“I would never have dared to bring him on board your balancelle,” he once apologized to me. “But what am I to do? His mother is dead, and my brother has gone into the bush.”
In this way I learned that our Dominic had a brother. As to “going into the bush,” this only means that a man has done his duty successfully in the pursuit of a hereditary5 vendetta6. The feud7 which had existed for ages between the families of Cervoni and Brunaschi was so old that it seemed to have smouldered out at last. One evening Pietro Brunaschi, after a laborious8 day amongst his olive-trees, sat on a chair against the wall of his house with a bowl of broth4 on his knees and a piece of bread in his hand. Dominic’s brother, going home with a gun on his shoulder, found a sudden offence in this picture of content and rest so obviously calculated to awaken9 the feelings of hatred10 and revenge. He and Pietro had never had any personal quarrel; but, as Dominic explained, “all our dead cried out to him.” He shouted from behind a wall of stones, “O Pietro! Behold11 what is coming!” And as the other looked up innocently he took aim at the forehead and squared the old vendetta account so neatly12 that, according to Dominic, the dead man continued to sit with the bowl of broth on his knees and the piece of bread in his hand.
This is why — because in Corsica your dead will not leave you alone — Dominic’s brother had to go into the MAQUIS, into the bush on the wild mountain-side, to dodge13 the gendarmes14 for the insignificant15 remainder of his life, and Dominic had charge of his nephew with a mission to make a man of him.
No more unpromising undertaking16 could be imagined. The very material for the task seemed wanting. The Cervonis, if not handsome men, were good sturdy flesh and blood. But this extraordinarily17 lean and livid youth seemed to have no more blood in him than a snail18.
“Some cursed witch must have stolen my brother’s child from the cradle and put that spawn19 of a starved devil in its place,” Dominic would say to me. “Look at him! Just look at him!”
To look at Cesar was not pleasant. His parchment skin, showing dead white on his cranium through the thin wisps of dirty brown hair, seemed to be glued directly and tightly upon his big bones, Without being in any way deformed21, he was the nearest approach which I have ever seen or could imagine to what is commonly understood by the word “monster.” That the source of the effect produced was really moral I have no doubt. An utterly22, hopelessly depraved nature was expressed in physical terms, that taken each separately had nothing positively23 startling. You imagined him clammily cold to the touch, like a snake. The slightest reproof24, the most mild and justifiable25 remonstrance26, would be met by a resentful glare and an evil shrinking of his thin dry upper lip, a snarl27 of hate to which he generally added the agreeable sound of grinding teeth.
It was for this venomous performance rather than for his lies, impudence28, and laziness that his uncle used to knock him down. It must not be imagined that it was anything in the nature of a brutal29 assault. Dominic’s brawny30 arm would be seen describing deliberately31 an ample horizontal gesture, a dignified32 sweep, and Cesar would go over suddenly like a ninepin — which was funny to see. But, once down, he would writhe33 on the deck, gnashing his teeth in impotent rage — which was pretty horrible to behold. And it also happened more than once that he would disappear completely — which was startling to observe. This is the exact truth. Before some of these majestic34 cuffs35 Cesar would go down and vanish. He would vanish heels overhead into open hatchways, into scuttles36, behind up-ended casks, according to the place where he happened to come into contact with his uncle’s mighty37 arm.
Once — it was in the old harbour, just before the Tremolino’s last voyage — he vanished thus overboard to my infinite consternation38. Dominic and I had been talking business together aft, and Cesar had sneaked39 up behind us to listen, for, amongst his other perfections, he was a consummate40 eavesdropper41 and spy. At the sound of the heavy plop alongside horror held me rooted to the spot; but Dominic stepped quietly to the rail and leaned over, waiting for his nephew’s miserable42 head to bob up for the first time.
“Ohe, Cesar!” he yelled contemptuously to the spluttering wretch43. “Catch hold of that mooring44 hawser45 — CHAROGNE!”
He approached me to resume the interrupted conversation.
“What about Cesar?” I asked anxiously.
“Canallia! Let him hang there,” was his answer. And he went on talking over the business in hand calmly, while I tried vainly to dismiss from my mind the picture of Cesar steeped to the chin in the water of the old harbour, a decoction of centuries of marine46 refuse. I tried to dismiss it, because the mere47 notion of that liquid made me feel very sick. Presently Dominic, hailing an idle boatman, directed him to go and fish his nephew out; and by-and-by Cesar appeared walking on board from the quay48, shivering, streaming with filthy49 water, with bits of rotten straws in his hair and a piece of dirty orange-peel stranded50 on his shoulder. His teeth chattered51; his yellow eyes squinted52 balefully at us as he passed forward. I thought it my duty to remonstrate53.
“Why are you always knocking him about, Dominic?” I asked. Indeed, I felt convinced it was no earthly good — a sheer waste of muscular force.
“I must try to make a man of him,” Dominic answered hopelessly.
I restrained the obvious retort that in this way he ran the risk of making, in the words of the immortal54 Mr. Mantalini, “a demnition damp, unpleasant corpse55 of him.”
“He wants to be a locksmith!” burst out Cervoni. “To learn how to pick locks, I suppose,” he added with sardonic56 bitterness.
“Why not let him be a locksmith?” I ventured.
