the house of pride and other tales of hawaii-第8部分

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other　thing。　　It　was　down　in　Kona；or　up；　rather；　for　the　Kona　

people　scorn　to　live　at　less　than　a　thousand　feet　elevation。　　We　

were　all　on　the　lanai　of　Doctor　Goodhue's　bungalow。　　I　was　talking　

with　Dottie　Fairchild　when　it　happened。　　A　big　centipedeit　was　

seven　inches；　for　we　measured　it　afterwardsfell　from　the　rafters　

overhead　squarely　into　her　coiffure。　　I　confess；　the　hideousness　of　

it　paralysed　me。　　I　couldn't　move。　　My　mind　refused　to　work。　　There；　

within　two　feet　of　me；　the　ugly　venomous　devil　was　writhing　in　her　

hair。　　It　threatened　at　any　moment　to　fall　down　upon　her　exposed　

shoulderswe　had　just　come　out　from　dinner。



〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked；　starting　to　raise　her　hand　to　her　head。



〃Don't！〃　I　cried。　　〃Don't！〃



〃But　what　is　it？〃　she　insisted；　growing　frightened　by　the　fright　she　

read　in　my　eyes　and　on　my　stammering　lips。



My　exclamation　attracted　Kersdale's　attention。　　He　glanced　our　way　

carelessly；　but　in　that　glance　took　in　everything。　　He　came　over　to　

us；　but　without　haste。



〃Please　don't　move；　Dottie；〃　he　said　quietly。



He　never　hesitated；　nor　did　he　hurry　and　make　a　bungle　of　it。



〃Allow　me；〃　he　said。



And　with　one　hand　he　caught　her　scarf　and　drew　it　tightly　around　her　

shoulders　so　that　the　centipede　could　not　fall　inside　her　bodice。　　

With　the　other　handthe　righthe　reached　into　her　hair；　caught　the　

repulsive　abomination　as　near　as　he　was　able　by　the　nape　of　the　

neck；　and　held　it　tightly　between　thumb　and　forefinger　as　he　

withdrew　it　from　her　hair。　　It　was　as　horrible　and　heroic　a　sight　as　

man　could　wish　to　see。　　It　made　my　flesh　crawl。　　The　centipede；　

seven　inches　of　squirming　legs；　writhed　and　twisted　and　dashed　

itself　about　his　hand；　the　body　twining　around　the　fingers　and　the　

legs　digging　into　the　skin　and　scratching　as　the　beast　endeavoured　

to　free　itself。　　It　bit　him　twiceI　saw　itthough　he　assured　the　

ladies　that　he　was　not　harmed　as　he　dropped　it　upon　the　walk　and　

stamped　it　into　the　gravel。　　But　I　saw　him　in　the　surgery　five　

minutes　afterwards；　with　Doctor　Goodhue　scarifying　the　wounds　and　

injecting　permanganate　of　potash。　　The　next　morning　Kersdale's　arm　

was　as　big　as　a　barrel；　and　it　was　three　weeks　before　the　swelling　

went　down。



All　of　which　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　story；　but　which　I　could　not　

