Діти капітана Гранта

           Glenarvanwasabouttoinvadethesanctityofthe"oudoupa,"whenhereeledbackward.

           "Asavage!"saidhe.

           "Inthetomb?"inquiredtheMajor.

           "Yes,McNabbs."

           "Nomatter;goin."

           Glenarvan,theMajor,RobertandJohnManglesentered.TheresataMaori,wrappedinalargeflaxmat;thedarknessofthe"oudoupa"preventingthemfromdistinguishinghisfeatures.Hewasveryquiet,andwaseatinghisbreakfastquitecoolly.

           GlenarvanwasabouttospeaktohimwhenthenativeforestalledhimbysayinggaylyandingoodEnglish:

           "Sitdown,myLord;breakfastisready."

           ItwasPaganel.Atthesoundofhisvoicetheyallrushedintothe"oudoupa,"andhewascordiallyembracedallround.Paganelwasfoundagain.Hewastheirsalvation.Theywantedtoquestionhim;toknowhowandwhyhewashereonthesummitofMaunganamu;butGlenarvanstoppedthismisplacedcuriosity.

           "Thesavages?"saidhe.

           "Thesavages,"saidPaganel,shrugginghisshoulders."Ihaveacontemptforthosepeople!Comeandlookatthem."

           TheyallfollowedPaganeloutofthe"oudoupa."TheMaorieswerestillinthesamepositionroundthebaseofthemountain,utteringfearfulcries.

           "Shout!yell!tillyourlungsaregone,stupidwretches!"saidPaganel."Idareyoutocomehere!"

           "Butwhy?"saidGlenarvan.

           "Becausethechiefisburiedhere,andthetombprotectsus,becausethemountainistabooed."

           "Tabooed?"

           "Yes,myfriends!andthatiswhyItookrefugehere,asthemalefactorsusedtofleetothesanctuariesinthemiddleages."