The Moon and Sixpence - Penn State University

Somerset Maugham
on the islands, and lepers, if they chose, were For a moment Strickland’s fortitude was
allowed to go free.
shaken, and a tear filled each of his eyes and
“I shall go up into the mountain,” said trickled slowly down his cheeks. Then he gave
Strickland.
the sardonic smile which was usual with him.
Then Ata stood up and faced him.
“ Women are strange little beasts,” he said to
“Let the others go if they choose, but I will not Dr. Coutras. “You can treat them like dogs, you
leave thee. Thou art my man and I am thy can beat them till your arm aches, and still they
woman. If thou leavest me I shall hang myself love you.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Of course,
on the tree that is behind the house. I swear it it is one of the most absurd illusions of Chris-
by God.”
tianity that they have souls.”
There was something immensely forcible in the “What is it that thou art saying to the doctor?”
way she spoke. She was no longer the meek, soft asked Ata suspiciously. “Thou wilt not go?”
native girl, but a determined woman. She was “If it please thee I will stay, poor child.”
extraordinarily transformed.
Ata flung herself on her knees before him, and
“Why shouldst thou stay with me? Thou canst clasped his legs with her arms and kissed them.
go back to Papeete, and thou wilt soon find an- Strickland looked at Dr. Coutras with a faint smile.
other white man. The old woman can take care “In the end they get you, and you are helpless
of thy children, and Tiare will be glad to have in their hands. White or brown, they are all the
thee back.”
same.”
“Thou art my man and I am thy woman. Dr. Coutras felt that it was absurd to offer ex-
Whither thou goest I will go, too.”
pressions of regret in so terrible a disaster, and
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