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Edward Barry: South Sea Pearler, a novel by Louis Becke |
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Chapter 12. Barry And Velo Discourse On Marriage |
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_ CHAPTER XII. BARRY AND VELO DISCOURSE ON MARRIAGE At daylight Barry came on deck, and after a cup of coffee and a biscuit he and Velo, each carrying a rifle, set out in the dinghy with two hands in her, towards one of the islands on the north side of the lagoon. Here, in full view of those on board the brig, they drew the boat up on the beach, leaving the two native sailors in charge, and then struck off into the palm grove, walking steadily on till they reached the centre of the island. "Let us wait here, Velo," said the officer; "this is the place where a messenger from Mrs. Tracey is to meet us." Laying their rifles down they sat under the shade of a great jack-fruit tree, whose wide-spreading branches towered even higher than the lofty coco-palms which surrounded it. For nearly an hour they waited, listening to the ceaseless hum of the surf upon the outer reef as the long, swelling billows rose, curled their green cress, and broke upon the rocky barrier of living coral. Overhead the blue vault of sky--where it could be seen--was unflecked by a single cloud, and the bright, blazing sun sent shafts of yellow light through the leafy aisles of the island forest as it rose higher and higher, and dried the cooling night dew which lay upon leaf and bough, and verdant undergrowth and soft, tufted moss. Westward from where they sat the wide waters of the unruffled lagoon stretched clear for twenty miles--a sheet of shining blue and green--with here and there a streak of molten silver on which flocks of snow-white sea birds lay floating lazily. Four or five miles away on the port hand the little _Mahina_ loomed high up out of the water, like a ship of two thousand tons. Barry, with his pipe in his mouth, lay on his back, looking contentedly up into the blue dome above, thinking of and picturing to himself the "love lit" eyes of Rose Maynard which would greet him on his return; of the poverty in which she and her father existed, and the joy which would be his when he took them from their squalid surroundings. They would all go to Pfahlert's Hotel--that was the swagger hotel in Sydney--and whilst he and old Mr. Maynard "trotted around" and enjoyed themselves, Rose, sweet Rose, and Mrs. Tracey would fuss about over the coming wedding and buy the trousseau and all that sort of thing. Of course Mrs. Tracey would fall in love with Rose at sight--that was a foregone conclusion--and would perhaps live with her when he was at sea. For he would go to sea again--to work for Alice Tracey, who might perhaps give him a share in Arrecifos and its riches. What a lucky devil he was after all! He flung out his arms and stretched himself with a contented sigh and an unconscious smile. "Parri," said Velo, speaking in Samoan, "thy thoughts are pleasant?" "_Moni, moni, lava,_[1] Velo," he replied with a laugh; "pleasant indeed, for I was thinking of the woman I love." Velo's dark eyes lit up and he nodded approvingly. "And she loves thee, Parri. I have seen it in her eyes. Ah, she is good to look upon indeed. May she bear thee many children." Barry was puzzled for a moment, then it flashed upon him that Velo was upon the wrong tack. "Whom dost thou mean, Velo?" he asked. "Whom but she whom thou wilt see presently--the wife of the dead captain," replied the Samoan, elevating his brows in astonishment. "Nay, not she, Velo; though as thou sayest she is a fair, good woman. But she is but a friend; the woman I love liveth far away in Sini." [2] Velo puffed at his pipe in silence for a few seconds ere he answered. "But this woman Alisi loves thee, and she and thee are _mau tonu_,[3] together. If thou dost not take her to wife she will be shamed in the eyes of all men." The white man laughed again. "Not in the eyes of all men, Velo; the customs of us Englishmen are different from those of thy people. This woman is nothing to me and I am nothing to her but a friend. The ship is hers, and I am her servant, pledged to her service--that is all." Velo shook his head. "Thou art more than a servant to her; thou art her _toa_ (champion), and we all have said from the first that she and thee would wed." Again Barry laughed amusedly. "Thou wouldst marry me to her against my own will, Velo." "She is beautiful, and a widow, and a fitting mate for a strong man like thee," replied Velo energetically. "I have seen many white