adventure(冒险)-第53节
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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。
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〃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
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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 some orders？〃
〃Not at all；〃 Tudor acquiesced； the pink of courtesy now that his wish
had been granted。
Sheldon clapped his hands； and the running house…boy hurried away to
bring back Adamu Adam and Noa Noah。
〃Listen；〃 Sheldon said to them。 〃This man and me； we have one big
fight to…day。 Maybe he die。 Maybe I die。 If he die； all right。 If I die；
you two look after Missie Lackalanna。 You take rifles； and you look after
her daytime and night…time。 If she want to talk with Mr。 Tudor； all right。
If she not want to talk； you make him keep away。 Savvee？〃
They grunted and nodded。 They had had much to do with white men；
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and had learned never to question the strange ways of the strange breed。
If these two saw fit to go out and kill each other； that was their business
and not the business of the islanders； who took orders from them。 They
stepped to the gun…rack； and each picked a rifle。
〃Better all Tahitian men have rifles；〃 suggested Adamu Adam。 〃Maybe
big trouble come。〃
〃All right； you take them；〃 Sheldon answered； busy with issuing the
ammunition。
They went to the door and down the steps； carrying the eight rifles to
their quarters。 Tudor； with cartridge…belts for rifle and pistol strapped
around him； rifle in hand； stood impatiently waiting。
〃Come on； hurry up； we're burning daylight；〃 he urged； as Sheldon
searched after extra clips for his automatic pistol。
Together they passed down the steps and out of the compound to the
beach； where they turned their backs to each other； and each proceeded
toward his destination； their rifles in the hollows of their arms； Tudor
walking toward the Berande and Sheldon toward the Balesuna。
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CHAPTER XXVIIMODERN
DUELLING
Barely had Sheldon reached the Balesuna； when he
