第46章
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  Buthewasrefused;theyouthroguishlytellinghim,thattheweaponwasverygoodforhimtheTypee,butthatawhitemancouldfightmuchbetterwithhisfists。

  Themerryhumourofthisyoungwagseemedtobesharedbytherest,forinspiteoftheirwarlikecriesandgestures,everybodywascaperingaboutandlaughing,asifitwasoneofthefunniestthingsintheworldtobeawaitingtheflightofascoreortwoofHapparjavelinsfromanambushinthethickets。

  Whilemycomradewasinvaintryingtomakeoutthemeaningofallthis,agoodnumberofthenativesseparatedthemselvesfromtherestandranoffintothegroveononeside,theothersnowkeepingperfectlystill,asifawaitingtheresult。Afteralittlewhile,however,Mow-Mow,whostoodinadvance,motionedthemtocomeonstealthily,whichtheydid,scarcelyrustlingaleaf。Thustheycreptalongfortenorfifteenminutes,everynowandthenpausingtolisten。

  Tobybynomeansrelishedthissortofskulking;iftherewasgoingtobeafighthewantedittobeginatonce。Butallingoodtime,-forjustthen,astheywentprowlingintothethickestofthewood,terrifichowlsburstuponthemonallsides,andvolleysofdartsandstonesflewacrossthepath。Notanenemywastobeseen,andwhatwasstillmoresurprising,notasinglemandropped,thoughthepebblesfellamongtheleaveslikehail。

  Therewasamoment’spause,whentheTypees,withwildshrieks,flungthemselvesintothecovert,spearinhand;norwasTobybehindhand。Comingsoneargettinghisskullbrokenbythestones,andanimatedbyanoldgrudgeheboretheHappars,hewasamongthefirsttodashatthem。Ashebrokehiswaythroughtheunderbrush,trying,ashedidso,towrestaspearfromayoungchief,theshoutsofbattleallofasuddenceased,andthewoodwasasstillasdeath。Thenextmoment,thepartywhohadleftthemsomysteriouslyrushedoutfrombehindeverybushandtree,andunitedwiththerestinlongandmerrypealsoflaughter。

  Itwasallasham,andToby,whowasquiteoutofbreathwithexcitement,wasmuchincensedatbeingmadeafoolof。

  Itafterwardsturnedoutthatthewholeaffairhadbeenconcertedforhisparticularbenefit,thoughwithwhatpreciseviewitwouldbehardtotell。Mycomradewasthemoreenragedatthisboys’

  play,sinceithadconsumedsomuchtime,everymomentofwhichmightbeprecious。Perhaps,however,itwaspartlyintendedforthisverypurpose;andhewasledtothinkso,because,whenthenativesstartedagain,heobservedthattheydidnotseemtobeinsogreatahurryasbefore。Atlast,aftertheyhadgonesomedistance,Toby,thinkingallthewhilethattheyneverwouldgettothesea,twomencamerunningtowardsthem,andaregularhaltensued,followedbyanoisydiscussion,duringwhichToby’snamewasoftenrepeated。Allthismadehimmoreandmoreanxioustolearnwhatwasgoingonatthebeach;butitwasinvainthathenowtriedtopushforward;thenativesheldhimback。

  Inafewmomentstheconferenceended,andmanyofthemrandownthepathinthedirectionofthewater,therestsurroundingToby,andentreatinghimto“Moee,“orsitdownandresthimself。Asanadditionalinducement,severalcalabashesoffood,whichhadbeenbroughtalong,werenowplacedontheground,andopened,andpipesalsowerelighted。Tobybridledhisimpatienceawhile,butatlastsprangtohisfeetanddashedforwardagain。Hewassoonovertakennevertheless,andagainsurrounded,butwithoutfurtherdetentionwasthenpermittedtogodowntothesea。

  Theycameoutuponabrightgreenspacebetweenthegrovesandthewater,andcloseundertheshadowoftheHapparmountain,whereapathwasseen,windingoutofsightthroughagorge。