avoid　giving　in　order　to　show　that　Jack　Kersdale　was　anything　but　a　

coward。　　It　was　the　cleanest　exhibition　of　grit　I　have　ever　seen。　　

He　never　turned　a　hair。　　The　smile　never　left　his　lips。　　And　he　

dived　with　thumb　and　forefinger　into　Dottie　Fairchild's　hair　as　

gaily　as　if　it　had　been　a　box　of　salted　almonds。　　Yet　that　was　the　

man　I　was　destined　to　see　stricken　with　a　fear　a　thousand　times　more　

hideous　even　than　the　fear　that　was　mine　when　I　saw　that　writhing　

abomination　in　Dottie　Fairchild's　hair；　dangling　over　her　eyes　and　

the　trap　of　her　bodice。



I　was　interested　in　leprosy；　and　upon　that；　as　upon　every　other　

island　subject；　Kersdale　had　encyclopedic　knowledge。　　In　fact；　

leprosy　was　one　of　his　hobbies。　　He　was　an　ardent　defender　of　the　

settlement　at　Molokai；　where　all　the　island　lepers　were　segregated。　　

There　was　much　talk　and　feeling　among　the　natives；　fanned　by　the　

demagogues；　concerning　the　cruelties　of　Molokai；　where　men　and　

women；　not　alone　banished　from　friends　and　family；　were　compelled　to　

live　in　perpetual　imprisonment　until　they　died。　　There　were　no　

reprieves；　no　commutations　of　sentences。　　〃Abandon　hope〃　was　written　

over　the　portal　of　Molokai。



〃I　tell　you　they　are　happy　there；〃　Kersdale　insisted。　　〃And　they　are　

infinitely　better　off　than　their　friends　and　relatives　outside　who　

have　nothing　the　matter　with　them。　　The　horrors　of　Molokai　are　all　

poppycock。　　I　can　take　you　through　any　hospital　or　any　slum　in　any　

of　the　great　cities　of　the　world　and　show　you　a　thousand　times　worse　

horrors。　　The　living　death！　　The　creatures　that　once　were　men！　　

Bosh！　　You　ought　to　see　those　living　deaths　racing　horses　on　the　

Fourth　of　July。　　Some　of　them　own　boats。　　One　has　a　gasoline　launch。　　

They　have　nothing　to　do　but　have　a　good　time。　　Food；　shelter；　

clothes；　medical　attendance；　everything；　is　theirs。　　They　are　the　

wards　of　the　Territory。　　They　have　a　much　finer　climate　than　

Honolulu；　and　the　scenery　is　magnificent。　　I　shouldn't　mind　going　

down　there　myself　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　　It　is　a　lovely　spot。〃



