On Far Malayan Shores

by Tara Haigh

  ‘I think the price is perfectly fair. A steamship like this one consumes around six hundred and fifty tons of coal per day. By my estimation, that amounts to a daily sum of about fifteen hundred marks – not to mention the cost of the crew.’

  ‘You’re evidently a very good businessman. The likes of us pay little thought to such things,’ said Rudolf admiringly – yet he shot Otto an irritated, almost arrogant look, which surely didn’t escape him.

  ‘Oh, nonsense – I just know how to do basic arithmetic,’ said Otto with a dismissive wave. ‘Though I know I can be a little small-minded at times. I’m sure you don’t need to know about the price of coal in the property business,’ he went on light-heartedly. Rudolf had already mentioned that he worked in that field when they had introduced themselves on the first evening.

  Ella couldn’t escape the impression that Rudolf felt inferior to Otto, and that he deeply admired him. It was the way he smiled sheepishly at such moments and always changed the subject whenever business topics came up.

  ‘Well, I think I’ll have the chateaubriand.’ Rudolf was doing it again.

  ‘You can tell that there’s blue blood in those veins,’ joked Otto. ‘For me, it’s just a very good piece of beef.’

  Otto too seemed to admire Rudolf – the gentleman whose social rank he would never achieve, despite all his hard work and his self-made fortune. Their dialogue couldn’t have illustrated Ella’s thoughts about her travel companions any more clearly. Rudolf tried to conceal certain insecurities behind his aristocratic manners, with the intention of making Otto feel subconsciously inferior – but Otto wasn’t so easily rattled.

  ‘What are the prices like in Hamburg at the moment? I’m thinking of buying something. An apartment, around six hundred and fifty square feet. One in a good location.’

  ‘Exorbitant,’ answered Rudolf curtly. He looked for the waiter and beckoned him over.

  ‘What sort of price are we talking about? Sixty thousand?’ Otto probed further.

  ‘Somewhere in that region, yes,’ Rudolf responded tersely again.

  ‘We should definitely do some business, then. I’m sure you have an office in Hamburg.’

  ‘Certainly,’ replied Rudolf, no less laconically than before. Ella could make no sense of it. What good property agent would so obviously rebuff a wealthy customer like Otto? Of course, it was perfectly possible that Rudolf was used to a different style of client, and that Otto didn’t seem good enough, what with his simple manners and his humble background. What did she know about Rudolf’s commercial affairs, anyway?

  ‘Would anybody like an aperitif?’ Ella noticed how grateful Rudolf was at the waiter’s arrival, and she hoped there would be no further discussion of business matters. It seemed to be a topic that Rudolf strongly preferred not to talk about over dinner. He didn’t return to the subject, at any rate. Ella couldn’t blame him, though she wondered why Otto looked at the other man so pensively. His expression brightened up once more after the aperitif, however, and his invigorating smile returned. The evening was saved.

  CHAPTER 5

  You didn’t need to be clairvoyant to predict that Rudolf and Otto’s friendly mealtime relations would cool off after the previous evening. The first sign of it came when Otto failed to appear at breakfast as usual – and he certainly wasn’t ill, since Ella had spotted him taking his morning stroll on deck. It was a pity that the otherwise harmonious mood on board had hit a sour note today of all days, for the Danzig was now steaming towards Lisbon. They were finally within view of land again, and it was a sight for sore eyes. The Portuguese coast was blessed with sandy beaches and an extraordinary amount of greenery. Lisbon itself was situated in a bay on the northern bank of a river, which widened into a sort of inland sea before narrowing again as it joined the Atlantic. The city was spread along the river’s shores.

  Ella had learned that nearly one hundred and fifty years earlier an earthquake of enormous proportions and an accompanying tidal wave had reduced Lisbon to rubble, costing thousands of lives. Only a few buildings had survived the tremor. Her father had once told her about the Belém Tower, which every ship entering the harbour had to sail past, just as they were now doing on this glorious morning. The square, white tower loomed before them, around one hundred feet tall and capped with four turrets. The remains of a fortifying wall could be seen underneath it too. Father had also told her that there must once have been a second tower opposite it, and that the Portuguese had used the two buildings to bring enemy ships into a crossfire. That tower had suffered the same fate as the rest of the city during the earthquake. It came as no surprise to see that none of the buildings now drifting into view were dilapidated or in need of renovation, and that the city’s brightly coloured, multi-storey houses looked so magnificently modern.

