south sea tales-第5部分

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Eight　days　longer　she　waited　for　rescue。　In　the　meantime　she　fastened　the

outrigger　back　on　the　canoe；　using　for　lashings　all　the　cocoanut　fibre　she

could　find；　and　also　what　remained　of　her　ahu。　The　canoe　was　badly　cracked；

and　she　could　not　make　it　water…tight；　but　a　calabash　made　from　a　cocoanut　she

stored　on　board　for　a　bailer。　She　was　hard　put　for　a　paddle。　With　a　piece　of

tin　she　sawed　off　all　her　hair　close　to　the　scalp。　Out　of　the　hair　she　braided

a　cord；　and　by　means　of　the　cord　she　lashed　a　three…foot　piece　of　broom　handle

to　a　board　from　the　salmon　case。



She　gnawed　wedges　with　her　teeth　and　with　them　wedged　the　lashing。



On　the　eighteenth　day；　at　midnight；　she　launched　the　canoe　through　the　surf

and　started　back　for　Hikueru。　She　was　an　old　woman。　Hardship　had　stripped　her

fat　from　her　till　scarcely　more　than　bones　and　skin　and　a　few　stringy　muscles

remained。　The　canoe　was　large　and　should　have　been　paddled　by　three　strong

men。



But　she　did　it　alone；　with　a　make…shift　paddle。　Also；　the　canoe　leaked　badly；

and　one…third　of　her　time　was　devoted　to　bailing。　　By　clear　daylight　she

looked　vainly　for　Hikueru。　Astern；　Takokota　had　sunk　beneath　the　sea　rim。　The

sun　blazed　down　on　her　nakedness；　compelling　her　body　to　surrender　its

moisture。　　Two　tins　of　salmon　were　left；　and　in　the　course　of　the　day　she

battered　holes　in　them　and　drained　the　liquid。　She　had　no　time　to　waste　in

extracting　the　meat。　A　current　was　setting　to　the　westward；　she　made　westing

whether　she　made　southing　or　not。



In　the　eary　afternoon；　standing　upright　in　the　canoe；　she　sighted　Hikueru　Its

wealth　of　cocoanut　palms　was　gone。　Only　here　and　there；　at　wide　intervals；

could　she　see　the　ragged　remnants　of　trees。　The　sight　cheered　her。　She　was

nearer　than　she　had　thought。　The　current　was　setting　her　to　the　westward。　She

bore　up　against　it　and　paddled　on。　The　wedges　in　the　paddle　lashing　worked

loose；　and　she　lost　much　time；　at　frequent　intervals；　in　driving　them　tight。

Then　there　was　the　bailing。　One　hour　in　three　she　had　to　cease　paddling　in

order　to　bail。　And　all　the　time　she　driftd　to　the　westward。



By　sunset　Hikueru　bore　southeast　from　her；　three　miles　away。　　There　was　a　full

moon；　and　by　eight　o'clock　the　land　was　due　east　and　two　miles　away。　She

struggled　on　for　another　hour；　but　the　land　was　as　far　away　as　ever。　She　was

in　the　main　grip　of　the　current；　the　canoe　was　too　large；　the　paddle　was　too

inadequate；　and　too　much　of　her　time　and　strength　was　wasted　in　bailing。　

Besides；　she　was　very　weak　and　growing　weaker。　Despite　her　efforts；　the　canoe

was　drifting　off　to　the　westward。



She　breathed　a　prayer　to　her　shark　god；　slipped　over　the　side；　and　began　to

swim。　She　was　actually　refreshed　by　the　water；　and　quickly　left　the　canoe

astern。　At　the　end　of　an　hour　the　land　was　perceptibly　nearer。　Then　came　her

fright。　Right　before　her　eyes；　not　twenty　feet　away；　a　large　fin　cut　the

water。　She　swam　steadily　toward　it；　and　slowly　it　glided　away；　curving　off

toward　the　right　and　circling　around　her。　She　kept　her　eyes　on　the　fin　and

swam　on。　When　the　fin　disappeared；　she　lay　face　downward　in　the　water　and

watched。　When　the　fin　reappeared　she　resumed　her　swimming。　The　monster　was