  Nosignofaboat,however,wasbeheld;nothingbutatumultuouscrowdofmenandwomen,andsomeoneintheirmidst,earnestlytalkingtothem。Asmycomradeadvanced,thispersoncameforward,andprovedtobenostranger。Hewasanoldgrizzledsailor,whomTobyandmyselfhadfrequentlyseeninNukuheva,wherehelivedaneasy,devil-may-carelife,inthehouseholdofMowannatheking,goingbythenameof“Jimmy。“Infact,hewastheroyalfavourite,andhadagooddealtosayinhismaster’scouncils。HeworeaManillahat,andasortoftappamorninggown,sufficientlylooseandnegligenttoshowtheverseofasongtattooeduponhischest,andavarietyofspiritedcutsbynativeartistsinotherpartsofhisbody。Hesportedafishing-rodinhishand,andcarriedasootyoldpipeslungabouthisneck。

  Thisoldroverhavingretiredfromactivelife,hadresidedinNukuhevasometime-hecouldspeakthelanguage,andforthatreasonwasfrequentlyemployedbytheFrenchasaninterpreter。Hewasanarrantoldgossip,too;forevercomingoffinhiscanoetotheshipsinthebay,andregalingtheircrewswithchoicelittlemorselsofcourtscandal-such,forinstance,asashamefulintrigueofhismajestywithaHappardamsel,apublicdanceratthefeasts-

  andotherwiserelatingsomeincredibletalesabouttheMarquesasgenerally。Iremember,inparticular,histellingtheDolly’screwwhatprovedtobeliterallyacock-and-bullstory,abouttwonaturalprodigies,whichhesaidwerethenontheisland。Onewasanoldmonsterofahermit,havingamarvellousreputationforsanctity,andreputedafamoussorcerer,wholivedawayoffinadenamongthemountains,wherehehidfromtheworldagreatpairofhornsthatgrewoutofhistemples。Notwithstandinghisreputationforpiety,thishorridoldfellowwastheterrorofalltheislandround,beingreportedtocomeoutfromhisretreat,andgoaman-huntingeverydarknight。SomeanonymousPaulPry,too,comingdownthemountain,oncegotapeepathisden,andfounditfullofbones。Inshort,hewasamostunheard-ofmonster。

  TheotherprodigyJimmytoldusabout,wastheyoungersonofachief,who,althoughbutjustturnedoften,hadentereduponholyorders,becausehissuperstitiouscountrymenthoughthimespeciallyintendedforthepriesthood,fromthefactofhishavingacombonhisheadlikearooster。Butthiswasnotall:for,stillmorewonderfultorelate,theboypridedhimselfuponthisstrangecrest,beingactuallyendowedwithacock’svoice,andfrequentlycrowingoverhispeculiarity。

  ButtoreturntoToby。Themomenthesawtheoldroveronthebeach,heranuptohim,thenativesfollowingafter,andformingacircleroundthem。

  Afterwelcominghimtotheshore,Jimmywentontotellhimhowthatheknewallaboutourhavingrunawayfromtheship,andbeingamongtheTypees;indeed,hehadbeenurgedbyMowannatocomeovertothevalley,and,aftervisitinghisfriendsthere,tobringusbackwithhim,hisroyalmasterbeingexceedinglyanxioustosharewithhimtherewardwhichhadbeenheldoutforourcapture。He,however,assuredTobythathehadindignantlyspurnedtheoffer。

  Allthisastonishedmycomradenotalittle,asneitherofushadentertainedtheleastideathatanywhitemanevervisitedtheTypeessociably。ButJimmytoldhimthatsuchwasthecase,nevertheless,althoughheseldomcameintothebay,andscarcelyeverwentbackfromthebeach。Oneofthepriestsofthevalley,insomewayorotherconnectedwithanoldtattooeddivineinNukuheva,wasafriendofhis,andthroughhimhewas“taboo。“

  Hesaid,moreover,thathewassometimesemployedtocomeroundtothebay,andengagefruitforshipslyinginNukuheva。Infact,hewasnowonthatveryerrand,accordingtohisownaccount,havingjustcomeacrossthemountainsbythewayofHappar。Bynoonofthenextday,thefruitwouldbeheapedupinstacksonthebeach,inreadinessfortheboats,whichhethenintendedtobringintothebay。

