Lentala of The South Seas 2
"These people are strange to me," he replied, "and I don't know how to
proceed. They have an appearance of ferocity that I have never seen in
these seas. Many outside men must have drifted to this island, but I'll
warrant that none ever left it, for I've never heard of anything that
looks just like this. I imagine it is the graveyard of the unreported
wrecks that happen in this part of the Pacific."
I was surprised at the grayness in his face and the glaze in his eyes.
What could our two hundred and fifty men, women, and children, helpless
as they were, do without his shrewdness and courage?
"Then we have all the more to do," I urged.
He squared himself, and said: "We three will meet them. Put yourself
forward. Your height and strength will impress them."
It looked odd that he did not include Mr. Vancouver, the leader of our
enterprise, and Lee Rawley, the aristocratic and disdainful young lawyer
whom Mr. Vancouver hoped that Annabel would marry.
[Illustration: 0021]
Meanwhile, the leader of the savages, a man of commanding size and
manner, had been growing more impatient, and was putting his men through
some manual that hinted at barbarous proceeding; but when we started
he desisted, and met us with urbane gestures. Then ensued a struggle to
find a means of communication. Both Captain Mason and I knew something
of the Pacific languages, he from a sailor's experience and I from
having fought as a first lieutenant in the Philippines during the war
with Spain; but apparently our combined resources failed. Finally we
caught a Spanish word and then a German. It remained for Christopher to
discover that the embassador spoke some pidgin-English with his tongue
and all languages with his gestures. Thus we learned that the gracious
King Rangan had sent Gato, commander-in-chief of the army, with an
escort of honor to conduit us to the imperial presence.
Captain Mason and I carefully avoided each other's eyes. The tomb-like
mask that Christopher knew how to wear was on his face.
As there were two armed savages to each colonist throat, there was
nothing to do but accept. In a dismal procession guarded by the
soldiers, we labored through the sand and sank into the scented forest.
After a walk through flagrant aisles of shade and color, we came upon a
wide sweep where the undergrowth had been cleared away; in its place
was a cluster of huts made of bamboo and thatch. The central space was
occupied by one more imposing than the others. The matting curtain
at the door was drawn aside after we had been seated before it on the
ground, and a sturdy figure, followed by a striking retinue, came forth
and took an elevated seat on a platform extending from the house.
The king's gorgeous robe of a light fabric adorned with feathers and
embroidered with gold was worn with a knowledge of its impressiveness.
A wide band of gold embedded with gems served for a crown; the blazing
scepter and massive wristlets and anklets were of like materials; the
ears and fingers flashed with jewels. The royal face was benignant. Gato
stepped forth to interpret, as the king's immediate followers, dressed
in long embroidered garments of native texture, ranged about the throne.
The attendant swinging a large feather fan over the king's head was the
only woman discoverable. There was a striking difference between her and
the men. It was manifest in a prouder poise of the head, in a look
of higher intelligence, and in a finer definition of features. The
eagerness with which her glance ran over us, a shyness that struggled
with an impulse to a bolder scrutiny, combined with a certain refinement
of bearing to set her apart. She was raimented with no less barbaric
splendor than the king and his immediate attendants, but in better
taste. Her brown bare arms and neck were turned on the graceful lines of
youth, and her wrists and hands were small. Her hair, instead of having
the glistening blackness of the men's, housed some of the sun's gold;
and I was startled to discover finally that her eyes were a deep blue.
At last her roving glance was caught and held by me. In her eyes was
a moment of hungry inquiry. She caught her breath; a break came in the
regular swing of the fan, and her eyelids drooped.
My fascinated attention to her was diverted by a deep rumble. King
Rangan was speaking.
CHAPTER II.--The Falling of a Fong
_A Royal Feast. The Fan-Bearer's Significant Conduct. A Gloomy Forecast.
Had Any Before Us Escaped? The King's Promise. Prisoned in Paradise._
THE interpreter made a genuflection to the throne, and beckoned to
Captain Mason and me. I thought that Mr. Vancouver ought to be included,
but the skipper ignored my inquiring glance, and stepped forward. After
bowing, we stood waiting.
The king gave us a shrewd look. Then his eyes blazed, and he ripped
out something to the interpreter. I discovered the cause. My faithful
Christopher had brought up his prodigious strength for a possible
emergency, and it was clear that the king was offended by the grotesque
figure.
The interpreter hesitated, for he knew Christopher's speech-value, and
the king snapped out another command. I knew it was an order that
some shame be put upon Christopher. At that my muscles hardened, and I
stepped protectingly before him. The fan over the king's head abruptly
stopped. The leader raised his hand, and a dozen of his men advanced.
