adventure-第11节

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The　gang　waited　to　see　what　Bellin…Jama　would　do；　and　Bellin…Jama　stood　still。

〃Me　no　go；〃　he　said。

〃You　watch　out；　Bellin…Jama；〃　Sheldon　said　sharply；　〃or　I　send　you　along　Tulagi　one　big　fella　lashing。　　My　word；　you　catch　'm　strong　fella。〃

Bellin…Jama　glared　up　belligerently。

〃You　want　'm　fight；〃　he　said；　putting　up　his　fists　in　approved；　returned…Queenslander　style。

Now；　in　the　Solomons；　where　whites　are　few　and　blacks　are　many；　and　where　the　whites　do　the　ruling；　such　an　offer　to　fight　is　the　deadliest　insult。　　Blacks　are　not　supposed　to　dare　so　highly　as　to　offer　to　fight　a　white　man。　　At　the　best；　all　they　can　look　for　is　to　be　beaten　by　the　white　man。

A　murmur　of　admiration　at　Bellin…Jama's　bravery　went　up　from　the　listening　blacks。　　But　Bellin…Jama's　voice　was　still　ringing　in　the　air；　and　the　murmuring　was　just　beginning；　when　Sheldon　cleared　the　rail；　leaping　straight　downward。　　From　the　top　of　the　railing　to　the　ground　it　was　fifteen　feet；　and　Bellin…Jama　was　directly　beneath。　　Sheldon's　flying　body　struck　him　and　crushed　him　to　earth。　　No　blows　were　needed　to　be　struck。　　The　black　had　been　knocked　helpless。　　Joan；　startled　by　the　unexpected　leap；　saw　Carin…Jama；　The　Silent；　reach　out　and　seize　Sheldon　by　the　throat　as　he　was　half…way　to　his　feet；　while　the　five…score　blacks　surged　forward　for　the　killing。　　Her　revolver　was　out；　and　Carin…Jama　let　go　his　grip；　reeling　backward　with　a　bullet　in　his　shoulder。　　In　that　fleeting　instant　of　action　she　had　thought　to　shoot　him　in　the　arm；　which；　at　that　short　distance；　might　reasonably　have　been　achieved。　　But　the　wave　of　savages　leaping　forward　had　changed　her　shot　to　the　shoulder。　　It　was　a　moment　when　not　the　slightest　chance　could　be　taken。

The　instant　his　throat　was　released；　Sheldon　struck　out　with　his　fist；　and　Carin…Jama　joined　his　brother　on　the　ground。　　The　mutiny　was　quelled；　and　five　minutes　more　saw　the　brothers　being　carried　to　the　hospital；　and　the　mutineers；　marshalled　by　the　gang…bosses；　on　the　way　to　the　fields。

When　Sheldon　came　up　on　the　veranda；　he　found　Joan　collapsed　on　the　steamer…chair　and　in　tears。　　The　sight　unnerved　him　as　the　row　just　over　could　not　possibly　have　done。　　A　woman　in　tears　was　to　him　an　embarrassing　situation；　and　when　that　woman　was　Joan　Lackland；　from　whom　he　had　grown　to　expect　anything　unexpected；　he　was　really　frightened。　　He　glanced　down　at　her　helplessly；　and　moistened　his　lips。

〃I　want　to　thank　you；〃　he　began。　　〃There　isn't　a　doubt　but　what　you　saved　my　life；　and　I　must　say〃

She　abruptly　removed　her　hands；　showing　a　wrathful　and　tear…stained　face。

〃You　brute！　　You　coward！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　have　made　me　shoot　a　man；　and　I　never　shot　a　man　in　my　life　before。〃

〃It's　only　a　flesh…wound；　and　he　isn't　going　to　die；〃　Sheldon　managed　to　interpolate。

〃What　of　that？　　I　shot　him　just　the　same。　　There　was　no　need　for　you　to　jump　down　there　that　way。　　It　was　brutal　and　cowardly。〃

