Kaiuolani

The assembly halls echoed an ominous awakening on the following morning when the legislature began to hustle within the broad corridors or gather upon the marble steps in front. Liliuokolani, composed and reliant, sat in regal attire, not far away, anxiously awaiting the word that should confirm or deny her most sanguine expectations. Uniformed couriers ran to and fro over the smooth-paved streets, carrying alike the letter of commendation or the communication of state.

An oo fluttered in at the open window, and perching upon the gilded scepter warbled a friendly note. The queen looked up with softened eyes at its yellow-purpled tufts, and reveried a deep-felt thought:

“How innocent, yet supremely beautiful. I wish I were you,—no; they’d pluck my feathers,—singing the song of freedom, basking in the God-light of truth.”

Only striven duty answered; she must grind out the essence of her existence as countless numbers of mere humans before had done. Shortly the high chamberlain approached and bowing low notified his sovereign that the legislature stood convened, humbly awaiting her majesty’s pleasure. Liliuokolani hesitated, then bending forward, with parchment in hand, said kindly but firmly:

“The Queen’s Message.”

The high chamberlain—Jefferson Pauahieu Arnstook, a half-caste prince, formerly resident of Lanai, banker at Honolulu, and broker to his majesty, Kalakaua—took the significant document from the queen with feelings of respect, though somewhat of misgivings, and without a word forthwith dispatched his charge to the halls of legislation.

Its arrival at desk became the signal for renewed interest, particularly in the galleries where had gathered the fortune and the flower of social Hawaii. Hans Gutenborj was there, surrounded by Progressionists, Royalists, and Patriots alike. Norton and Wayntro, Lou Isaacs, a money changer, and Ah Mla, the Chinese merchant and opium dealer, buttonholed or importuned members who came into the balconies to greet a friend or scent the trend of opinion. Bender busied himself on the floor, while a host of the fairest, in flowing garments and modest adornment, looked down from the circle above. Kaiuolani leaned from a box in the rear, and Ihoas glanced guardedly at her idol, the artist member from Diamond Head. When the chairman had ceased rapping and the queen’s message was announced, a momentary quiet broke into an uproarious hand clapping and the shouting of hearty cheers.

Each member hastened to his seat, while Don Dupont, the dapper sergeant-at-arms, arose and with a clear voice and pronounced accent read the message through. A painful silence ensued, then Xane Bender led, and every patriot in that house and not a few of the Royalists applauded with zest. Barely respecting the occasion Colonel Young, member from Honolulu, marvelled at the measures proposed, while Kaiuolani rose in her seat and waving a handkerchief cried approval. Gutenborj, too, showed conservatism, though from a different motive, and Varnum, the banker, colored with anger. Now and then a submerged hissing feebly issued aloft, though few there heeded the portent and none of the more ardent, excepting Aokahameha, divined the measure of its significance.

After the first shock had passed and the importance of the queen’s recommendations commenced to unfold, the spectators began shifting about or settling in corners discussing the probabilities and searching for a motive.

“It is an outrage upon decency!” shouted Varnum, to his neighbor Gutenborj, who sat quietly contemplating the best means of turning a dilemma into a resource of safety.

“There is more behind this latest move than the most vigilant among us dare suspect,” continued Varnum, not having made any apparent impression upon his immediate listener.

“Things have come to a pretty pass, if law and order shall abide savagery!” burst again from the irritated banker’s lips, just in time to greet the ears of Mr. Whilom S. Harvenoiq, the American minister, who had edged himself into an audience, uninvited.

“See here, Varnum,” ventured Gutenborj, the largest individual property holder in the Islands, whose patience no longer bore him silence; “that sort of talk can do no earthly good, and what is more, it may do irreparable harm. My humble advice, if such be meet, would be to hold your tongue.”

“I am a white man, sir; and I believe in the domination of superiority,” replied the injudicious Progressionist.

“There are others, I believe, who are also considered white,” pleasantly retorted the modest Royalist.

