第 17 节
作者:曾氏六合网      更新:2024-07-12 09:34      字数:9321
  the bridge…building gang had started along the beach。               Satan was big and
  black; short…haired and muscular; and weighed fully seventy pounds。                   He
  did not love the blacks。       Tommy Jones had trained him well; tying him up
  daily for several hours and telling off one or two black boys at a time to
  tease him。     So Satan had it in for the whole black race; and the second
  after   he   landed   on   the   beach   the   bridge…building   gang   was   stampeding
  over the compound fence and swarming up the cocoanut palms。
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  〃Good   morning;〃   Sheldon   called   from   the   veranda。        〃And   what   do
  you think of the nigger…chaser?〃
  〃I'm thinking   we  have   a  task   before  us to   train   him  in   to the house…
  boys;〃 she called back。
  〃And to your Tahitians; too。         Look out; Noah!        Run for it!〃
  Satan; having satisfied himself that the tree…perches were unassailable;
  was charging straight for the big Tahitian。
  But Noah stood his ground; though somewhat irresolutely; and Satan;
  to every one's surprise; danced and frisked about him with laughing eyes
  and wagging tail。
  〃Now;  that   is   what   I   might   call   a   proper   dog;〃   was Joan's   comment。
  〃He     is  at  least  wiser  than   you;   Mr。   Sheldon。     He    didn't  require    any
  teaching to recognize the difference between a Tahitian and a black boy。
  What   do   you   think;   Noah?      Why   don't   he   bite   you?    He   savvee   you
  Tahitian eh?〃
  Noa Noah shook his head and grinned。
  〃He   no   savvee   me   Tahitian;〃   he    explained。     〃He   savvee   me     wear
  pants all the same white man。〃
  〃You'll    have   to  give   him    a  course    in  'Sartor  Resartus;'〃    Sheldon
  laughed; as he came down and began to make friends with Satan。
  It   chanced   just   then   that Adamu Adam   and   Matauare;   two   of   Joan's
  sailors;   entered   the   compound   from   the   far   side…gate。     They   had   been
  down   to   the   Balesuna   making   an   alligator   trap;   and;   instead   of   trousers;
  were clad in lava…lavas that flapped gracefully about their stalwart limbs。
  Satan saw them; and advertised his find by breaking away from Sheldon's
  hands and charging。
  〃No got pants;〃 Noah announced with a grin that broadened as Adamu
  Adam took to flight。
  He climbed up the platform that supported the galvanized iron tanks
  which held the water collected from the roof。               Foiled here; Satan turned
  and charged back on Matauare。
  〃Run; Matauare!        Run!〃 Joan called。
  But he held his ground and waited the dog。
  〃He is the Fearless Onethat is what his name means;〃 Joan explained
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  to Sheldon。
  The Tahitian watched Satan coolly; and when that sanguine…mouthed
  creature lifted into the air in the final leap; the man's hand shot out。                It
  was a fair grip on the lower jaw; and Satan described a half circle and was
  flung to the rear; turning over in the air and falling heavily on his back。
  Three times he leaped; and three times that grip on his jaw flung him to
  defeat。    Then     he   contented    himself   with   trotting   at  Matauare's    heels;
  eyeing him and sniffing him suspiciously。
  〃It's   all   right;   Satan;   it's   all   right;〃   Sheldon   assured   him。   〃That   good
  fella belong along me。〃
  But Satan dogged the Tahitian's movements for a full hour before he
  made up his mind that the man was an appurtenance of the place。 Then he
  turned    his  attention   to  the   three  house…boys;     cornering    Ornfiri   in  the
  kitchen and rushing him against the hot stove; stripping the lava…lava from
  Lalaperu when that excited youth climbed a veranda…post; and following
  Viaburi     on  top   the  billiard…   table;  where    the  battle   raged   until  Joan
  managed a rescue。
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  CHAPTER IXAS BETWEEN A
  MAN AND A WOMAN
  It  was    Satan's    inexhaustible     energy    and   good    spirits   that  most
  impressed them。        His teeth seemed perpetually to ache with desire; and in
