Діти капітана Гранта

The Chief’s Funeral

           Ifheisrelieved,asregardstheseverediet,hisslavesfeedhimwiththeviandsheisforbiddentotouchwithhishands;ifheispoorandhasnoslaves,hehastotakeupthefoodwithhismouth,likeananimal.

           Inshort,themosttriflingactsoftheMaoriesaredirectedandmodifiedbythissingularcustom,thedeityisbroughtintoconstantcontactwiththeirdailylife.Thetaboohasthesameweightasalaw;orrather,thecodeoftheMaories,indisputableandundisputed,iscomprisedinthefrequentapplicationsofthetaboo.

           AstotheprisonersconfinedintheWare-Atoua,itwasanarbitrarytaboowhichhadsavedthemfromthefuryofthetribe.Someofthenatives,friendsandpartisansofKai-Koumou,desistedatonceonhearingtheirchief’svoice,andprotectedthecaptivesfromtherest.

           Glenarvancherishednoillusivehopesastohisownfate;nothingbuthisdeathcouldatoneforthemurderofachief,andamongthesepeopledeathwasonlytheconcludingactofamartyrdomoftorture.Glenarvan,therefore,wasfullypreparedtopaythepenaltyoftherighteousindignationthatnervedhisarm,buthehopedthatthewrathofKai-Koumouwouldnotextendbeyondhimself.

           Whatanightheandhiscompanionspassed!Whocouldpicturetheiragoniesormeasuretheirsufferings?RobertandPaganelhadnotbeenrestoredtothem,buttheirfatewasnodoubtfulmatter.Theyweretoosurelythefirstvictimsofthefrenziednatives.EvenMcNabbs,whowasalwayssanguine,hadabandonedhope.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 508 з 658