第20章

IntheexpediencyofthisIcouldnotbutacquiesce；andasthenativeshadnowcompletedtheirpreparations，IwatchedwiththeliveliestinterestthereceptionthatToby’sapplicationmightmeetwith。AssoonastheyunderstoodfrommycompanionthatIintendedtoremain，theyappearedtomakenoobjectiontohisproposition，andevenhaileditwithpleasure。Theirsingularconductonthisoccasionnotalittlepuzzledmeatthetime，andimpartedtosubsequenteventsanadditionalmystery。

Theislanderswerenowtobeseenhurryingalongthepathwhichledtothesea。IshookTobywarmlybythehand，andgavehimmyPaytahattoshieldhiswoundedheadfromthesun，ashehadlosthisown。

Hecordiallyreturnedthepressureofmyhand，and，solemnlypromisingtoreturnassoonastheboatsshouldleavetheshore，sprangfrommyside，andthenextminutedisappearedinaturnofthegrove。

Inspiteoftheunpleasantreflectionsthatcrowdeduponmymind，Icouldnotbutbeentertainedbythenovelandanimatedsightwhichnowmetmyview。Oneafteranother，thenativescrowdedalongthenarrowpath，ladenwitheveryvarietyoffruit。Here，youmighthaveseenone，who，afterineffectuallyendeavouringtopersuadeasurlyporkertobeconductedinleading-strings，wasobligedatlasttoseizetheperverseanimalinhisarms，andcarryhimstrugglingagainsthisnakedbreast，andsquealingwithoutintermission。Therewenttwo，whoatalittledistancemighthavebeentakenfortheHebrewspies，ontheirreturntoMoseswiththegoodlybunchofgrapes。Onetrottedbeforetheotheratadistanceofacoupleofyards，whilebetweenthem，fromapolerestingontheirshoulders，wassuspendedahugeclusterofbananas，whichswayedtoandfrowiththerockinggaitatwhichtheyproceeded。Hererananother，perspiringwithhisexertions，andbearingbeforehimaquantityofcocoa-nuts，who，fearfulofbeingtoolate，heedednotthefruitthatdroppedfromhisbasket，andappearedsolelyintentuponreachinghisdestination，carelesshowmanyofhiscocoa-nutskeptcompanywithhim。

Inashorttimethelaststragglerwasseenhurryingonhisway，andthefaintshoutsofthoseinadvancediedinsensiblyupontheear。

Ourpartofthevalleynowappearednearlydesertedbyitsinhabitants，Kory-Kory，hisagedfather，andafewdecrepitoldpeople，beingallthatwereleft。

Towardssunset，theislandersinsmallpartiesbegantoreturnfromthebeach，andamongthem，astheydrewneartothehouse，I

soughttodescrytheformofmycompanion。Butoneafteranothertheypassedthedwelling，andIcaughtnoglimpseofhim。Supposing，however，thathewouldsoonappearwithsomeofthemembersofthehousehold，Iquietedmyapprehensions，andwaitedpatientlytoseehimadvancing，incompanywiththebeautifulFayaway。AtlastI

perceivedTinorcomingforward，followedbythegirlsandyoungmenwhousuallyresidedinthehouseofMarheyo；butwiththemcamenotmycomrade，and，filledwithathousandalarms，Ieagerlysoughttodiscoverthecauseofhisdelay。

Myearnestquestionsappearedtoembarrassthenativesgreatly。

Alltheiraccountswerecontradictory:onegivingmetounderstandthatTobywouldbewithmeinaveryshorttime；another，thathedidnotknowwherehewas；whileathird，violentlyinveighingagainsthim，assuredme。yIthathehadstolenaway，andwouldnevercomeback。Itappearedtome，atthetime，thatinmakingthesevariousstatementstheyendeavouredtoconcealfrommesometerribledisaster，lesttheknowledgeofitshouldoverpowerme。

Fearfullestsomefatalcalamityhadovertakenhim，IsoughtoutyoungFayaway，andendeavouredtolearnfromher，ifpossible，thetruth。

