adventure(冒险)-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to clear land。 Suppose the government sells you Pari…Sulay at a pound an
acre； clearing will cost you at least four pounds more； that is； five pounds
for four hundred acres； or； say； ten thousand dollars。 Have you that much？〃
She was keenly interested； and he could see that the previous clash
between them was already forgotten。 Her disappointment was plain as
she confessed：
〃No； I haven't quite eight thousand dollars。〃
〃Then here's another way of looking at it。 You'll need； as you said； at
least fifty boys。 Not counting premiums； their wages are thirty dollars a
year。〃
〃I pay my Tahitians fifteen a month；〃 she interpolated。
〃They won't do on straight plantation work。 But to return。 The
wages of fifty boys each year will come to three hundred pounds that is；
fifteen hundred dollars。 Very well。 It will be seven years before your
trees begin to bear。 Seven times fifteen hundred is ten thousand five
hundred dollarsmore than you possess； and all eaten up by the boys'
wages； with nothing to pay for bungalow； building； tools； quinine； trips to
Sydney； and so forth。〃
Sheldon shook his head gravely。 〃You'll have to abandon the idea。〃
〃But I won't go to Sydney；〃 she cried。 〃I simply won't。 I'll buy in to
the extent of my money as a small partner in some other plantation。 Let
me buy in in Berande！〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃 he cried in such genuine dismay that she broke into
hearty laughter。
〃There； I won't tease you。 Really； you know； I'm not accustomed to
63
… Page 64…
ADVENTURE
forcing my presence where it is not desired。 Yes； yes； I know you're just
aching to point out that I've forced myself upon you ever since I landed；
only you are too polite to say so。 Yet as you said yourself； it was
impossible for me to go away； so I had to stay。 You wouldn't let me go to
Tulagi。 You compelled me to force myself upon you。 But I won't buy
in as partner with any one。 I'll buy Pari…Sulay； but I'll put only ten boys
on it and clear slowly。 Also； I'll invest in some old ketch and take out a
trading license。 For that matter； I'll go recruiting on Malaita。〃
She looked for protest； and found it in Sheldon's clenched hand and in
every line of his clean…cut face。
〃Go ahead and say it；〃 she challenged。 〃Please don't mind me。 I'm
I'm getting used to it； you know。 Really I am。〃
〃I wish I were a woman so as to tell you how preposterously insane
and impossible it is；〃 he blurted out。
She surveyed him with deliberation； and said：
〃Better than that； you are a man。 So there is nothing to prevent your
telling me； for I demand to be considered as a man。 I didn't come down
here to trail my woman's skirts over the Solomons。 Please forget that I am
accidentally anything else than a man with a man's living to make。〃
Inwardly Sheldon fumed and fretted。 Was she making game of him？
Or did there lurk in her the insidious unhealthfulness of unwomanliness？
Or was it merely a case of blank； staring； sentimental； idiotic innocence？
〃I have told you；〃 he began stiffly； 〃that recruiting on Malaita is
impossible for a woman； and that is all I care to sayor dare。〃
〃And I tell you； in turn； that it is nothing of the sort。 I've sailed the
Miele here； master； if you please； all the way from Tahitieven if I did
lose her； which was the fault of your Admiralty charts。 I am a navigator；
and that is more than your Solomons captains are。 Captain Young told
me all about it。 And I am a seamana better seaman than you； when it
comes right down to it； and you know it。 I can shoot。 I am not a fool。
I can take care of myself。 And I shall most certainly buy a ketch； run her
myself； and go recruiting on Malaita。〃
Sheldon made a hopeless gesture。
〃That's right；〃 she rattled on。 〃Wash your hands of me。 But as Von
64
… Page 65…
ADVENTURE
used to say； 'You just watch my smoke！'〃
〃There's no use in discussing it。 Let us have some music。〃
He arose and went over to the big phonograph； but before the disc
started； and while he was winding the machine； he heard her saying：
〃I suppose you've been accustomed to Jane Eyres all your life。 That's
why you don't understand me。 Come on； Satan； let's leave him to his old
music。〃
He watched her morosely and without intention of speaking； till he
saw her take a rifle from the stand； examine the magazine； and start for the
door。
〃Where are you going？〃 he asked peremptorily。
〃As between man and woman；〃 she answered； 〃it would be too
