adventure(冒险)-第16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！
〃Squabble！〃 was the retort。 〃It's such a sordid word。 It sounds
cheap and nasty。 I think it's much nicer to quarrel。〃
〃Call it what you please； but we won't do it any more； will we？〃 He
cleared his throat nervously； for her eyes advertised the immediate
beginning of hostilities。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he hurried on。 〃I should
have spoken for myself。 What I mean is that I refuse to quarrel。 You
have the most horrible way； without uttering a word； of making me play
the fool。 Why； I began with the kindest intentions； and here I am now〃
〃Making nasty remarks；〃 she completed for him。
〃It's the way you have of catching me up；〃 he complained。
〃Why； I never said a word。 I was merely sitting here； being sweetly
lured on by promises of peace on earth and all the rest of it； when
suddenly you began to call me names。〃
〃Hardly that； I am sure。〃
〃Well； you said I was horrible； or that I had a horrible way about me；
which is the same thing。 I wish my bungalow were up。 I'd move to…
morrow。〃
But her twitching lips belied her words； and the next moment the man
was more uncomfortable than ever； being made so by her laughter。
〃I was only teasing you。 Honest Injun。 And if you don't laugh I'll
suspect you of being in a temper with me。 That's right； laugh。 But
don't〃 she added in alarm； 〃don't if it hurts you。 You look as though you
had a toothache。 There； theredon't say it。 You know you promised not
to quarrel； while I have the privilege of going on being as hateful as I
please。 And to begin with； there's the Flibberty…Gibbet。 I didn't know
she was so large a cutter； but she's in disgraceful condition。 Her rigging
is something queer； and the next sharp squall will bring her head…gear all
about the shop。 I watched Noa Noah's face as we sailed past。 He didn't
say anything。 He just sneered。 And I don't blame him。〃
〃Her skipper's rotten bad with fever；〃 Sheldon explained。 〃And he
had to drop his mate off to take hold of things at Ugithat's where I lost
Oscar； my trader。 And you know what sort of sailors the niggers are。〃
She nodded her head judicially； and while she seemed to debate a
weighty judgment he asked for a second helping of tinned beefnot
68
… Page 69…
ADVENTURE
because he was hungry； but because he wanted to watch her slim； firm
fingers； naked of jewels and banded metals； while his eyes pleasured in the
swell of the forearm； appearing from under the sleeve and losing identity
in the smooth； round wrist undisfigured by the netted veins that come to
youth when youth is gone。 The fingers were brown with tan and looked
exceedingly boyish。 Then； and without effort； the concept came to him。
Yes； that was it。 He had stumbled upon the clue to her tantalizing
personality。 Her fingers； sunburned and boyish； told the story。 No
wonder she had exasperated him so frequently。 He had tried to treat with
her as a woman； when she was not a woman。 She was a mere girland a
boyish girl at thatwith sunburned fingers that delighted in doing what
boys' fingers did； with a body and muscles that liked swimming and
violent endeavour of all sorts； with a mind that was daring； but that dared
no farther than boys' adventures； and that delighted in rifles and revolvers；
Stetson hats； and a sexless camaraderie with men。
Somehow； as he pondered and watched her； it seemed as if he sat in
church at home listening to the choir…boys chanting。 She reminded him
of those boys； or their voices； rather。 The same sexless quality was there。
In the body of her she was woman； in the mind of her she had not grown
up。 She had not been exposed to ripening influences of that sort。 She
had had no mother。 Von； her father； native servants； and rough island life
had constituted her training。 Horses and rifles had been her toys； camp
and trail her nursery。 From what she had told him； her seminary days had
been an exile； devoted to study and to ceaseless longing for the wild riding
and swimming of Hawaii。 A boy's training； and a boy's point of view！
That explained her chafe at petticoats； her revolt at what was only decently
conventional。 Some day she would grow up； but as yet she was only in
the process。
Well； there was only one thing for him to do。 He must meet her on
her own basis of boyhood； and not make the mistake of treating her as a
woman。 He wondered if he could love the woman she would be when
her nature awoke； and he wondered if he could love her just as she was
