vailima letters-第25章
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Hercules； Lafaele； and a man Savea； who comes from
Paatalise's own island and can alone communicate with him
freely。 Lloyd went to bed； I took the first watch； and sat
in my room reading； while Lafaele and Arrick watched the
madman。 Suddenly Arrick called me； I ran into the verandah；
there was Paatalise free of all his bonds and Lafaele holding
him。 To tell what followed is impossible。 We were five
people at him … Lafaele and Savea； very strong men； Lloyd； I
and Arrick； and the struggle lasted until 1 A。M。 before we
had him bound。 One detail for a specimen： Lloyd and I had
charge of one leg； we were both sitting on it； and lo！ we
were both tossed into the air … I； I daresay； a couple of
feet。 At last we had him spread…eagled to the iron bedstead；
by his wrists and ankles； with matted rope； a most inhumane
business； but what could we do？ it was all we could do to
manage it even so。 The strength of the paroxysms had been
steadily increasing； and we trembled for the next。 And now I
come to pure Rider Haggard。 Lafaele announced that the boy
was very bad； and he would get 'some medicine' which was a
family secret of his own。 Some leaves were brought
mysteriously in； chewed； placed on the boy's eyes； dropped in
his ears （see Hamlet） and stuck up his nostrils； as he did
this； the weird doctor partly smothered the patient with his
hand； and by about 2 A。M。 he was in a deep sleep； and from
that time he showed no symptom of dementia whatever。 The
medicine （says Lafaele） is principally used for the wholesale
slaughter of families； he himself feared last night that his
dose was fatal； only one other person； on this island； knows
the secret； and she； Lafaele darkly whispers； has abused it。
This remarkable tree we must try to identify。
The man…of…war doctor came up to…day； gave us a strait…
waistcoat； taught us to bandage； examined the boy and saw he
was apparently well … he insisted on doing his work all
morning； poor lad； and when he first came down kissed all the
family at breakfast！ The Doctor was greatly excited； as may
be supposed； about Lafaele's medicine。
TUESDAY。
All yesterday writing my mail by the hand of Belle； to save
my wrist。 This is a great invention； to which I shall stick；
if it can be managed。 We had some alarm about Paatalise； but
he slept well all night for a benediction。 This lunatic
asylum exercise has no attractions for any of us。
I don't know if I remembered to say how much pleased I was
with ACROSS THE PLAINS in every way； inside and out； and you
and me。 The critics seem to taste it； too； as well as could
be hoped； and I believe it will continue to bring me in a few
shillings a year for a while。 But such books pay only
indirectly。
To understand the full horror of the mad scene； and how well
my boys behaved； remember that THEY BELIEVED P。'S RAVINGS；
they KNEW that his dead family； thirty strong； crowded the
front verandah and called on him to come to the other world。
They KNEW that his dead brother had met him that afternoon in
the bush and struck him on both temples。 And remember！ we
are fighting the dead； and they had to go out again in the
black night； which is the dead man's empire。 Yet last
evening； when I thought P。 was going to repeat the
performance； I sent down for Lafaele； who had leave of
absence； and he and his wife came up about eight o'clock with
a lighted brand。 These are the things for which I have to
forgive my old cattle…man his manifold shortcomings； they are
heroic … so are the shortcomings； to be sure。
It came over me the other day suddenly that this diary of
mine to you would make good pickings after I am dead； and a
man could make some kind of a book out of it without much
trouble。 So； for God's sake； don't lose them； and they will
prove a piece of provision for my 'poor old family；' as
Simele calls it。
About my coming to Europe； I get more and more doubtful； and
rather incline to Ceylon again as place of meeting。 I am so
absurdly well here in the tropics； that it seems like
affectation。 Yet remember I have never once stood Sydney。
Anyway； I shall have the money for it all ahead； before I
think of such a thing。
We had a bowl of Punch on your birthday； which my incredible
mother somehow knew and remembered。
I sometimes sit and yearn for anything in the nature of an
income that would come in … mine has all got to be gone and
fished for with the immortal mind of man。 What I want is the
income that really comes in of itself while all you have to
do is just to blossom and exist and sit on chairs。 Think how
beautiful it would be not to have to mind the critics； and
not even the darkest of the crowd … Sidney Colvin。 I should
probably amuse myself with works that would make your hair
curl； if you had any left。
R。 L S。
CHAPTER XX
SATURDAY； 2ND JULY 1892。
THE character of my handwriting is explained； alas！ by
scrivener's cramp。 This also explains how long I have let
the paper lie plain。
1 P。 M。
I was busy copying David Balfour with my left hand … a most
laborious task … Fanny was down at the native house
superintending the floor； Lloyd down in Apia； and Belle in
her own house cleaning； when I heard the latter calling on my
