Kooloo was a blade. Standing5 up in the congregation in all the bravery of a striped calico shirt, with the skirts rakishly adjusted over a pair of white sailor trousers, and hair well anointed with cocoa-nut oil, he ogled6 the ladies with an air of supreme7 satisfaction. Nor were his glances unreturned.
But such looks as the Tahitian belles8 cast at each other: frequently turning up their noses at the advent9 of a new cotton mantle10 recently imported in the chest of some amorous11 sailor. Upon one occasion, I observed a group of young girls, in tunics12 of course, soiled sheeting, disdainfully pointing at a damsel in a flaming red one. "Oee tootai owree!" said they with ineffable13 scorn, "itai maitai!" (You are a good-for-nothing huzzy, no better than you should be).
Now, Kooloo communed with the church; so did all these censorious young ladies. Yet after eating bread-fruit at the Eucharist, I knew several of them, the same night, to be guilty of some sad derelictions.
Puzzled by these things, I resolved to find out, if possible, what ideas, if any, they entertained of religion; but as one's spiritual concerns are rather delicate for a stranger to meddle14 with, I went to work as adroitly15 as I could.
Farnow, an old native who had recently retired16 from active pursuits, having thrown up the business of being a sort of running footman to the queen, had settled down in a snug17 little retreat, not fifty rods from Captain Bob's. His selecting our vicinity for his residence may have been with some view to the advantages it afforded for introducing his three daughters into polite circles. At any rate, not averse18 to receiving the attentions of so devoted19 a gallant20 as the doctor, the sisters (communicants, be it remembered) kindly21 extended to him free permission to visit them sociably22 whenever he pleased.
We dropped in one evening, and found the ladies at home. My long friend engaged his favourites, the two younger girls, at the game of "Now," or hunting a stone under three piles of tappa. For myself, I lounged on a mat with Ideea the eldest23, dallying24 with her grass fan, and improving my knowledge of Tahitian.
The occasion was well adapted to my purpose, and I began.
"Ah, Ideea, mickonaree oee?" the same as drawling out—"By the bye, Miss Ideea, do you belong to the church?"
"Yes, me mickonaree," was the reply.
But the assertion was at once qualified25 by certain, reservations; so curious that I cannot forbear their relation.
"Mickonaree ena" (church member here), exclaimed she, laying her hand upon her mouth, and a strong emphasis on the adverb. In the same way, and with similar exclamations26, she touched her eyes and hands. This done, her whole air changed in an instant; and she gave me to understand, by unmistakable gestures, that in certain other respects she was not exactly a "mickonaree." In short, Ideea was
The explanation terminated in a burst of laughter, in which all three sisters joined; and for fear of looking silly, the doctor and myself. As soon as good-breeding would permit, we took leave.
The hypocrisy28 in matters of religion, so apparent in all Polynesian converts, is most injudiciously nourished in Tahiti by a zealous29 and in many cases, a coercive superintendence over their spiritual well-being30. But it is only manifested with respect to the common people, their superiors being exempted31.
On Sunday mornings, when the prospect32 is rather small for a full house in the minor33 churches, a parcel of fellows are actually sent out with ratans into the highways and byways as whippers-in of the congregation. This is a sober fact.
These worthies34 constitute a religious police; and you always know them by the great white diapers they wear. On week days they are quite as busy as on Sundays; to the great terror of the inhabitants, going all over the island, and spying out the wickedness thereof.
Moreover, they are the collectors of fines—levied generally in grass mats—for obstinate35 non-attendance upon divine worship, and other offences amenable36 to the ecclesiastical judicature of the missionaries37.
He bore them a bitter grudge40; and one day, drawing near home, and learning that two of them were just then making a domiciliary visit at his house, he ran behind a bush; and as they came forth41, two green bread-fruit from a hand unseen took them each between the shoulders. The sailors in the Calabooza were witnesses to this, as well as several natives; who, when the intruders were out of sight, applauded Captain Bob's spirit in no measured terms; the ladies present vehemently42 joining in. Indeed, the kannakippers have no greater enemies than the latter. And no wonder: the impertinent varlets, popping into their houses at all hours, are forever prying43 into their peccadilloes44.
Kooloo, who at times was patriotic45 and pensive46, and mourned the evils under which his country was groaning47, frequently inveighed48 against the statute49 which thus authorized50 an utter stranger to interfere51 with domestic arrangements. He himself—quite a ladies' man—had often been annoyed thereby52. He considered the kannakippers a bore.
Beside their confounded inquisitiveness53, they add insult to injury, by making a point of dining out every day at some hut within the limits of their jurisdiction54. As for the gentleman of the house, his meek55 endurance of these things is amazing. But "good easy man," there is nothing for him but to be as hospitable56 as possible.
These gentry57 are indefatigable58. At the dead of night prowling round the houses, and in the daytime hunting amorous couples in the groves59. Yet in one instance the chase completely baffled them.
