little novels-第42章

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n　their　smooth　musical　language；　〃Come　and　eat！〃　and　the　plump　black…eyed　women；　all　laughing　together；　added　their　own　invitation；　〃Come　and　be　kissed！〃　Was　it　in　mortals　to　resist　such　temptations　as　these？　The　Captain　led　the　way　on　shore；　and　the　women　surrounded　him　in　an　instant；　and　screamed　for　joy　at　the　glorious　spectacle　of　his　whiskers；　his　complexion；　and　his　gloves。　So　the　mariners　from　the　far　north　were　welcomed　to　the　newly…discovered　island。

III。

THE　morning　wore　on。　Mr。　Duncalf；　in　charge　of　the　ship；　cursing　the　island　over　his　rum　and　water；　as　a　〃beastly　green　strip　of　a　place；　not　laid　down　in　any　Christian　chart；〃　was　kept　waiting　four　mortal　hours　before　the　Captain　returned　to　his　command；　and　reported　himself　to　his　officers　as　follows：

He　had　found　his　knowledge　of　the　Polynesian　dialects　sufficient　to　make　himself　in　some　degree　understood　by　the　natives　of　the　new　island。　Under　the　guidance　of　the　chief　he　had　made　a　first　journey　of　exploration；　and　had　seen　for　himself　that　the　place　was　a　marvel　of　natural　beauty　and　fertility。　The　one　barren　spot　in　it　was　the　peak　of　the　volcanic　mountain；　composed　of　crumbling　rock；　originally　no　doubt　lava　and　ashes；　which　had　cooled　and　consolidated　with　the　lapse　of　time。　So　far　as　he　could　see；　the　crater　at　the　top　was　now　an　extinct　crater。　But；　if　he　had　understood　rightly；　the　chief　had　spoken　of　earthquakes　and　eruptions　at　certain　bygone　periods；　some　of　which　lay　within　his　own　earliest　recollections　of　the　place。

Adverting　next　to　considerations　of　practical　utility；　the　Captain　announced　that　he　had　seen　sandal…wood　enough　on　the　island　to　load　a　dozen　ships；　and　that　the　natives　were　willing　to　part　with　it　for　a　few　toys　and　trinkets　generally　distributed　among　them。　To　the　mate's　disgust；　the　_Fortuna_　was　taken　inside　the　reef　that　day；　and　was　anchored　before　sunset　in　a　natural　harbor。　Twelve　hours　of　recreation；　beginning　with　the　next　morning；　were　granted　to　the　men；　under　the　wise　restrictions　in　such　cases　established　by　the　Captain。　That　interval　over；　the　work　of　cutting　the　precious　wood　and　loading　the　ship　was　to　be　unremittingly　pursued。

Mr。　Duncalf　had　the　first　watch　after　the　_Fortuna_　had　been　made　snug。　He　took　the　boatswain　aside　（an　ancient　sea…dog　like　himself）；　and　he　said　in　a　gruff　whisper：　〃My　lad；　this　here　ain't　the　island　laid　down　in　our　sailing　orders。　See　if　mischief　don't　come　of　disobeying　orders　before　we　are　many　days　older。〃

Nothing　in　the　shape　of　mischief　happened　that　night。　But　at　sunrise　the　next　morning　a　suspicious　circumstance　occurred；　and　Mr。　Duncalf　whispered　to　the　boatswain：　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　The　Captain　and　the　chief　of　the　islanders　held　a　private　conference　in　the　cabin；　and　the　Captain；　after　first　forbidding　any　communication　with　the　shore　until　his　return；　suddenly　left　the　ship；　alone　with　the　chief；　in　the　chief's　own　canoe。

What　did　this　strange　disappearance　mean？　The　Captain　himself；　when　he　took　his　seat　in　the　canoe；　would　have　been　puzzled　to　answer　that　question。　He　asked；　in　the　nearest　approach　that　his　knowledge　could　make　to　the　language　used　in　the　island；　whether　he　would　be　a　long　time　or　a　short　time　absent　from　his　ship。

The　chief　answered　mysteriously　（as　the　Captain　understood　him）　in　these　words：　〃Long　time　or　short　time；　your　life　depends　on　it；　and　the　lives　of　your　men。〃

Paddling　his　light　little　boat　in　silence　over　the　smooth　water　inside　the　reef；　the　chief　took　his　visitor　ashore　at　a　part　of　the　island　which　was　quite　new　to　the　Captain。　The　two　crossed　a　ravine；　and　ascended　an　eminence　beyond。　There　the　chief　stopped；　and　silently　pointed　out　to　sea。

