the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第43章
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a pilgrim； haunted by a divine nostalgia； and the demon within him was
ruthless。 There are men whose desire for truth is so great that to attain it
they will shatter the very foundation of their world。 Of such was
Strickland； only beauty with him took the place of truth。 I could only feel
for him a profound compassion。〃
〃That is strange also。 A man whom he had deeply wronged told me
that he felt a great pity for him。〃 I was silent for a moment。 〃I wonder if
there you have found the explanation of a character which has always
seemed to me inexplicable。 How did you hit on it？〃
He turned to me with a smile。
〃Did I not tell you that I； too； in my way was an artist？ I realised in
myself the same desire as animated him。 But whereas his medium was
paint； mine has been life。〃
Then Captain Brunot told me a story which I must repeat； since； if
only by way of contrast； it adds something to my impression of Strickland。
It has also to my mind a beauty of its own。
Captain Brunot was a Breton； and had been in the French Navy。 He
left it on his marriage； and settled down on a small property he had near
Quimper to live for the rest of his days in peace； but the failure of an
attorney left him suddenly penniless； and neither he nor his wife was
willing to live in penury where they had enjoyed consideration。 During
his sea faring days he had cruised the South Seas； and he determined now
to seek his fortune there。 He spent some months in Papeete to make his
plans and gain experience； then； on money borrowed from a friend in
France； he bought an island in the Paumotus。 It was a ring of land round a
deep lagoon； uninhabited； and covered only with scrub and wild guava。
With the intrepid woman who was his wife； and a few natives； he landed
there； and set about building a house； and clearing the scrub so that he
could plant cocoa…nuts。 That was twenty years before； and now what had
been a barren island was a garden。
〃It was hard and anxious work at first； and we worked strenuously；
both of us。 Every day I was up at dawn； clearing； planting； working on
my house； and at night when I threw myself on my bed it was to sleep like
a log till morning。 My wife worked as hard as I did。 Then children
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were born to us； first a son and then a daughter。 My wife and I have
taught them all they know。 We had a piano sent out from France； and she
has taught them to play and to speak English； and I have taught them Latin
and mathematics； and we read history together。 They can sail a boat。
They can swim as well as the natives。 There is nothing about the land of
which they are ignorant。 Our trees have prospered； and there is shell on
my reef。 I have come to Tahiti now to buy a schooner。 I can get enough
shell to make it worth while to fish for it； and； who knows？ I may find
pearls。 I have made something where there was nothing。 I too have
made beauty。 Ah； you do not know what it is to look at those tall； healthy
trees and think that every one I planted myself。〃
〃Let me ask you the question that you asked Strickland。 Do you never
regret France and your old home in Brittany？〃
〃Some day； when my daughter is married and my son has a wife and is
able to take my place on the island； we shall go back and finish our days in
the old house in which I was born。〃
〃You will look back on a happy life；〃 I said。
〃； it is not exciting on my island； and we are very far
from the world imagine； it takes me four days to come to Tahiti but
we are happy there。 It is given to few men to attempt a work and to
achieve it。 Our life is simple and innocent。 We are untouched by
ambition； and what pride we have is due only to our contemplation of the
work of our hands。 Malice cannot touch us； nor envy attack。 Ah； ； they talk of the blessedness of labour； and it is a
meaningless phrase； but to me it has the most intense significance。 I am
a happy man。〃
〃I am sure you deserve to be；〃 I smiled。
〃I wish I could think so。 I do not know how I have deserved to have
a wife who was the perfect friend and helpmate； the perfect mistress and
the perfect mother。〃
I reflected for a while on the life that the Captain suggested to my
imagination。
〃It is obvious that to lead such an existence and make so great a
success of it； you must both have needed a strong will and a determined
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character。〃
〃Perhaps； but without one other factor we could have achieved
nothing。〃
〃And what was that？〃
He stopped； somewhat dramatically； and stretched out his arm。
〃Belief in God。 Without that we should have been lost。〃
Then we arrived at the house of Dr。 Coutras。
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Chapter LV
Mr。 Coutras was an old Frenchman of great stature and exceeding
bulk。 His body was shaped like a huge duck's egg； and his eyes； sharp；
blue； and good…natured； rested now and then with self…satisfaction on his
enormous paunch。 His complexion was florid and his hair white。 He
was a man to attract immediate sympathy。 He received us in a room that
might have been in a house in a provincial town in France； and the one or
two Polynesian curios had an odd look。 He took my hand in both of his …
… they were huge and gave me a hearty look； in which； however； was
great shrewdness。 When he shook hands with Capitaine Brunot he
enquired politely after 。 For some minutes
there was an exchange of courtesies and some local gossip about the island；
the prospects of copra and the vanilla crop； then we came to the object of
my visit。
I shall not tell what Dr。 Coutras related to me in his words； but in my
own； for I cannot hope to give at second hand any impression of his
vivacious delivery。 He had a deep； resonant voice； fitted to his massive
frame； and a keen sense of the dramatic。 To listen to him was； as the
phrase goes； as good as a play； and much better than most。
It appears that Dr。 Coutras had gone one day to Taravao in order to see
an old chiefess who was ill； and he gave a vivid picture of the obese old
lady； lying in a huge bed； smoking cigarettes； and surrounded by a crowd
of dark…skinned retainers。 When he had seen her he was taken into another
room and given dinner raw fish； fried bananas； and chicken ； the typical dinner of the and while he was eating
it he saw a young girl being driven away from the door in tears。 He
thought nothing of it； but when he went out to get into his trap and drive
home； he saw her again； standing a little way off； she looked at him with a
woebegone air； and tears streamed down her cheeks。 He asked someone
what was wrong with her； and was told that she had come down from the
hills to ask him to visit a white man who was sick。 They had told her that
the doctor could not be disturbed。 He called her； and himself asked what
she wanted。 She told him that Ata had sent her； she who used to be at the
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Hotel de la Fleur； and that the Red One was ill。 She thrust into his hand a
crumpled piece of newspaper； and when he opened it he found in it a
hundred…franc note。
〃Who is the Red One？〃 he asked of one of the bystanders。
He was told that that was what they called the Englishman； a painter；
who lived with Ata up in the valley seven kilometres from where they
were。 He recognised Strickland by the description。 But it was
necessary to walk。 It was impossible for him to go； that was why they
had sent the girl away。
〃I confess；〃 said the doctor； turning to me； 〃that I hesitated。 I did not
relish fourteen kilometres over a bad pathway； and there was no chance
that I could get back to Papeete that night。 Besides； Strickland was not
sympathetic to me。 He was an idle； useless scoundrel； who preferred to
live with a native woman rather than work for his living like the rest of us。
； how was I to know that one day the world would come to
the conclusion that he had genius？ I asked the girl if he was not well
enough to have come down to see me。 I asked her what she thought was
the matter with him。 She would not answer。 I pressed her； angrily
perhaps； but she looked down on the ground and began to cry。 Then I
shrugged my shoulders； after all； perhaps it was my duty to go； and in a
very bad temper I bade her lead the way。〃
His temper was certainly no better when he arrived； perspiring freely
and thirsty。 Ata was on the look…out for him； and came a little way along
the path to meet him。
〃Before I see anyone give me something to drink or I shall die of
thirst；〃 he cried out。 〃
