when the world shook-第13章

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replied：



〃I　don't　like　similes　that　tamper　with　the　truth。〃



〃Remember　Neptune　and　Aeolus；〃　I　suggested；　and　he　lapsed　into

consideration　of　the　point。



〃We　knew　that　you　were　coming；〃　said　Marama。　〃Our　doctors　told

us　all　about　you　a　moon　ago。　But　we　wish　that　you　would　come　more

gently；　as　you　nearly　washed　away　our　country。〃



After　looking　at　me　Bickley　replied：



〃How　thankful　should　you　be　that　in　our　kindness　we　have　spared

you。〃



〃What　do　you　come　to　do？〃　inquired　Marama　again。　After　the

usual　formula　of　consulting　me　Bickley　answered：



〃We　come　to　take　that　mountain　（he　meant　lump）　off　your　neck

and　make　you　beautiful；　also　to　cure　all　the　sickness　among　your

people。〃



〃And　I　come；〃　broke　in　Bastin；　〃to　give　you　new　hearts。〃



These　announcements　evidently　caused　great　excitement。　After

consultation　Marama　answered：



〃We　do　not　want　new　hearts　as　the　old　ones　are　good；　but　we

wish　to　be　rid　of　lumps　and　sicknesses。　If　you　can　do　this　we

will　make　you　gods　and　worship　you　and　give　you　many　wives。〃

（Here　Bastin　held　up　his　hands　in　horror。）　〃When　will　you　begin

to　take　away　the　lumps？〃



〃To…morrow；〃　said　Bickley。　〃But　learn　that　if　you　try　to　harm

us　we　will　bring　another　wave　which　will　drown　all　your　country。〃



Nobody　seemed　to　doubt　our　capacities　in　this　direction；　but

one　inquiring　spirit　in　a　wicker　crate　did　ask　how　it　came　about

that　if　we　controlled　the　ocean　we　had　arrived　in　half　a　canoe

instead　of　a　whole　one。



Bickley　replied　to　the　effect　that　it　was　because　the　gods

always　travelled　in　half…canoes　to　show　their　higher　nature；

which　seemed　to　satisfy　everyone。　Then　we　announced　that　we　had

seen　enough　of　them　for　that　day　and　would　retire　to　think。

Meanwhile　we　should　be　obliged　if　they　would　build　us　a　house　and

keep　us　supplied　with　whatever　food　they　had。



〃Do　the　gods　eat？〃　asked　the　sceptic　again。



〃That　fellow　is　a　confounded　radical；〃　I　whispered　to　Bickley。

〃Tell　him　that　they　do　when　they　come　to　Orofena。〃



He　did　so；　whereon　the　chief　said：



〃Would　the　gods　like　a　nice　young　girl　cooked？〃



At　this　point　Bastin　retired　down　the　path；　realising　that　he

had　to　do　with　cannibals。　We　said　that　we　preferred　to　look　at

the　girls　alive　and　would　meet　them　again　to…morrow　morning；　when

we　hoped　that　the　house　would　be　ready。



So　our　first　interview　with　the　inhabitants　of　Orofena　came　to

an　end；　on　which　we　congratulated　ourselves。





On　reaching　the　remains　of　the　Star　of　the　South　we　set　to　work

to　take　stock　of　what　was　left　to　us。　Fortunately　it　proved　to　be

a　very　great　deal。　As　I　think　I　mentioned；　all　the　passenger　part

of　the　yacht　lay　forward　of　the　bridge；　just　in　front　of　which

the　vessel　had　been　broken　in　two；　almost　as　cleanly　as　though

she　were　severed　by　a　gigantic　knife。　Further　our　stores　were

forward　and　practically　everything　else　that　belonged　to　us；　even

down　to　Bickley's　instruments　and　medicines　and　Bastin's

religious　works；　to　say　nothing　of　a　great　quantity　of　tinned

food　and　groceries。　Lastly　on　the　deck　above　the　saloon　had　stood

two　large　lifeboats。　Although　these　were　amply　secured　at　the

commencement　of　the　gale　one　of　them；　that　on　the　port　side；　was

smashed　to　smithers；　probably　some　spar　had　fallen　upon　it。　The

starboard　boat；　however；　remained　intact　and　so　far　as　we　could

judge；　seaworthy；　although　the　bulwarks　were　broken　by　the　waves。



〃There's　something　we　can　get　away　in　if　necessary；〃　I　said。



〃Where　to？〃　remarked　Bastin。　〃We　don't　know　where　we　are　or　if

there　is　any　other　land　within　a　thousand　miles。　I　think　we　had

better　stop　here　as　Providence　seems　to　have　intended；　especially

when　there　is　so　much　work　to　my　hand。〃



〃Be　careful；〃　answered　Bickley；　〃that　the　work　to　your　hand

does　not　end　in　the　cutting　of　all　our　throats。　It　is　an　awkward

thing　interfering　with　the　religion　of　savages；　and　I　believe

that　these　untutored　children　of　Nature　sometimes　eat

missionaries。〃



〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that；〃　said　Bastin；　〃they　bake　them　first　as

