CHAPTER 583.docx
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CHAPTER 583.docx
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CHAPTER583
CHAPTER58
ThetimecameformydeparturefromTahiti.Accordingtothegraciouscustomoftheisland,presentsweregivenmebythepersonswithwhomIhadbeenthrownincontact-basketsmadeoftheleavesofthecocoa-nuttree,matsofpandanus,fans;andTiaregavemethreelittlepearlsandthreejarsofguava-jellymadewithherownplumphands.Whenthemail-boat,stoppingfortwenty-fourhoursonitswayfromWellingtontoSanFrancisco,blewthewhistlethatwarnedthepassengerstogetonboard,Tiareclaspedmetohervastbosom,sothatIseemedtosinkintoabillowysea,andpressedherredlipstomine.Tearsglistenedinhereyes.Andwhenwesteamedslowlyoutofthelagoon,makingourwaygingerlythroughtheopeninginthereef,andthensteeredfortheopensea,acertainmelancholyfelluponme.Thebreezewasladenstillwiththepleasantodoursoftheland.Tahitiisveryfaraway,andIknewthatIshouldneverseeitagain.Achapterofmylifewasclosed,andIfeltalittlenearertoinevitabledeath.
NotmuchmorethanamonthlaterIwasinLondon;andafterIhadarrangedcertainmatterswhichclaimedmyimmediateattention,thinkingMrs.StricklandmightliketohearwhatIknewofherhusband'slastyears,Iwrotetoher.Ihadnotseenhersincelongbeforethewar,andIhadtolookoutheraddressinthetelephone-book.Shemadeanappointment,andIwenttothetrimlittlehouseonCampdenHillwhichshenowinhabited.Shewasbythistimeawomanofhardonsixty,butsheboreheryearswell,andnoonewouldhavetakenherformorethanfifty.Herface,thinandnotmuchlined,wasofthesortthatagesgracefully,sothatyouthoughtinyouthshemusthavebeenamuchhandsomerwomanthaninfactshewas.Herhair,notyetverygray,wasbecominglyarranged,andherblackgownwasmodish.Irememberedhavingheardthathersister,Mrs.MacAndrew,outlivingherhusbandbutacoupleofyears,hadleftmoneytoMrs.Strickland;andbythelookofthehouseandthetrimmaidwhoopenedthedoorIjudgedthatitwasasumadequatetokeepthewidowinmodestcomfort.
WhenIwasusheredintothedrawing-roomIfoundthatMrs.Stricklandhadavisitor,andwhenIdiscoveredwhohewas,IguessedthatIhadbeenaskedtocomeatjustthattimenotwithoutintention.ThecallerwasMr.VanBuscheTaylor,anAmerican,andMrs.Stricklandgavemeparticularswithacharmingsmileofapologytohim.
"Youknow,weEnglisharesodreadfullyignorant.Youmustforgivemeifit'snecessarytoexplain."Thensheturnedtome."Mr.VanBuscheTayloristhedistinguishedAmericancritic.Ifyouhaven'treadhisbookyoureducationhasbeenshamefullyneglected,andyoumustrepairtheomissionatonce.He'swritingsomethingaboutdearCharlie,andhe'scometoaskmeifIcanhelphim."
Mr.VanBuscheTaylorwasaverythinmanwithalarge,baldhead,bonyandshining;andunderthegreatdomeofhisskullhisface,yellow,withdeeplinesinit,lookedverysmall.Hewasquietandexceedinglypolite.HespokewiththeaccentofNewEngland,andtherewasabouthisdemeanourabloodlessfrigiditywhichmademeaskmyselfwhyonearthhewasbusyinghimselfwithCharlesStrickland.IhadbeenslightlytickledatthegentlenesswhichMrs.Stricklandputintohermentionofherhusband'sname,andwhilethepairconversedItookstockoftheroominwhichwesat.Mrs.Stricklandhadmovedwiththetimes.GoneweretheMorrispapersandgonetheseverecretonnes,goneweretheArundelprintsthathadadornedthewallsofherdrawing-roominAshleyGardens;theroomblazedwithfantasticcolour,andIwonderedifsheknewthatthosevariedhues,whichfashionhadimposeduponher,wereduetothedreamsofapoorpainterinaSouthSeaisland.Shegavemetheanswerherself.
"Whatwonderfulcushionsyouhave,"saidMr.VanBuscheTaylor.
"Doyoulikethem?
"shesaid,smiling."Bakst,youknow."
AndyetonthewallswerecolouredreproductionsofseveralofStrickland'sbestpictures,duetotheenterpriseofapublisherinBerlin.
"You'relookingatmypictures,"shesaid,followingmyeyes."Ofcourse,theoriginalsareoutofmyreach,butit'sacomforttohavethese.Thepublishersentthemtomehimself.They'reagreatconsolationtome."
"Theymustbeverypleasanttolivewith,"saidMr.VanBuscheTaylor.
"Yes;they'resoessentiallydecorative."
"Thatisoneofmyprofoundestconvictions,"saidMr.VanBuscheTaylor."Greatartisalwaysdecorative."
Theireyesrestedonanudewomansucklingababy,whileagirlwaskneelingbytheirsideholdingoutaflowertotheindifferentchild.Lookingoverthemwasawrinkled,scraggyhag.ItwasStrickland'sversionoftheHolyFamily.IsuspectedthatforthefigureshadsathishouseholdaboveTaravao,andthewomanandthebabywereAtaandhisfirstson.IaskedmyselfifMrs.Stricklandhadanyinklingofthefacts.