“Who would teach him?” he cried. “Where could I leave him?” he asked, with a drop in his voice; and I had my first glimpse of genuine despair. “He steals, you know, alas57! PAR20 TA MADONNE! I believe he would put poison in your food and mine — the viper58!”
He raised his face and both his clenched59 fists slowly to heaven. However, Cesar never dropped poison into our cups. One cannot be sure, but I fancy he went to work in another way.
This voyage, of which the details need not be given, we had to range far afield for sufficient reasons. Coming up from the South to end it with the important and really dangerous part of the scheme in hand, we found it necessary to look into Barcelona for certain definite information. This appears like running one’s head into the very jaws60 of the lion, but in reality it was not so. We had one or two high, influential61 friends there, and many others humble62 but valuable because bought for good hard cash. We were in no danger of being molested63; indeed, the important information reached us promptly64 by the hands of a Custom-house officer, who came on board full of showy zeal65 to poke66 an iron rod into the layer of oranges which made the visible part of our cargo67 in the hatchway.
I forgot to mention before that the Tremolino was officially known as a fruit and cork-wood trader. The zealous68 officer managed to slip a useful piece of paper into Dominic’s hand as he went ashore69, and a few hours afterwards, being off duty, he returned on board again athirst for drinks and gratitude70. He got both as a matter of course. While he sat sipping71 his liqueur in the tiny cabin, Dominic plied72 him with questions as to the whereabouts of the guardacostas. The preventive service afloat was really the one for us to reckon with, and it was material for our success and safety to know the exact position of the patrol craft in the neighbourhood. The news could not have been more favourable73. The officer mentioned a small place on the coast some twelve miles off, where, unsuspicious and unready, she was lying at anchor, with her sails unbent, painting yards and scraping spars. Then he left us after the usual compliments, smirking74 reassurringly over his shoulder.
I had kept below pretty close all day from excess of prudence75. The stake played on that trip was big.
“We are ready to go at once, but for Cesar, who has been missing ever since breakfast,” announced Dominic to me in his slow, grim way.
Where the fellow had gone, and why, we could not imagine. The usual surmises76 in the case of a missing seaman77 did not apply to Cesar’s absence. He was too odious78 for love, friendship, gambling79, or even casual intercourse80. But once or twice he had wandered away like this before.
Dominic went ashore to look for him, but returned at the end of two hours alone and very angry, as I could see by the token of the invisible smile under his moustache being intensified81. We wondered what had become of the wretch, and made a hurried investigation82 amongst our portable property. He had stolen nothing.
“He will be back before long,” I said confidently.
Ten minutes afterwards one of the men on deck called out loudly:
“I can see him coming.”
Cesar had only his shirt and trousers on. He had sold his coat, apparently83 for pocket-money.
“You knave84!” was all Dominic said, with a terrible softness of voice. He restrained his choler for a time. “Where have you been, vagabond?” he asked menacingly.
Nothing would induce Cesar to answer that question. It was as if he even disdained85 to lie. He faced us, drawing back his lips and gnashing his teeth, and did not shrink an inch before the sweep of Dominic’s arm. He went down as if shot, of course. But this time I noticed that, when picking himself up, he remained longer than usual on all fours, baring his big teeth over his shoulder and glaring upwards86 at his uncle with a new sort of hate in his round, yellow eyes. That permanent sentiment seemed pointed87 at that moment by especial malice88 and curiosity. I became quite interested. If he ever manages to put poison in the dishes, I thought to myself, this is how he will look at us as we sit at our meal. But I did not, of course, believe for a moment that he would ever put poison in our food. He ate the same things himself. Moreover, he had no poison. And I could not imagine a human being so blinded by cupidity89 as to sell poison to such an atrocious creature.
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1
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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vendetta
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| n.世仇，宿怨 | |
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7
feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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8
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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13
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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14
gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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15
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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16
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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18
snail
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| n.蜗牛 | |
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19
spawn
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| n.卵，产物，后代，结果；vt.产卵，种菌丝于，产生，造成；vi.产卵，大量生产 | |
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20
par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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21
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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22
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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23
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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24
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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25
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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27
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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28
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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29
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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30
brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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32
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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33
writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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34
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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35
cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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36
scuttles
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| n.天窗( scuttle的名词复数 )v.使船沉没( scuttle的第三人称单数 )；快跑，急走 | |
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37
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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38
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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39
sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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40
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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41
eavesdropper
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| 偷听者 | |
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42
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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43
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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44
mooring
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| n.停泊处；系泊用具，系船具；下锚v.停泊，系泊（船只）(moor的现在分词) | |
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45
hawser
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| n.大缆；大索 | |
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46
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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47
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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48
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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49
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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50
stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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51
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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52
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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53
remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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54
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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55
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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56
sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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57
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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58
viper
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| n.毒蛇；危险的人 | |
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59
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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61
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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62
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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63
molested
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| v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵 | |
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64
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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65
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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66
poke
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| n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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67
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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68
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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69
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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70
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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71
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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72
plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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73
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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74
smirking
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| v.傻笑( smirk的现在分词 ) | |
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75
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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76
surmises
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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77
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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78
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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79
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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80
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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81
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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83
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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84
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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85
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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86
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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87
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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88
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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89
cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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