adventure-第31节

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　　Sheldon　glanced　at　her　sharply；　and　noted　her　face　mottling；　even　as　he　looked；　and　turning　orange　and　green。

〃It's　the　fever；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　have　to　turn　back。〃

By　the　time　they　were　in　the　compound　she　was　shivering　and　shaking；　and　he　had　to　help　her　from　her　horse。

〃Funny；　isn't　it？〃　she　said　with　chattering　teeth。　　〃Like　seasicknessnot　serious；　but　horribly　miserable　while　it　lasts。　I'm　going　to　bed。　　Send　Noa　Noah　and　Viaburi　to　me。　　Tell　Ornfiri　to　make　hot　water。　　I'll　be　out　of　my　head　in　fifteen　minutes。　　But　I'll　be　all　right　by　evening。　　Short　and　sharp　is　the　way　it　takes　me。　　Too　bad　to　lose　the　shooting。　　Thank　you；　I'm　all　right。〃

Sheldon　obeyed　her　instructions；　rushed　hot…water　bottles　along　to　her；　and　then　sat　on　the　veranda　vainly　trying　to　interest　himself　in　a　two…months…old　file　of　Sydney　newspapers。　　He　kept　glancing　up　and　across　the　compound　to　the　grass　house。　　Yes；　he　decided；　the　contention　of　every　white　man　in　the　islands　was　right；　the　Solomons　was　no　place　for　a　woman。

He　clapped　his　hands；　and　Lalaperu　came　running。

〃Here；　you！〃　he　ordered；　〃go　along　barracks；　bring　'm　black　fella　Mary；　plenty　too　much；　altogether。〃

A　few　minutes　later　the　dozen　black　women　of　Berande　were　ranged　before　him。　　He　looked　them　over　critically；　finally　selecting　one　that　was　young；　comely　as　such　creatures　went；　and　whose　body　bore　no　signs　of　skin…disease。

〃What　name；　you？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Sangui？〃

〃Me　Mahua；〃　was　the　answer。

〃All　right；　you　fella　Mahua。　　You　finish　cook　along　boys。　　You　stop　along　white　Mary。　　All　the　time　you　stop　along。　　You　savvee？〃

〃Me　savvee；〃　she　grunted；　and　obeyed　his　gesture　to　go　to　the　grass　house　immediately。

〃What　name？〃　he　asked　Viaburi；　who　had　just　come　out　of　the　grass　house。

〃Big　fella　sick；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃White　fella　Mary　talk　'm　too　much　allee　time。　　Allee　time　talk　'm　big　fella　schooner。〃

Sheldon　nodded。　　He　understood。　　It　was　the　loss　of　the　Martha　that　had　brought　on　the　fever。　　The　fever　would　have　come　sooner　or　later；　he　knew；　but　her　disappointment　had　precipitated　it。　　He　lighted　a　cigarette；　and　in　the　curling　smoke　of　it　caught　visions　of　his　English　mother；　and　wondered　if　she　would　understand　how　her　son　could　love　a　woman　who　cried　because　she　could　not　be　skipper　of　a　schooner　in　the　cannibal　isles。



CHAPTER　XXA　MAN…TALK



The　most　patient　man　in　the　world　is　prone　to　impatience　in　love　and　Sheldon　was　in　love。　　He　called　himself　an　ass　a　score　of　times　a　day；　and　strove　to　contain　himself　by　directing　his　mind　in　other　channels；　but　more　than　a　score　of　times　each　day　his　thoughts　roved　back　and　dwelt　on　Joan。　　It　was　a　pretty　problem　she　presented；　and　he　was　continually　debating　with　himself　as　to　what　was　the　best　way　to　approach　her。