The　Captain　looked　in　the　direction　indicated　to　him；　and　discovered　a　second　and　a　smaller　island；　lying　away　to　the　southwest。　Taking　out　his　telescope　from　the　case　by　which　it　was　slung　at　his　back；　he　narrowly　examined　the　place。　Two　of　the　native　canoes　were　lying　off　the　shore　of　the　new　island；　and　the　men　in　them　appeared　to　be　all　kneeling　or　crouching　in　curiously　chosen　attitudes。　Shifting　the　range　of　his　glass；　he　next　beheld　a　white…robed　figure；　tall　and　solitarythe　one　inhabitant　of　the　island　whom　he　could　discover。　The　man　was　standing　on　the　highest　point　of　a　rocky　cape。　A　fire　was　burning　at　his　feet。　Now　he　lifted　his　arms　solemnly　to　the　sky；　now　he　dropped　some　invisible　fuel　into　the　fire；　which　made　a　blue　smoke；　and　now　he　cast　other　invisible　objects　into　the　canoes　floating　beneath　him；　which　the　islanders　reverently　received　with　bodies　that　crouched　in　abject　submission。　Lowering　his　telescope；　the　Captain　looked　round　at　the　chief　for　an　explanation。　The　chief　gave　the　explanation　readily。　His　language　was　interpreted　by　the　English　stranger　in　these　terms：

〃Wonderful　white　man！　the　island　you　see　yonder　is　a　Holy　Island。　As　such　it　is　_Taboo_an　island　sanctified　and　set　apart。　The　honorable　person　whom　you　notice　on　the　rock　is　an　all…powerful　favorite　of　the　gods。　He　is　by　vocation　a　Sorcerer；　and　by　rank　a　Priest。　You　now　see　him　casting　charms　and　blessings　into　the　canoes　of　our　fishermen；　who　kneel　to　him　for　fine　weather　and　great　plenty　of　fish。　If　any　profane　person；　native　or　stranger；　presumes　to　set　foot　on　that　island；　my　otherwise　peaceful　subjects　will　（in　the　performance　of　a　religious　duty）　put　that　person　to　death。　Mention　this　to　your　men。　They　will　be　fed　by　my　male　people；　and　fondled　by　my　female　people；　so　long　as　they　keep　clear　of　the　Holy　Isle。　As　they　value　their　lives；　let　them　respect　this　prohibition。　Is　it　understood　between　us？　Wonderful　white　man！　my　canoe　is　waiting　for　you。　Let　us　go　back。〃

Understanding　enough　of　the　chief's　language　（illustrated　by　his　gestures）　to　receive　in　the　right　spirit　the　communication　thus　addressed　to　him；　the　Captain　repeated　the　warning　to　the　ship's　company　in　the　plainest　possible　English。　The　officers　and　men　then　took　their　holiday　on　shore；　with　the　exception　of　Mr。　Duncalf；　who　positively　refused　to　leave　the　ship。　For　twelve　delightful　hours　they　were　fed　by　the　male　people；　and　fondled　by　the　female　people；　and　then　they　were　mercilessly　torn　from　the　flesh…pots　and　the　arms　of　their　new　friends；　and　set　to　work　on　the　sandal…wood　in　good　earnest。　Mr。　Duncalf　superintended　the　loading；　and　waited　for　the　mischief　that　was　to　come　of　disobeying　the　owners'　orders　with　a　confidence　worthy　of　a　better　cause。

IV。

STRANGELY　enough；　chance　once　more　declared　itself　in　favor　of　the　mate's　point　of　view。　The　mischief　did　actually　come；　and　the　chosen　instrument　of　it　was　a　handsome　young　islander；　who　was　one　of　the　sons　of　the　chief。

The　Captain　had　taken　a　fancy　to　the　sweet…tempered；　intelligent　lad。　Pursuing　his　studies　in　the　dialect　of　the　island；　at　leisure　hours；　he　had　made　the　chief's　son　his　tutor；　and　had　instructed　the　youth　in　English　by　way　of　return。　More　than　a　month　had　passed　in　this　intercourse；　and　the　ship's　lading　was　being　rapidly　completedwhen；　in　an　evil　hour；　the　talk　between　the　two　turned　on　the　subject　of　the　Holy　Island。

〃Does　nobody　live　on　the　island　but　the　Priest？〃　the　Captain　asked。

The　chief's　son　looked　round　him　suspiciously。　〃Promise　me　you　won't　tell　anybody！〃　he　began　very　earnestly。

