the night-born-第24部分

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wilful　and　terrible。



〃She　ran　the　ship；　she　ran　the　voyage；　she　ran　everything；　and

she　ran　Dennitson。　That　he　had　outdistanced　the　pack　even　the

least　wise　of　us　admitted。　That　she　liked　him；　and　that　this

feeling　was　growing；　there　was　not　a　doubt。　I　am　certain　that

she　looked　on　him　with　kinder　eyes　than　she　had　ever　looked

with　on　man　before。　We　still　worshiped；　and　were　always　hanging

about　waiting　to　be　whistled　up；　though　we　knew　that　Dennitson

was　laps　and　laps　ahead　of　us。　What　might　have　happened　we

shall　never　know；　for　we　came　to　Colombo　and　something　else

happened。



〃You　know　Colombo；　and　how　the　native　boys　dive　for　coins　in

the　shark…infested　bay。　Of　course；　it　is　only　among　the　ground

sharks　and　fish　sharks　that　they　venture。　It　is　almost　uncanny

the　way　they　know　sharks　and　can　sense　the　presence　of　a　real

killera　tiger　shark；　for　instance；　or　a　gray　nurse　strayed　up

from　Australian　waters。　Let　such　a　shark　appear；　and；　long

before　the　passengers　can　guess；　every　mother's　son　of　them　is

out　of　the　water　in　a　wild　scramble　for　safety。



〃It　was　after　tiffin；　and　Miss　Caruthers　was　holding　her　usual

court　under　the　deck…awnings。　Old　Captain　Bentley　had　just　been

whistled　up；　and　had　granted　her　what　he　never　granted　before。

。　。　nor　sincepermission　for　the　boys　to　come　up　on　the

promenade　deck。　You　see；　Miss　Caruthers　was　a　swimmer；　and　she

was　interested。　She　took　up　a　collection　of　all　our　small

change；　and　herself　tossed　it　overside；　singly　and　in　handfuls；

arranging　the　terms　of　the　contests；　chiding　a　miss；　giving

extra　rewards　to　clever　wins；　in　short；　managing　the　whole

exhibition。



〃She　was　especially　keen　on　their　jumping。　You　know；　jumping

feet…first　from　a　height；　it　is　very　difficult　to　hold　the　body

perpendicularly　while　in　the　air。　The　center　of　gravity　of　the

male　body　is　high；　and　the　tendency　is　to　overtopple。　But　the

little　beggars　employed　a　method　which　she　declared　was　new　to

her　and　which　she　desired　to　learn。　Leaping　from　the　davits　of

the　boat…deck　above；　they　plunged　downward；　their　faces　and

shoulders　bowed　forward；　looking　at　the　water。　And　only　at　the

last　moment　did　they　abruptly　straighten　up　and　enter　the　water

erect　and　true。



〃It　was　a　pretty　sight。　Their　diving　was　not　so　good；　though

there　was　one　of　them　who　was　excellent　at　it；　as　he　was　in　all

the　other　stunts。　Some　white　man　must　have　taught　him；　for　he

made　the　proper　swan　dive　and　did　it　as　beautifully　as　I　have

ever　seen　it。　You　know；　headfirst　into　the　water；　from　a　great

height；　the　problem　is　to　enter　the　water　at　the　perfect　angle。

Miss　the　angle　and　it　means　at　the　least　a　twisted　back　and

injury　for　life。　Also；　it　has　meant　death　for　many　a　bungler。

But　this　boy　could　do　itseventy　feet　I　know　he　cleared　in　one

dive　from　the　riggingclenched　hands　on　chest；　head　thrown

back；　sailing　more　like　a　bird；　upward　and　out；　and　out　and

down；　body　flat　on　the　air　so　that　if　it　struck　the　surface　in

that　position　it　would　be　split　in　half　like　a　herring。　But　the

moment　before　the　water　is　reached；　the　head　drops　forward；　the

hands　go　out　and　lock　the　arms　in　an　arch　in　advance　of　the

head；　and　the　body　curves　gracefully　downward　and　enters　the

water　just　right。



〃This　the　boy　did；　again　and　again；　to　the　delight　of　all　of

us；　but　particularly　of　Miss　Caruthers。　He　could　not　have　been

a　moment　over　twelve　or　thirteen；　yet　he　was　by　far　the

cleverest　of　the　gang。　He　was　the　favorite　of　his　crowd；　and

its　leader。　Though　there　were　a　number　older　than　he；　they

acknowledged　his　chieftaincy。　He　was　a　beautiful　boy；　a　lithe

young　god　in　breathing　bronze；　eyes　wide　apart；　intelligent　and

daring；　a　bubble；　a　mote；　a　beautiful　flash　and　sparkle　of

life。　You　have　seen。　wonderful　glorious　creaturesanimals；

anything；　a　leopard；　a　horse…restless；　eager；　too　much　alive

ever　to　be　still；　silken　of　muscle；　each　slightest　movement　a

benediction　of　grace；　every　action　wild；　untrammeled；　and　over

all　spilling　out　that　intense　vitality；　that　sheen　and　luster

of　living　light。　The　boy　had　it。　Life　poured　out　of　him　almost

in　an　effulgence。　His　skin　glowed　with　it。　It　burned　in　his

eyes。　I　swear　I　could　almost　hear　it　crackle　from　him。　Looking

at　him；　it　was　as　if　a　whiff　of　ozone　came　to　one's

nostrilsso　fresh　and　young　was　he；　so　resplendent　with

health；　so　wildly　wild。



〃This　was　the　boy。　And　it　was　he　who　gave　the　alarm　in　the

midst　of　the　sport。　The　boys　made　a　dash　of　it　for　the　gangway

platform；　swimming　the　fastest　strokes　they　knew；　pellmell；

floundering　and　splashing；　fright　in　their　faces；　clambering

out　with　jumps　and　surges；　any　way　to　get　out；　lending　one

another　a　hand　to　safety；　till　all　were　strung　along　the

gangway　and　peering　down　into　the　water。



〃'What　is　the　matter？'　asked　Miss　Caruthers。



〃'A　shark；　I　fancy；'　Captain　Bentley　answered。　'Lucky　little

beggars　that　he　didn't　get　one　of　them。'



