Chapter 55 Fifty-five

Dr. Coutras was a tall, stout Frenchman of old age.His body is like a big duck egg, with a pair of blue eyes that are aggressive, but full of kindness, and from time to time he falls on his bulging belly with a satisfied expression.He has a flushed face and white hair, which makes people feel good when they see him.The place where he received us was like a house in a small French city, and the two Polynesian decorations were very dazzling in the room.Dr. Coutras took mine in both of his--he was large--and looked at me kindly; but I could see from his eyes that he was a very shrewd man.When he shook hands with Captain Bruno, he greeted the lady and the child very politely.We exchanged pleasantries.I chatted for a while about various local news, this year's harvest of coconut and vanilla fruit, and so on.After that, the conversation turns to the main topic of my visit.

I can only now write in my own language the story that Coutras told me; he told me so vividly, and his words would have been greatly diminished by my retelling, his voice was deep, With an echo, well suited to his burly frame.He is very good at acting when he talks.Listening to him, as one of the favorite similes of the people, was like watching a play, and it was better than most plays. The course of the matter is roughly like this.Once Dr. Kutras went to Talawo to see a sick sheikh.Coutras described the sheikh to the fullest.The female chief was fat and stupid, lying on a big bed and smoking a cigarette, surrounded by a circle of dark-skinned attendants.After seeing the doctor, the doctor was invited to another room and served a sumptuous meal - raw fish, fried bananas, chicken, and something he didn't know, which is the standard meal of the local indigenous people .While eating, he saw a tearful young girl being chased from the door.He didn't notice it at the time, but when he finished his meal and was about to get into the carriage and set off home, he saw her standing not far away again.She looked at him sadly, tears streaming down her cheeks.The doctor asked the people next to him what was going on with this girl.He was told that the girl had come down from the mountains and wanted to invite him to see a sick white man.They had told her that the doctors had no time for her.Dr. Coutras called her over and asked her what was the matter himself.She said she was sent by Ata, who used to work at the Flower Hotel, and that she had come to the doctor because Red was ill.She handed the doctor an old crumpled newspaper, who opened it and found a hundred-franc note inside.

"Who's 'Red Hair'?" the doctor asked a man standing nearby. He was told that "Red Hair" was a nickname given to the Englishman, a painter, by the locals.This man now lives with Ata, in a canyon among the mountains seven kilometers away.From the descriptions of the locals, he knew they were talking about Strickland.But the only way to get to Strickland's place was on foot; and they knew he couldn't, so they sent the girl away. "To tell you the truth," said the doctor, turning to me, "I was hesitant. The fourteen kilometers up and down the rough trails was not a good feeling, and I couldn't make it back to Papi that night. Mentioned. Besides, I didn't like Strickland. He's just a loafing slob who'd rather live with a native woman than try to earn his own living like anybody else. My God, I was How do you know that one day the whole world will recognize him as a great genius? I asked the girl if he was too sick to come to my doctor. I also asked her, Strickland but she didn't say anything. I asked her a little more, and maybe got mad at her, and she looked down and burst into tears. I shrugged my shoulders resignedly. .Anyway, it's a doctor's duty to see a patient, and I went with her despite my sulking stomach."

When Dr. Coutras reached his destination, he was in no better temper than when he set out. He was sweating profusely, thirsty and tired.Ata was waiting anxiously, and had gone a long way to pick him up. "Before I see anybody, let me have something to drink, or I'll die of thirst," cried the doctor, "for God's sake, pick me a coconut." Aita yelled, and a boy came running over, climbed up a coconut tree with a few babbles, and dropped a ripe coconut.Ata made a hole in the coconut, and the doctor drank it heartily. After that, he rolled himself a lot of cigarettes, and he was in a much better mood than before.

"Where is the red hair?" he asked. "He's painting in the house. I didn't tell him you were coming. Go in and see him." "What's wrong with him? If he can still paint, he can go to Tarawa. Is my time worth less than his by making me come all this damned distance to see him?" Ata did not speak, she and the boy followed into the house.The girl who had brought the doctor sat down on the balcony; there was also an old woman lying on the balcony, with her back to the wall, rolling a local cigarette.The doctor felt that the behavior of these people was a little strange, and he was a little annoyed.On entering the house he found Strickland cleaning his palette.There is a picture on the easel.Strickland, wearing a palio, stood behind the easel, with his back to the door.He turned around when he heard footsteps.He gave the doctor an unhappy look.He was taken aback; he hated being disturbed.But it was the doctor who was really surprised; Kutras froze there suddenly, his feet seemed to be rooted, and his eyes were wide open.What he saw was something he never expected.He was terrified.

