POURQUOI,ELLEESTTRESJOLIE,ELLEVACOMMECA,’andstickinghisumbrellauprightintheroad,hesketchedthestepsandgestures。
Allhiscriticismsofthepresent,allhisregretsforthepast,struckmeastemperateandsensible。TheshorttermofofficeoftheResidenthethoughtthechiefdefectoftheadministration;
thatofficerhavingscarcebeguntobeefficienterehewasrecalled。IthoughtIgathered,too,thatheregardedwithsomefearthecomingchangefromanavaltoacivilgovernor。IamsureatleastthatIregarditsomyself;forthecivilservantsofFrancehaveneverappearedtoanyforeignerasatallthefloweroftheircountry,whilehernavalofficersmaychallengecompetitionwiththeworld。Inallhistalk,Stanislaowasparticulartospeakofhisowncountryasalandofsavages;andwhenhestatedanopinionofhisown,itwaswithsomeapologeticpreface,allegingthathewas’asavagewhohadtravelled。’Therewasadeal,inthiselaboratemodesty,ofhonestpride。Yettherewassomethingintheprecautionthatsaddenedme;andIcouldnotbutfearhewasonlyforestallingatauntthathehadheardtoooften。
IrecallwithinteresttwointerviewswithStanislao。Thefirstwasacertainafternoonoftropicrain,whichwepassedtogetherintheverandahoftheclub;talkingattimeswithheightenedvoicesastheshowersredoubledoverhead,passingattimesintothebilliard-room,toconsult,inthedim,cloudydaylight,thatmapoftheworldwhichformsitschiefadornment。HewasnaturallyignorantofEnglishhistory,sothatIhadmuchofnewstocommunicate。ThestoryofGordonItoldhiminfull,andmanyepisodesoftheIndianMutiny,Lucknow,thesecondbattleofCawn-
pore,thereliefofArrah,thedeathofpoorSpottis-woode,andSirHughRose’shotspur,midlandcampaign。Hewasintenttohear;hisbrownface,stronglymarkedwithsmall-pox,kindledandchangedwitheachvicissitude。Hiseyesglowedwiththereflectedlightofbattle;hisquestionsweremanyandintelligent,anditwaschieflythesethatsentussooftentothemap。ButitisofourpartingthatIkeepthestrongestsense。Weweretosailonthemorrow,andthenighthadfallen,dark,gusty,andrainy,whenwestumbledupthehilltobidfarewelltoStanislao。Hehadalreadyloadeduswithgifts;butmorewerewaiting。Wesataboutthetableovercigarsandgreencocoa-nuts;clapsofwindblewthroughthehouseandextinguishedthelamp,whichwasalwaysinstantlyrelightedwithasinglematch;andtheserecurrentintervalsofdarknesswerefeltasarelief。Fortherewassomethingpainfulandembarrassinginthekindnessofthatseparation。’AH,VOUSDEVRIEZRESTERICI,MONCHERAMI!’criedStanislao。’VOUSETESLESGENSQU’ILFAUT
POURLESKANAQUES;VOUSETESDOUX,VOUSETVOTREFAMILLE;VOUS
SERIEZOBEISDANSTOUTESLESILES。’Wehadbeencivil;notalwaysthat,myconsciencetoldme,andneveranythingbeyond;andallthisto-doisameasure,notofourconsiderateness,butofthewantofitinothers。Therestoftheevening,ontoVaekehu’sandbackasfarastothepier,Stanislaowalkedwithmyarmandshelteredmewithhisumbrella;andaftertheboathadputoff,wecouldstilldistinguish,inthemurkydarkness,hisgesturesoffarewell。Hiswords,iftherewereany,weredrownedbytherainandtheloudsurf。
Ihavementionedpresents,avexedquestionintheSouthSeas;andonewhichwellillustratesthecommon,ignoranthabitofregardingracesinalump。InmanyquartersthePolynesiangivesonlytoreceive。Ihavevisitedislandswherethepopulationmobbedmeforalltheworldlikedogsafterthewaggonofcat’s-meat;andwherethefrequentproposition,’Youmyplenifriend,’orwithmoreofpathos’Youall’esamemyfather,’mustbereceivedwithheartylaughterandashout。Andperhapseverywhere,amongthegreedyandrapacious,agiftisregardedasasprattocatchawhale。Itisthehabittogivegiftsandtoreceivereturns,andsuchcharacters,complyingwiththecustom,willlooktoitnearlythattheydonotlose。