第31章

类别:其他 作者:Robert Louis Stevenson字数:5598更新时间:18/12/27 09:07:25
Ihadtwoprieststoluncheonyesterday:theBishopandPereRemy。Theywereverypleasant,andquitecleantoo,whichhasbeenknownsometimesnottobe-evenwithbishops。 Monseigneurisnotunimposing;withhiswhitebeardandhisvioletgirdlehelookssplendidlyepiscopal,andwhenourthreewaitingladscameuponeafteranotherandkneeledbeforehiminthebighall,andkissedhisring,itdidmegoodforapieceofpageantry。Remyisveryengaging;heisalittle,nervous,eagerman,likeagoverness,andbrimfuloflaughterandsmalljokes。Soisthebishopindeed,andourluncheonpartywentoffmerrily-farmoremerrilythanmanyaGermanspread,thoughwithsomuchlessliquor。Onetraitwasdelicious。WithacompleteignoranceoftheProtestantthatIwouldscarcehaveimagined,herelatedtous(asnews)littlestoriesfromthegospels,andgotthenamesallwrong!Hiscommentsweredelicious,andtoourearsathoughtirreverent。’AH!ILCONNAISSAITSONMONDE,ALLEZ!’’ILETAITFIN,NOTRESEIGNEUR!’etc。 FRIDAY。 DownwithFannyandBelle,tolunchattheInternational。 Heardthereaboutthehugefollyofthehour,alltheMulinuuammunitionhavingbeenyesterdaymarchedopenlytovaultsinMatafele;andthismorning,onacryofprotestfromthewhites,openlyandhumiliatinglydisinterredandmarchedbackagain。Peoplespokeofitwithakindofshrillnotethatdidnotquitesatisfyme。Theyseemednotquitewellatease。Luncheonover,werodeoutontheMalieroad。AllwasquietinVaiusu,andwhenwegottothesecondford,alas! therewasnopicket-whichwasjustwhatBellehadcometosketch。Onthroughquiteemptyroads;thehousesdeserted,neveraguntobeseen;andatlastadrumandapennywhistleplayinginVaiusu,andacricketmatchontheMALAE! WentuptoFaamuina’s;heisatrifleuneasy,thoughhegivesuskava。Icannotseewhatailshim,thenitappearsthathehasanengagementwiththeChiefJusticeathalf-pasttwotosellapieceofland。Isthisthereasonwhywarhasdisappeared?Werideback,stoppingtosketchhereandtherethefords,aflagoftruce,etc。IrideontoPublicHallCommitteeandpassanhourwithmycommitteesveryheavily。 Tothehoteltodinner,thentotheball,andhomebyeleven,verytired。AttheballIheardsomenews,ofhowthechiefofLetonusaidthatIwasthesourceofallthistrouble,andshouldbepunished,andmyfamilyaswell。This,andtherudenessofthemanatthefordoftheGase-gase,looksbutill;IshouldhavesaidthatFaamuina,asheapproachedthefirstford,wasspokentobyagirl,andimmediatelysaidgoodbyeandplungedintothebush;thegirlhadtoldhimtherewasawarpartyoutfromMulinuu;andalittlefurtheron,aswestoppedtosketchaflagoftruce,thebeatingofdrumsandthesoundofabuglefromthatdirectionstartledus。Butwesawnothing,andIbelieveMulinuuis(atleastatpresent)incapableofanyactofoffence。Onegoodjob,thesethreatstomyhomeandfamilytakeawayallmychildishtemptationtogooutandfight。Ourforcemustbehere,toprotectourselves。Iseepanicrisingamongthewhites;I heartheshrillnoteofitintheirvoices,andtheytalkalreadyaboutarefugeonthewarships。Therearetwohere,bothGerman;andtheORLANDOisexpectedpresently。 SUNDAY9THJULY。 Well,thewarhasatlastbegun。Forfourorfivedays,Apiahasbeenfilledbythesepoorchildrenwiththeirfacesblacked,andtheredhandkerchiefabouttheirbrows,thatmakestheMalietoauniform,andtheboatshavebeencominginfromthewindward,someofthem50strong,withadrumandabugleonboard-thebuglealwaysill-played-andasortofjesterleapingandcaperingonthesparrednoseoftheboat,andthewholecrewutteringfromtimetotimeakindofmenacingululation。Fridaytheymarchedouttothebush;andyesterdaymorningweheardthatsomehadreturnedtotheirhousesforthenight,astheyfoundit’souncomfortable。’ Afterdinneramessengercameuptomewithanote,thatthewoundedwerearrivingattheMissionHouse。Fanny,LloydandIsaddledandrodeoffwithalantern;itwasafinestarrynight,thoughprettycold。WeleftthelanternatTanuga- manono,andthendowninthestarlight。IfoundApia,andmyself,inastrangestateofflusteration;myownexcitementwasgloomyand(Imaysay)truculent;othersappearedimbecile;somesullen。