English
Therewasadealofcursingandgroaningasthemenatthebottomoftheladdercrawledtotheirfeet.
“Somebodystrikealight,mythumb’soutofjoint,”saidoneofthemen,Parsons,aswarthy,saturnineman,boat-steererinStandish’sboat,inwhichHarrisonwaspuller.
“You’llfinditknockin’aboutbythebitts,”Leachsaid,sittingdownontheedgeofthebunkinwhichIwasconcealed.
Therewasafumblingandascratchingofmatches,andthesea-lampflaredup,dimandsmoky,andinitsweirdlightbare-leggedmenmovedaboutnursingtheirbruisesandcaringfortheirhurts.
Oofty-OoftylaidholdofParsons’sthumb,pullingitoutstoutlyandsnappingitbackintoplace.
InoticedatthesametimethattheKanaka’sknuckleswerelaidopenclearacrossandtothebone.
Heexhibitedthem,exposingbeautifulwhiteteethinagrinashedidso,andexplainingthatthewoundshadcomefromstrikingWolfLarseninthemouth.
“Soitwasyou,wasit,youblackbeggar?”belligerentlydemandedoneKelly,anIrish-Americanandalongshoreman,makinghisfirsttriptosea,andboat-pullerforKerfoot.
AshemadethedemandhespatoutamouthfulofbloodandteethandshovedhispugnaciousfaceclosetoOofty-Oofty.
TheKanakaleapedbackwardtohisbunk,toreturnwithasecondleap,flourishingalongknife.
“Aw,golaydown,youmakemetired,”Leachinterfered.
Hewasevidently,forallofhisyouthandinexperience,cockoftheforecastle.“G’wan,youKelly.YouleaveOoftyalone.
Howinhelldidheknowitwasyouinthedark?”
Kellysubsidedwithsomemuttering,andtheKanakaflashedhiswhiteteethinagratefulsmile.
Hewasabeautifulcreature,almostfeminineinthepleasinglinesofhisfigure,andtherewasasoftnessanddreaminessinhislargeeyeswhichseemedtocontradicthiswell-earnedreputationforstrifeandaction.
“Howdidhegetaway?”Johnsonasked.
Hewassittingonthesideofhisbunk,thewholeposeofhisfigureindicatingutterdejectionandhopelessness.
Hewasstillbreathingheavilyfromtheexertionhehadmade.
Hisshirthadbeenrippedentirelyfromhiminthestruggle,andbloodfromagashinthecheekwasflowingdownhisnakedchest,markingaredpathacrosshiswhitethighanddrippingtothefloor.
“Becauseheisthedevil,asItoldyoubefore,”wasLeach’sanswer;andthereathewasonhisfeetandraginghisdisappointmentwithtearsinhiseyes.
“Andnotoneofyoutogetaknife!”washisunceasinglament.
Buttherestofthehandshadalivelyfearofconsequencestocomeandgavenoheedtohim.
“How’llheknowwhichwaswhich?”Kellyasked,andashewentonhelookedmurderouslyabouthim—“unlessoneofuspeaches.”
“He’llknowassoonaseverheclapseyesonus,”Parsonsreplied.“Onelookatyou’dbeenough.”
“Tellhimthedeckfloppedupandgougedyerteethoutivyerjaw,”Louisgrinned.
Hewastheonlymanwhowasnotoutofhisbunk,andhewasjubilantinthathepossessednobruisestoadvertisethathehadhadahandinthenight’swork.
“Justwaittillhegetsaglimpseivyermugsto-morrow,thegangivye,”hechuckled.
“We’llsaywethoughtitwasthemate,”saidone.
Andanother,“IknowwhatI’llsay—thatIheeredarow,jumpedoutofmybunk,gotajollygoodcrackonthejawformypains,andsailedinmyself.
Couldn’ttellwhoorwhatitwasinthedarkandjusthitout.”
“An’’twasmeyouhit,ofcourse,”Kellyseconded,hisfacebrighteningforthemoment.
LeachandJohnsontooknopartinthediscussion,anditwasplaintoseethattheirmateslookeduponthemasmenforwhomtheworstwasinevitable,whowerebeyondhopeandalreadydead.
Leachstoodtheirfearsandreproachesforsometime.Thenhebrokeout:
“Youmakemetired!Anicelotofgazabasyouare!
Ifyoutalkedlesswithyermouthanddidsomethingwithyerhands,he’da-bendonewithbynow.
