south sea tales-第2章

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hand？〃



〃What　was　I　to　do？〃　Mapuhi　protested。　〃I　owed　him　the　money。　He　knew　I　had　the

pearl。　You　heard　him　yourself　ask　to　see　it。　I　had　not　told　him。　He　knew。

Somebody　else　told　him。　And　I　owed　him　the　money。〃



〃Mapuhi　is　a　fool；〃　mimicked　Ngakura。



She　was　twelve　years　old　and　did　not　know　any　better。　Mapuhi　relieved　his

feelings　by　sending　her　reeling　from　a　box　on　the　ear；　while　Tefara　and　Nauri

burst　into　tears　and　continued　to　upbraid　him　after　the　manner　of　women。



Huru…Huru；　watching　on　the　beach；　saw　a　third　schooner　that　he　knew　heave　to

outside　the　entrance　and　drop　a　boat。　It　was　the　Hira；　well　named；　for　she　was

owned　by　Levy；　the　German　Jew；　the　greatest　pearl　buyer　of　them　all；　and；　as

was　well　known；　Hira　was　the　Tahitian　god　of　fishermen　and　thieves。



〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　Huru…Huru　asked；　as　Levy；　a　fat　man　with　massive

asymmetrical　features；　stepped　out　upon　the　beach。　　〃Mapuhi　has　found　a　pearl。

There　was　never　a　pearl　like　it　in　Hikueru；　in　all　the　Paumotus；　in　all　the

world。　Mapuhi　is　a　fool。　He　has　sold　it　to　Toriki　for　fourteen　hundred

ChiliI　listened　outside　and　heard。　Toriki　is　likewise　a　fool。　You　can　buy　it

from　him　cheap。　Remember　that　I　told　you　first。　Have　you　any　tobacco？〃



〃Where　is　Toriki？〃



〃In　the　house　of　Captain　Lynch；　drinking　absinthe。　He　has　been　there　an　hour。〃



And　while　Levy　and　Toriki　drank　absinthe　and　chaffered　over　the　pearl；

Huru…Huru　listened　and　heard　the　stupendous　price　of　twenty…five　thousand

francs　agreed　upon。



It　was　at　this　time　that　both　the　OROHENA　and　the　Hira；　running　in　close　to

the　shore；　began　firing　guns　and　signalling　frantically。　The　three　men　stepped

outside　in　time　to　see　the　two　schooners　go　hastily　about　and　head　off　shore；

dropping　mainsails　and　flying　jibs　on　the　run　in　the　teeth　of　the　squall　that

heeled　them　far　over　on　the　whitened　water。　Then　the　rain　blotted　them　out。



〃They'll　be　back　after　it's　over；〃　said　Toriki。　〃We'd　better　be　getting　out　of

here。〃



〃I　reckon　the　glass　has　fallen　some　more；〃　said　Captain　Lynch。



He　was　a　white…bearded　sea…captain；　too　old　for　service；　who　had　learned　that

the　only　way　to　live　on　comfortable　terms　with　his　asthma　was　on　Hikueru。　He

went　inside　to　look　at　the　barometer。



〃Great　God！〃　they　heard　him　exclaim；　and　rushed　in　to　join　him　at　staring　at　a

dial；　which　marked　twenty…nine…twenty。



Again　they　came　out；　this　time　anxiously　to　consult　sea　and　sky。　　The　squall

had　cleared　away；　but　the　sky　remained　overcast。　The　two　schooners；　under　all

sail　and　joined　by　a　third；　could　be　seen　making　back。　A　veer　in　the　wind

induced　them　to　slack　off　sheets；　and　five　minutes　afterward　a　sudden　veer

from　the　opposite　quarter　caught　all　three　schooners　aback；　and　those　on　shore

could　see　the　boom…tackles　being　slacked　away　or　cast　off　on　the　jump。　The

sound　of　the　surf　was　loud；　hollow；　and　menacing；　and　a　heavy　swell　was

setting　in。　A　terrible　sheet　of　lightning　burst　before　their　eyes；

illuminating　the　dark　day；　and　the　thunder　rolled　wildly　about　them。



Toriki　and　Levy　broke　into　a　run　for　their　boats；　the　latter　ambling　along

like　a　panic…stricken　hippopotamus。　As　their　two　boats　swept　out　the　entrance；

they　passed　the　boat　of　the　Aorai　coming　in。　In　the　stern　sheets；　encouraging

the　rowers；　was　Raoul。　Unable　to　shake　the　vision　of　the　pearl　from　his　mind；

he　was　returning　to　accept　Mapuhi's　price　of　a　house。



He　landed　on　the　beach　in　the　midst　of　a　driving　thunder　squall　that　was　so

dense　that　he　collided　with　Huru…Huru　before　he　saw　him。



〃Too　late；〃　yelled　Huru…Huru。　〃Mapuhi　sold　it　to　Toriki　for　fourteen　hundred

Chili；　and　Toriki　sold　it　to　Levy　for　twenty…five　thousand　francs。　And　Levy

will　sell　it　in　France　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　Have　you　any　tobacco？〃



