POURQUOI，ELLEESTTRESJOLIE，ELLEVACOMMECA，’andstickinghisumbrellauprightintheroad，hesketchedthestepsandgestures。
Allhiscriticismsofthepresent，allhisregretsforthepast，struckmeastemperateandsensible。TheshorttermofofficeoftheResidenthethoughtthechiefdefectoftheadministration；
thatofficerhavingscarcebeguntobeefficienterehewasrecalled。IthoughtIgathered，too，thatheregardedwithsomefearthecomingchangefromanavaltoacivilgovernor。IamsureatleastthatIregarditsomyself；forthecivilservantsofFrancehaveneverappearedtoanyforeignerasatallthefloweroftheircountry，whilehernavalofficersmaychallengecompetitionwiththeworld。Inallhistalk，Stanislaowasparticulartospeakofhisowncountryasalandofsavages；andwhenhestatedanopinionofhisown，itwaswithsomeapologeticpreface，allegingthathewas’asavagewhohadtravelled。’Therewasadeal，inthiselaboratemodesty，ofhonestpride。Yettherewassomethingintheprecautionthatsaddenedme；andIcouldnotbutfearhewasonlyforestallingatauntthathehadheardtoooften。
IrecallwithinteresttwointerviewswithStanislao。Thefirstwasacertainafternoonoftropicrain，whichwepassedtogetherintheverandahoftheclub；talkingattimeswithheightenedvoicesastheshowersredoubledoverhead，passingattimesintothebilliard-room，toconsult，inthedim，cloudydaylight，thatmapoftheworldwhichformsitschiefadornment。HewasnaturallyignorantofEnglishhistory，sothatIhadmuchofnewstocommunicate。ThestoryofGordonItoldhiminfull，andmanyepisodesoftheIndianMutiny，Lucknow，thesecondbattleofCawn-
pore，thereliefofArrah，thedeathofpoorSpottis-woode，andSirHughRose’shotspur，midlandcampaign。Hewasintenttohear；hisbrownface，stronglymarkedwithsmall-pox，kindledandchangedwitheachvicissitude。Hiseyesglowedwiththereflectedlightofbattle；hisquestionsweremanyandintelligent，anditwaschieflythesethatsentussooftentothemap。ButitisofourpartingthatIkeepthestrongestsense。Weweretosailonthemorrow，andthenighthadfallen，dark，gusty，andrainy，whenwestumbledupthehilltobidfarewelltoStanislao。Hehadalreadyloadeduswithgifts；butmorewerewaiting。Wesataboutthetableovercigarsandgreencocoa-nuts；clapsofwindblewthroughthehouseandextinguishedthelamp，whichwasalwaysinstantlyrelightedwithasinglematch；andtheserecurrentintervalsofdarknesswerefeltasarelief。Fortherewassomethingpainfulandembarrassinginthekindnessofthatseparation。’AH，VOUSDEVRIEZRESTERICI，MONCHERAMI！’criedStanislao。’VOUSETESLESGENSQU’ILFAUT
POURLESKANAQUES；VOUSETESDOUX，VOUSETVOTREFAMILLE；VOUS
SERIEZOBEISDANSTOUTESLESILES。’Wehadbeencivil；notalwaysthat，myconsciencetoldme，andneveranythingbeyond；andallthisto-doisameasure，notofourconsiderateness，butofthewantofitinothers。Therestoftheevening，ontoVaekehu’sandbackasfarastothepier，Stanislaowalkedwithmyarmandshelteredmewithhisumbrella；andaftertheboathadputoff，wecouldstilldistinguish，inthemurkydarkness，hisgesturesoffarewell。Hiswords，iftherewereany，weredrownedbytherainandtheloudsurf。
Ihavementionedpresents，avexedquestionintheSouthSeas；andonewhichwellillustratesthecommon，ignoranthabitofregardingracesinalump。InmanyquartersthePolynesiangivesonlytoreceive。Ihavevisitedislandswherethepopulationmobbedmeforalltheworldlikedogsafterthewaggonofcat’s-meat；andwherethefrequentproposition，’Youmyplenifriend，’orwithmoreofpathos’Youall’esamemyfather，’mustbereceivedwithheartylaughterandashout。Andperhapseverywhere，amongthegreedyandrapacious，agiftisregardedasasprattocatchawhale。Itisthehabittogivegiftsandtoreceivereturns，andsuchcharacters，complyingwiththecustom，willlooktoitnearlythattheydonotlose。