Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 29, 2025
They feared the fat sinful old man, and neither the missionaries' abuse of him nor the scorn which Manuma had learnt in Apia made them forget that he had a devilish cunning and that no man had ever braved him without in the long run suffering for it. They found out within twenty-four hours what scheme he had devised. It was characteristic.
The chief's son was called Manuma. He was a tall, handsome fellow, copper-coloured, with his fuzzy hair dyed red with lime, a wreath of red berries round his neck, and behind his ear a flower like a scarlet flame against his brown face. The upper part of his body was naked, but to show that he was no longer a savage, since he had lived in Apia, he wore a pair of dungarees instead of a lava-lava.
If it had not been for Manuma, with his knowledge of the great world, and their dread of his ridicule, they would have yielded. It was Manuma who answered Walker. "Pay us a hundred pounds and we will work." Walker, shaking his fist at him, called him every name he could think of. He riddled him with scorn. Manuma sat still and smiled.
He looked up and called: "Who is there?" There was a moment's pause, then Manuma showed himself. "What do you want?" The chief's son stood for a moment, sullen and silent, and when he spoke it was with a strangled voice. "We can't pay twenty pounds. We haven't the money." "What am I to do?" said Mackintosh. "You heard what Mr Walker said."
"Come here." He gave him the drugs and instructions how to take them. He did not know what it was that made it impossible for him to look at the Kanaka. While he was speaking to him he kept his eyes on his shoulder. Manuma took the medicine and slunk out of the gate. Mackintosh went into the dining-room and turned over once more the old newspapers. But he could not read them.
Suddenly Mackintosh grew conscious that the boy's eyes were resting on the revolver which he had laid on the desk when Manuma appeared in the doorway. There was a silence between the two which to Mackintosh was endless. He seemed to read the thoughts which were in the Kanaka's mind. His heart beat violently.
Some were weaving mats of the pandanus leaf, one old man was busy with a kava bowl, the children were playing, the women went about their household chores. Walker, a smile on his lips, came to the chief's house. "Talofa-li," said the chief. "Talofa," answered Walker. Manuma was making a net. He sat with a cigarette between his lips and looked up at Walker with a smile of triumph.
"You have decided that you will not make the road?" The chief answered. "Not unless you pay us one hundred pounds." "You will regret it." He turned to Manuma. "And you, my lad, I shouldn't wonder if your back was very sore before you're much older." He rode away chuckling. He left the natives vaguely uneasy.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking