第46章

类别:其他 作者:Herman Melville字数:4870更新时间:18/12/27 09:00:37
Buthewasrefused;theyouthroguishlytellinghim,thattheweaponwasverygoodforhim(theTypee),butthatawhitemancouldfightmuchbetterwithhisfists。 Themerryhumourofthisyoungwagseemedtobesharedbytherest,forinspiteoftheirwarlikecriesandgestures,everybodywascaperingaboutandlaughing,asifitwasoneofthefunniestthingsintheworldtobeawaitingtheflightofascoreortwoofHapparjavelinsfromanambushinthethickets。 Whilemycomradewasinvaintryingtomakeoutthemeaningofallthis,agoodnumberofthenativesseparatedthemselvesfromtherestandranoffintothegroveononeside,theothersnowkeepingperfectlystill,asifawaitingtheresult。Afteralittlewhile,however,Mow-Mow,whostoodinadvance,motionedthemtocomeonstealthily,whichtheydid,scarcelyrustlingaleaf。Thustheycreptalongfortenorfifteenminutes,everynowandthenpausingtolisten。 Tobybynomeansrelishedthissortofskulking;iftherewasgoingtobeafighthewantedittobeginatonce。Butallingoodtime,-forjustthen,astheywentprowlingintothethickestofthewood,terrifichowlsburstuponthemonallsides,andvolleysofdartsandstonesflewacrossthepath。Notanenemywastobeseen,andwhatwasstillmoresurprising,notasinglemandropped,thoughthepebblesfellamongtheleaveslikehail。 Therewasamoment’spause,whentheTypees,withwildshrieks,flungthemselvesintothecovert,spearinhand;norwasTobybehindhand。Comingsoneargettinghisskullbrokenbythestones,andanimatedbyanoldgrudgeheboretheHappars,hewasamongthefirsttodashatthem。Ashebrokehiswaythroughtheunderbrush,trying,ashedidso,towrestaspearfromayoungchief,theshoutsofbattleallofasuddenceased,andthewoodwasasstillasdeath。Thenextmoment,thepartywhohadleftthemsomysteriouslyrushedoutfrombehindeverybushandtree,andunitedwiththerestinlongandmerrypealsoflaughter。 Itwasallasham,andToby,whowasquiteoutofbreathwithexcitement,wasmuchincensedatbeingmadeafoolof。 Itafterwardsturnedoutthatthewholeaffairhadbeenconcertedforhisparticularbenefit,thoughwithwhatpreciseviewitwouldbehardtotell。Mycomradewasthemoreenragedatthisboys’ play,sinceithadconsumedsomuchtime,everymomentofwhichmightbeprecious。Perhaps,however,itwaspartlyintendedforthisverypurpose;andhewasledtothinkso,because,whenthenativesstartedagain,heobservedthattheydidnotseemtobeinsogreatahurryasbefore。Atlast,aftertheyhadgonesomedistance,Toby,thinkingallthewhilethattheyneverwouldgettothesea,twomencamerunningtowardsthem,andaregularhaltensued,followedbyanoisydiscussion,duringwhichToby’snamewasoftenrepeated。Allthismadehimmoreandmoreanxioustolearnwhatwasgoingonatthebeach;butitwasinvainthathenowtriedtopushforward;thenativesheldhimback。 Inafewmomentstheconferenceended,andmanyofthemrandownthepathinthedirectionofthewater,therestsurroundingToby,andentreatinghimto“Moee,“orsitdownandresthimself。Asanadditionalinducement,severalcalabashesoffood,whichhadbeenbroughtalong,werenowplacedontheground,andopened,andpipesalsowerelighted。Tobybridledhisimpatienceawhile,butatlastsprangtohisfeetanddashedforwardagain。Hewassoonovertakennevertheless,andagainsurrounded,butwithoutfurtherdetentionwasthenpermittedtogodowntothesea。 Theycameoutuponabrightgreenspacebetweenthegrovesandthewater,andcloseundertheshadowoftheHapparmountain,whereapathwasseen,windingoutofsightthroughagorge。 