第 2 节
作者:
沸点123 更新:2021-02-20 15:47 字数:9322
that he knew all about our having run away from the ship; and being
among the Typees; indeed; he had been urged by Mowanna to come over to
the valley; and; after visiting his friends there; to bring us back
with him; his royal master being exceedingly anxious to share with him
the reward which had been held out for our capture。 He; however;
assured Toby that he had indignantly spurned the offer。
All this astonished my comrade not a little; as neither of us
had entertained the least idea that any white man ever visited the
Typees sociably。 But Jimmy told him that such was the case;
nevertheless; although he seldom came into the bay; and scarcely
ever went back from the beach。 One of the priests of the valley; in
some way or other connected with an old tattooed divine in Nukuheva;
was a friend of his; and through him he was 〃taboo。〃
He said; moreover; that he was sometimes employed to come round to
the bay; and engage fruit for ships lying in Nukuheva。 In fact; he was
now on that very errand; according to his own account; having just
come across the mountains by the way of Happar。 By noon of the next
day; the fruit would be heaped up in stacks on the beach; in readiness
for the boats; which he then intended to bring into the bay。
Jimmy now asked Toby whether he wished to leave the island… if
he did; there was a ship in want of men; lying in the other harbour;
and he would be glad to take him over; and see him on board that
very day。
〃No;〃 said Toby; 〃I cannot leave the island; unless my comrade
goes with me。 I left him up the valley because they would not let
him come down。 Let us go now and fetch him。〃
〃But how is he to cross the mountain with us;〃 replied Jimmy;
〃even if we get him down to the beach? Better let him stay till
to…morrow; and I will bring him round to Nukuheva in the boats。〃
〃That will never do;〃 said Toby; 〃but come along with me now; and
let us get him down here at any rate〃; and yielding to the impulse
of the moment; he started to hurry back into the valley。 But hardly
was his back turned; when a dozen hands were laid on him; and he
learned that he could not go a step farther。
It was in vain that he fought with them; they would not hear of
his stirring from the beach。 Cut to the heart at this unexpected
repulse; Toby now conjured the sailor to go after me alone。 But
Jimmy replied; that in the mood the Typees then were; they would not
permit him so to do; though; at the same time; he was not afraid of
their offering him any harm。
Little did Toby then think; as he afterwards had good reason to
suspect; that this very Jimmy was a heartless villain; who; by his
arts; had just incited the natives to restrain him; as he was in the
act of going after me。 Well must the old sailor have known; too;
that the natives would never consent to our leaving together; and he
therefore wanted to get Toby off alone; for a purpose which he
afterwards made plain。 Of all this; however; my comrade now knew
nothing。
He was still struggling with the islanders; when Jimmy again
came up to him; and warned him against irritating them; saying that he
was only making matters worse for both of us; and if they became
enraged; there was no telling what might happen。 At last he made
Toby sit down on a broken canoe; by a pile of stones; upon which was a
ruinous little shrine; supported by four upright paddles; and in front
partly screened by a net。 The fishing parties met there; when they
came in from the sea; for their offerings were laid before an image;
upon a smooth black stone within。 This spot; Jimmy said; was
strictly 〃taboo;〃 and no one would molest or come near him while he
stayed by its shadow。 The old sailor then went off; and began speaking
very earnestly to Mow…Mow and some other chiefs; while all the rest
formed a circle round the taboo place; looking intently at Toby; and
talking to each other without ceasing。
Now; notwithstanding what Jimmy had just told him; there presently
came up to my comrade an old woman; who seated herself beside him on
the canoe。
〃Typee Mortarkee?〃 said she。 〃Mortarkee muee;〃 said Toby。
She then asked him whether he was going to Nukuheva; he nodded
yes; and with a plaintive wail; and her eyes filling with tears; she
rose and left him。
This old woman; the sailor afterwards said; was the wife of an
aged king of a small inland valley; communicating by a deep pass
