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Ena, or, The Ancient Maori

Chapter VI. Mary

page 33

Chapter VI. Mary.

"Fair on a rock, she stretched her white hand to the wind,
To feel its course from the dwelling of her love."

Resignation to her unavoidable fate, and a secret deep gnawing grief, took possession of the heart of Mary Morven, when awaking from the fitful sleep of the first night passed among those who delivered her from the perils of the sea. She mentally contemplated the extremes of sorrow, bereavement, and danger through which she passed, and bowing her spirit in prayer to One who is ever near to those who call upon His mercy, she rose from the soft silken mats whereon she rested, and opening the small window of the whare, the level beams of the newly-risen sun entered and illumined the interior of the apartment with rays of amber light. In stature, Mary was below the middle height; her head was small, but of ex-page 34quisite contour; her hair was of a dark brown colour, and fell in profuse natural ringlets around her shoulders; her eyes were of a sweet cerulean blue, large, and calmly set in their orbits; her mouth sensitive, her entire figure prepossessingly charming and lovable. She was quite recovered from the effects of her late immersion in the sea: her voyage had imparted tone and vigour to her constitution. Large tears rolled down her face as she proceeded with her incomplete toilet; the novelty of her comparatively safe situation occasionally diverted the course of her thoughts from the terribly engrossing subject of the future. Whilst thus employed, her attention was arrested by hearing the sounds of voices, and looking out by the window she saw her friends Ena, the half-caste, and Raukawa. The latter engaged Mary's liveliest apprehensions of fear and timidity: he was the first native man she had seen. His tall person clad in a light flowing mantle of yellow-coloured, satin-textured flax, with a dark border of zigzag lines: his head uncovered, his hair black and curled, he appeared to great advantage. His regal bearing imparted to Mary's mind a quiet reassuring earnest of protection and confidence. He was attentively listening to his sister, who was engaged in the absorbing subject of the message by Mahora.

page 35

Ena and her attendant had risen and left the whare without disturbing Mary as she slumbered, and the visit of the old woman and her reception had passed without awaking her. Now, as she intently observed the group outside, she could plainly perceive that she was the topic of their conversation. Ena hastened alone to the whare, which she entered, and, seeing that Mary was dressed, she took her by the hand and led her to Raukawa, who received her with a quiet dignity, and extending his hand to her: she took it, and, slightly pressing it, relinquished her hold. He expressed much pleasure with her appearance, telling her, at the same time, that he would be her protector, and that no harm would befall her. Mary thanked him, through the half-caste, who began to entertain a slightly jealous feeling toward the stranger, particularly when she witnessed the warmth of Raukawa's manner and heard his language to Mary. Prompted by her innate perceptions of delicacy, Ena led Mary away from Raukawa, who said that he had business with his father. From the sea-front of the pah whereon the girls now stood, the view was intensely charming: to Mary it was suggestive of her far-off home and its thousand melancholy remembrances. The small island lying near, the mountains, capes, valleys, and plateaux of the northern page 36shores of the south island lay before her gaze in all their solacing lovelinesses; but, alas! to that weary and bereaved young soul the blessings of Nature's smiling countenance were shrouded in the threefold gloom of irredeemable exile. Hinema rejoined them as they stood on the battlemented cliff, and at the request of her mistress she gave the names of the different leading features of the scene before them. This interested Mary not a little, as she learned how intimately conversant the people were with every object around.

Ena and her charge were now joined by several men, women, and children, all eager to see the pakeha maiden; but Ena restrained their curiosity within the bounds of discreetness. To the pressing solicitations of some to look at and feel her hands, Mary agreed with a sweet affability of manner that won the esteem and respect of her new friends. Ena led her towards her father, who sat in the verandah of his house enveloped in a large mat. The old man desired Mary to sit beside him, when, taking her hand in his, he welcomed her, and assured her that her safety and her comfort would be carefully attended to. At his request, Hinema gave Mary's story again from her recital. This interested the old man very much: he charged Ena to see that Mary was supplied with page 37everything they had in their power to bestow: at the same time he presented Mary with a small Heiteiki of greenstone, placing it with his own hands around her neck: then dismissed with kindly and parental language. She thus experienced a great relief in having her former apprehensions dispelled, and felt a warm liking spring up in her heart toward the aged warrior. Throughout the forenoon she was much alone, and remained in the solitude of the whare wherein she had spent the night, brooding over the future, and evincing little interest in the movements of those among whom she was cast.