lazyshe　could　see　that。　Without　doubt　he　had　been　well　fed　since　the

hurricane。　Had　he　been　very　hungry；　she　knew　he　would　not　have　hesitated　from

making　a　dash　for　her。　He　was　fifteen　feet　long；　and　one　bite；　she　knew；　could

cut　her　in　half。



But　she　did　not　have　any　time　to　waste　on　him。　Whether　she　swam　or　not；　the

current　drew　away　from　the　land　just　the　same。　A　half　hour　went　by；　and　the

shark　began　to　grow　bolder。　Seeing　no　harm　in　her　he　drew　closer；　in　narrowing

circles；　cocking　his　eyes　at　her　impudently　as　he　slid　past。　Sooner　or　later；

she　knew　well　enough；　he　would　get　up　sufficient　courage　to　dash　at　her。　　She

resolved　to　play　first。　It　was　a　desperate　act　she　meditated。　She　was　an　old

woman；　alone　in　the　sea　and　weak　from　starvation　and　hardship；　and　yet　she；　in

the　face　of　this　sea　tiger；　must　anticipate　his　dash　by　herself　dashing　at

him。　She　swam　on；　waiting　her　chance。　At　last　he　passed　languidly　by；　barely

eight　feet　away。　She　rushed　at　him　suddenly；　feigning　that　she　was　attacking

him。　He　gave　a　wild　flirt　of　his　tail　as　he　fled　away；　and　his　sandpaper　hide；

striking　her；　took　off　her　skin　from　elbow　to　shoulder。　He　swam　rapidly；　in　a

widening　circle；　and　at　last　disappeared。



In　the　hole　in　the　sand；　covered　over　by　fragments　of　metal　roofing；　Mapuhi

and　Tefara　lay　disputing。



〃If　you　had　done　as　I　said；〃　charged　Tefara；　for　the　thousandth　time；　〃and

hidden　the　pearl　and　told　no　one；　you　would　have　it　now。〃



〃But　Huru…Huru　was　with　me　when　I　opened　the　shellhave　I　not　told　you　so

times　and　times　and　times　without　end？〃



〃And　now　we　shall　have　no　house。　Raoul　told　me　today　that　if　you　had　not　sold

the　pearl　to　Toriki〃



〃I　did　not　sell　it。　Toriki　robbed　me。〃



〃that　if　you　had　not　sold　the　pearl；　he　would　give　you　five　thousand　French

dollars；　which　is　ten　thousand　Chili。〃



〃He　has　been　talking　to　his　mother；〃　Mapuhi　explained。　〃She　has　an　eye　for　a

pearl。〃



〃And　now　the　pearl　is　lost；〃　Tefara　complained。



〃It　paid　my　debt　with　Toriki。　That　is　twelve　hundred　I　have　made；　anyway。〃



〃Toriki　is　dead；〃　she　cried。　〃They　have　heard　no　word　of　his　schooner。　She　was

lost　along　with　the　Aorai　and　the　Hira。　Will　Toriki　pay　you　the　three　hundred

credit　he　promised？　No；　because　Toriki　is　dead。　And　had　you　found　no　pearl；

would　you　today　owe　Toriki　the　twelve　hundred？　No；　because　Toriki　is　dead；　and

you　cannot　pay　dead　men。〃



〃But　Levy　did　not　pay　Toriki；〃　Mapuhi　said。　〃He　gave　him　a　piece　of　paper　that

was　good　for　the　money　in　Papeete；　and　now　Levy　is　dead　and　cannot　pay；　and

Toriki　is　dead　and　the　paper　lost　with　him；　and　the　pearl　is　lost　with　Levy。

You　are　right；　Tefara。　I　have　lost　the　pearl；　and　got　nothing　for　it。　Now　let

us　sleep。〃



He　held　up　his　hand　suddenly　and　listened。　From　without　came　a　noise；　as　of

one　who　breathed　heavily　and　with　pain。　A　hand　fumbled　against　the　mat　that

served　for　a　door。



〃Who　is　there？〃　Mapuhi　cried。



〃Nauri；〃　came　the　answer。　〃Can　you　tell　me　where　is　my　son；　Mapuhi？〃



Tefara　screamed　and　gripped　her　husband's　arm。



〃A　ghost！　she　chattered。　〃A　ghost！〃



Mapuhi's　face　was　a　ghastly　yellow。　He　clung　weakly　to　his　wife。



〃Good　woman；〃　he　said　in　faltering　tones；　striving　to　disguise　his　vice；　〃I

know　your　son　well。　He　is　living　on　the　east　side　of　the　lagoon。〃



