the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第36章
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Chapter XLVII
I have tried to put some connection into the various things Captain
Nichols told me about Strickland； and I here set them down in the best
order I can。 They made one another's acquaintance during the latter part
of the winter following my last meeting with Strickland in Paris。 How he
had passed the intervening months I do not know； but life must have been
very hard； for Captain Nichols saw him first in the Asile de Nuit。 There
was a strike at Marseilles at the time； and Strickland； having come to the
end of his resources； had apparently found it impossible to earn the small
sum he needed to keep body and soul together。
The Asile de Nuit is a large stone building where pauper and vagabond
may get a bed for a week； provided their papers are in order and they can
persuade the friars in charge that they are workingmen。 Captain Nichols
noticed Strickland for his size and his singular appearance among the
crowd that waited for the doors to open； they waited listlessly； some
walking to and fro； some leaning against the wall； and others seated on the
curb with their feet in the gutter； and when they filed into the office he
heard the monk who read his papers address him in English。 But he did
not have a chance to speak to him； since； as he entered the common…room；
a monk came in with a huge Bible in his arms； mounted a pulpit which
was at the end of the room； and began the service which the wretched
outcasts had to endure as the price of their lodging。 He and Strickland
were assigned to different rooms； and when； thrown out of bed at five in
the morning by a stalwart monk； he had made his bed and washed his face；
Strickland had already disappeared。 Captain Nichols wandered about the
streets for an hour of bitter cold； and then made his way to the Place Victor
Gelu； where the sailor…men are wont to congregate。 Dozing against the
pedestal of a statue； he saw Strickland again。 He gave him a kick to
awaken him。
〃Come and have breakfast； mate；〃 he said。
〃Go to hell；〃 answered Strickland。
I recognised my friend's limited vocabulary； and I prepared to regard
Captain Nichols as a trustworthy witness。
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〃Busted？〃 asked the Captain。
〃Blast you；〃 answered Strickland。
〃Come along with me。 I'll get you some breakfast。〃
After a moment's hesitation； Strickland scrambled to his feet； and
together they went to the Bouchee de Pain； where the hungry are given a
wedge of bread； which they must eat there and then； for it is forbidden to
take it away； and then to the Cuillere de Soupe； where for a week； at
eleven and four； you may get a bowl of thin； salt soup。 The two buildings
are placed far apart； so that only the starving should be tempted to make
use of them。 So they had breakfast； and so began the queer
companionship of Charles Strickland and Captain Nichols。
They must have spent something like four months at Marseilles in one
another's society。 Their career was devoid of adventure； if by adventure
you mean unexpected or thrilling incident； for their days were occupied in
the pursuit of enough money to get a night's lodging and such food as
would stay the pangs of hunger。 But I wish I could give here the pictures；
coloured and racy； which Captain Nichols' vivid narrative offered to the
imagination。 His account of their discoveries in the low life of a seaport
town would have made a charming book； and in the various characters that
came their way the student might easily have found matter for a very
complete dictionary of rogues。 But I must content myself with a few
paragraphs。 I received the impression of a life intense and brutal； savage；
multicoloured； and vivacious。 It made the Marseilles that I knew；
gesticulating and sunny； with its comfortable hotels and its restaurants
crowded with the well…to…do； tame and commonplace。 I envied men who
had seen with their own eyes the sights that Captain Nichols described。
When the doors of the Asile de Nuit were closed to them； Strickland
and Captain Nichols sought the hospitality of Tough Bill。 This was the
master of a sailors' boarding…house； a huge mulatto with a heavy fist； who
gave the stranded mariner food and shelter till he found him a berth。
They lived with him a month； sleeping with a dozen others； Swedes；
negroes； Brazilians； on the floor of the two bare rooms in his house which
he assigned to his charges； and every day they went with him to the Place
Victor Gelu； whither came ships' captains in search of a man。 He was