Nosignofaboat,however,wasbeheld;nothingbutatumultuouscrowdofmenandwomen,andsomeoneintheirmidst,earnestlytalkingtothem。Asmycomradeadvanced,thispersoncameforward,andprovedtobenostranger。Hewasanoldgrizzledsailor,whomTobyandmyselfhadfrequentlyseeninNukuheva,wherehelivedaneasy,devil-may-carelife,inthehouseholdofMowannatheking,goingbythenameof“Jimmy。“Infact,hewastheroyalfavourite,andhadagooddealtosayinhismaster’scouncils。HeworeaManillahat,andasortoftappamorninggown,sufficientlylooseandnegligenttoshowtheverseofasongtattooeduponhischest,andavarietyofspiritedcutsbynativeartistsinotherpartsofhisbody。Hesportedafishing-rodinhishand,andcarriedasootyoldpipeslungabouthisneck。 Thisoldroverhavingretiredfromactivelife,hadresidedinNukuhevasometime-hecouldspeakthelanguage,andforthatreasonwasfrequentlyemployedbytheFrenchasaninterpreter。Hewasanarrantoldgossip,too;forevercomingoffinhiscanoetotheshipsinthebay,andregalingtheircrewswithchoicelittlemorselsofcourtscandal-such,forinstance,asashamefulintrigueofhismajestywithaHappardamsel,apublicdanceratthefeasts- andotherwiserelatingsomeincredibletalesabouttheMarquesasgenerally。Iremember,inparticular,histellingtheDolly’screwwhatprovedtobeliterallyacock-and-bullstory,abouttwonaturalprodigies,whichhesaidwerethenontheisland。Onewasanoldmonsterofahermit,havingamarvellousreputationforsanctity,andreputedafamoussorcerer,wholivedawayoffinadenamongthemountains,wherehehidfromtheworldagreatpairofhornsthatgrewoutofhistemples。Notwithstandinghisreputationforpiety,thishorridoldfellowwastheterrorofalltheislandround,beingreportedtocomeoutfromhisretreat,andgoaman-huntingeverydarknight。SomeanonymousPaulPry,too,comingdownthemountain,oncegotapeepathisden,andfounditfullofbones。Inshort,hewasamostunheard-ofmonster。 TheotherprodigyJimmytoldusabout,wastheyoungersonofachief,who,althoughbutjustturnedoften,hadentereduponholyorders,becausehissuperstitiouscountrymenthoughthimespeciallyintendedforthepriesthood,fromthefactofhishavingacombonhisheadlikearooster。Butthiswasnotall:for,stillmorewonderfultorelate,theboypridedhimselfuponthisstrangecrest,beingactuallyendowedwithacock’svoice,andfrequentlycrowingoverhispeculiarity。 ButtoreturntoToby。Themomenthesawtheoldroveronthebeach,heranuptohim,thenativesfollowingafter,andformingacircleroundthem。 Afterwelcominghimtotheshore,Jimmywentontotellhimhowthatheknewallaboutourhavingrunawayfromtheship,andbeingamongtheTypees;indeed,hehadbeenurgedbyMowannatocomeovertothevalley,and,aftervisitinghisfriendsthere,tobringusbackwithhim,hisroyalmasterbeingexceedinglyanxioustosharewithhimtherewardwhichhadbeenheldoutforourcapture。He,however,assuredTobythathehadindignantlyspurnedtheoffer。 Allthisastonishedmycomradenotalittle,asneitherofushadentertainedtheleastideathatanywhitemanevervisitedtheTypeessociably。ButJimmytoldhimthatsuchwasthecase,nevertheless,althoughheseldomcameintothebay,andscarcelyeverwentbackfromthebeach。Oneofthepriestsofthevalley,insomewayorotherconnectedwithanoldtattooeddivineinNukuheva,wasafriendofhis,andthroughhimhewas“taboo。“ Hesaid,moreover,thathewassometimesemployedtocomeroundtothebay,andengagefruitforshipslyinginNukuheva。Infact,hewasnowonthatveryerrand,accordingtohisownaccount,havingjustcomeacrossthemountainsbythewayofHappar。