adventure(冒险)-第43节
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come across from the house on foot； was leaning against her horse's
shoulder。
〃Yes； it is along time for no news to have trickled down；〃 he answered；
watching her keenly from under his hat…brim and wondering as to the
measure of her anxiety for the adventurous gold…hunter； 〃but Tudor will
come out all right。 He did a thing at the start that I wouldn't have given
him or any other man credit for persuaded Binu Charley to go along with
him。 I'll wager no other Binu nigger has ever gone so far into the bush
unless to be kai… kai'd。 As for Tudor〃
〃Look！ look！〃 Joan cried in a low voice； pointing across the narrow
stream to a slack eddy where a huge crocodile drifted like a log awash。
〃My！ I wish I had my rifle。〃
The crocodile； leaving scarcely a ripple behind； sank down and
disappeared。
〃A Binu man was in early this morningfor medicine；〃 Sheldon
remarked。 〃It may have been that very brute that was responsible。 A
dozen of the Binu women were out； and the foremost one stepped right on
a big crocodile。 It was by the edge of the water； and he tumbled her over
and got her by the leg。 All the other women got hold of her and pulled。
And in the tug of war she lost her leg； below the knee； he said。 I gave
him a stock of antiseptics。 She'll pull through； I fancy。〃
〃Ughthe filthy beasts；〃 Joan gulped shudderingly。 〃I hate them！ I
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hate them！〃
〃And yet you go diving among sharks；〃 Sheldon chided。
〃They're only fish…sharks。 And as long as there are plenty of fish
there is no danger。 It is only when they're famished that they're liable to
take a bite。〃
Sheldon shuddered inwardly at the swift vision that arose of the dainty
flesh of her in a shark's many…toothed maw。
〃I wish you wouldn't； just the same；〃 he said slowly。 〃You
acknowledge there is a risk。〃
〃But that's half the fun of it；〃 she cried。
A trite platitude about his not caring to lose her was on his lips； but he
refrained from uttering it。 Another conclusion he had arrived at was that
she was not to be nagged。 Continual； or even occasional； reminders of
his feeling for her would constitute a tactical error of no mean dimensions。
〃Some for the book of verse； some for the simple life； and some for the
shark's belly；〃 he laughed grimly； then added： 〃Just the same； I wish I
could swim as well as you。 Maybe it would beget confidence such as
you have。〃
〃Do you know； I think it would be nice to be married to a man such as
you seem to be becoming；〃 she remarked； with one of her abrupt changes
that always astounded him。 〃I should think you could be trained into a
very good husbandyou know； not one of the domineering kind； but one
who considered his wife was just as much an individual as himself and
just as much a free agent。 Really； you know； I think you are improving。〃
She laughed and rode away； leaving him greatly cast down。 If he had
thought there had been one bit of coyness in her words； one feminine
flutter； one womanly attempt at deliberate lure and encouragement； he
would have been elated。 But he knew absolutely that it was the boy； and
not the woman； who had so daringly spoken。
Joan rode on among the avenues of young cocoanut…palms； saw a
hornbill； followed it in its erratic flights to the high forest on the edge of
the plantation； heard the cooing of wild pigeons and located them in the
deeper woods； followed the fresh trail of a wild pig for a distance； circled
back； and took the narrow path for the bungalow that ran through twenty
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acres of uncleared cane。 The grass was waist…high and higher； and as she
rode along she remembered that Gogoomy was one of a gang of boys that
had been detailed to the grass…cutting。 She came to where they had been
at work； but saw no signs of them。 Her unshod horse made no sound on
the soft； sandy footing； and a little further on she heard voices proceeding
from out of the grass。 She reined in and listened。 It was Gogoomy
talking； and as she listened she gripped her bridle… rein tightly and a wave
of anger passed over her。
〃Dog he stop 'm along house； night…time he walk about；〃 Gogoomy
was saying； perforce in beche…de…mer English； because he was talking to
others beside his own tribesmen。 〃You fella boy catch 'm one fella pig；
put 'm kai…kai belong him along big fella fish…hook。 S'pose dog he walk
about catch 'm kai…kai； you fella boy catch 'm dog allee same one shark。
Dog he finish close up。 Big fella marster sleep along big fella house。
White Mary sleep along pickaninny house。 One fella Adamu he stop
along outside pickaninny house。 You fella boy finish 'm dog； finish 'm
Adamu； finish 'm big fella marster； finish 'm White Mary； finish 'em
altogether。 Plenty musket he stop； plenty powder； plenty tomahawk；
plenty knife…fee； plenty porpoise teeth； plenty tobacco； plenty calicomy
word； too much plenty everything we take 'm along whale…boat； washee ｛5｝
like hell； sun he come up we long way too much。〃
〃Me catch 'm pig sun he go down；〃 spoke up one whose thin falsetto
voice Joan recognized as belonging to Cosse； one of Gogoomy's
tribesmen。
〃Me catch 'm dog；〃 said another。
〃And me catch 'm white fella Mary；〃 Gogoomy cried triumphantly。
〃Me catch 'm Kwaque he die along him damn quick。〃
This much Joan heard of the plan to murder； and then her rising wrath
proved too much for her discretion。 She spurred her horse into the grass；
crying； …
〃What name you fella boy； eh？ What name？〃
They arose； scrambling and scattering； and to her surprise she saw
there were a dozen of them。 As she looked in their glowering faces and
noted the heavy； two…foot； hacking cane…knives in their hands； she became
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suddenly aware of the rashness of her act。 If only she had had her
revolver or a rifle； all would have been well。 But she had carelessly
ventured out unarmed； and she followed the glance of Gogoomy to her
waist and saw the pleased flash in his eyes as he perceived the absence of
the dreadful man…killing revolver。
The first article in the Solomon Islands code for white men was never
to show fear before a native； and Joan tried to carry off the situation in
cavalier fashion。
〃Too much talk along you fella boy；〃 she said severely。 〃Too much
talk； too little work。 Savvee？〃
Gogoomy made no reply； but； apparently shifting weight； he slid one
foot forward。 The other boys； spread fan…wise about her； were also
sliding forward； the cruel cane…knives in their hands advertising their
intention。
〃You cut 'm grass！〃 she commanded imperatively。
But Gogoomy slid his other foot forward。 She measured the distance
with her eye。 It would be impossible to whirl her horse around and get
away。 She would be chopped down from behind。
And in that tense moment the faces of all of them were imprinted on
her mind in an unforgettable pictureone of them； an old man； with torn
and distended ear…lobes that fell to his chest； another； with the broad
flattened nose of Africa； and with withered eyes so buried under frowning
brows that nothing but the sickly； yellowish… looking whites could be seen；
a third； thick…lipped and bearded with kinky whiskers； and Gogoomyshe
had never realized before how handsome Gogoomy was in his mutinous
and obstinate wild…animal way。 There was a primitive aristocraticness
about him that his fellows lacked。 The lines of his figure were more
rounded than theirs； the skin smooth； well oiled； and free from disease。
On his
