adventure(冒险)-第9章
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bought for twelve hundred Chili dollars。 But the French taxation was
outrageous （that was why the land was so cheap）； and； worst of all； we
could obtain no labour。 What kanakas there were wouldn't work； and the
officials seemed to sit up nights thinking out new obstacles to put in our
way。
〃Six months was enough for Dad。 The situation was hopeless。 'We'll
go to the Solomons；' he said； 'and get a whiff of English rule。 And if
there are no openings there we'll go on to the Bismarck Archipelago。 I'll
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wager the Admiraltys are not yet civilized。' All preparations were made；
things packed on board； and a new crew of Marquesans and Tahitians
shipped。 We were just ready to start to Tahiti； where a lot of repairs and
refitting for the Miele were necessary； when poor Dad came down sick
and died。〃
〃And you were left all alone？〃
Joan nodded。
〃Very much alone。 I had no brothers nor sisters； and all Dad's people
were drowned in a Kansas cloud…burst。 That happened when he was a
little boy。 Of course； I could go back to Von。 There's always a home
there waiting for me。 But why should I go？ Besides； there were Dad's
plans； and I felt that it devolved upon me to carry them out。 It seemed a
fine thing to do。 Also； I wanted to carry them out。 And 。 。 。 here I am。
〃Take my advice and never go to Tahiti。 It is a lovely place； and so
are the natives。 But the white people！ Now Barabbas lived in Tahiti。
Thieves； robbers； and lairsthat is what they are。 The honest men
wouldn't require the fingers of one hand to count。 The fact that I was a
woman only simplified matters with them。 They robbed me on every
pretext； and they lied without pretext or need。 Poor Mr。 Ericson was
corrupted。 He joined the robbers； and O。K。'd all their demands even up
to a thousand per cent。 If they robbed me of ten francs； his share was
three。 One bill of fifteen hundred francs I paid； netted him five hundred
francs。 All this； of course； I learned afterward。 But the Miele was old；
the repairs had to be made； and I was charged； not three prices； but seven
prices。
〃I never shall know how much Ericson got out of it。 He lived ashore
in a nicely furnished house。 The shipwrights were giving it to him rent…
free。 Fruit； vegetables； fish； meat； and ice came to this house every day；
and he paid for none of it。 It was part of his graft from the various
merchants。 And all the while； with tears in his eyes； he bemoaned the
vile treatment I was receiving from the gang。 No； I did not fall among
thieves。 I went to Tahiti。
〃But when the robbers fell to cheating one another； I got my first clues
to the state of affairs。 One of the robbed robbers came to me after dark；
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with facts； figures； and assertions。 I knew I was ruined if I went to law。
The judges were corrupt like everything else。 But I did do one thing。 In
the dead of night I went to Ericson's house。 I had the same revolver I've
got now； and I made him stay in bed while I overhauled things。 Nineteen
hundred and odd francs was what I carried away with me。 He never
complained to the police； and he never came back on board。 As for the
rest of the gang； they laughed and snapped their fingers at me。 There
were two Americans in the place； and they warned me to leave the law
alone unless I wanted to leave the Miele behind as well。
〃Then I sent to New Zealand and got a German mate。 He had a
master's certificate； and was on the ship's papers as captain； but I was a
better navigator than he； and I was really captain myself。 I lost her； too；
but it's no reflection on my seamanship。 We were drifting four days
outside there in dead calms。 Then the nor'wester caught us and drove us
on the lee shore。 We made sail and tried to clew off； when the rotten
work of the Tahiti shipwrights became manifest。 Our jib…boom and all
our head…stays carried away。 Our only chance was to turn and run
through the passage between Florida and Ysabel。 And when we were
safely through； in the twilight； where the chart shows fourteen fathoms as
the shoalest water； we smashed on a coral patch。 The poor old Miele
struck only once； and then went clear； but it was too much for her； and we
just had time to clear away in the boat when she went down。 The
German mate was drowned。 We lay all night to a sea…drag； and next
morning sighted your place here。〃
〃I suppose you will go back to Von； now？〃 Sheldon queried。
〃Nothing of the sort。 Dad planned to go to the Solomons。 I shall
look about for some land and start a small plantation。 Do you know any
good land around here？ Cheap？〃
〃By George； you Yankees are remarkable； really remarkable；〃 said
Sheldon。 〃I should never have dreamed of such a venture。〃
〃Adventure；〃 Joan corrected him。
〃That's rightadventure it is。 And if you'd gone ashore on Malaita
instead of Guadalcanar you'd have been kai…kai'd long ago； along with
your noble Tahitian sailors。〃
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Joan shuddered。
〃To tell the truth；〃 she confessed； 〃we were very much afraid to land
on Guadalcanar。 I read in the 'Sailing Directions' that the natives were
treacherous and hostile。 Some day I should like to go to Malaita。 Are
there any plantations there？〃
〃Not one。 Not a white trader even。〃
〃Then I shall go over on a recruiting vessel some time。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Sheldon cried。 〃It is no place for a woman。〃
〃I shall go just the same；〃 she repeated。
〃But no self…respecting woman〃
〃Be careful；〃 she warned him。 〃I shall go some day； and then you
may be sorry for the names you have called me。〃
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CHAPTER VITEMPEST
It was the first time Sheldon had been at close quarters with an
American girl； and he would have wondered if all American girls were
like Joan Lackland had he not had wit enough to realize that she was not at
all typical。 Her quick mind and changing moods bewildered him； while
her outlook on life was so different from what he conceived a woman's
outlook should be； that he was more often than not at sixes and sevens
with her。 He could never anticipate what she would say or do next。 Of
only one thing was he sure； and that was that whatever she said or did was
bound to be unexpected and unsuspected。 There seemed； too； something
almost hysterical in her make…up。 Her temper was quick and stormy； and
she relied too much on herself and too little on him； which did not
approximate at all to his ideal of woman's conduct when a man was
around。 Her assumption of equality with him was disconcerting； and at
times he half…consciously resented the impudence and bizarreness of her
intrusion upon himrising out of the sea in a howling nor'wester； fresh
from poking her revolver under Ericson's nose； protected by her gang of
huge Polynesian sailors； and settling down in Berande like any
shipwrecked sailor。 It was all on a par with her Baden…Powell and the
long 38 Colt's。
At any rate； she did not look the part。 And that was what he could
not forgive。 Had she been short…haired； heavy…jawed； large… muscled；
hard…bitten； and utterly unlovely in every way； all would have been well。
Instead of which she was hopelessly and deliciously feminine。 Her hair
worried him； it was so generously beautiful。 And she was so slenderly
and prettily the womanthe girl； ratherthat it cut him like a knife to see
her； with quick； comprehensive eyes and sharply imperative voice；
superintend the launching of the whale…boat through the surf。 In
imagination he could see her roping a horse； and it always made him
shudder。 Then； too； she was so many…sided。 Her knowledge of literature
and art surprised him； while deep down was the feeling that a girl who
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knew such things had no right to know how to rig tackles； heave up
anchors； and sail schooners around the South Seas。 Such things in her
brain were like so many oaths on her lips。 While for such a girl to insist
that she was going on a recruiting cruise around Malaita was positive self…
sacrilege。
He always perturbedly harked back to her feminineness。 She could
play the piano far better than his sisters at home； and with far finer
appreciationthe piano that poor Hughie had so heroically laboured over
to keep in condition。 And when she strummed the guitar and sang liquid；
velvety Hawaiian hulas； he sat entranced。 Then she was all woman； and
the magic of sex kidnapped the irritations of the day and made him forget
the big revolver； the Baden…Powell； and all the rest。
