Hawaii - James Michener [157]
A little farther on he pointed to a grass house that had burned to the ground. "Four people died there, Malama. A wise Alii Nui would outlaw the use of tobacco."
"But the people like to smoke," Malama protested.
"And so you let them burn to death. Since I came to Lahaina, six of your people have burned to death. A wise Alii Nui . . ."
"Where are you taking me?" Malama interrupted.
"To a spot a little farther under the kou trees," Abner explained, and before long he had Malama and the women standing beside a small oblong of freshly dug earth, and she recognized it immediately for what it was. She preferred not to speak of this little plot of earth, but Abner said, "Beneath here lies a baby girl, Malama."
"I know," the Alii Nui said gently.
"The child was placed here by her own mother."
"Yes."
"Alive."
"I understand, Makua Hale."
"And while the child was still alive, the mother covered it with earth and stamped upon the earth until the little girl . . ."
"Please, Makua Hale. Please."
"A wise Alii Nui, one who sought grace, would order this evil to be stopped." Malama said nothing, and the procession marched on until it reached the spot where three sailors were buying whiskey from an Englishman, and on the arms of the sailors were the four pretty girls whose father had paddled them to the Thetis on its arrival. "These are the girls who will soon die of sailor's pox," Abner said mournfully. "A wise Alii Nui would outlaw whiskey and keep the girls from going to the ships."
They passed the taro patches, rank with weeds, and the little pier with bales of goods from China waiting in the sun and rain. No men were in the fishing boats. When the circuit was at last completed, the little missionary pointed at the platform of stones in Malama's own front yard and said, "Even at your door you harbor the evil old gods."
"That's Kelolo's temple," Malama said. "It does no harm."
At the mention of the absent chief, Abner knew that the ultimate moment had come, the one toward which he had been building. He asked Malama to dismiss her attendants, and when they were gone he led the huge chieftain and Keoki to a smooth spot under the kou trees, and when all were comfortably seated he said forcefully, "I have taken you on this walk, Malama, to show you that God appoints a woman His Alii Nui for a reason. He gives you great power so that you may produce great good. More is expected of you than of ordinary people."
This made much sense to Malama, for the tenets of her old religion were not markedly different . . . only the interpretation. If a man was an alii, he was expected to die in battle. A woman alii must appear noble and eat enormously so that she seemed bigger than she was. In all religions there were duties, but she was not prepared for the one which the little missionary was about to propose.
"You will never enter a state of grace, Malama," Abner said slowly, "so long as you commit one of the gravest sins in human history."
"What is that?" she asked.
Abner hesitated, and the concept he now had to discuss was so loathsome to him that he rose, drew back a few steps and pointed at the Alii Nui: "You have as your husband your own brother. You must send Kelolo away."
Malama was appalled at the suggestion. "Kelolo . . . why he . . ."
"He must go, Malama."
"But he is my favorite husband," she protested.
"This relationship is evil ... it is forbidden by the Bible."
At this news a benign light of comprehension shone over Malama's face. "You mean it is kapu!" she asked brightly.
"It is not kapu," Abner insisted. "It is forbidden by God's law."
"That's what kapu means," Malama explained patiently. "Now I understand. All gods have kapu. You mustn't eat this fish, it is kapu. You mustn't sleep with a woman who is having her period,