adventure(冒险)-第12部分
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natives were paid tobacco for bringing in oysters from the mangrove
swamps。 Her achievements with cocoanuts were a revelation。 She
taught the cook how to make yeast from the milk； that； in turn； raised light
and airy bread。 From the tip…top heart of the tree she concocted a
delicious salad。 From the milk and the meat of the nut she made various
sauces and dressings； sweet and sour； that were served； according to
preparation； with dishes that ranged from fish to pudding。 She taught
Sheldon the superiority of cocoanut cream over condensed cream； for use
in coffee。 From the old and sprouting nuts she took the solid； spongy
centres and turned them into salads。 Her forte seemed to be salads； and
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she astonished him with the deliciousness of a salad made from young
bamboo shoots。 Wild tomatoes； which had gone to seed or been
remorselessly hoed out from the beginning of Berande； were foraged for
salads； soups； and sauces。 The chickens； which had always gone into the
bush and hidden their eggs； were given laying…bins； and Joan went out
herself to shoot wild duck and wild pigeons for the table。
〃Not that I like to do this sort of work；〃 she explained； in reference to
the cookery； 〃but because I can't get away from Dad's training。〃
Among other things； she burned the pestilential hospital； quarrelled
with Sheldon over the dead； and； in anger； set her own men to work
building a new； and what she called a decent； hospital。 She robbed the
windows of their lawn and muslin curtains； replacing them with gaudy
calico from the trade…store； and made herself several gowns。 When she
wrote out a list of goods and clothing for herself； to be sent down to
Sydney by the first steamer； Sheldon wondered how long she had made up
her mind to stay。
She was certainly unlike any woman he had ever known or dreamed of。
So far as he was concerned she was not a woman at all。 She neither
languished nor blandished。 No feminine lures were wasted on him。 He
might have been her brother； or she his brother； for all sex had to do with
the strange situation。 Any mere polite gallantry on his part was ignored
or snubbed； and he had very early given up offering his hand to her in
getting into a boat or climbing over a log； and he had to acknowledge to
himself that she was eminently fitted to take care of herself。 Despite his
warnings about crocodiles and sharks； she persisted in swimming in deep
water off the beach； nor could he persuade her； when she was in the boat；
to let one of the sailors throw the dynamite when shooting fish。 She
argued that she was at least a little bit more intelligent than they； and that；
therefore； there was less liability of an accident if she did the shooting。
She was to him the most masculine and at the same time the most
feminine woman he had ever met。
A source of continual trouble between them was the disagreement over
methods of handling the black boys。 She ruled by stern kindness； rarely
rewarding； never punishing； and he had to confess that her own sailors
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worshipped her； while the house…boys were her slaves； and did three times
as much work for her as he had ever got out of them。 She quickly saw
the unrest of the contract labourers； and was not blind to the danger；
always imminent； that both she and Sheldon ran。 Neither of them ever
ventured out without a revolver； and the sailors who stood the night
watches by Joan's grass house were armed with rifles。 But Joan insisted
that this reign of terror had been caused by the reign of fear practised by
the white men。 She had been brought up with the gentle Hawaiians； who
never were ill…treated nor roughly handled； and she generalized that the
Solomon Islanders； under kind treatment； would grow gentle。
One evening a terrific uproar arose in the barracks； and Sheldon； aided
by Joan's sailors； succeeded in rescuing two women whom the blacks were
beating to death。 To save them from the vengeance of the blacks； they
were guarded in the cook…house for the night。 They were the two women
who did the cooking for the labourers； and their offence had consisted of
one of them taking a bath in the big cauldron in which the potatoes were
boiled。 The blacks were not outraged from the standpoint of cleanliness；
they often took baths in the cauldrons themselves。 The trouble lay in that
the bather had been a low； degraded； wretched female； for to the Solomon
Islander all females are low； degraded； and wretched。
Next morning； Joan and Sheldon； at breakfast； were aroused by a
swelling murmur of angry voices。 The first rule of Berande had been
broken。 The compound had been entered without permission or
command； and all the two hundred labourers； with the exception of the
boss…boys； were guilty of the offence。 They crowded up； threatening and
shouting； close under the front veranda。 Sheldon leaned over the veranda
railing； looking down upon them； while Joan stood slightly back。 When
the uproar was stilled； two brothers stood forth。 They were large men；
splendidly muscled； and with faces unusually ferocious； even for Solomon
Islanders。 One was Carin…Jama； otherwise The Silent； and the other was
Bellin…Jama； The Boaster。 Both had served on the Queensland
plantations in the old days； and they were known as evil characters
wherever white men met and gammed。
〃We fella boy we want 'm them dam two black fella Mary；〃 said
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Bellin…Jama。
〃What you do along black fella Mary？〃 Sheldon asked。
〃Kill 'm；〃 said Bellin…Jama。
〃What name you fella boy talk along me？〃 Sheldon demanded； with a
show of rising anger。 〃Big bell he ring。 You no belong along here。
You belong along field。 Bime by； big fella bell he ring； you stop along
kai…kai； you come talk along me about two fella Mary。 Now all you boy
get along out of here。〃
The gang waited to see what Bellin…Jama would do； and Bellin…Jama
stood still。
〃Me no go；〃 he said。
〃You watch out； Bellin…Jama；〃 Sheldon said sharply； 〃or I send you
along Tulagi one big fella lashing。 My word； you catch 'm strong fella。〃
Bellin…Jama glared up belligerently。
〃You want 'm fight；〃 he said； putting up his fists in approved； returned…
Queenslander style。
Now； in the Solomons； where whites are few and blacks are many； and
where the whites do the ruling； such an offer to fight is the deadliest insult。
Blacks are not supposed to dare so highly as to offer to fight a white man。
At the best； all they can look for is to be beaten by the white man。
A murmur of admiration at Bellin…Jama's bravery went up from the
listening blacks。 But Bellin…Jama's voice was still ringing in the air； and
the murmuring was just beginning； when Sheldon cleared the rail； leaping
straight downward。 From the top of the railing to the ground it was
fifteen feet； and Bellin…Jama was directly beneath。 Sheldon's flying body
struck him and crushed him to earth。 No blows were needed to be struck。
The black had been knocked helpless。 Joan； startled by the unexpected
leap； saw Carin…Jama； The Silent； reach out and seize Sheldon by the
throat as he was half…way to his feet； while the five…score blacks surged
forward for the killing。 Her revolver was out； and Carin…Jama let go his
grip； reeling backward with a bullet in his shoulder。 In that fleeting
instant of action she had thought to shoot him in the arm； which； at that
short distance； might reasonably have been achieved。 But the wave of
savages leaping forward had changed her shot to the shoulder。 It was a
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moment when not the slightest chance could be taken。
The instant his throat was released； Sheldon struck out with his fist；
and Carin…Jama joined his brother on the ground。 The mutiny was
quelled； and five minutes more saw the brothers being carried to the
hospital； and the mutineers； marshalled by the gang…bosses； on the way to
the fields。
When Sheldon came up on the veranda； he found Joan collapsed on
the steamer…chair and in tears。 The sight unnerved him as the row just
over could not possibly have done。 A woman
