the virgin of the sun-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃The　Master　can　do　one　of　two　things。　He　can　stop　here；　where　these
simple　people　will　make　him　their　king　and　give　him　wives　and　all　that
he　desires；　and　so　live　out　his　life；　since　of　return　to　the　land
whence　he　came　there　is　no　hope。〃

〃And　if　there　were　I　would　not　go；〃　I　interrupted。

〃Or；〃　went　on　Kari；　〃he　can　try　to　travel　to　my　country。　But　that　is
very　far　away。　Something　of　the　journey　which　I　made　when　I　was　mad
comes　back　and　tells　me　that　it　is　very；　very　far　away。　First；　yonder
mountains　must　be　crossed　till　another　sea　is　reached；　which　is　no
great　journey；　though　rough。　Then　the　coast　of　that　sea　must　be
followed　southward；　for　I　know　not　how　far；　but；　as　I　think；　for
months　or　years　of　journeying；　till　at　length　the　country　of　my　people
is　reached。　Moreover；　that　journeying　is　hard　and　terrible；　since　the
road　runs　through　forests　and　deserts　where　dwell　savage　tribes　and
huge　snakes　and　wild　beasts；　like　those　planted　on　the　flag　of　your
country；　and　where　famine　and　sicknesses　are　common。　Therefore　my
counsel　to　the　Master　is　that　he　should　leave　it　unattempted。〃

Now　I　thought　awhile；　and　asked　what　he　meant　to　do　if　I　took　this
counsel　of　his。　To　which　he　replied：

〃I　shall　wait　here　awhile　till　I　see　the　Master　made　a　king　among
these　people　and　established　in　his　rule。　Then　I　shall　start　on　that
journey　alone；　hoping　that　what　I　could　do　when　I　was　mad　I　shall　be
able　to　do　again　when　I　am　not　mad。〃

〃I　thought　it；〃　I　said。　〃But　tell　me；　Kari；　if　we　were　to　make　this
journey　and　perchance　live　to　reach　your　people；　how　would　they
welcome　us？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　Master；　but　I　think　that　of　the　master　they　would　make
a　god；　as　will　all　the　other　people　of　this　country。　Perhaps；　too；
they　will　sacrifice　this　god　that　his　strength　and　beauty　may　enter
into　them。　As　for　me；　some　of　them　will　try　to　kill　me　and　others　will
cling　to　me。　Who　will　conquer　I　do　not　know；　and　to　me　it　matters
little。　I　go　to　take　my　own　and　to　be　avenged；　and　if　in　seeking
vengeance　I　diewell；　I　die　in　honour。〃

〃I　understand；〃　I　said。　〃And　now；　Kari；　let　us　start　as　soon　as
possible　before　I　become　as　mad　from　staring　at　those　trees　and
flowers　and　those　big…eyed　natives；　that　you　say　would　make　me　a　king；
as　you　tell　me　you　were　when　you　left　your　country。　Whether　we　shall
ever　find　that　country　I　cannot　say。　But　at　least　we　shall　have　done
our　best　and；　if　we　fail；　shall　perish　seeking；　as　in　this　way　or　in
that　it　is　the　lot　of　all　brave　men　to　do。〃

〃The　Master　has　spoken；〃　said　Kari；　even　more　quietly　than　usual；
though　as　he　spoke　I　saw　his　dark　eyes　flash　and　a　trembling　as　of　joy
run　down　his　body。　〃Knowing　all；　he　has　made　his　choice；　and　whatever
happens；　being　what　it　is；　he　will　not　blame　me。　Yet　because　the
Master　has　thus　chosen；　I　say　thisthat　if　we　reach　my　country；　and
if；　perchance；　I　become　a　king　there；　even　more　than　before　I　shall　be
the　Master's　servant。〃

〃That　is　easy　to　promise　now；　Kari；　but　it　will　be　time　to　talk　of　it
when　we　do　reach　your　land；〃　I　said；　laughing；　and　asked　him　when　we
were　to　start。

He　replied　not　yet　awhile；　as　he　must　make　plans；　and　that　in　the
meantime　I　must　walk　upon　the　shore　so　that　my　legs　might　grow　strong
again。　So　there　every　day　I　walked　in　the　cool　of　the　morning　and　in
the　evening；　not　going　out　of　sight　of　the　wreck。　I　went　armed　and
carrying　my　big　bow；　but　saw　no　one；　since　the　natives　had　been　warned
that　I　should　walk　and　must　not　be　looked　upon　while　I　did　so。
Therefore；　even　when　I　passed　through　one　of　their　villages　of　huts
built　of　mud　and　thatched　with　leaves；　it　seemed　to　be　deserted。