Thebestplaceinthewholetownwasthehospital。Alongishframe-houseitwas,withabigtableinthemiddleforoperations,andtenSamoans,eachwithanaverageoffoursympathisers,stretchedalongthewalls。 Clarkewasthere,steadyasadie;MissLarge,littlespectacledangel,showedherselfarealtrump;thenice,clean,Germanorderliesintheirwhiteuniformslookedandmeantbusiness。(IhearafinestoryofMissLarge-acast- ironteetotaller-goingtothepublic-houseforabottleofbrandy。) ThedoctorswerenottherewhenIarrived;butpresentlyitwasobservedthatoneofthemenwasgoingcold。HewasamagnificentSamoan,verydark,withanobleaquilinecountenance,likeanArab,Isuppose,andwassurroundedbysevenpeople,fondlinghislimbsashelay:hewasshotthroughbothlungs。Andanorderlywassenttothetownforthe(Germannaval)doctors,whowerediningthere。MeantimeIfoundanerrandofmyown。BothClarkeandMissLargeexpressedawishtohavethepublichall,ofwhichIamchairman,andIsetoffdowntown,andwokepeopleoutoftheirbeds,andgotacommitteetogether,and(withagreatdealofdifficultyfromoneman,whomwefinallyoverwhelmed) gotthepublichallforthem。Bartheoneman,thecommitteewassplendid,andagreedinamomenttosharetheexpenseiftheshareholdersobject。Backtothehospitalabout11。30; foundtheGermandoctorsthere。Twomenweregoingnow,onethatwasshotinthebowels-hewasdyingratherhard,inagloomystuporofpainandlaudanum,silent,withcontortedface。Thechief,shotthroughthelungs,waslyingononeside,awaitingthelastangel;hisfamilyheldhishandsandlegs;theywereallspeechless,onlyonewomansuddenlyclaspedhisknee,and’keened’fortheinsideoffiveseconds,andfellsilentagain。Wenthome,andtobedabouttwoA。M。Whatactuallypassedseemsundiscoverable;buttheMataafasweresurelydrivenbackoutofVaitele;thatisablowtothem,andtheresistancewasfargreaterthanhadbeenanticipated-whichisablowtotheLaupepas。Allseemstoindicatealongandbloodywar。 Frank’shouseinMulinuuwaslikewisefilledwithwounded; manydeadbodieswerebroughtin;Ihearwithcertaintyoffive,wrappedinmats;andapastorgoesto-morrowtothefieldtobringothers。TheLaupepasbroughtinelevenheadstoMulinuu,andtothegreathorrorandconsternationofthenativemind,oneprovedtobeagirl,andwasidentifiedasthatofaTaupou-orMaidoftheVillage-fromSavaii。I hearthismorning,withgreatrelief,thatithasbeenreturnedtoMalie,wrappedinthemostcostlysilkhandkerchiefs,andwithanapologeticembassy。Thiscouldeasilyhappen。Thegirlwasofcourseattendingonherfatherwithammunition,andgotshot;herhairwascutshorttomakeherfather’swarhead-dress-evenasourownSina’sisatthismoment;andthedecollatorwasprobably,inhisredflurryoffight,whollyunconsciousofhersex。Iamsorryforhiminthefuture;hemustmakeuphismindtomanybitterjests-perhapstovengeance。Butwhatanendtoonechosenforherbeautyand,inthetimeofpeace,watchedoverbytrustycronesandhunchbacks! EVENING。 CanIwriteornot?Iplayedlawntennisinthemorning,andafterlunchdownwithGrahamtoApia。Ulu,hethatwasshotinthelungs,stilllives;hethatwasshotinthebowelsisgonetohisfathers,poor,fiercechild!Iwasabletobeofsomeverysmallhelp,andinthewayofhelpingmyselftoinformation,toprovemyselfameregazeratmeteors。ButthereseemsnodoubttheMataafasforthetimearescattered; themostofourfriendsareinvolvedinthisdisaster,andMataafahimself-whomighthaveswepttheislandsafewmonthsago-forhimtofallsopoorly,doublesmyregret。 TheysaytheTaupouhadagunandfired;probablyanexcusemanufacturedEXPOSTFACTO。Igodownto-morrowat12,tostaytheafternoon,andhelpMissLarge。Inthehospitalto- day,whenIfirstenteredit,therewerenoattendants;onlythewoundedandtheirfriends,allequallysleepingandtheirheadspoiseduponthewoodenpillows。Thereisaprettyenoughboythere,slightlywounded,whosefateistobeenvied:twogirls,andoneofthemostbeautiful,withbeamingeyes,tendhimandsleepuponhispillow。Intheothercorner,anotheryoungman,verypatientandbrave,lieswhollydeserted。