the house of pride(傲慢之家)-第24章
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noticed it except Stephen Kaluna； and I did not know that till afterward。
But I saw it coming； the whole damnable； unnamable awfulness of it；
but I refused to think about the future。 I was afraid。 I could not。
And of nights I cried over it。
〃He was my friend。 We fished sharks on Niihau together。 We
hunted wild cattle on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa。 We broke horses
and branded steers on the Carter Ranch。 We hunted goats through
Haleakala。 He taught me diving and surfing until I was nearly as clever
as he； and he was cleverer than the average Kanaka。 I have seen him
dive in fifteen fathoms； and he could stay down two minutes。 He was
an amphibian and a mountaineer。 He could climb wherever a goat
dared climb。 He was afraid of nothing。 He was on the wrecked Luga；
and he swam thirty miles in thirty…six hours in a heavy sea。 He could
fight his way out through breaking combers that would batter you and
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me to a jelly。 He was a great； glorious man…god。 We went through the
Revolution together。 We were both romantic loyalists。 He was shot
twice and sentenced to death。 But he was too great a man for the
republicans to kill。 He laughed at them。 Later； they gave him honour
and made him Sheriff of Kona。 He was a simple man； a boy that never
grew up。 His was no intricate brain pattern。 He had no twists nor
quirks in his mental processes。 He went straight to the point； and his
points were always simple。
〃And he was sanguine。 Never have I known so confident a man； nor
a man so satisfied and happy。 He did not ask anything from life。
There was nothing left to be desired。 For him life had no arrears。 He
had been paid in full； cash down； and in advance。 What more could he
possibly desire than that magnificent body； that iron constitution； that
immunity from all ordinary ills； and that lowly wholesomeness of soul？
Physically he was perfect。 He had never been sick in his life。 He did
not know what a headache was。 When I was so afflicted he used to
look at me in wonder； and make me laugh with his clumsy attempts at
sympathy。 He did not understand such a thing as a headache。 He
could not understand。 Sanguine？ No wonder。 How could he be
otherwise with that tremendous vitality and incredible health？
〃Just to show you what faith he had in his glorious star； and； also；
what sanction he had for that faith。 He was a youngster at the timeI
had just met himwhen he went into a poker game at Wailuku。 There
was a big German in it； Schultz his name was； and he played a brutal；
domineering game。 He had had a run of luck as well； and he was quite
insufferable； when Lyte Gregory dropped in and took a hand。 The very
first hand it was Schultz's blind。 Lyte came in； as well as the others；
and Schultz raised them outall except Lyte。 He did not like the
German's tone； and he raised him back。 Schultz raised in turn； and in
turn Lyte raised Schultz。 So they went； back and forth。 The stakes
were big。 And do you know what Lyte held？ A pair of kings and
three little clubs。 It wasn't poker。 Lyte wasn't playing poker。 He
was playing his optimism。 He didn't know what Schultz held； but he
raised and raised until he made Schultz squeal； and Schultz held three
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aces all the time。 Think of it！ A man with a pair of kings compelling
three aces to see before the draw！
〃Well； Schultz called for two cards。 Another German was dealing；
Schultz's friend at that。 Lyte knew then that he was up against three of
a kind。 Now what did he do？ What would you have done？ Drawn
three cards and held up the kings； of course。 Not Lyte。 He was
playing optimism。 He threw the kings away； held up the three little
clubs； and drew two cards。 He never looked at them。 He looked
across at Schultz to bet； and Schultz did bet； big。 Since he himself held
three aces he knew he had Lyte； because he played Lyte for threes； and；
necessarily； they would have to be smaller threes。 Poor Schultz！ He
was perfectly correct under the premises。 His mistake was that he
thought Lyte was playing poker。 They bet back and forth for five
minutes； until Schultz's certainty began to ooze out。 And all the time
Lyte had never looked at his two cards； and Schultz knew it。 I could
see Schultz think； and revive； and splurge with his bets again。 But the
strain was too much for him。〃
〃'Hold on； Gregory；' he said at last。 'I've got you beaten from the
start。 I don't want any of your money。 I've got'〃
〃'Never mind what you've got；' Lyte interrupted。 'You don't know
what I've got。 I guess I'll take a look。'〃
〃He looked； and raised the German a hundred dollars。 Then they
went at it again； back and forth and back and forth； until Schultz
weakened and called； and laid down his three aces。 Lyte faced his five
cards。 They were all black。 He had drawn two more clubs。 Do you
know； he just about broke Schultz's nerve as a poker player。 He never
played in the same form again。 He lacked confidence after that； and
was a bit wobbly。〃
〃'But how could you do it？' I asked Lyte afterwards。 'You knew he
had you beaten when he drew two cards。 Besides； you never looked at
your own draw。'〃
〃'I didn't have to look；' was Lyte's answer。 'I knew they were two
clubs all the time。 They just had to be two clubs。 Do you think I was
going to let that big Dutchman beat me？ It was impossible that he
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should beat me。 It is not my way to be beaten。 I just have to win。
Why； I'd have been the most surprised man in this world if they hadn't
been all clubs。'〃
〃That was Lyte's way； and maybe it will help you to appreciate his
colossal optimism。 As he put it he just had to succeed； to fare well； to
prosper。 And in that same incident； as in ten thousand others； he found
his