He　was　not　an　adept　at　love…making。　　He　had　had　but　one　experience　in　the　gentle　art　（in　which　he　had　been　more　wooed　than　wooing）；　and　the　affair　had　profited　him　little。　　This　was　another　affair；　and　he　assured　himself　continually　that　it　was　a　uniquely　different　and　difficult　affair。　　Not　only　was　here　a　woman　who　was　not　bent　on　finding　a　husband；　but　it　was　a　woman　who　wasn't　a　woman　at　all；　who　was　genuinely　appalled　by　the　thought　of　a　husband；　who　joyed　in　boys'　games；　and　sentimentalized　over　such　things　as　adventure；　who　was　healthy　and　normal　and　wholesome；　and　who　was　so　immature　that　a　husband　stood　for　nothing　more　than　an　encumbrance　in　her　cherished　scheme　of　existence。

But　how　to　approach　her？　　He　divined　the　fanatical　love　of　freedom　in　her；　the　deep…seated　antipathy　for　restraint　of　any　sort。　　No　man　could　ever　put　his　arm　around　her　and　win　her。　　She　would　flutter　away　like　a　frightened　bird。　　Approach　by　contactthat；　he　realized；　was　the　one　thing　he　must　never　do。　　His　hand…clasp　must　be　what　it　had　always　been；　the　hand…clasp　of　hearty　friendship　and　nothing　more。　　Never　by　action　must　he　advertise　his　feeling　for　her。　　Remained　speech。　　But　what　speech？　　Appeal　to　her　love？　　But　she　did　not　love　him。　　Appeal　to　her　brain？　　But　it　was　apparently　a　boy's　brain。　　All　the　deliciousness　and　fineness　of　a　finely　bred　woman　was　hers；　but；　for　all　he　could　discern；　her　mental　processes　were　sexless　and　boyish。　　And　yet　speech　it　must　be；　for　a　beginning　had　to　be　made　somewhere；　some　time；　her　mind　must　be　made　accustomed　to　the　idea；　her　thoughts　turned　upon　the　matter　of　marriage。

And　so　he　rode　overseeing　about　the　plantation；　with　tightly　drawn　and　puckered　brows；　puzzling　over　the　problem；　and　steeling　himself　to　the　first　attempt。　　A　dozen　ways　he　planned　an　intricate　leading　up　to　the　first　breaking　of　the　ice；　and　each　time　some　link　in　the　chain　snapped　and　the　talk　went　off　on　unexpected　and　irrelevant　lines。　　And　then　one　morning；　quite　fortuitously；　the　opportunity　came。

〃My　dearest　wish　is　the　success　of　Berande；〃　Joan　had　just　said；　apropos　of　a　discussion　about　the　cheapening　of　freights　on　copra　to　market。

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　tell　you　the　dearest　wish　of　my　heart？〃　he　promptly　returned。　　〃I　long　for　it。　　I　dream　about　it。　　It　is　my　dearest　desire。〃

He　paused　and　looked　at　her　with　intent　significance；　but　it　was　plain　to　him　that　she　thought　there　was　nothing　more　at　issue　than　mutual　confidences　about　things　in　general。

〃Yes；　go　ahead；〃　she　said；　a　trifle　impatient　at　his　delay。

〃I　love　to　think　of　the　success　of　Berande；〃　he　said；　〃but　that　is　secondary。　　It　is　subordinate　to　the　dearest　wish；　which　is　that　some　day　you　will　share　Berande　with　me　in　a　completer　way　than　that　of　mere　business　partnership。　　It　is　for　you；　some　day；　when　you　are　ready；　to　be　my　wife。〃

She　started　back　from　him　as　if　she　had　been　stung。　　Her　face　went　white　on　the　instant；　not　from　maidenly　embarrassment；　but　from　the　anger　which　he　could　see　flaming　in　her　eyes。

