One there was who watched Christian with curious intentness, who, when
the plight of the Alien staled on general interest, was singular by
persistent advances: his old rival, Philip. Elder by two years, the
tyrant of Christian's early day had he been; between them drawn battle
raged while the one had yet advantage by a head, soon to alter when the
other came stepping up from the ranks of boyhood to match with men, and
to win final supremacy at every point. Latent challenge had not worn out
of meeting glances even before Rhoda's coming accentuated an antagonism
based primarily on temperament and type. When the world turned upon
Christian, Philip's forwardness was accountable enough; when the world
veered, his position might fairly have been backward.
And truly slowest he was to get conviction of the perfect cure that had
befallen the alien. Though for proof he drew near, venturous to tempt a
sparkle out of the quenched firebrand, his closest approach could
discover none; nay, all lively mislike and jealousy seemed gone with the
missing core; old remembered heats kept but indifferent life, and every
trace of arrogance had vanished quite. To such an one Philip could be
generous at no great cost were it not for Rhoda's preference.
In a character of but poor stuff some strands of good quality ran hid,
and a love-liking for the shy, fierce, young girl was strengthening into
better worth under reverses. That Christian stood first in her regard he
knew well, for she made it abundantly clear, with a courage and frankness
that brought comment. 'Not maidenly!' retorted Philip to his mother,
'then is maidendom the sorrier.' He came to respect even the innocent
vice in her that woke ever to affront him. That his passion could survive
rages of vanity, often and deep wounded, proved its vitality and worth.
Slowly also and fitfully Philip came to think that Christian was no rival
lover; that he never did, that now he never would, regard Rhoda as more
than a sister. For his own gain he might be generous; yet among meaner
motives stood an honest endeavour to deserve well of the girl who loved
Christian, overbearing old antipathies; nor should it be to his demerit
that he was unconstrained by any touch of compunction: an amended version
of Christian, harmless, luckless, well-disposed, forbade any such
disrespect to past measures.
While many wondered that he should be so considerate of the alien, Rhoda
hardened her heart. Even greater than unquenchable resentment was her
distress of grief and shame because Christian was tamed. Unwittingly,
Philip himself afforded demonstration. No wonder his aim miscarried, and
he had ground to complain bitterly of signal injustice.
Once, at twilight, as Rhoda turned towards the quay, looking for
Christian and his rent nets, Philip stayed her, refusing rebuff, and
sought to turn her home again with an awkward lie. She caught him out and
stared. Then sudden terror started her past him, and winged her along the
shore towards men clustering thick. But Philip was speedy, overtook her,
and in desperation held her by main force.
'Rhoda,' he entreated, 'you must not go. It is not Christian, I say. It
is not Christian.'
She was struggling with all her might, beating at him, biting at his
hands.
'I will go, I will! Christian, Christian! Let me go! Ah, coward!'
'It is not Christian,' and he named another to pacify her. 'Not
Christian.'
She did not believe him; as he had caught her she had heard a cry that
maddened her so that her brain could take hold of no reason. She was sure
that Christian was being done to death after some horrible fashion.
No; thank God, no. She saw him suddenly safe and free; and she fell to
sobbing and trembling pitifully, so that Philip without offence for a
moment held her in his arms. She saw him coming, one high, fair head
conspicuous above the rest; she saw him looking aside, turning aside,
when instinctively she knew that what he beheld was a thief bound and
beaten according to the custom and law of the fishers. As he halted,
overlooking the circle, she read by nods exchange of question and answer.
And then on he came again. One or two turned and looked after him: that
she noted.
She was moaning and rocking for pain, though she did not know it; she was
white and cold, for fear so held her heart's blood that not even the
agony of shame she felt for Christian could urge any to her face. She
tried to go forward, but only got free from Philip to find she could
barely stand, and must hold by the sea-wall. So Christian's face came
near to be read, and lo! it was utterly blank: no anger, no pain, no
shame, altered it by a line; but the lips were grey, and as he set eyes
on Philip quickly he crossed himself. Then he saw Rhoda, and oh! the
comfort to her of his strong, quiet grasp, and his eyes, and his voice.
Throbbing yet from Rhoda's warm weight, struck with vivid misdoubt and
fear of the alien, Philip forgot control, and the natural man looked out
for one moment with glance of hot challenge at his born rival. He met no
response: Christian regarded him with resolute mild eyes, without
jealousy, or resentment, or any perplexity, till he grew confounded and a
little ashamed.
'Take me home,' entreated Rhoda; and Christian, without a question or a
comment, took her hand to lead. For one dreadful moment, breathless to
Rhoda, he looked back and stood. Against his palm hers lay listening: it
was mute, to her nerved apprehension telling nothing. Then home.
What could the loon mean with his signing? thought Philip, shaken by a
doubt. Nothing, nothing--blank madness. Nevertheless, his sudden,
shameful fear of the Alien did not soon lie down to sleep again.
A further proving awaited Christian and Philip. To Giles came Rhoda.
