"But I
am a blue-ribbon man myself; and though I am aware there is a
difference of opinion even in our own confession, I have always
held kava to be excluded."
"What!" cried the convert. "Are you going to respect a taboo at a
time like this? And you were always so opposed to taboos when you
were alive!"
"To other people's," said the missionary. "Never to my own."
"But yours have all proved wrong," said the convert.
"It looks like it," said the missionary, "and I can't help that.
No reason why I should break my word."
"I never heard the like of this!" cried the daughter of Miru.
"Pray, what do you expect to gain?"
"That is not the point," said the missionary. "I took this pledge
for others, I am not going to break it for myself."
The daughter of Miru was puzzled; she came and told her mother, and
Miru was vexed; and they went and told Akaanga. "I don't know what
to do about this," said Akaanga; and he came and reasoned with the
missionary.
"But there IS such a thing as right and wrong," said the
missionary; "and your ovens cannot alter that."
"Give the kava to the rest," said Akaanga to the daughters of Miru.
"I must get rid of this sea-lawyer instantly, or worse will come of
it."
The next moment the missionary came up in the midst of the sea, and
there before him were the palm trees of the island.
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