south sea tales(南海传说)-第20章
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the MAKEMBO； though in different terms； and they worshipped him as a
hero； for they were lady tourists and they would know only the safety of
the steamer's deck as she threaded her way through the Solomons。
There was another man on board； of whom the ladies took no notice。
He was a little shriveled wisp of a man； with a withered skin the color of
mahogany。 His name on the passenger list does not matter； but his other
name； Captain Malu； was a name for niggers to conjure with； and to scare
naughty pickaninnies to righteousness from New Hanover to the New
Hebrides。 He had farmed savages and savagery； and from fever and
hardship； the crack of Sniders and the lash of the overseers； had wrested
five millions of money in the form of b 坈 he…de…mer； sandalwood； pearl…
shell and turtle…shell； ivory nuts and copra； grasslands； trading stations；
and plantations。 Captain Malu's little finger； which was broken； had more
inevitableness in it than Bertie Arkwright's whole carcass。 But then； the
lady tourists had nothing by which to judge save appearances； and Bertie
certainly was a fine…looking man。
Bertie talked with Captain Malu in the smoking room； confiding to
him his intention of seeing life red and bleeding in the Solomons。 Captain
Malu agreed that the intention was ambitious and honorable。 It was not
until several days later that he became interested in Bertie； when that
young adventurer insisted on showing him an automatic 44…caliber pistol。
Bertie explained the mechanism and demonstrated by slipping a loaded
magazine up the hollow butt。
〃It is so simple；〃 he said。 He shot the outer barrel back along the inner
one。 〃That loads it and cocks it； you see。 And then all I have to do is pull
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the trigger； eight times； as fast as I can quiver my finger。 See that safety
clutch。 That's what I like about it。 It is safe。 It is positively fool…proof。〃 He
slipped out the magazine。 〃You see how safe it is。〃
As he held it in his hand； the muzzle came in line with Captain Malu's
stomach。 Captain Malu's blue eyes looked at it unswervingly。
〃Would you mind pointing it in some other direction？〃 he asked。
〃It's perfectly safe；〃 Bertie assured him。 〃I withdrew the magazine。 It's
not loaded now； you know。〃
〃A gun is always loaded。〃
〃But this one isn't。〃
〃Turn it away just the same。〃
Captain Malu's voice was flat and metallic and low； but his eyes never
left the muzzle until the line of it was drawn past him and away from him。
〃I'll bet a fiver it isn't loaded；〃 Bertie proposed warmly。
The other shook his head。
〃Then I'll show you。〃
Bertie started to put the muzzle to his own temple with the evident
intention of pulling the trigger。
〃Just a second；〃 Captain Malu said quietly； reaching out his hand。 〃Let
me look at it。〃
He pointed it seaward and pulled the trigger。 A heavy explosion
followed； instantaneous with the sharp click of the mechanism that flipped
a hot and smoking cartridge sidewise along the deck。
Bertie's jaw dropped in amazement。
〃I slipped the barrel back once； didn't I？〃 he explained。 It was silly of
me； I must say。〃
He giggled flabbily； and sat down in a steamer chair。 The blood had
ebbed from his face； exposing dark circles under his eyes。 His hands
were trembling and unable to guide the shaking cigarette to his lips。 The
world was too much with him； and he saw himself with dripping brains
prone upon the deck
〃Really；〃 he said； 〃。 。 。 really。〃
〃It's a pretty weapon；〃 said Captain Malu； returning the automatic to
him。
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The Commissioner was on board the Makembo； returning from
Sydney； and by his permission a stop was made at Ugi to land a
missionary。 And at Ugi lay the ketch ARLA； Captain Hansen； skipper。
Now the Arla was one of many vessels owned by Captain Malu； and it was
at his suggestion and by his invitation that Bertie went aboard the Arla as
guest for a four days' recruiting cruise on the coast of Malaita。 Thereafter
the ARLA would drop him at Reminge Plantation （also owned by Captain
Malu）； where Bertie could remain for a week； and then be sent over to
Tulagi； the seat of government； where he would become the
Commissioner's guest。 Captain Malu was responsible for two other
suggestions； which given； he disappears from this narrative。 One was to
Captain Hansen； the other to Mr。 Harriwell； manager of Reminge
Plantation。 Both suggestions were similar in tenor； namely； to give Mr。
Bertram Arkwright an insight into the rawness and redness of life in the