Thisgentlebeinghadearlyattractedmyregard，notonlyfromherextraordinarybeauty，butfromtheattractivecastofhercountenance，singularlyexpressiveofintelligenceandhumanity。Ofallthenatives，shealoneseemedtoappreciatetheeffectwhichthepeculiarityofthecircumstancesinwhichwewereplacedhadproduceduponthemindsofmycompanionandmyself。Inaddressingme-especiallywhenIlayreclininguponthematssufferingfrompain-

therewasatendernessinhermannerwhichitwasimpossibletomisunderstandorresist。Wheneversheenteredthehouse，theexpressionofherfaceindicatedtheliveliestsympathyforme；andmovingtowardstheplacewhereIlay，withonearmslightlyelevatedinagestureofpity，andherlargeglisteningeyesgazingintentlyintomine，shewouldmurmurplaintively，“Awha！awha！Tommo，“andseatherselfmournfullybesideme。

Hermannerconvincedmethatshedeeplycompassionatedmysituation，asbeingremovedfrommycountryandfriends，andplacedbeyondthereachofallrelief。Indeed，attimesIwasalmostledtobelievethathermindwasswayedbygentleimpulseshardlytobeanticipatedfromoneinhercondition；thatsheappearedtobeconsciousthereweretiesrudelysevered，whichhadonceboundustoourhomes；thatthereweresistersandbrothersanxiouslylookingforwardtoourreturn，whowereperhapsnevermoretobeholdus。

InthisamiablelightdidFayawayappearinmyeyes；and，reposingfullconfidenceinhercandourandintelligence，Inowhadrecoursetoher，inthemidstofmyalarmwithregardtomycompanion。

Myquestionsevidentlydistressedher。Shelookedroundfromonetoanotherofthebystanders，asifhardlyknowingwhatanswertogiveme。Atlast，yieldingtomyimportunities，sheovercameherscruples，andgavemetounderstandthatTobyhadgoneawaywiththeboatswhichhadvisitedthebay，buthadpromisedtoreturnattheexpirationofthreedays。AtfirstIaccusedhimofperfidiouslydesertingme；butasIgrewmorecomposed，Iupbraidedmyselfforimputingsocowardlyanactiontohim，andtranquillizedmyselfwiththebeliefthathehadavailedhimselfoftheopportunitytogoroundtoNukuheva，inordertomakesomearrangementbywhichI

couldberemovedfromthevalley。Atanyrate，thoughtI，hewillreturnwiththemedicinesIrequire，andthen，assoonasIrecover，therewillbenodifficultyinthewayofourdeparture。

Consolingmyselfwiththesereflections，IlaydownthatnightinahappierframeofmindthanIhaddoneforsometime。ThenextdaypassedwithoutanyallusiontoTobyonthepartofthenatives，whoseemeddesirousofavoidingallreferencetothesubject。Thisraisedsomeapprehensionsinmybreast；but，whennightcame，I

congratulatedmyselfthattheseconddayhadnowgoneby，andthatonthemorrowTobywouldagainbewithme。Butthemorrowcameandwent，andmycompaniondidnotappear。Ah！thoughtI，hereckonsthreedaysfromthemorningofhisdeparture-to-morrowhewillarrive。

Butthatwearydayalsocloseduponmewithouthisreturn。EvenyetIwouldnotdespair。Ithoughtthatsomethingdetainedhim-thathewaswaitingforthesailingofaboatatNukuheva，andthatinadayortwo，atfarthest，Ishouldseehimagain。Butdayafterdayofreneweddisappointmentpassedby；atlasthopedesertedme，andIfellavictimtodespair。

Yes，thoughtI，gloomily，hehassecuredhisownescape，andcaresnotwhatcalamitymaybefallhisunfortunatecomrade。FoolthatIwas，tosupposethatanyonewouldwillinglyencountertheperilsofthisvalley，afterhavingoncegotbeyonditslimits！Hehasgone，andhasleftmetocombataloneallthedangersbywhichIamsurrounded。ThuswouldIsometimesseektoderiveadesperateconsolationfromdwellingupontheperfidyofToby；whilst，atothertimes，IsunkunderthebitterremorsewhichIfeltathaving，bymyownimprudence，broughtuponmyselfthefatewhichIwassureawaitedme。