  Lisbon was a young city that seemed to grow from the river up into the hills. Ella was keen to explore and hoped that the Danzig would stop in the port for at least a few hours, so she asked the waiter, who confirmed that that would be the case. Five whole hours to look around. That would be particularly worthwhile in a city whose bustling centre was so easily accessible on foot.

  ‘What do you say to a stroll through town? Perhaps we can buy a few souvenirs?’ she suggested to Rudolf, who – like Ella and all the other passengers – was standing at the railing admiring the handsome buildings, squares and boulevards. The streets looked as though they had been plotted with a ruler and seemed more spacious and less confined than in cities that had grown gradually over the centuries.

  Surprisingly, Rudolf seemed to need a moment to mull over her proposal.

  ‘The local racecourse is meant to be terrific. The Portuguese are mad for horseracing,’ he replied – and to Ella’s amazement, even Otto (who must have unobtrusively joined them and overheard their conversation) agreed with him.

  ‘Indeed – O Americano,’ he trilled, drawing a bewildered look from Rudolf and Ella.

  ‘What do the Americans have to do with it?’ asked Ella.

  ‘The racecourse. That’s its name,’ explained Otto.

  Because Otto seemed to share his obvious enthusiasm, Rudolf refrained from retorting with his usual aristocratic bearing. All the same, Ella could see that Otto’s inexhaustible general knowledge remained a thorn in Rudolf’s side.

  ‘We could take a carriage. We’ll see more of the city that way, and it’ll be more comfortable too.’ Rudolf’s arguments were persuasive.

  Nonetheless, Ella pulled a sceptical face, as she wasn’t especially keen on horseracing.

  ‘Is there even a race on today?’ she asked in the hope of persuading them both that there would be no point in visiting an empty racecourse.

  ‘Yes, our waiter is going too. He heard it from the captain.’

  Ella realised she had made a tactical error.

  ‘Well, if we have to.’ Her reluctant agreement was nonetheless accepted with enthusiasm. Yet Ella didn’t regret her decision, for the racecourse lay on the edge of the city, which meant she was given a full tour. On foot, she probably wouldn’t have seen anything beyond the few buildings in the port, or perhaps she would just have made it as far as the Praça do Comércio – which Otto, in his capacity as self-appointed tour guide, described as a shining architectural example of how the Marquês de Pombal had rebuilt the Lower Town of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Ella had to admit that it felt good to cross this spacious square in a stately carriage and admire the buildings with their beautiful arcades. They also passed the newly opened railway station, known as the Rossio. Ella had never seen such unusual, horseshoe-shaped entrance portals before, though the bell tower in the middle of the station façade made it look more like a government building. Otto even knew that it was a terminus station, and that it had been completed only two years ago. Rudolf’s face grew longer and longer in response to Otto’s extensive general knowledge.

  ‘It’s a good thing that the library on the Danzig is so well stocked,’ said Otto, who had evidently notice
d Rudolf’s expression and pulled a small book out of his jacket pocket.

  The racecourse proved more worthwhile than Ella had expected, not because of the horses or the building, which looked fairly new, but rather because the crowds in attendance were so interesting. Stylish women promenaded up and down in tailored dresses, and those who considered themselves particularly elegant also carried parasols. It was more exciting than any Parisian fashion show. From among the mass of people on the turf, Ella heard voices speaking English, German, Dutch and, naturally, Portuguese, and it was no different on the grandstand. Once they reached the stands, however, the tedious part of the proceedings began – although that was apparently a view held only by Ella. Rudolf and Otto had acquired betting slips and placed their wagers, albeit after only a cursory inspection of the horses and a quick glance at the odds.

  ‘In my experience, it’s usually the second favourite who wins it,’ Rudolf declared.

