Chapter 55 five five

Dr. Coutras was a tall, stout Frenchman of old age.He was shaped like a big duck egg, with a pair of burning blue eyes, but full of kindness, and from time to time he fell 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 ornaments were very dazzling in the room.Dr. Coutras took mine in both of his large hands, 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; Low and echoing, well suited to his massive build.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, more brilliantly acted than most. 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 hearty meal of raw fish, fried bananas, chicken, and other things he didn't know, which was the standard meal of the local aborigines.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 Hotel de la Blossom, and that she had come to see the doctor because the red man was ill.She handed the doctor an old crumpled newspaper, who opened it and found a hundred-franc note inside.

Who is the 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 be honest, the doctor turned to me and said, I hesitated.The fourteen kilometers back and forth on rough trails was not a good feeling, and I couldn't make it back to Papeete that night.Besides, I don't have a soft spot for Strickland.He was nothing more than a loafing slob who would rather live with a native woman than earn his own living like other people.My God, how did I know that one day the whole world would recognize him as a great genius?I asked the girl if he was too ill to come to see a doctor at my place.I also asked her what Strickland was suffering from.But she didn't say anything.I questioned her a few more times, and maybe got mad at her, and she looked at the ground and burst into tears.I shrugged helplessly.In any case, it is the doctor's duty to see patients, and I went with her, despite my sulking.

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. "Give me something to drink before I see anybody, or I'll die of thirst," the Doctor cried. "For God's sake, fetch me a coconut." Aita yelled, and a boy ran over, climbed up a coconut tree with a few clicks, and dropped a ripe coconut.Ata made a hole in the coconut, and the doctor drank it heartily. After that, he rolled himself a cigarette, and he was in a much better mood than before.

Where is the red hair?he asked. He is painting in the house.I didn't tell him you were coming.You go in and see him. What's wrong with him?If he could still paint, he could go to Tarawa.Asking me to travel such a damn long way to see him, is my time not worth as much as his? 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, rooted in his feet, his eyes 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 surge of infinite pity welling up in his heart. I'm Dr. Coutras.I just went to Talawo to see a doctor for the female chief, and Aita sent someone to ask me to come and see it for you. She is a big fool.Recently, I have some pains in some places on my body, and sometimes I have a little fever, but it is not a serious illness.It will be fine in a few days.The next time someone goes to Papeete, I'll tell him to bring back some cinchona cream.

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? Did you not notice any changes in your face?You haven't noticed that your facial features are all enlarged, what should I say about your face?Your face has become the face of a lion mentioned in medical books.Must I point out, my poor friend, 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 that's a joke too.

Are you trying to tell me that I am a 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 sentenced 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 knowFinally, said Strickland, pointing to the people outside; these people were sitting quietly on the terrace now, very different from the previous scene.

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 can tell?Sometimes people with this disease can live twenty years, and it would be God's mercy if they died earlier. Strickland walked up to the easel and looked thoughtfully at the picture on it.

You have come a long way to get here.People who bring important news deserve to be paid.Take this picture.It doesn't matter to you now, but one day you may be happy to have such a painting. 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.Wipe away your tears, said Strickland to Ata, it's no big deal.I will be leaving you soon. They won't take you away, will they?she cried.

Strict isolation was not enforced on the islands at the time.Lepers could stay at home if they wanted to. I am going to the mountains.said Strickland. Then Ata stood up, looked into his face and said: Anyone else who wants to go can go.I will not leave you.You are my man and I am your woman.If you leave me, I'll 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 soon you'll find another white man.The old woman can babysit you, and Tiare will be more than happy to let you work for her again. 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. 女人真是奇怪的動物，他對庫特拉斯醫生說，你可以像狗一樣地對待她們，你可以揍她們揍得你兩臂酸痛，可是到頭來她們還是愛你。He shrugged his shoulders. Of course, Christianity believes that women have souls, which is really the most absurd illusion. What are you talking to the doctor about?Aita asked him suspiciously, are you not leaving? I won't go if you want, 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 still want to catch you, and your struggle is in vain.Whether it's 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, I've told you, I don't like him.But as I walked slowly back to Tarawa Village, I couldn't help admiring his self-restrained courage.He suffered from perhaps the most horrific disease of all.When Tanai parted from me, I told him that I would send some medicine, which might do some good for his disease.But I also knew that Strickland would most likely not take the medicine I sent me, and I could hardly hope that it would be of much use to him, even if he took it.I had the kid take a word to Ata that whenever she needed me, I would be there.Life is harsh, and nature sometimes takes pleasure in torturing her own children, and my heart was heavy as I rode back in my carriage to my warm home in Papeete. 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 go to that area for a long time either.I have heard nothing about Strickland.Once or twice I heard that Ata came to Papeete to buy painting supplies, but I never saw her.After about two years, I went to Talawo again, and it was still for the female chief to see a doctor.I asked the people there if they had heard anything from Strickland.By this time the story of Strickland's leprosy had spread everywhere.First, Tanai, the boy, left the place where they lived, and soon after, the old woman and her granddaughter also left.Then only Strickland, Ata, and their children remained.No one goes near their coconut orchards.The natives are terrified of it, you know; in the old days lepers were beaten to death as soon as they were found.But sometimes when the children in the village went to play in the mountains, they would see this white man with a big red beard wandering around by chance.As soon as the children saw him, they ran away like they were scared out of their wits.Sometimes Ata would come to the village in the middle of the night and wake up the grocer to buy something she needed.She knew that the people of the village feared and loathed her as much as they did Strickland, and she always avoided them.Another time some women worked up the courage to walk near the coconut orchard where they lived, and this time they got closer than ever, and when they saw Ata washing clothes in the stream, they threw stones at her.After this incident, the grocer in the village was told to deliver a message to Aita: if she used that stream again in the future, people would come and burn her house down. These darn things.I said. Don't say that, my dear sir, people are like that.Fear makes people ruthless. I decided to go and see Strickland.After I healed the female chief, I wanted to find a boy to lead me the way, but no one was willing to accompany me, so I went alone in the end. 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 small kitchen shed, cooking in a pot, and beside her was a little boy playing silently in the dirt.There was no smile on Ata's face when she saw the doctor. I came to see Strickland.He said. I will 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. Dr. Coutras insisted on seeing the patient, but Ata stopped him and wouldn't let him 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 asks. You can send him some paint, she said, and he won't want anything else. Can he still draw? He is painting murals 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 is my man.she says. What about your child?The doctor asked, last time I came here, I remember that you have two children. Yes there are 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.