TYPEE

第25章

ThefirstdayafterFayaway’semancipation,Ihadadelightfullittlepartyonthelake-thedamsel,Kory-Kory,andmyself。Myzealousbody-servantbroughtfromthehouseacalabashofpoee-poee,halfadozenyoungcocoa-nuts-strippedoftheirhusks-threepipes,asmanyyams,andmeonhisbackapartoftheway。Somethingofaload;butKory-Korywasaverystrongmanforhissize,andbynomeansbrittleinthespine。Wehadaverypleasantday;mytrustyvaletpliedthepaddleandsweptusgentlyalongthemarginofthewater,beneaththeshadesoftheoverhangingthickets。FayawayandI

reclinedinthesternofthecanoe,thegentlenymphoccasionallyplacingherpipetoherlip,andexhalingthemildfumesofthetobacco,towhichherrosybreathaddedafreshperfume。Strangeasitmayseem,thereisnothinginwhichayoungandbeautifulfemaleappearstomoreadvantagethanintheactofsmoking。HowcaptivatingisaPeruvianlady,swinginginhergaily-wovenhammockofgrass,extendedbetweentwoorange-trees,andinhalingthefragranceofachoicecigarro!ButFayaway,holdinginherdelicately-formedolivehandthelongyellowreedofherpipe,withitsquaintlycarvedbowl,andeveryfewmomentslanguishinglygivingforthlightwreathsofvapourfromhermouthandnostrils,lookedstillmoreengaging。

Wefloatedaboutthusforseveralhours,whenIlookeduptothewarm,glowing,tropicalsky,andthendownintothetransparentdepthsbelow;andwhenmyeye,wanderingfromthebewitchingsceneryaround,felluponthegrotesquely-tattooedformofKory-Kory,andfinallyencounteredthepensivegazeofFayaway,IthoughtIhadbeentransportedtosomefairyregion,sounrealdideverythingappear。

Thislovelypieceofwaterwasthecoolestspotinallthevalley,andInowmadeitaplaceofcontinualresortduringthehottestperiodoftheday。Onesideofitlayneartheterminationofalonggraduallyexpandinggorge,whichmountedtotheheightsthatenvironedthevale。Thestrongtrade-wind,metinitscoursebytheseelevations,circledandeddiedabouttheirsummits,andwassometimesdrivendownthesteepravineandsweptacrossthevalley,rufflinginitspassagetheotherwisetranquilsurfaceofthelake。

Oneday,afterwehadbeenpaddlingaboutforsometime,I

disembarkedKory-Kory,andpaddledthecanoetothewindwardsideofthelake。AsIturnedthecanoe,away,whowaswithme,seemedallatoncetobestruckwithsomehappyidea。Withawildexclamationofdelight,shedisengagedfromherpersontheamplerobeoftappawhichwasknottedoverhershoulder(forthepurposeofshieldingherfromthesun),andspreadingitoutlikeasail,stooderectwithupraisedarmsintheheadofthecanoe。WeAmericansailorsprideourselvesuponourstraightcleanspars,butaprettierlittlemastthanFayawaymadewasnevershippedaboardofanycraft。

Inamomentthetappawasdistendedbythebreeze-thelongbrowntressesofFayawaystreamedintheair-andthecanoeglidedrapidlythroughthewater,andshottowardstheshore。Seatedinthestern,Idirecteditscoursewithmypaddleuntilitdashedupthesoftslopingbank,andFayaway,withalightspring,alightedontheground;whilstKory-Kory,whohadwatchedourmanoeuvreswithadmiration,nowclappedhishandsintransport,andshoutedlikeamadman。Manyatimeafterwardswasthisfeatrepeated。

IfthereaderhavenotobservederethisthatIwasthedeclaredadmirerofMissFayaway,allIcansayis,thatheislittleconversantwithaffairsoftheheart,andIcertainlyshallnottroublemyselftoenlightenhimanyfarther。OutofthecalicoIhadbroughtfromtheshipadresswasmadeforthislovelygirl。Initshelooked,Imustconfess,somethi

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