Solomons。 Also； it is whispered that Captain Malu mentioned that a case
of Scotch would be coincidental with any particularly gorgeous insight Mr。
Arkwright might
receive。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
〃Yes； Swartz always was too pig…headed。 You see； he took four of his
boat's crew to Tulagi to be floggedofficially； you knowthen started
back with them in the whaleboat。 It was pretty squally； and the boat
capsized just outside。 Swartz was the only one drowned。 Of course； it was
an accident。〃
〃Was it？ Really？〃 Bertie asked； only half…interested； staring hard at the
black man at the wheel。
Ugi had dropped astern； and the ARLA was sliding along through a
summer sea toward the wooded ranges of Malaita。 The helmsman who so
attracted Bertie's eyes sported a ten penny nail； stuck skewerwise through
his nose。 About his neck was a string of pants buttons。 Thrust through
holes in his ears were a can opener； the broken handle of a toothbrush； a
clay pipe； the brass wheel of an alarm clock； and several Winchester rifle
cartridges。
On his chest； suspended from around his neck hung the half of a china
plate。 Some forty similarly appareled blacks lay about the deck； fifteen of
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which were boat's crew； the remainder being fresh labor recruits。
〃Of course it was an accident；〃 spoke up the ARLA'S mate； Jacobs； a
slender； dark…eyed man who looked more a professor than a sailor。
〃Johnny Bedip nearly had the same kind of accident。 He was bringing
back several from a flogging； when they capsized him。 But he knew how
to swim as well as they； and two of them were drowned。 He used a boat
stretcher and a revolver。 Of course it was an accident。〃
〃Quite common； them accidents；〃 remarked the skipper。 〃You see that
man at the wheel； Mr。 Arkwright？ He's a man eater。 Six months ago； he
and the rest of the boat's crew drowned the then captain of the ARLA。
They did it on deck； sir； right aft there by the mizzen…traveler。〃
〃The deck was in a shocking state；〃 said the mate。
〃Do I understand？〃 Bertie began。 〃Yes； just that；〃 said Captain
Hansen。 〃It was an accidental drowning。〃
〃But on deck？〃
〃Just so。 I don't mind telling you； in confidence； of course； that they
used an axe。〃
〃This present crew of yours？〃
Captain Hansen nodded。
〃The other skipper always was too careless；〃 explained the mate。 He
but just turned his back； when they let him have it。〃
〃We haven't any show down here；〃 was the skipper's complaint。 〃The
government protects a nigger against a white every time。 You can't shoot
first。 You've got to give the nigger first shot； or else the government calls it
murder and you go to Fiji。 That's why there's so many drowning
accidents。〃
Dinner was called； and Bertie and the skipper went below； leaving the
mate to watch on deck。
〃Keep an eye out for that black devil； Auiki；〃 was the skipper's parting
caution。 〃I haven't liked his looks for several days。〃
〃Right O；〃 said the mate。
Dinner was part way along； and the skipper was in the middle of his
story of the cutting out of the Scottish Chiefs。
〃Yes；〃 he was saying； 〃she was the finest vessel on the coast。 But
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when she missed stays； and before ever she hit the reef； the canoes started
for her。 There were five white men； a crew of twenty Santa Cruz boys and
Samoans； and only the supercargo escaped。 Besides； there were sixty
recruits。 They were all kai…kai'd。 Kai…kai？oh； I beg your pardon。 I mean
they were eaten。 Then there was the James Edwards； a dandy…rigged〃
But at that moment there was a sharp oath from the mate on deck and a
chorus of savage cries。 A revolver went off three times； and then was heard
a loud splash。 Captain Hansen had sprung up the companionway on the
instant； and Bertie's eyes had been fascinated by a glimpse of him drawing
his revolver as he sprang。
Bertie went up more circumspectly； hesitating before he put his head
above the companionway slide。 But nothing happened。 The mate was
shaking with excitement； his revolver in his hand。 Once he startled； and
half…jumped around； as if danger threatened his back。
〃One of the natives fell overboard；〃 he was saying； in a queer tense
voice。 〃He couldn't swim。〃
〃Who was it？〃 the skipper demanded。
〃Auiki；〃 was the answer。
〃But I say； you know； I heard shots；〃 Bertie said； in trembling
eagerness； for he scented adventure； and adventure that was happily over
with。
The mate whirled upon him； snarling：
〃It〃s a damned lie。 There ain't been a shot fired。 The nigger fell
overboard。〃
Captain Hansen regarded Bertie with unblinking； lack…luster eyes。
〃II thought〃 Bertie was
