下载辰思小说免费APP
womansawamanswimfromthehighseasandplungedirectintothebush；hewasnomanofthatneighbourhood；anditwasknownhewasoneofthegods，speedingtoacouncil。Mostperspicuousofall，amissionaryonSavaii，whoisalsoamedicalman，wasdisturbedlateinthenightbyknocking；itwasnohourforthedispensary，butatlengthhewokehisservantandsenthimtoinquire；theservant，lookingfromawindow，beheldcrowdsofpersons，allwithgrievouswounds，loppedlimbs，brokenheads，andbleedingbullet-holes；butwhenthedoorwasopenedallhaddisappeared。Theyweregodsfromthefieldofbattle。Nowthesereportshavecertainlysignificance；itisnothardtotracethemtopoliticalgrumblersortoreadinthemathreatofcomingtrouble；fromthatmerelyhumansideIfoundthemominousmyself。Butitwasthespiritualsideoftheirsignificancethatwasdiscussedinsecretcouncilbymyrulers。IshallbestdepictthismingledhabitofthePolynesianmindbytwoconnectedinstances。Ioncelivedinavillage，thenameofwhichIdonotmeantotell。Thechiefandhissisterwerepersonsperfectlyintelligent：gentlefolk，aptofspeech。Thesisterwasveryreligious，agreatchurch-goer，onethatusedtoreprovemeifIstayedaway；Ifoundafterwardsthatsheprivatelyworshippedashark。Thechiefhimselfwassomewhatofafreethinker；attheleast，alatitudinarian：hewasaman，besides，filledwithEuropeanknowledgeandaccomplishments；ofanimpassive，ironicalhabit；andIshouldassoonhaveexpectedsuperstitioninMr。HerbertSpencer。Hearthesequel。Ihaddiscoveredbyunmistakablesignsthattheyburiedtooshallowinthevillagegraveyard，andItookmyfriend，astheresponsibleauthority，totask。’Thereissomethingwrongaboutyourgraveyard，’saidI，’whichyoumustattendto，oritmayhaveverybadresults。’’Somethingwrong?Whatisit?’heasked，withanemotionthatsurprisedme。’Ifyoucaretogoalongthereanyeveningaboutnineo’clockyoucanseeforyourself，’saidI。Hesteppedbackward。’Aghost！’hecried。
Inshort，inthewholefieldoftheSouthSeas，thereisnotonetoblameanother。Halfbloodandwhole，piousanddebauched，intelligentanddull，allmenbelieveinghosts，allmencombinewiththeirrecentChristianityfearofandalingeringfaithintheoldislanddeities。So，inEurope，thegodsofOlympusslowlydwindledintovillagebogies；soto-day，thetheologicalHighlandersneaksfromundertheeyeoftheFreeChurchdivinetolayanofferingbyasacredwell。
ItrytodealwiththewholematterherebecauseofaparticularqualityinPaumotuansuperstitions。ItistrueIheardthemtoldbyamanwithageniusforsuchnarrations。Closeaboutoureveninglamp，withinsoundoftheislandsurf，wehungonhiswords，thrilling。Thereader，infarotherscenes，mustlistencloseforthefaintecho。
Thisbundleofweirdstoriessprangfromtheburialandthewoman’sselfishconjuration。IwasdissatisfiedwithwhatIheard，harpeduponquestions，andstruckatlastthisveinofmetal。Itisfromsundowntoaboutfourinthemorningthatthekinsfolkcampuponthegrave；andthesearethehoursofthespirits’wanderings。Atanytimeofthenight-itmaybeearlier，itmaybelater-asoundistobeheardbelow，whichisthenoiseofhisliberation；
atfoursharp，anotherandaloudermarkstheinstantofthere-
imprisonment；between-whiles，hegoeshismalignantrounds。’Didyoueverseeanevilspirit?’wasonceaskedofaPaumotuan。
’Once。’’Underwhatform?’’Itwasintheformofacrane。’’Andhowdidyouknowthatcranetobeaspirit?’wasasked。’Iwilltellyou，’heanswered；andthiswasthepurportofhisinconclusivenarrative。Hisfatherhadbeendeadnearlyafortnight；othershadweariedofthewatch；anda