  lieu of black legs he husked the cocoanuts that fell from the trees in the
  compound; kept the enclosure clear of intruding hens; and made a hostile
  acquaintance with every boss…boy who came to report。                 He was unable to
  forget   the   torment   of   his   puppyhood;   wherein   everlasting   hatred   of   the
  black had been woven into the fibres of consciousness; and such a terror
  did he make himself that Sheldon was forced to shut him up in the living
  room     when;    for   any   reason;    strange   natives    were   permitted     in  the
  compound。        This   always   hurt   Satan's   feelings   and   fanned   his   wrath;   so
  that   even   the   house…boys   had   to   watch   out   for   him   when   he   was   first
  released。
  Christian   Young   sailed   away   in   the   Minerva;   carrying   an   invitation
  (that would be delivered nobody knew when) to Tommy Jones to drop in
  at Berande the next time he was passing。
  〃What are your plans when you get to Sydney?〃 Sheldon asked; that
  night; at dinner。
  〃First I've heard that I'm going to Sydney;〃 Joan retorted。             〃I suppose
  you've   received   information;   by   bush…telegraph;   that   that   third   assistant
  understrapper   and   ex…sailorman   at   Tulagi   is   going   to   deport   me   as   an
  undesirable immigrant。〃
  〃Oh;    no;  nothing    of  the   sort;  I  assure  you;〃   Sheldon     began    with
  awkward haste;  fearful   of   having offended;   though   he  knew   not how。   〃I
  was just wondering; that was all。          You see; with the loss of the schooner
  and 。 。 and all the rest 。 。 。 you understand 。 。 I was thinking that ifaif
  hang it all; until you could communicate with your friends; my agents at
  Sydney could advance you a loan; temporary you see; why I'd be only too
  glad and all the rest; you know。        The proper〃
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  But     his   jaw   dropped      and    he   regarded     her   irritably   and    with
  apprehension。
  〃What   IS   the   matter?〃   he   demanded;   with   a   show   of   heat。     〃What
  HAVE I done now?〃
  Joan's   eyes   were   bright   with   battle;   the   curve   of   her   lips   sharp   with
  mockery。
  〃Certainly not the unexpected;〃 she said quietly。              〃Merely ignored me
  in   your    ordinary;    every…day;     man…god;      superior    fashion。    Naturally    it
  counted for nothing; my telling you that I had no idea of going to Sydney。
  Go   to   Sydney   I   must;   because   you;   in   your   superior   wisdom;   have   so
  decreed。〃
  She   paused   and   looked   at   him   curiously;   as   though   he   were   some
  strange breed of animal。
  〃Of course I am grateful for your offer of assistance; but even that is
  no salve to wounded pride。           For that matter; it is no more than one white
  man     should    expect    from    another。    Shipwrecked        mariners     are  always
  helped   along   their   way。     Only   this   particular   mariner   doesn't   need   any
  help。    Furthermore; this mariner is not going to Sydney; thank you。〃
  〃But what do you intend to do?〃
  〃Find some spot where I shall escape the indignity of being patronized
  and bossed by the superior sex。〃
  〃Come   now;   that   is   putting   it   a   bit   too   strongly。〃 Sheldon   laughed;
  but the strain in his voice destroyed the effect of spontaneity。               〃You know
  yourself how impossible the situation is。〃
  〃I know nothing of the sort; sir。         And if it is impossible; well; haven't
  I achieved it?〃
  〃But it cannot continue。        Really〃
  〃Oh;   yes;   it   can。 Having   achieved   it;   I   can   go   on   achieving   it。  I
  intend to remain in the Solomons; but not on Berande。                   To…morrow I am
  going     to  take   the  whale…boat     over   to  Pari…Sulay。     I   was   talking   with
  Captain Young   about   it。       He   says   there   are   at   least   four   hundred   acres;
  and every foot of it good for planting。             Being an island; he says I won't
  have to bother about wild pigs destroying the young trees。                 All I'll have to
  do is to keep the weeds hoed until the trees come into