with the country of the Typees。 The inmates of the two valleys were
related to each other by blood; and were known by the same name。 The
old woman had gone down into the Typee valley the day before; and
was now; with three chiefs; her sons; on a visit to her kinsmen。
As the old king's wife left him; Jimmy again came up to Toby;
and told him that he had just talked the whole matter over with the
natives; and there was only one course for him to follow。 They would
not allow him to go back into the valley; and harm would certainly
come to both him and me; if he remained much longer on the beach。
〃So;〃 said he; 〃you and I had better go to Nukuheva now overland;
and to…morrow I will bring Tommo; as they call him; by water; they
have promised to carry him down to the sea for me early in the
morning; so that there will be no delay。〃
〃No; no;〃 said Toby desperately; 〃I will not leave him that way;
we must escape together。〃
〃There is no hope for you;〃 exclaimed the sailor; 〃for if I
leave you here on the beach; as soon as I am gone you will be
carried back into the valley; and then neither of you will ever look
upon the sea again。〃 And with many oaths he swore that if he would
only go to Nukuheva with him that day; he would be sure to have me
there the very next morning。
〃But how do you know they will bring him down to the beach
to…morrow; when they will not do so to…day?〃 said Toby。 But the sailor
had many reasons; all of which were so mixed up with the mysterious
customs of the islanders; that he was none the wiser。 Indeed; their
conduct; especially in preventing him from returning into the
valley; was absolutely unaccountable to him; and added to everything
else was the bitter reflection; that the old sailor; after all;
might possibly be deceiving him。 And then again he had to think of me;
left alone with the natives; and by no means well。 If he went with
Jimmy; he might at least hope to procure some relief for me。 But might
not the savages who had acted so strangely; hurry me off somewhere
before his return? Then; even he remained; perhaps they would not
let him go back into the valley where I was。
Thus perplexed was my poor comrade; he knew not what to do; and
his courageous spirit was of no use to him now。 There he was; all by
himself; seated upon the broken canoe… the natives grouped around
him at a distance; and eyeing him more and more fixedly。
〃It is getting late;〃 said Jimmy; who was standing behind the
rest。 〃Nukuheva is far off; and I cannot cross the Happar country by
night。 You see how it is:… if you come along with me; all will be
well; if you do not; depend upon it neither of you will ever escape。〃
〃There is no help for it;〃 said Toby; at last; with a heavy heart;
〃I will have to trust you〃; and he came out from the shadow of the
little shrine; and cast a long look up the valley。
〃Now keep close to my side;〃 said the sailor; 〃and let us be
moving quickly。〃 Tinor and Fayaway here appeared; the kind…hearted old
woman embracing Toby's knees; giving way to a flood of tears; while
Fayaway; hardly less moved; spoke some few words of English she had
learned; and held up three fingers before him… in so many days he
would return。
At last Jimmy pulled Toby out of the crowd; and after calling to a
young Typee who was standing by with a young pig in his arms; all
three started for the mountains。
〃I have told them that you are coming back again;〃 said the old
fellow; laughing; as they began the ascent; 〃but they'll have to
wait a long time。〃 Toby turned; and saw the natives all in motion… the
girls waving their tappas in adieu; and the men their spears。 As the
last figure entered the grove with one arm raised; and the three
fingers spread; his heart smote him。
As the natives had at last consented to his going; it might have
been; that some of them; at least; really counted upon his speedy
return; probably supposing; as indeed he had told them when they
were coming down the valley; that his only object in leaving them
was to procure the medicines I needed。 This; Jimmy also must have told
them。 And as they had done before; when my comrade; to oblige me;
started on his perilous journey to Nukuheva; they looked upon me; in
his absence; as one of two inseparable friends who was a sure
guarantee for the other's return。 This is only my own supposition;
however; for as to all their strange conduct; it is still a mystery。
〃You see what sort of a taboo man I am;〃