when the world shook-第17章

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masked　priests。　He　growled　and　then　rushed　at　them　barking；　his

long　black　ears　flapping　as　he　went。



The　effect　was　instantaneous。　One　and　all　they　turned　and　fled

precipitately；　who　evidently　had　never　before　seen　a　dog　and

looked　upon　it　as　a　deadly　creature。　Yes；　even　the　tall　chief　and

his　masked　medicine…men　fled　like　hares　pursued　by　Tommy；　who　bit

one　of　them　in　the　leg；　evoking　a　terrific　howl。　I　called　him

back　and　took　him　into　my　arms。　Seeing　that　he　was　safe　for　a

while　the　crowd　reformed　and　once　again　advanced。



As　they　came　we　noted　that　they　were　a　wonderfully　handsome

people；　tall　and　straight　with　regularly　shaped　features　and

nothing　of　the　negro　about　them。　Some　of　the　young　women　might

even　be　called　beautiful；　though　those　who　were　elderly　had

become　corpulent。　The　feather…clothed　chief；　however；　was　much

disfigured　by　a　huge　growth　with　a　narrow　stalk　to　it　that　hung

from　his　neck　and　rested　on　his　shoulder。



〃I'll　have　that　off　him　before　he　is　a　week　older；〃　said

Bickley；　surveying　this　deformity　with　great　professional

interest。



On　they　came；　the　girls　with　the　platters　walking　ahead。　On　one

of　these　were　what　looked　like　joints　of　baked　pork；　on　another

some　plantains　and　pear…shaped　fruits。　They　knelt　down　and

offered　these　to　us。　We　contemplated　them　for　a　while。　Then

Bickley　shook　his　head　and　began　to　rub　his　stomach　with

appropriate　contortions。　Clearly　they　were　quick…minded　enough　for

they　saw　the　point。　At　some　words　the　girls　brought　the　platters

to　the　chief　and　others；　who　took　from　them　portions　of　the　food

at　hazard　and　ate　them　to　show　that　it　was　not　poisoned；　we

watching　their　throats　the　while　to　make　sure　that　it　was

swallowed。　Then　they　returned　again　and　we　took　some　of　the　food

though　only　Bickley　ate；　because；　as　I　pointed　out　to　him；　being

a　doctor　who　understood　the　use　of　antidotes；　clearly　he　should

make　the　experiment。　However；　nothing　happened；　indeed　he　said

that　it　was　very　good。



After　this　there　came　a　pause。　Then　suddenly　Bastin　took　up　his

parable　in　the　Polynesian　tongue　whichto　a　certain　extenthe

had　acquired　with　so　much　pains。



〃What　is　this　place　called？〃　he　asked　slowly　and　distinctly；

pausing　between　each　word。



His　audience　shook　their　heads　and　he　tried　again；　putting　the

accents　on　different　syllables。　Behold！　some　bright　spirit

understood　him　and　answered：



〃Orofena。〃



〃That　means　a　hill；　or　an　island；　or　a　hill　in　an　island；〃

whispered　Bickley　to　me。



〃Who　is　your　God？〃　asked　Bastin　again。



The　point　seemed　one　upon　which　they　were　a　little　doubtful；

but　at　last　the　chief　answered；　〃Oro。　He　who　fights。〃



〃In　other　words；　Mars；〃　said　Bickley。



〃I　will　give　you　a　better　one；〃　said　Bastin　in　the　same　slow

fashion。



Thinking　that　he　referred　to　himself　these　children　of　Nature

contemplated　his　angular　form　doubtfully　and　shook　their　heads。

Then　for　the　first　time　one　of　the　men　who　was　wearing　a　mask　and

a　wicker　crate　on　his　head；　spoke　in　a　hollow　voice；　saying：



〃If　you　try　Oro　will　eat　you　up。〃



〃Head　priest！〃　said　Bickley；　nudging　me。　〃Old　Bastin　had　better

be　careful　or　he　will　get　his　teeth　into　him　and　call　them

Oro's。〃



Another　pause；　after　which　the　man　in　a　feather　cloak　with　the

growth　on　his　neck　that　a　servant　was　supporting；　said：



〃I　am　Marama；　the　chief　of　Orofena。　We　have　never　seen　men　like

you　before；　if　you　are　men。　What　brought　you　here　and　with　you

that　fierce　and　terrible　animal；　or　evil　spirit　which　makes　a

noise　and　bites？〃



Now　Bickley　pretended　to　consult　me　who　stood　brooding　and

majestic；　that　is　if　I　can　be　majestic。　I　whispered　something　and

he　answered：



〃The　gods　of　the　wind　and　the　sea。〃



〃What　nonsense；〃　ejaculated　Bastin；　〃there　are　no　such　things。〃



〃Shut　up；〃　I　said；　〃we　must　use　similes　here；〃　to　which　he

replied：



〃I　don't　like　similes　that　tamper　with　the　truth。〃