〃This　taking　for　granted！this　when　I　am　ready！〃　she　cried　passionately。　　Then　her　voice　swiftly　became　cold　and　steady；　and　she　talked　in　the　way　he　imagined　she　must　have　talked　business　with　Morgan　and　Raff　at　Guvutu。　　〃Listen　to　me；　Mr。　Sheldon。　　I　like　you　very　well；　though　you　are　slow　and　a　muddler；　but　I　want　you　to　understand；　once　and　for　all；　that　I　did　not　come　to　the　Solomons　to　get　married。　　That　is　an　affliction　I　could　have　accumulated　at　home；　without　sailing　ten　thousand　miles　after　it。　I　have　my　own　way　to　make　in　the　world；　and　I　came　to　the　Solomons　to　do　it。　　Getting　married　is　not　making　MY　way　in　the　world。　　It　may　do　for　some　women；　but　not　for　me；　thank　you。　　When　I　sit　down　to　talk　over　the　freight　on　copra；　I　don't　care　to　have　proposals　of　marriage　sandwiched　in。　　Besidesbesides〃

Her　voice　broke　for　the　moment；　and　when　she　went　on　there　was　a　note　of　appeal　in　it　that　well…nigh　convicted　him　to　himself　of　being　a　brute。

〃Don't　you　see？it　spoils　everything；　it　makes　the　whole　situation　impossible　。　。　。　and　。　。　。　and　I　so　loved　our　partnership；　and　was　proud　of　it。　　Don't　you　see？I　can't　go　on　being　your　partner　if　you　make　love　to　me。　　And　I　was　so　happy。〃

Tears　of　disappointment　were　in　her　eyes；　and　she　caught　a　swift　sob　in　her　throat。

〃I　warned　you；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃Such　unusual　situations　between　men　and　women　cannot　endure。　　I　told　you　so　at　the　beginning。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　it　is　quite　clear　to　me　what　you　did。〃　　She　was　angry　again；　and　the　feminine　appeal　had　disappeared。　　〃You　were　very　discreet　in　your　warning。　　You　took　good　care　to　warn　me　against　every　other　man　in　the　Solomons　except　yourself。〃

It　was　a　blow　in　the　face　to　Sheldon。　　He　smarted　with　the　truth　of　it；　and　at　the　same　time　he　smarted　with　what　he　was　convinced　was　the　injustice　of　it。　　A　gleam　of　triumph　that　flickered　in　her　eye　because　of　the　hit　she　had　made　decided　him。

〃It　is　not　so　one…sided　as　you　seem　to　think　it　is；〃　he　began。　　〃I　was　doing　very　nicely　on　Berande　before　you　came。　　At　least　I　was　not　suffering　indignities；　such　as　being　accused　of　cowardly　conduct；　as　you　have　just　accused　me。　　Rememberplease　remember；　I　did　not　invite　you　to　Berande。　　Nor　did　I　invite　you　to　stay　on　at　Berande。　　It　was　by　staying　that　you　brought　about　thisto　you　unpleasant　situation。　　By　staying　you　made　yourself　a　temptation；　and　now　you　would　blame　me　for　it。　　I　did　not　want　you　to　stay。　　I　wasn't　in　love　with　you　then。　　I　wanted　you　to　go　to　Sydney；　to　go　back　to　Hawaii。　　But　you　insisted　on　staying。　　You　virtually〃

He　paused　for　a　softer　word　than　the　one　that　had　risen　to　his　lips；　and　she　took　it　away　from　him。

〃Forced　myself　on　youthat's　what　you　meant　to　say；〃　she　cried；　the　flags　of　battle　painting　her　cheeks。　　〃Go　ahead。　　Don't　mind　my　feelings。〃

〃All　right；　I　won't；〃　he　said　decisively；　realizing　that　the　discussion　was　in　danger　of　becoming　a　vituperative；　schoolboy　argument。　　〃You　have　insisted　on　being　considered　as　a　man。　Consistency　would　demand　that　you　talk　like　a　man；　and　like　a　man　listen　to　man…talk。　　And　listen　you　shall。　　It　is　not　your　fault　that　this　unpleasantness　has　arisen。　　I　do　not　blame　you　for　anything；　remember　that。　　And　for　the　same　reason　you　should　not　blame　me　for　anything。〃

He　noticed　her　bosom　heaving　as　she　sat　with　clenched　hands；　and　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　conquer　the　desire　to　flash　his　arms　out　and　around