按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
possible。
MONDAY 25TH。
We have had a devil of a morning of upset and bustle； the
bronze candlestick Faauma has returned to the family； in time
to take her position of stepmamma； and it is pretty to see
how the child is at once at home； and all her terrors ended。
27TH。 MAIL DAY。
And I don't know that I have much to report。 I may have to
leave for Malie as soon as these mail packets are made up。
'Tis a necessity （if it be one） I rather deplore。 I think I
should have liked to lazy； but I daresay all it means is the
delay of a day or so in harking back to David Balfour； that
respectable youth chides at being left （where he is now） in
Glasgow with the Lord Advocate； and after five years in the
British Linen； who shall blame him？ I was all forenoon
yesterday down in Apia；' dictating； and Lloyd type…writing；
the conclusion of SAMOA； and then at home correcting till the
dinner bell； and in the evening again till eleven of the
clock。 This morning I have made up most of my packets； and I
think my mail is all ready but two more； and the tag of this。
I would never deny （as D。 B might say） that I was rather
tired of it。 But I have a damned good dose of the devil in
my pipe…stem atomy； I have had my little holiday outing in my
kick at THE YOUNG CHEVALIER； and I guess I can settle to
DAVID BALFOUR to…morrow or Friday like a little man。 I
wonder if any one had ever more energy upon so little
strength？ … I know there is a frost； the Samoa book can only
increase that … I can't help it； that book is not written for
me but for Miss Manners； but I mean to break that frost
inside two years； and pull off a big success； and Vanity
whispers in my ear that I have the strength。 If I haven't；
whistle ower the lave o't！ I can do without glory and
perhaps the time is not far off when I can do without corn。
It is a time coming soon enough； anyway； and I have endured
some two and forty years without public shame； and had a good
time as I did it。 If only I could secure a violent death；
what a fine success！ I wish to die in my boots； no more Land
of Counterpane for me。 To be drowned； to be shot； to be
thrown from a horse … ay； to be hanged； rather than pass
again through that slow dissolution。
I fancy this gloomy ramble is caused by a twinge of age； I
put on an under…shirt yesterday （it was the only one I could
find） that barely came under my trousers； and just below it；
a fine healthy rheumatism has now settled like a fire in my
hip。 From such small causes do these valuable considerations
flow！
I shall now say adieu； dear Sir； having ten rugged miles
before me and the horrors of a native feast and parliament
without an interpreter； for to…day I go alone。
Yours ever；
R。 L S。
CHAPTER XIX
SUNDAY； 29TH MAY。
HOW am I to overtake events？ On Wednesday； as soon as my
mail was finished； I had a wild whirl to look forward to。
Immediately after dinner； Belle； Lloyd and I； set out on
horseback； they to the club； I to Haggard's； thence to the
hotel where I had supper ready for them。 All next day we
hung round Apia with our whole house…crowd in Sunday array；
hoping for the mail steamer with a menagerie on board。 No
such luck； the ship delayed； and at last； about three； I had
to send them home again； a failure of a day's pleasuring that
does not bear to be discussed。 Lloyd was so sickened that he
returned the same night to Vailima； Belle and I held on； sat
most of the evening on the hotel verandah stricken silly with
fatigue and disappointment； and genuine sorrow for our poor
boys and girls； and got to bed with rather dismal
appreciations of the morrow。
These were more than justified； and yet I never had a jollier
day than Friday 27th。 By 7。30 Belle and I had breakfast； we
had scarce done before my mother was at the door on
horseback； and a boy at her heels to take her not very
dashing charger home again。 By 8。10 we were all on the
landing pier； and it was 9。20 before we had got away in a
boat with two inches of green wood on the keel of her； no
rudder； no mast； no sail； no boat flag； two defective
rowlocks； two wretched apologies for oars； and two boys … one
a Tongan half…caste； one a white lad； son of the Tonga
schoolmaster； and a sailor lad … to pull us。 All this was
our first taste of the tender mercies of Taylor （the