women, but none so good to look upon as her. And she is a widow." "What has that to do with me? Did I make her a widow?" "Do not mock at me, Parri," answered the Samoan with grave respect; "but because she is a widow and thou art working for her to overcome her enemies, it is but right and proper that thou shouldst make her thy wife." "And what of the woman in Sydney to whom I am pledged?" "_Totogi lona aiga_," [4] said Velo. "If she be young and handsome she will find another lover, and can have no cause of complaint against thee if thou dost compensate her." Barry had a strong sense of humour, so he said he would think the matter over, whereat Velo seemed well pleased, and relapsed into silence for a few minutes. Then he began again. "Parri, I would like to tell thee of a little thing which is in my mind." "All right, Velo, go ahead," said Barry in English, as he sat up and filled his pipe; "what is the 'little thing'?" "Only that I desire the girl Pani for my wife." "That will be all right, Velo," said Barry lazily; "but why marry a woman of this wild place when there are better in Samoa?" "Richer, but not better," said Velo, "and she is to my mind, and if I am to stay here on this island I shall need a wife." "True, Velo, very true. I did not think of that. If the girl is willing you shall have her." "She is willing. I am a fine man. How could she refuse me?" "Very well, Velo. You shall marry her, and I will be the parson when I become captain of the _Mahina_, which will be to-morrow." Velo smiled contentedly, and then the two men sprang to their feet as a native, clad in his armour of cinnet, stepped silently out of the undergrowth and beckoned to them to follow him. He led them through the forest till they reached another cleared space, where, lying or sitting about under the trees, were the whole population of Tebuan, with Mrs. Tracey in their midst. All of the men were armed with spears and clubs, and were clothed from head to foot in armour of coconut fibre; they all sprang to their feet with a babble of excitement as the white men drew near, but at a sign from Mrs. Tracey they at once stilled their voices, and sat quietly down again. Mrs. Tracey, now thoroughly recovered from her accident, and her cheeks flushed with excitement, listened eagerly to Barry for some minutes, then she beckoned the expectant natives to gather round her, and spoke to them in their own tongue. "To-morrow night, my friends, all will be well. This white man is my good friend, and will restore me to my husband's _kaibuke_ (ship), and ye shall see the two white men who murdered him, and cast me into the sea, bound with links of iron, hand and foot. And when that is done, then shall I give to every man of Tebuan a rifle, and as many bullets as he can carry, and five hundred sticks of tobacco. And every woman and child shall take whatever her eye desires--red and blue cloth, and beads, and biscuit, and rice; for ye have been my good friends--friends when I was sick, and distressed, and poor." A murmur of approval broke from the wild, savage-looking people, and one by one they came and shook hands with Barry, and then quietly dispersed to fish and hunt, Mrs. Tracey warning them not to show themselves anywhere on the inner beach, for fear they might be seen from the ship. Barry remained talking to Mrs. Tracey for another hour or so, until Velo and some of the Tebuan men appeared carrying a large boar which they had shot. This was at once sent off to the boat, as well as four or five turtles, which had been captured. "Good-bye till to-morrow night, then," said Barry, holding out his hand. "Now remember, when you see two fires lit on the south-east islet you and your people can start. On the beach you will find our two whaleboats, with some of the hands awaiting you. They will bring you all on board without making any noise. You and these two young women can hide in the sail-room; the men will be taken care of by Velo and our men until I want them." "I will not fail to remember every word, Good-bye once more." At three o'clock in the afternoon Rawlings saw the dinghy leisurely returning to the brig. She was pulling in close to the shore, whilst Barry and Velo were walking along the beach, rifles in hand, looking out for a shot at a chance pig. Barradas heaved a sigh of relief when he saw them, for his nerves had been at a tension for many days past, and he feared that something fatal to Barry's plans might occur at the last moment.
[1] "True, very true." [2] Sydney. [3] Truly bound. [4] "Compensate her relatives." _ |
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