Raoul　felt　relieved。　His　troubles　about　the　pearl　were　over。　He　need　not　worry

any　more；　even　if　he　had　not　got　the　pearl。　But　he　did　not　believe　Huru…Huru。

Mapuhi　might　well　have　sold　it　for　fourteen　hundred　Chili；　but　that　Levy；　who

knew　pearls；　should　have　paid　twenty…five　thousand　francs　was　too　wide　a

stretch。　　Raoul　decided　to　interview　Captain　Lynch　on　the　subject；　but　when　he

arrived　at　that　ancient　mariner's　house；　he　found　him　looking　wide…eyed　at　the

barometer。



〃What　do　you　read　it？〃　Captain　Lynch　asked　anxiously；　rubbing　his　spectables

and　staring　again　at　the　instrument。



〃Twenty…nine…ten；〃　said　Raoul。　〃I　have　never　seen　it　so　low　before。〃



〃I　should　say　not！〃　snorted　the　captain。　〃Fifty　years　boy　and　man　on　all　the

seas；　and　I've　never　seen　it　go　down　to　that。　　Listen！〃



They　stood　for　a　moment；　while　the　surf　rumbled　and　shook　the　house。　Then　they

went　outside。　The　squall　had　passed。　They　could　see　the　Aorai　lying　becalmed　a

mile　away　and　pitching　and　tossing　madly　in　the　tremendous　seas　that　rolled　in

stately　procession　down　out　of　the　northeast　and　flung　themselves　furiously

upon　the　coral　shore。　One　of　the　sailors　from　the　boat　pointed　at　the　mouth　of

the　passage　and　shook　his　head。　Raoul　looked　and　saw　a　white　anarchy　of　foam

and　surge。



〃I　guess　I'll　stay　with　you　tonight；　Captain；〃　he　said；　then　turned　to　the

sailor　and　told　him　to　haul　the　boat　out　and　to　find　shelter　for　himself　and

fellows。



〃Twenty…nine　flat；〃　Captain　Lynch　reported；　coming　out　from　another　look　at

the　barometer；　a　chair　in　his　hand。



He　sat　down　and　stared　at　the　spectacle　of　the　sea。　The　sun　came　out；

increasing　the　sultriness　of　the　day；　while　the　dead　calm　still　held。　The　seas

continued　to　increase　in　magnitude。



〃What　makes　that　sea　is　what　gets　me；〃　Raoul　muttered　petulantly。



〃There　is　no　wind；　yet　look　at　it；　look　at　that　fellow　there！〃



Miles　in　length；　carrying　tens　of　thousands　of　tons　in　weight；　its　impact

shook　the　frail　atoll　like　an　earthquake。　Captain　Lynch　was　startled。



〃Gracious！〃　he　bellowed；　half　rising　from　his　chair；　then　sinking　back。



〃But　there　is　no　wind；〃　Raoul　persisted。　〃I　could　understand　it　if　there　was

wind　along　with　it。〃



〃You'll　get　the　wind　soon　enough　without　worryin'　for　it；〃　was　the　grim　reply。



The　two　men　sat　on　in　silence。　The　sweat　stood　out　on　their　skin　in　myriads　of

tiny　drops　that　ran　together；　forming　blotches　of　moisture；　which；　in　turn；

coalesced　into　rivulets　that　dripped　to　the　ground。　They　panted　for　breath；

the　old　man's　efforts　being　especially　painful。　A　sea　swept　up　the　beach；

licking　around　the　trunks　of　the　cocoanuts　and　subsiding　almost　at　their　feet。



〃Way　past　high　water　mark；〃　Captain　Lynch　remarked；　〃and　I've　been　here　eleven

years。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It　is　three　o'clock。〃



A　man　and　woman；　at　their　heels　a　motley　following　of　brats　and　curs；　trailed

disconsolately　by。　They　came　to　a　halt　beyond　the　house；　and；　after　much

irresolution；　sat　down　in　the　sand。　A　few　minutes　later　another　family　trailed

in　from　the　opposite　direction；　the　men　and　women　carrying　a　heterogeneous

assortment　of　possessions。　And　soon　several　hundred　persons　of　all　ages　and

sexes　were　congregated　about　the　captain's　dwelling。　He　called　to　one　new

arrival；　a　woman　with　a　nursing　babe　in　her　arms；　and　in　answer　received　the

information　that　her　house　had　just　been　swept　into　the　lagoon。



This　was　the　highest　spot　of　land　in　miles；　and　already；　in　many　places　on

either　hand；　the　great　seas　were　making　a　clean　breach　of　the　slender　ring　of