Butforpersonsofadifferentstampthestatementmustbereversed。TheshabbyPolynesianisanxioustillhehasreceivedthereturngift;thegenerousisuneasyuntilhehasmadeit。Thefirstisdisappointedifyouhavenotgivenmorethanhe;thesecondismiserableifhethinkshehasgivenlessthanyou。Thisismyexperience;ifitclashwiththatofothers,Ipitytheirfortune,andpraisemine:thecircumstancescannotchangewhatIhaveseen,norlessenwhatIhavereceived。AndindeedIfindthatthosewhoopposemeoftenarguefromagroundofsingularpresumptions;comparingPolynesianswithanidealperson,compactofgenerosityandgratitude,whomIneverhadthepleasureofencountering;andforgettingthatwhatisalmostpovertytousiswealthalmostunthinkabletothem。Iwillgiveoneinstance:I
chancedtospeakwithconsiderationofthesegiftsofStanislao’swithacertaincleverman,agreathaterandcontemnerofKanakas。
’Well!whatwerethey?’hecried。’Apackofoldmen’sbeards。
Trash!’Andthesamegentleman,somehalfanhourlater,beinguponadifferenttrainofthought,dweltatlengthontheesteeminwhichtheMarquesansheldthatsortofproperty,howtheypreferredittoallothersexceptland,andwhatfancypricesitwouldfetch。
Usinghisownfigures,Icomputedthat,inthiscommodityalone,thegiftsofVaekehuandStanislaorepresentedbetweentwoandthreehundreddollars;andthequeen’sofficialsalaryisoftwohundredandfortyintheyear。
Butgenerosityontheonehand,andconspicuousmeannessontheother,areintheSouthSeas,asathome,theexception。Itisneitherwithanyhopeofgain,norwithanylivelywishtoplease,thattheordinaryPolynesianchoosesandpresentshisgifts。A
plainsocialdutyliesbeforehim,whichheperformscorrectly,butwithouttheleastenthusiasm。Andweshallbestunderstandhisattitudeofmind,ifweexamineourowntothecognateabsurdityofmarriagepresents。Therewegivewithoutanyspecialthoughtofareturn;yetifthecircumstancearise,andthereturnbewithheld,weshalljudgeourselvesinsulted。Wegivethemusuallywithoutaffection,andalmostneverwithagenuinedesiretoplease;andourgiftisratheramarkofourownstatusthanameasureofourlovetotherecipients。SoinagreatmeasureandwiththecommonrunofthePolynesians;theirgiftsareformal;theyimplynomorethansocialrecognition;andtheyaremadeandreciprocated,aswepayandreturnourmorningvisits。Andthepracticeofmarkingandmeasuringeventsandsentimentsbypresentsisuniversalintheislandworld。Agiftplayswiththemthepartofstampandseal;
andhasenteredprofoundlyintothemindofislanders。Peaceandwar,marriage,adoptionandnaturalisation,arecelebratedordeclaredbytheacceptanceortherefusalofgifts;anditisasnaturalfortheislandertobringagiftasforustocarryacard-
case。
CHAPTERX-APORTRAITANDASTORY
IHAVEhadoccasionseveraltimestonamethelatebishop,FatherDordillon,’Monseigneur,’asheisstillalmostuniversallycalled,Vicar-ApostolicoftheMarquesasandBishopofCambysopolisIN
PARTIBUS。Everywhereintheislands,amongallclassesandraces,thisfine,old,kindly,cheerfulfellowisrememberedwithaffectionandrespect。Hisinfluencewiththenativeswasparamount。Theyreckonedhimthehighestofmen-higherthananadmiral;broughthimtheirmoneytokeep;tookhisadviceupontheirpurchases;norwouldtheyplanttreesupontheirownlandtilltheyhadtheapprovalofthefatheroftheislands。DuringthetimeoftheFrenchexodushesinglyrepresentedEurope,livingintheResidency,andrulingbythehandofTemoana。Thefirstroadsweremadeunderhisauspicesandbyhispersuasion。TheoldroadbetweenHatiheuandAnahowasgotunderwayfromeithersideonthegroundthatitwouldbepleasantforaneveningpromenade,andbroughttocompletionbyworkingontherivalryofthetwovillages。ThepriestwouldboastinHatiheuoftheprogressmadeinAnaho,andhewouldtellthefolkofAnaho,’Ifyoudon’ttakecare,yourneighbourswillbeoverthehillbeforeyouareatthetop。’Itcouldnotbesodoneto-day;itcouldthen;death,opium,anddepopulationhadnotgonesofar;andthepeopleofHatiheu,I