Still；　in　the　end　the　bow　did　not　come　amiss；　for　one　evening；　hearing
a　little　noise　in　a　big　tree　under　which　I　was　about　to　pass　that
reminded　me　of　the　purring　of　a　cat；　I　looked　up　and　saw　a　great　beast
of　the　tiger　sort　lying　on　the　bough　of　the　tree　and　watching　me。　Then
I　drew　the　bow　and　sent　an　arrow　through　that　beast；　piercing　it　from
side　to　side；　and　down　it　came　roaring　and　writhing；　and　biting　at　the
arrow　till　it　died。

After　this　I　returned　to　the　ship　and　told　Kari　what　had　happened。　He
said　it　was　fortunate　I　had　killed　the　beast；　which　was　of　a　very
fierce　kind；　and　if　I　had　not　seen　it；　would　have　leapt　on　me　as　I
passed　under　the　tree。　Also　he　sent　natives　to　skin　it　who　when　they
saw　that　it　was　pierced　through　and　through　by　the　arrow；　were　amazed
and　thought　me　an　even　greater　god　than　before；　their　own　bows　being
but　feeble　and　their　arrows　tipped　with　bone。



Three　days　after　the　killing　of　this　beast　we　started　on　our　journey
into　a　land　unknown。　For　a　long　while　before　Kari　and　I　had　been
engaged　in　collecting　all　the　knives　we　could　find　in　the　ship；　also
arrows；　nails；　axes；　tools　of　carpentering；　clothes；　and　I　know　not
what　else　besides；　which　goods　we　tied　up　in　bundles　wrapped　in
sailcloth；　each　bundle　weighing　from　thirty　to　forty　pounds；　to　serve
as　presents　to　natives　or　to　trade　away　with　them。　When　I　asked　who
would　carry　them；　Kari　answered　that　I　should　see。　This　I　did　at　dawn
on　the　following　morning　when　there　arrived　upon　the　shore　a　great
number　of　men；　quite　a　hundred　indeed；　who　brought　with　them　two
litters　made　of　light　wood　jointed　like　reeds；　only　harder；　in　which
Kari　said　he　and　I　were　to　be　carried。　Among　these　men　he　parcelled
out　the　loads　which　they　were　to　bear　upon　their　heads；　and　then　said
that　it　was　time　for　us　to　start　in　the　litters。

So　we　started；　but　first　I　went　down　into　a　cabin　and　kneeling　on　my
knees；　thanked　God　for　having　brought　me　safe　so　far；　and　prayed　Him
and　St。　Hubert　to　protect　me　on　my　further　wanderings；　and　if　I　died；
to　receive　my　soul。　This　done　I　left　the　ship　and　while　the　natives
bowed　themselves　about　me；　entered　my　litter；　which　was　comfortable
enough；　having　grass　mats　to　lie　on　and　other　mats　for　curtains；　very
finely　woven；　so　that　they　would　turn　even　the　heaviest　rain。

Then　away　we　went；　eight　men　bearing　the　pole　to　which　each　litter　was
slung　on　their　shoulders；　while　others　carried　the　bundles　upon　their
heads。　Our　road　ran　through　forest　uphill；　and　on　the　crest　of　the
first　hill　I　descended　from　the　litter　and　looked　back。

There　in　the　creek　below　lay　the　wreck　of　the　/Blanche/；　now　but　a
small　black　blot　showing　against　the　water；　and　beyond　it　the　great
sea　over　which　we　had　travelled。　Yonder　broken　hulk　was　the　last　link
which　bound　me　to　my　distant　home　thousands　of　miles　across　the　ocean；
that　home；　which　my　heart　told　me　I　should　never　see　again；　for　how
could　I　win　back　from　a　land　that　no　white　foot　had　ever　trod？

On　the　deck　of　this　ship　Blanche　herself　had　stood　and　smiled　and
talked；　for　once　we　visited　it　together　shortly　before　our　marriage；
and　I　remembered　how　I　had　kissed　her　in　its　cabin。　Now　Blanche　was
dead　by　her　own　hand　and　I；　the　great　London　merchant；　was　an　outcast
among　savages　in　a　country　of　which　I　did　not　even　know　the　name；
where　everything　was　new　and　different。　And　there　the　ship　with　her
rich　cargo；　after　bearing　us　so　bravely　through　weeks　of　tempest；　must
lie　until　she　rotted　in　the　sun　and　rain　and　never　again　would　my　eyes
behold　her。　Oh！　then　it　was　that　a　sense　of　all　my　misery　and
loneliness　gripped　my　heart　as　it　had　not　done　before　since　I　rode
away　after　killing　Deleroy　with　the　sword　Wave…Flame；　and　I　wondered
why　I　had　been　born；　and　almost　hoped　that　soon　I　might　die　and　go　to
seek　the　reason。

