"
"Worthy people or not," said Fritz, drawing out an arrow that had sunk
into the capstan, "it is very likely that if this dart had hit one of
us, there would only have been two instead of three in the crew of the
pinnace."
"Well," said Willis, "Master Jack thought the voyage rather dull; now
something has turned up to relieve the monotony of his log."
"We are still without fresh water though, Willis; I wish you could say
that had turned up as well."
"It will be prudent to go in search of that somewhere else now," said
Willis, unfurling the sails. "Fortunately the wind is fresh, and we
can make considerable headway before night."
As they steered gently out of the bay a second cloud of arrows was
sent after them, but this time they fell short.
"The belief in Rono is about to be seriously compromised," remarked
Fritz; "I should advise the priestess to retire into private life."
"Impossible."
"Why?"
"Because she is too fat to live in an ordinary house, she could only
breathe in a temple. But, O human vicissitudes!" added Jack, rolling
himself up in a sail after the manner of the Roman senators; "behold
Rono the Great banished from his country, and compelled to go and
pillow his head on a foreign sail, like Marius at Minturnus--like
Coriolanus amongst the Volcians--like Hannibal at the house of
Antiochus--like Alcibiades at the castle of Grunium in Phrygia, given
to him out of charity by the benevolent Pharnabazus, and in which he
was burnt alive by his countrymen--like Cimon, voted into exile by
ballot and universal suffrage--like Aristides, whom the people got
tired of hearing called the Just, and many others.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350