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" Is contained, as it were," he continued, feebly, "the divine essence itself, the soul and life of Too-Keela-Keela. Whoever, then, being a full Korong, breaks this off, hath thus possessed himself of the very god in person.
As soon as the baskets were carried well within the marked line, the young girls exhibited every sign of pleasure, and calling aloud, "Korong! Korong!" that mysterious Polynesian word of whose import Felix was ignorant they retired once more by tortuous paths through the surrounding jungle. "Why do they bring us presents?"
He can never know it." "That is a great Taboo," the Shadow went on, meditatively, stroking Felix's arm. "A very great Taboo indeed. A terrible medicine. And you are a god; I can trust you. Well, then, you see, the secret is this: you are Korong, but you are a stranger, and you don't understand the ways of Boupari.
"There's only one word in it I don't understand," he added, hastily, "and that's Korong. It doesn't occur in Fiji. They keep saying we're Korong, whatever that may mean; and evidently they attach some very great importance to it." "Let the Shadows come forward," the chief said, looking up with an air of dignity.
Korong! They have come ashore with their light from my home in the sun. They have brought fire afresh holy fire to Boupari." Three or four of the savages leaped up in fierce joy, and bowed before him as he spoke, with eager faces. "Oh, Tu-Kila-Kila!" the eldest among them said, making a profound reverence, "shall we swim across to the reef and fetch them home to your house?
He wished he knew the meaning of that strange word, "Korong." Clearly, it contained the true key to the mystery. Anyhow, he had always his trusty knife. If the worst came to the worst those wretches should never harm his spotless Muriel. For he loved her to-night; he would watch over and protect her. He would save her at least from the deadliest of insults.
Tu-Kila-Kila is a very hard man. What can we do to save your life and mademoiselle's! We are powerless! Powerless! I have only that much to say. I condole with you! I commiserate you!" "Why, what does Korong mean?" Felix asked, with blanched lips. "Is it then something so very terrible?" "Terrible! Ah, terrible!" the Frenchman answered, holding up his hands in horror and alarm.
"We have found the spirits that you brought from the sun, with the fire in their hands, and the light in boxes. We have taken them to Heaven. Heaven has accepted them. We have offered them fruit, and they have eaten the banana. The King of the Rain the Queen of the Clouds! Korong! Receive them!" Tu-Kila-Kila glanced at them with an approving glance, strangely compounded of pleasure and terror.
As he spoke, it seemed to Felix that these strange mystic words about each god springing fresh from his own ashes must contain the solution of that dread problem they were trying in vain to read. That, perhaps, was the secret of Korong. If only they could ever manage to understand it! Tu-Kila-Kila beat his tom-tom twice. In a second all the people fell flat on their faces again.
"Ha, ha!" he cried, "you do not understand our customs, and will you teach me, the very high god, the guardian of the laws and practices of Boupari? You know nothing; you are as a little child. I am absolute wisdom. With every Korong, this is always our rule.
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