adventure-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃I　certainly　do。〃

〃But　what　in　heaven's　name　for？〃

Tudor　surveyed　him　with　withering　disgust。

〃You　haven't　the　soul　of　a　louse。　　I　suppose　any　man　could　make　love　to　your　wife〃

〃But　I　have　no　wife；〃　Sheldon　interrupted。

〃Then　you　ought　to　have。　　The　situation　is　outrageous。　　You　might　at　least　marry　her；　as　I　am　honourably　willing　to　do。〃

For　the　first　time　Sheldon's　rising　anger　boiled　over。

〃You〃　he　began　violently；　then　abruptly　caught　control　of　himself　and　went　on　soothingly；　〃you'd　better　take　a　drink　and　think　it　over。　　That's　my　advice　to　you。　　Of　course；　when　you　do　get　cool；　after　talking　to　me　in　this　fashion　you　won't　want　to　stay　on　any　longer；　so　while　you're　getting　that　drink　I'll　call　the　boat's…　crew　and　launch　a　boat。　　You'll　be　in　Tulagi　by　eight　this　evening。〃

He　turned　toward　the　door；　as　if　to　put　his　words　into　execution；　but　the　other　caught　him　by　the　shoulder　and　twirled　him　around。

〃Look　here；　Sheldon；　I　told　you　the　Solomons　were　too　small　for　the　pair　of　us；　and　I　meant　it。〃

〃Is　that　an　offer　to　buy　Berande；　lock；　stock；　and　barrel？〃　Sheldon　queried。

〃No；　it　isn't。　　It's　an　invitation　to　fight。〃

〃But　what　the　devil　do　you　want　to　fight　with　me　for？〃　　Sheldon's　irritation　was　growing　at　the　other's　persistence。　　〃I've　no　quarrel　with　you。　　And　what　quarrel　can　you　have　with　me？　　I　have　never　interfered　with　you。　　You　were　my　guest。　　Miss　Lackland　is　my　partner。　　If　you　saw　fit　to　make　love　to　her；　and　somehow　failed　to　succeed；　why　should　you　want　to　fight　with　me？　　This　is　the　twentieth　century；　my　dear　fellow；　and　duelling　went　out　of　fashion　before　you　and　I　were　born。〃

〃You　began　the　row；〃　Tudor　doggedly　asserted。　　〃You　gave　me　to　understand　that　it　was　time　for　me　to　go。　　You　fired　me　out　of　your　house；　in　short。　　And　then　you　have　the　cheek　to　want　to　know　why　I　am　starting　the　row。　　It　won't　do；　I　tell　you。　　You　started　it；　and　I　am　going　to　see　it　through。〃

Sheldon　smiled　tolerantly　and　proceeded　to　light　a　cigarette。　　But　Tudor　was　not　to　be　turned　aside。

〃You　started　this　row；〃　he　urged。

〃There　isn't　any　row。　　It　takes　two　to　make　a　row；　and　I；　for　one；　refuse　to　have　anything　to　do　with　such　tomfoolery。〃

〃You　started　it；　I　say；　and　I'll　tell　you　why　you　started　it。〃

〃I　fancy　you've　been　drinking；〃　Sheldon　interposed。　　〃It's　the　only　explanation　I　can　find　for　your　unreasonableness。〃

〃And　I'll　tell　you　why　you　started　it。　　It　wasn't　silliness　on　your　part　to　exaggerate　this　little　trifle　of　love…making　into　something　serious。　　I　was　poaching　on　your　preserves；　and　you　wanted　to　get　rid　of　me。　　It　was　all　very　nice　and　snug　here；　you　and　the　girl；　until　I　came　along。　　And　now　you're　jealousthat's　it；　jealousy　and　want　me　out　of　it。　　But　I　won't　go。〃

〃Then　stay　on　by　all　means。　　I　won't　quarrel　with　you　about　it。　Make　yourself　comfortable。　　Stay　for　a　year；　if　you　wish。〃

〃She's　not　your　wife；〃　Tudor　continued；　as　though　the　other　had　not　spoken。　　〃A　fellow　has　the　right　to　make　love　to　her　unless　she's　yourwell；　perhaps　it　was　an　error　after　all；　due　to　ignorance；　perfectly　excusable；　on　my　part。　　I　might　have　seen　it　with　half　an　eye　if　I'd　listened　to　the　gossip　on　the　beach。　　All　Guvutu　and　Tulagi　were　laughing　about　it。　　I　was　a　fool；　and　I　certainly　made　the　mistake　of　taking　the　situation　on　its　assumed　innocent　face…　value。〃

So　angry　was　Sheldon　becoming　that　the　face　and　form　of　the　other　seemed　to　vibrate　and　oscillate　before　his　eyes。　　Yet　outwardly　Sheldon　was　calm　and　apparently　weary　of　the　discussion。

〃Please　keep　her　out　of　the　conversation；〃　he　said。

〃But　why　should　I？〃　was　the　demand。　　〃The　pair　of　you　trapped　me　into　making　a　fool　of　myself。　　How　was　I　to　know　that　everything　was　not　all　right？　　You　and　she　acted　as　if　everything　were　on　the　square。　　But　my　eyes　are　open　now。　　Why；　she　played　the　outraged　wife　to　perfection；　slapped　the　transgressor　and　fled　to　you。　Pretty　good　proof　of　what　all　the　beach　has　been　saying。　　Partners；　eh？a　business　partnership？　　Gammon　my　eye；　that's　what　it　is。〃

Then　it　was　that　Sheldon　struck　out；　coolly　and　deliberately；　with　all　the　strength　of　his　arm；　and　Tudor；　caught　on　the　jaw；　fell　sideways；　crumpling　as　he　did　so　and　crushing　a　chair　to　kindling　wood　beneath　the　weight　of　his　falling　body。　　He　pulled　himself　slowly　to　his　feet；　but　did　not　offer　to　rush。

〃Now　will　you　fight？〃　Tudor　said　grimly。

Sheldon　laughed；　and　for　the　first　time　with　true　spontaneity。　　The　intrinsic　ridiculousness　of　the　situation　was　too　much　for　his　sense　of　humour。　　He　made　as　if　to　repeat　the　blow；　but　Tudor；　white　of　face；　with　arms　hanging　resistlessly　at　his　sides；　offered　no　defence。

〃I　don't　mean　a　fight　with　fists；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃I　mean　to　a　finish；　to　the　death。　　You're　a　good　shot　with　revolver　and　rifle。　So　am　I。　　That's　the　way　we'll　settle　it。〃

〃You　have　gone　clean　mad。　　You　are　a　lunatic。〃

〃No；　I'm　not；〃　Tudor　retorted。　　〃I'm　a　man　in　love。　　And　once　again　I　ask　you　to　go　outside　and　settle　it；　with　any　weapons　you　choose。〃

Sheldon　regarded　him　for　the　first　time　with　genuine　seriousness；　wondering　what　strange　maggots　could　be　gnawing　in　his　brain　to　drive　him　to　such　unusual　conduct。

〃But　men　don't　act　this　way　in　real　life；〃　Sheldon　remarked。

〃You'll　find　I'm　pretty　real　before　you're　done　with　me。　　I'm　going　to　kill　you　to…day。〃

〃Bosh　and　nonsense；　man。〃　　This　time　Sheldon　had　lost　his　temper　over　the　superficial　aspects　of　the　situation。　　〃Bosh　and　nonsense；　that's　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。

〃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　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