the ivory child-第11章

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host　should　have　related　to　me　a　tale　of　her　childhood　of　which　she

declared　she　had　never　spoken　before；　and　that　within　an　hour　the　two

principal　actors　in　that　tale　should　have　appeared　before　my　eyes　and

hers　（for　I　may　state　that　from　the　beginning　I　had　no　doubt　that　they

were　the　same　men）；　moved　me　and　filled　me　with　quite　natural

foreboding。　Or　all　these　things　together　may　have　tended　to　a

concomitant　effect。　At　any　rate　the　issue　was　that　I　could　not　sleep。



For　hour　after　hour　I　lay　thinking　and　in　an　irritated　way　listening

for　the　chimes　of　the　Ragnall　stable…clock　which　once　had　adorned　the

tower　of　the　church　and　struck　the　quarters　with　a　damnable

reiteration。　I　concluded　that　Messrs。　Har？t　and　Mar？t　were　a　couple　of

common　Arab　rogues　such　as　I　had　seen　performing　at　the　African　ports。

Then　a　quarter　struck　and　I　concluded　that　the　elephants'　cemetery

which　I　beheld　in　the　smoke　undoubtedly　existed　and　that　I　meant　to

collar　those　thousands　of　pounds'　worth　of　ivory　before　I　died。　Then

after　another　quarter　I　concluded　that　there　was　no　elephants'