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married to an American woman； obese and slatternly； fallen to this pass by
Heaven knows what process of degradation； and every day the boarders
took it in turns to help her with the housework。 Captain Nichols looked
upon it as a smart piece of work on Strickland's part that he had got out of
this by painting a portrait of Tough Bill。 Tough Bill not only paid for the
canvas； colours； and brushes； but gave Strickland a pound of smuggled
tobacco into the bargain。 For all I know； this picture may still adorn the
parlour of the tumbledown little house somewhere near the Quai de la
Joliette； and I suppose it could now be sold for fifteen hundred pounds。
Strickland's idea was to ship on some vessel bound for Australia or New
Zealand； and from there make his way to Samoa or Tahiti。 I do not know
how he had come upon the notion of going to the South Seas； though I
remember that his imagination had long been haunted by an island； all
green and sunny； encircled by a sea more blue than is found in Northern
latitudes。 I suppose that he clung to Captain Nichols because he was
acquainted with those parts； and it was Captain Nichols who persuaded
him that he would be more comfortable in Tahiti。
〃You see； Tahiti's French；〃 he explained to me。 〃And the French
aren't so damned technical。〃
I thought I saw his point。
Strickland had no papers； but that was not a matter to disconcert Tough
Bill when he saw a profit （he took the first month's wages of the sailor for
whom he found a berth）； and he provided Strickland with those of an
English stoker who had providentially died on his hands。 But both
Captain Nichols and Strickland were bound East； and it chanced that the
only opportunities for signing on were with ships sailing West。 Twice
Strickland refused a berth on tramps sailing for the United States； and once
on a collier going to Newcastle。 Tough Bill had no patience with an
obstinacy which could only result in loss to himself； and on the last
occasion he flung both Strickland and Captain Nichols out of his house
without more ado。 They found themselves once more adrift。
Tough Bill's fare was seldom extravagant； and you rose from his table
almost as hungry as you sat down； but for some days they had good reason
to regret it。 They learned what hunger was。 The Cuillere de Soupe and
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the Asile de Nuit were both closed to them； and their only sustenance was
the wedge of bread which the Bouchee de Pain provided。 They slept
where they could； sometimes in an empty truck on a siding near the station；
sometimes in a cart behind a warehouse； but it was bitterly cold； and after
an hour or two of uneasy dozing they would tramp the streets again。
What they felt the lack of most bitterly was tobacco； and Captain Nichols；
for his part； could not do without it； he took to hunting the 〃Can o' Beer；〃
for cigarette…ends and the butt…end of cigars which the promenaders of the
night before had thrown away。
〃I've tasted worse smoking mixtures in a pipe；〃 he added； with a
philosophic shrug of his shoulders； as he took a couple of cigars from the
case I offered him； putting one in his mouth and the other in his pocket。
Now and then they made a bit of money。 Sometimes a mail steamer
would come in； and Captain Nichols； having scraped acquaintance with
the timekeeper； would succeed in getting the pair of them a job as
stevedores。 When it was an English boat； they would dodge into the
forecastle and get a hearty breakfast from the crew。 They took the risk of
running against one of the ship's officers and being hustled down the
gangway with the toe of a boot to speed their going。
〃There's no harm in a kick in the hindquarters when your belly's full；〃
said Captain Nichols； 〃and personally I never take it in bad part。 An
officer's got to think about discipline。〃
I had a lively picture of Captain Nichols flying headlong down a
narrow gangway before the uplifted foot of an angry mate； and； like a true
Englishman； rejoicing in the spirit of the Mercantile Marine。
There were often odd jobs to be got about the fish…market。 Once they
each of them earned a franc by loading trucks with innumerable boxes of
oranges that had been dumped down on the quay。 One day they had a
stroke of luck： one of the boarding…masters got a contract to paint a
tramp that had come in from Madagascar round the Cape of Good Hope；
and they spent several days on a plank hanging over the side； covering the
rusty hull with paint。 It was a situation that must have appealed to
Strickland