Yetheseemstomefarthebetterofthetwo;butnotsopretty!Heavens,whatadifferencethatmakes;inournotverywellproportionedbodiesandourfinelyhideousfaces,the1-32nd-ratherthe1-64th-thiswayorthat!SixteenheadsinallatMulinuu。IamsostiffIcanscarcemovewithoutahowl。 MONDAY,10TH。 SomenewsthatMataafaisgonetoSavaiibywayofManono; thismaymeanagreatdealmorewarfaring,andnogreatissue。(WhenSosimocameinthismorningwithmybreakfasthehadtoliftmeup。Itisnojoketoplaylawntennisaftercarryingyourrightarminaslingsomanyyears。) Whatahard,unjustbusinessthisis!Onthe28th,ifMataafahadmoved,hecouldhavestillsweptMulinuu。Hewaited,andIfearheisnowonlythestickofarocket。 WEDNESDAY,12TH。 Nomorepoliticalnews;butmanyrumours。ThegovernmenttroopsareofftoManono;nowordofMataafa。O,thereisapassageinmymother’sletterwhichpuzzlesmeastoadate。 IsitnextChristmasyouarecoming?ortheChristmasafter? Thisismostimportant,andmustbeunderstoodatonce。IfitisnextChristmas,IcouldnotgotoCeylon,forlackofgold,andyouwouldhavetoadoptoneofthefollowingalternatives:1st,eithercomestraightonhereandpassamonthwithus;’tistherainyseason,butwehaveoftenlovelyweather。Or(2nd)cometoHawaiiandIwillmeetyouthere。Hawaiiisonlyaweek’ssailfromS。Francisco,makingonlyaboutsixteendaysontheheavingocean;andthesteamersrunonceafortnight,sothatyoucouldturnround; andyoucouldthuspassadayortwointheStates-afortnighteven-andstillseeme。ButIhavesworntotakenofurtherexcursionstillIhavemoneysavedtopayforthem;andtogotoCeylonandbackwouldbetortureunlessI hadalot。Youmustanswerthisatonce,please;sothatI mayknowwhattodo。Wewoulddearlylikeyoutocomeonhere。I’lltellyouhowitcanbedone;IcancomeupandmeetyouatHawaii,andifyouhadatallgotoveryoursea- sickness,IcouldjustcomeonboardandwecouldreturntogethertoSamoa,andyoucouldhaveamonthofourlifehere,whichIbelieveyoucouldnothelpliking。Ourhorsesarethedevil,ofcourse,miserablescrews,andsomeofthemalittlevicious。Ihadadreadfulfright-thepassageinmymother’sletterisrecrossedandIseeitsaystheendof/94:somuchthebetter,then;butIwouldliketosubmittoyoumyalternativeplan。IcouldmeetyouatHawaii,andreconductyoutoHawaii,sothatwecouldhaveafullsixweekstogetherandIbelievealittleover,andyouwouldseethisplaceofmine,andhaveasniffofnativelife,nativefoods,nativehouses-andperhapsbeintimetoseetheGermanflagraised,whoknows?-andwecouldgenerallyyarnforallwewereworth。IshouldlikeyoutoseeVailima;andIshouldbecurioustoknowhowtheclimateaffectedyou。Itisquitehitormiss;itsuitsme,itsuitsGraham,itsuitsallourfamily;othersitdoesnotsuitatall。Itiseithergoldorpoison。Iriseatsix,therestatseven;lunchisat12;atfivewegotolawntennistilldinneratsix;andtoroostearly。 AmanbroughtinaheadtoMulinuuingreatglory;theywashedtheblackpaintoff,andbehold!itwashisbrother。 WhenIlastheardhewassittinginhishouse,withtheheaduponhislap,andweeping。Barbarouswarisanuglybusiness;butIbelievethecivilisedisfullyuglier;butLord!whatfun! IshouldsaywenowhavedefinitenewsthatthereareTHREE women’sheads;itwasdifficulttogetitoutofthenatives,whoareallashamed,andthewomenallinterrorofreprisals。Nothinghasbeendonetopunishordisgracethesehatefulinnovators。Itwasafalsereportthattheheadhadbeenreturned。 THURSDAY,13TH,MataafadrivenawayfromSavaii。Icannotwriteaboutthis,anddonotknowwhatshouldbetheendofit。 MONDAY,17TH。 HaggardandAhrens(aGermanclerk)tolunchyesterday。 Thereisnorealcertainnewsyet:Imustsay,nomancouldSWEARtoanyresult;buttheskylookshorriblyblackforMataafaandsomanyofourfriendsalongwithhim。Thethinghasanabominable,abeastly,nightmareinterest。Butit’swonderfulgenerallyhowlittleonecaresaboutthewounded; hospitalsights,etc。;thingsthatusedtomurderme。Iwasfarmorestruckwiththeexcellentwayinwhichthingsweremanaged;asifithadbeenapeep-show;Iheldsomeofthethingsatanoperation,anddidnotcareadump。