Butforpersonsofadifferentstampthestatementmustbereversed。TheshabbyPolynesianisanxioustillhehasreceivedthereturngift；thegenerousisuneasyuntilhehasmadeit。Thefirstisdisappointedifyouhavenotgivenmorethanhe；thesecondismiserableifhethinkshehasgivenlessthanyou。Thisismyexperience；ifitclashwiththatofothers，Ipitytheirfortune，andpraisemine：thecircumstancescannotchangewhatIhaveseen，norlessenwhatIhavereceived。AndindeedIfindthatthosewhoopposemeoftenarguefromagroundofsingularpresumptions；comparingPolynesianswithanidealperson，compactofgenerosityandgratitude，whomIneverhadthepleasureofencountering；andforgettingthatwhatisalmostpovertytousiswealthalmostunthinkabletothem。Iwillgiveoneinstance：I
chancedtospeakwithconsiderationofthesegiftsofStanislao’swithacertaincleverman，agreathaterandcontemnerofKanakas。
’Well！whatwerethey?’hecried。’Apackofoldmen’sbeards。
Trash！’Andthesamegentleman，somehalfanhourlater，beinguponadifferenttrainofthought，dweltatlengthontheesteeminwhichtheMarquesansheldthatsortofproperty，howtheypreferredittoallothersexceptland，andwhatfancypricesitwouldfetch。
Usinghisownfigures，Icomputedthat，inthiscommodityalone，thegiftsofVaekehuandStanislaorepresentedbetweentwoandthreehundreddollars；andthequeen’sofficialsalaryisoftwohundredandfortyintheyear。
Butgenerosityontheonehand，andconspicuousmeannessontheother，areintheSouthSeas，asathome，theexception。Itisneitherwithanyhopeofgain，norwithanylivelywishtoplease，thattheordinaryPolynesianchoosesandpresentshisgifts。A
plainsocialdutyliesbeforehim，whichheperformscorrectly，butwithouttheleastenthusiasm。Andweshallbestunderstandhisattitudeofmind，ifweexamineourowntothecognateabsurdityofmarriagepresents。Therewegivewithoutanyspecialthoughtofareturn；yetifthecircumstancearise，andthereturnbewithheld，weshalljudgeourselvesinsulted。Wegivethemusuallywithoutaffection，andalmostneverwithagenuinedesiretoplease；andourgiftisratheramarkofourownstatusthanameasureofourlovetotherecipients。SoinagreatmeasureandwiththecommonrunofthePolynesians；theirgiftsareformal；theyimplynomorethansocialrecognition；andtheyaremadeandreciprocated，aswepayandreturnourmorningvisits。Andthepracticeofmarkingandmeasuringeventsandsentimentsbypresentsisuniversalintheislandworld。Agiftplayswiththemthepartofstampandseal；
andhasenteredprofoundlyintothemindofislanders。Peaceandwar，marriage，adoptionandnaturalisation，arecelebratedordeclaredbytheacceptanceortherefusalofgifts；anditisasnaturalfortheislandertobringagiftasforustocarryacard-
case。
CHAPTERX-APORTRAITANDASTORY
IHAVEhadoccasionseveraltimestonamethelatebishop，FatherDordillon，’Monseigneur，’asheisstillalmostuniversallycalled，Vicar-ApostolicoftheMarquesasandBishopofCambysopolisIN
PARTIBUS。Everywhereintheislands，amongallclassesandraces，thisfine，old，kindly，cheerfulfellowisrememberedwithaffectionandrespect。Hisinfluencewiththenativeswasparamount。Theyreckonedhimthehighestofmen-higherthananadmiral；broughthimtheirmoneytokeep；tookhisadviceupontheirpurchases；norwouldtheyplanttreesupontheirownlandtilltheyhadtheapprovalofthefatheroftheislands。DuringthetimeoftheFrenchexodushesinglyrepresentedEurope，livingintheResidency，andrulingbythehandofTemoana。Thefirstroadsweremadeunderhisauspicesandbyhispersuasion。TheoldroadbetweenHatiheuandAnahowasgotunderwayfromeithersideonthegroundthatitwouldbepleasantforaneveningpromenade，andbroughttocompletionbyworkingontherivalryofthetwovillages。ThepriestwouldboastinHatiheuoftheprogressmadeinAnaho，andhewouldtellthefolkofAnaho，’Ifyoudon’ttakecare，yourneighbourswillbeoverthehillbeforeyouareatthetop。’Itcouldnotbesodoneto-day；itcouldthen；death，opium，anddepopulationhadnotgonesofar；andthepeopleofHatiheu，I
