It was nearly bed-time and when they awoke next morning land would be in sight. Dr. Macphail lit his pipe and, leaning over the rail, searched the heavens for the Southern Cross. After two years at the front and a wound that had taken longer to heal than it should, he was glad to settle down quietly at Apia for twelve months at least, and he felt already better for the journey. Since some of the passengers were leaving the ship next day at Pago-Pago they had had a little dance that evening and in his ears hammered still the harsh notes of the mechanical piano. But the deck was quiet at last. A little way off he saw his wife in a long chair talking with the Davidsons, and he strolled over to her. When he sat down under the light and took off his hat you saw that he had very red hair, with a bald patch on the crown, and the red, freckled skin which accompanies red hair; he was a man of forty, thin, with a pinched face, precise and rather pedantic; and he spoke with a Scots accent in a very low, quiet voice.
Between the Macphails and the Davidsons, who were missionaries, there had arisen the intimacy of shipboard, which is due to propinquity rather than to any community of taste. Their chief tie was the disapproval they shared of the men who spent their days and nights in the smoking-room playing poker or bridge and drinking. Mrs. Macphail was not a little flattered to think that she and her husband were the only people on board with whom the Davidsons were willing to associate, and even the doctor, shy but no fool, half unconsciously acknowledged the compliment. It was only because he was of an argumentative mind that in their cabin at night he permitted himself to carp.
“Mrs. Davidson was saying she didn’t know how they’d have got through the journey if it hadn’t been for us,” said Mrs. Macphail, as she neatly brushed out her transformation. “She said we were really the only people on the ship they cared to know.”
“I shouldn’t have thought a missionary was such a big bug that he could afford to put on frills.”
“It’s not frills. I quite understand what she means. It wouldn’t have been very nice for the Davidsons to have to mix with all that rough lot in the smoking-room.”
“The founder of their religion wasn’t so exclusive,” said Dr. Macphail with a chuckle.
“I’ve asked you over and over again not to joke about religion,” answered his wife. “I shouldn’t like to have a nature like yours, Alec. You never look for the best in people.”
He gave her a sidelong glance with his pale, blue eyes, but did not reply. After many years of married life he had learned that it was more conducive to peace to leave his wife with the last word. He was undressed before she was, and climbing into the upper bunk he settled down to read himself to sleep.
When he came on deck next morning they were close to land. He looked at it with greedy eyes. There was a thin strip of silver beach rising quickly to hills covered to the top with luxuriant vegetation. The coconut trees, thick and green, came nearly to the water`s edge, and among them, you saw the grass houses of the Samoaris; and here and there, gleaming white, a little church. Mrs. Davidson came and stood beside him. She was dressed in black and wore round her neck a gold chain, from which dangled a small cross. She was a little woman, with brown, dull hair very elaborately arranged, and she had prominent blue eyes behind invisible pince-nez. Her face was long, like a sheep`s, but she gave no impression of foolishness, rather of extreme alertness; she had the quick movements of a bird. The most remarkable thing about her was her voice, high, metallic, and without inflection; it fell on the ear with a hard monotony, irritating to the nerves like the pitiless clamor of the pneumatic drill.
“This must seem like home to you,” said Dr. Macphail, with his thin, difficult smile.
“Ours are low islands, you know, not like these. Coral. These are volcanic. We’ve got another ten days` journey to reach them.”
“In these parts that’s almost like being in the next street at home,” said Dr. Macphail facetiously.
“Well, that’s rather an exaggerated way of putting it, but one does look at distances differently in the J South Seas. So far you’re right.”
Dr. Macphail sighed faintly.
“I’m glad we`re not stationed here,” she went on. “They say this is a terribly difficult place to work in. The steamers’ touching makes the people unsettled, and then there`s the naval station, that’ss bad for the natives. In our district, we don’t have difficulties like that to contend with. There are one or two traders, of course, but we take care to make them behave, and if they don’t we make the place so hot for them they’re glad to go.”
Fixing the glasses on her nose she looked at the green island with a ruthless stare.
“It’s almost a hopeless task for the missionaries here. I can never be sufficiently thankful to God that we are at least spared that.”
Davidson’s district consisted of a group of islands to the North of Samoa, they were widely separated and he had frequently to go long distances by canoe. At these times his wife remained at their headquarters and managed the mission. Dr. Macphail felt his heart sink when he considered the efficiency with which she certainly managed it. She spoke of the depravity of the natives in a voice which nothing could hush, but with a vehemently unctuous horror. Her sense of delicacy was singular. Early in their acquaintance, she had said to him:
“You know, their marriage customs when we first settled in the islands were so shocking that I couldn’t possibly describe them to you. But I’ll tell Mrs. Macphail and she’ll tell you.”