“Would you so forget our wives and daughters as to tolerate these infernal schemes, make of our land a gambling dive and an opium joint?” queried the excited financier, with vehemence.

“Hold! man; I would neither forget our pocketbooks. Both of the measures are expedient, and would replenish the national treasury without taxing you or I a cent or interfering with our morals one whit. I am not sure but the queen is more prudent than we, after all,” answered Gutenborj, thoughtfully.

“A clever monstrosity; and, if I mistake not, the groundwork for a larger army! That is where we shall end, Hans Gutenborj,” growled the intolerant Varnum, with more of heat than prudence.

“I dislike your intemperance; please excuse me, my good friend,” replied the philosophic planter, as he arose and walked away in company with Harvenoiq.

The suspense following the reading of the message bore heavily upon all those members who were already pledged to support the queen’s proposals. Bender had been active among local politicians and, though in fact a resident of Honolulu, his membership from the lower island, Hawaii, gave him a powerful influence with the outside and preponderant constituency. He could already count a safe majority, and felt that by the time the orators had finished debating the question, the Patriots for and the Progressionists against the bills, the patriotism of the Royalists had made certain Liliuokolani’s victory.

Elmsford was entrusted with making the opening address,—quite willing to do anything that might encourage his chance with the princess,—and when he had ceased haranguing, and proudly looked hence, only Ihoas led a fairly hearty encouragement from the gallery above.

Kaiuolani, too, seemed not any the less enthusiastic, but her interest apparently centered in the subject alone, for when Young arose, cool and magnificent, to lead the opposition her eyes riveted upon him and did not relax until the last word had fallen from his lips; when she arose and clapped her hands vigorously, to the utter astonishment of all—Patriots, Royalists, and Progressionists, none of whom ventured to emulate her example. Even Martha Norton dared not voice a sentiment, though she sat facing the speaker and coldly smiled; whereupon Bender laughed and imprudently cheered.

It now came Aokahameha’s turn to urge the passage of the bills, and as the tall man arose and thundered forth his native eloquence, in support of ancient law and traditional right, roar after roar of applause went up from the floor only to be hurled back again doubly strong by the galleries. There was no mistaking the sentiment of either the legislature or the audience there assembled, and as the speaker waxed hotter and grew stronger the hearts and minds of men and women ceased to bicker and barter the crimsoned promise or lofty notions of race superiority. It were enough that man should resolve the virtue of higher being in the light of righteous intent, and the power of oratory swept them into the vortex of larger truth.

When the last round of applause had died out a deep, strange uncertainty seized upon the more thoughtful and everybody breathed heavily in the pause that followed. There seemed to be no unity of purpose, not a fixed ground upon which to base a reasonable presumption. Men and women, completely wrapped in mysticism, groped through the dismal halls, unsettled in bearing and doubtful of their safety, while Xane Bender moved freely about and hovered over all like a sphinx in lowering darkness.

The queen sat some distance away silently, hopefully awaiting the vote that should restore a lost and beneficent heritage. She had more at stake than any other living soul in that land, yet bore the suspense with a fortitude and dignity that none had hitherto shown.

The inactivity either in the balconies or upon the floor did not last so very long, however, for the Progressionists soon came to realize that in some mysterious way their schemes were being placed in jeopardy; and that, too, by one of their own number. They could understand how Bender, a shrewd cattle man from the mountain wilds to the southward, might stoop to any expediency, would for a purpose play them false, but what was the consideration? How should he profit by the ruse?

Throughout the halls little knots of members or interested spectators eagerly sought for the secret or discussed plans to check their opponents’ rising strength. On the Patriots’ side of the house each moment lent enthusiasm and Bender’s leadership grew in popularity: rapidly moving from one to another his judgment soon became the keynote to success and his counsel was finally heralded with respect. Not a few volunteered their hitherto doubtful support, and everywhere he went, among his adherents, they loudly proclaimed him “The Champion Ranger from Waiahiui.”