  For once, Otto had no experience and nothing to add, so he acquiesced to Rudolf’s enthusiasm and placed a bet on the same horse. That evidently boosted Rudolf’s ego. A ceasefire was thus declared between the two great rivals, though it lasted only until Rudolf’s theory was proven false. The first race was won by the favourite, while the second went to the horse in third rank.

  ‘Ach, never mind. At least we had the pleasure of watching and sharing in the excitement.’ So Otto brushed off his substantial loss of one hundred and fifty marks, which he had paid in at the counter just like Rudolf. All the same, his face had a slightly red tinge to it. Rudolf, by contrast, had gone elegantly pale, as was becoming for a blue-blooded gentleman.

  Ella refrained from passing comment.

  ‘There must be a lavatory around here somewhere.’ Otto withdrew, presumably partly to avoid any further discussion of their not inconsiderable loss.

  ‘I think I’d like to take a look at the stables. Would you care to join me?’ asked Rudolf. He must have known that the question was purely rhetorical, since he had asked her the same thing shortly before the races, and she had declined. He seemed to need a little time alone to compose himself after his disastrous bet.

  ‘I’d rather stay here and look at the people,’ she answered truthfully. Rudolf nodded, and just a few moments later, he had been swallowed up by the crowd on the steps. What was there left for her to do beyond watch the next race? In the final analysis, men all seemed to share a certain compulsion to gamble. At any rate, spending time with her ‘fiancé’ was anything but boring. But could she really agree to marry such a man? Ella wasn’t sure. The question now preoccupied her far more than the elaborate hats of the women around her, which she would have liked to inspect more closely. What had happened over the last few days to the fluttery sensation that she usually experienced by Rudolf’s side? The waves must have lulled it to sleep, just like everything else. Every now and then it reappeared – especially when he flashed her his rakish smile, or let her take his arm – but it was no longer as strong. Yes, she liked him, despite his obvious weaknesses and affectations. And she couldn’t thank him enough for coming with her on this journey. Ella decided to dismiss the thought and focus on the elegant ladies’ hats once more.

  They had agreed to meet at the carriage no later than half past four so that they could make it back to the ship on time. Ella was already there, but alone and kicking her heels. As far as she could recall, Rudolf always carried his watch with him, hanging from a gold chain and tucked inside his waistcoat pocket. She had noticed Otto holding a pocket watch too. On top of that, there was a clock mounted on the grandstand that was impossible to miss. It gave the time as twenty-five to five – yet there was still no sign of the others. Ella scanned the crowds on the grandstand and by the exits. They definitely weren’t there. Should she go down to the stables after all? Had something happened to Rudolf? Horses were unpredictable, and Rudolf could be reckless. What if he’d unwittingly approached a stallion and made personal acquaintance with its hooves? All kinds of scenarios presented themselves to Ella – yet none of them accounted for Otto’s absence.

  Ella’s state of uncertainty came to an abrupt end, however, and her worst fears seemed to have been realised, for Rudolf was staggering towards her, holding a handkerchief to his brow. Thankfully Otto was by his side.

  She hurried over to meet them.

  ‘In the name of God, Rudolf, whatever has happened? You’re bleeding! Let me take a look.’

  Rudolf lifted the handkerchief from the wound.

  Ella could see at a glance that he had suffered an abrasion, which needed to be cleaned urgently.

  ‘We need some fresh water.’

  ‘Already taken care of. We went to the washrooms,’ remarked Otto, who was remarkably calm under the circumstances.

  ‘Those damned gypsies!’ Rudolf cursed, pressing the cloth back down over his forehead. It was clearly painful, as his face contracted into a grimace.

  ‘Gypsies?’ asked Ella.

  ‘I went to the stables and they attacked me there. Three young men. All of them obviously troublemakers. If you can’t tell from the rags they wear then you can smell it on them. They stole my wallet.’

  ‘You can count yourself lucky that it wasn’t any worse. Their sort often carry knives,’ said Otto.

  Rudolf nodded stoically, conceding the point.

  ‘At least my papers are all still on the ship. But what should I do now? All my money is gone,’ said Rudolf.

  ‘You had all your cash with you?’ asked Otto.