wastold,stillviedwitheachotherinfineattire,andusedtogooutbyfamilies,inthecooloftheevening,boat-sailingandracinginthebay。Thereseemssometruthatleastinthecommonview,thatthisjointreignofTemoanaandthebishopwasthelastandbriefgoldenageoftheMarquesas。Butthecivilpowerreturned,themissionwaspackedoutoftheResidencyattwenty-
fourhours’notice,newmethodssupervened,andthegoldenagewhateveritquitewascametoanend。ItisthestrongestproofofFatherDordillon’sprestigethatitsurvived,seeminglywithoutloss,thishastydeposition。
Hismethodwiththenativeswasextremelymild。Amongthesebarbarouschildrenhestillplayedthepartofthesmilingfather;
andhewascarefultoobserve,inallindifferentmatters,theMarquesanetiquette。Thus,inthesingularsystemofartificialkinship,thebishophadbeenadoptedbyVaekehuasagrandson;MissFisher,ofHatiheu,asadaughter。Fromthatday,Monseigneurneveraddressedtheyoungladyexceptashismother,andclosedhisletterswiththeformalitiesofadutifulson。WithEuropeanshecouldbestrict,eventotheextentofharshness。Hemadenodistinctionagainstheretics,withwhomhewasonfriendlyterms;
buttherulesofhisownChurchhewouldseeobserved;andonceatleasthehadawhitemanclappedinjailforthedesecrationofasaint’sday。Buteventhisrigour,sointolerabletolaymen,soirritatingtoProtestants,couldnotshakehispopularity。Weshallbestconceivehimbyexamplesnearerhome;wemayallhaveknownsomedivineoftheoldschoolinScotland,aliteralSabbatarian,asticklerfortheletterofthelaw,whowasyetinprivatemodest,innocent,genialandmirthful。Muchsuchaman,itseems,wasFatherDordillon。Andhispopularityboreatestyetstronger。Hehadthename,andprobablydeservedit,ofashrewdmaninbusinessandonethatmadethemissionpay。Nothingsomuchstirsupresentmentastheinmixtureincommerceofreligiousbodies;butevenrivaltradersspokewellofMonseigneur。
Hischaracterisbestportrayedinthestoryofthedaysofhisdecline。Atimecamewhen,fromthefailureofsight,hemustdesistfromhisliterarylabours:hisMarquesanhymns,grammars,anddictionaries;hisscientificpapers,livesofsaints,anddevotionalpoetry。Hecastaboutforanewinterest:pitchedongardening,andwastobeseenallday,withspadeandwater-pot,inhischildlikeeagerness,actuallyrunningbetweentheborders。
Anotherstepofdecay,andhemustleavehisgardenalso。
Instantlyanewoccupationwasdevised,andhesatinthemissioncuttingpaperflowersandwreaths。Hisdiocesewasnotgreatenoughforhisactivity;thechurchesoftheMarquesaswerepaperedwithhishandiwork,andstillhemustbemakingmore。’Ah,’saidhe,smiling,’whenIamdeadwhatafinetimeyouwillhaveclearingoutmytrash!’Hehadbeendeadaboutsixmonths;butI
waspleasedtoseesomeofhistrophiesstillexposed,andlookeduponthemwithasmile:thetributeifIhavereadhischeerfulcharacterarightwhichhewouldhavepreferredtoanyuselesstears。Diseasecontinuedprogressivelytodisablehim;hewhohadclamberedsostalwartlyovertheruderocksoftheMarquesas,bringingpeacetowarfaringclans,wasforsometimecarriedinachairbetweenthemissionandthechurch,andatlastconfinedtobed,impotentwithdropsy,andtormentedwithbed-soresandsciatica。Herehelaytwomonthswithoutcomplaint;andonthe11thJanuary1888,intheseventy-ninthyearofhislife,andthethirty-fourthofhislaboursintheMarquesas,passedaway。