adventure(冒险)-第7部分
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sink or swim in your front yard。〃
〃II beg your pardon；〃 he stammered； by a supreme effort dragging
himself to his feet。
His legs wobbled under him； and with a suffocating sensation he began
sinking to the floor。 He was aware of a feeble gratification as he saw
solicitude leap into her eyes； then blackness smote him； and at the moment
of smiting him his thought was that at last； and for the first time in his life；
he had fainted。
The ringing of the big bell aroused him。 He opened his eyes and
found that he was on the couch indoors。 A glance at the clock told him
that it was six； and from the direction the sun's rays streamed into the
room he knew that it was morning。 At first he puzzled over something
untoward he was sure had happened。 Then on the wall he saw a Stetson
hat hanging； and beneath it a full cartridge…belt and a long…barrelled 38
Colt's revolver。 The slender girth of the belt told its feminine story； and
he remembered the whale…boat of the day before and the gray eyes that
flashed beneath the level brows。 She it must have been who had just
rung the bell。 The cares of the plantation rushed upon him； and he sat up
in bed； clutching at the wall for support as the mosquito screen lurched
dizzily around him。 He was still sitting there； holding on； with eyes
closed； striving to master his giddiness； when he heard her voice。
〃You'll lie right down again； sir；〃 she said。
It was sharply imperative； a voice used to command。 At the same
time one hand pressed him back toward the pillow while the other caught
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him from behind and eased him down。
〃You've been unconscious for twenty…four hours now；〃 she went on；
〃and I have taken charge。 When I say the word you'll get up； and not
until then。 Now； what medicine do you take？quinine？ Here are ten
grains。 That's right。 You'll make a good patient。〃
〃My dear madame；〃 he began。
〃You musn't speak；〃 she interrupted； 〃that is； in protest。 Otherwise；
you can talk。〃
〃But the plantation〃
〃A dead man is of no use on a plantation。 Don't you want to know
about ME？ My vanity is hurt。 Here am I； just through my first
shipwreck； and here are you； not the least bit curious； talking about your
miserable plantation。 Can't you see that I am just bursting to tell
somebody； anybody； about my shipwreck？〃
He smiled； it was the first time in weeks。 And he smiled； not so
much at what she said； as at the way she said itthe whimsical expression
of her face； the laughter in her eyes； and the several tiny lines of humour
that drew in at the corners。 He was curiously wondering as to what her
age was； as he said aloud：
〃Yes； tell me； please。〃
〃That I will notnot now；〃 she retorted； with a toss of the head。 〃I'll
find somebody to tell my story to who does not have to be asked。 Also； I
want information。 I managed to find out what time to ring the bell to turn
the hands to； and that is about all。 I don't understand the ridiculous
speech of your people。 What time do they knock off？〃
〃At elevengo on again at one。〃
〃That will do； thank you。 And now； where do you keep the key to the
provisions？ I want to feed my men。〃
〃Your men！〃 he gasped。 〃On tinned goods！ No； no。 Let them go
out and eat with my boys。〃
Her eyes flashed as on the day before； and he saw again the imperative
expression on her face。
〃That I won't； my men are MEN。 I've been out to your miserable
barracks and watched them eat。 Faugh！ Potatoes！ Nothing but
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potatoes！ No salt！ Nothing！ Only potatoes！ I may have been
mistaken； but I thought I understood them to say that that was all they ever
got to eat。 Two meals a day and every day in the week？〃
He nodded。
〃Well； my men wouldn't stand that for a single day； much less a whole
week。 Where is the key？〃
〃Hanging on that clothes…hook under the clock。〃
He gave it easily enough； but as she was reaching down the key she
heard him say：
〃Fancy niggers and tinned provisions。〃
This time she really was angry。 The blood was in her cheeks as she
turned on him。
〃My men are not niggers。 The sooner you understand that the better
for our acquaintance。 As for the tinned goods； I'll pay for all they eat。
Please don't worry about that。 Worry is not good for you in your
condition。 And I won't stay any longer than I have to… …just long enough
to get you on your feet； and not go away with the feeling of having
deserted a white man。〃
〃You're American； aren't you？〃 he asked quietly。
The question disconcerted her for the moment。
〃Yes；〃 she vouchsafed； with a defiant look。 〃Why？〃
〃Nothing。 I merely thought so。〃
〃Anything further？〃
He shook his head。
〃Why？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； nothing。 I thought you might have something pleasant to say。〃
〃My name is Sheldon； David Sheldon；〃 he said； with direct relevance；
holding out a thin hand。
Her hand started out impulsively； then checked。 〃My name is
Lackland； Joan Lackland。〃 The hand went out。 〃And let us be friends。〃
〃It could not be otherwise〃 he began lamely。
〃And I can feed my men all the tinned goods I want？〃 she rushed on。
〃Till the cows come home；〃 he answered； attempting her own lightness；
then adding； 〃that is； to Berande。 You see we don't have any cows at
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Berande。〃
She fixed him coldly with her eyes。
〃Is that a joke？〃 she demanded。
〃I really don't knowII thought it was； but then； you see； I'm sick。〃
〃You're English； aren't you？〃 was her next query。
〃Now that's too much； even for a sick man；〃 he cried。 〃You know
well enough that I am。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said absently； 〃then you are？〃
He frowned； tightened his lips； then burst into laughter； in which she
joined。
〃It's my own fault；〃 he confessed。 〃I shouldn't have baited you。 I'll be
careful in the future。〃
〃In the meantime go on laughing； and I'll see about breakfast。 Is
there anything you would fancy？〃
He shook his head。
〃It will do you good to eat something。 Your fever has burned out；
and you are merely weak。 Wait a moment。〃
She hurried out of the room in the direction of the kitchen； tripped at
the door in a pair of sandals several sizes too large for her feet； and
disappeared in rosy confusion。
〃By Jove； those are my sandals；〃 he thought to himself。 〃The girl
hasn't a thing to wear except what she landed on the beach in； and she
certainly landed in sea…boots。〃
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CHAPTER VSHE WOULD A
PLANTER BE
Sheldon mended rapidly。 The fever had burned out； and there was
nothing for him to do but gather strength。 Joan had taken the cook in
hand； and for the first time； as Sheldon remarked； the chop at Berande was
white man's chop。 With her own hands Joan prepared the sick man's
food； and between that and the cheer she brought him； he was able； after
two days； to totter feebly out upon the veranda。 The situation struck him as
strange； and stranger still was the fact that it did not seem strange to the
girl at all。 She had settled down and taken charge of the household as a
matter of course； as if he were her father； or brother； or as if she were a
man like himself。
〃It is just too delightful for anything；〃 she assured him。 〃It is like a
page out of some romance。 Here I come along out of the sea and find a
sick man all alone with two hundred slaves〃
〃Recruits；〃 he corrected。 〃Contract labourers。 They serve only
three years； and they are free agents when they enter upon their contracts。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 she hurried on。 〃A sick man alone with two hundred
recruits on a cannibal islandthey are cannibals； aren't they？ Or is it all
talk？〃
〃Talk！〃 he said； with a smile。 〃It's a trifle more than that。 Most of my
boys are from the bush； and every bushman is a cannibal。〃
〃But not after they become recruits？ Surely； the boys you have here
wouldn't be guilty。〃
〃They'd eat you if the chance afforded。〃
〃Are you just saying so； on theory； or do you really know？〃 she asked。
〃I know。〃
〃Why？ What makes you think so？ Your own men here？〃
