adventure(冒险)-第22部分
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CHAPTER XIIITHE LOGIC OF
YOUTH
〃I wish I knew whether you are merely headstrong； or whether you
really intend to be a Solomon planter；〃 Sheldon said in the morning； at
breakfast。
〃I wish you were more adaptable；〃 Joan retorted。 〃You have more
preconceived notions than any man I ever met。 Why in the name of
common sense； in the name of 。 。 。 fair play； can't you get it into your head
that I am different from the women you have known； and treat me
accordingly？ You surely ought to know I am different。 I sailed my own
schooner hereskipper； if you please。 I came here to make my living。
You know that； I've told you often enough。 It was Dad's plan； and I'm
carrying it out； just as you are trying to carry out your Hughie's plan。
Dad started to sail and sail until he could find the proper islands for
planting。 He died； and I sailed and sailed until I arrived here。 Well；〃
she shrugged her shoulders〃the schooner is at the bottom of the sea。 I
can't sail any farther； therefore I remain here。 And a planter I shall
certainly be。〃
〃You see〃 he began。
〃I haven't got to the point；〃 she interrupted。 〃Looking back on my
conduct from the moment I first set foot on your beach； I can see no false
pretence that I have made about myself or my intentions。 I was my natural
self to you from the first。 I told you my plans； and yet you sit there and
calmly tell me that you don't know whether I really intend to become a
planter； or whether it is all obstinacy and pretence。 Now let me assure
you； for the last time； that I really and truly shall become a planter； thanks
to you； or in spite of you。 Do you want me for a partner？〃
〃But do you realize that I would be looked upon as the most foolish
jackanapes in the South Seas if I took a young girl like you in with me
here on Berande？〃 he asked。
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〃No； decidedly not。 But there you are again； worrying about what
idiots and the generally evil…minded will think of you。 I should have
thought you had learned self…reliance on Berande； instead of needing to
lean upon the moral support of every whisky…guzzling worthless South
Sea vagabond。〃
He smiled； and said； …
〃Yes； that is the worst of it。 You are unanswerable。 Yours is the
logic of youth； and no man can answer that。 The facts of life can； but
they have no place in the logic of youth。 Youth must try to live according
to its logic。 That is the only way to learn better。〃
〃There is no harm in trying？〃 she interjected。
〃But there is。 That is the very point。 The facts always smash
youth's logic； and they usually smash youth's heart； too。 It's like platonic
friendships and 。 。 。 and all such things； they are all right in theory； but they
won't work in practice。 I used to believe in such things once。 That is
why I am here in the Solomons at present。〃
Joan was impatient。 He saw that she could not understand。 Life
was too clearly simple to her。 It was only the youth who was arguing
with him； the youth with youth's pure…minded and invincible reasoning。
Hers was only the boy's soul in a woman's body。 He looked at her
flushed； eager face； at the great ropes of hair coiled on the small head； at
the rounded lines of the figure showing plainly through the home…made
gown； and at the eyesboy's eyes； under cool； level browsand he
wondered why a being that was so much beautiful woman should be no
woman at all。 Why in the deuce was she not carroty…haired； or cross…
eyed； or hare…lipped？
〃Suppose we do become partners on Berande；〃 he said； at the same
time experiencing a feeling of fright at the prospect that was tangled with
a contradictory feeling of charm； 〃either I'll fall in love with you； or you
with me。 Propinquity is dangerous； you know。 In fact； it is propinquity
that usually gives the facer to the logic of youth。〃
〃If you think I came to the Solomons to get married〃 she began
wrathfully。 〃Well； there are better men in Hawaii； that's all。 Really； you
know； the way you harp on that one string would lead an unprejudiced
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listener to conclude that you are prurient…minded〃
She stopped； appalled。 His face had gone red and white with such
abruptness as to startle her。 He was patently very angry。 She sipped the
last of her coffee； and arose； saying； …
〃I'll wait until you are in a better temper before taking up the
discussion again。 That is what's the matter with you。 You get angry too
easily。 Will you come swimming？ The tide is just right。〃
〃If she were a man I'd bundle her off the plantation root and crop；
whale…boat； Tahitian sailors； sovereigns； and all；〃 he muttered to himself
after she had left the room。
But that was the trouble。 She was not a man； and where would she
go； and what would happen to her？
He got to his feet； lighted a cigarette； and her Stetson hat； hanging on
the wall over her revolver…belt； caught his eye。 That was the devil of it；
too。 He did not want her to go。 After all； she had not grown up yet。
That was why her logic hurt。 It was only the logic of youth； but it could
hurt damnably at times。 At any rate； he would resolve upon one thing：
never again would he lose his temper with her。 She was a child； he must
remember that。 He sighed heavily。 But why in reasonableness had such a
child been incorporated in such a woman's form？
And as he continued to stare at her hat and think； the hurt he had
received passed away； and he found himself cudgelling his brains for some
way out of the muddlefor some method by which she could remain on
Berande。 A chaperone！ Why not？ He could send to Sydney on the
first steamer for one。 He could …
Her trilling laughter smote upon his reverie； and he stepped to the
screen…door； through which he could see her running down the path to the
beach。 At her heels ran two of her sailors； Papehara and Mahameme； in
scarlet lava…lavas； with naked sheath…knives gleaming in their belts。 It
was another sample of her wilfulness。 Despite entreaties and commands；
and warnings of the danger from sharks； she persisted in swimming at any
and all times； and by special preference； it seemed to him； immediately
after eating。
He watched her take the water； diving cleanly； like a boy； from the end
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of the little pier； and he watched her strike out with single overhand stroke；
her henchmen swimming a dozen feet on either side。 He did not have
much faith in their ability to beat off a hungry man…eater； though he did
believe； implicitly； that their lives would go bravely before hers in case of
an attack。
Straight out they swam； their heads growing smaller and smaller。
There was a slight； restless heave to the sea； and soon the three heads were
disappearing behind it with greater frequency。 He strained his eyes to
keep them in sight； and finally fetched the telescope on to the veranda。 A
squall was making over from the direction of Florida； but then； she and her
men laughed at squalls and the white choppy sea at such times。 She
certainly could swim； he had long since concluded。 That came of her
training in Hawaii。 But sharks were sharks； and he had known of more
than one good swimmer drowned in a tide…rip。
The squall blackened the sky； beat the ocean white where he had last
seen the three heads； and then blotted out sea and sky and everything with
its deluge of rain。 It passed on； and Berande emerged in the bright
sunshine as the three swimmers emerged from the sea。 Sheldon slipped
inside with the telescope； and through the screen…door watched her run up
the path； shaking down her hair as she ran； to the fresh…water shower
under the house。
On the veranda that afternoon he broached the proposition of a
chaperone as delicately as he could； explaining the necessity at Berande
for such a body； a housekeeper to run the boys and the storeroom； and
perform divers other useful functions。 When he had finished； he waited
anxiously for what Joan would say。