sesquipidalian half…caste introduced two letters back； I
believe）。 We had scarce got round Mulinuu when Sale Taylor's
heart misgave him； he thought we had missed the tide； called
a halt； and set off ashore to find canoes。 Two were found；
in one my mother and I were embarked with the two biscuit
tins （my present to the feast）； and the bag with our dry
clothes； on which my mother was perched … and her cap was on
the top of it … feminine hearts please sympathise； all under
the guidance of Sale。 In the other Belle and our guest；
Tauilo； a chief…woman； the mother of my cook； were to have
followed。 And the boys were to have been left with the boat。
But Tauilo refused。 And the four； Belle； Tauilo； Frank the
sailor…boy； and Jimmie the Tongan half…caste； set off in the
boat across that rapidly shoaling bay of the lagoon。
How long the next scene lasted； I could never tell。 Sale was
always trying to steal away with our canoe and leave the
other four； probably for six hours； in an empty； leaky boat；
without so much as an orange or a cocoanut on board； and
under the direct rays of the sun。 I had at last to stop him
by taking the spare paddle off the out…rigger and sticking it
in the ground … depth； perhaps two feet … width of the bay；
say three miles。 At last I bid him land me and my mother and
go back for the other ladies。 'The coast is so rugged；' said
Sale。 … 'What？' I said； 'all these villages and no landing
place？' … 'Such is the nature of Samoans；' said he。 Well；
I'll find a landing…place； I thought； and presently I said；
'Now we are going to land there。' … 'We can but try；' said
the bland Sale； with resignation。 Never saw a better
landing…place in my life。 Here the boat joined us。 My
mother and Sale continued in the canoe alone； and Belle and I
and Tauilo set off on foot for Malie。 Tauilo was about the
size of both of us put together and a piece over； she used us
like a mouse with children。 I had started barefoot； Belle
had soon to pull off her gala shoes and stockings； the mud
was as deep as to our knees； and so slippery that （moving； as
we did； in Indian file； between dense scratching tufts of
sensitive） Belle and I had to take hands to support each
other； and Tauilo was steadying Belle from the rear。 You can
conceive we were got up to kill； Belle in an embroidered
white dress and white hat； I in a suit of Bedford cords hot
from the Sydney tailors； and conceive us； below； ink…black to
the knees with adhesive clay； and above； streaming with heat。
I suppose it was better than three miles； but at last we made
the end of Malie。 I asked if we could find no water to wash
our feet； and our nursemaid guided us to a pool。 We sat down
on the pool side； and our nursemaid washed our feet and legs
for us … ladies first； I suppose out of a sudden respect to
the insane European fancies： such a luxury as you can scarce
imagine。 I felt a new man after it。 But before we got to
the King's house we were sadly muddied once more。 It was 1
P。M。 when we arrived； the canoe having beaten us by about
five minutes； so we made fair time over our bog…holes。
But the war dances were over； and we came in time to see only
the tail end （some two hours） of the food presentation。 In
Mataafa's house three chairs were set for us covered with
fine mats。 Of course； a native house without the blinds down
is like a verandah。 All the green in front was surrounded
with sheds； some of flapping canvas； some of green palm
boughs； where （in three sides of a huge oblong） the natives
sat by villages in a fine glow of many…hued array。 There
were folks in tapa； and folks in patchwork； there was every
colour of the rainbow in a spot or a cluster； there were men
with their heads gilded with powdered sandal…wood； others
with heads all purple； stuck full of the petals of a flower。
In the midst there was a growing field of outspread food；
gradually covering acres； the gifts were brought in； now by
chanting deputations； now by carriers in a file； they were
brandished aloft and declaimed over； with polite sacramental
exaggerations； by the official receiver。 He； a stalwart；
well…oiled quadragenarian； shone with sweat from his
exertions； brandishing cooked pigs。 At intervals； from one
of the squatted villages； an orator would arise。 The field
was almost beyond the reach of any human speaking voice； the
p