United States or Mayotte ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
So it was that Fitu-Iva escaped even a joint protectorate, and King Tulifau, otherwise Tui Tulifau, continued to dispense the high justice and the low in the frame-house palace built for him by a Sydney trader out of California redwood. Not only was Tui Tulifau every inch a king, but he was every second a king.
"We've decided to charge the demurrage and other expenses and loss to Tui Tulifau," Grief said. "So the balance we found will be turned over to you. But ten shillings must be deducted." "For what?" "Do you think dead pigs grow on trees? The sum of ten shillings for that pig is entered in the accounts." Cornelius bowed his assent with a shudder.
"Here is the sack to put the coin money in," Ieremia urged. "It must be postponed," Cornelius said desperately, "'Tis not in banking hours." Ieremia flourished a package of money. "Nothing of banking hours is written here. It says on demand, and I now demand." "Let them come to-morrow, O Tui Tulifau," Cornelius appealed to the king. "They shall be paid to-morrow."
"A small one is worth ten shillings." "Then enter it in your ledger under operating expenses." Grief paused a moment. "If you want it particularly dead, it would be well to kill it at once." "You have spoken well, Davida," said Queen Sepeli. "This Fulualea has brought a madness with him, and Tui Tulifau is drowned in gin. If he does not grant the big council, I shall give him a beating.
Tui Tulifau was a sympathetic monarch, whose queen, on occasions when he was particularly drunk, was known to beat him. For political reasons the queen belonging to as royal stock as himself and her brother commanding the army Tui Tulifau could not divorce her, but he could and did divorce Ieremia, who promptly took up with commercial life and the lady of his choice.
Much more he said, talking a solid hour, and always coming back to what their dire condition would be when the traders came no more. "And in that day," he perorated, "how will the Fitu-Ivan be known in the great world? Kai-kanak* will men call him. 'Kiakanak! Kai-kanak!" * Man-eater. Tui Tulifau spoke briefly. The case had been presented, he said, for the people, the army, and the traders.
"But the soldiers," Ieremia objected. "I'll take care of them. They haven't been paid for two months. Besides, Uiliami is the queen's brother. Don't have too much on your shelves at a time. As soon as the soldiers show up with paper, stop selling." "Then will they burn the stores," said Ieremia. "Let them. King Tulifau will pay for it if they do." "Will he pay for my shirt?" Willie Smee demanded.
As an independent trader he had failed, chiefly because of the disastrous patronage of Tui Tulifau. To refuse credit to that merry monarch was to invite confiscation; to grant him credit was certain bankruptcy.
In the mornin', fellow, in the mornin', justice shall be done while the breadfruit falls. And the Lord have mercy on your soul." Before the hour set for the trial Grief, accompanied by Peter Gee, won access to Tui Tulifau. The king, surrounded by half a dozen chiefs, lay on mats under the shade of the avocados in the palace compound.
"That is purely a personal and private matter between you and Tui Tulifau," Grief answered. "It's beginning to split up the back," the supercargo lamented. "I noticed that much this morning when he hadn't had it on ten minutes. It cost me thirty shillings and I only wore it once." "Where shall I get a dead pig?" Ieremia asked. "Kill one, of course," said Grief. "Kill a small one."
Word Of The Day