Then he had seen his wife and Mrs. Davidson, their deck-chairs close together, in earnest conversation for about two hours. As he walked past them backwards and forwards for the sake of exercise, he had heard Mrs. Davidson’s agitated whisper, like the distant flow of a mountain torrent, and he saw by his wife’s open mouth and pale face that she was enjoying an alarming experience. At night in their cabin, she repeated to him with bated breath all she had heard.
“Well, what did I say to you?” cried Mrs. Davidson, exultant, next morning. “Did you ever hear anything more dreadful? You don’t wonder that I couldn’t tell you myself, do you? Even though you are a doctor.”
Mrs. Davidson scanned his face. She had a dramatic eagerness to see that she had achieved the desired effect.
“Can you wonder that when we first went there our hearts sank? You’ll hardly believe me when I tell you it was impossible to find a single good girl in any of the villages.”
She used the word good in a severely technical manner.
“Mr. Davidson and I talked it over, and we made up our minds the first thing to do was to put down the dancing. The natives were crazy about dancing.”
“I was not averse to it myself when I was a young man,” said Dr. Macphail.
“I guessed as much when I heard you ask Mrs. Macphail to have a turn with you last night. I don’t think there’s any real harm if a man dances with his wife, but I was relieved that she wouldn’t. Under the circumstances, I thought it better that we should keep ourselves to ourselves.”
“Under what circumstances?”
Mrs. Davidson gave him a quick look through her pince-nez, but did not answer his question.
1,529 comments on ““Rain” by W. Somerset Maugham Part 1”
ordering hydroxychloroquine online
It’s difficult to find educated people on this subject, but you seem like you
know what you’re talking about! Thanks https://hydroxychloroquineb.buszcentrum.com/
All Mechanical Repairs
It’s very simple to find out any matter on web as compared to textbooks, as
I found this piece of writing at this web site.
http://experientialmarketingagen55555.bloggerbags.com
Thanks to my father who stated to me regarding this blog, this webpage is genuinely remarkable.
office furniture disposal
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles.
I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite sure I
will learn a lot of new stuff right here!
Good luck for the next!
hydroxychloroquine and zithromax
Thanks designed for sharing such a nice thought, post is good, thats why i have
read it completely http://hydroxychloroquinea.audiovideoninja.com/
Clarkref
9g0af mwo4n 8vxi
garrettocobn.develop-blog.com
I’m now not sure the place you are getting your information,
however good topic. I needs to spend a while finding out much more or figuring
out more. Thanks for magnificent info I was searching for this
info for my mission.
penzu.com
I was able to find good info from your blog posts.
Leonida
Hey there! I just wish to offer you a huge thumbs
up for the excellent information you have here on this post.
I am returning to your blog for more soon.
didier raoult hydroxychloroquine
Wonderful, what a weblog it is! This weblog presents helpful data to us, keep
it up. https://hydroxychloroquines.studiowestinc.com/
best buy cialis
100 mg viagra us pharmacy
where to buy cialis asktrp
levitra originale 20mg mep Vaday
ayurvedic doctor in Sharjah
I go to see day-to-day a few web pages and websites
to read posts, however this weblog presents feature
based content.
Madonna
This article will help the internet visitors for creating new web
site or even a blog from start to end.
the cost of cialis
the cost of cialis http://cialllis.com/
security guards wigan
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this,
like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is
wonderful blog. A great read. I will definitely be back.
riverwalk apartments philadelphia
What’s up, this weekend is good designed for me, because this time i am reading this great informative paragraph here at my house.
black cialis 800 mg best prices
black cialis 800 mg best prices https://cialis.confrancisyalgomas.com/
hurdaci
If you wish for to increase your familiarity simply keep visiting this site and be updated with the
newest news posted here.
hydroxychloroquine coronavirus protocol
This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!!
Finally I’ve found something that helped me.
Cheers! https://hydroxychloroquinea.advantagetriseal.com/
google
I don’t even know the way I stopped up here, but I believed this publish was once good.
I do not recognise who you might be however certainly you’re going to a well-known blogger in case you are not already.
