adventure(冒险)-第23部分
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anxiously for what Joan would say。
〃Then you don't like the way I've been managing the house？〃 was her
first objection。 And next； brushing his attempted explanations aside；
〃One of two things would happen。 Either I should cancel our partnership
agreement and go away； leaving you to get another chaperone to
chaperone your chaperone； or else I'd take the old hen out in the whale…
boat and drown her。 Do you imagine for one moment that I sailed my
schooner down here to this raw edge of the earth in order to put myself
under a chaperone？〃
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〃But really 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 you know a chaperone is a necessary evil；〃 he
objected。
〃We've got along very nicely so far without one。 Did I have one on
the Miele？ And yet I was the only woman on board。 There are only
three things I am afraid ofbumble…bees； scarlet fever； and chaperones。
Ugh！ the clucking； evil…minded monsters； finding wrong in everything；
seeing sin in the most innocent actions； and suggesting sinyes； causing
sinby their diseased imaginings。〃
〃Phew！〃 Sheldon leaned back from the table in mock fear。
〃You needn't worry about your bread and butter；〃 he ventured。 〃If
you fail at planting； you would be sure to succeed as a writer novels with
a purpose； you know。〃
〃I didn't think there were persons in the Solomons who needed such
books；〃 she retaliated。 〃But you are certainly oneyou and your
custodians of virtue。〃
He winced； but Joan rattled on with the platitudinous originality of
youth。
〃As if anything good were worth while when it has to be guarded and
put in leg…irons and handcuffs in order to keep it good。 Your desire for a
chaperone as much as implies that I am that sort of creature。 I prefer to
be good because it is good to be good； rather than because I can't be bad
because some argus…eyed old frump won't let me have a chance to be bad。〃
〃But itit is not that；〃 he put in。 〃It is what others will think。〃
〃Let them think； the nasty…minded wretches！ It is because men like
you are afraid of the nasty…minded that you allow their opinions to rule
you。〃
〃I am afraid you are a female Shelley；〃 he replied； 〃and as such； you
really drive me to become your partner in order to protect you。〃
〃If you take me as a partner in order to protect me 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 I shan't be
your partner； that's all。 You'll drive me into buying Pari…Sulay yet。〃
〃All the more reason〃 he attempted。
〃Do you know what I'll do？〃 she demanded。 〃I'll find some man in
the Solomons who won't want to protect me。〃
Sheldon could not conceal the shock her words gave him。
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〃You don't mean that； you know；〃 he pleaded。
〃I do； I really do。 I am sick and tired of this protection dodge。 Don't
forget for a moment that I am perfectly able to take care of myself。
Besides； I have eight of the best protectors in the world… …my sailors。〃
〃You should have lived a thousand years ago；〃 he laughed； 〃or a
thousand years hence。 You are very primitive； and equally super… modern。
The twentieth century is no place for you。〃
〃But the Solomon Islands are。 You were living like a savage when I
came along and found youeating nothing but tinned meat and scones that
would have ruined the digestion of a camel。 Anyway； I've remedied that；
and since we are to be partners； it will stay remedied。 You won't die of
malnutrition； be sure of that。〃
〃If we enter into partnership；〃 he announced； 〃it must be thoroughly
understood that you are not allowed to run the schooner。 You can go down
to Sydney and buy her； but a skipper we must have 〃
〃At so much additional expense； and most likely a whisky…drinking；
irresponsible； and incapable man to boot。 Besides； I'd have the business
more at heart than any man we could hire。 As for capability； I tell you I
can sail all around the average broken captain or promoted able seaman
you find in the South Seas。 And you know I am a navigator。〃
〃But being my partner；〃 he said coolly； 〃makes you none the less a
lady。〃
〃Thank you for telling me that my contemplated conduct is
unladylike。〃
She arose； tears of anger and mortification in her eyes； and went over
to the phonograph。
〃I wonder if all men are as ridiculous as you？〃 she said。
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled。 Discussion was uselesshe
had learned that； and he was resolved to keep his temper。 And before the
day was out she capitulated。 She was to go to Sydney on the first
steamer； purchase the schooner； and sail back with an island skipper on
board。 And then she inveigled Sheldon into agreeing that she could take
occasional cruises in the islands； though he was adamant when it came to a
recruiting trip on Malaita。 That was the one thing barred。
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And after it was all over； and a terse and business…like agreement （by
her urging） drawn up and signed； Sheldon paced up and down for a full
hour； meditating upon how many different kinds of a fool he had made of
himself。 It was an impossible situation； and yet no more impossible than
the previous one； and no more impossible than the one that would have
obtained had she gone off on her own and bought Pari…Sulay。 He had
never seen a more independent woman who stood more in need of a
protector than this boy…minded girl who had landed on his beach with
eight picturesque savages； a long… barrelled revolver； a bag of gold； and a
gaudy merchandise of imagined romance and adventure。
He had never read of anything to compare with it。 The fictionists； as
usual； were exceeded by fact。 The whole thing was too preposterous to
be true。 He gnawed his moustache and smoked cigarette after cigarette。
Satan； back from a prowl around the compound； ran up to him and
touched his hand with a cold； damp nose。 Sheldon caressed the animal's
ears； then threw himself into a chair and laughed heartily。 What would
the Commissioner of the Solomons think？ What would his people at
home think？ And in the one breath he was glad that the partnership had
been effected and sorry that Joan Lackland had ever come to the Solomons。
Then he went inside and looked at himself in a hand…mirror。 He studied
the reflection long and thoughtfully and wonderingly。
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CHAPTER XIVTHE MARTHA
They were deep in a game of billiards the next morning； after the
eleven o'clock breakfast； when Viaburi entered and announced； …
〃Big fella schooner close up。〃
Even as he spoke； they heard the rumble of chain through hawse… pipe；
and from the veranda saw a big black…painted schooner； swinging to her
just…caught anchor。
〃It's a Yankee；〃 Joan cried。 〃See that bow！ Look at that elliptical
stern！ Ah； I thought so〃 as the Stars and Stripes fluttered to the mast…
head。
Noa Noah； at Sheldon's direction； ran the Union Jack up the flag… staff。
〃Now what is an American vessel doing down here？〃 Joan asked。 〃It's
not a yacht； though I'll wager she can sail。 Look！ Her name！ What is
it？〃
〃Martha； San Francisco；〃 Sheldon read； looking through the telescope。
〃It's the first Yankee I ever heard of in the Solomons。 They are coming
ashore； whoever they are。 And； by Jove； look at those men at the oars。
It's an all…white crew。 Now what reason brings them here？〃
〃They're not proper sailors；〃 Joan commented。 〃I'd be ashamed of a
crew of black…boys that pulled in such fashion。 Look at that fellow in the
bowthe one just jumping out； he'd be more at home on a cow…pony。〃
The boat's…crew scattered up and down the beach； ranging about with
eager curiosity； while the two men who had sat in the stern…sheets opened
the gate and came up the path to the bungalow。 One of them； a tall and
slender man； was clad in white ducks that fitted him like a semi…military
uniform。 The other man； in nondescript garments that were both of the
sea and shore； and that must have been uncomfortably hot； slouched and
shambled like an overgrown ape。 To complete the illusion； his face
seemed to sprout in all directions with a dense； bushy mass of red
whiskers； while his eyes were small and sharp and restless。
Sheldon； who had gone to the head of the steps； introduced them to
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Joan。 The bewhiskered ind