Theconversationproceeded,andImarvelledatthetactwithwhichMr.VanBuscheTayloravoidedallsubjectsthatmighthavebeenintheleastembarrassing,andattheingenuitywithwhichMrs.Strickland,withoutsayingawordthatwasuntrue,insinuatedthatherrelationswithherhusbandhadalwaysbeenperfect.AtlastMr.VanBuscheTaylorrosetogo.Holdinghishostess'hand,hemadeheragraceful,thoughperhapstooelaborate,speechofthanks,andleftus.
"Ihopehedidn'tboreyou,"shesaid,whenthedoorclosedbehindhim."Ofcourseit'sanuisancesometimes,butIfeelit'sonlyrighttogivepeopleanyinformationIcanaboutCharlie.There'sacertainresponsibilityabouthavingbeenthewifeofagenius."
Shelookedatmewiththosepleasanteyesofhers,whichhadremainedascandidandassympatheticastheyhadbeenmorethantwentyyearsbefore.Iwonderedifshewasmakingafoolofme.
"Ofcourseyou'vegivenupyourbusiness,"Isaid.
"Oh,yes,"sheansweredairily."Iranitmorebywayofahobbythanforanyotherreason,andmychildrenpersuadedmetosellit.TheythoughtIwasovertaxingmystrength."
IsawthatMrs.Stricklandhadforgottenthatshehadeverdoneanythingsodisgracefulastoworkforherliving.Shehadthetrueinstinctofthenicewomanthatitisonlyreallydecentforhertoliveonotherpeople'smoney.
"They'reherenow,"shesaid."Ithoughtthey'd,liketohearwhatyouhadtosayabouttheirfather.YourememberRobert,don'tyou?
I'mgladtosayhe'sbeenrecommendedfortheMilitaryCross."
Shewenttothedoorandcalledthem.Thereenteredatallmaninkhaki,withtheparson'scollar,handsomeinasomewhatheavyfashion,butwiththefrankeyesthatIrememberedinhimasaboy.Hewasfollowedbyhissister.ShemusthavebeenthesameageaswashermotherwhenfirstIknewher,andshewasverylikeher.Shetoogaveonetheimpressionthatasagirlshemusthavebeenprettierthanindeedshewas.
"Isupposeyoudon'trememberthemintheleast,"saidMrs.Strickland,proudandsmiling."MydaughterisnowMrs.Ronaldson.Herhusband'saMajorintheGunners."
"He'sbywayofbeingapukkasoldier,youknow,"saidMrs.Ronaldsongaily."That'swhyhe'sonlyaMajor."
Irememberedmyanticipationlongagothatshewouldmarryasoldier.Itwasinevitable.Shehadallthegracesofthesoldier'swife.Shewascivilandaffable,butshecouldhardlyconcealherintimateconvictionthatshewasnotquiteasotherswere.Robertwasbreezy.
"It'sabitofluckthatIshouldbeinLondonwhenyouturnedup,"hesaid."I'veonlygotthreedays'leave."
"He'sdyingtogetback,"saidhismother.
"Well,Idon'tmindconfessingit,Ihavearattlinggoodtimeatthefront.I'vemadealotofgoodpals.It'safirst-ratelife.Ofcoursewar'sterrible,andallthatsortofthing;butitdoesbringoutthebestqualitiesinaman,there'snodenyingthat."
ThenItoldthemwhatIhadlearnedaboutCharlesStricklandinTahiti.IthoughtitunnecessarytosayanythingofAtaandherboy,butfortherestIwasasaccurateasIcouldbe.WhenIhadnarratedhislamentabledeathIceased.Foraminuteortwowewereallsilent.ThenRobertStricklandstruckamatchandlitacigarette.
"ThemillsofGodgrindslowly,buttheygrindexceedingsmall,"hesaid,somewhatimpressively.
Mrs.StricklandandMrs.Ronaldsonlookeddownwithaslightlypiousexpressionwhichindicated,Ifeltsure,thattheythoughtthequotationwasfromHolyWrit.Indeed,IwasunconvincedthatRobertStricklanddidnotsharetheirillusion.IdonotknowwhyIsuddenlythoughtofStrickland'ssonbyAta.Theyhadtoldmehewasamerry,light-heartedyouth.Isawhim,withmymind'seye,ontheschooneronwhichheworked,wearingnothingbutapairofdungarees;andatnight,whentheboatsailedalongeasilybeforealightbreeze,andthesailorsweregatheredontheupperdeck,whilethecaptainandthesupercargololledindeck-chairs,smokingtheirpipes,Isawhimdancewithanotherlad,dancewildly,tothewheezymusicoftheconcertina.Abovewasthebluesky,andthestars,andallaboutthedesertofthePacificOcean.
AquotationfromtheBiblecametomylips,butIheldmytongue,forIknowthatclergymenthinkitalittleblasphemouswhenthelaitypoachupontheirpreserves.MyUncleHenry,fortwenty-sevenyearsVicarofWhitstable,wasontheseoccasionsinthehabitofsayingthatthedevilcouldalwaysquotescripturetohispurpose.HerememberedthedayswhenyoucouldgetthirteenRoyalNativesforashilling.
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