south sea tales(南海传说)-第31章
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Thrusting half a dozen sticks each into their pockets and equipping
themselves with lighted cigars； they started for the door。 And just then it
happened。 They blamed McTavish for it afterward； and he admitted that
the charge had been a trifle excessive。 But at any rate it went off under the
house； which lifted up cornerwise and settled back on its foundations。 Half
the china on the table was shattered； while the eight…day clock stopped。
Yelling for vengeance； the three men rushed out into the night； and the
bombardment began。
When they returned； there was no Bertie。 He had dragged himself
away to the office； barricaded himself in； and sunk upon the floor in a gin…
soaked nightmare； wherein he died a thousand deaths while the valorous
fight went on around him。 In the morning； sick and headachey from the
gin； he crawled out to find the sun still in the sky and God presumable in
heaven； for his hosts were alive and uninjured。
Harriwell pressed him to stay on longer； but Bertie insisted on sailing
immediately on the Arla for Tulagi； where； until the following steamer day；
he stuck close by the Commissioner's house。 There were lady tourists on
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the outgoing steamer； and Bertie was again a hero； while Captain Malu； as
usual； passed unnoticed。 But Captain Malu sent back from Sydney two
cases of the best Scotch whiskey on the market； for he was not able to
make up his mind as to whether it was Captain Hansen or Mr Harriwell
who had given Bertie Arkwright the more gorgeous insight into life in the
Solomons。
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SOUTH SEA TALES
THE INEVITABLE WHITE MAN
〃The black will never understand the white； nor the white the black； as
long as black is black and white is white。〃
So said Captain Woodward。 We sat in the parlor of Charley Roberts'
pub in Apia； drinking long Abu Hameds compounded and shared with us
by the aforesaid Charley Roberts； who claimed the recipe direct from
Stevens； famous for having invented the Abu Hamed at a time when he
was spurred on by Nile thirstthe Stevens who was responsible for 〃With
Kitchener to Kartoun；〃 and who passed out at the siege of Ladysmith。
Captain Woodward； short and squat； elderly； burned by forty years of
tropic sun； and with the most beautiful liquid brown eyes I ever saw in a
man； spoke from a vast experience。 The crisscross of scars on his bald pate
bespoke a tomahawk intimacy with the black； and of equal intimacy was
the advertisement； front and rear； on the right side of his neck； where an
arrow had at one time entered and been pulled clean through。 As he
explained； he had been in a hurry on that occasionthe arrow impeded his
runningand he felt that he could not take the time to break off the head
and pull out the shaft the way it had come in。 At the present moment he
was commander of the SAVAII； the big steamer that recruited labor from
the westward for the German plantations on Samoa。
〃Half the trouble is the stupidity of the whites；〃 said Roberts； pausing
to take a swig from his glass and to curse the Samoan bar…boy in
affectionate terms。 〃If the white man would lay himself out a bit to
understand the workings of the black man's mind； most of the messes
would be avoided。〃
〃I've seen a few who claimed they understood niggers；〃 Captain
Woodward retorted； 〃and I always took notice that they were the first to be
kai…kai'd （eaten）。 Look at the missionaries in New Guinea and the New
Hebridesthe martyr isle of Erromanga and all the rest。 Look at the
Austrian expedition that was cut to pieces in the Solomons； in the bush of
Guadalcanar。 And look at the traders themselves； with a score of years'
experience； making their brag that no nigger would ever get them； and
whose heads to this day are ornamenting the rafters of the canoe houses。
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There was old Johnny Simonstwenty…six years on the raw edges of
Melanesia； swore he knew the niggers like a book and that they'd never do
for him； and he passed out at Marovo Lagoon； New Georgia； had his head
sawed off by a black Mary （woman） and an old nigger with only one leg；
having left the other leg in the mouth of a shark while diving for
dynamited fish。 There was Billy Watts； horrible reputation as a nigger
killer； a man to scare the devil。 I remember lying at Cape Little； New
Ireland you know； when the niggers stole half a case of trade…tobaccocost
him about three dollars and a half。 In retaliation he turned out； shot six
niggers； smashed up their war canoes and burned two villages。 And it was
at Cape Little； four years afterward； that he was jumped along with fifty
Buku boys he had with him fishing b 坈 he…de…mer。 In five minutes they
were all dead； with the exception of three boys who got away in a canoe。
Don't talk to me about understanding the nigger。 The white man's mission
is to farm the world； and it's a big enough job cut out for him。 What time
has he got left to understand niggers anyway？〃
〃Just so；〃 said Roberts。 〃And somehow it doesn't seem necessary； after
all； to understand the niggers。 In direct proportion to the white man's
stupidity is his success in farming the world〃
〃And putting the fear of God into the nigger's heart；〃 Captain
Woodward blurted out。 〃Perhaps you're right； Roberts。 Perhaps it's his
stupidity that makes him succeed； and surely one phase of his stupidity is
his inability to understand the niggers。 But there's one thing sure； the white
has to run the niggers whether he understands them or not。 It's inevitable。
It's fate。〃
〃And of course the white man is inevitableit's the niggers' fate；〃
Roberts broke in。 〃Tell the white man there's pearl shell in some lagoon
infested by ten…thousand howling cannibals； and he'll head there all by his
lonely； with half a dozen kanaka divers and a tin alarm clock for
chronometer； all packed like sardines on a commodious； five…ton ketch。
Whisper that there's a gold strike at the North Pole； and that same
inevitable white…skinned creature will set out at once； armed with pick and
shovel； a side of bacon； and the latest patent rockerand what's more； he'll
get there。 Tip it off to him that there's diamonds on the red…hot ramparts of
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hell； and Mr。 White Man will storm the ramparts and set old Satan himself
to pick…and…shovel work。 That's what comes of being stupid and
inevitable。〃
〃But I wonder what the black man must think of thethe
inevitableness；〃 I said。
Captain Woodward broke into quiet laughter。 His eyes had a
reminiscent gleam。
〃I'm just wondering what the niggers of Malu thought and still must be
thinking of the one inevitable white man we had on board when we visited
them
