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〃And the Princess！〃 he resumed； with another kiss to the stars。 〃She
was as fine a figure of a woman as I was a man； as high… spirited and
courageous； as reckless and dare…devilish。 Lord； Lord； in the water she
was a mermaid； a sea…goddess。 And when it came to blood； beside her I
was parvenu。 Her royal line traced back into the mists of antiquity。
〃She was not a daughter of a fair…skinned folk。 Tawny golden was
she； with golden…brown eyes； and her hair that fell to her knees was blue…
black and straight； with just the curly tendrilly tendency that gives to
woman's hair its charm。 Oh； there were no kinks in it； any more than
were there kinks in the hair of her entire genealogy。 For she was
Polynesian； glowing； golden； lovely and lovable； royal Polynesian。〃
Again he paused to kiss his hand to the memory of her； and Slim； alias
Bruce Cadogan Cavendish； took advantage to interject：
〃Huh！ Maybe you didn't shine in scholarship； but at least you
gleaned a vocabulary out of Oxford。〃
〃And in the South Seas garnered a better vocabulary from the lexicon
of Love；〃 Percival was quick on the uptake。
〃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。〃
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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。
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〃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；