按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
SOUTH SEA TALES
SOUTH SEA TALES
by Jack London
1
… Page 2…
SOUTH SEA TALES
THE HOUSE OF MAPUHI
Despite the heavy clumsiness of her lines； the Aorai handled easily in
the light breeze； and her captain ran her well in before he hove to just
outside the suck of the surf。 The atoll of Hikueru lay low on the water； a
circle of pounded coral sand a hundred yards wide； twenty miles in
circumference； and from three to five feet above high…water mark。 On the
bottom of the huge and glassy lagoon was much pearl shell； and from the
deck of the schooner； across the slender ring of the atoll； the divers could
be seen at work。 But the lagoon had no entrance for even a trading
schooner。 With a favoring breeze cutters could win in through the tortuous
and shallow channel； but the schooners lay off and on outside and sent in
their small boats。
The Aorai swung out a boat smartly； into which sprang half a dozen
brown…skinned sailors clad only in scarlet loincloths。 They took the oars；
while in the stern sheets； at the steering sweep； stood a young man garbed
in the tropic white that marks the European。 The golden strain of
Polynesia betrayed itself in the sun…gilt of his fair skin and cast up golden
sheens and lights through the glimmering blue of his eyes。 Raoul he was；
Alexandre Raoul； youngest son of Marie Raoul； the wealthy quarter…caste；
who owned and managed half a dozen trading schooners similar to the
Aorai。 Across an eddy just outside the entrance； and in and through and
over a boiling tide…rip； the boat fought its way to the mirrored calm of the
lagoon。 Young Raoul leaped out upon the white sand and shook hands
with a tall native。 The man's chest and shoulders were magnificent； but the
stump of a right arm； beyond the flesh of which the age…whitened bone
projected several inches； attested the encounter with a shark that had put
an end to his diving days and made him a fawner and an intriguer for
small favors。
〃Have you heard； Alec？〃 were his first words。 〃Mapuhi has found a
pearlsuch a pearl。 Never was there one like it ever fished up in Hikueru；
nor in all the Paumotus； nor in all the world。 Buy it from him。 He has it
now。 And remember that I told you first。 He is a fool and you can get it
cheap。 Have you any tobacco？〃
2
… Page 3…
SOUTH SEA TALES
Straight up the beach to a shack under a pandanus tree Raoul headed。
He was his mother's supercargo； and his business was to comb all the
Paumotus for the wealth of copra； shell； and pearls that they yielded up。
He was a young supercargo； it was his second voyage in such capacity；
and he suffered much secret worry from his lack of experience in pricing
pearls。 But when Mapuhi exposed the pearl to his sight he managed to
suppress the startle it gave him； and to maintain a careless； commercial
expression on his face。 For the pearl had struck him a blow。 It was large as
a pigeon egg； a perfect sphere； of a whiteness that reflected opalescent
lights from all colors about it。 It was alive。 Never had he seen anything
like it。 When Mapuhi dropped it into his hand he was surprised by the
weight of it。 That showed that it was a good pearl。 He examined it closely；
through a pocket magnifying glass。 It was without flaw or blemish。 The
purity of it seemed almost to melt into the atmosphere out of his hand。 In
the shade it was softly luminous； gleaming like a tender moon。 So
translucently white was it； that when he dropped it into a glass of water he
had difficulty in finding it。 So straight and swiftly had it sunk to the
bottom that he knew its weight was excellent。
〃Well； what do you want for it？〃 he asked； with a fine assumption of
nonchalance。
〃I want〃 Mapuhi began； and behind him； framing his own dark face；
the dark faces of two women and a girl nodded concurrence in what he
wanted。 Their heads were bent forward； they were animated by a
suppressed eagerness； their eyes flashed avariciously。
〃I want a house；〃 Mapuhi went on。 〃It must have a roof of galvanized
iron and an octagon…drop…clock。 It must be six fathoms long with a porch
all around。 A big room must be in the centre； with a round table in the
middle of it and the octagon…drop…clock on the wall。 There must be four
bedrooms； two on each side of the big room； and in each bedroom must be
an iron bed； two chairs； and a washstand。 And back of the house must be a
kitchen； a good kitchen； with pots and pans and a stove。 And you must
build the house on my island； which is Fakarava。〃
〃Is that all？〃 Raoul asked incredulously。
〃There must be a sewing machine；〃 spoke up Tefara； Mapuhi's wife。
3
… Page 4…
SOUTH SEA TALES
〃Not forgetting the octagon…drop…clock；〃 added Nauri； Mapuhi's
mother。
〃Yes； that is all；〃 said Mapuhi。
Young Raoul laughed。 He laughed long and heartily。 But while he
laughed he secretly performed problems in mental arithmetic。 He had
never built a house in his life； and his notions concerning house building
were hazy。 While he laughed； he calculated the cost of the voyage to Tahiti
for materials； of the materials themselves； of the voyage back again to
Fakarava； and the cost of landing the materials and of building the house。
It would come to four thousand French dollars； allowing a margin for
safetyfour thousand French dollars were equivalent to twenty thousad
francs。 It was impossible。 How was he to know the value of such a pearl？
Twenty thousand francs was a lot of moneyand of his mother's money at
that。
〃Mapuhi；〃 he said； 〃you are a big fool。 Set a money price。〃
But Mapuhi shook his head； and the three heads behind him shook
with his。
〃I want the house；〃 he said。 〃It must be six fathoms long with a porch
all around〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Raoul interrupted。 〃I know all about your house； but it
won't do。 I'll give you a thousand Chili dollars。〃
The four heads chorused a silent negative。
〃And a hundred Chili dollars in trade。〃
〃I want the house；〃 Mapuhi began。
〃What good will the house do you？〃 Raoul demanded。 〃The first
hurricane that comes along will wash it away。 You ought to know。
Captain Raffy says it looks like a hurricane right now。〃
〃Not on Fakarava；〃 said Mapuhi。 〃The land is much higher there。 On
this island； yes。 Any hurricane can sweep Hikueru。 I will have the house
on Fakarava。 It must be six fathoms long with a porch all around〃
And Raoul listened again to the tale of the house。 Several hours he
spent in the endeavor to hammer the house obsession out of Mapuhi's
mind； but Mapuhi's mother and wife； and Ngakura； Mapuhi's daughter；
bolstered him in his resolve for the house。 Through the open doorway；
4
… Page 5…
SOUTH SEA TALES
while he listened for the twentieth time to the detailed description of the
house that was wanted； Raoul saw his schooner's second boat draw up on
the beach。 The sailors rested on the oars； advertising haste to be gone。 The
first mate of the Aorai sprang ashore； exchanged a word with the one…
armed native； then hurried toward Raoul。 The day grew suddenly dark； as
a squall obscured the face of the sun。 Across the lagoon Raoul could see
approaching the ominous line of the puff of wind。
〃Captain Raffy says you've got to get to hell outa here；〃 was the mate's
greeting。 〃If there's any shell； we've got to run the risk of picking it up
later onso he says。 The barometer's dropped to twenty…nine…seventy。〃
The gust of wind struck the pandanus tree overhead and tore through
the palms beyond； flinging half