they　do　pigs。　But　I　don't　know　that　they　would　care　to　eat　me；〃

and　he　glanced　at　his　bony　limbs；　〃especially　when　you　are　much

plumper。　Anyhow　one　can't　stop　for　a　risk　of　that　sort。〃



Deigning　no　reply；　Bickley　walked　away　to　fetch　some　fine　fish

which　had　been　washed　up　by　the　tidal　wave　and　were　still

flapping　about　in　a　little　pool　of　salt　water。　Then　we　took

counsel　as　to　how　to　make　the　best　of　our　circumstances；　and　as　a

result　set　to　work　to　tidy　up　the　saloon　and　cabins；　which　was

not　difficult　as　what　remained　of　the　ship　lay　on　an　even　keel。

Also　we　got　out　some　necessary　stores；　including　paraffin　for　the

swinging　lamps　with　which　the　ship　was　fitted　in　case　of　accident

to　the　electric　light；　candles；　and　the　guns　we　had　brought　with

us　so　that　they　might　be　handy　in　the　event　of　attack。　This　done；

by　the　aid　of　the　tools　that　were　in　the　storerooms；　Bickley；　who

was　an　excellent　carpenter；　repaired　the　saloon　door；　all　that

was　necessary　to　keep　us　private；　as　the　bulkhead　still　remained。



〃Now；〃　he　said　triumphantly　when　he　had　finished　and　got　the

lock　and　bolts　to　work　to　his　satisfaction；　〃we　can　stand　a　siege

if　needed；　for　as　the　ship　is　iron　built　they　can't　even　burn　us

out　and　that　teak　door　would　take　some　forcing。　Also　we　can　shore

it　up。〃



〃How　about　something　to　eat？　I　want　my　tea；〃　said　Bastin。



〃Then；　my　reverend　friend；〃　replied　Bickley；　〃take　a　couple　of

the　fire　buckets　and　fetch　some　water　from　the　stream。　Also

collect　driftwood　of　which　there　is　plenty　about；　clean　those

fish　and　grill　them　over　the　saloon　stove。〃



〃I'll　try；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　I　never　did　any　cooking　before。〃



〃No；〃　replied　Bickley；　〃on　second　thoughts　I　will　see　to　that

myself；　but　you　can　get　the　fish　ready。〃



So；　with　due　precautions；　Bastin　and　I　fetched　water　from　the

stream　which　we　found　flowed　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff　quite