"Why did you come in without knocking," said Strickland. "What's the matter?" Although the doctor recovered from the shock, it was with great difficulty that he could speak.The rage he had come with had dissipated; he felt—oh, yes, I can't deny it. —he felt a wave of infinite pity welling up in his heart. "I'm Dr. Kutras. I just went to Talawo to see the female chief. Ata sent someone to ask me to come and see you." "She's a big fool. I've been having some pains in places lately, and sometimes I've had a little fever, but it's nothing serious. It'll be fine in a few days. Next time someone goes to Papeete, I'll ask him to bring some Kinney is back."

"You better look in the mirror." Strickland glanced at him, smiled, and went over to a small mirror hanging on the wall.It was one of those cheap mirrors in a little wooden frame. "What's wrong?" "Didn't you notice any change in your face? Didn't you notice that your features were enlarged and your face—how should I put it?—had become what the medical books call a 'lion's face' I am. My poor friend, must I point out to you that you are suffering from a dreadful disease?" "I?" "You can see in the mirror that your face is typical of leprosy."

"Are you joking?" said Strickland. "I hope it's a joke, too." "Do you mean to tell me that I am leprosy?" "Unfortunately, this is beyond doubt." Dr. Coutras had sentenced many people to death, but each time he could not overcome his inner terror.He always thought that the patient condemned to death must compare himself with the doctor, and see the doctor's physical and mental health and enjoy the precious rights of life, and he must feel angry and resentful;But Strickland just looked at him in silence, without the slightest change of emotion in a face so deformed by the disease.

"Do they know?" said Strickland at last, pointing to the people outside; they were now sitting quietly on the terrace, quite different from what they had been in the past. "These natives are well aware of the signs of the disease," said the doctor, "but they dare not tell you." Strickland went to the door and looked out.His countenance must have been terrible, for all the people outside were weeping and wailing all at once, and the wailing grew louder.Strickland said nothing.He stared at them blankly for a while, then turned and walked back to the house. "How long do you think I'll live?"

"Who knows? Sometimes people with this disease live twenty years, and it would be God's mercy if they died sooner." Strickland walked up to the easel and looked thoughtfully at the picture on it. "You have come a long way to come here. He who brings important news deserves to be paid. Take this painting. It means nothing to you now, but one day you may be glad to have one painted." Dr. Coutrass declined, saying that he did not need to be paid to come here, and that he returned the hundred francs to Eta.But Strickland insisted that he take the painting away.After that they both went out on the balcony together.Several locals were still sobbing in great sorrow.

