首页 >出版文学> TYPEE>第12章

第12章

  Welookedaboutusuncertainwhithertodirectoursteps,sincethepathwehadsofarfollowedappearedtobelostintheopenspacearoundus。Atlastweresolvedtoenteragrovenearathand,andhadadvancedafewrods,when,justuponitsskirts,Ipickedupaslenderbread-fruitshootperfectlygreen,andwiththetenderbarkfreshlystriptfromit。Itwasslipperywithmoisture,andappearedasifithadbeenbutthatmomentthrownaside。Isaidnothing,butmerelyheldituptoToby,whostartedatthisundeniableevidenceofthevicinityofthesavages。
  Theplotwasnowthickening-Ashortdistancefartherlayalittlefaggotofthesameshootsboundtogetherwithastripofbark。Couldithavebeenthrowndownbysomesolitarynative,who,alarmedatseeingus,hadhurriedforwardtocarrythetidingsofourapproachtohiscountrymen?-TypeeorHappar?-Butitwastoolatetorecede,sowemovedonslowly,mycompanioninadvancecastingeagerglancesunderthetreesoneitherside,untilallatonceI
  sawhimrecoilasifstungbyanadder。Sinkingonhisknee,hewavedmeoffwithonehand,whilewiththeotherheheldasidesomeinterveningleaves,andgazedintentlyatsomeobject。
  Disregardinghisinjunction,Iquicklyapproachedhimandcaughtaglimpseoftwofigurespartlyhiddenbythedensefoliage;theywerestandingclosetogether,andwereperfectlymotionless。Theymusthavepreviouslyperceivedus,andwithdrawnintothedepthsofthewoodtoeludeourobservation。
  Mymindwasatoncemadeup。Droppingmystaff,andtearingopenthepackageofthingswehadbroughtfromtheship,Iunrolledthecottoncloth,andholdingitinonehand,pluckedwiththeotheratwigfromthebushesbesideme,andtellingTobytofollowmyexample,Ibrokethroughthecovertandadvanced,wavingthebranchintokenofpeacetowardstheshrinkingformsbeforeme。
  Theywereaboyandagirl,slenderandgraceful,andcompletelynaked,withtheexceptionofaslightgirdleofbark,fromwhichdependedatoppositepointstwooftherussetleavesofthebread-fruittree。Anarmoftheboy,halfscreenedfromsightbyherwildtresses,wasthrownabouttheneckofthegirl,whilewiththeotherheheldoneofherhandsinhis;andthustheystoodtogether,theirheadsinclinedforward,catchingthefaintnoisewemadeinourprogress,andwithonefootinadvance,asifhalfinclinedtoflyfromourpresence。
  Aswedrewnear,theiralarmevidentlyincreased。Apprehensivethattheymightflyfromusaltogether,IstoppedshortandmotionedthemtoadvanceandreceivethegiftIextendedtowardsthem,buttheywouldnot;IthenutteredafewwordsoftheirlanguagewithwhichI
  wasacquainted,scarcelyexpectingthattheywouldunderstandme,buttoshowthatwehadnotdroppedfromthecloudsuponthem。Thisappearedtogivethemalittleconfidence,soIapproachednearer,presentingtheclothwithonehand,andholdingtheboughwiththeother,whiletheyslowlyretreated。Atlasttheysufferedustoapproachsoneartothemthatwewereenabledtothrowthecottonclothacrosstheirshoulders,givingthemtounderstandthatitwastheirs,andbyavarietyofgesturesendeavouringtomakethemunderstandthatweentertainedthehighestpossibleregardforthem。
  Thefrightenedpairnowstoodstill,whilstweendeavouredtomakethemcomprehendthenatureofourwants。IndoingthisTobywentthroughwithacompleteseriesofpantomimicillustrations-openinghismouthfromeartoear,andthrustinghisfingersdownhisthroat,gnashinghisteethandrollinghiseyesabout,tillIverilybelievethepoorcreaturestookusforacoupleofwhitecannibalswhowereabouttomakeamealofthem。When,however,theyunderstoodus,theyshowednoinclinationtorelieveourwants。Atthisjunctureitbegantorainviolently,andwemotionedthemtoleadustosomeplaceofshelter。Withthisrequesttheyappearedwillingtocomply,butnothingcouldevincemorestronglytheapprehensionwithwhichtheyregardedus,thanthewayinwhich,whilstwalkingbeforeus,theykepttheireyesconstantlyturnedbacktowatcheverymovementwemade,andevenourverylooks。