cemeteryalthough　by　the　way　my　old　friend；　Dogeetah　or　Brother　John；

had　mentioned　such　a　thing　to　mebut　that　probably　there　was　a　tribe；

as　he　had　also　mentioned；　called　the　Kendah；　who　worshipped　a　baby；　or

rather　its　effigy。



Well　now；　as　had　already　occurred　to　me；　the　old　Egyptians；　of　whom　I

was　always　fond　of　reading　when　I　got　a　chance；　also　worshipped　a

child；　Horus　the　Saviour。　And　that　child　had　a　mother　called　Isis

symbolized　in　the　crescent　moon；　the　great　Nature　goddess；　the

mistress　of　mysteries　to　whose　cult　ten　thousand　priests　were　sworn

do　not　Herodotus　and　others；　especially　Apuleius；　tell　us　all　about

her？　And　by　a　queer　coincidence　Miss　Holmes　had　the　mark　of　a　crescent

moon　upon　her　breast。　And　when　she　was　a　child　those　two　men；　or

others　very　like　them；　had　pointed　out　that　mark　to　each　other。　And　I

had　seen　them　staring　hard　at　it　that　night。　And　in　her　vapour…invoked

dream　the　〃Heavenly　Child；〃　/alias/　Horus；　or　the　double　of　Horus；　the

/Ka/；　I　think　the　Egyptians　called　it；　had　awakened　at　the　sight　of

her　and　kissed　her　and　given　her　the　necklace　of　the　goddess；　andall

the　rest。　What　did　it　mean？



I　went　to　sleep　at　last　wondering　what　on　earth　it　/could/　mean；　till

presently　that　confounded　clock　woke　me　up　again　and　I　must　go　through

the　whole　business　once　more。



By　degrees；　this　was　towards　dawn；　I　became　aware　that　all　hope　of

rest　had　vanished　from　me　utterly；　that　I　was　most　painfully　awake；

and　what　is　more；　oppressed　by　a　curious　fear　to　the　effect　that

something　was　going　to　happen　to　Miss　Holmes。　So　vivid　did　this　fear

become　that　at　length　I　arose；　lit　a　candle　and　dressed　myself。　As　it

happened　I　knew　where　Miss　Holmes　slept。　Her　room；　which　I　had　seen

her　enter；　was　on　the　same　corridor　as　mine　though　at　the　other　end　of

it　near　the　head　of　a　stair　that　ran　I　knew　not　whither。　In　my

portmanteau　that　had　been　sent　over　from　Miss　Manners's　house；　amongst

other　things　was　a　small　double…barrelled　pistol　which　from　long　habit

I　always　carried　with　me　loaded；　except　for　the　caps　that　were　in　a

little　leather　case　with　some　spare　ammunition　attached　to　the　pistol

belt。　I　took　it　out；　capped　it　and　thrust　it　into　my　pocket。　Then　I

slipped　from　the　room　and　stood　behind　a　tall　clock　in　the　corridor；

watching　Miss　Holmes's　door　and　reflecting　what　a　fool　I　should　look

if　anyone　chanced　to　find　me。



Half　an　hour　or　so　later　by　the　light　of　the　setting　moon　which

struggled　through　a　window；　I　saw　the　door　open　and　Miss　Holmes　emerge

in　a　kind　of　dressing…gown　and　still　wearing　the　necklace　which　Har？t

and　Mar？t　had　given　her。　Of　this　I　was　sure　for　the　light　gleamed　upon

the　red　stones。



Also　it　shone　upon　her　face　and　showed　me　without　doubt　that　she　was

walking　in　her　sleep。



Gliding　as　silently　as　a　ghost　she　crossed　the　corridor　and　vanished。

I　followed　and　saw　that　she　had　descended　an　ancient；　twisting

stairway　which　I　had　noted　in　the　castle　wall。　I　went　after　her；　my

stockinged　feet　making　no　noise；　feeling　my　way　carefully　in　the

darkness　of　the　stair；　for　I　did　not　dare　to　strike　a　match。　Beneath

me　I　heard　a　noise　as　of　someone　fumbling　with　bolts。　Then　a　door

creaked　on　its　hinges　and　there　was　some　light。　When　I　reached　the

doorway　I　caught　sight　of　the　figure　of　Miss　Holmes　flitting　across　a

hollow　garden　that　was　laid　out　in　the　bottom　of　the　castle　moat　which

had　been　drained。　The　garden；　as　I　had　observed　when　we　walked　through

it　on　the　previous　day　on　our　way　to　the　first　covert　that　we　shot；

was　bordered　by　a　shrubbery　through　which　ran　paths　that　led　to　the

back　drive　of　the　castle。



Across　the　garden　glided　the　figure　of　Miss　Holmes　and　after　it　went

I；　crouching　and　taking　cover　behind　every　bush　as　though　I　were

stalking　big　game；　which　indeed　I　was。　She　entered　the　shrubbery；

moving　much　more　swiftly　now；　for　as　she　went　she　seemed　to　gather

speed；　like　a　stone　which　is　rolled　down　a　hill。　It　was　as　though

whatever　might　be　attracting　her；　for　I　felt　sure　that　she　was　being

drawn　by　something；　acted　more　strongly　upon　her　sleeping　will　as　she

drew　nearer　to　it。　For　a　while　I　lost　sight　of　her　in　the　shadow　of

the　tall　trees。　Then　suddenly　I　saw　her　again；　standing　quite　still　in

an　opening　caused　by　the　blowing　down　in　the　gale　of　one　of　the　avenue

of　elms　that　bordered　the　back　drive。　But　now　she　was　no　longer　alone；

for　advancing　towards　her　were　two　cloaked　figures　in　whom　I

recognized　Har？t　and　Mar？t。



There　she　stood　with　outstretched　arms；　and　towards　her；　stealthily　as

lions　stalking　a　buck；　came　Har？t　and　Mar？t。　Moreover；　between　the

naked　boughs　of　the　fallen　elm　I　caught　sight　of　what　looked　like　the

outline　of　a　closed　carriage　standing　upon　the　drive。　Also　I　heard　a

horse　stamp　upon　the　frosty　ground。　Round　the　edge　of　the　little　glade

I　ran；　keeping　in　the　dark　shadow；　as　I　went　cocking　the　pistol　that

