Charlie was so much moved at this disclosure that he could not restrain his tears, when Pamul again checked him, and added—"Do not be moved; it was no fault of yours; all the attention and interest you took in me, and which led to my hopeless misery, were only the outpourings of a benevolent mind. The ignorance and barbarity of our race raised your pity, which was extended with such liberality towards me in return for the services I had rendered you. Hence the cause of the trouble you have taken in instructing me, and to some extent modelling my mind, and opening that mind as to the realities of a future state, a state to which I am now hastening. And although your generosity would perhaps humble itself to that extent to take me as your wife, I would never consent were I as hale and happy as formerly; for, thanks to you, I now understand the nature of a solemn promise or vow."
Pamul here described Bella's looks with such minuteness that Charlie was greatly surprised; but she soon explained all by telling him that on the morning she saved him from drowning, and while he was insensible on the beach, she uncovered his bosom to admit the rays of the sun in order to warm him; she saw something which hung by a ribbon around his neck, and upon her opening it she saw it contained the portrait of a female. Not believing then that any living creature could be so beautiful, she thought it was a relic or talisman which would save him from from drowning, until the day on which he told her of his vow, when she detected him drawing it from his bosom and placing it to his lips.
"Yes!" continued Pamul, "the least motion or change in your countenance was observed by me, and your simplest wishes were law to me, and found an echo in my heart; and you may tell your beautiful intended that however great her devotion and love for you, it never did or will exceed that of Pamul, the Maori girl."
She now gave her reason for making this touching confession, for which she could not find courage for a long time—that lest her relations should guess or discover the cause of her disease and seek revenge on Charlie after her death, she advised him to dispose of his
