when the world shook-第8章

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pretty　South　Sea　Island　girl　clad　in　a　few　flowers　and　nothing

else；　which　he　held　towards　Bastin；　saying：



〃Is　it　to　this　child　of　Nature。　that　you　object？　I　call　her

distinctly　attractive；　though　perhaps　she　does　wear　her　hibiscus

blooms　with　a　difference　to　our　womena　little　lower　down。〃



〃The　devil　is　always　attractive；〃　replied　Bastin　gloomily。

〃Child　of　Nature　indeed！　I　call　her　Child　of　Sin。　That　photograph

is　enough　to　make　my　poor　Sarah　turn　in　her　grave。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　Bickley；　〃seeing　that　wide　seas　roll　between　you

and　this　dusky　Venus。　Also　I　thought　that　according　to　your

Hebrew　legend　sin　came　in　with　bark　garments。〃



〃You　should　search　the　Scriptures；　Bickley；〃　I　broke　in；　〃and

cultivate　accuracy。　It　was　fig…leaves　that　symbolised　its

arrival。　The　garments；　which　I　think　were　of　skin；　developed

later。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　went　on　Bickley；　who　had　turned　the　page；　〃she〃　（he

referred　to　the　late　Mrs。　Bastin）　〃would　have　preferred　her

thus；〃　and　he　held　up　another　illustration　of　the　same　woman。



In　this　the　native　belle　appeared　after　conversion；　clad　in

broken…down　staysI　suppose　they　were　staysout　of　which　she

seemed　to　bulge　and　flow　in　every　direction；　a　dirty　white　dress

several　sizes　too　small；　a　kind　of　Salvation　Army　bonnet　without

a　crown　and　a　prayer…book　which　she　held　pressed　to　her　middle；

the　general　effect　being　hideous；　and　in　some　curious　way；

improper。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Bastin；　〃though　I　admit　her　clothes　do　not

