adventure-第20章

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ande　sank　sharply　home　to　her。　　On　the　other　hand；　they　puzzled　her。　　They　were　neither　traders　nor　sailors　of　any　type　she　had　known。　　Nor　did　they　talk　like　gentlemen；　despite　the　fact　that　there　was　nothing　offensive　in　their　bearing　and　that　the　veneer　of　ordinary　social　nicety　was　theirs。　　Undoubtedly；　they　were　men　of　affairs　business　men　of　a　sort；　but　what　affairs　should　they　have　in　the　Solomons；　and　what　business　on　Berande？　　The　elder　one；　Morgan；　was　a　huge　man；　bronzed　and　moustached；　with　a　deep　bass　voice　and　an　almost　guttural　speech；　and　the　other；　Raff；　was　slight　and　effeminate；　with　nervous　hands　and　watery；　washed…out　gray　eyes；　who　spoke　with　a　faint　indefinable　accent　that　was　hauntingly　reminiscent　of　the　Cockney；　and　that　was　yet　not　Cockney　of　any　brand　she　had　ever　encountered。　　Whatever　they　were；　they　were　self…made　men；　she　concluded；　and　she　felt　the　impulse　to　shudder　at　thought　of　falling　into　their　hands　in　a　business　way。　　There；　they　would　be　merciless。

She　watched　Sheldon　closely　when　he　arrived；　and　divined　that　he　was　not　particularly　delighted　to　see　them。　　But　see　them　he　must；　and　so　pressing　was　the　need　that；　after　a　little　perfunctory　general　conversation；　he　led　the　two　men　into　the　stuffy　office。　Later　in　the　afternoon；　she　asked　Lalaperu　where　they　had　gone。

〃My　word；〃　quoth　Lalaperu；　〃plenty　walk　about；　plenty　look　'm。　Look　'm　tree；　look　'm　ground　belong　tree；　look　'm　all　fella　bridge；　look　'm　copra…house；　look　'm　grass…land；　look　'm　river；　look　'm　whale…boatmy　word；　plenty　big　fella　look　'm　too　much。〃

〃What　fella　man　them　two　fella？〃　she　queried。

〃Big　fella　marster　along　white　man；〃　was　the　extent　of　his　description。

But　Joan　decided　that　they　were　men　of　importance　in　the　Solomons；　and　that　their　examination　of　the　plantation　and　of　its　accounts　was　of　sinister　significance。

At　dinner　no　word　was　dropped　that　gave　a　hint　of　their　errand。　The　conversation　was　on　general　topics；　but　Joan　could　not　help　noticing　the　troubled；　absent　expression　that　occasionally　came　into　Sheldon's　eyes。　　After　coffee；　she　left　them；　and　at　midnight；　from　across　the　compound；　she　could　hear　the　low　murmur　of　their　voices　and　see　glowing　the　fiery　ends　of　their　cigars。　　Up　early　herself；　she　found　they　had　already　departed　on　another　tramp　over　the　plantation。

〃What　you　think？〃　she　asked　Viaburi。

〃Sheldon　marster　he　go　along　finish　short　time　little　bit；〃　was　the　answer。

〃What　you　think？〃　she　asked　Ornfiri。

〃Sheldon　marster　big　fella　walk　about　along　Sydney。　　Yes；　me　t'ink　so。　　He　finish　along　Berande。〃

All　day　the　examination　of　the　plantation　and　the　discussion　went　on；　and　all　day　the　skipper　of　the　Malakula　sent　urgent　messages　ashore　for　the　two　men　to　hasten。　　It　was　not　until　sunset　that　they　went　down　to　the　boat；　and　even　then　a　final　talk　of　nearly　an　hour　took　place　on　the　beach。　　Sheldon　was　combating　something　that　she　could　plainly　see；　and　that　his　two　visitors　were　not　giving　in　she　could　also　plainly　see。

〃What　name？〃　she　asked　lightly；　when　Sheldon　sat　down　to　dinner。

He　looked　at　her　and　smiled；　but　it　was　a　very　wan　and　wistful　smile。

〃My　word；〃　she　went　on。　　〃One　big　fella　talk。　　Sun　he　go　down　talk…talk；　sun　he　come　uptalk…talk；　all　the　time　talk…talk。　　What　name　that　fella　talk…talk？

〃Oh；　nothing　much。〃　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃They　were　trying　to　buy　Berande；　that　was　all。〃

She　looked　at　him　challengingly。

〃It　must　have　been　more　than　that。　　It　was　you　who　wanted　to　sell。〃

〃Indeed；　no；　Miss　Lackland；　I　assure　you　that　I　am　far　from　desiring　to　sell。〃

〃Don't　let　us　fence　about　it；〃　she　urged。　　〃Let　it　be　straight　talk　between　us。　　You're　in　trouble。　　I'm　not　a　fool。　　Tell　me。　Besides；　I　may　be　able　to　help；　toto　suggest　something。〃

In　the　pause　that　followed；　he　seemed　to　debate；　not　so　much　whether　he　would　tell　her；　as　how　to　begin　to　tell　her。

〃I'm　American；　you　see；〃　she　persisted；　〃and　our　American　heritage　is　a　large　parcel　of　business　sense。　　I　don't　like　it　myself；　but　I　know　I've　got　itat　least　more　than　you　have。　　Let　us　talk　it　over　and　find　a　way　out。　　How　much　do　you　owe？〃

