下载辰思小说免费APP
Timepassed，andwesawnomoreofhim。Theseasonofthefullmooncameround，whenamanthinksshametoliesleeping；andI
continueduntillate-perhapstilltwelveoroneinthemorning-
towalkonthebrightsandandinthetossingshadowofthepalms。
Iplayed，asIwandered，onaflageolet，whichoccupiedmuchofmyattention；thefansoverheadrattledinthewindwithametallicchatter；andabarefootfallsatanyratealmostnoiselessonthatshiftingsoil。YetwhenIgotbacktoEquatorTown，whereallthelightswereout，andmywife(whowasstillawake，andhadbeenlookingforth)askedmewhoitwasthatfollowedme，Ithoughtshespokeinjest。’Notatall，’shesaid。’Isawhimtwiceasyoupassed，walkingcloseatyourheels。Heonlyleftyouatthecornerofthemaniap’；hemustbestillbehindthecook-house。’
ThitherIran-likeafool，withoutanyweapon-andcamefacetofacewiththecook。Hewaswithinmytapu-line，whichwasdeathinitself；hecouldhavenobusinessthereatsuchanhourbuteithertostealortokill；guiltmadehimtimorous；andheturnedandfledbeforemeinthenightinsilence。AshewentIkickedhiminthatplacewherehonourlies，andhegavetonguefaintlylikeaninjuredmouse。AtthemomentIdaresayhesupposeditwasadeadlyinstrumentthattouchedhim。
Whathadthemanbeenafter?Ihavefoundmymusicbetterqualifiedtoscatterthantocollectanaudience。AmateurasI
was，IcouldnotsupposehiminterestedinmyreadingoftheCARNIVALOFVENICE，orthathewoulddenyhimselfhisnaturalresttofollowmyvariationsonTHEPLOUGHBOY。Andwhateverhisdesign，itwasimpossibleIshouldsufferhimtoprowlbynightamongthehouses。Awordtotheking，andthemanwerenot，hiscasebeingfarbeyondpardon。Butitisonethingtokillamanyourself；
quiteanothertobeartalesbehindhisbackandhavehimshotbyathirdparty；andIdeterminedtodealwiththefellowinsomemethodofmyown。ItoldAhFuthestory，andbadehimfetchmethecookwheneverheshouldfindhim。Ihadsupposedthiswouldbeamatterofdifficulty；andfarfromthat，hecameofhisownaccord：anactreallyofdesperation，sincehislifehungbymysilence，andthebesthecouldhopewastobeforgotten。Yethecamewithanassuredcountenance，volunteerednoapologyorexplanation，complainedofinjuriesreceived，andpretendedhewasunabletositdown。IsupposeIamtheweakestmanGodmade；Ihadkickedhimintheleastvulnerablepartofhisbigcarcase；myfootwasbare，andIhadnotevenhurtmyfoot。AhFucouldnotcontrolhismerriment。Onmyside，knowingwhatmustbethenatureofhisapprehensions，Ifoundinsomuchimpudenceakindofgallantry，andsecretlyadmiredtheman。ItoldhimIshouldsaynothingofhisnight’sadventuretotheking；thatIshouldstillallowhim，whenhehadanerrand，tocomewithinmytapu-linebyday；butifeverIfoundhimthereafterthesetofthesunIwouldshoothimonthespot；andtotheproofshowedhimarevolver。Hemusthavebeenincrediblyrelieved；butheshowednosignofit，tookhimselfoffwithhisusualdandynonchalance，andwasscarceseenbyusagain。
Thesefive，then，withthesubstitutionofthestewardforthecook，cameandwent，andwereouronlyvisitors。Thecircleofthetapuheldatarm’s-lengththeinhabitantsofthevillage。Asfor’mypamily，’theydweltlikenunsintheirenclosure；onlyoncehaveImetoneofthemabroad，andshewastheking’ssister，andtheplaceinwhichIfoundher(theislandinfirmary)wasverylikelyprivileged。Thereremainsonlythekingtobeaccountedfor。Hewouldcomestrollingover，alwaysalone，alittlebeforeameal
