By this time they had settled themselves down quite near our habitation. A pleasant little stroll down the Broom Road, and a rustic3 cross peeped through the trees; and soon you came to as charming a place as one would wish to see: a soft knoll4, planted with old breadfruit trees; in front, a savannah, sloping to a grove5 of palms, and, between these, glimpses of blue, sunny waves.
On the summit of the knoll was a rude chapel6, of bamboos; quite small, and surmounted7 by the cross. Between the canes8, at nightfall, the natives stole peeps at a small portable altar; a crucifix to correspond, and gilded9 candlesticks and censers. Their curiosity carried them no further; nothing could induce them to worship there. Such queer ideas as they entertained of the hated strangers. Masses and chants were nothing more than evil spells. As for the priests themselves, they were no better than diabolical10 sorcerers; like those who, in old times, terrified their fathers.
Close by the chapel was a range of native houses; rented from a chief, and handsomely furnished. Here lived the priests; and very comfortably, too. They looked sanctimonious11 enough abroad; but that went for nothing; since, at home, in their retreat, they were a club of Friar Tucks; holding priestly wassail over many a good cup of red brandy, and rising late in the morning.
Pity it was they couldn't marry—pity for the ladies of the island, I mean, and the cause of morality; for what business had the ecclesiastical old bachelors with such a set of trim little native handmaidens? These damsels were their first converts; and devoted12 ones they were.
The priests, as I have said before, were accounted necromancers: the appearance of two of our three visitors might have justified13 the conceit14.
They were little, dried-up Frenchmen, in long, straight gowns of black cloth, and unsightly three-cornered hats—so preposterously15 big that, in putting them on, the reverend fathers seemed to extinguish themselves.
Their companion was dressed differently. He wore a sort of yellow, flannel16 morning gown, and a broad-brimmed Manilla hat. Large and portly, he was also hale and fifty; with a complexion17 like an autumnal leaf—handsome blue eyes—fine teeth, and a racy Milesian brogue. In short, he was an Irishman; Father Murphy, by name; and, as such, pretty well known, and very thoroughly18 disliked, throughout all the Protestant missionary19 settlements in Polynesia. In early youth, he had been sent to a religious seminary in France; and, taking orders there, had but once or twice afterwards revisited his native land.
Father Murphy marched up to us briskly; and the first words he uttered were, to ask whether there were any of his countrymen among us. There were two of them; one, a lad of sixteen—a bright, curly-headed rascal—and, being a young Irishman, of course, his name was Pat. The other was an ugly, and rather melancholy-looking scamp; one M'Gee, whose prospects20 in life had been blasted by a premature21 transportation to Sydney. This was the report, at least, though it might have been scandal.
In most of my shipmates were some redeeming22 qualities; but about M'Gee, there was nothing of the kind; and forced to consort23 with him, I could not help regretting, a thousand times, that the gallows24 had been so tardy25. As if impelled26, against her will, to send him into the world, Nature had done all she could to insure his being taken for what he was. About the eyes there was no mistaking him; with a villainous cast in one, they seemed suspicious of each other.
Glancing away from him at once, the bluff27 priest rested his gaze on the good-humoured face of Pat, who, with a pleasant roguishness, was "twigging" the enormous hats (or "Hytee Belteezers," as land beavers28 are called by sailors), from under which, like a couple of snails29, peeped the two little Frenchmen.
Pat and the priest were both from the same town in Meath; and, when this was found out, there was no end to the questions of the latter. To him, Pat seemed a letter from home, and said a hundred times as much.
After a long talk between these two, and a little broken English from the Frenchmen, our visitors took leave; but Father Murphy had hardly gone a dozen rods when back he came, inquiring whether we were in want of anything.
"Yes," cried one, "something to eat." Upon this he promised to send us some fresh wheat bread, of his own baking; a great luxury in Tahiti.
We all felicitated Pat upon picking up such a friend, and told him his fortune was made.
The next morning, a French servant of the priest's made his appearance with a small bundle of clothing for our young Hibernian; and the promised bread for the party. Pat being out at the knees and elbows, and, like the rest of us, not full inside, the present was acceptable all round.
In the afternoon, Father Murphy himself came along; and, in addition to his previous gifts, gave Pat a good deal of advice: said he was sorry to see him in limbo30, and that he would have a talk with the consul31 about having him set free.
We saw nothing more of him for two or three days; at the end of which time he paid us another call, telling Pat that Wilson was inexorable, having refused to set him at liberty, unless to go aboard the ship. This, the priest now besought32 him to do forthwith; and so escape the punishment which, it seems, Wilson had been hinting at to his intercessor. Pat, however, was staunch against entreaties33; and, with all the ardour of a sophomorean sailor, protested his intention to hold out to the last. With none of the meekness34 of a good little boy about him, the blunt youngster stormed away at such a rate that it was hard to pacify35 him; and the priest said no more.
How it came to pass—whether from Murphy's speaking to the consul, or otherwise, we could not tell—but the next day, Pat was sent for by Wilson, and being escorted to the village by our good old keeper, three days elapsed before he returned.
Bent36 upon reclaiming37 him, they had taken him on board the ship; feasted him in the cabin; and, finding that of no avail, down they thrust him into the hold, in double irons, and on bread and water. All would not do; and so he was sent back to the Calabooza. Boy that he was, they must have counted upon his being more susceptible38 to discipline than the rest.
The interest felt in Pat's welfare, by his benevolent39 countryman, was very serviceable to the rest of us; especially as we all turned Catholics, and went to mass every morning, much to Captain Bob's consternation40. Upon finding it out, he threatened to keep us in the stocks if we did not desist. He went no farther than this, though; and so, every few days, we strolled down to the priest's residence, and had a mouthful to eat, and something generous to drink. In particular, Dr. Long Ghost and myself became huge favourites with Pat's friend; and many a time he regaled us from a quaint-looking travelling case for spirits, stowed away in one corner of his dwelling41. It held four square flasks42, which, somehow or other, always contained just enough to need emptying. In truth, the fine old Irishman was a rosy43 fellow in canonicals. His countenance44 and his soul were always in a glow. It may be ungenerous to reveal his failings, but he often talked thick, and sometimes was perceptibly eccentric in his gait.
I never drink French brandy but I pledge Father Murphy. His health again! And many jolly proselytes may he make in Polynesia!
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1
missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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canes
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| n.（某些植物，如竹或甘蔗的）茎( cane的名词复数 )；（用于制作家具等的）竹竿；竹杖 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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sanctimonious
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| adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的 | |
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12
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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13
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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15
preposterously
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| adv.反常地；荒谬地；荒谬可笑地；不合理地 | |
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16
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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17
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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21
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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28
beavers
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| 海狸( beaver的名词复数 )； 海狸皮毛； 棕灰色； 拼命工作的人 | |
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29
snails
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| n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 ) | |
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limbo
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| n.地狱的边缘；监狱 | |
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31
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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32
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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33
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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34
meekness
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| n.温顺，柔和 | |
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35
pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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36
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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37
reclaiming
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| v.开拓( reclaim的现在分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救 | |
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38
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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39
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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40
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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41
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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42
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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43
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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44
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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