Cheers!
canvas.instructure.com
Wow! After all I got a website from where I know how to actually get useful facts concerning my study and knowledge.
google
It’s in fact very complex in this busy life to listen news on Television, therefore I simply use world
wide web for that purpose, and get the newest
information.
where can i buy cialis
Hurrah! At last I got a blog from where I know how to in fact take helpful data regarding my study and knowledge. https://cialis.mrdgeography.com/tadalafil
viagra in singapore
pharmacy 2 u co uk viagra
viagra professional basso costo
buy cafergot australia mep Vaday
coupon for hydroxychloroquine
coupon for hydroxychloroquine http://hydroxychloroquined.online/
does plaquenil affect other medications
does plaquenil affect other medications https://hydroxychloroquine4u.com/
sildenafil 100 mg review
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any suggestions? http://cleckleyfloors.com/viagra.pills
sildenafil 100 mg best price
sildenafil 100 mg best price http://viaagra1.com/
tadalafil without an rx
tadalafil without an rx https://atadalafil.online/
cheap sildenafil
cheap sildenafil http://viiagra.co/
purchase cialis without prescription
purchase cialis without prescription https://www.lm360.us/
SmAllabagsSem
buy cbd cbd oil store cbd store buy cbd oil online [url=http://buycbdoilfo.com/# ]cbd pure [/url]
CizAnataattepe
best cbd cbd oil near me cbd oil benefits cbd store [url=http://buycbdoilfo.com/# ]cbd store [/url]
SmAllabagsSem
cannabis oil [url=http://cbdtincturesui.com/# ]cbd near me [/url] cbd oil at walmart pure cbd oil cbd
biplospestenia
bumble dating app naked dating tinder dating app
entenseAgorgoni
pure cbd oil [url=http://bestcbdoiltws.com/# ]cbd cream [/url] cbd oil at walmart pure cbd http://cbdgummiesio.com/#
entenseAgorgoni
big fish casino [url=https://casinoonlineww.com/ ]online slot games [/url] free slots online casino bonus https://casinoonlineww.com/
CizAnataattepe
best cbd [url=http://cannabisoilhemp.com/# ]cbd near me [/url] cbd online cbd full spectrum cbd oil
CizAnataattepe
online casino games online casino slots online casino games
biplospestenia
dating online dating sim discord dating servers hinge dating app
CizAnataattepe
cbd cream cbd pills pure cbd
SmAllabagsSem
dating sim adult dating senior dating sites free online dating chat [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]ourtime dating site [/url]
entenseAgorgoni
best dating profiles date sites absolute dating speed dating
glamsjarmdola
full spectrum cbd oil [url=http://cbdhempoildk.com/# ]cbd store [/url] cbd hemp hemp cbd
biplospestenia
free dating sites no fees [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]hinge dating app [/url] hinge dating bbw dating bumble dating
CizAnataattepe
casino play online gambling casino real money online casino slots [url=https://casinoonlineww.com/ ]slots online [/url]
SmAllabagsSem
top dating sites christian dating sites christian dating best online dating sites [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]mature dating [/url]
biplospestenia
full spectrum cbd oil [url=http://bestcbdoiltws.com/# ]cbd tinctures [/url] cbd oil store cbd drops cbd oil near me
biplospestenia
cdb oils [url=http://cbdgummieswkj.com/# ]cbd drops [/url] cbd near me cannabis oil
SmAllabagsSem
cbd online [url=http://buycbdoilget.com/# ]cbd pure [/url] cbd near me full spectrum cbd oil buy cbd
entenseAgorgoni
ourtime dating site [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]tinder dating app [/url] our time dating zoosk dating site
glamsjarmdola
online dating sites online dating apps gay dating
CizAnataattepe
cbd pure buy cannabis oil cbd
entenseAgorgoni
buy hemp oil [url=http://fullspectrumcbdoilyw.com/# ]cbd online [/url] pure cbd cbd for sale http://cbdgummieswkj.com/#
CizAnataattepe
interracial dating [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]hookup sites [/url] asian dating zoosk dating best dating sites
entenseAgorgoni
cbd online [url=http://buycbdoilget.com/# ]cbd gummies walmart [/url] pure cbd cbd store http://purecbdok.com/#
biplospestenia
senior dating [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]gay dating [/url] free dating sites dating sites
SmAllabagsSem
cbd pure cbd pure cbd cream cbd oil for sale
glamsjarmdola
cbd oil at walmart medterra cbd cbd oil for sale hemp cbd
SmAllabagsSem
cbd oil for sale [url=http://cbdoilonlinerr.com/# ]cbd drops [/url] full spectrum cbd oil pure cbd
entenseAgorgoni
gay dating [url=http://onlinedatingdd.com/ ]facebook dating [/url] zoosk dating site online dating site russian dating