es we worked in silence, for we were shelling
peas. Then her eyes, always alert for the affairs of her
kitchen, fell on some action of the Chinese cook which aroused
her violent disapproval. She turned on him with a torrent of abuse.
The Chink was not backward to defend himself, and a
very lively quarrel ensued. They spoke in the native language,
of which I had learnt but half a dozen words, and it sounded
as though the world would shortly come to an end;
but presently peace was restored and Tiare gave the cook a
cigarette. They both smoked comfortably.

"Do you know, it was I who found him his wife?" said Tiare
suddenly, with a smile that spread all over her immense face.

"The cook?"

"No, Strickland."

"But he had one already."

"That is what he said, but I told him she was in England,
and England is at the other end of the world."

"True," I replied.

"He would come to Papeete every two or three months, when he
wanted paints or tobacco or money, and then he would wander
about like a lost dog. I was sorry for him. I had a girl
here then called Ata to do the rooms; she was some sort of a
relation of mine, and her father and mother were dead, so I
had her to live with me. Strickland used to come here now and
then to have a square meal or to play chess with one of the boys.
I noticed that she looked at him when he came, and I
asked her if she liked him. She said she liked him well enough.
You know what these girls are; they're always pleased
to go with a white man."

"Was she a native?" I asked.

"Yes; she hadn't a drop of white blood in her. Well, after
I'd talked to her I sent for Strickland, and I said to him:
'Strickland, it's time for you to settle down. A man of your
age shouldn't go playing about with the girls down at the front.
They're bad lots, and you'll come to no good with them.
You've got no money, and you can never keep a job for
more than a month or two. No one will employ you now.
You say you can always live in the bush with one or other of
the natives, and they're glad to have you because you're a
white man, but it's not decent for a white man. Now, listen
to me, Strickland.'"

Tiare mingled French with English in her conversation, for she
used both languages with equal facility. She spoke them with
a singing accent which was not unpleasing. You felt that a
bird would speak in these tones if it could speak English.

"'Now, what do you say to marrying Ata? She's a good