  ‘Should I have left it on board for somebody to steal it from me there? You hear of that happening to people all the time,’ Rudolf tried to justify himself.

  ‘But not on the Danzig,’ objected Otto.

  Even now, the two of them couldn’t stop chipping away at each other. Ella resolved to put an end to it, and put her arm around Rudolf. Her proximity and her consoling gesture would surely do him good.

  He visibly relaxed at her touch.

  ‘I’m glad that you escaped with just a fright,’ she said.

  ‘If only it were just a fright,’ lamented Rudolf, wincing with pain once again.

  ‘Men are all such milksops. It’s a harmless graze. You’ll be right as rain in a few days. It won’t even leave a scar. Besides, I have enough money for both of us.’ Ella did her best to cheer him up.

  Rudolf nodded hesitantly and gave her a grateful look, but Otto seemed irritated by her remark.

  ‘We should hurry. I don’t expect they’ll wait forever, not even for first-class passengers,’ Otto pointed out.

  Ella found it strange that Otto showed so little sympathy. He certainly wouldn’t talk that way if he had been the one robbed. Ella expected to hear further barbed remarks from Otto on the way to the carriage but surprisingly he refrained, and simply eyed Rudolf thoughtfully instead. Was she imagining it, or did Rudolf return his pensive look when their eyes met for a long moment by the carriage?

  Ella was still amused at how pathetic men could be. She found it entertaining to see Rudolf stand in front of the mirror every morning to monitor how his graze – for it was no more than that – was healing. She had seen similar behaviour at the hospital. Men always believed themselves to be terminally ill. Rudolf’s injury was barely worth mentioning, and would have healed on its own even without the salve they got from the on-board pharmacy. Mommsen, the ship’s doctor, had also made light of Rudolf’s hypochondria.

  ‘I fear we’ll have to keep you here in the infirmary,’ he had jokingly threatened. By now, Rudolf had recovered his sense of humour too – and in the meantime, absolutely everybody on board had heard about the robbery. He seemed to enjoy recounting the tale, which grew more dramatic with each telling – he should start writing adventure stories. But it went down well with their fellow passengers, and provided Rudolf with the attention he apparently needed. Ella found it all rather amusing, for she could tell her own heroic stories about all kinds of injuries from her day-to-day work, and yet during her pre-dinner strolls ev
ery evening, she would still be approached by anxious women asking how her fiancé was bearing up. Otto too had just appeared on deck and was wandering in her direction, so she expected to hear a similar enquiry now – but none was forthcoming. He nodded politely in greeting and joined her at the railing.

  ‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’ he said, looking out at the sea in front of them. He didn’t say so much as a word about the fact he hadn’t joined them at dinner for the last three nights. Ella had seen him in the company of two civil servants on one evening, an English spice merchant on another, and on a further occasion he hadn’t appeared at all. The reason was obvious: he and Rudolf were avoiding each other. Was he here to talk to her about it? If so, it seemed he needed to approach the subject indirectly.

  ‘You’re a nurse, aren’t you?’ he finally began.

  ‘Yes, I am. Why?’

  Otto seemed to be struggling with himself, but in the end, he turned away from the sea and looked straight at her.

  ‘Did Rudolf tell you that he was struck with a blunt object?’ he asked in a serious tone.

  Ella could make no sense of this, and paused to consider whether she had noticed this detail in Rudolf’s version of the story.

  ‘No . . . he only told me that he was attacked.’ Now that she thought about it, Ella found that strange. After all, he had described everything else to her in the liveliest detail.

  ‘Perhaps one of the men punched him. Gypsies sometimes wear large rings.’ As soon as she said it, Ella realised that although that was possible, it was unlikely, as the wound would have looked different. It was too large to have been caused by a fist.

  Otto gave her a correspondingly doubtful look.

  ‘Why do you ask?’ Ella enquired.

  ‘I’ve spoken to various people; nobody saw any gypsies. The area was closed off, and the stables are located on the premises. How would they have even got inside?’ continued Otto.

  ‘I hope you don’t mean to imply that Rudolf . . .’ Ella began indignantly.