seem　to　fit　and　she　has　not　buttoned　them　up　as　she　ought。　But　it

is　not　of　the　pictures　so　much　as　of　the　letterpress　with　its

false　and　scandalous　accusations；　that　I　complain。〃



〃Why　do　you　complain？〃　asked　Bickley。　〃Probably　it　is　quite

true；　though　that　we　could　never　ascertain　without　visiting　the

lady's　home。〃



〃If　I　could　afford　it；〃　exclaimed　Bastin　with　rising　anger；　〃I

should　like　to　go　there　and　expose　this　vile　traducer　of　my

cloth。〃



〃So　should　I；〃　answered　Bickley；　〃and　expose　these　introducers

of　consumption；　measles　and　other　European　diseases；　to　say

nothing　of　gin；　among　an　innocent　and　Arcadian　people。〃



〃How　can　you　call　them　innocent；　Bickley；　when　they　murder　and

eat　missionaries？〃



〃I　dare　say　we　should　all　eat　a　missionary；　Bastin；　if　we　were

hungry　enough；〃　was　the　answer；　after　which　something　occurred　to

change　the　conversation。



But　I　kept　the　book　and　read　it　as　a　neutral　observer；　and　came

to　the　conclusion　that　these　South　Sea　Islands；　a　land　where　it

was　always　afternoon；　must　be　a　charming　place；　in　which　perhaps

the　stars　of　the　Tropics　and　the　scent　of　the　flowers　might

enable　one　to　forget　a　little；　or　at　least　take　the　edge　off

memory。　Why　should　I　not　visit　them　and　escape　another　long　and

dreary　English　winter？　No；　I　could　not　do　so　alone。　If　Bastin　and

Bickley　were　there；　their　eternal　arguments　might　amuse　me。　Well；

why　should　they　not　come　also？　When　one　has　money　things　can

always　be　arranged。



The　idea；　which　had　its　root　in　this　absurd　conversation；　took

a　curious　hold　on　me。　I　thought　of　it　all　the　evening；　being

alone；　and　that　night　it　re…arose　m　my　dreams。　I　dreamed　that　my

lost　Natalie　appeared　to　me　and　showed　me　a　picture。　It　was　of　a

long；　low　land；　a　curving　shore　of　which　the　ends　were　out　of　the

picture；　whereon　grew　tall　palms；　and　where　great　combers　broke

upon　gleaming　sand。



Then　the　picture　seemed　to　become　a　reality　and　I　saw　Natalie

herself；　strangely　changeful　in　her　aspect；　strangely　varying　in

face　and　figure；　strangely　bright；　standing　in　the　mouth　of　a

pass　whereof　the　little　bordering　cliffs　were　covered　with　bushes

and　low　trees；　whose　green　was　almost　hid　in　lovely　flowers。

There　in　my　dream　she　stood；　smiling　mysteriously；　and　stretched

out　her　arms　towards　me。



As　I　awoke　I　seemed　to　hear　her　voice；　repeating　her　dying

words：　〃Go　where　you　seem　called　to　go；　far　away。　Oh！　the

wonderful　place　in　which　you　will　find　me；　not　knowing　that　you

have　found　me。〃



With　some　variations　this　dream　visited　me　twice　that　night。　In

the　morning　I　woke　up　quite　determined　that　I　would　go　to　the

South　Sea　Islands；　even　if　I　must　do　so　alone。　On　that　same

evening　Bastin　and　Bickley　dined　with　me。　I　said　nothing　to　them

about　my　dream；　for　Bastin　never　dreamed　and　Bickley　would　have

set　it　down　to　indigestion。　But　when　the　cloth　had　been　cleared

away　and　we　were　drinking　our　glass　of　portboth　Bastin　and

Bickley　only　took　one；　the　former　because　he　considered　port　a

sinful　indulgence　of　the　flesh；　the　latter　because　he　feared　it

would　give　him　goutI　remarked　casually　that　they　both　looked

very　run　down　and　as　though　they　wanted　a　rest。　They　agreed；　at

least　each　of　them　said　he　had　noticed　it　in　the　other。　Indeed

Bastin　added　that　the　damp　and　the　cold　in　the　church；　in　which

he　held　daily　services　to　no　congregation　except　the　old　woman

who　cleaned　it；　had　given　him　rheumatism；　which　prevented　him

from　sleeping。



〃Do　call　things　by　their　proper　names；〃　interrupted　Bickley。　〃I

told　you　yesterday　that　what　you　are　suffering　from　is　neuritis

in　your　right　arm；　which　will　become　chronic　if　you　neglect　it

much　longer。　I　have　the　same　thing　myself；　so　I　ought　to　know；

and　unless　I　can　stop　operating　for　a　while　I　believe　my　fingers

will　become　useless。　Also　something　is　affecting　my　sight；

overstrain；　I　suppose；　so　that　I　am　obliged　to　wear　stronger　and

stronger　glasses。　I　think　I　shall　have　to　leave　Ogden〃　（his

partner）　〃in　charge　for　a　while；　and　get　away　into　the　sun。　There

is　none　here　before　June。〃



〃I　would　if　I　could　pay　a　locum　tenens　and　were　quite　sure　it

isn't　wrong；〃　said　Bastin。



〃I　am　glad　you　both　think　like　that；〃　I　remarked；　〃as　I　have　a

suggestion　to　make　to　you。　I　want　to　go　to　the　South　Seas　about

which　we　were　talking　yesterday；　to　get　the　thorough　change　that

Bickley　has　been　advising　for　me；　and　I　should　be　very　grateful

if　you　would　both　come　as　my　guests。　You；　Bickley；　make　so　much

money　out　of　cutting　people　about；　that　you　can　arrange　your　own

affairs　during　your　absence。　But　as　for　you；　Bastin；　I　will　see

to　the　wherewithal　for　the　locum　tenens；　and　everything　else。〃