So　Kersdale　on　the　joyous　leper。　　He　was　not　afraid　of　leprosy。　　He　

said　so　himself；　and　that　there　wasn't　one　chance　in　a　million　for　

him　or　any　other　white　man　to　catch　it；　though　he　confessed　

afterward　that　one　of　his　school　chums；　Alfred　Starter；　had　

contracted　it；　gone　to　Molokai；　and　there　died。



〃You　know；　in　the　old　days；〃　Kersdale　explained；　〃there　was　no　

certain　test　for　leprosy。　　Anything　unusual　or　abnormal　was　

sufficient　to　send　a　fellow　to　Molokai。　　The　result　was　that　dozens　

were　sent　there　who　were　no　more　lepers　than　you　or　I。　　But　they　

don't　make　that　mistake　now。　　The　Board　of　Health　tests　are　

infallible。　　The　funny　thing　is　that　when　the　test　was　discovered　

they　immediately　went　down　to　Molokai　and　applied　it；　and　they　found　

a　number　who　were　not　lepers。　　These　were　immediately　deported。　　

Happy　to　get　away？　　They　wailed　harder　at　leaving　the　settlement　

than　when　they　left　Honolulu　to　go　to　it。　　Some　refused　to　leave；　

and　really　had　to　be　forced　out。　　One　of　them　even　married　a　leper　

woman　in　the　last　stages　and　then　wrote　pathetic　letters　to　the　

Board　of　Health；　protesting　against　his　expulsion　on　the　ground　that　

no　one　was　so　well　able　as　he　to　take　care　of　his　poor　old　wife。〃



〃What　is　this　infallible　test？〃　I　demanded。



〃The　bacteriological　test。　　There　is　no　getting　away　from　it。　　

Doctor　Herveyhe's　our　expert；　you　knowwas　the　first　man　to　apply　

it　here。　　He　is　a　wizard。　　He　knows　more　about　leprosy　than　any　

living　man；　and　if　a　cure　is　ever　discovered；　he'll　be　that　

discoverer。　　As　for　the　test；　it　is　very　simple。　　They　have　

succeeded　in　isolating　the　bacillus　leprae　and　studying　it。　　They　

know　it　now　when　they　see　it。　　All　they　do　is　to　snip　a　bit　of　skin　

from　the　suspect　and　subject　it　to　the　bacteriological　test。　　A　man　

without　any　visible　symptoms　may　be　chock　full　of　the　leprosy　

bacilli。〃



〃Then　you　or　I；　for　all　we　know；〃　I　suggested；　〃may　be　full　of　it　

now。〃



Kersdale　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　laughed。



〃Who　can　say？　　It　takes　seven　years　for　it　to　incubate。　　If　you　have　

any　doubts　go　and　see　Doctor　Hervey。　　He'll　just　snip　out　a　piece　of　

your　skin　and　let　you　know　in　a　jiffy。〃



Later　on　he　introduced　me　to　Dr。　Hervey；　who　loaded　me　down　with　

Board　of　Health　reports　and　pamphlets　on　the　subject；　and　took　me　

out　to　Kalihi；　the　Honolulu　receiving　station；　where　suspects　were　

examined　and　confirmed　lepers　were　held　for　deportation　to　Molokai。　　

These　deportations　occurred　about　once　a　month；　when；　the　last　good…

byes　said；　the　lepers　were　marched　on　board　the　little　steamer；　the　

Noeau；　and　carried　down　to　the　settlement。　　



One　afternoon；　writing　letters　at　the　club；　Jack　Kersdale　dropped　in　

on　me。



〃Just　the　man　I　want　to　see；〃　was　his　greeting。　　〃I'll　show　you　the　

saddest　aspect　of　the　whole　situationthe　lepers　wailing　as　they　

depart　for　Molokai。　　The　Noeau　will　be　taking　them　on　board　in　a　few　

minutes。　　But　let　me　warn　you　not　to　let　your　feelings　be　harrowed。　　

Real　as　their　grief　is；　they'd　wail　a　whole　sight　harder　a　year　

hence　if　the　Board　of　Health　tried　to　take　them　away　from　Molokai。　　

We've　just　time　for　a　whiskey　and　soda。　　I've　a　carriage　outside。　　

It　won't　take　us　five　minutes　to　get　down　to　the　wharf。〃



To　the　wharf　we　drove。　　Some　forty　sad　wretches；　amid　their　mats；　

blankets；　and　luggage　of　various　sorts；　were　squatting　on　the　

stringer　piece。　　The　Noeau　had　just　arrived　and　was　making　fast　to　a　

lighter　that　lay　between　her　and　the　wharf。　　A　Mr。　McVeigh；　the　

superintendent　of　the　settlement；　was　overseeing　the　embarkation；　

and　to　him　I　was　introduced；　also　to　Dr。　Georges；　one　of　the　Board　

of　Health　physicians　whom　I　had　already　met　at　Kalihi。　　The　lepers　

were　a　woebegone　lot。　　The　faces　of　the　majority　were　hideoustoo　

horrible　for　me　to　describe。　　But　here　and　there　I　noticed　fairly　

good…looking　persons；　with　no　apparent　signs　of　the　fell　disease　

upon　them。　　One；　I　noticed；　a　little　white　girl；　not　more　than　

twelve；　with　blue　eyes　and　golden　hair。　　One　cheek；　however；　showed　

the　leprous　bloat。　　On　my　remarking　on　the　sadness　of　her　alien　

situation　among　the　brown…skinned　afflicted　ones；　Doctor　Georges　

replied：…



〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　It's　a　happy　day　in　her　life。　　She　comes　from　

Kauai。　　Her　father　is　a　brute。　　And　now　that　she　has　developed　the　

disease　she　is　going　to　join　her　mother　at　the　settlement。　　Her　

mother　was　sent　down　three　years　agoa　very　bad　case。〃



〃You　can't　always　tell　from　appearances；〃　Mr。　McVeigh　explained。　　

That　man　there；　that　big　chap；　who　looks　the　pink　of　condition；　with　

nothing　the　matter　with　him；　I　happen　to　know　has　a　perforating　

ulcer　in　his　foot　and　another　in　his　shoulder…blade。　　Then　there　are　

othersthere；　see　that　girl's　hand；　the　one　who　is　smoking　the　

cigarette。　　See　her　twisted　fingers。　　That's　the　anaesthetic　form。　　

It　attacks　the　nerves。　　You　could　cut　her　fingers　off　with　a　dull　

knife；　or　rub　them　off　on　a　nutmeg…grater；　and　she　would　not　

experience　the　slightest　sensation。〃



〃Yes；　but　that　fine…looking　woman；　there；〃　I　persisted；　〃surely；　

surely；　there　can't　be　anything　the　matter　with　her。　　She　is　too　

glorious　and　gorgeous　altogether。〃



〃A　sad　case；〃　Mr。　McVeigh　answered　over　his　shoulder；　already　

turning　away　to　walk　down　the　wharf　with　Kersdale。



She　was　a　beautiful　woman；　and　she　was　pure　Polynesian。　　From　my　

meagre　knowledge　of　the　race　and　its　types　I　could　not　but　conclude