and himself wake her up。 After all； whatever it was； she had come to fill
quite a large place in his life； as he had discovered that afternoon while
69
… Page 70…
ADVENTURE
scanning the sea between the squalls。 Then he remembered the accounts
of Berande； and the cropper that was coming； and scowled。
He became aware that she was speaking。
〃I beg pardon；〃 he said。 〃What's that you were saying？〃
〃You weren't listening to a wordI knew it；〃 she chided。 〃I was
saying that the condition of the Flibberty…Gibbet was disgraceful； and that
to…morrow； when you've told the skipper and not hurt his feelings； I am
going to take my men out and give her an overhauling。 We'll scrub her
bottom； too。 Why； there's whiskers on her copper four inches long。 I
saw it when she rolled。 Don't forget； I'm going cruising on the Flibberty
some day； even if I have to run away with her。〃
While at their coffee on the veranda； Satan raised a commotion in the
compound near the beach gate； and Sheldon finally rescued a mauled and
frightened black and dragged him on the porch for interrogation。
〃What fella marster you belong？〃 he demanded。 〃What name you
come along this fella place sun he go down？〃
〃Me b'long Boucher。 Too many boy belong along Port Adams stop
along my fella marster。 Too much walk about。〃
The black drew a scrap of notepaper from under his belt and passed it
over。 Sheldon scanned it hurriedly。
〃It's from Boucher；〃 he explained； 〃the fellow who took Packard's
place。 Packard was the one I told you about who was killed by his
boat's…crew。 He says the Port Adams crowd is outfifty of them； in big
canoesand camping on his beach。 They've killed half a dozen of his
pigs already； and seem to be looking for trouble。 And he's afraid they
may connect with the fifteen runaways from Lunga。〃
〃In which case？〃 she queried。
〃In which case Billy Pape will be compelled to send Boucher's
successor。 It's Pape's station； you know。 I wish I knew what to do。 I
don't like to leave you here alone。〃
〃Take me along then。〃
He smiled and shook his head。
〃Then you'd better take my men along；〃 she advised。 〃They're good
shots； and they're not afraid of anythingexcept Utami； and he's afraid of
70
… Page 71…
ADVENTURE
ghosts。〃
The big bell was rung； and fifty black boys carried the whale…boat
down to the water。 The regular boat's…crew manned her； and Matauare
and three other Tahitians； belted with cartridges and armed with rifles； sat
in the stern…sheets where Sheldon stood at the steering…oar。
〃My； I wish I could go with you；〃 Joan said wistfully； as the boat
shoved off。
Sheldon shook his head。
〃I'm as good as a man；〃 she urged。
〃You really are needed here；〃 he replied。
〃There's that Lunga crowd； they might reach the coast right here； and
with both of us absent rush the plantation。 Good…bye。 We'll get back in
the morning some time。 It's only twelve miles。〃
When Joan started to return to the house； she was compelled to pass
among the boat…carriers； who lingered on the beach to chatter in queer；
ape…like fashion about the events of the night。 They made way for her；
but there came to her； as she was in the midst of them； a feeling of her own
helplessness。 There were so many of them。 What was to prevent them
from dragging her down if they so willed？ Then she remembered that
one cry of hers would fetch Noa Noah and her remaining sailors； each one
of whom was worth a dozen blacks in a struggle。 As she opened the gate；
one of the boys stepped up to her。 In the darkness she could not make
him out。
〃What name？〃 she asked sharply。 〃What name belong you？〃
〃Me Aroa；〃 he said。
She remembered him as one of the two sick boys she had nursed at the
hospital。 The other one had died。
〃Me take 'm plenty fella medicine too much；〃 Aroa was saying。
〃Well； and you all right now；〃 she answered。
〃Me want 'm tobacco； plenty fella tobacco； me want 'm calico； me
want 'm porpoise teeth； me want 'm one fella belt。〃
She looked at him humorously； expecting to see a smile； or at least a
grin； on his face。 Instead； his face was expressionless。 Save for a
narrow breech…clout； a pair of ear…plugs； and about his kinky hair a chaplet
71
… Page 72…
ADVENTURE
of white cowrie…shells； he was naked。 His body was fresh…oiled and
shiny； and his eyes glistened in the starlight like some wild animal's。 The
rest of the boys had crowded up at his back in a solid wall。 Some one of
them giggled； but the remainder regarded her in morose and intense
silence。
〃Well？〃 she said。 〃What for you want plenty fella things？〃
〃Me take 'm medicine；〃 quoth Aroa。 〃You pay me。〃
And t