It was thus.
Several weeks previous to our arrival at the island, someone's husband and another person's wife, having taken a mutual60 fancy for each other, went out for a walk. The alarm was raised, and with hue61 and cry they were pursued; but nothing was seen of them again until the lapse62 of some ninety days; when we were called out from the Calabooza to behold63 a great mob inclosing the lovers, and escorting them for trial to the village.
Their appearance was most singular. The girdle excepted, they were quite naked; their hair was long, burned yellow at the ends, and entangled64 with burrs; and their bodies scratched and scarred in all directions. It seems that, acting65 upon the "love in a cottage" principle, they had gone right into the interior; and throwing up a hut in an uninhabited valley, had lived there, until in an unlucky stroll they were observed and captured.
They were subsequently condemned66 to make one hundred fathoms67 of Broom Road—a six months' work, if not more.
Often, when seated in a house, conversing68 quietly with its inmates69, I have known them betray the greatest confusion at the sudden announcement of a kannakipper's being in sight. To be reported by one of these officials as a "Tootai Owree" (in general, signifying a bad person or disbeliever in Christianity), is as much dreaded70 as the forefinger71 of Titus Gates was, levelled at an alleged72 papist.
But the islanders take a sly revenge upon them. Upon entering a dwelling73, the kannakippers oftentimes volunteer a pharisaical prayer-meeting: hence, they go in secret by the name of "Boora-Artuas," literally74, "Pray-to-Gods."
点击收听单词发音
1 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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2 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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3 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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4 retirement | |
n.退休,退职 | |
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5 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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6 ogled | |
v.(向…)抛媚眼,送秋波( ogle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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8 belles | |
n.美女( belle的名词复数 );最美的美女 | |
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9 advent | |
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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10 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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11 amorous | |
adj.多情的;有关爱情的 | |
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12 tunics | |
n.(动植物的)膜皮( tunic的名词复数 );束腰宽松外衣;一套制服的短上衣;(天主教主教等穿的)短祭袍 | |
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13 ineffable | |
adj.无法表达的,不可言喻的 | |
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14 meddle | |
v.干预,干涉,插手 | |
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15 adroitly | |
adv.熟练地,敏捷地 | |
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16 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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17 snug | |
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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18 averse | |
adj.厌恶的;反对的,不乐意的 | |
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19 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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20 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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21 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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22 sociably | |
adv.成群地 | |
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23 eldest | |
adj.最年长的,最年老的 | |
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24 dallying | |
v.随随便便地对待( dally的现在分词 );不很认真地考虑;浪费时间;调情 | |
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25 qualified | |
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的 | |
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26 exclamations | |
n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 );感叹;感叹语;感叹词 | |
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27 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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28 hypocrisy | |
n.伪善,虚伪 | |
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29 zealous | |
adj.狂热的,热心的 | |
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30 well-being | |
n.安康,安乐,幸福 | |
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31 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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33 minor | |
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
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34 worthies | |
应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 ); 值得做某事; 可尊敬的; 有(某人或事物)的典型特征 | |
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35 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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36 amenable | |
adj.经得起检验的;顺从的;对负有义务的 | |
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37 missionaries | |
n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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38 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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39 constable | |
n.(英国)警察,警官 | |
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40 grudge | |
n.不满,怨恨,妒嫉;vt.勉强给,不情愿做 | |
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41 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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42 vehemently | |
adv. 热烈地 | |
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43 prying | |
adj.爱打听的v.打听,刺探(他人的私事)( pry的现在分词 );撬开 | |
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44 peccadilloes | |
n.轻罪,小过失( peccadillo的名词复数 ) | |
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45 patriotic | |
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的 | |
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46 pensive | |
a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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47 groaning | |
adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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48 inveighed | |
v.猛烈抨击,痛骂,谩骂( inveigh的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 statute | |
n.成文法,法令,法规;章程,规则,条例 | |
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50 authorized | |
a.委任的,许可的 | |
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51 interfere | |
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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52 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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53 inquisitiveness | |
好奇,求知欲 | |
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54 jurisdiction | |
n.司法权,审判权,管辖权,控制权 | |
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55 meek | |
adj.温顺的,逆来顺受的 | |
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56 hospitable | |
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的 | |
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57 gentry | |
n.绅士阶级,上层阶级 | |
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58 indefatigable | |
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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59 groves | |
树丛,小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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60 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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61 hue | |
n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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62 lapse | |
n.过失,流逝,失效,抛弃信仰,间隔;vi.堕落,停止,失效,流逝;vt.使失效 | |
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63 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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64 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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66 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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67 fathoms | |
英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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68 conversing | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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69 inmates | |
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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70 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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71 forefinger | |
n.食指 | |
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72 alleged | |
a.被指控的,嫌疑的 | |
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73 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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74 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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