"Don't cry, woman. Dry your tears," said Strickland to Ata. "It's no big deal. I'm leaving you soon." "They won't take you away?" she cried. Strict isolation was not enforced on the islands at the time.Lepers could stay at home if they wanted to. "I'm going into the mountains," said Strickland. Then Ata stood up, looked into his face and said: "Anyone else who wants to go, go. I will not leave you. You are my man and I am your woman. If you leave me, I will hang myself from this tree behind the house. I swear it before God. " When she said this, she looked very determined.She is no longer a gentle and docile native girl, but a strong-willed woman.She suddenly became unrecognizable to anyone. "Why are you with me? You can go back to Papeete, and you'll find another white man in no time. The old woman can babysit you, and Tiare will gladly set you back again." Work for her." "You are my man and I am your woman. I will go wherever you go." For a moment Strickland's heart of stone seemed to be touched, and tears welled up in his eyes, dripping from side to side, and trickling down his cheeks.But at once his usual mocking smile reappeared on his face. “女人真是奇怪的动物，”他对库特拉斯医生说，“你可以象狗一样地对待她们，你可以揍她们揍得你两臂酸痛，可是到头来她们还是爱你。”他耸了耸Shoulder. "Of course, the Christian idea that women have souls is the most absurd illusion." "What are you talking to the doctor about?" Aita asked him suspiciously, "Aren't you going?" "I won't go if you will, poor boy." Ata knelt down at his feet, wrapped her arms around his legs, and kissed him desperately.Strickland looked at Dr. Coutras with a slight smile on his face. "In the end they're still going to grab you, and it's useless to struggle. It doesn't matter if you're white or brown, it's all the same in the end." Dr. Coutrass felt it absurd to say anything sympathetic to such a dreadful disease, and he decided to take his leave.Strickland asked the boy named Tanai to lead him back to the village.Having said this, Dr. Coutras paused for a moment.Finally he said to me: "I don't like him, as I told you, I don't like him. But as I walked slowly back to Tarawa, I couldn't help admiring his self-restrained courage." Perhaps the most dreadful disease he has ever suffered. When Tanay and I parted, I told him I would send some medicine that might do a little good for his disease. But I also know, Stry Crander would probably not take the medicine I sent me, and as to how much it would - even if he took it - be of much use to me, I had no hope. I had the boy send a message to Ata , whenever she needs me, I will be there. Life is harsh, and nature sometimes takes pleasure in torturing her own children, and as I drove back to my warm home in Papeete, I His heart is heavy." For a long time, neither of us spoke. "But Ata didn't ask me to go," the doctor continued at last, "and it happened that I hadn't had the opportunity to be in that country for a long time. I heard nothing about Strickland. Once or twice I heard It was said that Aita came to Papeete to buy painting supplies, but I didn't see her. After about two years, I went to Talawo again, and I still saw the female chief. I asked the person in that place Man, have they heard anything about Strickland. Strickland's leprosy was by this time widely reported. First the boy, Tanai, left their house. After a while, the old woman went away with her granddaughter. Only Strickland, Ata, and their children were left. No one came near their coconut orchard. This disease is terribly frightening, you know that; in the old days lepers were beaten to death as soon as they were found. But sometimes the village children went to play in the hills and happened to see this A white man with a big red beard was hanging around. When the children saw him, they ran away as if they were scared out of their wits. Sometimes Ata came to the village in the middle of the night and woke the grocer to buy some she needed. She knew that the people of the village were as much afraid and disgusted of her as they were of Strickland, so she always avoided them. Once again several women dared to go up to them They lived near the coconut orchard, this time they walked closer than ever, and saw Aita washing clothes in the creek, and they threw stones at her. After this incident, the grocer in the village was notified. Ata has a message: If she ever uses that stream again, people will come and burn her house down." "These goddam things," I said. "Don't say that, my dear sir, people are like that. Fear makes people cruel... I decided to go and see Strickland. After I have treated the chief woman, I want to find a The boys showed me the way, but no one was willing to go with me, and in the end I groped my way alone." As soon as Dr. Coutras walked into the coconut orchard, he felt uneasy.Although he was hot and dry from walking, he couldn't help shivering.There seemed to be something hostile in the air, which made him hesitate; he felt that an invisible force was holding him back, and that many invisible hands were pulling him back.No one came here to pick coconuts anymore, and the coconuts were all rotten on the ground, leaving a desolate and dilapidated scene everywhere.The undergrowth invaded the plantation from all sides, and it seemed that the land, which had been developed with painstaking effort, would soon be reclaimed by the virgin forest.Dr. Coutras had the feeling that this was the residence of pain.The closer he got to the house, the more disturbingly still it became.At first he thought the house was empty, but then he saw Ata.She was squatting in a shed that served as a kitchen, cooking in a pot, and beside her was a little boy, soundlessly playing in the dirt.There was no smile on Ata's face when she saw the doctor. "I've come to see Strickland," he said. "I'll go tell him." Ata walked toward the house, climbed the steps, walked up the balcony, and entered the house.Dr. Coutras followed her, but when he reached the door, he obeyed her gestures and stopped outside.When Ata opened the door, he smelled a fishy-sweet smell; there is always such a disgusting smell in the place where lepers live.He heard Ata say something, and then he heard Strickland's voice, but he could not at all recognize that it was Strickland's voice.The voice became very hoarse and indistinct.Dr. Coutras raised an eyebrow.He estimated that the germs had already invaded the patient's vocal cords.After a while, Ata came out of the house. "He doesn't want to see you. You go away." Dr. Coutras insisted on seeing the patient, but Ata stopped him from going in.Dr. Coutras shrugged his shoulders; he thought for a moment, then turned and walked away.She follows him.The doctor felt that she also wanted to leave immediately. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked. "You could send him some paint," she said. "He wants nothing else." "Can he still draw?" "He's painting a mural on the wall." "It's not easy life for you, poor boy." A smile finally appeared on her face, and a love radiated from her eyes, a radiance of love that is rare in the world.Her gaze startled Dr. Coutras.He was amazed, even awed.He didn't know what to say. "He's my man," she said. "Where's your child?" the doctor asked, "I was here last time, I remember you have two children." "There were two. That one is dead. We buried him under the mango tree." After a short walk with the doctor, Ata told the doctor that she had to go back.Dr. Coutras guessed that she dared not go further for fear of meeting people from the village.He told her again that if she needed him, just send a message and he would definitely come.