〃You　are　very　kind；〃　said　Bastin；　〃and　certainly　I　should　like

to　expose　that　misguided　author；　who　probably　published　his

offensive　work　without　thinking　that　what　he　wrote　might　affect

the　subscriptions　to　the　missionary　societies；　also　to　show

Bickley　that　he　is　not　always　right；　as　he　seems　to　think。　But　I

could　never　dream　of　accepting　without　the　full　approval　of　the

Bishop。



〃You　might　get　that　of　your　nurse　also；　if　she　happens　to　be

still　alive；〃　mocked　Bickley。　〃As　for　his　Lordship；　I　don't　think

he　will　raise　any　objection　when　he　sees　the　certificate　I　will

give　you　about　the　state　of　your　health。　He　is　a　great　believer

in　me　ever　since　I　took　that　carbuncle　out　of　his　neck　which　he

got　because　he　will　not　eat　enough。　As　for　me；　I　mean　to　come　if

only　to　show　you　how　continually　and　persistently　you　are　wrong。

But；　Arbuthnot；　how　do　you　mean　to　go？〃



〃I　don't　know。　In　a　mail　steamer；　I　suppose。〃



〃If　you　can　run　to　it；　a　yacht　would　be　much　better。〃



〃That's　a　good　idea；　for　one　could　get　out　of　the　beaten　tracks

and　see　the　places　that　are　never；　or　seldom；　visited。　I　will

make　some　inquiries。　And　now；　to　celebrate　the　occasion；　let　us

all　have　another　glass　of　port　and　drink　a　toast。〃



They　hesitated　and　were　lost；　Bastin　murmuring　something　about

doing　without　his　stout　next　day　as　a　penance。　Then　they　both

asked　what　was　the　toast；　each　of　them；　after　thought；　suggesting

that　it　should　be　the　utter　confusion　of　the　other。



I　shook　my　head；　whereon　as　a　result　of　further　cogitation；

Bastin　submitted　that　the　Unknown　would　be　suitable。　Bickley　said

that　he　thought　this　a　foolish　idea　as　everything　worth　knowing

was　already　known；　and　what　was　the　good　of　drinking　to　the　rest？

A　toast　to　the　Truth　would　be　better。



A　notion　came　to　me。



〃Let　us　combine　them；〃　I　said；　〃and　drink　to　the　Unknown

Truth。〃



So　we　did；　though　Bastin　grumbled　that　the　performance　made　him

feel　like　Pilate。



〃We　are　all　Pilates　in　our　way；〃　I　replied　with　a　sigh。



〃That　is　what　I　think　every　time　I　diagnose　a　case；〃　exclaimed

Bickley。



As　for　me　I　laughed　and　for　some　unknown　reason　felt　happier

than　I　had　done　for　months。　Oh！　if　only　the　writer　of　that

tourist　tale　of　the　South　Sea　Islands　could　have　guessed　what

fruit　his　light…thrown　seed　would　yield　to　us　and　to　the　world！





I　made　my　inquiries　through　a　London　agency　which　hired　out

yachts　or　sold　them　to　the　idle　rich。　As　I　expected；　there　were

plenty　to　be　had；　at　a　price；　but　wealthy　as　I　was；　the　figure

asked　of　the　buyer　of　any　suitable　craft；　staggered　me。　In　the

end；　however；　I　chartered　one　for　six　months　certain　and　at　so

much　per　month　for　as　long　as　I　liked　afterwards。　The　owners　paid

insurance　and　everything　else　on　condition　that　they　appointed

the　captain　and　first　mate；　also　the　engineer；　for　this　yacht；

which　was　named　Star　of　the　South；　could　steam　at　about　ten　knots

as　well　as　sail。



I　know　nothing　about　yachts；　and　therefore　shall　not　attempt　to

describe　her；　further　than　to　say　that　she　was　of　five　hundred

and　fifty　tons　burden；　very　well　constructed；　and　smart　to　look

at；　as　well　she　might　be；　seeing　that　a　deceased　millionaire　from

whose　executors　I　hired　her　had　spent　a　fortune　in　building　and

equipping　her　in　the　best　possible　style。　In　all；　her　crew

consisted　of　thirty…two　hands。　A　peculiarity　of　the　vessel　was

that　owing　to　some　fancy　of　the　late　owner；　the　passenger

accommodation；　which　was　splendid；　lay　forward　of　the　bridge；

this　with　the　ship's　store…rooms；　refrigerating　chamber；　etc。；

being　almost　in　the　bows。　It　was　owing　to　these　arrangements；

which　were　unusual；　that　the　executors　found　it　impossible　to

sell；　and　were　therefore　glad　to　accept　such　an　offer　as　mine　in

order　to　save　expenses。　Perhaps　they　hoped　that　she　might　go　to

the　bottom；　being　heavily　insured。　If　so；　the　Fates　did　not

disappoint　them。



The　captain；　named　Astley；　was　a　jovial　person　who　held　every

kind　of　certificate。　He　seemed　so　extraordinarily　able　at　his

business　that　personally　I　suspected　him　of　having　made　mistakes

in　the　course　of　his　career；　not　unconnected　with　the　worship　of

Bacchus。　In　this　I　believe　I　was　right；　otherwise　a　man　of　such

attainments　would　have　been　commanding　something　bigger　than　a

private　yacht。　The　first　mate；　Jacobsen；　was　a　melancholy　Dane；　a

spiritualist　who　played　the　concertina；　and　seemed　to　be　able　to

do　without　sleep。　The　crew　were　a　mixed　lot；　good　men　for　the

most　part　and　quite　unobjectionable；　more　than　half　of　them　being

Scandinavian。　I　think　that　is　all　I　need　say　about　the　Star　of

the　South。



The　arrangement　was　that　the