〃Oh；　now　I　say〃　he　began　soothingly。

〃Go　away。　　Don't　you　see　I　hate　you！　hate　you！　　Oh；　won't　you　go　away！〃

Sheldon　was　white　with　anger。

〃Then　why　in　the　name　of　common　sense　did　you　shoot？〃　he　demanded。

〃Be…be…because　you　were　a　white　man；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃And　Dad　would　never　have　left　any　white　man　in　the　lurch。　　But　it　was　your　fault。　You　had　no　right　to　get　yourself　in　such　a　position。　　Besides；　it　wasn't　necessary。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　don't　understand；〃　he　said　shortly；　turning　away。　〃We　will　talk　it　over　later　on。〃

〃Look　how　I　get　on　with　the　boys；〃　she　said；　while　he　paused　in　the　doorway；　stiffly　polite；　to　listen。　　〃There's　those　two　sick　boys　I　am　nursing。　　They　will　do　anything　for　me　when　they　get　well；　and　I　won't　have　to　keep　them　in　fear　of　their　life　all　the　time。　　It　is　not　necessary；　I　tell　you；　all　this　harshness　and　brutality。　　What　if　they　are　cannibals？　　They　are　human　beings；　just　like　you　and　me；　and　they　are　amenable　to　reason。　　That　is　what　distinguishes　all　of　us　from　the　lower　animals。〃

He　nodded　and　went　out。

〃I　suppose　I've　been　unforgivably　foolish；〃　was　her　greeting；　when　he　returned　several　hours　later　from　a　round　of　the　plantation。　〃I've　been　to　the　hospital；　and　the　man　is　getting　along　all　right。　It　is　not　a　serious　hurt。〃

Sheldon　felt　unaccountably　pleased　and　happy　at　the　changed　aspect　of　her　mood。

〃You　see；　you　don't　understand　the　situation；〃　he　began。　　〃In　the　first　place；　the　blacks　have　to　be　ruled　sternly。　　Kindness　is　all　very　well；　but　you　can't　rule　them　by　kindness　only。　　I　accept　all　that　you　say　about　the　Hawaiians　and　the　Tahitians。　　You　say　that　they　can　be　handled　that　way；　and　I　believe　you。　　I　have　had　no　experience　with　them。　　But　you　have　had　no　experience　with　the　blacks；　and　I　ask　you　to　believe　me。　　They　are　different　from　your　natives。　　You　are　used　to　Polynesians。　　These　boys　are　Melanesians。　They're　blacks。　　They're　niggerslook　at　their　kinky　hair。　　And　they're　a　whole　lot　lower　than　the　African　niggers。　　Really；　you　know；　there　is　a　vast　difference。〃

〃They　possess　no　gratitude；　no　sympathy；　no　kindliness。　　If　you　are　kind　to　them；　they　think　you　are　a　fool。　　If　you　are　gentle　with　them　they　think　you　are　afraid。　　And　when　they　think　you　are　afraid；　watch　out；　for　they　will　get　you。　　Just　to　show　you；　let　me　state　the　one　invariable　process　in　a　black　man's　brain　when；　on　his　native　heath；　he　encounters　a　stranger。　　His　first　thought　is　one　of　fear。　　Will　the　stranger　kill　him？　　His　next　thought；　seeing　that　he　is　not　killed；　is：　　Can　he　kill　the　stranger？　　There　was　Packard；　a　Colonial　trader；　some　twelve　miles　down　the　coast。　　He　boasted　that　he　ruled　by　kindness　and　never　struck　a　blow。　　The　result　was　that　he　did　not　rule　at　all。　　He　used　to　come　down　in　his　whale…boat　to　visit　Hughie　and　me。　　When　his　boat's　crew　decided　to　go　home；　he　had　to　cut　his　visit　short　to　accompany　them。　　I　remember　one　Sunday　afternoon　when　Packard　had　accepted　our　invitation　to　stop　to　dinner。　　The　soup　was　just　served；　when　Hughie　saw　a　nigger　peering　in　through　the　door。　　He　went　out　to　him；　for　it　was　a　violation　of　Berande　custom。　　Any　nigger　has　to　send　in　word　by　the　house…boys；　and　to　keep　outside　the　compound。　This　man；　who　was　one　of　Packard's　boat's…crew；　was　on　the　veranda。　And　he　knew　better；　too。　　'What　name？'　said　Hughie。　　'You　tell　'm　white　man　close　up　we　fella　boat's…crew　go　along。　　He　no　come　now；　we　fella　boy　no　wait。　　We　go。'　　And　just　then　Hughie　fetched　him　a　clout　that　knocked　him　clean　down　the　stairs　and　off　the　veranda。〃

