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