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gave me？' Is it possible that it is still in the attic？' ‘Without doubt；' she
answered； ‘ for you know that I never throw anything away。 It is my
mania。' We went up to the attic； and there； among I know not what rubbish
that had been gathered during the thirty years we have inhabited that house；
was the picture。 I looked at it again； and I said： ‘Who would have
thought that the overseer of my plantation on the peninsula； to whom I lent
two hundred francs； had genius？ Do you see anything in the picture？' ‘No；'
she said； ‘it does not resemble the plantation and I have never seen cocoa…
nuts with blue leaves； but they are mad in Paris； and it may be that your
brother will be able to sell it for the two hundred francs you lent
Strickland。' Well； we packed it up and we sent it to my brother。 And at
last I received a letter from him。 What do you think he said？ ‘I received
your picture；' he said； ‘and I confess I thought it was a joke that you had
played on me。 I would not have given the cost of postage for the picture。 I
was half afraid to show it to the gentleman who had spoken to me about it。
Imagine my surprise when he said it was a masterpiece； and offered me
thirty thousand francs。 I dare say he would have paid more； but frankly I
was so taken aback that I lost my head； I accepted the offer before I was
able to collect myself。'〃
Then Monsieur Cohen said an admirable thing。
〃I wish that poor Strickland had been still alive。 I wonder what he
would have said when I gave him twenty…nine thousand eight hundred
francs for his picture。〃
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Chapter XLIX
I lived at the Hotel de la Fleur； and Mrs。 Johnson； the proprietress；
had a sad story to tell of lost opportunity。 After Strickland's death certain
of his effects were sold by auction in the market…place at Papeete； and she
went to it herself because there was among the truck an American stove
she wanted。 She paid twenty…seven francs for it。
〃There were a dozen pictures；〃 she told me； 〃but they were unframed；
and nobody wanted them。 Some of them sold for as much as ten francs；
but mostly they went for five or six。 Just think； if I had bought them I
should be a rich woman now。〃
But Tiare Johnson would never under any circumstances have been
rich。 She could not keep money。 The daughter of a native and an
English sea…captain settled in Tahiti； when I knew her she was a woman of
fifty； who looked older； and of enormous proportions。 Tall and extremely
stout； she would have been of imposing presence if the great good…nature
of her face had not made it impossible for her to express anything but
kindliness。 Her arms were like legs of mutton； her breasts like giant
cabbages； her face； broad and fleshy； gave you an impression of almost
indecent nakedness； and vast chin succeeded to vast chin。 I do not know
how many of them there were。 They fell away voluminously into the
capaciousness of her bosom。 She was dressed usually in a pink Mother
Hubbard； and she wore all day long a large straw hat。 But when she let
down her hair； which she did now and then； for she was vain of it； you saw
that it was long and dark and curly； and her eyes had remained young and
vivacious。 Her laughter was the most catching I ever heard； it would
begin； a low peal in her throat； and would grow louder and louder till her
whole vast body shook。 She loved three things a joke； a glass of wine；
and a handsome man。 To have known her is a privilege。
She was the best cook on the island； and she adored good food。 From
morning till night you saw her sitting on a low chair in the kitchen；
surrounded by a Chinese cook and two or three native girls； giving her
orders； chatting sociably with all and sundry； and tasting the savoury
messes she devised。 When she wished to do honour to a friend she
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cooked the dinner with her own hands。 Hospitality was a passion with
her； and there was no one on the island who need go without a dinner
when there was anything to eat at the Hotel de la Fleur。 She never turned
her customers out of her house because they did not pay their bills。 She
always hoped they would pay when they could。 There was one man there
who had fallen on adversity； and to him she had given board and lodging
for several months。 When the Chinese laundryman refused to wash for
him without payment she had sent his things to be washed with hers。 She
could not allow the poor fellow to go about in a dirty shirt； she said； and
since he was a man； and men must smoke； she gave him a franc a day for
cigarettes。 She used him with the same affability as those of her clients
who paid their bills once a week。
Age and obesity had made her inapt for love； but she took a keen
interest in the amatory affairs of the young。 She looked upon venery as
the natural occupation for men and women； and was ever ready with
precept and example from her own wide experience。
〃I was not fifteen when my father found that I had a lover；〃 she said。
〃He was third mate on the 。 A good…looking boy。〃
She sighed a little。 They say a woman always remembers her first
lover with affection； but perhaps she does not always remember him。
〃My father was a sensible man。〃
〃What did he do？〃 I asked。
〃He thrashed me within an inch of my life； and then he made me
marry Captain Johnson。 I did not mind。 He was older； of course； but he
was good…looking too。〃
Tiare her father had called her by the name of the white； scented
flower which； they tell you； if you have once smelt； will always draw you
back to Tahiti in the end； however far you may have roamed Tiare
remembered Strickland very well。
〃He used to come here sometimes； and I used to see him walking
about Papeete。 I was sorry for him； he was so thin； and he never had any
money。 When I heard he was in town； I used to send a boy to find him
and make him come to dinner with me。 I got him a job once or twice； but
he couldn't stick to anything。 After a little while he wanted to get back to
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the bush； and one morning he would be gone。〃
Strickland reached Tahiti about six months after he left Marseilles。
He worked his passage on a sailing vessel that was making the trip from
Auckland to San Francisco； and he arrived with a box of paints； an easel；
and a dozen canvases。 He had a few pounds in his pocket； for he had
found work in Sydney； and he took a small room in a native house outside
the town。 I think the moment he reached Tahiti he felt himself at home。
Tiare told me that he said to her once：
〃I'd been scrubbing the deck； and all at once a chap said to me： ‘Why；
there it is。' And I looked up and I saw the outline of the island。 I knew
right away that there was the place I'd been looking for all my life。 Then
we came near； and I seemed to recognise it。 Sometimes when I walk
about it all seems familiar。 I could swear I've lived here before。〃
〃Sometimes it takes them like that；〃 said Tiare。 〃I've known men
come on shore for a few hours while their ship was taking in cargo； and
never go back。 And I've known men who came here to be in an office for
a year； and they cursed the place； and when they went away they took their
dying oath they'd hang themselves before they came back again； and in six
months you'd see them land once more； and they'd tell you they couldn't
live anywhere else。〃