name。 I ran out on the verandah； and there on the lawn
beheld my crazy boy with an axe in his hand and dressed out
in green ferns； dancing。 I ran downstairs and found all my
house boys on the back verandah； watching him through the
dining…room。 I asked what it meant？ … 'Dance belong his
place；' they said。 … 'I think this no time to dance；' said I。
'Has he done his work？' … 'No；' they told me； 'away bush all
morning。' But there they all stayed on the back verandah。 I
went on alone through the dining…room； and bade him stop。 He
did so； shouldered the axe； and began to walk away； but I
called him back； walked up to him； and took the axe out of
his unresisting hands。 The boy is in all things so good；
that I can scarce say I was afraid； only I felt it had to be
stopped ere he could work himself up by dancing to some
craziness。 Our house boys protested they were not afraid；
all I know is they were all watching him round the back door
and did not follow me till I had the axe。 As for the out
boys； who were working with Fanny in the native house； they
thought it a very bad business； and made no secret of their
fears。
WEDNESDAY； 6TH。
I have no account to give of my stewardship these days； and
there's a day more to account for than mere arithmetic would
tell you。 For we have had two Monday Fourths； to bring us at
last on the right side of the meridian； having hitherto been
an exception in the world and kept our private date。
Business has filled my hours sans intermission。
TUESDAY； 12TH
I am doing no work and my mind is in abeyance。 Fanny and
Belle are sewing…machining in the next room； I have been
pulling down their hair； and Fanny has been kicking me； and
now I am driven out。 Austin I have been chasing about the
verandah； now he has gone to his lessons； and I make believe
to write to you in despair。 But there is nothing in my mind；
I swim in mere vacancy； my head is like a rotten nut； I shall
soon have to begin to work again or I shall carry away some
part of the machinery。 I have got your insufficient letter；
for which I scorn to thank you。 I have had no review by
Gosse； none by Birrell； another time if I have a letter in
the TIMES； you might send me the text as well； also please
send me a cricket bat and a cake； and when I come home for
the holidays； I should like to have a pony。
I am； sir； your obedient servant；
JACOB TONSON。
P。S。 I am quite well； I hope you are quite well。 The world
is too much with us； and my mother bids me bind my hair and
lace my bodice blue。
CHAPTER XXI
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This is Friday night； the （I believe） 18th
or 20th August or September。 I shall probably regret to…
morrow having written you with my own hand like the Apostle
Paul。 But I am alone over here in the workman's house； where
I and Belle and Lloyd and Austin are pigging； the rest are at
cards in the main residence。 I have not joined them because
'belly belong me' has been kicking up； and I have just taken
15 drops of laudanum。
On Tuesday； the party set out … self in white cap； velvet
coat； cords and yellow half boots； Belle in a white kind of
suit and white cap to match mine； Lloyd in white clothes and
long yellow boots and a straw hat； Graham in khakis and
gaiters； Henry （my old overseer） in blue coat and black kilt；
and the great Lafaele with a big ship…bag on his saddle…bow。
We left the mail at the P。 O。； had lunch at the hotel； and
about 1。50 set out westward to the place of tryst。 This was
by a little shrunken brook in a deep channel of mud on the
far side of which； in a thicket of low trees； all full of
moths of shadow and butterflies of sun； we lay down to await
her ladyship。 Whiskey and water； then a sketch of the
encampment for which we all posed to Belle； passed off the
time until 3。30。 Then I could hold on no longer。 30 minutes
late。 Had the secret oozed out？ Were they arrested？ I got
my horse； crossed the brook again； and rode hard back to the
Vaea cross roads； whence I was aware of white clothes
glancing in the other long straight radius of the quadrant。
I turned at once to return to the place of tryst； but D。
overtook me； and almost bore me down； shouting 'Ride； ride！'
like a hero in a ballad。 Lady Margaret and he were only come
to shew the place； they returned； and the rest of our party；
reinforced by Captain Leigh and Lady Jersey； set on for
Malie。 The delay was due to D。's infinite precautions；
leading them up lanes； by back ways； and then down again to
the beach road a hundred yards further on。
It was agreed that Lady Jersey existed no more； she was now
my cousin Amelia Balfour。 That relative and I headed the
march； she is a charming woman； all of us like her extremely
after trial on this somewhat rude and absurd excursion。 And
we Amelia'd or Miss Balfour'd her with great but intermittent
fidelity。 When we came to the last village； I sent Henry on
ahead to warn the King of our approach and amend his
discretion； if that might be。 As he left I heard the
villagers asking WHICH WAS THE GREAT LADY？ And a little
further； at the borders of Malie itself； we found the guard
making a music of bugles and conches。 Then I knew the game
was up and the secret out。 A considerable guard of honour；
mostly children； accompanied us； but； for our good fortune；