'He says--Philip,' she began, choking, 'that except he--he--shall excel
in the contests to-day, Christian will be wanted for saving to our fleet
its lead on the coast. Oh, he must not!--he shall not! And he said, with
his hateful airs, that he would do his best--to spare Christian. And he
said, if he failed at that, he could yet promise that none should offend
Christian with impunity while he stood by--he--he.' There a wretched
laugh sobbed and strangled her.
'I said our Christian would not--no--not for love, nor fear, nor profit,
for he hinted that. I said: with what face dare such asking approach?
what part has he with the fleet? Never goes he aboard any boat, and never
a soul comes aboard his, neither do any dredge alongside him and his
ill-luck. The Alien they call him ever. Him--him their best, their very
best, having used worse than the lowest outcast, they desire as their
champion at need. Are devils so vile and shameless? Oh! he must not.
Forbid it you, and he will not disobey.'
The old man shook his head.
'He is no child--even now. He will look at me with those eyes of his,
and ask why--and then am I done.'
Later, Rhoda ventured down to Christian, mending his dredge on the quay,
and persuaded him away. In vain; for some waylaid him, and there in her
hearing got his promise, in swimming and rowing to do his best for the
credit of the fleet. Rhoda dared only press his hand and look entreaty
while his answer hung. A dazed look came and passed. Afterwards, his face
of mild inquiry daunted remonstrance, as Giles foretold.
Philip fetched him away eventually, but had not even the favour of a look
from Rhoda. She kept down her head, biting back tears and words of rage
and grief.
'I think he means well--does Philip,' sighed Giles unhappily.
Lois said bitterly: 'Like Samson blind, he goes to make sport for the
Philistines.'
Rhoda broke into passionate weeping.
'Ah, ah!' she cried, 'it is unbearable. At every turn strangers I
saw--who have come and heard--who will see, and our Christian will
hear--alone, all alone. Oh, would that I were a brother to stand by him!
Philip mean well! He prides himself on it, he parades it as a virtue, and
to himself pretends that he does not hate. But once, he forgot, and
looked--and I saw--hate--hate and fear. And I know, though he do
contrary, that his blood will dance for joy at any affront to Christian.
I know--and he takes Christian out to show!'
Giles got on his feet.
'If I am ever to tread the old quay, it may well be to-day.'
The remonstrance of Lois lacked vigour. He took help of Rhoda's shoulder
the length of the downward street, and then shambled off alone to
Christian's protection.
One, two, three hours passed, and twilight. Then back they came,
Christian's ample strength charged with the old man's weight. Giles swore
within his beard in his way that the women knew.
'He takes his way for no asking or need of mine,' he declared gruffly;
'and he might use his strength to better purpose.'
'Christian outdone!'
'No,' Christian said, 'I think not. No, none say so.'
He stretched wearily, sighed, and, laying his head down on his arms,
slept profoundly. They exchanged woful looks.
'Poor lad, poor lad!' said the old man brokenly.
'Ah, yes; he bested the lot: in rowing hardly, in swimming easily. Oh,
don't ask! it was pretty bad. Bad! Oh, good Lord, but it makes one man
sweat again to look back on it.
'Oh! God damn their greedy eyes! Yet some few of our lot turned fair
ashamed of their own handiwork; and when one brute of the Islands
said--no matter what, but his own fellows muttered shame--and Philip
would have struck him, yonder poor fool knocked up his arm quick.
'Yes, Philip, girl! and I tell you I saw no hate: and he looked long and
close too.'
Stirless in sleep, Christian offered remonstrance to nerves that quivered
under the halting tale.
'The worst? no, the worst was after the young fools in their cups got
heady. And in the end--well, the end of all was that Philip floored his
man. And that should have been Christian's business, and he would not
stir, though I nudged him to be up and at such foul jests. "I have heard
nothing unfit," he says. And I wished I were underground. I never want to
foot the quay again. Poor lad! ay, and poor spirit! the very man of him
has got flawed.'
'No,' said Lois painfully, 'however it came he did worthily, up to his
name.'
Giles closed his mouth, but shook his head mournfully, and Rhoda drew to
him.
This fell when late gales were closing the season to the coral fishers.
Little more than a week after, Christian came back with his broken arm.
Then want came looming straight ahead. Every due was paid, but none knew
by what hard stinting, for resolute pride uttered no plea, and hid every
sign. That the waning life of Giles should suffer from no lack, the
others fared the harder. A haggard Christian, befitting a chastened lot,
drew no comment; and if Rhoda grew a little pale, and Lois shrunk and
grey, known cares they had for allowance, barring any guess at scant
bread.
The hardest of trials to a willing, strong man met Christian when,
re-knit and sound, he offered for work and found that no man would hire
him. His strange ill-luck cut him off from fellowship, so strong was the
suspicion that a malignant influence had marked him down jealously. The
only one to withstand the general verdict, to link him in, to persuade
some favour to his hands, was the unrewarded Philip, whose best endeavour
but won for him few, and brief, and ill-paid spells of labour. A many
there were who would not take his services at a gift, and he knew it.
Refuse, stranded out of touch of the human tide, he hung idle on the
quay, through shortening days from morn to night, resolutely patient of
the leaden hours and of the degradation on his famous strength.
Lois foresaw that bitter need might drive him away at last, but as yet
she could not bid him go, for Giles was slowly dying.