adventure(冒险)-第35部分
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before this gold expedition got her。 And seal…hunters had to sail。 They've
run away from second class Russian cruisers more than once up there off
Siberia。
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〃Honestly； if I'd dreamed of the chance waiting for me at Guvutu when
I bought her for less than three hundred dollars； I'd never have gone
partners with you。 And in that case I'd be sailing her right now。
The justice of her contention came abruptly home to Sheldon。 What
she had done she would have done just the same if she had not been his
partner。 And in the saving of the Martha he had played no part。 Single…
handed； unadvised； in the teeth of the laughter of Guvutu and of the
competition of men like Morgan and Raff； she had gone into the adventure
and brought it through to success。
〃You make me feel like a big man who has robbed a small child of a
lolly；〃 he said with sudden contrition。
〃And the small child is crying for it。〃 She looked at him； and he
noted that her lip was slightly trembling and that her eyes were moist。 It
was the boy all over； he thought； the boy crying for the wee bit boat with
which to play。 And yet it was a woman； too。 What a maze of
contradiction she was！ And he wondered； had she been all woman and
no boy； if he would have loved her in just the same way。 Then it rushed
in upon his consciousness that he really loved her for what she was； for all
the boy in her and all the rest of herfor the total of her that would have
been a different total in direct proportion to any differing of the parts of
her。
〃But the small child won't cry any more for it；〃 she was saying。 〃This
is the last sob。 Some day； if Kinross doesn't lose her； you'll turn her over
to your partner； I know。 And I won't nag you any more。 Only I do hope
you know how I feel。 It isn't as if I'd merely bought the Martha； or
merely built her。 I saved her。 I took her off the reef。 I saved her from
the grave of the sea when fifty…five pounds was considered a big risk。
She is mine； peculiarly mine。 Without me she wouldn't exist。 That big
nor'wester would have finished her the first three hours it blew。 And then
I've sailed her； too； and she is a witch； a perfect witch。 Why； do you know；
she'll steer by the wind with half a spoke； give and take。 And going
about！ Well； you don't have to baby her； starting head…sheets； flattening
mainsail； and gentling her with the wheel。 Put your wheel down； and
around she comes； like a colt with the bit in its teeth。 And you can back
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her like a steamer。 I did it at Langa…Langa； between that shoal patch and
the shore…reef。 It was wonderful。
〃But you don't love boats like I do； and I know you think I'm making a
fool of myself。 But some day I'm going to sail the Martha again。 I
know it。 I know it。〃
In reply； and quite without premeditation； his hand went out to hers；
covering it as it lay on the railing。 But he knew； beyond the shadow of a
doubt； that it was the boy that returned the pressure he gave； the boy
sorrowing over the lost toy。 The thought chilled him。 Never had he
been actually nearer to her； and never had she been more convincingly
remote。 She was certainly not acutely aware that his hand was touching
hers。 In her grief at the departure of the Martha it was； to her； anybody's
handat the best； a friend's hand。
He withdrew his hand and walked perturbedly away。
〃Why hasn't he got that big fisherman's staysail on her？〃 she
demanded irritably。 〃It would make the old girl just walk along in this
breeze。 I know the sort old Kinross is。 He's the skipper that lies three
days under double…reefed topsails waiting for a gale that doesn't come。
Safe？ Oh； yes； he's safedangerously safe。〃
Sheldon retraced his steps。
〃Never mind；〃 he said。 〃You can go sailing on the Martha any time
you pleaserecruiting on Malaita if you want to。〃
It was a great concession he was making； and he felt that he did it
against his better judgment。 Her reception of it was a surprise to him。
〃With old Kinross in command？〃 she queried。 〃No； thank you。
He'd drive me to suicide。 I couldn't stand his handling of her。 It would
give me nervous prostration。 I'll never step on the Martha again； unless it
is to take charge of her。 I'm a sailor； like my father； and he could never
bear to see a vessel mishandled。 Did you see the way Kinross got under
way？ It was disgraceful。 And the noise he made about it！ Old Noah
did better with the Ark。〃
〃But we manage to get somewhere just the same；〃 he smiled。
〃So did Noah。〃
〃That was the main thing。〃
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〃For an antediluvian。〃
She took another lingering look at the Martha； then turned to Sheldon。
〃You are a slovenly lot down here when it comes to boatsmost of you
are； any way。 Christian Young is all right though； Munster has a slap…
dash style about him； and they do say old Nielsen was a crackerjack。 But
with the rest I've seen； there's no dash； no go； no cleverness； no real
sailor's pride。 It's all hum…drum； and podgy； and slow…going； any going
so long as you get there heaven knows when。 But some day I'll show
you how the Martha should be handled。 I'll break out anchor and get
under way in a speed and style that will make your head hum； and I'll
bring her alongside the wharf at Guvutu without dropping anchor and
running a line。〃
She came to a breathless pause； and then broke into laughter； directed；
he could see； against herself。
〃Old Kinross is setting that fisherman's staysail；〃 he remarked quietly。
〃No！〃 she cried incredulously； swiftly looking； then running for the
telescope。
She regarded the manoeuvre steadily through the glass； and Sheldon；
watching her face； could see that the skipper was not making a success of
it。
She finally lowered the glass with a groan。
〃He's made a mess of it；〃 she said； 〃and now he's trying it over again。
And a man like that is put in charge of a fairy like the Martha！ Well； it's
a good argument against marriage； that's all。 No； I won't look any more。
Come on in and play a steady； conservative game of billiards with me。
And after that I'm going to saddle up and go after pigeons。 Will you
come along？〃
An hour later； just as they were riding out of the compound； Joan
turned in the saddle for a last look at the Martha； a distant speck well over
toward the Florida coast。
〃Won't Tudor be surprised when he finds we own the Martha？〃 she
laughed。 〃Think of it！ If he doesn't strike pay…dirt he'll have to buy a
steamer…passage to get away from the Solomons。〃
Still laughing gaily； she rode through the gate。 But suddenly her
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laughter broke flatly and she reined in the mare。 Sheldon glanced at her
sharply； and noted her face mottling； even as he looked； and turning
orange and green。
〃It's the fever；〃 she said。 〃I'll have to turn back。〃
By the time they were in the compound she was shivering and shaking；
and he had to help her from her horse。
〃Funny； isn't it？〃 she said with chattering teeth。 〃Like seasickness
not serious； but horribly miserable while it lasts。 I'm going to bed。 Send
Noa Noah and Viaburi to me。 Tell Ornfiri to make hot water。 I'll be out
of my head in fifteen minutes。 But I'll be all right by evening。 Short
and sharp is the way it takes me。 Too bad to lose the shooting。 Thank
you； I'm all right。〃
Sheldon obeyed her instructions； rushed hot…water bottles along to her；
and then sat on the veranda vainly trying to interest himself in a two…
months…old file of Sydney newspapers。 He kept glancing up and across
the compound to the grass house。 Yes； he decided； the contention of
every white man in the islands was right； the Solomons was no place for a
woman。
He clapped his hands； and Lalaperu came running。
〃Here； you！〃 he ordered； 〃go along barracks； bring 'm black fella Mary；
plenty too much； altogether。〃
A few minutes later the dozen black women of Berande were ranged
before him。 He looked them over critically； finally selecting one that was
young； comely as such creatures went； and whose body bore no signs of
skin…disease。