  JimmynowaskedTobywhetherhewishedtoleavetheisland-ifhedid,therewasashipinwantofmen,lyingintheotherharbour,andhewouldbegladtotakehimover,andseehimonboardthatveryday。

  “No,“saidToby;“Icannotleavetheisland,unlessmycomradegoeswithme。Ilefthimupthevalleybecausetheywouldnotlethimcomedown。Letusgonowandfetchhim。“

  “Buthowishetocrossthemountainwithus,“repliedJimmy,“evenifwegethimdowntothebeach?Betterlethimstaytillto-morrow,andIwillbringhimroundtoNukuhevaintheboats。“

  “Thatwillneverdo,“saidToby;“butcomealongwithmenow,andletusgethimdownhereatanyrate“;andyieldingtotheimpulseofthemoment,hestartedtohurrybackintothevalley。Buthardlywashisbackturned,whenadozenhandswerelaidonhim,andhelearnedthathecouldnotgoastepfarther。

  Itwasinvainthathefoughtwiththem;theywouldnothearofhisstirringfromthebeach。Cuttotheheartatthisunexpectedrepulse,Tobynowconjuredthesailortogoaftermealone。ButJimmyreplied,thatinthemoodtheTypeesthenwere,theywouldnotpermithimsotodo,though,atthesametime,hewasnotafraidoftheirofferinghimanyharm。

  LittledidTobythenthink,asheafterwardshadgoodreasontosuspect,thatthisveryJimmywasaheartlessvillain,who,byhisarts,hadjustincitedthenativestorestrainhim,ashewasintheactofgoingafterme。Wellmusttheoldsailorhaveknown,too,thatthenativeswouldneverconsenttoourleavingtogether;andhethereforewantedtogetTobyoffalone,forapurposewhichheafterwardsmadeplain。Ofallthis,however,mycomradenowknewnothing。

  Hewasstillstrugglingwiththeislanders,whenJimmyagaincameuptohim,andwarnedhimagainstirritatingthem,sayingthathewasonlymakingmattersworseforbothofus,andiftheybecameenraged,therewasnotellingwhatmighthappen。AtlasthemadeTobysitdownonabrokencanoe,byapileofstones,uponwhichwasaruinouslittleshrine,supportedbyfouruprightpaddles,andinfrontpartlyscreenedbyanet。Thefishingpartiesmetthere,whentheycameinfromthesea,fortheirofferingswerelaidbeforeanimage,uponasmoothblackstonewithin。Thisspot,Jimmysaid,wasstrictly“taboo,“andnoonewouldmolestorcomenearhimwhilehestayedbyitsshadow。Theoldsailorthenwentoff,andbeganspeakingveryearnestlytoMow-Mowandsomeotherchiefs,whilealltherestformedacircleroundthetabooplace,lookingintentlyatToby,andtalkingtoeachotherwithoutceasing。

  Now,notwithstandingwhatJimmyhadjusttoldhim,therepresentlycameuptomycomradeanoldwoman,whoseatedherselfbesidehimonthecanoe。

  “TypeeMortarkee?“saidshe。“Mortarkeemuee,“saidToby。

  ShethenaskedhimwhetherhewasgoingtoNukuheva;henoddedyes;andwithaplaintivewail,andhereyesfillingwithtears,sheroseandlefthim。

  Thisoldwoman,thesailorafterwardssaid,wasthewifeofanagedkingofasmallinlandvalley,communicatingbyadeeppasswiththecountryoftheTypees。Theinmatesofthetwovalleyswererelatedtoeachotherbyblood,andwereknownbythesamename。TheoldwomanhadgonedownintotheTypeevalleythedaybefore,andwasnow,withthreechiefs,hersons,onavisittoherkinsmen。

  Astheoldking’swifelefthim,JimmyagaincameuptoToby,andtoldhimthathehadjusttalkedthewholematteroverwiththenatives,andtherewasonlyonecourseforhimtofollow。Theywouldnotallowhimtogobackintothevalley,andharmwouldcertainlycometobothhimandme,ifheremainedmuchlongeronthebeach。

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