The Foot of Time: A Novel of Australia and the South Seas: (1933)

130 THE FOOT OF TIME
Arrived back at Mangani's side, his daughter
announced:
At last, my father, my man 'ee 'as come. For
him I marry. Molota is much content. Our beautiful
island will 'ave the most splendid white man
for chieftain after you, my great noble father. It
is good, isn't it?"
And Mangani, her father, agreed with her that
it was indeed good, and in his rejoicing he had word
passed round to the entire tribe of what was to
befall. Brian Pinkerton heard of it through Tamli,
but he was too pre-occupied with his own affairs
just then to take much heed.
Tamli thereupon impressed Brian with the importance
of the marriage that was to be prepared,
to which at last the boy replied:
"Really, by jove! Good egg, what?"
"Egg!" exclaimed his comely companion. "Say
not egg, Monsieur; it is not proper to talk so in
Tuamonti. Our new petite chieftain-to-be will be
born, not at all an egg, but the finest of little white
boys. It was pre-ordained, for Molota, my cousin,
wait and wait for your great friend till we think
she find him nevairre. Molota most clever girl;
she know, Monsieur, and so she wait, and now he
come. With you, my uncle, he is most pleased.
Give you anytink you ask, Monsieur."
"I only want you, ma cherie," replied Brian
shamefacedly; "that was the sole reason for my
coming here again. Kiss me!"
So Tamli kissed him, and thereafter they forgot
everything but themselves. Forgot even the ban-
THE FOOT OF TIME 131
quet, which, following South Sea custom, was
already being prepared, forgot to worry over the
slight possibility of Bruce having something to say
on the matter first, something that might imperil
the lives of them all.
Down on the beach the launch was being carried
away, taken beyond power of recovery, though it
took two hundred stalwarts to effect it. The next
visit of the French administrator was six weeks off,
and marriages of chieftains' daughters can be
effected, if not by hook, then by crook, well inside
that time.
For another thing that the all-understanding
heart of Molota had already told her, was that
though she had found her soul mate, it did not
necessarily follow that he would recognise the
affinity himself. Even if he did, it was by no means
certain that he would follow it. White men were
curious animals. Quite mad, of course, and yet—
well, they carried with them a quality of madness
that appealed to the heart of Molota, always had
appealed to her; and her son should be one of them
if it brought a warship from Woolloomooloo as
Punishment for it.
And so the launch was hidden in the virgin bush,
the scene was set, and the banquet was ordered, as
many a poor fish speared under the torchlight that
night could testify.