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Chapter 3 The Old Calaboose - Destiny at the Door

Word Count: 3456    |    Released on: 19/11/2017

of the British consulate. Within was a grassy court, littered with wreckage and the traces of vagrant occupation. Six or seven cells opened from the court: the doors

tared into that shady place through door and window; and Herrick, pacing to and fro on the coral floor, sometimes paused and laved his face and neck with tepid water from the bucket. His long arrears of suffering, the night's vigil, the insults of the morning, and the harrowing business of the letter, had strung him to that point when pain is almost pleasure, time s

clung with a finger. From his jarred nerves there came a strong sentiment of coming change; whether good or ill he could not say: change, he knew no more - change, with inscrutable veiled face, approaching noiseless. With the feeling, came the vision of a concert room, the rich hues of instruments, the silent audience, and the loud voice of the symphony. 'Destiny knocking at

ing continue? What bound him now? Had he no rights? - only the obligation to go on, without discharge or furlough, bearing the unbearable? Ich trage unertragliches, the quotation rose in his mind; he repeated the whole piece, one of the most perfect of the most perfect of poets; and a phrase struck him like a blow: Du, stolzes Herz, A hast es ja gewolit. Where was the pride of his heart? And he raged against himself, as a man bites o

ting and flushed, and with a foolish face of happiness. In his arms he carried a l

floor, grasped Herrick by both

houted. 'Broach the bee

s. 'Beer and plenty of it. Any number of persons can use it (like Lyon's

e knocked the necks off with a lump of coral

aid Davis. 'It's

up?' aske

ick here. You, Hay - or Huish, or whatever your name is - you take a weed and the other bo

hat ain't the ti

take about it. If you're going to make trouble, you can have it your own way and sto

swipes. You can jaw till you're blue in the face for what I care. I don't think it's the

clear of the courtyard

' asked Herr

lt you. It's a chance we've got. What's that?

c; it's a phrase of Beethoven's I was writin

e went near and studied the inscription; 'and

ier if I had died at horne,' returned Her

in; and then, looking over his shoulder. 'Well, Mr

? Explain yoursel

the music. 'About how long ago sinc

exclaimed Herrick. 'I

d call that accidental: not me. That -' and he drew his thi

had a chance,

face to face with his companion. 'I did so. If y

me for,' was the reply. 'You

tleman and a man of spirit. I didn't want to speak before that bummer

ied Herrick.

saw this morning

r with the h

a like the babes in the wood; and tumbled end-on upon Tahiti. The consul here took charge. He offered the berth to Williams; Williams had never had the smallpox and backed down. That was when I came in for the letter paper; I thought there was something up when the consul asked me to look in again; but I never let on to you fellows, so's you'd not be disappointed. Consul tried M'Neil; scared of smallpox. He tried Capirati, that Corsican and Leblue, or whatever his name is, wouldn't lay a hand on it; all too fond of their sweet lives. Last of all, when there wasn't nobody else left to offer it to, he offers it to me. "Brown, will you ship c

I'm a landsman!

ing to skip and leave you rotting on the beach perhaps? I'm not that s

' said Herrick. 'God knows

aptain. 'But it ain't all.' He

ked the other, with a pa

re up what this'll amount to. You don't catch on? Well, we get two months' advance; we can't get away from Papeete - our creditors wouldn't let us go -

beach at least,

ptain; 'and I'll tell you one thing, Mr Herrick - I

plain,' s

Pease stole vessels all the time. And it's the making of the crowd of us. See here - you think of that cargo. Champagne! why, it's like as if it was put up on purpose. In Peru we'll sell

ick, with a quailing

may never get another. Herrick, say the word; back me u

t do it. I've not fallen as low a

d Davis. 'That you couldn't beg? It'

!' cried Herrick. 'Don't

d straight. The French have let us alone for a long time; It can't last longer; they've got their eye on us;

ere is another way. I can die; and to say trut

. 'Yes,' said he, 'yes, you can cut your throat; that's a fr

he, 'both of us together. It's not possible you can enjoy this business. Come

I have three of them, you see, two boys and the one girl, Adar. The trouble is that you are not a parent yourself. I tell you, Herrick, I love you,' the man broke out; 'I didn't take to you at first, you were so anglified and tony, but I love you now; it's a man that loves you stands here and wrestles with you. I can't go to sea

deed,' sai

you more: your heart is saying so this living minute. I can see it in your face. You're thinking, Here's poor friendship for the man I've starved along of, and as for the girl that I set up to be in love with, here's a mighty limp kind of a love that won't carry me as far as 'most any man would go for a demijohn of whisky. There's not much ROmance to that love, anyway; it's not the kind they carry on about in songbooks. But what's the good of my carrying on talking, when it's all in your inside as plain as print? I put the question to you once for all. Are you

rick faintly, 'is t

s chance, that you'll go on doing the evangelical; you're about through with your stock; and before you know where you are, you'll be right out on the other side. No, it's either this for you; or else it's Caledonia. I bet you never were there, and saw those white, shaved men, in their dust clot

m the spirit of divination worked and might utter oracles. Herrick looked at him, and look

me,' he objected. 'We

Mr Hay, that shipped mate with him couldn't. But what's

nds where he used to call,' ca

ey were wild enough for Stephens, no longer agone than

the c

, old man. I see you'll stand by.' And

o it: a strange thing for my father's son. But I'l

lent. 'Herrick,' he added with a smile, 'I belie

ng at the man, hal

break it to the bu

he'll take it,

at it!' was

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