terriblyerindecent for you to tell me why I shouldn't go alligatoring。
Good…night。 Sleep well。〃
He shut off the phonograph with a snap； started toward the door after
her； then abruptly flung himself into a chair。
〃You're hoping a 'gator catches me； aren't you？〃 she called from the
veranda； and as she went down the steps her rippling laughter drifted
tantalizingly back through the wide doorway。
65
… Page 66…
ADVENTURE
CHAPTER XA MESSAGE
FROM BOUCHER
The next day Sheldon was left all alone。 Joan had gone exploring
Pari…Sulay； and was not to be expected back until the late afternoon。
Sheldon was vaguely oppressed by his loneliness； and several heavy
squalls during the afternoon brought him frequently on to the veranda；
telescope in hand； to scan the sea anxiously for the whale…boat。
Betweenwhiles he scowled over the plantation account…books； made rough
estimates； added and balanced； and scowled the harder。 The loss of the
Jessie had hit Berande severely。 Not alone was his capital depleted by
the amount of her value； but her earnings were no longer to be reckoned
on； and it was her earnings that largely paid the running expenses of the
plantation。
〃Poor old Hughie；〃 he muttered aloud； once。 〃I'm glad you didn't live
to see it； old man。 What a cropper； what a cropper！〃
Between squalls the Flibberty…Gibbet ran in to anchorage； and her
skipper； Pete Oleson （brother to the Oleson of the Jessie）； ancient； grizzled；
wild…eyed； emaciated by fever； dragged his weary frame up the veranda
steps and collapsed in a steamer…chair。 Whisky and soda kept him going
while he made report and turned in his accounts。
〃You're rotten with fever；〃 Sheldon said。 〃Why don't you run down
to Sydney for a blow of decent climate？〃
The old skipper shook his head。
〃I can't。 I've ben in the islands too long。 I'd die。 The fever comes
out worse down there。〃
〃Kill or cure；〃 Sheldon counselled。
〃It's straight kill for me。 I tried it three years ago。 The cool weather
put me on my back before I landed。 They carried me ashore and into
hospital。 I was unconscious one stretch for two weeks。 After that the
doctors sent me back to the islandssaid it was the only thing that would
66
… Page 67…
ADVENTURE
save me。 Well； I'm still alive； but I'm too soaked with fever。 A month in
Australia would finish me。〃
〃But what are you going to do？〃 Sheldon queried。 〃You can't stay
here until you die。〃
〃That's all that's left to me。 I'd like to go back to the old country； but
I couldn't stand it。 I'll last longer here； and here I'll stay until I peg out；
but I wish to God I'd never seen the Solomons； that's all。〃
He declined to sleep ashore； took his orders； and went back on board
the cutter。 A lurid sunset was blotted out by the heaviest squall of the day；
and Sheldon watched the whale…boat arrive in the thick of it。 As the
spritsail was taken in and the boat headed on to the beach； he was aware of
a distinct hurt at sight of Joan at the steering…oar； standing erect and
swaying her strength to it as she resisted the pressures that tended to throw
the craft broadside in the surf。 Her Tahitians leaped out and rushed the
boat high up the beach； and she led her bizarre following through the gate
of the compound。
The first drops of rain were driving like hail…stones； the tall cocoanut
palms were bending and writhing in the grip of the wind； while the thick
cloud…mass of the squall turned the brief tropic twilight abruptly to night。
Quite unconsciously the brooding anxiety of the afternoon slipped
from Sheldon； and he felt strangely cheered at the sight of her running up
the steps laughing； face flushed； hair flying； her breast heaving from the
violence of her late exertions。
〃Lovely； perfectly lovelyPari…Sulay；〃 she panted。 〃I shall buy it。
I'll write to the Commissioner to…night。 And the site for the bungalow
I've selected it alreadyis wonderful。 You must come over some day and
advise me。 You won't mind my staying here until I can get settled？
Wasn't that squall beautiful？ And I suppose I'm late for dinner。 I'll run
and get clean； and be with you in a minute。〃
And in the brief interval of her absence he found himself walking
about the big living…room and impatiently and with anticipation awaiting
her coming。
〃Do you know； I'm never going to squabble with you again；〃 he
announced when they were seated。
67
… Page 68…
ADVENTURE
〃Squabble！〃 was the retort。 〃It's such a sordid word。 It sounds
cheap and nasty。 I think it's much nicer to quarrel。〃