wastold，stillviedwitheachotherinfineattire，andusedtogooutbyfamilies，inthecooloftheevening，boat-sailingandracinginthebay。Thereseemssometruthatleastinthecommonview，thatthisjointreignofTemoanaandthebishopwasthelastandbriefgoldenageoftheMarquesas。Butthecivilpowerreturned，themissionwaspackedoutoftheResidencyattwenty-
fourhours’notice，newmethodssupervened，andthegoldenagewhateveritquitewascametoanend。ItisthestrongestproofofFatherDordillon’sprestigethatitsurvived，seeminglywithoutloss，thishastydeposition。
Hismethodwiththenativeswasextremelymild。Amongthesebarbarouschildrenhestillplayedthepartofthesmilingfather；
andhewascarefultoobserve，inallindifferentmatters，theMarquesanetiquette。Thus，inthesingularsystemofartificialkinship，thebishophadbeenadoptedbyVaekehuasagrandson；MissFisher，ofHatiheu，asadaughter。Fromthatday，Monseigneurneveraddressedtheyoungladyexceptashismother，andclosedhisletterswiththeformalitiesofadutifulson。WithEuropeanshecouldbestrict，eventotheextentofharshness。Hemadenodistinctionagainstheretics，withwhomhewasonfriendlyterms；
buttherulesofhisownChurchhewouldseeobserved；andonceatleasthehadawhitemanclappedinjailforthedesecrationofasaint’sday。Buteventhisrigour，sointolerabletolaymen，soirritatingtoProtestants，couldnotshakehispopularity。Weshallbestconceivehimbyexamplesnearerhome；wemayallhaveknownsomedivineoftheoldschoolinScotland，aliteralSabbatarian，asticklerfortheletterofthelaw，whowasyetinprivatemodest，innocent，genialandmirthful。Muchsuchaman，itseems，wasFatherDordillon。Andhispopularityboreatestyetstronger。Hehadthename，andprobablydeservedit，ofashrewdmaninbusinessandonethatmadethemissionpay。Nothingsomuchstirsupresentmentastheinmixtureincommerceofreligiousbodies；butevenrivaltradersspokewellofMonseigneur。
Hischaracterisbestportrayedinthestoryofthedaysofhisdecline。Atimecamewhen，fromthefailureofsight，hemustdesistfromhisliterarylabours：hisMarquesanhymns，grammars，anddictionaries；hisscientificpapers，livesofsaints，anddevotionalpoetry。Hecastaboutforanewinterest：pitchedongardening，andwastobeseenallday，withspadeandwater-pot，inhischildlikeeagerness，actuallyrunningbetweentheborders。
Anotherstepofdecay，andhemustleavehisgardenalso。
Instantlyanewoccupationwasdevised，andhesatinthemissioncuttingpaperflowersandwreaths。Hisdiocesewasnotgreatenoughforhisactivity；thechurchesoftheMarquesaswerepaperedwithhishandiwork，andstillhemustbemakingmore。’Ah，’saidhe，smiling，’whenIamdeadwhatafinetimeyouwillhaveclearingoutmytrash！’Hehadbeendeadaboutsixmonths；butI
waspleasedtoseesomeofhistrophiesstillexposed，andlookeduponthemwithasmile：thetributeifIhavereadhischeerfulcharacterarightwhichhewouldhavepreferredtoanyuselesstears。Diseasecontinuedprogressivelytodisablehim；hewhohadclamberedsostalwartlyovertheruderocksoftheMarquesas，bringingpeacetowarfaringclans，wasforsometimecarriedinachairbetweenthemissionandthechurch，andatlastconfinedtobed，impotentwithdropsy，andtormentedwithbed-soresandsciatica。Herehelaytwomonthswithoutcomplaint；andonthe11thJanuary1888，intheseventy-ninthyearofhislife，andthethirty-fourthofhislaboursintheMarquesas，passedaway。