adventure(冒险)-第25部分
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own adventures。 He was an adventurer of adventurers； and by his own
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account had been born into adventure。 Descended from old New
England stock； his father a consul…general； he had been born in Germany；
in which country he had received his early education and his accent。
Then； still a boy； he had rejoined his father in Turkey； and accompanied
him later to Persia； his father having been appointed Minister to that
country。
Tudor had always been a wanderer； and with facile wit and quick vivid
description he leaped from episode and place to episode and place； relating
his experiences seemingly not because they were his； but for the sake of
their bizarreness and uniqueness； for the unusual incident or the laughable
situation。 He had gone through South American revolutions； been a
Rough Rider in Cuba； a scout in South Africa； a war correspondent in the
Russo…Japanese war。 He had mushed dogs in the Klondike； washed gold
from the sands of Nome； and edited a newspaper in San Francisco。 The
President of the United States was his friend。 He was equally at home in
the clubs of London and the Continent； the Grand Hotel at Yokohama； and
the selector's shanties in the Never…Never country。 He had shot big game
in Siam； pearled in the Paumotus； visited Tolstoy； seen the Passion Play；
and crossed the Andes on mule…back； while he was a living directory of
the fever holes of West Africa。
Sheldon leaned back in his chair on the veranda； sipping his coffee and
listening。 In spite of himself he felt touched by the charm of the man
who had led so varied a life。 And yet Sheldon was not comfortable。 It
seemed to him that the man addressed himself particularly to Joan。 His
words and smiles were directed impartially toward both of them； yet
Sheldon was certain； had the two men of them been alone； that the
conversation would have been along different lines。 Tudor had seen the
effect on Joan and deliberately continued the flow of reminiscence； netting
her in the glamour of romance。 Sheldon watched her rapt attention；
listened to her spontaneous laughter； quick questions； and passing
judgments； and felt grow within him the dawning consciousness that he
loved her。
So he was very quiet and almost sad； though at times he was aware of
a distinct irritation against his guest； and he even speculated as to what
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percentage of Tudor's tale was true and how any of it could be proved or
disproved。 In this connection； as if the scene had been prepared by a
clever playwright； Utami came upon the veranda to report to Joan the
capture of a crocodile in the trap they had made for her。
Tudor's face； illuminated by the match with which he was lighting his
cigarette； caught Utami's eye； and Utami forgot to report to his mistress。
〃Hello； Tudor；〃 he said； with a familiarity that startled Sheldon。
The Polynesian's hand went out； and Tudor； shaking it； was staring into
his face。
〃Who is it？ 〃 he asked。 〃I can't see you。〃
〃Utami。〃
〃And who the dickens is Utami？ Where did I ever meet you； my
man？〃
〃You no forget the Huahine？〃 Utami chided。 〃Last time Huahine
sail？〃
Tudor gripped the Tahitian's hand a second time and shook it with
genuine heartiness。
〃There was only one kanaka who came out of the Huahine that last
voyage； and that kanaka was Joe。 The deuce take it； man； I'm glad to see
you； though I never heard your new name before。〃
〃Yes； everybody speak me Joe along the Huahine。 Utami my name
all the time； just the same。〃
〃But what are you doing here？〃 Tudor asked； releasing the sailor's
hand and leaning eagerly forward。
〃Me sail along Missie Lackalanna her schooner Miele。 We go Tahiti；
Raiatea； Tahaa； Bora…Bora； Manua； Tutuila； Apia； Savaii； and Fiji Islands
plenty Fiji Islands。 Me stop along Missie Lackalanna in Solomons。
Very soon she catch other schooner。〃
〃He and I were the two survivors of the wreck of the Huahine；〃 Tudor
explained to the others。 〃Fifty…seven all told on board when we sailed
from Huapa； and Joe and I were the only two that ever set foot on land
again。 Hurricane； you know； in the Paumotus。 That was when I was
after pearls。〃
〃And you never told me； Utami； that you'd been wrecked in a
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hurricane；〃 Joan said reproachfully。
The big Tahitian shifted his weight and flashed his teeth in a
conciliating smile。
〃Me no t'ink nothing 't all；〃 he said。
He half…turned； as if to depart； by his manner indicating that he
considered it time to go while yet he desired to remain。
〃All right； Utami；〃 Tudor said。 〃I'll see you in the morning and have
a yarn。〃
〃He saved my life； the beggar；〃 Tudor explained； as the Tahitian strode
away and with heavy softness of foot went down the steps。 〃Swim！ I
never met a better swimmer。〃
And thereat； solicited by Joan； Tudor narrated the wreck of the
Huahine； while Sheldon smoked and pondered； and decided that whatever
the man's shortcomings were； he was at least not a liar。
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CHAPTER XVA DISCOURSE
ON MANNERS
The days passed； and Tudor seemed loath to leave the hospitality of
Berande。 Everything was ready for the start； but he lingered on；
spending much time in Joan's company and thereby increasing the dislike
Sheldon had taken to him。 He went swimming with her； in point of
rashness exceeding her； and dynamited fish with her； diving among the
hungry ground…sharks and contesting with them for possession of the
stunned prey； until he earned the approval of the whole Tahitian crew。
Arahu challenged him to tear a fish from a shark's jaws； leaving half to the
shark and bringing the other half himself to the surface； and Tudor
performed the feat； a flip from the sandpaper hide of the astonished shark
scraping several inches of skin from his shoulder。 And Joan was
delighted； while Sheldon； looking on； realized that here was the hero of
her adventure…dreams coming true。 She did not care for love； but he felt
that if ever she did love it would be that sort of a man〃a man who
exhibited；〃 was his way of putting it。
He felt himself handicapped in the presence of Tudor； who had the gift
of making a show of all his qualities。 Sheldon knew himself for a brave
man； wherefore he made no advertisement of the fact。 He knew that just as
readily as the other would he dive among ground…sharks to save a life； but
in that fact he could find no sanction for the foolhardy act of diving among
sharks for the half of a fish。 The difference between them was that he
kept the curtain of his shop window down。 Life pulsed steadily and deep
in him； and it was not his nature needlessly to agitate the surface so that
the world could see the splash he was making。 And the effect of the
other's amazing exhibitions was to make him retreat more deeply within
himself and wrap himself more thickly than ever in the nerveless； stoical
calm of his race。
〃You are so stupid the last few days；〃 Joan complained to him。 〃One
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would think you were sick； or bilious； or something。 You don't seem to
have an idea in your head above black labour and cocoanuts。 What is the
matter？〃
Sheldon smiled and beat a further retreat within himself； listening the
while to Joan and Tudor propounding the theory of the strong arm by
which the white man ordered life among the lesser breeds。 As he listened
Sheldon realized； as by revelation； that that was precisely what he was
doing。 While they philosophized about it he was living it； placing the
strong hand of his race firmly on the shoulders of the lesser breeds that
laboured on Berande or menaced it from afar。 But why talk about it？ he
asked himself。 It was sufficient to do it and be done with it。
He said as much； dryly and quietly； and found himself involved in a
discussion； with Joan and Tudor siding against him； in which a more
astounding charge than ever he had dreamed of was made against the very
English control and re