Dimly aware that Captain Mason was employing some pacific measures, I
was more concerned by Annabel's surprising act. Her eyes shining and her
cheeks aglow, she briskly came up, laid her hand on Christopher's arm,
and sweetly said:
"Come and stay back here with us."
His pathetic look went questioningly from her to me, and he held
his ground. I glanced round to see what next the king would do. With
astonishment or wonder the fan-bearer was staring at Annabel, who made
a striking picture; then she whispered into the royal ear. In a milder
voice he said something to the interpreter, who by a gesture to us
indicated that the king was satisfied. At a word from me, Christopher
came and stood beside me.
His ostensible purpose proved to be merely a formal welcome, an
ascertainment of our origin, purpose, and disaster, and an invitation to
a feast.
As the others of the colony were in too dull a state to give attention,
the king confined to us three a shrewd scrutiny. But Captain Mason and
I, feeling that the welcome was only a sheathed sword, held blank faces,
and did not even pass a glance of understanding; and Christopher could
be depended on under all circumstances to give no betraying sign.
The one thing to do was to show a grateful acquiescence. The time
for planning would come when our people were capable of thought and
action,--if we should be spared that long.
It was indeed a feast. The smoke which Christopher had seen rose from
a barbecue, at which fresh meat and fowls and fish had been deliciously
cooked. The completeness of the preparations indicated that they must
have been begun immediately after our landing. Fragrant boughs were
spread on the ground near the barbecue trench, and on them we seated
ourselves. Plantain leaves made excellent platters. Roasted yams, bread
made of ground seed or grain, and fruits of many kinds, were served in
abundance.
The effect was magical; the down-hearted took cheer, and laughter
ran through the trees. Much of the transformation was wrought by the
solicitous attentions of the servers; but more cheering was the gracious
friendliness of the king, who, besides personally directing the service,
mingled with us in a democratic way, yet with no sacrifice of dignity.
Most fascinating to me was the fan-bearer. Whereas the warriors stood
in awe of his Majesty, she treated him with almost a flippant disregard.
She went among the colonists, keenly anxious that all should be pleased,
her face breaking into bewitching smiles, her mischievous eyes dancing,
her musical laugh rippling. The distinction in her manner as she had
stood behind the throne was augmented in the modest abandon of her rôle
of hostess. The alertness of her glance, the joyous spirits that bubbled
out of her light pose and movement, her sprite-like airiness, her
obvious efforts to restrain an instinct to play, to tease, to get into
mischief, a running over of kindness and happiness,--these and more
elusive qualities set her apart from the men and made them look dull and
sordid.
[Illustration: 0029]
Her greatest interest was in Annabel, the only highly cultured woman
in our party, since the colony was composed of workers in practical
industries. The two girls had no language in common, and appeared
sharply different in temperament and training; yet there was visible
between them a bond of feminine sympathy such as no man can understand.
It was curious that the savage one was not abashed before her highly
civilized sister. In the gentle eagerness with which she served Annabel,
frankly studied her, and courted her notice, was something that looked
pathetically like the yearning of a starved soul for what Annabel
had--the enjoyment of a birthright. Annabel appeared to see that
longing, and she stretched forth a friendly hand into the fan-bearer's
darkness.
Captain Mason, Christopher, and I formed a group. Despite the grief and
anxiety on the sailor's face, he betrayed his share of the sunshine that
the girl bestowed on all. She came to us often, and there was a touch
of shyness not visible when she flitted among the others. Virtually
ignoring me, she gave some attention to the captain, and was
particularly solicitous toward Christopher. She stuffed him, and laughed
at him. Christopher enjoyed it, gazed up into her sparkling eyes, and
strained his ribs with the food that she coaxingly urged upon him.
On one of her visits I smilingly handed her a little pocket toilet-case
which I carried. She took it gingerly, examined it curiously, and with
childish interest inspected its contents. Her surprise at discovering
the mirror was not so great as I had expected, and did not look quite
sincere. She held it up, made a grimace at her reflection, thrust out
at it a tongue as sweet and pink as a baby's, tossed the kit back at me,
and went dancing off in a swirl of laughter.
Presently she demurely returned on a pretense of looking after
Christopher's wants, and of a sudden, brilliantly smiling, held out her
hand for the trinket. I gave it to her. Her eyes fell when I looked up
closely into them, and in agitation she thrust the case into her bosom.
I discovered that Annabel was curiously observing her. Captain Mason gazed thoughtfully after her as she left, and remarked:
댓글 없음:
댓글 쓰기