Chow；〃 he said； in the Tahitian tongue。
〃But I am not Ah Chow〃 Ah Cho began。
〃Shut up！〃 was the answer。 〃If you open your mouth again； I'll break
your head。〃
The overseer threatened him with a clenched fist； and he remained
silent。 What was the good of protesting？ Those foreign devils always
had their way。 He allowed himself to be lashed to the vertical board that
was the size of his body。 Schemmer drew the buckles tightso tight that
the straps cut into his flesh and hurt。 But he did not complain。 The hurt
would not last long。 He felt the board tilting over in the air toward the
horizontal； and closed his eyes。 And in that moment he caught a last
glimpse of his garden of meditation and repose。 It seemed to him that he
sat in the garden。 A cool wind was blowing； and the bells in the several
trees were tinkling softly。 Also； birds were making sleepy noises； and
from beyond the high wall came the subdued sound of village life。
Then he was aware that the board had come to rest； and from muscular
pressures and tensions he knew that he was lying on his back。 He opened
his eyes。 Straight above him he saw the suspended knife blazing in the
sunshine。 He saw the weight which had been added； and noted that one
of Schemmer's knots had slipped。 Then he heard the sergeant's voice in
sharp command。 Ah Cho closed his eyes hastily。 He did not want to
see that knife descend。 But he felt itfor one great fleeting instant。 And
in that instant he remembered Cruchot and what Cruchot had said。 But
85
… Page 86…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
Cruchot was wrong。 The knife did not tickle。 That much he knew
before he ceased to know。
86
… Page 87…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
MAKE WESTING
Whatever you do； make westing！ make westing！ Sailing directions
for Cape Horn。
For seven weeks the Mary Rogers had been between 5O degrees south
in the Atlantic and 5O degrees south in the Pacific； which meant that for
seven weeks she had been struggling to round Cape Horn。 For seven
weeks she had been either in dirt； or close to dirt； save once； and then；
following upon six days of excessive dirt； which she had ridden out under
the shelter of the redoubtable Terra del Fuego coast； she had almost gone
ashore during a heavy swell in the dead calm that had suddenly fallen。
For seven weeks she had wrestled with the Cape Horn graybeards； and in
return been buffeted and smashed by them。 She was a wooden ship； and
her ceaseless straining had opened her seams； so that twice a day the
watch took its turn at the pumps。
The Mary Rogers was strained； the crew was strained； and big Dan
Cullen； master； was likewise strained。 Perhaps he was strained most of
all； for upon him rested the responsibility of that titanic struggle。 He
slept most of the time in his clothes； though he rarely slept。 He haunted
the deck at night； a great； burly； robust ghost； black with the sunburn of
thirty years of sea and hairy as an orang…outang。 He； in turn； was
haunted by one thought of action； a sailing direction for the Horn：
Whatever you do； make westing！ make westing！ It was an obsession。
He thought of nothing else； except； at times； to blaspheme God for sending
such bitter weather。
Make westing！ He hugged the Horn； and a dozen times lay hove to
with the iron Cape bearing east…by…north； or north…north…east； a score of
miles away。 And each time the eternal west wind smote him back and he
made easting。 He fought gale after gale； south to 64 degrees； inside the
antarctic drift…ice； and pledged his immortal soul to the Powers of
Darkness for a bit of westing； for a slant to take him around。 And he
made easting。 In despair； he had tried to make the passage through the
Straits of Le Maire。 Halfway through； the wind hauled to the north'ard of
