Part 14 (1/2)

”But you never saw snow. How can you talk about a snow-white pearl?”

”Mister, I bin steward boy on beeg steamer. I been eberywhere. I bin in London, I bin in Antwerp. I bin see snow all over. That how I talk about my snow pearl. I tell you my yarn.”

Ha.s.san smoothed down his white jacket, lit a lean cigarette, rolled the incense--thrifty smoker that he was--as a sweet morsel under the tongue, permitted it to drift lazily from his lips, and gave his story.

”I bin deck hand on pearling lugger. To be spell about with wind pump.

Sometimes I work on dinghy. Two or three times I dibe--not much dibe.

I carn stand that work. Not strong for that so heavy work. One morning Boss he set me on to clean out dinghy. Too much rotten fish. You see, when diber bring sh.e.l.l up, Boss he open ebery one--chuck meat along dinghy.

That dinghy, I tell you my yarn proper--close up half full stinking meat. I chuck that stinking meat ober-board along my hand. Close up I bin finish I catchem stinking meat like this. h.e.l.lo! I feel 'em something! My heart he stand--he carn go. He stop altogether. I carn look!

feel 'em beeg. I look! Ha! Beeg, beeg pearl! Round like anything.

White like snow. Pretty--lobley. My heart inside go ponch, quick like that, I hear 'em jump along my s.h.i.+rt. No one look out. My pearl!

I whistle for nothing; put my pearl easy like I find nothing in my pucket. Go on my work, steady. Heart jump about all the time. Chuck em out those stinking meat. Ha! First time I feel something--one pearl!

Beeg, but no all the same like nother one. One more time chuck stinking meat. Ha! one more pearl! White, long like small finger here. My heart easy now. I think my good luck come. I say my prayer to Allah! I work hard. I finish that boat. Chuck gem out stinking meat, wash her down.

My three pearls inside my pucket.

”For one week I neber say nothing. My good friend, my countryman from Aden, Ali. I tell 'em I find one pearl. Now, Mister, I tell you straight--neber tell nothing. You hab one good friend, one countryman.

You lobe that man, your good friend. But you no tell 'em nothing. I made fool myself when I tell 'em. I big hoombug of myself. Two days, I am pulling dinghy up to lugger. Big Boss he on board schooner. I see him look me. Quick I think, 'Ha.s.san, you make of yourself a fool. You lorse you white pearl!' He sing out 'Ha.s.san!' I gammon I neber hear 'em. Sing out loud 'Ha.s.san! You, boy! Come here!' I pull up to lugger. He sing out. 'Come here quick! I want talk you!' 'All right, Boss, I come, I go longa lugger first time!' He savage. Call out smart--'Come here, I tell you! Come quick!'

”I am little fright he might shoot with revolver. I pull up to schooner; make fast line. Go on board. Boss he say quiet, nice, like gentlemen, 'h.e.l.lo, Ha.s.san! Good-day. Why you no come when I sing out first time.' I say 'I hab that water for lugger.' He say, 'Well, my boy, you come quick when I call out. No good hang back. How you getting on?

You come down my cabin. I no see you long time. Come down below.' 'All up,' I say myself. h.e.l.lo! Nother man. Bottle rum on table. Plenty biskeet on plate, gla.s.ses--eberything. Boss he say, 'Come, my boy; come, Ha.s.san, make yourself happy. Gib yourself gla.s.s rum. Take good nip.'

That very good rum, strong too. I gib myself one good rum. I eat biskeet. Boss he say, 'Come, my boy, gib yourself nother rum.' I gib myself nother good rum; eat plenty of that sweet biskeet. We three fellow very good friend. I feel happy. Boss shake hand, he say--'Ha.s.san, very good boy.' I gib myself nother good rum. We talk. Just now Boss he look straight. He say quiet--'Ha.s.san, my boy, you hab something belonga me.' He look sharp like a knife. 'No, Boss, I hab nothing of you.' He talk loud--'Ha.s.san, you hab something belonga me. Gib it up quick!'

That other white man he stand longside gangway. I look straight.

I feel cold. I say, 'No, Boss, I hab nothing.' He talk more loud--GIB UP THAT PEARL!' I fright. I put my hand to my pucket. I pull out pearl. I am all fire now. I shove 'em longa table. I shout--'There you blurry pearl!' Boss catch 'em quick. He say 'Get out my cabin, you dirty Arab! You dam thief. Subpose you gib my pearl first time I gib you something. Now I gib you kick!' I go.

”You see, Mister my good friend, my countryman, he tell Boss about my white pearl. I lorse him now.”

”But you got two more in your pocket”

”Yes, very good pearl; but not good like my snow pearl. I am sick now.

Boss he sack me. I land Thursday Island. I gamble fantan. I no care.

Soon I hab no pearl at all. I hab no work. I am hard up.

”Now, Mister, subpose I no say nothing to my good friend I am reech man of my country. I drink Mocha coffee. I am too poor. Suppose I go to my country, back from Aden, I carn drink coffee I am too poor, I drink coffee from outside. Inside coffee, we sell for reech people--you Inglesh, and Frinch, and Turkey men.”

”What do you mean by outside coffee?”

”When you pick coffee, you Inglesh chuck away outside. We poor Arab dry that outside, smash 'em up like flour, boil 'em for coffee. All inside coffee we hab to sell, so poor that country. Mister, I bin tell true my yarn--neber tell you good friend nothing.”

CHAPTER VI

IN PRAISE OF THE PAPAW