下载辰思小说免费APP
THUSallthingsontheisland，eventhepriestsofthegods，obeythewordofTembinok’。Hecangiveandtake，andslay，andallaythescruplesoftheconscientious，anddoallthings(apparently)
butinterfereinthecookeryofaturtle。’Igotpower’ishisfavouriteword；itinterlardshisconversation；thethoughthauntshimandiseverfresh；andwhenbehasaskedandmeditatesofforeigncountries，helooksupwithasmileandremindsyou，’IgotPOWER。’Norishisdelightonlyinthepossession，butintheexercise。Herejoicesinthecrookedandviolentpathsofkingshiplikeastrongmantorunarace，orlikeanartistinhisart。Tofeel，tousehispower，toembellishhisislandandthepictureoftheislandlifeafteraprivateideal，tomilktheislandvigorously，toextendhissingularmuseum-theseemploydelightfullythesumofhisabilities。Ineversawamanmorepatentlyintherighttrade。
Itwouldbenaturaltosupposethismonarchyinheritedintactthroughgenerations。Andsofarfromthat，itisathingofyesterday。IwasalreadyaboyatschoolwhileApemamawasyetrepublican，ruledbyanoisycouncilofOldMen，andtornwithincurablefeuds。AndTembinok’isnoBourbon；ratherthesonofaNapoleon。Ofcourseheiswell-born。NomanneedaspirehighintheislesofthePacificunlesshispedigreebelongandintheupperregionsmythical。Andourkingcountscousinshipwithmostofthehighfamiliesinthearchipelago，andtraceshisdescenttoasharkandaheroicwoman。Directedbyanoracle，sheswambeyondsightoflandtomeetherrevoltingparamour，andreceivedatseatheseedofapredestinedfamily。’Ithinklie，’istheking’semphaticcommentary；yetheisproudofthelegend。Fromthisillustriousbeginningthefortunesoftheracemusthavedeclined；
andTenkoruti，thegrandfatherofTembinok’，wasthechiefofavillageatthenorthendoftheisland。KuriaandAranukawereyetindependent；Apemamaitselfthearenaofdevastatingfeuds。
ThroughthisperturbedperiodofhistorythefigureofTenkorutistalksmemorable。Inwarhewasswiftandbloody；severaltownsfelltohisspear，andtheinhabitantswerebutcheredtoaman。Incivillifethisarrogancewasunheardof。WhenthecouncilofOldMenwassummoned，hewenttotheSpeakHouse，deliveredhismind，andleftwithoutwaitingtobeanswered。Wisdomhadspoken：letothersopineaccordingtotheirfolly。Hewasfearedandhated，andthiswashispleasure。Hewasnopoet；hecarednotforartsorknowledge。’Mygran’pathaonethingsavvy，savvypight，’
observedtheking。InsomelulloftheirowndisputestheOldMenofApemamaadventuredontheconquestofApemama；andthisunlickedCaiusMarciuswaselectedgeneraloftheunitedtroops。Successattendedhim；theislandswerereduced，andTenkorutireturnedtohisowngovernment，gloriousanddetested。Hediedabout1860，intheseventiethyearofhisageandthefullodourofunpopularity。
Hewastallandlean，sayshisgrandson，lookedextremelyold，and’walkedallthesameyoungman。’Thesameobservergavemeasignificantdetail。Thesurvivorsofthatroughepochwerealldefacedwithspearmarks；therewasnoneonthebodyofthisskilfulfighter。’Iseeoldman，nogotaspear，’saidtheking。
Tenkorutilefttwosons，TembaitakeandTembinatake。Tembaitake，ourking’sfather，wasshort，middlingstout，apoet，agoodgenealogist，andsomethingofafighter；itseemshetookhimselfseriously，andwasperhapsscarceconsciousthathewasinallthingsthecreatureandnurslingofhisbrother。Therewasnoshadowofdisputebetweenthepair：thegreatermanfilledwithalacrityandcontentthesecondplace；heldthebreachinwar，andalltheportfoliosinthetimeofpeace；and，whenhisbrotherratedhim，listenedinsilence，lookingontheground。LikeTenkoruti，hewastallandleanandaswifttalker-araretrait