From　without　came　the　sound　of　a　sigh。　Mapuhi　began　to　feel　elated。　He　had

fooled　the　ghost。



〃But　where　do　you　come　from；　old　woman？〃　he　asked。



〃From　the　sea；〃　was　the　dejected　answer。



〃I　knew　it！　I　knew　it！〃　screamed　Tefara；　rocking　to　and　fro。



〃Since　when　has　Tefara　bedded　in　a　strange　house？〃　came　Nauri's　voice　through

the　matting。



Mapuhi　looked　fear　and　reproach　at　his　wife。　It　was　her　voice　that　had

betrayed　them。



〃And　since　when　has　Mapuhi；　my　son；　denied　his　old　mother？〃　the　voice　went　on。



〃No；　no；　I　have　notMapuhi　has　not　denied　you；〃　he　cried。　〃I　am　not　Mapuhi。

He　is　on　the　east　end　of　the　lagoon；　I　tell　you。〃



Ngakura　sat　up　in　bed　and　began　to　cry。　The　matting　started　to　shake。



〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Mapuhi　demanded。



〃I　am　coming　in；〃　said　the　voice　of　Nauri。



One　end　of　the　matting　lifted。　Tefara　tried　to　dive　under　the　blankets；　but

Mapuhi　held　on　to　her。　He　had　to　hold　on　to　something。　Together；　struggling

with　each　other；　with　shivering　bodies　and　chattering　teeth；　they　gazed　with

protruding　eyes　at　the　lifting　mat。　They　saw　Nauri；　dripping　with　sea　water；

without　her　ahu；　creep　in。　They　rolled　over　backward　from　her　and　fought　for

Ngakura's　blanket　with　which　to　cover　their　heads。



〃You　might　give　your　old　mother　a　drink　of　water；〃　the　ghost　said　plaintively。



〃Give　her　a　drink　of　water；〃　Tefara　commanded　in　a　shaking　voice。



〃Give　her　a　drink　of　water；〃　Mapuhi　passed　on　the　command　to　Ngakura。



And　together　they　kicked　out　Ngakura　from　under　the　blanket。　A　minute　later；

peeping；　Mapuhi　saw　the　ghost　drinking。　When　it　reached　out　a　shaking　hand　and

laid　it　on　his；　he　felt　the　weight　of　it　and　was　convinced　that　it　was　no

ghost。　Then　he　emerged；　dragging　Tefara　after　him；　and　in　a　few　minutes　all

were　listening　to　Nauri's　tale。　And　when　she　told　of　Levy；　and　dropped　the

pearl　into　Tefara's　hand；　even　she　was　reconciled　to　the　reality　of　her

mother…in…law。



〃In　the　morning；〃　said　Tefara；　〃you　will　sell　the　pearl　to　Raoul　for　five

thousand　French。〃



〃The　house？〃　objected　Nauri。



〃He　will　build　the　house；〃　Tefara　answered。　〃He　ways　it　will　cost　four

thousand　French。　Also　will　he　give　one　thousand　French　in　credit；　which　is　two

thousand　Chili。〃



〃And　it　will　be　six　fathoms　long？〃　Nauri　queried。



〃Ay；〃　answered　Mapuhi；　〃six　fathoms。〃



〃And　in　the　middle　room　will　be　the　octagon…drop…clock？〃



〃Ay；　and　the　round　table　as　well。〃



〃Then　give　me　something　to　eat；　for　I　am　hungry；〃　said　Nauri；　complacently。

〃And　after　that　we　will　sleep；　for　I　am　weary。　　And　tomorrow　we　will　have　more

talk　about　the　house　before　we　sell　the　pearl。　It　will　be　better　if　we　take

the　thousand　French　in　cash。　Money　is　ever　better　than　credit　in　buying　goods

from　the　traders。〃







THE　WHALE　TOOTH



It　was　in　the　early　days　in　Fiji；　when　John　Starhurst　arose　in　the　mission

house　at　Rewa　Village　and　announced　his　intention　of　carrying　the　gospel

throughout　all　Viti　Levu。　Now　Viti　Levu　means　the　〃Great　Land；〃　it　being　the

largest　island　in　a　group　composed　of　many　large　islands；　to　say　nothing　of

hundreds　of　small　ones。　Here　and　there　on　the　coasts；　living　by　most

precarious　tenure；　was　a　sprinkling　of　missionaries；　traders；　b坈he…de…mer

fishers；　and　whaleship　deserters。　The　smoke　of　the　hot　ovens　arose　under　their