下载辰思小说免费APP
FALEPUIPUI。Itisontheedgeofthemangroveswamp，andisreachedbyasortofcausewayofturf。Whenwedrewnear，wesawthegatesstandingopenandaprodigiouscrowdoutside-
ImeanprodigiousforApia，perhapsahundredandfiftypeople。Thetwosentriesatthegatestoodtoarmspassively，andthereseemedtobeacontinuouscirculationinsideandout。Thecaptaincametomeetus；ourboy，whohadbeensentaheadwastheretotakethehorses；andwepassedinsidethecourtwhichwasfulloffood，andrangcontinuouslytothevoiceofthecallerofgifts；Ihadtoblushalittlelaterwhenmyownpresentcame，andIheardmyonepigandeightmiserablepine-applesbeingcountedoutlikeguineas。Inthefourcornersoftheyardandalongonewall，therearemake-shift，dwarfish，Samoanhousesorhuts，whichhavebeenrunupsinceCaptainWurmbrandcametoaccommodatethechiefs。Beforethattheywereallcrammedintothesixcells，andlockedinforthenight，someofthemwithdysentery。Theyarewretchedconstructionsenough，butsanctifiedbythepresenceofchiefs。Weheardamancorrectedloudlyto-dayforsaying’FALE’ofoneofthem；
’MAOTA，’roaredthehighestchiefpresent-’palace。’Abouteighteenchiefs，gorgeouslyarrayed，stooduptogreetus，andledusintooneoftheseMAOTAS，whereyoumaybesurewehadtocrouch，almosttokneel，toenter，andwherearowofprettygirlsoccupiedonesidetomaketheava(kava)。Thehighestchiefpresentwasamagnificentman，ashighchiefsusuallyare；IfindIcannotdescribehim；hisfaceisfullofshrewdnessandauthority；hisfigurelikeAjax；hisnameAuilua。HetooktheheadofthebuildingandputBelleonhisrighthand。Fannywascalledfirstfortheava(kava)。
OurnameswerecalledinEnglishstyle，thehigh-chiefwifeofMr。St-(anunpronounceablesomething)；Mrs。Straw，andthelike。Andwhenwewentintotheotherhousetoeat，wefoundwewereseatedalternatelywithchiefsaboutthe-
table，Iwasabouttosay，butratherfloor。EverythingwastobedoneEuropeanstylewithavengeance！Weweretheonlywhitespresent，exceptWurmbrand，andstillIhadnosuspicionofthetruth。Theybegantotakeofftheirulas(necklacesofscarletseeds)andhangthemaboutournecks；
wepolitelyresisted，andweretoldthattheKing(whohadstoppedofftheirSIVA)hadsentdowntotheprisonamessagetotheeffectthathewastogiveadinnerto-morrow，andwishedtheirsecond-handulasforit。Someofthemwerecontent；othersnot。Therewasaringofangerintheboy’svoice，ashetoldusweweretowearthempasttheKing’shouse。Dinnerover，Imustsaytheyaremoderateeatersatafeast，wereturnedtotheavahouse；andthenthecurtaindrewsuddenlyupuponthesetscene。Wetookourseats，andAuiluabegantogivemeapresent，recapitulatingeacharticleashegaveitout，withsomeappropriatecomment。Hecalledmeseveraltimes’theironlyfriend，’saidtheywereallinslavery，hadnomoney，andthesethingswereallmadebythehandsoftheirfamilies-nothingbought；hehadonephrase，inwhichIheardhisvoiceriseuptoanoteoftriumph:’Thisisapresentfromthepoorprisonerstotherichman。’Thirteenpiecesoftapa，someofthemsurprisinglyfine，oneIthinkunique；thirtyfansofeveryshapeandcolour；akavacup，etc。，etc。AtfirstAuiluaconductedthebusinesswithweightygravity；butbeforetheendofthethirtyfans，hiscommentsbegantobehumorous。
Whenitcametoalittlebasket，hesaid:’HerewasalittlebasketforTusitalatoputsixpencein，whenhecouldgetholdofone’-withadeliciousgrimace。IansweredasbestasIwasablethroughamiserableinterpreter；andallthewhile，asIwenton，Iheardthecrieroutsideinthecourtcallingmygiftoffood，whichIperceivedwastobeGargantuan。Ihadbroughtbutthreeboyswithme。Itwasplainthattheywerewhollyoverpowered。Weproposedtosendforourgiftsonthemorrow；butno，saidtheinterpreter，thatwouldneverdo；theymustgoawayto-day，Mulinuumustseemyporterstakingawaythegifts，-’make’emjella，’
quoththeinterpreter。AndIbegantoseethereasonofthisreallysplendidgift；onehalf，gratitudetome-onehalf，awipeattheKing。
Andnow，tointroducedarkercolours，youmustknowthisvisitofminetothegaolwasjustalittlebitrisky；wehadseveralcausesforanxiety；itMIGHThavebeenputup，toconnectwithaTamaseserising。Tusitalaandhisfamilywouldbegoodhostages。Ontheotherhand，thereweretheMulinuupeopleallabout。WecouldseetheanxietyofCaptainWurmbrand，nolessanxioustohaveusgo，thanhehadbeentoseeuscome；hewasdeadlywhiteandplainlyhadabadheadache，inthenoisyscene。Pr