〃'Are　they　afraid　of　sharks？'　she　asked。



〃'Aren't　you？'　he　asked　back。



She　shuddered；　looked　overside　at　the　water；　and　made　a　moue。



〃'Not　for　the　world　would　I　venture　where　a　shark　might　be；'

she　said；　and　shuddered　again。　'They　are　horrible！　Horrible！'



〃The　boys　came　up　on　the　promenade　deck；　clustering　close　to

the　rail　and　worshiping　Miss　Caruthers　who　had　flung　them　such

a　wealth　of　backsheesh。　The　performance　being　over；　Captain

Bentley　motioned　to　them　to　clear　out。　But　she　stopped　him。



〃'One　moment；　please；　Captain。　I　have　always　understood　that

the　natives　are　not　afraid　of　sharks。'



〃She　beckoned　the　boy　of　the　swan　dive　nearer　to　her；　and

signed　to　him　to　dive　over　again。　He　shook　his　head；　and　along

with　all　his　crew　behind　him　laughed　as　if　it　were　a　good　joke。



〃'Shark；'　he　volunteered；　pointing　to　the　water。



〃'No；'　she　said。　'There　is　no　shark。'



〃But　he　nodded　his　head　positively；　and　the　boys　behind　him

nodded　with　equal　positiveness。



〃'No；　no；　no；'　she　cried。　And　then　to　us；　'Who'll　lend　me　a

half…crown　and　a　sovereign！'



〃Immediately　the　half　dozen　of　us　were　presenting　her　with

crowns　and　sovereigns；　and　she　accepted　the　two　coins　from

young　Ardmore。



〃She　held　up　the　half…crown　for　the　boys　to　see。　But　there　was

no　eager　rush　to　the　rail　preparatory　to　leaping。　They　stood

there　grinning　sheepishly。　She　offered　the　coin　to　each　one

individually；　and　each；　as　his　turn　came；　rubbed　his　foot

against　his　calf；　shook　his　head；　and　grinned。　Then　she　tossed

the　half…crown　overboard。　With　wistful；　regretful　faces　they

watched　its　silver　flight　through　the　air；　but　not　one　moved　to

follow　it。



〃'Don't　do　it　with　the　sovereign；'　Dennitson　said　to　her　in　a

low　voice。



〃She　took　no　notice；　but　held　up　the　gold　coin　before　the　eyes

of　the　boy　of　the　swan　dive。



〃'Don't；'　said　Captain　Bentley。　'I　wouldn't　throw　a　sick　cat

overside　with　a　shark　around。'



〃But　she　laughed；　bent　on　her　purpose；　and　continued　to　dazzle

the　boy。



〃'Don't　tempt　him；'　Dennitson　urged。　'It　is　a　fortune　to　him；

and　he　might　go　over　after　it。'



〃'Wouldn't　YOU？'　she　flared　at　him。　'If　I　threw　it？'



This　last　more　softly。



Dennitson　shook　his　head。



〃'Your　price　is　high；'　she　said。　'For　how　many　sovereigns　would

you　go？'



〃'There　are　not　enough　coined　to　get　me　overside；'　was　his

answer。



〃She　debated　a　moment；　the　boy　forgotten　in　her　tilt　with

Dennitson。



〃'For　me？'　she　said　very　softly。



〃'To　save　your　lifeyes。　But　not　otherwise。'



〃She　turned　back　to　the　boy。　Again　she　held　the　coin　before　his

eyes；　dazzling　him　with　the　vastness　of　its　value。　Then　she

made　as　to　toss　it　out；　and；　involuntarily；　he　made　a

half…movement　toward　the　rail；　but　was　checked　by　sharp　cries

of　reproof　from　his　companions。　There　was　anger　in　their　voices

as　well。



〃'I　know　it　is　only　fooling；'　Dennitson　said。　'Carry　it　as　far

as　you　like；　but　for　heaven's　sake　don't　throw　it。'



〃Whether　it　was　that　strange　wilfulness　of　hers；　or　whether　she

doubted　the　boy　could　be　persuaded；　there　is　no　telling。　It　was

unexpected　to　all　of　us。　Out　from　the　shade　of　the　awning　the

coin　flashed　golden　in　the　blaze　of　sunshine　and　fell　toward

the　sea　in　a　glittering　arch。　Before　a　hand　could　stay　him；　the

boy　was　over　the　rail　and　curving　beautifully　downward　after

the　coin。　Both　were　in　the　air　at　the　same　time。　It　was　a

pretty　sight。　The　sovereign　cut　the　water　sharply；　and　at　the

very　spot；　almost　at　the　same　instant；　with　scarcely　a　splash；

the　boy　entered。



〃From　the　quicker…eyed　black　boys　watching；　came　an

exclamation。　We　were　all　at　the　railing。　Don't　tell　me　it　is

necessary　for　a　shark　to　turn　on　its　back。　That　one　did　not。　In

the　clear　water；　from　the　height　we　were　above　it；　we　saw

everything。　The　shark　was　a　big　brute；　and　with　one　drive　he

cut　the　boy　squarely　in　half。



〃There　was　a　murmur　or　something　f