〃Remember　Neptune　and　Aeolus；〃　I　suggested；　and　he　lapsed　into

consideration　of　the　point。



〃We　knew　that　you　were　coming；〃　said　Marama。　〃Our　doctors　told

us　all　about　you　a　moon　ago。　But　we　wish　that　you　would　come　more

gently；　as　you　nearly　washed　away　our　country。〃



After　looking　at　me　Bickley　replied：



〃How　thankful　should　you　be　that　in　our　kindness　we　have　spared

you。〃



〃What　do　you　come　to　do？〃　inquired　Marama　again。　After　the

usual　formula　of　consulting　me　Bickley　answered：



〃We　come　to　take　that　mountain　（he　meant　lump）　off　your　neck

and　make　you　beautiful；　also　to　cure　all　the　sickness　among　your

people。〃



〃And　I　come；〃　broke　in　Bastin；　〃to　give　you　new　hearts。〃



These　announcements　evidently　caused　great　excitement。　After

consultation　Marama　answered：



〃We　do　not　want　new　hearts　as　the　old　ones　are　good；　but　we

wish　to　be　rid　of　lumps　and　sicknesses。　If　you　can　do　this　we

will　make　you　gods　and　worship　you　and　give　you　many　wives。〃

（Here　Bastin　held　up　his　hands　in　horror。）　〃When　will　you　begin

to　take　away　the　lumps？〃



〃To…morrow；〃　said　Bickley。　〃But　learn　that　if　you　try　to　harm

us　we　will　bring　another　wave　which　will　drown　all　your　country。〃



Nobody　seemed　to　doubt　our　capacities　in　this　direction；　but

one　inquiring　spirit　in　a　wicker　crate　did　ask　how　it　came　about

that　if　we　controlled　the　ocean　we　had　arrived　in　half　a　canoe

instead　of　a　whole　one。



Bickley　replied　to　the　effect　that　it　was　because　the　gods

always　travelled　in　half…canoes　to　show　their　higher　nature；

which　seemed　to　satisfy　everyone。　Then　we　announced　that　we　had

seen　enough　of　them　for　that　day　and　would　retire　to　think。

Meanwhile　we　should　be　obliged　if　they　would　build　us　a　house　and

keep　us　supplied　with　whatever　food　they　had。



〃Do　the　gods　eat？〃　asked　the　sceptic　again。



〃That　fellow　is　a　confounded　radical；〃　I　whispered　to　Bickley。

〃Tell　him　that　they　do　when　they　come　to　Orofena。〃



He　did　so；　whereon　the　chief　said：



〃Would　the　gods　like　a　nice　young　girl　cooked？〃



At　this　point　Bastin　retired　down　the　path；　realising　that　he

had　to　do　with　cannibals。　We　said　that　we　preferred　to　look　at

the　girls　alive　and　would　meet　them　again　to…morrow　morning；　when

we　hoped　that　the　house　would　be　ready。



So　our　first　interview　with　the　inhabitants　of　Orofena　came　to

an　end；　on　which　we　congratulated　ourselves。





On　reaching　the　remains　of　the　Star　of　the　South　we　set　to　work

to　take　stock　of　what　was　left　to　us。　Fortunately　it　proved　to　be

a　very　great　deal。　As　I　think　I　mentioned；　all　the　passenger　part

of　the　yacht　lay　forward　of　the　bridge；　just　in　front　of　which

the　vessel　had　been　broken　in　two；　almost　as　cleanly　as　though

she　were　severed　by　a　gigantic　knife。　Further　our　stores　were

forward　and　practically　everything　else　that　belonged　to　us；　even

down　to　Bickley's　instruments　and　medicines　and　Bastin's

religious　works；　to　say　nothing　of　a　great　quantity　of　tinned

food　and　groceries。　Lastly　on　the　deck　above　the　saloon　had　stood

two　large　lifeboats。　Although　these　were　amply　secured　at　the

commencement　of　the　gale　one　of　them；　that　on　the　port　side；　was

smashed　to　smithers；　probably　some　spar　had　fallen　upon　it。　The

starboard　boat；　however；　remained　intact　and　so　far　as　we　could

judge；　seaworthy；　although　the　bulwarks　were　broken　by　the　waves。



〃There's　something　we　can　get　away　in　if　necessary；〃　I　said。



〃Where　to？〃　remarked　Bastin。　〃We　don't　know　where　we　are　or　if

there　is　any　other　land　within　a　thousand　miles。　I　think　we　had

better　stop　here　as　Providence　seems　to　have　intended；　especially

when　there　is　so　much　work　to　my　hand。〃



〃Be　careful；〃　answered　Bickley；　〃that　the　work　to　your　hand

does　not　end　in　the　cutting　of　all　our　throats。　It　is　an　awkward

thing　interfering　with　the　religion　of　savages；　and　I　believe

that　these　untutored　children　of　Nature　sometimes　eat

missionaries。〃



〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that；〃　said　Ba