close　at　hand　into　a　beautiful　coral　basin　that　might　have　been

designed　for　a　bath　of　the　nymphs。　Indeed　one　at　a　time；　while

the　other　watched；　we　undressed　and　plunged　into　it；　and　never

was　a　tub　more　welcome　than　after　our　long　days　of　tempest。　Then

we　returned　to　find　that　Bickley　had　already　set　the　table　and

was　engaged　in　frying　the　fish　very　skilfully　on　the　saloon

stove；　which　proved　to　be　well　adapted　to　the　purpose。　He　was

cross；　however；　when　he　found　that　we　had　bathed　and　that　it　was

now　too　late　for　him　to　do　likewise。



While　he　was　cleaning　himself　as　well　as　he　could　in　his　cabin

basin　and　Bastin　was　boiling　water　for　tea；　suddenly　I　remembered

the　letter　from　the　Danish　mate　Jacobsen。　Concluding　that　it

might　now　be　opened　as　we　had　certainly　parted　with　most　of　the

Star　of　the　South　for　the　last　time；　I　read　it。　It　was　as

follows：





〃The　reason；　honoured　Sir；　that　I　am　leaving　the　ship　is　that

on　the　night　I　tore　up　the　paper；　the　spirit　controlling　the

planchette　wrote　these　words：　'After　leaving　Samoa　the　Star　of

the　South　will　be　wrecked　in　a　hurricane　and　everybody　on　board

drowned　except　A。　B。　and　B。　Get　out　of　her！　Get　out　of　her！　Don't

be　a　fool；　Jacob；　unless　you　want　to　come　over　here　at　once。　Take

our　advice　and　get　out　of　her　and　you　will　live　to　be　old。

SKOLL。〃





〃Sir；　I　am　not　a　coward　but　I　know　that　this　will　happen；　for

that　spirit　which　signs　itself　Skoll　never　tells　a　lie。　I　did　try

to　give　the　captain　a　hint　to　stop　at　Apia；　but　he　had　been

drinking　and　openly　cursed　me　and　called　me　a　sneaking　cheat。　So

I　am　going　to　run　away；　of　which　I　am　very　much　ashamed。　But　I　do

not　wish　to　be　drowned　yet　as　there　is　a　girl　whom　I　want　to

marry；　and　my　mother　I　support。　You　will　be　safe　and　I　hope　you

will　not　think　too　badly　of　me。JACOB　JACOBSEN。



〃P。S。It　is　an　awful　thing　to　know　the　future。　Never　try　to

learn　that。〃





I　gave　this　letter　to　Bastin　and　Bickley　to　read　and　asked　them

what　they　thought　of　it。



〃Coincidence；〃　said　Bickley。　〃The　man　is　a　weak…minded　idiot

and　heard　in　Samoa　that　they　expected　a　hurricane。〃



〃I　think；〃　chimed　in　Bastin；　〃that　the　devil　knows　how　to　look

after　his　own　at　any　rate　for　a　little　while。　I　dare　say　it　would

have　been　much　better　for　him　to　be　drowned。〃



〃At　least　he　is　a　deserter　and　failed　in　his　duty。　I　never　wish

to　hear　of　him　again；〃　I　said。



As　a　matter　of　fact　I　never　have。　But　the　incident　remains

quite　unexplained　either　by　Bickley　or　Bastin。







Chapter　VII



The　Orofenans





To　our　shame　we　had　a　very　pleasant　supper　that　night　off　the

grilled　fish；　which　was　excellent；　and　some　tinned　meat。　I　say　to

our　shame；　in　a　sense；　for　on　our　companions　the　sharks　were

supping　and　by　rights　we　should　have　been　sunk　in　woe。　I　suppose

that　the　sense　of　our　own　escape　intoxicated　us。　Also；

notwithstanding　his　joviality；　none　of　us　had　cared　much　for　the

captain；　and　his　policy　had　been　to　keep　us　somewhat　apart　from

the　crew；　of　whom　therefore　we　knew　but　little。　It　is　true　that

Bastin　held　services　on　Sundays；　for　such　as　would　attend；　and

Bickley　had　doctored　a　few　of　them　for　minor　ailments；　but　there；

except　for　a　little　casual　conversation；　our　intercourse　began

and　ended。



Now　the　sad　fact　is　that　it　is　hard　to　be　overwhelmed　with

grief　for　those　with　whom　we　are　not　intimate。　We　were　very　sorry

and　that　is　all　that　can　be　said；　except　that　Bastin；　being　High

Church；　announced　in　a　matter…of…fact　way　that　he　meant　to　put　up

some　petitions　for　the　welfare　of　their　souls。　To　this　Bickley

retorted　that　from　what　he　had　seen　of　their　bodies　he　was　sure

they　needed　them。



Yes；　it　was　a　pleasant　supper；　not　made　less　so　by　a　bottle　of

champagne　which　Bickley　and　I　shared。　Bastin　stuck　to　his　tea；

not　because　he　did　not　like　champagne；　but　because；　as　he

explained；　having　now　come　in　contact　with　the　heathen　it　would

never　do　for　him　to　set　them　an　example　in　the　use　of　spirituous

liquors。



〃However　much　we　may　differ；　Bastin；　I　respect　you　for　that

sentiment；〃　commented　Bickley。



〃I　don't　know　why　you　should；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃but　if　so；　you

might　follow　my　example。〃



That　night　we　slept　like　logs；　trusting　to　our　teak　door　which

we　barricaded；　and　to　Tommy；　who　was　a　most　excellent　watch…dog；

to　guard　us　against　surprise。　At　any　rate　we　took　the　risk。　As　a

matter　of　fact；　nothing　happened；　though　before　dawn　Tommy　did

growl　a　good　deal；　for　I　heard　him；　but　as　he　sank　into　slumber

again　on　my　bed；　I　did　not　get　up。　In　the　morning　I　found　from

fresh　footprints　that　two　or　three　men　had　been　prowling　about

the　ship；　though　at　a　little　distance。



We　rose　early；　and　taking　the　necessary　precautions；　bathed　in

the　pool。　Then　we　breakfasted；　and　having　filled　every　available

receptacle　with　water；　which　took　us　a　long　time　as　these

include