Not until he had finished did
he turn toward the bed. It was then that David had his first good
impression of the man. He was not tall, but built with the
strength of a giant. His arms were long. His shoulders were
stooped. His head was like the head of a stone gargoyle come to
life. Wide-eyed, heavy-lipped, with the high cheek-bones of an
Indian and uncut black hair bound with the knotted red MOUCHOIR,
he looked more than ever like a pirate and a cutthroat to David.
Such a man, he thought, might make play out of the business of
murder. And yet, in spite of his ugliness, David felt again the
mysterious inclination to like the man.
Bateese grinned. It was a huge grin, for his mouth was big. "You
ver' lucky fellow," he announced. "You sleep lak that in nice sof
bed an' not back on san'-bar, dead lak ze feesh I bring you,
m'sieu. That ees wan beeg mistake. Bateese say, 'Tie ze stone
roun' hees neck an' mak' heem wan ANGE DE MER. Chuck heem in ze
river, MA BELLE Jeanne!' An' she say no, mak heem well, an' feed
heem feesh. So I bring ze feesh which she promise, an' when you
have eat, I tell you somet'ing!"
He returned to the door and brought back with him a wicker basket.
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