〃But　it　was　needlessly　cruel；〃　Joan　objected。　　〃You　wouldn't　treat　a　white　man　that　way。〃

〃And　that's　just　the　point。　　He　wasn't　a　white　man。　　He　was　a　low　black　nigger；　and　he　was　deliberately　insulting；　not　alone　his　own　white　master；　but　every　white　master　in　the　Solomons。　　He　insulted　me。　　He　insulted　Hughie。　　He　insulted　Berande。〃

〃Of　course；　according　to　your　lights；　to　your　formula　of　the　rule　of　the　strong〃

〃Yes；〃　Sheldon　interrupted；　〃but　it　was　according　to　the　formula　of　the　rule　of　the　weak　that　Packard　ruled。　　And　what　was　the　result？　I　am　still　alive。　　Packard　is　dead。　　He　was　unswervingly　kind　and　gentle　to　his　boys；　and　his　boys　waited　till　one　day　he　was　down　with　fever。　　His　head　is　over　on　Malaita　now。　　They　carried　away　two　whale…boats　as　well；　filled　with　the　loot　of　the　store。　　Then　there　was　Captain　Mackenzie　of　the　ketch　Minota。　　He　believed　in　kindness。　　He　also　contended　that　better　confidence　was　established　by　carrying　no　weapons。　　On　his　second　trip　to　Malaita；　recruiting；　he　ran　into　Bina；　which　is　near　Langa　Langa。　　The　rifles　with　which　the　boat's…crew　should　have　been　armed；　were　locked　up　in　his　cabin。　　When　the　whale…boat　went　ashore　after　recruits；　he　paraded　around　the　deck　without　even　a　revolver　on　him。　　He　was　tomahawked。　His　head　remains　in　Malaita。　　It　was　suicide。　　So　was　Packard's　finish　suicide。〃

〃I　grant　that　precaution　is　necessary　in　dealing　with　them；〃　Joan　agreed；　〃but　I　believe　that　more　satisfactory　results　can　be　obtained　by　treating　them　with　discreet　kindness　and　gentleness。〃

〃And　there　I　agree　with　YOU；　but　you　must　understand　one　thing。　Berande；　bar　none；　is　by　far　the　worst　plantation　in　the　Solomons　so　far　as　the　labour　is　concerned。　　And　how　it　came　to　be　so　proves　your　point。　　The　previous　owners　of　Berande　were　not　discreetly　kind。　　They　were　a　pair　of　unadulterated　brutes。　　One　was　a　down…　east　Yankee；　as　I　believe　they　are　called；　and　the　other　was　a　guzzling　German。　　They　were　slave…drivers。　　To　begin　with；　they　bought　their　labour　from　Johnny　Be…blowed；　the　most　notorious　recruiter　in　the　Solomons。　　He　is　working　out　a　ten　years'　sentence　in　Fiji　now；　for　the　wanton　killing　of　a　black　boy。　　During　his　last　days　here　he　had　made　himself　so　obnoxious　that　the　natives　on　Malaita　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　him。　　The　only　way　he　could　get　recruits　was　by　hurrying　to　the　spot　whenever　a　murder　or　series　of　murders　occurred。　　The　murderers　were　usually　only　too　willing　to　sign　on　and　get　away　to　escape　vengeance。　　Down　here　they　call　such　escapes；　'pier…head　jumps。'　　There　is　suddenly　a　roar　from　the　beach；　and　a　nigger　runs　down　to　the　water　pursued　by　clouds　of　spears　and　arrows。　　Of　course；　Johnny　Be…blowed's　whale…　boat　is　lying