adventure(冒险)-第28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！
… Page 100…
ADVENTURE
percentage of Tudor's tale was true and how any of it could be proved or
disproved。 In this connection； as if the scene had been prepared by a
clever playwright； Utami came upon the veranda to report to Joan the
capture of a crocodile in the trap they had made for her。
Tudor's face； illuminated by the match with which he was lighting his
cigarette； caught Utami's eye； and Utami forgot to report to his mistress。
〃Hello； Tudor；〃 he said； with a familiarity that startled Sheldon。
The Polynesian's hand went out； and Tudor； shaking it； was staring into
his face。
〃Who is it？ 〃 he asked。 〃I can't see you。〃
〃Utami。〃
〃And who the dickens is Utami？ Where did I ever meet you； my
man？〃
〃You no forget the Huahine？〃 Utami chided。 〃Last time Huahine
sail？〃
Tudor gripped the Tahitian's hand a second time and shook it with
genuine heartiness。
〃There was only one kanaka who came out of the Huahine that last
voyage； and that kanaka was Joe。 The deuce take it； man； I'm glad to see
you； though I never heard your new name before。〃
〃Yes； everybody speak me Joe along the Huahine。 Utami my name
all the time； just the same。〃
〃But what are you doing here？〃 Tudor asked； releasing the sailor's
hand and leaning eagerly forward。
〃Me sail along Missie Lackalanna her schooner Miele。 We go Tahiti；
Raiatea； Tahaa； Bora…Bora； Manua； Tutuila； Apia； Savaii； and Fiji Islands
plenty Fiji Islands。 Me stop along Missie Lackalanna in Solomons。
Very soon she catch other schooner。〃
〃He and I were the two survivors of the wreck of the Huahine；〃 Tudor
explained to the others。 〃Fifty…seven all told on board when we sailed
from Huapa； and Joe and I were the only two that ever set foot on land
again。 Hurricane； you know； in the Paumotus。 That was when I was
after pearls。〃
〃And you never told me； Utami； that you'd been wrecked in a
100
… Page 101…
ADVENTURE
hurricane；〃 Joan said reproachfully。
The big Tahitian shifted his weight and flashed his teeth in a
conciliating smile。
〃Me no t'ink nothing 't all；〃 he said。
He half…turned； as if to depart； by his manner indicating that he
considered it time to go while yet he desired to remain。
〃All right； Utami；〃 Tudor said。 〃I'll see you in the morning and have
a yarn。〃
〃He saved my life； the beggar；〃 Tudor explained； as the Tahitian strode
away and with heavy softness of foot went down the steps。 〃Swim！ I
never met a better swimmer。〃
And thereat； solicited by Joan； Tudor narrated the wreck of the
Huahine； while Sheldon smoked and pondered； and decided that whatever
the man's shortcomings were； he was at least not a liar。
101
… Page 102…
ADVENTURE
CHAPTER XVA DISCOURSE
ON MANNERS
The days passed； and Tudor seemed loath to leave the hospitality of
Berande。 Everything was ready for the start； but he lingered on；
spending much time in Joan's company and thereby increasing the dislike
Sheldon had taken to him。 He went swimming with her； in point of
rashness exceeding her； and dynamited fish with her； diving among the
hungry ground…sharks and contesting with them for possession of the
stunned prey； until he earned the approval of the whole Tahitian crew。
Arahu challenged him to tear a fish from a shark's jaws； leaving half to the
shark and bringing the other half himself to the surface； and Tudor
performed the feat； a flip from the sandpaper hide of the astonished shark
scraping several inches of skin from his shoulder。 And Joan was
delighted； while Sheldon； looking on； realized that here was the hero of
her adventure…dreams coming true。 She did not care for love； but he felt
that if ever she did love it would be that sort of a man〃a man who
exhibited；〃 was his way of putting it。
He felt himself handicapped in the presence of Tudor； who had the gift
of making a show of all his qualities。 Sheldon knew himself for a brave
man； wherefore he made no advertisement of the fact。 He knew that just as
readily as the other would he dive among ground…sharks to save a life； but
in that fact he could find no sanction for the foolhardy act of diving among
sharks for the half of a fish。 The difference between them was that he
kept the curtain of his shop window down。 Life pulsed steadily and deep
in him； and it was not his nature needlessly to agitate the surface so that
the world could see the splash he was making。 And the effect of the
other's amazing exhibitions was to make him retreat more deeply within
himself and wrap himself more thickly than ever in the nerveless； stoical
calm of his race。
〃You are so stupid the last few days；〃 Joan complained to him。 〃One
102
… Page 103…
ADVENTURE
would think you were sick； or bilious； or something。 You don't seem to
have an idea in your head above black labour and cocoanuts。 What is the
matter？〃
Sheldon smiled and beat a further retreat within himself； listening the
while to Joan and Tudor propounding the theory of the strong arm by
which the white man ordered life among the lesser breeds。 As he listened
Sheldon realized； as by revelation； that that was precisely what he was
doing。 While they philosophized about it he was living it； placing the
strong hand of his race firmly on the shoulders of the lesser breeds that
laboured on Berande or menaced it from afar。 But why talk about it？ he
asked himself。 It was sufficient to do it and be done with it。
He said as much； dryly and quietly； and found himself involved in a
discussion； with Joan and Tudor siding against him； in which a more
astounding charge than ever he had dreamed of was made against the very
English control and reserve of which he was secretly proud。
〃The Yankees talk a lot about what they do and have done；〃 Tudor said；
〃and are looked down upon by the English as braggarts。 But the Yankee
is only a child。 He does not know effectually how to brag。 He talks
about it； you see。 But the Englishman goes him one better by not talking
about it。 The Englishman's proverbial lack of bragging is a subtler form
of brag after all。 It is really clever； as you will agree。〃
〃I never thought of it before；〃 Joan cried。 〃Of course。 An
Englishman performs some terrifically heroic exploit； and is very modest
and reservedrefuses to talk about it at alland the effect is that by his
silence he as much as says； 'I do things like this every day。 It is as easy
as rolling off a log。 You ought to see the really heroic things I could do if
they ever came my way。 But this little thing； this little episodereally；
don't you know； I fail to see anything in it remarkable or unusual。' As for
me； if I went up in a powder explosion； or saved a hundred lives； I'd want
all my friends to hear about it； and their friends as well。 I'd be prouder
than Lucifer over the affair。 Confess； Mr。 Sheldon； don't you feel proud
down inside when you've done something daring or courageous？〃
Sheldon nodded。
〃Then；〃 she pressed home the point； 〃isn't disguising that pride under a
103
… Page 104…
ADVENTURE
mask of careless indifference equivalent to telling a lie？〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 he admitted。 〃But we tell similar lies every day。 It is a
matter of training； and the English are better trained； that is all。 Your
countrymen will be
