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〃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。
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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 both hands on his nose
above his thousand…toothed open mouth； so that he backed me against the
sharp coral。 The scars are there to this day。 Whenever I tried to rise； he
rushed me； and I could not remain down there indefinitely without air。
Whenever he rushed me； I fended him off with my hands on his nose。
And I would have escaped unharmed； except for the slip of my right hand。
Into his mouth it went to the elbow。 His jaws closed； just below the
elbow。 You know how a shark's teeth are。 Once in they cannot be
released。 They must go through to complete the bite； but they cannot go
through heavy bone。 So； from just below the elbow he stripped the bone
clean to the articulation of the wrist…joint； where his teeth met and my
good right hand became his for an appetizer。
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〃But while he was doing this； I drove the thumb of my left hand； to the
hilt into his eye…orifice and popped out his eye。 This did not stop him。
The meat had maddened him。 He pursued the gushing stump of my wrist。
Half a dozen times I fended with my intact arm。 Then he got the poor
mangled arm again； closed down； and stripped the meat off the bone from
the shoulder down to the elbow…joint； where his teeth met and he was free
of his second mouthful of me。 But； at the same time； with my good arm；
I thumbed out his remaining eye。〃
Percival Delaney shrugged his shoulders； ere he resumed。
〃From above； those in the canoe had beheld the entire happening and
were loud in praise of my deed。 To this day they still sing the song of me；
and tell the tale of me。 And the Princess。〃 His pause was brief but
significant。 〃The Princess married me。 。 。 。 Oh； well…a…day and lack…a…
day； the whirligig of time and fortune； the topsyturviness of luck； the
wooden shoe going up and the polished heel descending a French gunboat；
a conquered island kingdom of Oceania； to…day ruled over by a peasant…
born； unlettered； colonial gendarme； and 。 。 。 〃
He completed the sentence and the tale by burying his face in the
down…tilted mouth of the condensed milk can and by gurgling the
corrosive drink down his throat in thirsty gulps。
After an appropriate pause； Chauncey Delarouse； otherwise Whiskers；
took up the tale。
〃Far be it from me to boast of no matter what place of birth I have
descended from to sit here by this fire with such as 。 。 。 as chance along。 I
may say； however； that I； too； was once a considerable figure of a man。 I
may add that it was horses； plus parents too indulgent； that exiled me out
over the world。 I may still wonder to query： 'Are Dover's cliffs still
white？'〃
〃Huh！〃 Bruce Cadogan Cavendish sneered。 〃Next you'll be asking：
'How fares the old Lord Warden？'〃
〃And I took every liberty； and vainly； with a constitution that was
iron；〃 Whiskers hurried on。 〃Here I am with my three score and ten
behind me； and back on that long road have I buried many a youngster that
was as rare and devilish as I； but who could not stand the pace。 I knew
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the worst too young。 And now I know the worst too old。 But there was
a time； alas all too short； when I knew； the best。
〃I； too； kiss my hand to the Princess of my heart。 She was truly a
princess； Polynesian； a thousand miles and more away to the eastward and
the south from Delaney's Isle of Love。 The natives of all around that part
of the South Seas called it the Jolly Island。 Their own name； the name of
the people who dwelt thereon； translates delicately and justly into 'The
Island of Tranquil Laughter。' On the chart you will find the erroneous
name given to it by the old navigators to be Manatomana。 The seafaring
gentry the round ocean around called it the Adamless Eden。 And the
missionaries for a time called it God's Witness … so great had been their
success at converting the inhabitants。 As for me； it was； and ever shall be；
Paradise。
〃It was MY Paradise； for it was there my Princess lived。