adventure(冒险)-第8章
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Sheldon wondered secretly who Von was； and he speculated as to
whether it was Von who two years previously had led her to believe that
nothing remained for her but matrimony。
〃What part of the United States is your home？〃 he asked。 〃Chicago
or Wyoming？ or somewhere out there？ You know you haven't told me a
thing about yourself。 All that I know is that you are Miss Joan Lackland
from anywhere。〃
〃You'd have to go farther west to find my stamping grounds。〃
〃Ah； let me seeNevada？〃
She shook her head。
〃California？〃
〃Still farther west。〃
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〃It can't be； or else I've forgotten my geography。〃
〃It's your politics；〃 she laughed。 〃Don't you remember
'Annexation'？〃
〃The Philippines！〃 he cried triumphantly。
〃No； Hawaii。 I was born there。 It is a beautiful land。 My； I'm
almost homesick for it already。 Not that I haven't been away。 I was in
New York when the crash came。 But I do think it is the sweetest spot on
earthHawaii； I mean。〃
〃Then what under the sun are you doing down here in this God…
forsaken place？〃 he asked。 〃Only fools come here；〃 he added bitterly。
〃Nielsen wasn't a fool； was he？〃 she queried。 〃As I understand； he
made three millions here。〃
〃Only too true； and that fact is responsible for my being here。〃
〃And for me； too；〃 she said。 〃Dad heard about him in the Marquesas；
and so we started。 Only poor Dad didn't get here。〃
〃Heyour fatherdied？〃 he faltered。
She nodded； and her eyes grew soft and moist。
〃I might as well begin at the beginning。〃 She lifted her head with a
proud air of dismissing sadness； after； the manner of a woman qualified to
wear a Baden…Powell and a long…barrelled Colt's。 〃I was born at Hilo。
That's on the island of Hawaiithe biggest and best in the whole group。 I
was brought up the way most girls in Hawaii are brought up。 They live
in the open； and they know how to ride and swim before they know what
six…times…six is。 As for me； I can't remember when I first got on a horse
nor when I learned to swim。 That came before my A B C's。 Dad owned
cattle ranches on Hawaii and Mauibig ones； for the islands。 Hokuna
had two hundred thousand acres alone。 It extended in between Mauna
Koa and Mauna Loa； and it was there I learned to shoot goats and wild
cattle。 On Molokai they have big spotted deer。 Von was the manager of
Hokuna。 He had two daughters about my own age； and I always spent the
hot season there； and； once； a whole year。 The three of us were like
Indians。 Not that we ran wild； exactly； but that we were wild to run wild。
There were always the governesses； you know； and lessons； and sewing；
and housekeeping； but I'm afraid we were too often bribed to our tasks
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with promises of horses or of cattle drives。
〃Von had been in the army； and Dad was an old sea…dog； and they were
both stern disciplinarians； only the two girls had no mother； and neither
had I； and they were two men after all。 They spoiled us terribly。 You
see； they didn't have any wives； and they made chums out of uswhen our
tasks were done。 We had to learn to do everything about the house twice
as well as the native servants did itthat was so that we should know how
to manage some day。 And we always made the cocktails； which was too
holy a rite for any servant。 Then； too； we were never allowed anything
we could not take care of ourselves。 Of course the cowboys always
roped and saddled our horses； but we had to be able ourselves to go out in
the paddock and rope our horses〃
〃What do you mean by ROPE？〃 Sheldon asked。
〃To lariat them； to lasso them。 And Dad and Von timed us in the
saddling and made a most rigid examination of the result。 It was the
same way with our revolvers and rifles。 The house…boys always cleaned
them and greased them； but we had to learn how in order to see that they
did it properly。 More than once； at first； one or the other of us had our
rifles taken away for a week just because of a tiny speck of rust。 We had
to know how to build fires in the driving rain； too； out of wet wood； when
we camped out； which was the hardest thing of allexcept grammar； I do
believe。 We learned more from Dad and Von than from the governesses；
Dad taught us French and Von German。 We learned both languages
passably well； and we learned them wholly in the saddle or in camp。
〃In the cool season the girls used to come down and visit me in Hilo；