  “TypeeorHappar,Toby?“askedI,aswewalkedafterthem。
  “Ofcourse,Happar,“hereplied,withashowofconfidencewhichwasintendedtodisguisehisdoubts。
  “Weshallsoonknow,“Iexclaimed;andatthesamemomentI
  steppedforwardtowardsourguides,andpronouncingthetwonamesinterrogatively,andpointingtothelowestpartofthevalley,endeavouredtocometothepointatonce。Theyrepeatedthewordsaftermeagainandagain,butwithoutgivinganypeculiaremphasistoeither,sothatIwascompletelyatalosstounderstandthem;
  foracoupleofwilieryoungthingsthanweafterwardsfoundthemtohavebeenonthisparticularoccasionneverprobablyfellinanytraveller’sway。
  Moreandmorecurioustoascertainourfate,Inowthrewtogetherintheformofaquestionthewords“Happar“and“Mortarkee,“
  thelatterbeingequivalenttotheword“good。“Thetwonativesinterchangedglancesofpeculiarmeaningwithoneanotheratthis,andmanifestednolittlesurprise;butontherepetitionofthequestion,aftersomeconsultationtogether,tothegreatjoyofToby,theyansweredintheaffirmative。Tobywasnowinecstasies,especiallyastheyoungsavagescontinuedtoreiteratetheiranswerwithgreatenergy,asthoughdesirousofimpressinguswiththeideathatbeingamongtheHappars,weoughtconsiderourselvesperfectlysecure。
  AlthoughIhadsomelingeringdoubts,IfeignedgreatdelightwithTobyatthisannouncement,whilemycompanionbrokeoutintoapantomimicabhorrenceofTypee,andimmeasurablelovefortheparticularvalleyinwhichwewere;ourguidesallthewhilegazinguneasilyatoneanother,asifatalosstoaccountforourconduct。
  Theyhurriedon,andwefollowedthem;untilsuddenlytheysetupastrangehalloo,whichwasansweredfrombeyondthegrovethroughwhichwewerepassing,andthenextmomentweentereduponsomeopenground,attheextremityofwhichwedescriedalong,lowhut,andinfrontofitwereseveralyounggirls。Assoonastheyperceivedustheyfledwithwildscreamsintotheadjoiningthickets,somanystartledfawns。Afewmomentsafterthewholevalleyresoundedwithsavageoutcries,andthenativescamerunningtowardsusfromeverydirection。
  Hadanarmyofinvadersmadeanirruptionintotheirterritory,theycouldnothaveevincedgreaterexcitement。Weweresooncompletelyencircledbyadensethrong,andintheireagerdesiretobeholdus,theyalmostarrestedourprogress;anequalnumbersurroundingouryouthfulguides,who,withamazingvolubility,appearedtobedetailingthecircumstanceswhichhadattendedtheirmeetingwithus。Everyitemofintelligenceappearedtoredoubletheastonishmentoftheislanders,andtheygazedatuswithinquiringlooks。
  Atlastwereachedalargeandhandsomebuildingofbamboos,andwerebysignstoldtoenterit,thenativesopeningalaneforusthroughwhichtopass;onentering,withoutceremonywethrewourexhaustedframesuponthematsthatcoveredthefloor。Inamomenttheslighttenementwascompletelyfullofpeople,whilstthosewhowereunabletoobtainadmittancegazedatusthroughitsopencane-work。
  Itwasnowevening,andbythedimlightwecouldjustdiscernthesavagecountenancesaroundus,gleamingwithwildcuriosityandwonder;thenakedformsandtattooedlimbsofbrawnywarriors,withhereandtheretheslighterfiguresofyounggirls,allengagedinaperfectstormofconversation,ofwhichwewereofcoursetheoneonlytheme;whilstourrecentguideswerefullyoccupiedinansweringtheinnumerablequestionswhicheveryoneputtothem。Nothingcanexceedthefiercegesticulationofthesepeoplewhenanimatedinconversation,andonthisoccasiontheygaveloosetoalltheirnaturalvivacity,shoutinganddancingaboutinamannerthatwell-nighintimidatedus。
