下载辰思小说免费APP
ButthisisnotallIhavetosayaboutKolory。Hismartialgraceveryoftencarriedaboutwithhimwhatseemedtomethehalfofabrokenwar-club。Itwasswathedroundwithraggedbitsofwhitetappa，andtheupperpart，whichwasintendedtorepresentahumanhead，wasembellishedwithastripofscarletclothofEuropeanmanufacture。
Itrequiredlittleobservationtodiscoverthatthisstrangeobjectwasreveredasagod。BythesideofthebigandlustyimagesstandingsentineloverthealtarsoftheHoolahHoolahground，itseemedamerepigmyintatters。Butappearancesalltheworldoveraredeceptive。
Littlemenaresometimesverypotent，andragssometimescoververyextensivepretensions。Infact，thisfunnylittleimagewasthe“crack“godoftheisland；lordingitoverallthewoodenlubberswholookedsogrimanddreadful；itsnamewasMoaArtua。*AnditwasinhonourofMoaArtua，andfortheentertainmentofthosewhobelieveinhim，thatthecuriousceremonyIamabouttodescribewasobserved。
*Theword“Artua，“althoughhavingsomeothersignifications，isinnearlyallthePolynesiandialectsusedasthegeneraldesignationofthegods。
MeheviandthechieftainsoftheTihavejustrisenfromtheirnoontideslumbers。Therearenoaffairsofstatetodisposeof；andhavingeatentwoorthreebreakfastsinthecourseofthemorning，themagnatesofthevalleyfeelnoappetiteasyetfordinner。Howaretheirleisuremomentstobeoccupied？Theysmoke，theychat，andatlastoneoftheirnumbermakesapropositiontotherest，whojoyfullyacquiescing，hedartsoutofthehouse，leapsfromthepi-pi，anddisappearsinthegrove。SoonyouseehimreturningwithKolory，whobearsthegodMoaArtuainhisarms，andcarriesinonehandasmalltrough，hollowedoutinthelikenessofacanoe。Thepriestcomesalongdanglinghischargeasifitwerealachrymoseinfanthewasendeavouringtoputintoagoodhumour。Presently，enteringtheTi，heseatshimselfonthematsascomposedlyasajugglerabouttoperformhissleight-of-handtricks；and，withthechiefsdisposedinacirclearoundhim，commenceshisceremony。
InthefirstplacehegivesMoaArtuaanaffectionatehug，thencaressinglylayshimtohisbreast，and，finally，whisperssomethinginhisear，therestofthecompanylisteningeagerlyforareply。Butthebaby-godisdeafordumb，-perhapsboth，forneveraworddoesheutter。AtlastKoloryspeaksalittlelouder，andsoongrowingangry，comesboldlyoutwithwhathehastosay，andbawlstohim。
Heputmeinmindofacholericfellow，who，aftertryinginvaintocommunicateasecrettoadeafman，allatoncefliesintoapassionandscreamsitoutsothateveryonemayhear。StillMoaArtuaremainsasquietasever，andKolory，seeminglylosinghistemper，fetcheshimaboxoverthehead，stripshimofhistappaandredcloth，and，layinghiminastateofnudityinalittletrough，covershimfromsight。Atthisproceedingallpresentloudlyapplaud，andsignifytheirapprovalbyutteringtheadjective“motarkee“withviolentemphasis。Kolory，however，issodesiroushisconductshouldmeetwithunqualifiedapprobation，thatheinquiresofeachindividualseparatelywhether，underexistingcircumstances，hehasnotdoneperfectlyrightinshuttingupMoaArtua。Theinvariableresponseis“Aa，Aa“(yes，yes)，repeatedoveragainandagaininamannerwhichoughttoquietthescruplesofthemostconscientious。AfterafewmomentsKolorybringsforthhisdollagain，and，whilearrayingitverycarefullyinthetappaandredcloth，alternatelyfondlesandchidesit。Thetoiletbeingcompleted，heoncemorespeakstoitaloud。Thewholecompanyhereuponshowthegreatestinterest；whilethepriest，holdingMoaArtuatohisear，interpretstothemwhathepretendsthegodisconfidentiallycommunicatingtohim。Someitemsofintelligenceappeartoticklea
