adventure(冒险)-第17部分
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ADVENTURE
CHAPTER XA MESSAGE
FROM BOUCHER
The next day Sheldon was left all alone。 Joan had gone exploring
Pari…Sulay； and was not to be expected back until the late afternoon。
Sheldon was vaguely oppressed by his loneliness； and several heavy
squalls during the afternoon brought him frequently on to the veranda；
telescope in hand； to scan the sea anxiously for the whale…boat。
Betweenwhiles he scowled over the plantation account…books； made rough
estimates； added and balanced； and scowled the harder。 The loss of the
Jessie had hit Berande severely。 Not alone was his capital depleted by
the amount of her value； but her earnings were no longer to be reckoned
on； and it was her earnings that largely paid the running expenses of the
plantation。
〃Poor old Hughie；〃 he muttered aloud； once。 〃I'm glad you didn't live
to see it； old man。 What a cropper； what a cropper！〃
Between squalls the Flibberty…Gibbet ran in to anchorage； and her
skipper； Pete Oleson （brother to the Oleson of the Jessie）； ancient； grizzled；
wild…eyed； emaciated by fever； dragged his weary frame up the veranda
steps and collapsed in a steamer…chair。 Whisky and soda kept him going
while he made report and turned in his accounts。
〃You're rotten with fever；〃 Sheldon said。 〃Why don't you run down
to Sydney for a blow of decent climate？〃
The old skipper shook his head。
〃I can't。 I've ben in the islands too long。 I'd die。 The fever comes
out worse down there。〃
〃Kill or cure；〃 Sheldon counselled。
〃It's straight kill for me。 I tried it three years ago。 The cool weather
put me on my back before I landed。 They carried me ashore and into
hospital。 I was unconscious one stretch for two weeks。 After that the
doctors sent me back to the islandssaid it was the only thing that would
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save me。 Well； I'm still alive； but I'm too soaked with fever。 A month in
Australia would finish me。〃
〃But what are you going to do？〃 Sheldon queried。 〃You can't stay
here until you die。〃
〃That's all that's left to me。 I'd like to go back to the old country； but
I couldn't stand it。 I'll last longer here； and here I'll stay until I peg out；
but I wish to God I'd never seen the Solomons； that's all。〃
He declined to sleep ashore； took his orders； and went back on board
the cutter。 A lurid sunset was blotted out by the heaviest squall of the day；
and Sheldon watched the whale…boat arrive in the thick of it。 As the
spritsail was taken in and the boat headed on to the beach； he was aware of
a distinct hurt at sight of Joan at the steering…oar； standing erect and
swaying her strength to it as she resisted the pressures that tended to throw
the craft broadside in the surf。 Her Tahitians leaped out and rushed the
boat high up the beach； and she led her bizarre following through the gate
of the compound。
The first drops of rain were driving like hail…stones； the tall cocoanut
palms were bending and writhing in the grip of the wind； while the thick
cloud…mass of the squall turned the brief tropic twilight abruptly to night。
Quite unconsciously the brooding anxiety of the afternoon slipped
from Sheldon； and he felt strangely cheered at the sight of her running up
the steps laughing； face flushed； hair flying； her breast heaving from the
violence of her late exertions。
〃Lovely； perfectly lovelyPari…Sulay；〃 she panted。 〃I shall buy it。
I'll write to the Commissioner to…night。 And the site for the bungalow
I've selected it alreadyis wonderful。 You must come over some day and
advise me。 You won't mind my staying here until I can get settled？
Wasn't that squall beautiful？ And I suppose I'm late for dinner。 I'll run
and get clean； and be with you in a minute。〃
And in the brief interval of her absence he found himself walking
about the big living…room and impatiently and with anticipation awaiting
her coming。
〃Do you know； I'm never going to squabble with you again；〃 he
announced when they were seated。
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〃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
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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；
