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popular on the music…halls a dozen years before。 They sounded strangely
in the tropical night thousands of miles from civilisation。 I asked
Strickland if it did not irk him to live in that promiscuity。 No； he said； he
liked to have his models under his hand。 Presently； after loud yawning；
the natives went away to sleep； and Strickland and I were left alone。 I
cannot describe to you the intense silence of the night。 On my island in
the Paumotus there is never at night the complete stillness that there was
here。 There is the rustle of the myriad animals on the beach； all the little
shelled things that crawl about ceaselessly； and there is the noisy scurrying
of the land…crabs。 Now and then in the lagoon you hear the leaping of a
fish； and sometimes a hurried noisy splashing as a brown shark sends all
the other fish scampering for their lives。 And above all； ceaseless like
time； is the dull roar of the breakers on the reef。 But here there was not a
sound； and the air was scented with the white flowers of the night。 It was
a night so beautiful that your soul seemed hardly able to bear the prison of
the body。 You felt that it was ready to be wafted away on the immaterial
air； and death bore all the aspect of a beloved friend。〃
Tiare sighed。
〃Ah； I wish I were fifteen again。〃
Then she caught sight of a cat trying to get at a dish of prawns on the
kitchen table； and with a dexterous gesture and a lively volley of abuse
flung a book at its scampering tail。
〃I asked him if he was happy with Ata。
〃‘She leaves me alone；' he said。 'She cooks my food and looks after
her babies。 She does what I tell her。 She gives me what I want from a
woman。'
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〃‘And do you never regret Europe？ Do you not yearn sometimes for
the light of the streets in Paris or London； the companionship of your
friends； and equals； for theatres and newspapers； and the
rumble of omnibuses on the cobbled pavements？'
〃For a long time he was silent。 Then he said：
〃‘I shall stay here till I die。'
〃‘But are you never bored or lonely？' I asked。
〃He chuckled。
〃‘；' he said。 ‘It is evident that you do not know
what it is to be an artist。'〃
Capitaine Brunot turned to me with a gentle smile； and there was a
wonderful look in his dark； kind eyes。
〃He did me an injustice； for I too know what it is to have dreams。 I
have my visions too。 In my way I also am an artist。〃
We were all silent for a while； and Tiare fished out of her capacious
pocket a handful of cigarettes。 She handed one to each of us； and we all
three smoked。 At last she said：
〃Since is interested in Strickland； why do you not
take him to see Dr。 Coutras？ He can tell him something about his illness
and death。〃
〃；〃 said the Captain； looking at me。
I thanked him； and he looked at his watch。
〃It is past six o'clock。 We should find him at home if you care to
come now。〃
I got up without further ado； and we walked along the road that led to
the doctor's house。 He lived out of the town； but the Hotel de la Fleur
was on the edge of it； and we were quickly in the country。 The broad
road was shaded by pepper…trees； and on each side were the plantations；
cocoa…nut and vanilla。 The pirate birds were screeching among the leaves
of the palms。 We came to a stone bridge over a shallow river； and we
stopped for a few minutes to see the native boys bathing。 They chased one
another with shrill cries and laughter； and their bodies； brown and wet；
gleamed in the sunlight。
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Chapter LIV
As we walked along I reflected on a circumstance which all that I had
lately heard about Strickland forced on my attention。 Here； on this remote
island； he seemed to have aroused none of the detestation with which he
was regarded at home； but compassion rather； and his vagaries were
accepted with tolerance。 To these people； native and European； he was a
queer fish； but they were used to queer fish； and they took him for granted；
the world was full of odd persons； who did odd things； and perhaps they
knew that a man is not what he wants to be； but what he must be。 In
England and France he was the square peg in the round hole； but here the
holes were any sort of shape； and no sort of peg was quite amiss。 I do not
think he was any gentler here； less selfish or less brutal； but the
circumstances were more favourable。 If he had spent his life amid these
surroundings he might have passed for no worse a man than another。 He
received here what he neither expected nor wanted among his own people
sympathy。
I tried to tell Captain Brunot something of the astonishment with
which this filled me； and for a little while he did not answer。
〃It is not strange that I； at all events； should have had sympathy for
him；〃 he said at last； 〃for； though perhaps neither of us knew it； we were
both aiming at the same thing。〃
〃What on earth can it be that two people so dissimilar as you and
Strickland could aim at？〃 I asked； smiling。
〃Beauty。〃
〃A large order；〃 I murmured。
〃Do you know how men can be so obsessed by love that they are deaf
and blind to everything else in the world？ They are as little their own
masters as the slaves chained to the benches of a galley。 The passion that
held Strickland in bondage was no less tyrannical than love。〃
〃How strange that you should say that！〃 I answered。 〃For long ago I
had the idea that he was possessed of a devil。〃
〃And the passion that held Strickland was a passion to create beauty。
It gave him no peace。 It urged him hither and thither。 He was eternally
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a pilgrim； haunted by a divine nostalgia； and the demon within him was
ruthless。 There are men whose d