the　atoll　and　surging　into　the　lagoon。　　Twenty　miles　around　stretched　the　ring

of　the　atoll；　and　in　no　place　was　it　more　than　fifty　fathoms　wide。　It　was　the

height　of　the　diving　season；　and　from　all　the　islands　around；　even　as　far　as

Tahiti；　the　natives　had　gathered。



〃There　are　twelve　hundred　men；　women；　and　children　here；〃　said　Captain　Lynch。

〃I　wonder　how　many　will　be　here　tomorrow　morning。〃



〃But　why　don't　it　blow？that's　what　I　want　to　know；〃　Raoul　demanded。



〃Don't　worry；　young　man；　don't　worry；　you'll　get　your　troubles　fast　enough。〃



Even　as　Captain　Lynch　spoke；　a　great　watery　mass　smote　the　atoll。



The　sea　water　churned　about　them　three　inches　deep　under　the　chairs。　A　low

wail　of　fear　went　up　from　the　many　women。　The　children；　with　clasped　hands；

stared　at　the　immense　rollers　and　cried　piteously。　Chickens　and　cats；　wading

perturbedly　in　the　water；　as　by　common　consent；　with　flight　and　scramble　took

refuge　on　the　roof　of　the　captain's　house。　A　Paumotan；　with　a　litter　of

new…born　puppies　in　a　basket；　climbed　into　a　cocoanut　tree　and　twenty　feet

above　the　ground　made　the　basket　fast。　The　mother　floundered　about　in　the

water　beneath；　whining　and　yelping。



And　still　the　sun　shone　brightly　and　the　dead　calm　continued。　　They　sat　and

watched　the　seas　and　the　insane　pitching　of　the　Aorai。　Captain　Lynch　gazed　at

the　huge　mountains　of　water　sweeping　in　until　he　could　gaze　no　more。　He

covered　his　face　with　his　hands　to　shut　out　the　sight；　then　went　into　the

house。



〃Twenty…eight…sixty；〃　he　said　quietly　when　he　returned。



In　his　arm　was　a　coil　of　small　rope。　He　cut　it　into　two…fathom　lengths；　giving

one　to　Raoul　and；　retaining　one　for　himself；　distributed　the　remainder　among

the　women　with　the　advice　to　pick　out　a　tree　and　climb。



A　light　air　began　to　blow　out　of　the　northeast；　and　the　fan　of　it　on　his　cheek

seemed　to　cheer　Raoul　up。　He　could　see　the　Aorai　trimming　her　sheets　and

heading　off　shore；　and　he　regretted　that　he　was　not　on　her。　She　would　get　away

at　any　rate；　but　as　for　the　atollA　sea　breached　across；　almost　sweeping　him

off　his　feet；　and　he　selected　a　tree。　Then　he　remembered　the　barometer　and　ran

back　to　the　house。　He　encountered　Captain　Lynch　on　the　same　errand　and

together　they　went　in。



〃Twenty…eight…twenty；〃　said　the　old　mariner。　〃It's　going　to　be　fair　hell

around　herewhat　was　that？〃



The　air　seemed　filled　with　the　rush　of　something。　The　house　quivered　and

vibrated；　and　they　heard　the　thrumming　of　a　mighty　note　of　sound。　The　windows

rattled。　Two　panes　crashed；　a　draught　of　wind　tore　in；　striking　them　and

making　them　stagger。　　The　door　opposite　banged　shut；　shattering　the　latch。　The

white　door　knob　crumbled　in　fragments　to　the　floor。　The　room's　walls　bulged

like　a　gas　balloon　in　the　process　of　sudden　inflation。　　Then　came　a　new　sound

like　the　rattle　of　musketry；　as　the　spray　from　a　sea　struck　the　wall　of　the

house。　Captain　Lyncyh　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　four　o'clock。　He　put　on　a

coat　of　pilot　cloth；　unhooked　the　barometer；　and　stowed　it　away　in　a　capacious

pocket。　Again　a　sea　struck　the　house；　with　a　heavy　thud；　and　the　light

building　tilted；　twisted；　quarter　around　on　its　foundation；　and　sank　down；　its

floor　at　an　angle　of　ten　degrees。



Raoul　went　out　first。　The　wind　caught　him　and　whirled　him　away。　　He　noted　that

it　had　hauled　around　to　the　east。　With　a　great　effort　he　threw　himself　on　the

sand；　crouching　and　holding　his　own。　Captain　Lynch；　driven　like　a　wisp　of

straw；　sprawled　over　him。