AtothertimesIthoughtthatperhaps，afterall，thesetreacheroussavageshadmadeawaywithhim，andthencetheconfusionintowhichtheywerethrownbymyquestions，andtheircontradictoryanswers；orhemightbeacaptiveinsomeotherpartofthevalley；

or，moredreadfulstill，mighthavemetwiththatfateatwhichmyverysoulshuddered。Butallthesespeculationswerevain；notidingsofTobyeverreachedme-hehadgonenevertoreturn。

Theconductoftheislandersappearedinexplicable。Allreferencetomylostcomradewascarefullyevaded，andifatanytimetheywereforcedtomakesomereplytomyfrequentinquiriesonthesubject，theywoulduniformlydenouncehimasanungratefulrunaway，whohaddesertedhisfriend，andtakenhimselfofftothatvileanddetestableplaceNukuheva。

Butwhatevermighthavebeenhisfate，nowthathewasgonethenativesmultipliedtheiractsofkindnessandattentiontowardsmyself，treatingmewithadegreeofdeferencewhichcouldhardlyhavebeensurpassedhadIbeensomecelestialvisitant。Kory-Koryneverforonemomentleftmyside，unlessitweretoexecutemywishes。Thefaithfulfellow，twiceeveryday，inthecoolofthemorningandintheevening，insisteduponcarryingmetothestream，andbathingmeinitsrefreshingwater。

Frequently，intheafternoon，hewouldcarrymetoaparticularpartofthestream，wherethebeautyofthesceneproducedasoothinginfluenceuponmymind。Atthisplacethewatersflowedbetweengrassybanks，plantedwithenormousbread-fruittrees，whosevastbranches，interlacingoverhead，formedaleafycanopy；nearthestreamwereseveralsmoothblackrocks。Oneofthese，projectingseveralfeetabovethesurfaceofthewater，haduponitssummitashallowcavity，which，filledwithfreshly-gatheredleaves，formedadelightfulcouch。

HereIoftenlayforhours，coveredwithagauze-likeveiloftappa，whileFayaway，seatedbesideme，andholdinginherhandafanwovenfromtheleafletsofayoungcocoa-nutbough，brushedasidetheinsectsthatoccasionallylightedonmyface，andKory-Kory，withaviewofchasingawaymymelancholy，performedathousandanticsinthewaterbeforeus。

Asmyeyewanderedalongthisromanticstream，itwouldfalluponthehalf-immersedfigureofabeautifulgirl，standinginthetransparentwater，andcatchinginalittlenetaspeciesofdiminutiveshell-fish，ofwhichthesepeopleareextravagantlyfond。

Sometimesachatteringgroupwouldbeseatedupontheedgeofalowrockinthemidstofthebrook，busilyengagedinthinningandpolishingtheshellsofcocoa-nuts，byrubbingthembrisklywithasmallstoneinthewater，anoperationwhichsoonconvertsthemintoalightandelegantdrinking-vessel，somewhatresemblinggobletsmadeoftortoise-shell。

Butthetranquillizinginfluencesofbeautifulscenery，andtheexhibitionofhumanlifeundersonovelandcharminganaspect，werenotmyonlysourcesofconsolation。

Everyeveningthegirlsofthehousegatheredaboutmeonthemats，and，afterchasingawayKory-Koryfrommyside-who，nevertheless，retiredonlytoalittledistance，andwatchedtheirproceedingswiththemostjealousattention-wouldanointmybodywithafragrantoil，squeezedfromayellowroot，previouslypoundedbetweenacoupleofstones，andwhichintheirlanguageisdenominated“aka。“Iusedtohailwithdelightthedailyrecurrenceofthisluxuriousoperation，inwhichIforgotallmytroubles，andburiedforthetimeeveryfeelingofsorrow。