友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
恐怖书库 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

the house of pride and other tales of hawaii-第13部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!



stagger across the lighter and aboard the steamer。  It was the 

funeral procession。  At once the wailing started from those behind 

the rope。  It was blood…curdling; it was heart…rending。  I never 

heard such woe; and I hope never to again。  Kersdale and McVeigh 

were still at the other end of the wharf; talking earnestly

politics; of course; for both were head…over…heels in that 

particular game。  When Lucy Mokunui passed me; I stole a look at 

her。  She WAS beautiful。  She was beautiful by our standards; as 

wellone of those rare blossoms that occur but once in generations。  

And she; of all women; was doomed to Molokai。  She straight on 

board; and aft on the open deck where the lepers huddled by the 

rail; wailing now; to their dear ones on shore。



The lines were cast off; and the Noeau began to move away from the 

wharf。  The wailing increased。  Such grief and despair!  I was just 

resolving that never again would I be a witness to the sailing of 

the Noeau; when McVeigh and Kersdale returned。  The latter's eyes 

were sparkling; and his lips could not quite hide the smile of 

delight that was his。  Evidently the politics they had talked had 

been satisfactory。  The rope had been flung aside; and the lamenting 

relatives now crowded the stringer piece on either side of us。



〃That's her mother;〃 Doctor Georges whispered; indicating an old 

woman next to me; who was rocking back and forth and gazing at the 

steamer rail out of tear…blinded eyes。  I noticed that Lucy Mokunui 

was also wailing。  She stopped abruptly and gazed at Kersdale。  Then 

she stretched forth her arms in that adorable; sensuous way that 

Olga Nethersole has of embracing an audience。  And with arms 

outspread; she cried:



〃Good…bye; Jack!  Good…bye!〃



He heard the cry; and looked。  Never was a man overtaken by more 

crushing fear。  He reeled on the stringer piece; his face went white 

to the roots of his hair; and he seemed to shrink and wither away 

inside his clothes。  He threw up his hands and groaned; 〃My God!  My 

God!〃  Then he controlled himself by a great effort。



〃Good…bye; Lucy!  Good…bye!〃 he called。



And he stood there on the wharf; waving his hands to her till the 

Noeau was clear away and the faces lining her after…rail were vague 

and indistinct。



〃I thought you knew;〃 said McVeigh; who had been regarding him 

curiously。  〃You; of all men; should have known。  I thought that was 

why you were here。〃



〃I know now;〃 Kersdale answered with immense gravity。  〃Where's the 

carriage?〃



He walked rapidlyhalf…ranto it。  I had to half…run myself to 

keep up with him。



〃Drive to Doctor Hervey's;〃 he told the driver。  〃Drive as fast as 

you can。〃



He sank down in a seat; panting and gasping。  The pallor of his face 

had increased。  His lips were compressed and the sweat was standing 

out on his forehead and upper lip。  He seemed in some horrible 

agony。



〃For God's sake; Martin; make those horses go!〃 he broke out 

suddenly。  〃Lay the whip into them!do you hear?lay the whip into 

them!〃



〃They'll break; sir;〃 the driver remonstrated。



〃Let them break;〃 Kersdale answered。  〃I'll pay your fine and square 

you with the police。  Put it to them。  That's right。  Faster!  

Faster!〃



〃And I never knew; I never knew;〃 he muttered; sinking back in the 

seat and with trembling hands wiping the sweat away。



The carriage was bouncing; swaying and lurching around corners at 

such a wild pace as to make conversation impossible。  Besides; there 

was nothing to say。  But I could hear him muttering over and over; 

〃And I never knew。  I never knew。〃







ALOHA OE







Never are there such departures as from the dock at Honolulu。  The 

great transport lay with steam up; ready to pull out。  A thousand 

persons were on her decks; five thousand stood on the wharf。  Up and 

down the long gangway passed native princes and princesses; sugar 

kings and the high officials of the Territory。  Beyond; in long 

lines; kept in order by the native police; were the carriages and 

motor…cars of the Honolulu aristocracy。  On the wharf the Royal 

Hawaiian Band played 〃Aloha Oe;〃 and when it finished; a stringed 

orchestra of native musicians on board the transport took up the 

same sobbing strains; the native woman singer's voice rising 

birdlike above the instruments and the hubbub of departure。  It was 

a silver reed; sounding its clear; unmistakable note in the great 

diapason of farewell。



Forward; on the lower deck; the rail was lined six deep with khaki…

clad young boys; whose bronzed faces told of three years' 

campaigning under the sun。  But the farewell was not for them。  Nor 

was it for the white…clad captain on the lofty bridge; remote as the 

stars; gazing down upon the tumult beneath him。  Nor was the 

farewell for the young officers farther aft; returning from the 

Philippines; nor for the white…faced; climate…ravaged women by their 

sides。  Just aft the gangway; on the promenade deck; stood a score 

of United States Senators with their wives and daughtersthe 

Senatorial junketing party that for a month had been dined and 

wined; surfeited with statistics and dragged up volcanic hill and 

down lava dale to behold the glories and resources of Hawaii。  It 

was for the junketing party that the transport had called in at 

Honolulu; and it was to the junketing party that Honolulu was saying 

good…bye。



The Senators were garlanded and bedecked with flowers。  Senator 

Jeremy Sambrooke's stout neck and portly bosom were burdened with a 

dozen wreaths。  Out of this mass of bloom and blossom projected his 

head and the greater portion of his freshly sunburned and perspiring 

face。  He thought the flowers an abomination; and as he looked out 

over the multitude on the wharf it was with a statistical eye that 

saw none of the beauty; but that peered into the labour power; the 

factories; the railroads; and the plantations that lay back of the 

multitude and which the multitude expressed。  He saw resources and 

thought development; and he was too busy with dreams of material 

achievement and empire to notice his daughter at his side; talking 

with a young fellow in a natty summer suit and straw hat; whose 

eager eyes seemed only for her and never left her face。  Had Senator 

Jeremy had eyes for his daughter; he would have seen that; in place 

of the young girl of fifteen he had brought to Hawaii a short month 

before; he was now taking away with him a woman。



Hawaii has a ripening climate; and Dorothy Sambrooke had been 

exposed to it under exceptionally ripening circumstances。  Slender; 

pale; with blue eyes a trifle tired from poring over the pages of 

books and trying to muddle into an understanding of lifesuch she 

had been the month before。  But now the eyes were warm instead of 

tired; the cheeks were touched with the sun; and the body gave the 

first hint and promise of swelling
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 5
快捷操作: 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!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!