Луна и грош

Chapter LV

           Whenhehadseenherhewastakenintoanotherroomandgivendinner—rawfish,friedbananas,andchicken—quesais-je,thetypicaldinneroftheindigene—andwhilehewaseatingithesawayounggirlbeingdrivenawayfromthedoorintears.Hethoughtnothingofit,butwhenhewentouttogetintohistrapanddrivehome,hesawheragain,standingalittlewayoff;shelookedathimwithawoebegoneair,andtearsstreameddownhercheeks.Heaskedsomeonewhatwaswrongwithher,andwastoldthatshehadcomedownfromthehillstoaskhimtovisitawhitemanwhowassick.Theyhadtoldherthatthedoctorcouldnotbedisturbed.Hecalledher,andhimselfaskedwhatshewanted.ShetoldhimthatAtahadsenther,shewhousedtobeattheHoteldelaFleur,andthattheRedOnewasill.Shethrustintohishandacrumpledpieceofnewspaper,andwhenheopenedithefoundinitahundred-francnote.

           "WhoistheRedOne?"heaskedofoneofthebystanders.

           HewastoldthatthatwaswhattheycalledtheEnglishman,apainter,wholivedwithAtaupinthevalleysevenkilometresfromwheretheywere.HerecognisedStricklandbythedescription.Butitwasnecessarytowalk.Itwasimpossibleforhimtogo;thatwaswhytheyhadsentthegirlaway.

           "Iconfess,"saidthedoctor,turningtome,"thatIhesitated.Ididnotrelishfourteenkilometresoverabadpathway,andtherewasnochancethatIcouldgetbacktoPapeetethatnight.Besides,Stricklandwasnotsympathetictome.Hewasanidle,uselessscoundrel,whopreferredtolivewithanativewomanratherthanworkforhislivingliketherestofus.

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