Chapter 12 . Forced engagement.
They saw themselves locked up and well looked outside, they could see through the cracks the several islanders around the hut, then they began to worry about the situation.
Blake thought that the widow would not sacrifice them in honor of the deceased, as those peoples were respectful towards foreigners and especially towards Europeans.
They were increasingly frightened by the arrival of the steamboat, which would not be long in coming. If that ship dropped anchor in the bay, before continuing its search south, they were in danger of being captured and taken back to the penitentiary from which they had fled.
The news of the landing of a white man must have spread in the widow's towns by now and it was not unlikely that the commander of the steamboat would have been notified.
«We shouldn't have ended up like this» Blake went round and round in the hut like a lion in a cage.
«Mr. Blake» said Kaj, who was no less furious «let me knock these walls upside down with a shoulder, and let's escape».
«Without weapons? These islanders would not let us go. And then will we still find our lifeboat in the little cove? It is impossible that it has not been discovered».
«It will betray us!» Will exclaimed clenching his fists «If the commander of the steamboat sees it, he will force these savages to hand us over to him».
«What does that widow want from us?» Jody observed «I'm curious to know».
«I don't think she dares to raise his hands on us, but I wish I was away from here».
«We made a fool of ourselves to take those two slaves into our camp, Mr. Blake» said the pearl fisherman.
«Any civilized man would have done the same» replied the former officer «But now it is too late to regret it and we must think how to get out of this scam. Dawn is about to rise, so soon the chief will have a funeral».
«Shut up» said Kaj,
Some islanders had gathered in front of the door of the hut and seemed busy removing the tree trunks that barricaded the entrance.
«The funeral is about to begin» Jody announced, looking out a crack that allowed him to see the square «I see people leave the bonfires and go to a large hut».
At that moment the door opened and four armed warriors entered, indicating that they should follow them.
«Where do you want to lead us?» Blake asked before moving.
«To the widow of Kanai-Tur one of them answered. «The funeral is about to begin».
Don't irritate that woman, who seemed to exercise absolute power over the islanders, so they followed the escort.
The square was full of silent people, gathered around a mountain of wood logs, on the top of which you could see a table with a body covered with silk. That must have been the funeral pyre.
The three convicts were led to the widow's house, a beautiful and vast house that stood at the end of the square, with a pointed roof, similar to that of Indian bungalows, protected from the sun's rays. A canopy all around, with beautiful colorful mats underneath and beautiful coconut trees next to it.
The widow sat on the porch with two native old women. All three wore long white shirts and wore no ornaments.
Blake, who was keen to be deferential to the powerful woman, kissed the hand she held out to him, which seemed to please her very much. His face was calm and not at all sad.
The three convicts were seated on comfortable bamboo chairs, but with a guardian behind them, then the widow made a sign with a white cloth she held in her hand.
Immediately high-pitched screams rose from the crowd in the square, accompanied by a terrifying crash, produced by many gongs and clay drums closed with skins. Almost at the same instant some men with torches set fire to the pyre, while others threw the corpses of slaves sacrificed in honor of the chief among the flaming logs.
While the flames were very high and enveloping the body of the dead king, the crowd intertwined dances, singing and screaming at the top of their lungs. Men and women seemed to have gone mad.
They leapt like wild beasts, then rolled on the ground raising clouds of dust, scratched their faces streaked with blood and tore their hair, while others rushed through the clouds of sparks, burning their backs and arms.
Only the widow and her two ladies remained calm, without showing any pain. They chatted peacefully among themselves, occasionally sucking on pieces of sugar cane, as if the funeral ceremony did not concern them.
«It seems that the spouses did not love each other very much» Jody laughed «That the real husband beat his dear half too much?».
«In fact, the widow doesn't seem moved at all» Blake confirmed «While the people scratch and tear their hair, these women sweeten their mouths with sugar canes, as if they were at a meeting between friends. We hope they will show sweeter even towards us».
«I wish Jody» he continued «she has no intention of keeping us as slaves».
«Do you have a real suspicion, Mr. Blake? I have known for some time that the widow, while chatting with the two ladies, continues to look at you in a certain way…» Jody joked.
«And what do you mean?»
He did not finish speaking that a huge crash was heard, which wrenched even louder screams from the crowd: the pyre had collapsed, dragging the body, now almost incinerated, with it, and a real rain of fire had poured onto the square, making them escape dancers and female dancers.
For a few moments an immense cloud of smoke enveloped everything, then afterwards a chaos of tree trunks appeared, still burning.
The widow stood up, saying to the three prisoners:
«The funeral ceremony is over: would you like something?»
«I would gladly empty a glass, perhaps of beer» Blake proposed «I'm half roasted».
«I donìt know what it is» answered the widow, smiling politely «I can give you more to drink, follow me».
They left the veranda, where the warmth of those crackling logs reached, and entered a beautiful room, with large and furnished in Western style, but with Indian-made sofas, chairs and tables.
The widow, who was now very amiable, had one of her slaves bring a large lacquered vase and filled several cups with a whitish liquid, inviting the prisoners to drink. It was a kind of palm wine, tasty but a little spicy, good for quenching thirst, then he offered pastries covered in sugar cane syrup.
«And now, madam, thank you, but I hope you will let us continue our journey; we have to go very far from here».
«Where are you headed?» asked the widow.
«To Ceylon, madam».
«I have heard little of that land. What are you going to do there?»
«We have business with the pearl fishermen of the Manaar Strait.»
«Why don't you stop here? My island is beautiful, I am very rich and I command half the population and I would offer you beautiful houses, plantations and slaves, while you would take care of the education of my army».
«It's impossible, milady» Blake was impatient but tried to be polite.
The widow frowned, staring at the sailor with her beautiful black eyes, then said in a brusque voice:
«What if I prevent you from leaving? Your lifeboat is already in my hands».
«You have no right to keep us here, we are free men and our compatriots could make you pay dearly for your whim.»
«And who would warn them?» the widow asked ironically.
«Somehow they could be made to know that we are prisoners here.»
«I have not yet told you that. I will keep you here as prisoners, on the contrary, I grant you freedom and honors» she replied politely.
«We don't know what to do with honors» Jody said softly.
«We'll see if you refuse what I offer you.»
«I repeat that we want to leave.» Blake insisted, while the other two watched the bickering.
At that moment a slave entered announcing:
«The ministers.»
Four old natives, dressed in white, like the widow, carrying long sticks with a large silver knob, entered with deep bows.
«Now that Kanai-Tur, the great leader, has left for the kingdom of darkness», said the eldest. «The population is asking that you, queen, take another husband without delay. Have you thought about the choice?».
«Yes» replied the widow, getting up «I will give my people a valiant man, who will make our people happy, because he is descended from one of the most intelligent races that exist».
«Who is he?» the ministers asked.
«There he is» replied the widow, pointing to Blake «This will be the new head of the island and my husband».
«What a mess! I told you that you had impressed the beautiful lady, will it be your blue eyes?» Jody joked as Blake leapt to his feet furiously and Kaj turned pale.
«Yes, he will be my husband.» repeated the widow.
«Madam» cried Blake who was losing control «I only intend to marry a woman from my country who like me».
«Here only I command and my desire is will.» she said in a hissing voice «You will become my husband».
«I flatly refuse, madam».
«I'll give you half an hour to decide. You go to announce to the people that I have chosen the white man for my husband». She ordered the ministers.
That said, the woman went out, followed by the ladies and the ministers, leaving the three convicts alone speechless and furious at the unexpected trouble that fell on their heads, knowing that the vessel was near. For them it was the end.