Back　into　the　litter　I　crept　and　there　hid　my　face　and　wept　like　a
child。　Truly　I；　the　prosperous　merchant　of　London　town　who　might　have
lived　to　become　its　mayor　and　magistrate　and　win　nobility；　was　now　an
outcast　adventurer　of　the　humblest。　Well；　so　God　had　decreed；　and
there　was　no　more　to　say。

That　night　we　encamped　upon　a　hilltop　past　which　rushed　a　river　in　the
vale　below　and　were　troubled　with　heat　and　insects　that　hummed　and
bit；　for　to　these　as　yet　I　was　not　accustomed；　and　ate　of　the　food
that　we　had　brought　with　us；　dried　flesh　and　corn。

Next　morning　with　the　light　we　started　on　again；　up　and　down　mountains
and　through　more　forests；　following　the　course　of　the　river　and　the
shores　of　a　lake。　So　it　went　on　until　on　the　third　evening　from　high
land　we　saw　the　sea　beneath　us；　a　different　sea　from　that　which　we　had
left；　for　it　seemed　that　we　had　been　crossing　an　isthmus；　not　so　wide
but　that　if　any　had　the　skill；　a　canal　might　be　cut　across　it　joining
those　two　great　seas。

Now　it　was　that　our　real　travels　began；　for　here；　after　staring　at　the
stars　and　brooding　apart　for　a　long　while；　Kari　turned　southwards。
With　this　I　had　nothing　to　do　who　did　not　greatly　care　which　way　he
turned。　Nor　did　he　speak　to　me　of　the　matter；　except　to　say　that　his
god　and　such　memory　as　remained　to　him　through　his　time　of　madness
told　him　that　the　land　of　his　people　lay　towards　the　south；　though
very　far　away。

So　southwards　we　went；　following　paths　through　the　forests　with　the
ocean　on　our　right　hand。　After　a　week　of　this　wearisome　marching　we
came　to　another　tribe　of　natives　of　whose　talk　those　with　us　could
understand　enough　to　tell　them　our　story。　Indeed　the　rumour　that　a
white　god　had　appeared　in　the　land　out　of　the　sea　had　already　reached
them；　and　therefore　they　were　prepared　to　worship　me。　Here　our　people
left　us；　saying　that　they　dared　not　go　further　from　their　own　country。

The　scene　of　the　departure　was　strange；　since　every　one　of　them　came
and　rubbed　his　forehead　in　the　dust　before　me　and　then　went　away；
walking　backwards　and　bowing。　Still　their　going　did　not　make　a　great
difference　to　us；　since　the　new　tribe　was　much　as　the　old　one；　though
if　anything；　rather　less　clothed　and　more　dirty。　Also　it　accepted　me
as　a　god　without　question　and　gave　us　all　the　food　we　needed。
Moreover；　when　we　left　their　land　men　were　provided　to　carry　the
litters　and　the　loads。

Thus；　then；　passing　from　tribe　to　tribe；　we　travelled　on　southward；
ever　southwards；　finding　always　that　the　rumour　of　the　coming　of　〃the
god〃　had　gone　before　us。　So　gentle　were　all　these　people；　that　not
once　did　we　meet　with　any　who　tried　to　harm　us　or　to　steal　our　goods；
or　who　refused　us　the　best　of　what　they　had。　Our　adventures；　it　is
true；　were　many。　Thus；　twice　we　came　to　tribes　that　were　at　war　with
other　tribes；　though　on　my　appearance　they　laid　down　their　arms；　at
any　rate；　for　a　time；　and　bore　our　litters　forward。

Again；　sometimes　we　met　tribes　who　were　cannibals　and　then　we　suffered
much　from　want　of　meat；　since　we　dared　not　touch　their　food　unless　it
were　grain。　In　the　town　of　the　first　of　these　cannibal　people；　being
moved　with　fury；　I　killed　a　man　whom　I　found　about　to　murder　a　child
and　eat　her；　sweeping　off　his　head　with　my　sword。　For　this　deed　I
expected　that　they　would　murder　us；　but　they　did　not。　They　only
shrugged　their　shoulders　and　saying　that　a　god　can　do　as　he　pleases；
took　away　the　slain　man　and　ate　him。

Sometimes　our　road　ran　through　terrible　forests　where　the　great　trees
shut　out　the　light　of　day；　and　a　path　must　be　hacked　through　the
undergrowth。　Sometimes　it　was　haunted　by　tigers　or　tree　lions　such　as
I　have　spoken　of；　against　which　we　must　watch　continuously；　especia