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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
By Jack London
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
Percival Ford wondered why he had come。 He did not dance。 He
did not care much for army people。 Yet he knew them allgliding and
revolving there on the broad lanai of the Seaside； the officers in their
fresh…starched uniforms of white； the civilians in white and black； and
the women bare of shoulders and arms。 After two years in Honolulu
the Twentieth was departing to its new station in Alaska； and Percival
Ford； as one of the big men of the Islands； could not help knowing the
officers and their women。
But between knowing and liking was a vast gulf。 The army women
frightened him just a little。 They were in ways quite different from the
women he liked bestthe elderly women； the spinsters and the
bespectacled maidens； and the very serious women of all ages whom he
met on church and library and kindergarten committees； who came
meekly to him for contributions and advice。 He ruled those women by
virtue of his superior mentality； his great wealth； and the high place he
occupied in the commercial baronage of Hawaii。 And he was not afraid
of them in the least。 Sex； with them； was not obtrusive。 Yes； that was
it。 There was in them something else； or more； than the assertive
grossness of life。 He was fastidious； he acknowledged that to himself；
and these army women； with their bare shoulders and naked arms； their
straight…looking eyes； their vitality and challenging femaleness； jarred
upon his sensibilities。
Nor did he get on better with the army men； who took life lightly；
drinking and smoking and swearing their way through life and asserting
the essential grossness of flesh no less shamelessly than their women。
He was always uncomfortable in the company of the army men。 They
seemed uncomfortable； too。 And he felt； always； that they were
laughing at him up their sleeves； or pitying him； or tolerating him。
Then； too； they seemed； by mere contiguity； to emphasize a lack in him；
to call attention to that in them which he did not possess and which he
thanked God he did not possess。 Faugh！ They were like their women！
In fact； Percival Ford was no more a woman's man than he was a
man's man。 A glance at him told the reason。 He had a good
constitution； never was on intimate terms with sickness； nor even mild
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
disorders； but he lacked vitality。 His was a negative organism。 No
blood with a ferment in it could have nourished and shaped that long and
narrow face； those thin lips； lean cheeks； and the small； sharp eyes。
The thatch of hair； dust…coloured； straight and sparse； advertised the
niggard soil； as did the nose； thin； delicately modelled； and just hinting
the suggestion of a beak。 His meagre blood had denied him much of
life； and permitted him to be an extremist in one thing only； which thing
was righteousness。 Over right conduct he pondered and agonized； and
that he should do right was as necessary to his nature as loving and
being loved were necessary to commoner clay。
He was sitting under the algaroba trees between the lanai and the
beach。 His eyes wandered over the dancers and he turned his head
away and gazed seaward across the mellow…sounding surf to the
Southern Cross burning low on the horizon。 He was irritated by the
bare shoulders and arms of the women。 If he had a daughter he would
never permit it； never。 But his hypothesis was the sheerest abstraction。
The thought process had been accompanied by no inner vision of that
daughter。 He did not see a daughter with arms and shoulders。 Instead；
he smiled at the remote contingency of marriage。 He was thirty…five；
and； having had no personal experience of love； he looked upon it； not as
mythical； but as bestial。 Anybody could marry。 The Japanese and
Chinese coolies； toiling on the sugar plantations and in the rice…fields；
married。 They invariably married at the first opportunity。 It was
because they were so low in the scale of life。 There was nothing else
for them to do。 They were like the army men and women。 But for
him there were other and higher things。 He was different from them
from all of them。 He was proud of how he happened to be。 He had
come of no petty love…match。 He had come of lofty conception of duty
and of devotion to a cause。 His father had not married for love。 Love
was a madness that had never perturbed Isaac Ford。 When he answered
the call to go to the heathen with the message of life； he had had no
thought and no desire for marriage。 In this they were alike； his father
and he。 But the Board of Missions was economical。 With New
England thrift it weighed and measured and decided that married
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missionaries were less expensive per capita and more efficacious。 So
the Board commanded Isaac Ford to marry。 Furthermore； it furnished
him with a wife； another zealous soul with no thought of marriage； intent
only on doing the Lord's work among the heathen。 They saw each
other for the first time in Boston。 The Board brought them together；
arranged everything； and b