adventure(冒险)-第39部分
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take a bite。〃
Sheldon shuddered inwardly at the swift vision that arose of the dainty
flesh of her in a shark's many…toothed maw。
〃I wish you wouldn't； just the same；〃 he said slowly。 〃You
acknowledge there is a risk。〃
〃But that's half the fun of it；〃 she cried。
A trite platitude about his not caring to lose her was on his lips； but he
refrained from uttering it。 Another conclusion he had arrived at was that
she was not to be nagged。 Continual； or even occasional； reminders of
his feeling for her would constitute a tactical error of no mean dimensions。
〃Some for the book of verse； some for the simple life； and some for the
shark's belly；〃 he laughed grimly； then added： 〃Just the same； I wish I
could swim as well as you。 Maybe it would beget confidence such as
you have。〃
〃Do you know； I think it would be nice to be married to a man such as
you seem to be becoming；〃 she remarked； with one of her abrupt changes
that always astounded him。 〃I should think you could be trained into a
very good husbandyou know； not one of the domineering kind； but one
who considered his wife was just as much an individual as himself and
just as much a free agent。 Really； you know； I think you are improving。〃
She laughed and rode away； leaving him greatly cast down。 If he had
thought there had been one bit of coyness in her words； one feminine
flutter； one womanly attempt at deliberate lure and encouragement； he
would have been elated。 But he knew absolutely that it was the boy； and
not the woman； who had so daringly spoken。
Joan rode on among the avenues of young cocoanut…palms； saw a
hornbill； followed it in its erratic flights to the high forest on the edge of
the plantation； heard the cooing of wild pigeons and located them in the
deeper woods； followed the fresh trail of a wild pig for a distance； circled
back； and took the narrow path for the bungalow that ran through twenty
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acres of uncleared cane。 The grass was waist…high and higher； and as she
rode along she remembered that Gogoomy was one of a gang of boys that
had been detailed to the grass…cutting。 She came to where they had been
at work； but saw no signs of them。 Her unshod horse made no sound on
the soft； sandy footing； and a little further on she heard voices proceeding
from out of the grass。 She reined in and listened。 It was Gogoomy
talking； and as she listened she gripped her bridle… rein tightly and a wave
of anger passed over her。
〃Dog he stop 'm along house； night…time he walk about；〃 Gogoomy
was saying； perforce in beche…de…mer English； because he was talking to
others beside his own tribesmen。 〃You fella boy catch 'm one fella pig；
put 'm kai…kai belong him along big fella fish…hook。 S'pose dog he walk
about catch 'm kai…kai； you fella boy catch 'm dog allee same one shark。
Dog he finish close up。 Big fella marster sleep along big fella house。
White Mary sleep along pickaninny house。 One fella Adamu he stop
along outside pickaninny house。 You fella boy finish 'm dog； finish 'm
Adamu； finish 'm big fella marster； finish 'm White Mary； finish 'em
altogether。 Plenty musket he stop； plenty powder； plenty tomahawk；
plenty knife…fee； plenty porpoise teeth； plenty tobacco； plenty calicomy
word； too much plenty everything we take 'm along whale…boat； washee ｛5｝
like hell； sun he come up we long way too much。〃
〃Me catch 'm pig sun he go down；〃 spoke up one whose thin falsetto
voice Joan recognized as belonging to Cosse； one of Gogoomy's
tribesmen。
〃Me catch 'm dog；〃 said another。
〃And me catch 'm white fella Mary；〃 Gogoomy cried triumphantly。
〃Me catch 'm Kwaque he die along him damn quick。〃
This much Joan heard of the plan to murder； and then her rising wrath
proved too much for her discretion。 She spurred her horse into the grass；
crying； …
〃What name you fella boy； eh？ What name？〃
They arose； scrambling and scattering； and to her surprise she saw
there were a dozen of them。 As she looked in their glowering faces and
noted the heavy； two…foot； hacking cane…knives in their hands； she became
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suddenly aware of the rashness of her act。 If only she had had her
revolver or a rifle； all would have been well。 But she had carelessly
ventured out unarmed； and she followed the glance of Gogoomy to her
waist and saw the pleased flash in his eyes as he perceived the absence of
the dreadful man…killing revolver。
The first article in the Solomon Islands code for white men was never
to show fear before a native； and Joan tried to carry off the situation in
cavalier fashion。
〃Too much talk along you fella boy；〃 she said severely。 〃Too much
talk； too little work。 Savvee？〃
Gogoomy made no reply； but； apparently shifting weight； he slid one
foot forward。 The other boys； spread fan…wise about her； were also
sliding forward； the cruel cane…knives in their hands advertising their
intention。
〃You cut 'm grass！〃 she commanded imperatively。
But Gogoomy slid his other foot forward。 She measured the distance
with her eye。 It would be impossible to whirl her horse around and get
away。 She would be chopped down from behind。
And in that tense moment the faces of all of them were imprinted on
her mind in an unforgettable pictureone of them； an old man； with torn
and distended ear…lobes that fell to his chest； another； with the broad
flattened nose of Africa； and with withered eyes so buried under frowning
brows that nothing but the sickly； yellowish… looking whites could be seen；
a third； thick…lipped and bearded with kinky whiskers； and Gogoomyshe
had never realized before how handsome Gogoomy was in his mutinous
and obstinate wild…animal way。 There was a primitive aristocraticness
about him that his fellows lacked。 The lines of his figure were more
rounded than theirs； the skin smooth； well oiled； and free from disease。
On his chest； suspended from a single string of porpoise…teeth around his
throat； hung a big crescent carved out of opalescent pearl…shell。 A row of
pure white cowrie shells banded his brow。 From his hair drooped a long；
lone feather。 Above the swelling calf of one leg he wore； as a garter； a
single string of white beads。 The effect was dandyish in the extreme。 A
narrow gee…string completed his costume。 Another man she saw； old and
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shrivelled； with puckered forehead and a puckered face that trembled and
worked with animal passion as in the past she had noticed the faces of
monkeys tremble and work。
〃Gogoomy；〃 she said sharply； 〃you no cut 'm grass； my word； I bang
'm head belong you。〃
His expression became a trifle more disdainful； but he did not answer。
Instead； he stole a glance to right and left to mark how his fellows were
closing about her。 At the same moment he casually slipped his foot
forward through the grass for a matter of several inches。
Joan was keenly aware of the desperateness of the situation。 The
only way out was through。 She lifted her riding…whip threateningly； and
at the same moment drove in both spurs with her heels； rushing the startled
horse straight at Gogoomy。 It all happened in an instant。 Every cane…
knife was lifted； and every boy save Gogoomy leaped for her。 He
swerved aside to avoid the horse； at the same time swinging his cane…knife
in a slicing blow that would have cut her in twain。 She leaned forward
under the flying steel； which cut through her riding…skirt； through the edge
of the saddle； through the saddle cloth； and even slightly into the horse
itself。 Her right hand； still raised； came down； the thin whip whishing
through the air。 She saw the white； cooked mark of the weal clear across
the sullen； handsome face； and still what was practically in the same
instant she saw the man with the puckered face； overridden； go down
before her； and she heard his snarling and grimacing chatter…for all the
world like an angry monkey。 Then she was free and away； heading the
horse at top speed for the house。
Out of her sea…training she was able to appreciate Sheldon's
executiveness when she burst in on him with her news。 Springing from
the steamer…chair in which he had been lounging while waiting for
breakfast； he clapped his hands for the house…boys； and； while listening to
her； he was buckling on