where Dad had two houses； one at the beach； or the three of us used to go
down to our place in Puna； and that meant canoes and boats and fishing
and swimming。 Then； too； Dad belonged to the Royal Hawaiian Yacht
Club； and took us racing and cruising。 Dad could never get away from
the sea； you know。 When I was fourteen I was Dad's actual housekeeper；
with entire power over the servants； and I am very proud of that period of
my life。 And when I was sixteen we three girls were all sent up to
California to Mills Seminary； which was quite fashionable and stifling。
How we used to long for home！ We didn't chum with the other girls；
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who called us little cannibals； just because we came from the Sandwich
Islands； and who made invidious remarks about our ancestors banqueting
on Captain Cookwhich was historically untrue； and； besides； our
ancestors hadn't lived in Hawaii。
〃I was three years at Mills Seminary； with trips home； of course； and
two years in New York； and then Dad went smash in a sugar plantation on
Maui。 The report of the engineers had not been right。 Then Dad had
built a railroad that was called 'Lackland's Folly；'it will pay ultimately；
though。 But it contributed to the smash。 The Pelaulau Ditch was the
finishing blow。 And nothing would have happened anyway； if it hadn't
been for that big money panic in Wall Street。 Dear good Dad！ He never
let me know。 But I read about the crash in a newspaper； and hurried
home。 It was before that； though； that people had been dinging into my
ears that marriage was all any woman could get out of life； and good…bye
to romance。 Instead of which； with Dad's failure； I fell right into
romance。〃
〃How long ago was that？〃 Sheldon asked。
〃Last yearthe year of the panic。〃
〃Let me see；〃 Sheldon pondered with an air of gravity。 〃Sixteen plus
five； plus one； equals twenty…two。 You were born in 1887？〃
〃Yes； but it is not nice of you。〃
〃I am really sorry；〃 he said； 〃but the problem was so obvious。〃
〃Can't you ever say nice things？ Or is it the way you English have？〃
There was a snap in her gray eyes； and her lips quivered suspiciously for a
moment。 〃I should recommend； Mr。 Sheldon； that you read Gertrude
Atherton's 'American Wives and English Husbands。'〃
〃Thank you； I have。 It's over there。〃 He pointed at the generously
filled bookshelves。 〃But I am afraid it is rather partisan。〃
〃Anything un…English is bound to be；〃 she retorted。 〃I never have
liked the English anyway。 The last one I knew was an overseer。 Dad was
compelled to discharge him。〃
〃One swallow doesn't make a summer。〃
〃But that Englishman made lots of troublethere！ And now please
don't make me any more absurd than I already am。〃
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〃I'm trying not to。〃
〃Oh； for that matter〃 She tossed her head； opened her mouth to
complete the retort； then changed her mind。 〃I shall go on with my
history。 Dad had practically nothing left； and he decided to return to the
sea。 He'd always loved it； and I half believe that he was glad things had
happened as they did。 He was like a boy again； busy with plans and
preparations from morning till night。 He used to sit up half the night
talking things over with me。 That was after I had shown him that I was
really resolved to go along。
〃He had made his start； you know； in the South Seaspearls and pearl
shelland he was sure that more fortunes； in trove of one sort and another；
were to be picked up。 Cocoanut…planting was his particular idea； with
trading； and maybe pearling； along with other things； until the plantation
should come into bearing。 He traded off his yacht for a schooner； the
Miele； and away we went。 I took care of him and studied navigation。
He was his own skipper。 We had a Danish mate； Mr。 Ericson； and a
mixed crew of Japanese and Hawaiians。 We went up and down the Line
Islands； first； until Dad was heartsick。 Everything was changed。 They
had been annexed and divided by one power or another； while big
companies had stepped in and gobbled land； trading rights； fishing rights；
everything。
〃Next we sailed for the Marquesas。 They were beautiful； but the
natives were nearly extinct。 Dad was cut up when he learned that the
French charged an export duty on coprahe called it medieval but he
liked the land。 There was a valley of fifteen thousand acres on Nuka…
hiva； half inclosing a perfect anchorage； which he fell in love with and
bought for twelve hundred Chili dollars。 Bu