Amid the confusion upon the floor, led by Bender on one hand and Varnum, an outsider, on the other, a far more significant gathering, though small in numbers, sitting in the extreme front of the balcony, discussed seriously the impending crisis and prospective ballot. Guttenborj, Harvenoiq, and Young thus constituted their own audience, and the subject that concerned them most grew out of the likelihood, should the queen gain control, of Young being dismissed from the army; or, if retained, would he be placed at its head? A grave matter this was, and not from choice did the ambitious young officer tolerate the presence of an American diplomat in the ventilation of a question so personal, but out of respect for his employer’s wish made no protest, feeling it a duty to express himself freely and without reserve. The man whose confidence and favor had raised him from a small mercantile clerkship to the position of chief adviser to the largest concern in the Islands, made it possible for him to win social distinction, stand at the head of one branch of the militia, and meet and gain the love of a prospective occupant of the throne, wielded an influence little short of conviction; hence, perhaps unwittingly, Young freely subordinated his own interests to those of Gutenborj.

Directly facing them, far back to the rear, sat Kaiuolani, Ihoas, and Norton—who had nosed herself into an unwelcome tolerance. They were admiring the beautiful costumes or casting side glances at the young gallants, particularly the one in the farther end of the balcony. Presently Aokahameha entered the box; and complimenting him upon his splendid success in debate Ihoas, after a little, withdrew.

Norton acted less discreetly, and took it upon herself to lead in a decidedly frigid conversation. Neither of her listeners paid more than civil attention to her stilted remarks or considered seriously the silly effusion of weak sentimentality indulged; though immediately she broached the subject of Young’s emulation, and undertook foolishly to elicit an expression, they rebelled and politely made known the agreeableness of her absence. Then and not until then the piqued woman arose and excused herself for having intruded.

“I really pity Martha,” said Kaiuolani, sympathetically, though contemplating more the situation of a menial than of a lady.

“I am not quite certain that she deserves as much,” replied Aokahameha, recalling his accidental but well-fixed opinion.

“But she is ambitious, and I do so love to see a deserving person succeed,” continued the princess, with no thought of Norton’s really patent but unsuggestive designs.

“A very laudable termination for truly worthy effort,” remarked her listener, with due respect.

“I should believe her worthy, if, perhaps, well advised,” remarked Kaiuolani, still heedless of the young lady journalist’s aspirations.

“Possibly. I presume there are circumstances under which she might be considered the equal of the man she covets. At all events, their marriage could in no manner influence our regard for them,” said Aokahameha, adroitly, though fully anticipating the force of his remarks.

The shock proved greater than he had expected. It opened Kaiuolani’s eyes and she faltered helpless under the stress of a sudden realization of her predicament. She had chosen so to forget as to love beneath her station; and Aokahameha knew it: possibly all of her friends at that moment, out of respect, withheld their condemnation. Then the bare consciousness of a rival seized upon her and, in consequence, what cared she for rank or birth? Love reasserted its sway, and bald reason fell a weakling at the call of heart. She would face even an inferior to win love’s trophy, though triumph cost her undoing.

The observant prince left her there to conjure an undisputed feeling, and hurried to his seat on the floor; the vote upon the enactment—framed into one sweeping bill—had been called, and no time or strength must be lost. Aokahameha proved faithful, and when the “Ayes” had determined a safe majority a thunderous applause startled the dead walls within or rent the still air without. In the pandemonium that followed the efforts of weak-kneed statesmen to change face, Young’s fruitless ballot was lost to notice; and turning—doubtfully conscious—he read in Kaiuolani’s tears a kindly consolation. She had this time happily expressed a becoming loyalty, but her heart was his; and out of their love arose a strength to measure any destiny.

The queen alone remained fixed and undisturbed. The news of victory only impressed her more deeply with the gravity of an unalterable situation. She was not there to exult over a triumph conceived in justice, nor to sympathize unduly with those who would base their contentions solely upon material progress. Life to her held a deeper meaning, and turning thought to loftier ideals her majesty awaited calmly the conclusion of business, then forthwith and unhesitatingly prorogued that legislature.