The　Captain　gave　his　promise。

〃There　is　one　other　person　on　the　island；〃　the　lad　whispered；　〃a　person　to　feast　your　eyes　upon；　if　you　could　only　see　her！　She　is　the　Priest's　daughter。　Removed　to　the　island　in　her　infancy；　she　has　never　left　it　since。　In　that　sacred　solitude　she　has　only　looked　on　two　human　beingsher　father　and　her　mother。　I　once　saw　her　from　my　canoe；　taking　care　not　to　　attract　her　notice；　or　to　approach　too　near　the　holy　soil。　Oh；　so　young；　dear　master；　and；　oh；　so　beautiful！〃　The　chief's　son　completed　the　description　by　kissing　his　own　hands　as　an　expression　of　rapture。

The　Captain's　fine　blue　eyes　sparkled。　He　asked　no　more　questions；　but；　later　on　that　day；　he　took　his　telescope　with　him；　and　paid　a　secret　visit　to　the　eminence　which　overlooked　the　Holy　Island。　The　next　day；　and　the　next；　he　privately　returned　to　the　same　place。　On　the　fourth　day；　fatal　Destiny　favored　him。　He　discovered　the　nymph　of　the　island。

Standing　alone　upon　the　cape　on　which　he　had　already　seen　her　father；　she　was　feeding　some　tame　birds　which　looked　like　turtle…doves。　The　glass　showed　the　Captain　her　white　robe；　fluttering　in　the　sea…breeze；　her　long　black　hair　falling　to　her　feet；　her　slim　and　supple　young　figure；　her　simple　grace　of　attitude；　as　she　turned　this　way　and　that；　attending　to　the　wants　of　her　birds。　Before　her　was　the　blue　ocean；　behind　her　rose　the　lustrous　green　of　the　island　forest。　He　looked　and　looked　until　his　eyes　and　arms　ached。　When　she　disappeared　among　the　trees；　followed　by　her　favorite　birds；　the　Captain　shut　up　his　telescope　with　a　sigh；　and　said　to　himself：　〃I　have　seen　an　angel！〃

From　that　hour　he　became　an　altered　man；　he　was　languid；　silent；　interested　in　nothing。　General　opinion；　on　board　his　ship；　decided　that　he　was　going　to　be　taken　ill。

A　week　more　elapsed；　and　the　officers　and　crew　began　to　talk　of　the　voyage　to　their　market　in　China。　The　Captain　refused　to　fix　a　day　for　sailing。　He　even　took　offense　at　being　asked　to　decide。　Instead　of　sleeping　in　his　cabin；　he　went　ashore　for　the　night。

Not　many　hours　afterward　（just　before　daybreak）；　Mr。　Duncalf；　snoring　in　his　cabin　on　deck；　was　aroused　by　a　hand　laid　on　his　shoulder。　The　swinging　lamp；　still　alight；　showed　him　the　dusky　face　of　the　chief's　son；　convulsed　with　terror。　By　wild　signs；　by　disconnected　words　in　the　little　English　which　he　had　learned；　the　lad　tried　to　make　the　mate　understand　him。　Dense　Mr。　Duncalf；　understanding　nothing；　hailed　the　second　officer；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　deck。　The　second　officer　was　young　and　intelligent；　he　rightly　interpreted　the　terrible　news　that　had　come　to　the　ship。

The　Captain　had　broken　his　own　rules。　Watching　his　opportunity；　under　cover　of　the　night；　he　had　taken　a　canoe；　and　had　secretly　crossed　the　channel　to　the　Holy　Island。　No　one　had　been　near　him　at　the　time　but　the　chief's　son。　The　lad　had　vainly　tried　to　induce　him　to　abandon　his　desperate　enterprise；　and　had　vainly　waited　on　the　shore　in　the　hope　of　hearing　the　sound　of　the　paddle　announcing　his　return。　Beyond　all　reasonable　doubt；　the　infatuated　man　had　set　foot　on　the　shores　of　the　tabooed　island。

The　one　chance　for　his　life　was　to　conceal　what　he　had　done；　until　the　ship　could　be　got　out　of　the　harbor；　and　then　（if　no　harm　had　come　to　him　in　the　interval）　to　rescue　him　after　nightfall。　It　was　decided　to　spread　the　report　that　he　had　really　been　taken　ill；　and　that　he　was　confined　to　his　cabin。　The　chief's　son；　whose　heart　the　Captain's　kindness　had　won；　could　be　trusted　to　do　this；　and　to　keep　the　secret　faithfully　for　his　good　friend's　sake。

Toward　noon；　the　next　day；　they　attempted　to　take　the　ship　to　sea；　and　failed　for　want　of　wind。　Hour　by　hour；　the　heat　grew　more　oppressive。　As　the　day　declined；　there　were　ominous　appearances　in　the　western　heaven。　The　natives；　who　had　given　some　trouble　during　the　day　by　their　anxiety　to　see　the　Captain；　and　by　their　curiosity　to　know　the　cause　of　the　sudden　preparations　for　the　ship's　departu