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〃It was the island of Talofa；〃 he went on； 〃meaning love； the Isle
of Love； and it was her island。 Her father； the king； an old man；
sat on his mats with paralysed knees and drank squareface gin all
day and most of the night； out of grief； sheer grief。 She； my
princess； was the only issue； her brother having been lost in their
double canoe in a hurricane while coming up from a voyage to Samoa。
And among the Polynesians the royal women have equal right with the
men to rule。 In fact； they trace their genealogies always by the
female line。〃
To this both Chauncey Delarouse and Bruce Cadogan Cavendish nodded
prompt affirmation。
〃Ah；〃 said Percival； 〃I perceive you both know the South Seas；
wherefore； without undue expenditure of verbiage on my part； I am
assured that you will appreciate the charm of my princess； the
Princess Tui…nui of Talofa； the Princess of the Isle of Love。〃
He kissed his hand to her； sipped from his condensed milk can a
man…size drink of druggist's alcohol； and to her again kissed her
hand。
〃But she was coy； and ever she fluttered near to me but never near
enough。 When my arm went out to her to girdle her； presto； she was
not there。 I knew； as never before； nor since； the thousand dear
and delightful anguishes of love frustrated but ever resilient and
beckoned on by the very goddess of love。〃
〃Some vocabulary；〃 Bruce Cadogan Cavendish muttered in aside to
Chauncey Delarouse。 But Percival Delaney was not to be deterred。
He kissed his pudgy hand aloft into the night and held warmly on。
〃No fond agonies of rapture deferred that were not lavished upon me
by my dear Princess； herself ever a luring delight of promise
flitting just beyond my reach。 Every sweet lover's inferno
unguessed of by Dante she led me through。 Ah！ Those swooning
tropic nights； under our palm trees； the distant surf a langourous
murmur as from some vast sea shell of mystery； when she； my
Princess； all but melted to my yearning； and with her laughter；
that was as silver strings by buds and blossoms smitten； all but
made lunacy of my lover's ardency。
〃It was by my wrestling with the champions of Talofa that I first
interested her。 It was by my prowess at swimming that I awoke her。
And it was by a certain swimming deed that I won from her more than
coquettish smiles and shy timidities of feigned retreat。
〃We were squidding that day； out on the reef … you know how；
undoubtedly； diving down the face of the wall of the reef； five
fathoms； ten fathoms； any depth within reason； and shoving our
squid…sticks into the likely holes and crannies of the coral where
squid might be lairing。 With the squid…stick； bluntly sharp at
both ends； perhaps a foot long； and held crosswise in the hand； the
trick was to gouge any lazying squid until he closed his tentacles
around fist； stick and arm。 … Then you had him； and came to the
surface with him； and hit him in the head which is in the centre of
him； and peeled him off into the waiting canoe。 。 。 。 And to think
I used to do that！〃
Percival Delaney paused a moment； a glimmer of awe on his rotund
face； as he contemplated the mighty picture of his youth。
〃Why； I've pulled out a squid with tentacles eight feet long； and
done it under fifty feet of water。 I could stay down four minutes。
I've gone down； with a coral…rock to sink me； in a hundred and ten
feet to clear a fouled anchor。 And I could back…dive with a once…
over and go in feet…first from eighty feet above the surface … 〃
〃Quit it； delete it； cease it；〃 Chauncey Delarouse admonished
testily。 〃Tell of the Princess。 That's what makes old blood leap
again。 Almost can I see her。 Was she wonderful？〃
Percival Delaney kissed unutterable affirmation。
〃I have said she was a mermaid。 She was。 I know she swam thirty…
six hours before being rescued； after her schooner was capsized in
a double…squall。 I have seen her do ninety feet and bring up pearl
shell in each hand。 She was wonderful。 As a woman she was
ravishing； sublime。 I have said she was a sea…goddess。 She was。
Oh； for a Phidias or a Praxiteles to have made the wonder of her
body immortal！
〃And that day； out for squid on the reef； I was almost sick for
her。 Mad … I know I was mad for her。 We would step over the side
from the big canoe； and swim down； side by side； into the delicious
depths of cool and colour； and she would look at me； as we swam；
and with her eyes tantalize me to further madness。 And at last；
down； far down； I lost myself and reached for her。 She eluded me
like the mermaid she was； and I saw the laughter on her face as she
fled。 She fled deeper； and I knew I had her for I was between her
and the surface； but in the muck coral sand of the bottom she made
a churning with her squid stick。 It was the old trick to escape a
shark。 And she worked it on me； rolling the water so that I could
not see her。 And when I came up； she was there ahead of me；
clinging to the side of the canoe and laughing。
〃Almost I would not be denied。 But not for nothing was she a
princess。 She rested her hand on my arm and compelled me to
listen。 We should play a game； she said； enter into a competition
for which should get the more squid； the biggest squid； and the
smallest squid。 Since the wagers were kisses； you can well imagine
I went down on the first next dive with soul aflame。
〃I got no squid。 Never again in all my life have I dived for
squid。 Perhaps we were five fathoms down and exploring the face of
the reefwall for lurking places of our prey； when it happened。 I
had found a likely lair and just proved it empty； when I felt or
sensed the nearness of something inimical。 I turned。 There it
was； alongside of me； and no mere fish…shark。 Fully a dozen feet
in length； with the unmistakable phosphorescent cat's eye gleaming
like a drowning star； I knew it for what it was； a tiger shark。
〃Not ten feet to the right； probing a coral fissure with her squid
stick； was the Princess； and the tiger shark was heading directly
for her。 My totality of thought was precipitated to consciousness
in a single all…embracing flash。 The man…eater must be deflected
from her； and what was I； except a mad lover who would gladly fight
and die； or more gladly fight and live； for his beloved？ Remember；
she was the woman wonderful； and I was aflame for her。
〃Knowing fully the peril of my act； I thrust the blunt…sharp end of
my squid…stick into the side of the shark； much as one would
attract a passing acquaintance with a thumb…nudge in the ribs。 And
the man…eater turned on me。 You know the South Seas； and you know
that the tiger shark； like the bald…face grizzly of Alaska； never
gives trail。 The combat； fathoms deep under the sea； was on … if
by combat may be named such a one…sided struggle。
〃The Princess unaware； caught her squid and rose to the surface。
The man…eater rushed me。 I fended him off with bot