Whycouldn’toneofyou,justoneofyou,getmeaknifewhenIsungout?Youmakemesick!
A-beefin’andbellerin’’round,asthoughhe’dkillyouwhenhegetsyou!Youknowdamnwellhewont.Can’taffordto.
Noshippingmastersorbeach-combersoverhere,andhewantsyerinhisbusiness,andhewantsyerbad.
Who’stopullorsteerorsailshipifhelosesyer?
It’smeandJohnsonhavetofacethemusic.
Getintoyerbunks,now,andshutyerfaces;Iwanttogetsomesleep.”
“That’sallrightallright,”Parsonsspokeup.“Mebbehewon’tdoforus,butmarkmywords,hell’llbeanice-boxtothisshipfromnowon.”
AllthewhileIhadbeenapprehensiveconcerningmyownpredicament.
Whatwouldhappentomewhenthesemendiscoveredmypresence?
IcouldneverfightmywayoutasWolfLarsenhaddone.
AndatthismomentLatimercalleddownthescuttles:
“Hump!Theoldmanwantsyou!”
“Heain’tdownhere!”Parsonscalledback.
“Yes,heis,”Isaid,slidingoutofthebunkandstrivingmyhardesttokeepmyvoicesteadyandbold.
Thesailorslookedatmeinconsternation.Fearwasstrongintheirfaces,andthedevilishnesswhichcomesoffear.
“I’mcoming!”IshouteduptoLatimer.
“Noyoudon’t!”Kellycried,steppingbetweenmeandtheladder,hisrighthandshapedintoaveritablestrangler’sclutch.“Youdamnlittlesneak!I’llshutyermouth!”
“Lethimgo,”Leachcommanded.
“Notonyerlife,”wastheangryretort.
Leachneverchangedhispositionontheedgeofthebunk.“Lethimgo,Isay,”herepeated;butthistimehisvoicewasgrittyandmetallic.
TheIrishmanwavered.Imadetostepbyhim,andhestoodaside.
WhenIhadgainedtheladder,Iturnedtothecircleofbrutalandmalignantfacespeeringatmethroughthesemi-darkness.
Asuddenanddeepsympathywelledupinme.
IrememberedtheCockney’swayofputtingit.
HowGodmusthavehatedthemthattheyshouldbetorturedso!
“Ihaveseenandheardnothing,believeme,”Isaidquietly.
“Itellyer,he’sallright,”IcouldhearLeachsayingasIwentuptheladder.“Hedon’tliketheoldmannomorenoryouorme.”
IfoundWolfLarseninthecabin,strippedandbloody,waitingforme.Hegreetedmewithoneofhiswhimsicalsmiles.
“Come,gettowork,Doctor.Thesignsarefavourableforanextensivepracticethisvoyage.
Idon’tknowwhattheGhostwouldhavebeenwithoutyou,andifIcouldonlycherishsuchnoblesentimentsIwouldtellyouhermasterisdeeplygrateful.”
Iknewtherunofthesimplemedicine-chesttheGhostcarried,andwhileIwasheatingwateronthecabinstoveandgettingthethingsreadyfordressinghiswounds,hemovedabout,laughingandchatting,andexamininghishurtswithacalculatingeye.
Ihadneverbeforeseenhimstripped,andthesightofhisbodyquitetookmybreathaway.
Ithasneverbeenmyweaknesstoexalttheflesh—farfromit;butthereisenoughoftheartistinmetoappreciateitswonder.
ImustsaythatIwasfascinatedbytheperfectlinesofWolfLarsen’sfigure,andbywhatImaytermtheterriblebeautyofit.Ihadnotedthemenintheforecastle.
Powerfullymuscledthoughsomeofthemwere,therehadbeensomethingwrongwithallofthem,aninsufficientdevelopmenthere,anunduedevelopmentthere,atwistoracrookthatdestroyedsymmetry,legstooshortortoolong,ortoomuchsineworboneexposed,ortoolittle.
Oofty-Ooftyhadbeentheonlyonewhoselineswereatallpleasing,while,insofarastheypleased,thatfarhadtheybeenwhatIshouldcallfeminine.
ButWolfLarsenwastheman-type,themasculine,andalmostagodinhisperfectness.
Ashemovedaboutorraisedhisarmsthegreatmusclesleaptandmovedunderthesatinyskin.
Ihaveforgottentosaythatthebronzeendedwithhisface.
