adventure(冒险)-第48部分
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all it is。 Men don't fight duels in the twentieth century。 It'sit's
antediluvian； I tell you。〃
〃Speaking of Joan〃
〃Please keep her name out of it；〃 Sheldon warned him。
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〃I will； if you'll fight。〃
Sheldon threw up his arms despairingly。
〃Speaking of Joan〃
〃Look out；〃 Sheldon warned again。
〃Oh； go ahead； knock me down。 But that won't close my mouth。
You can knock me down all day； but as fast as I get to my feet I'll speak of
Joan again。 Now will you fight？〃
〃Listen to me； Tudor；〃 Sheldon began； with an effort at decisiveness。
〃I am not used to taking from men a tithe of what I've already taken from
you。〃
〃You'll take a lot more before the day's out；〃 was the answer。 〃I tell
you； you simply must fight。 I'll give you a fair chance to kill me； but I'll
kill you before the day's out。 This isn't civilization。 It's the Solomon
Islands； and a pretty primitive proposition for all that。 King Edward and
law and order are represented by the Commissioner at Tulagi and an
occasional visiting gunboat。 And two men and one woman is an equally
primitive proposition。 We'll settle it in the good old primitive way。〃
As Sheldon looked at him the thought came to his mind that after all
there might be something in the other's wild adventures over the earth。 It
required a man of that calibre； a man capable of obtruding a duel into
orderly twentieth century life； to find such wild adventures。
〃There's only one way to stop me；〃 Tudor went on。 〃I can't insult you
directly； I know。 You are too easy…going； or cowardly； or both； for that。
But I can narrate for you the talk of the beach ah； that grinds you； doesn't
it？ I can tell you what the beach has to say about you and this young girl
running a plantation under a business partnership。〃
〃Stop！〃 Sheldon cried； for the other was beginning to vibrate and
oscillate before his eyes。 〃You want a duel。 I'll give it to you。〃 Then
his common…sense and dislike for the ridiculous asserted themselves； and
he added； 〃But it's absurd； impossible。〃
〃Joan and Davidpartners； eh？ Joan and Davidpartners；〃 Tudor
began to iterate and reiterate in a malicious and scornful chant。
〃For heaven's sake keep quiet； and I'll let you have your way；〃 Sheldon
cried。 〃I never saw a fool so bent on his folly。 What kind of a duel shall
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it be？ There are no seconds。 What weapons shall we use？〃
Immediately Tudor's monkey…like impishness left him； and he was
once more the cool； self…possessed man of the world。
〃I've often thought that the ideal duel should be somewhat different
from the conventional one；〃 he said。 〃I've fought several of that sort； you
know〃
〃French ones；〃 Sheldon interrupted。
〃Call them that。 But speaking of this ideal duel； here it is。 No
seconds； of course； and no onlookers。 The two principals alone are
necessary。 They may use any weapons they please； from revolvers and
rifles to machine guns and pompoms。 They start a mile apart； and
advance on each other； taking advantage of cover； retreating； circling；
feintinganything and everything permissible。 In short； the principals
shall hunt each other〃
〃Like a couple of wild Indians？〃
〃Precisely；〃 cried Tudor； delighted。 〃You've got the idea。 And
Berande is just the place； and this is just the right time。 Miss Lackland
will be taking her siesta； and she'll think we are。 We've got two hours for
it before she wakes。 So hurry up and come on。 You start out from the
Balesuna and I start from the Berande。 Those two rivers are the boundaries
of the plantation； aren't they？ Very well。 The field of the duel will be the
plantation。 Neither principal must go outside its boundaries。 Are you
satisfied？〃
〃Quite。 But have you any objections if I leave some orders？〃
〃Not at all；〃 Tudor acquiesced； the pink of courtesy now that his wish
had been granted。
Sheldon clapped his hands； and the running house…boy hurried away to
bring back Adamu Adam and Noa Noah。
〃Listen；〃 Sheldon said to them。 〃This man and me； we have one big
fight to…day。 Maybe he die。 Maybe I die。 If he die； all right。 If I die；
you two look after Missie Lackalanna。 You take rifles； and you look after
her daytime and night…time。 If she want to talk with Mr。 Tudor； all right。
If she not want to talk； you make him keep away。 Savvee？〃
They grunted and nodded。 They had had much to do with white men；
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and had learned never to question the strange ways of the strange breed。
If these two saw fit to go out and kill each other； that was their business
and not the business of the islanders； who took orders from them。 They
stepped to the gun…rack； and each picked a rifle。
〃Better all Tahitian men have rifles；〃 suggested Adamu Adam。 〃Maybe
big trouble come。〃
〃All right； you take them；〃 Sheldon answered； busy with issuing the
ammunition。
They went to the door and down the steps； carrying the eight rifles to
their quarters。 Tudor； with cartridge…belts for rifle and pistol strapped
around him； rifle in hand； stood impatiently waiting。
〃Come on； hurry up； we're burning daylight；〃 he urged； as Sheldon
searched after extra clips for his automatic pistol。
Together they passed down the steps and out of the compound to the
beach； where they turned their backs to each other； and each proceeded
toward his destination； their rifles in the hollows of their arms； Tudor
walking toward the Berande and Sheldon toward the Balesuna。
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CHAPTER XXVIIMODERN
DUELLING
Barely had Sheldon reached the Balesuna； when he heard the faint
report of a distant rifle and knew it was the signal of Tudor； giving notice
that he had reached the Berande； turned about； and was coming back。
Sheldon fired his rifle into the air in answer； and in turn proceeded to
advance。 He moved as in a dream； absent… mindedly keeping to the open
beach。 The thing was so preposterous that he had to struggle to realize it；
and he reviewed in his mind the conversation with Tudor； trying to find
some clue to the common…sense of what he was doing。 He did not want
to kill Tudor。 Because that man had blundered in his love…making was no
reason that he； Sheldon； should take his life。 Then what was it all about？
True； the fellow had insulted Joan by his subsequent remarks and been
knocked down for it； but because he had knocked him down was no reason
that he should now try to kill him。
In this fashion he covered a quarter of the distance between the two
rivers； when it dawned upon him that Tudor was not on the beach at all。
Of course not。 He was advancing； according to the terms of the
agreement； in the shelter of the cocoanut trees。 Sheldon promptly
swerved to the left to seek similar shelter； when the faint crack of a rifle
came to his ears； and almost immediately the bullet； striking the hard sand
a hundred feet beyond him； ricochetted and whined onward on a second
flight； convincing him that； preposterous and unreal as it was； it was
nevertheless sober fact。 It had been intended for him。 Yet even then it
was hard to believe。 He glanced over the familiar landscape and at the
sea dimpling in the light but steady breeze。 From the direction of Tulagi
he could see the white sails of a schooner laying a tack across toward
Berande。 Down the beach a horse was grazing； and he idly wondered
where the others were。 The smoke rising from the copra…drying caught
his eyes； which roved on over the barracks； the tool…houses； the boat…
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sheds； and the bungalow； and came to rest on Joan's little grass house in
the corner of the compound。
Keeping now to the shelter of the trees； he went forward another
quarter of a mile。 If Tudor had advanced with equal speed they should
have come together at that point； and Sheldon concluded that the other
was circling。 The difficulty was to locate him。 The rows of trees；
running at right angles； enabled him to see along only one narrow avenue
at a time。 His enemy might be coming along the next avenue； or the next；
to ri
