adventure(冒险)-第8部分
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〃I know。〃
〃Why？ What makes you think so？ Your own men here？〃
〃Yes； my own men here； the very house…boys； the cook that at the
present moment is making such delicious rolls； thanks to you。 Not more
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than three months ago eleven of them sneaked a whale…boat and ran for
Malaita。 Nine of them belonged to Malaita。 Two were bushmen from
San Cristoval。 They were foolsthe two from San Cristoval； I mean； so
would any two Malaita men be who trusted themselves in a boat with nine
from San Cristoval。〃
〃Yes？〃 she asked eagerly。 〃Then what happened？〃
〃The nine Malaita men ate the two from San Cristoval； all except the
heads； which are too valuable for mere eating。 They stowed them away
in the stern…locker till they landed。 And those two heads are now in some
bush village back of Langa Langa。〃
She clapped her hands and her eyes sparkled。 〃They are really and
truly cannibals！ And just think； this is the twentieth century！ And I
thought romance and adventure were fossilized！〃
He looked at her with mild amusement。
〃What is the matter now？〃 she queried。
〃Oh； nothing； only I don't fancy being eaten by a lot of filthy niggers is
the least bit romantic。〃
〃No； of course not；〃 she admitted。 〃But to be among them；
controlling them； directing them； two hundred of them； and to escape
being eaten by themthat； at least； if it isn't romantic； is certainly the
quintessence of adventure。 And adventure and romance are allied； you
know。〃
〃By the same token； to go into a nigger's stomach should be the
quintessence of adventure；〃 he retorted。
〃I don't think you have any romance in you；〃 she exclaimed。 〃You're
just dull and sombre and sordid like the business men at home。 I don't
know why you're here at all。 You should be at home placidly vegetating
as a banker's clerk oror〃
〃A shopkeeper's assistant； thank you。〃
〃Yes； thatanything。 What under the sun are you doing here on the
edge of things？〃
〃Earning my bread and butter； trying to get on in the world。〃
〃'By the bitter road the younger son must tread； Ere he win to hearth
and saddle of his own；'〃 she quoted。 〃Why； if that isn't romantic； then
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nothing is romantic。 Think of all the younger sons out over the world； on
a myriad of adventures winning to those same hearths and saddles。 And
here you are in the thick of it； doing it； and here am I in the thick of it；
doing it。〃
〃II beg pardon；〃 he drawled。
〃Well； I'm a younger daughter； then；〃 she amended； 〃and I have no
hearth nor saddleI haven't anybody or anythingand I'm just as far on
the edge of things as you are。〃
〃In your case； then； I'll admit there is a bit of romance；〃 he confessed。
He could not help but think of the preceding nights； and of her
sleeping in the hammock on the veranda； under mosquito curtains； her
bodyguard of Tahitian sailors stretched out at the far corner of the veranda
within call。 He had been too helpless to resist； but now he resolved she
should have his couch inside while he would take the hammock。
〃You see； I had read and dreamed about romance all my life；〃 she was
saying； 〃but I never； in my wildest fancies； thought that I should live it。
It was all so unexpected。 Two years ago I thought there was nothing left
to me but。 。 。 。〃 She faltered； and made a moue of distaste。 〃Well； the
only thing that remained； it seemed to me； was marriage。〃
〃And you preferred a cannibal isle and a cartridge…belt？〃 he suggested。
〃I didn't think of the cannibal isle； but the cartridge…belt was blissful。〃
〃You wouldn't dare use the revolver if you were compelled to。 Or；〃
noting the glint in her eyes； 〃if you did use it； towell； to hit anything。〃
She started up suddenly to enter the house。 He knew she was going
for her revolver。
〃Never mind；〃 he said； 〃here's mine。 What can you do with it？〃
〃Shoot the block off your flag…halyards。〃
He smiled his unbelief。
〃I don't know the gun；〃 she said dubiously。
