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第2章

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reported to come out from his retreat; and go a man…hunting every dark


night。 Some anonymous Paul Pry; too; coming down the mountain; once

got a peep at his den; and found it full of bones。 In short; he was

a most unheard…of monster。

    The other prodigy Jimmy told us about; was the younger son of a

chief; who; although but just turned of ten; had entered upon holy

orders; because his superstitious countrymen thought him especially

intended for the priesthood; from the fact of his having a comb on his

head like a rooster。 But this was not all: for; still more wonderful

to relate; the boy prided himself upon this strange crest; being

actually endowed with a cock's voice; and frequently crowing over

his peculiarity。

    But to return to Toby。 The moment he saw the old rover on the

beach; he ran up to him; the natives following after; and forming a

circle round them。

    After welcoming him to the shore; Jimmy went on to tell him how

that he knew all about our having run away from the ship; and being

among the Typees; indeed; he had been urged by Mowanna to come over to

the valley; and; after visiting his friends there; to bring us back

with him; his royal master being exceedingly anxious to share with him

the reward which had been held out for our capture。 He; however;

assured Toby that he had indignantly spurned the offer。

    All this astonished my comrade not a little; as neither of us

had entertained the least idea that any white man ever visited the

Typees sociably。 But Jimmy told him that such was the case;

nevertheless; although he seldom came into the bay; and scarcely

ever went back from the beach。 One of the priests of the valley; in

some way or other connected with an old tattooed divine in Nukuheva;

was a friend of his; and through him he was 〃taboo。〃

    He said; moreover; that he was sometimes employed to come round to

the bay; and engage fruit for ships lying in Nukuheva。 In fact; he was

now on that very errand; according to his own account; having just

come across the mountains by the way of Happar。 By noon of the next

day; the fruit would be heaped up in stacks on the beach; in readiness

for the boats; which he then intended to bring into the bay。

    Jimmy now asked Toby whether he wished to leave the island… if

he did; there was a ship in want of men; lying in the other harbour;

and he would be glad to take him over; and see him on board that

very day。

    〃No;〃 said Toby; 〃I cannot leave the island; unless my comrade

goes with me。 I left him up the valley because they would not let

him come down。 Let us go now and fetch him。〃

    〃But how is he to cross the mountain with us;〃 replied Jimmy;

〃even if we get him down to the beach? Better let him stay till

to…morrow; and I will bring him round to Nukuheva in the boats。〃

    〃That will never do;〃 said Toby; 〃but come along with me now; and

let us get him down here at any rate〃; and yielding to the impulse

of the moment; he started to hurry back into the valley。 But hardly

was his back turned; when a dozen hands were laid on him; and he

learned that he could not go a step farther。

    It was in vain that he fought with them; they would not hear of

his stirring from the beach。 Cut to the heart at this unexpected

repulse; Toby now conjured the sailor to go after me alone。 But

Jimmy replied; that in the mood the Typees then were; they would not

permit him so to do; though; at the same time; he was not afraid of

their offering him any harm。

    Little did Toby then think; as he afterwards had good reason to

suspect; that this very Jimmy was a heartless villain; who; by his

arts; had just incited the natives to restrain him; as he was in the

act of going after me。 Well must the old sailor have known; too;

that the natives would never consent to our leaving together; and he

therefore wanted to get Toby off alone; for a purpose which he

afterwards made plain。 Of all this; however; my comrade now knew

nothing。

    He was still struggling with the islanders; when Jimmy again

came up to him; and warned him against irritating them; saying that he

was only making matters worse for both of us; and if they became

enraged; there was no telling what might happen。 At last he made

Toby sit down on a broken canoe; by a pile of stones; upon which was a

ruinous little shrine; supported by four upright paddles; and in front

partly screened by a net。 The fishing parties met there; when they

came in from the sea; for their offerings were laid before an image;

upon a smooth black stone within。 This spot; Jimmy said; was

strictly 〃taboo;〃 and no one would molest or come near him while he

stayed by its shadow。 The old sailor then went off; and began speaking

very earnestly to Mow…Mow and some other chiefs; while all the rest

formed a circle round the taboo place; looking intently at Toby; and

talking to each other without ceasing。

    Now; notwithstanding what Jimmy had just told him; there presently

came up to my comrade an old woman; who seated herself beside him on

the canoe。

    〃Typee Mortarkee?〃 said she。 〃Mortarkee muee;〃 said Toby。

    She then asked him whether he was going to Nukuheva; he nodded

yes; and with a plaintive wail; and her eyes filling with tears; she

rose and left him。

    This old woman; the sailor afterwards said; was the wife of an

aged king of a small inland valley; communicating by a deep pass

with the country of the Typees。 The inmates of the two valleys were

related to each other by blood; and were known by the same name。 The

old woman had gone down into the Typee valley the day before; and

was now; with three chiefs; her sons; on a visit to her kinsmen。

    As the old king's wife left him; Jimmy again came up to Toby;

and told him that he had just talked the whole matter over with the

natives; and there was only one course for him to follow。 They would

not allow him to go back into the valley; and harm would certainly

come to both him and me; if he remained much longer on the beach。

〃So;〃 said he; 〃you and I had better go to Nukuheva now overland;

and to…morrow I will bring Tommo; as they call him; by water; they

have promised to carry him down to the sea for me early in the

morning; so that there will be no delay。〃

    〃No; no;〃 said Toby desperately; 〃I will not leave him that way;

we must escape together。〃

    〃There is no hope for you;〃 exclaimed the sailor; 〃for if I

leave you here on the beach; as soon as I am gone you will be

carried back into the valley; and then neither of you will ever look

upon the sea again。〃 And with many oaths he swore that if he would

only go to Nukuheva with him that day; he would be sure to have me

there the very next morning。

    〃But how do you know they will bring him down to the beach

to…morrow; when they will not do so to…day?〃 said Toby。 But the sailor

had many reasons; all of which were so mixed up with the mysterious

customs of the islanders; that he was none the wiser。 Indeed; their

conduct; especially in preventing him from returning into the

valley; was absolutely unaccountable to him; and added to everything

else was the bitter reflection; that the old sailor; after all;

might possibly be deceiving him。 And then again he had to think of me;

left alone with the natives; and by no means well。 If he went with

Jimmy; he might at least hope to procure some relief for me。 But might

not the savages who had acted so strangely; hurry me off somewhere

before his return? Then; even he remained; perhaps they would not

let him go back into the valley where I was。

    Thus perplexed was my poor comrade; he knew not what to do; and

his courageous spirit was of no use to him now。 There he was; all by

himself; seated upon the broken canoe… the natives grouped around

him at a distance; and eyeing him more and more fixedly。

    〃It is getting late;〃 said Jimmy; who was standing behind the

rest。 〃Nukuheva is far off; and I cannot cross the Happar country by

night。

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