Hisbody,thankstohisScandinavianstock,wasfairasthefairestwoman’s.
Irememberhisputtinghishanduptofeelofthewoundonhishead,andmywatchingthebicepsmovelikealivingthingunderitswhitesheath.
Itwasthebicepsthathadnearlycrushedoutmylifeonce,thatIhadseenstrikesomanykillingblows.Icouldnottakemyeyesfromhim.
Istoodmotionless,arollofantisepticcottoninmyhandunwindingandspillingitselfdowntothefloor.
Henoticedme,andIbecameconsciousthatIwasstaringathim.
“Godmadeyouwell,”Isaid.
“Didhe?”heanswered.“Ihaveoftenthoughtsomyself,andwonderedwhy.”
“Purpose—”Ibegan.
“Utility,”heinterrupted.“Thisbodywasmadeforuse.
Thesemusclesweremadetogrip,andtear,anddestroylivingthingsthatgetbetweenmeandlife.
Buthaveyouthoughtoftheotherlivingthings?
They,too,havemuscles,ofonekindandanother,madetogrip,andtear,anddestroy;andwhentheycomebetweenmeandlife,Iout-gripthem,out-tearthem,out-destroythem.Purposedoesnotexplainthat.Utilitydoes.”
“Itisnotbeautiful,”Iprotested.
“Lifeisn’t,youmean,”hesmiled.“YetyousayIwasmadewell.Doyouseethis?”
Hebracedhislegsandfeet,pressingthecabinfloorwithhistoesinaclutchingsortofway.Knotsandridgesandmoundsofmuscleswrithedandbunchedundertheskin.
“Feelthem,”hecommanded.
Theywerehardasiron.AndIobserved,also,thathiswholebodyhadunconsciouslydrawnitselftogether,tenseandalert;thatmusclesweresoftlycrawlingandshapingaboutthehips,alongtheback,andacrosstheshoulders;thatthearmswereslightlylifted,theirmusclescontracting,thefingerscrookingtillthehandswereliketalons;andthateventheeyeshadchangedexpressionandintothemwerecomingwatchfulnessandmeasurementandalightnoneotherthanofbattle.
“Stability,equilibrium,”hesaid,relaxingontheinstantandsinkinghisbodybackintorepose.
“Feetwithwhichtoclutchtheground,legstostandonandtohelpwithstand,whilewitharmsandhands,teethandnails,Istruggletokillandtobenotkilled.Purpose?Utilityisthebetterword.”
Ididnotargue.Ihadseenthemechanismoftheprimitivefightingbeast,andIwasasstronglyimpressedasifIhadseentheenginesofagreatbattleshiporAtlanticliner.
Iwassurprised,consideringthefiercestruggleintheforecastle,atthesuperficialityofhishurts,andIpridemyselfthatIdressedthemdexterously.
Withtheexceptionofseveralbadwounds,therestweremerelyseverebruisesandlacerations.
Theblowwhichhehadreceivedbeforegoingoverboardhadlaidhisscalpopenseveralinches.
This,underhisdirection,Icleansedandsewedtogether,havingfirstshavedtheedgesofthewound.
Thenthecalfofhislegwasbadlylaceratedandlookedasthoughithadbeenmangledbyabulldog.
Somesailor,hetoldme,hadlaidholdofitbyhisteeth,atthebeginningofthefight,andhungonandbeendraggedtothetopoftheforecastleladder,whenhewaskickedloose.
“Bytheway,Hump,asIhaveremarked,youareahandyman,”WolfLarsenbegan,whenmyworkwasdone.“Asyouknow,we’reshortamate.
Hereafteryoushallstandwatches,receiveseventy-fivedollarspermonth,andbeaddressedforeandaftasMr.VanWeyden.”
“I—Idon’tunderstandnavigation,youknow,”Igasped.
“Notnecessaryatall.”
“Ireallydonotcaretositinthehighplaces,”Iobjected.“Ifindlifeprecariousenoughinmypresenthumblesituation.Ihavenoexperience.Mediocrity,yousee,hasitscompensations.”
Hesmiledasthoughitwereallsettled.
“Iwon’tbemateonthishell-ship!”Icrieddefiantly.
Isawhisfacegrowhardandthemercilessglittercomeintohiseyes.Hewalkedtothedoorofhisroom,saying:
“Andnow,Mr.VanWeyden,good-night.”
“Good-night,Mr.Larsen,”Iansweredweakly.
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