  Closetowherewelay,squattingupontheirhaunches,weresomeeightortennoble-lookingchiefs-forsuchtheysubsequentlyprovedtobe-who,morereservedthantherest,regardeduswithafixedandsternattention,whichnotalittlediscomposedourequanimity。
  Oneoftheminparticular,whoappearedtobethehighestinrank,placedhimselfdirectlyfacingme,lookingatmewitharigidityofaspectunderwhichIabsolutelyquailed。Heneveronceopenedhislips,butmaintainedhissevereexpressionofcountenance,withoutturninghisfaceasideforasinglemoment。NeverbeforehadIbeensubjectedtosostrangeandsteadyaglance;itrevealednothingofthemindofthesavage,butitappearedtobereadingmyown。
  AfterundergoingthisscrutinytillIgrewabsolutelynervous,withaviewofdivertingitifpossible,andconciliatingthegoodopinionofthewarrior,Itooksometobaccofromthebosomofmyfrock,andofferedittohim。Hequietlyrejectedtheprofferedgift,and,withoutspeaking,motionedmetoreturnittoitsplace。
  InmypreviousintercoursewiththenativesofNukuhevaandTior,Ihadfoundthatthepresentofasmallpieceoftobaccowouldhaverenderedanyofthemdevotedtomyservice。Wasthisactofthechiefatokenofhisenmity?TypeeorHappar?Iaskedwithinmyself。I
  started,foratthesamemomentthisidenticalquestionwasaskedbythestrangebeingbeforeme。IturnedtoToby;theflickeringlightofanativetapershowedmehiscountenancepalewithtrepidationatthisfatalquestion。Ipausedforasecond,andIknownotbywhatimpulseitwasthatIanswered,“Typee。“Thepieceofduskystatuarynoddedinapproval,andthenmurmured,“Mortarkee?““Mortarkee,“
  saidI,withoutfurtherhesitation-“Typeemortarkee。“
  Whatatransition!Thedarkfiguresaroundusleapedtotheirfeet,clappedtheirhandsintransport,andshoutedagainandagainthetalismanicsyllables,theutteranceofwhichappearedtohavesettledeverything。
  Whenthiscommotionhadalittlesubsided,theprincipalchiefsquattedoncemorebeforeme,andthrowinghimselfintoasuddenrage,pouredforthastringofphilippics,whichIwasatnolosstounderstand,fromthefrequentrecurrenceofthewordHappar,asbeingdirectedagainstthenativesoftheadjoiningvalley。InallthesedenunciationsmycompanionandIacquiesced,whileweextolledthecharacterofthewarlikeTypees。Tobesureourpanegyricsweresomewhatlaconic,consistingintherepetitionofthatname,unitedwiththepotentadjective,“Mortarkee。“Butthiswassufficient,andservedtoconciliatethegood-willofthenatives,withwhomourcongenialityofsentimentonthispointdidmoretowardsinspiringafriendlyfeelingthananythingelsethatcouldhavehappened。
  Atlastthewrathofthechiefevaporated,andinafewmomentshewasasplacidasever。Layinghishanduponhisbreast,hegavemetounderstandthathisnamewas“Mehevi,“andthat,inreturn,hewishedmetocommunicatemyappellation。Ihesitatedforaninstant,thinkingthatitmightbedifficultforhimtopronouncemyrealname,andthen,withthemostpraiseworthyintentions,intimatedthatI
  wasknownas“Tom。“ButIcouldnothavemadeaworseselection;thechiefcouldnotmasterit:“Tommo,““Tomma,““Tommee,“everythingbutplain“Tom。“Ashepersistedingarnishingthewordwithanadditionalsyllable,Icompromisedthematterwithhimattheword“Tommo“;andbythatnameIwentduringtheentireperiodofmystayinthevalley。ThesameproceedingwasgonethroughwithToby,whosemellifluousappellationwasmoreeasilycaught。