〃A　thousand　pounds；　and　a　few　trifles　oversmall　bills；　you　know。　Then；　too；　thirty　of　the　boys　finish　their　time　next　week；　and　their　balances　will　average　ten　pounds　each。　　But　what　is　the　need　of　bothering　your　head　with　it？　　Really；　you　know〃

〃What　is　Berande　worth？right　now？〃

〃Whatever　Morgan　and　Raff　are　willing　to　pay　for　it。〃　　A　glance　at　her　hurt　expression　decided　him。　　〃Hughie　and　I　have　sunk　eight　thousand　pounds　in　it；　and　our　time。　　It　is　a　good　property；　and　worth　more　than　that。　　But　it　has　three　years　to　run　before　its　returns　begin　to　come　in。　　That　is　why　Hughie　and　I　engaged　in　trading　and　recruiting。　　The　Jessie　and　our　stations　came　very　near　to　paying　the　running　expenses　of　Berande。〃

〃And　Morgan　and　Raff　offered　you　what？〃

〃A　thousand　pounds　clear；　after　paying　all　bills。〃

〃The　thieves！〃　she　cried。

〃No；　they're　good　business　men；　that　is　all。　　As　they　told　me；　a　thing　is　worth　no　more　than　one　is　willing　to　pay　or　to　receive。〃

〃And　how　much　do　you　need　to　carry　on　Berande　for　three　years？〃　Joan　hurried　on。

〃Two　hundred　boys　at　six　pounds　a　year　means　thirty…six　hundred　poundsthat's　the　main　item。〃

〃My；　how　cheap　labour　does　mount　up！　　Thirty…six　hundred　pounds；　eighteen　thousand　dollars；　just　for　a　lot　of　cannibals！　　Yet　the　place　is　good　security。　　You　could　go　down　to　Sydney　and　raise　the　money。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃You　can't　get　them　to　look　at　plantations　down　there。　　They've　been　taken　in　too　often。　　But　I　do　hate　to　give　the　place　upmore　for　Hughie's　sake；　I　swear；　than　my　own。　　He　was　bound　up　in　it。　You　see；　he　was　a　persistent　chap；　and　hated　to　acknowledge　defeat。　Itit　makes　me　uncomfortable　to　think　of　it　myself。　　We　were　running　slowly　behind；　but　with　the　Jessie　we　hoped　to　muddle　through　in　some　fashion。〃

〃You　were　muddlers；　the　pair　of　you；　without　doubt。　　But　you　needn't　sell　to　Morgan　and　Raff。　　I　shall　go　down　to　Sydney　on　the　next　steamer；　and　I'll　come　back　in　a　second…hand　schooner。　　I　should　be　able　to　buy　one　for　five　or　six　thousand　dollars〃

He　held　up　his　hand　in　protest；　but　she　waved　it　aside。

〃I　may　manage　to　freight　a　cargo　back　as　well。　　At　any　rate；　the　schooner　will　take　over　the　Jessie's　business。　　You　can　make　your　arrangements　accordingly；　and　have　plenty　of　work　for　her　when　I　get　back。　　I'm　going　to　become　a　partner　in　Berande　to　the　extent　of　my　bag　of　sovereignsI've　got　over　fifteen　hundred　of　them；　you　know。　　We'll　draw　up　an　agreement　right　nowthat　is；　with　your　permission；　and　I　know　you　won't　refuse　it。〃

He　looked　at　her　with　good…natured　amusement。

〃You　know　I　sailed　here　all　the　way　from　Tahiti　in　order　to　become　a　planter；〃　she　insisted。　　〃You　know　what　my　plans　were。　　Now　I've　changed　them；　that's　all。　　I'd　rather　be　a　part　owner　of　Berande　and　get　my　returns　in　three　years；　than　break　ground　on　Pari…Sulay　and　wait　seven　years。〃

〃And　thiserthis　schooner。　。　。　。　〃　　Sheldon　changed　his　mind　and　stopped。

〃Yes；　go　on。〃

〃You　won't　be　angry？〃　he　queried。

〃No；　no；　this　is　business。　　Go　on。〃

〃Youeryou　would　run　her　yourself？be　the　captain；　in　short？　and　go　recruiting　on　Malaita？〃

〃Certainly。　　We　would　save　the　cost　of　a　skipper。　　Under　an　agreement　you　would　be　credited　with　a　manager's　salary；　and　I　with　a　captain's。　　It's　quite　simple。　　Besides；　if　you　won't　let　me　be　your　partner；　I　shall　buy　Pari…Sulay；　get　a　much　smaller　vessel；　and　run　her　myself。　　So　what　is　the　difference？〃

〃The　difference？why；　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　　In　the　case　of　Pari…Sulay　you　would　be　on　an　independent　venture。　　You　could　turn　cannibal　for　all　I　could　interfere　in　the　matter。　　But　on　Berande；　you　would　be　my　partner；　and　then　I　would　be　responsible。　　And　of　course　I　couldn't　permit　you；　as　my　partner；　to　be　skipper　of　a　recruiter。　　I　tell　you；　the　thing　is　what　I　would　not　permit　any　sister　or　wife　of　mine〃

〃But　I'm　not　going　to　be　your　wife；　thank　goodnessonly　your　partner。〃

〃Besides；　it's　all　ridiculous；〃　he　held　on　steadily。　　〃Think　of　the　situation。　　A　man　and　a　woman；　both　young；　partners　on　an　isolated　p