〃It's a light trigger and you don't have to hold down。 Draw fine。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 she spoke impatiently。 〃I know automaticsthey jam
when they get hotonly I don't know yours。〃 She looked at it a moment。
〃It's cocked。 Is there a cartridge in the chamber？〃
She fired； and the block remained intact。
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〃It's a long shot；〃 he said； with the intention of easing her chagrin。
But she bit her lip and fired again。 The bullet emitted a sharp shriek
as it ricochetted into space。 The metal block rattled back and forth。
Again and again she fired； till the clip was emptied of its eight cartridges。
Six of them were hits。 The block still swayed at the gaff…end； but it was
battered out of all usefulness。 Sheldon was astonished。 It was better than
he or even Hughie Drummond could have done。 The women he had
known； when they sporadically fired a rifle or revolver； usually shrieked；
shut their eyes； and blazed away into space。
〃That's really good shooting 。 。 。 for a woman；〃 he said。 〃You only
missed it twice； and it was a strange weapon。〃
〃But I can't make out the two misses；〃 she complained。 〃The gun
worked beautifully； too。 Give me another clip and I'll hit it eight times
for anything you wish。〃
〃I don't doubt it。 Now I'll have to get a new block。 Viaburi！ Here
you fella； catch one fella block along store…room。〃
〃I'll wager you can't do it eight out of eight 。 。 。 anything you wish；〃
she challenged。
〃No fear of my taking it on；〃 was his answer。 〃Who taught you to
shoot？〃
〃Oh； my father； at first； and then Von； and his cowboys。 He was a
shotDad； I mean； though Von was splendid； too。〃
Sheldon wondered secretly who Von was； and he speculated as to
whether it was Von who two years previously had led her to believe that
nothing remained for her but matrimony。
〃What part of the United States is your home？〃 he asked。 〃Chicago
or Wyoming？ or somewhere out there？ You know you haven't told me a
thing about yourself。 All that I know is that you are Miss Joan Lackland
from anywhere。〃
〃You'd have to go farther west to find my stamping grounds。〃
〃Ah； let me seeNevada？〃
She shook her head。
〃California？〃
〃Still farther west。〃
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〃It can't be； or else I've forgotten my geography。〃
〃It's your politics；〃 she laughed。 〃Don't you remember
'Annexation'？〃
〃The Philippines！〃 he cried triumphantly。
〃No； Hawaii。 I was born there。 It is a beautiful land。 My； I'm
almost homesick for it already。 Not that I haven't been away。 I was in
New York when the crash came。 But I do think it is the sweetest spot on
earthHawaii； I mean。〃
〃Then what under the sun are you doing down here in this God…
forsaken place？〃 he asked。 〃Only fools come here；〃 he added bitterly。
〃Nielsen wasn't a fool； was he？〃 she queried。 〃As I understand； he
made three millions here。〃
〃Only too true； and that fact is responsible for my being here。〃
〃And for me； too；〃 she said。 〃Dad heard about him in the Marquesas；
and so we started。 Only poor Dad didn't get here。〃
〃Heyour fatherdied？〃 he faltered。
She nodded； and her eyes grew soft and moist。
〃I might as well begin at the beginning。〃 She lifted her head with a
proud air of dismissing sadness； after； the manner of a woman qualified to
wear a Baden…Powell and a long…barrelled Colt's。 〃I was born at Hilo。
That's on the island of Hawaiithe biggest and best in the whole group。 I
was brought up the way most girls in Hawaii are brought up。 They live
in the open； and they know how to ride and swim before they know what
six…times…six is。 As for me； I can't remember when I first got on a horse
nor when I learned to swim。 That came before my A B C's。 Dad owned
cattle ranches on Hawaii and Mauibig ones； for the islands。 Hokuna
had two hundred thousand acres alone。 It extended in between Mauna
Koa and Mauna Loa； and it was there I learned to shoot goats and wild
cattle。 On Molokai they have big spotted deer。 Von was the manager of
Hokuna。 He had two daughters about my own age； and I always spent the
hot season there； and； once； a whole year。 The three of us were like
Indians。 Not that we ran wild； exactly； but that