Bynoonofthenextday,thefruitwouldbeheapedupinstacksonthebeach,inreadinessfortheboats,whichhethenintendedtobringintothebay。 JimmynowaskedTobywhetherhewishedtoleavetheisland-ifhedid,therewasashipinwantofmen,lyingintheotherharbour,andhewouldbegladtotakehimover,andseehimonboardthatveryday。 “No,“saidToby;“Icannotleavetheisland,unlessmycomradegoeswithme。Ilefthimupthevalleybecausetheywouldnotlethimcomedown。Letusgonowandfetchhim。“ “Buthowishetocrossthemountainwithus,“repliedJimmy,“evenifwegethimdowntothebeach?Betterlethimstaytillto-morrow,andIwillbringhimroundtoNukuhevaintheboats。“ “Thatwillneverdo,“saidToby;“butcomealongwithmenow,andletusgethimdownhereatanyrate“;andyieldingtotheimpulseofthemoment,hestartedtohurrybackintothevalley。Buthardlywashisbackturned,whenadozenhandswerelaidonhim,andhelearnedthathecouldnotgoastepfarther。 Itwasinvainthathefoughtwiththem;theywouldnothearofhisstirringfromthebeach。Cuttotheheartatthisunexpectedrepulse,Tobynowconjuredthesailortogoaftermealone。ButJimmyreplied,thatinthemoodtheTypeesthenwere,theywouldnotpermithimsotodo,though,atthesametime,hewasnotafraidoftheirofferinghimanyharm。 LittledidTobythenthink,asheafterwardshadgoodreasontosuspect,thatthisveryJimmywasaheartlessvillain,who,byhisarts,hadjustincitedthenativestorestrainhim,ashewasintheactofgoingafterme。Wellmusttheoldsailorhaveknown,too,thatthenativeswouldneverconsenttoourleavingtogether;andhethereforewantedtogetTobyoffalone,forapurposewhichheafterwardsmadeplain。Ofallthis,however,mycomradenowknewnothing。 Hewasstillstrugglingwiththeislanders,whenJimmyagaincameuptohim,andwarnedhimagainstirritatingthem,sayingthathewasonlymakingmattersworseforbothofus,andiftheybecameenraged,therewasnotellingwhatmighthappen。AtlasthemadeTobysitdownonabrokencanoe,byapileofstones,uponwhichwasaruinouslittleshrine,supportedbyfouruprightpaddles,andinfrontpartlyscreenedbyanet。Thefishingpartiesmetthere,whentheycameinfromthesea,fortheirofferingswerelaidbeforeanimage,uponasmoothblackstonewithin。Thisspot,Jimmysaid,wasstrictly“taboo,“andnoonewouldmolestorcomenearhimwhilehestayedbyitsshadow。Theoldsailorthenwentoff,andbeganspeakingveryearnestlytoMow-Mowandsomeotherchiefs,whilealltherestformedacircleroundthetabooplace,lookingintentlyatToby,andtalkingtoeachotherwithoutceasing。 Now,notwithstandingwhatJimmyhadjusttoldhim,therepresentlycameuptomycomradeanoldwoman,whoseatedherselfbesidehimonthecanoe。 “TypeeMortarkee?“saidshe。“Mortarkeemuee,“saidToby。 ShethenaskedhimwhetherhewasgoingtoNukuheva;henoddedyes;andwithaplaintivewail,andhereyesfillingwithtears,sheroseandlefthim。 Thisoldwoman,thesailorafterwardssaid,wasthewifeofanagedkingofasmallinlandvalley,communicatingbyadeeppasswiththecountryoftheTypees。Theinmatesofthetwovalleyswererelatedtoeachotherbyblood,andwereknownbythesamename。TheoldwomanhadgonedownintotheTypeevalleythedaybefore,andwasnow,withthreechiefs,hersons,onavisittoherkinsmen。 Astheoldking’swifelefthim,JimmyagaincameuptoToby,andtoldhimthathehadjusttalkedthewholematteroverwiththenatives,andtherewasonlyonecourseforhimtofollow。Theywouldnotallowhimtogobackintothevalley,andharmwouldcertainlycometobothhimandme,ifheremainedmuchlongeronthebeach。