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bonuses； as did my supercargoes； who saw to it that my schooners
did not loaf and dawdle along the way。 And I saw to it that my
supercargoes did see to it。
〃And good！ By the Lord Harry I was so good it hurt。 My conscience
got so expansive and fine…strung it lamed me across the shoulders
to carry it around with me。 Why； I even went back over my accounts
and paid Sweitzer fifty quid I'd jiggered him out of in a deal in
Fiji three years before。 And I compounded the interest as well。
〃Work！ I planted sugar cane … the first commercial planting on
Manatomana。 I ran in cargoes of kinky…heads from Malaita； which is
in the Solomons； till I had twelve hundred of the blackbirds
putting in cane。 And I sent a schooner clear to Hawaii to bring
back a dismantled sugar mill and a German who said he knew the
field…end of cane。 And he did； and he charged me three hundred
dollars screw a month； and I took hold of the mill…end。 I
installed the mill myself； with the help of several mechanics I
brought up from Queensland。
〃Of course there was a rival。 His name was Motomoe。 He was the
very highest chief blood next to King John's。 He was full native；
a strapping； handsome man； with a glowering way of showing his
dislikes。 He certainly glowered at me when I began hanging around
the palace。 He went back in my history and circulated the blackest
tales about me。 The worst of it was that most of them were true。
He even made a voyage to Apia to find things out … as if he
couldn't find a plenty right there on the beach of Manatomana！ And
he sneered at my failing for religion； and at my going to prayer…
meeting； and； most of all； at my sugar…planting。 He challenged me
to fight； and I kept off of him。 He threatened me； and I learned
in the nick of time of his plan to have me knocked on the head。
You see； he wanted the Princess just as much as I did； and I wanted
her more。
〃She used to play the piano。 So did I； once。 But I never let her
know after I'd heard her play the first time。 And she thought her
playing was wonderful； the dear； fond girl！ You know the sort； the
mechanical one…two…three tum…tum…tum school…girl stuff。 And now
I'll tell you something funnier。 Her playing WAS wonderful to me。
The gates of heaven opened to me when she played。 I can see myself
now； worn out and dog…tired after the long day； lying on the mats
of the palace veranda and gazing upon her at the piano； myself in a
perfect idiocy of bliss。 Why； this idea she had of her fine
playing was the one flaw in her deliciousness of perfection； and I
loved her for it。 It kind of brought her within my human reach。
Why； when she played her one…two…three； tum…tum…tum； I was in the
seventh heaven of bliss。 My weariness fell from me。 I loved her；
and my love for her was clean as flame； clean as my love for God。
And do you know； into my fond lover's fancy continually intruded
the thought that God in most ways must look like her。
〃 … That's right； Bruce Cadogan Cavendish； sneer as you like。 But
I tell you that's love that I've been describing。 That's all。
It's love。 It's the realest； purest； finest thing that can happen
to a man。 And I know what I'm talking about。 It happened to me。〃
Whiskers； his beady squirrel's eye glittering from out his ruined
eyebrow like a live coal in a jungle ambush； broke off long enough
to down a sedative draught from his condensed milk can and to mix
another。
〃The cane；〃 he resumed； wiping his prodigious mat of face hair with
the back of his hand。 〃It matured in sixteen months in that
climate； and I was ready； just ready and no more； with the mill for
the grinding。 Naturally； it did not all mature at once； but I had
planted in such succession that I could grind for nine months
steadily； while more was being planted and the ratoons were
springing up。
〃I had my troubles the first several days。 If it wasn't one thing
the matter with the mill； it was another。 On the fourth day；
Ferguson； my engineer； had to shut down several hours in order to
remedy his own troubles。 I was bothered by the feeder。 After
having the niggers （who had been feeding the cane） pour cream of
lime on the rollers to keep everything sweet； I sent them out to
join the cane…cutting squads。 So I was all alone at that end； just
as Ferguson started up the mill； just as I discovered what was the
matter with the feed…rollers； and just as Motomoe strolled up。
〃He stood there； in Norfolk jacket； pigskin puttees； and all the
rest of the fashionable get…up out of a bandbox； sneering at me
covered with filth and grease to the eyebrows and looking like a
navvy。 And； the rollers now white from the lime； I'd just seen
what was wrong。 The rollers were not in plumb。 One side crushed
the cane well； but the other side was too open。 I shoved my
fingers in on that side。 The big； toothed cogs on the rollers did
not touch my fingers。 And yet； suddenly； they did。 With the grip
of ten thousand devils； my finger…tips were caught； drawn in； and
pulped to … well； just pulp。 And； like a slick of cane； I had
started on my way。 There was no stopping me。 Ten thousand horses
could not have pulled me back。 There was nothing to stop me。
Hand； arm； shoulder； head； and chest； down to the toes of me； I was
doomed to feed through。
〃It did hurt。 It hurt so much it did not hurt me at all。 Quite
detached； almost may I say； I looked on my hand being ground up；
knuckle by knuckle； joint by joint； the back of the hand； the
wrist； the forearm； all in order slowly and inevitably feeding in。
O engineer hoist by thine own petard！ O sugar…maker crushed by
thine own cane…crusher！
〃Motomoe sprang forward involuntarily； and the sneer was chased
from his face by an expression of solicitude。 Then the beauty of
the situation dawned on him； and he chuckled and grinned。 No； I
didn't expect anything of him。 Hadn't he tried to knock me on the
head？ What could he do anyway？ He didn't know anything about
engines。
〃I yelled at the top of my lungs to Ferguson to shut off the
engine； but the roar of the machinery drowned my voice。 And there
I stood； up to the elbow and feeding right on in。 Yes； it did
hurt。 There were some astonishing twinges when special nerves were
shredded and dragged out by the roots。 But I remember that I was
surprised at the time that it did not hurt worse。
〃Motomoe made a movement that attracted my attention。 At the same
time he growled out loud； as if he hated himself； 'I'm a fool。'
What he had done was to pick up a cane…knife … you know the kind；
as big as a machete and as heavy。 And I was grateful to him in
advance for putting me out of my misery。 There wasn't any sense in
slowly feeding in till my head was crushed； and already my arm was
pulped half way from elbow to shoulder； and the pulping was going
right on。 So I was grateful； as I bent my head to the blow。
〃'Get your head out of the way； y