was　in　my　pocket。　Then　suddenly　I　darted　out　and　stood　between　Har？t

and　Mar？t　and　Miss　Holmes。



Not　a　word　passed　between　us。　I　think　that　all　three　of　us

subconsciously　were　anxious　not　to　awake　the　sleeping　woman；　knowing

that　if　we　did　so　there　would　be　a　terrible　scene。　Only　after

motioning　to　me　to　stand　aside；　of　course　in　vain；　Har？t　and　Mar？t

drew　from　their　robes　curved　and　cruel…looking　knives　and　bowed；　for

even　now　their　politeness　did　not　forsake　them。　I　bowed　back　and　when

I　straightened　myself　those　enterprising　Easterns　found　that　I　was

covering　the　heart　of　Har？t　with　my　pistol。　Then　with　that　perception

which　is　part　of　the　mental　outfit　of　the　great；　they　saw　that　the

game　was　up　since　I　could　have　shot　them　both　before　a　knife　touched

me。



〃You　have　won　this　time；　O　Watcher…by…Night；〃　whispered　Har？t　softly；

〃but　another　time　you　will　lose。　That　beautiful　lady　belongs　to　us　and

the　People　of　the　White　Kendah；　for　she　is　marked　with　the　holy　mark

of　the　young　moon。　The　call　of　the　Child　of　Heaven　is　heard　in　her

heart；　and　will　bring　her　home　to　the　Child　as　it　has　brought　her　to

us　to…night。　Now　lead　her　hence　still　sleeping；　O　brave　and　clever

one；　so　well　named　Watcher…by…Night。〃



Then　they　were　gone　and　presently　I　heard　the　sound　of　horses　being

driven　rapidly　along　the　drive。



For　a　moment　I　hesitated　as　to　whether　I　would　or　would　not　run　in　and

shoot　those　horses。　Two　considerations　stayed　me。　The　first　was　that

if　I　did　so　my　pistol　would　be　empty；　or　even　if　I　shot　one　horse　and

retained　a　barrel　loaded；　with　it　I　could　only　kill　a　single　man；

leaving　myself　defenceless　against　the　knife　of　the　other。　The　second

consideration　was　that　now　as　before　I　did　not　wish　to　wake　up　Miss

Holmes。



I　crept　to　her　and　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　took　hold　of　one　of

her　outstretched　hands。　She　turned　and　came　with　me　at　once　as　though

she　knew　me；　remaining　all　the　while　fast　asleep。　Thus　we　went　back　to

the　house；　through　the　still　open　door；　up　the　stairway　straight　to

her　own　room；　on　the　threshold　of　which　I　loosed　her　hand。　The　room

was　dark　and　I　could　see　nothing；　but　I　listened　until　I　heard　a　sound

as　of　a　person　throwing　herself　upon　the　bed　and　drawing　up　the

blankets。　Then　knowing　that　she　was　safe　for　a　while；　I　shut　the　door；

which　opened　outwards　as　doors　of　ancient　make　sometimes　do；　and　set

against　it　a　little　table　that　stood　in　the　passage。



Next；　after　reflecting　for　a　minute；　the　circumstances　being　awkward

in　many　ways；　I　went　to　my　room　and　lit　a　candle。　Obviously　it　was　my

duty　to　inform　Lord　Ragnall　of　what　had　happened　and　that　as　soon　as

possible。　But　I　had　no　idea　in　what　part　of　that　huge　building　his

sleeping　place　might　be；　nor；　for　patent　reasons；　was　it　desirable

that　I　should　disturb　the　house　and　so　create　talk。　In　this　dilemma　I

remembered　that　Lord　Ragnall's　confidential　servant；　Mr。　Savage；　when

he　conducted　me　to　my　room　on　the　previous　night；　which　he　made　a

point　of　doing　perhaps　because　he　wished　to　talk　over　the　matter　of

the　snakes　that　had　found　their　way　into　his　pockets；　had　shown　me　a

bell　in　it　which　he　said　rang　outside　his　door。　He　called　it　an

〃emergency　bell。〃　I　remarked　idly　that　it　was　improbable　that　I　should

have　any　occasion　for　its　use。



〃Who　knows；　sir？〃　said　Mr。　Savage　prophetically。　〃There　are　folk　who

say　that　this　old　castle　is　haunted；　which　after　what　I　have　seen

to…night　I　can　well　believe。　If　you　should　chance　to　meet　a　ghost

looking；　let　us　say；　like　those　black　villains；　Harum　and　Scarum；　or

whatever　they　call　themselveswell；　sir；　two's　better　company　than

one。〃



I　considered　that　bell　but　was　loath　to　ring　it　for　the　reasons　I　have

given。　Then　I　went　outside　the　room　and　looked。　As　I　had　hoped　might

be　the　case；　there　ran　the　wire　on　the　face　of　the　wall　connected

along　its　length　by　other　wires　with　the　various　rooms　it　passed。



I　set　to　work　and　followed　that　wire。　It　was　not　an　easy　job；　indeed

once　or　twice　it　reminded　me　of　that　story　of　the　old　Greek　hero　who

found　his　way　through　a　labyrinth　by　means　of　a　silken　thread。　I

forget　whether　it　were　a　bull　or　a　lady　he　was　looking　for；　but　with

care　and　perseverance　he　found　one　or　the　other；　or　it　may　have　been

both。



Down　staircases　and　various　passages　I　went　with　my　eye　glued　upon　the

wire；　which　occasionally　got　mixed　up　with　other　wires；　till　at　length

it　led　me　through　a　swing　door　covered　with　red　baize　into　what

appeared　to　be　a　modern　annexe　to　the　castle。　Here　at　last　it

terminated　on　the　spring　of　an　alarming…looking　and　deep…throated　bell

that　hung　immediately　over　a　certain　door。



On　this　door　I　knocked；　hoping　that　it　might　be　that　of　Mr。　Savage　and

praying　earnestly　that　it　did　not　enclose　the　chaste　resting…place　of

the　cook　or　any　other　female。　Too　late；　I　mean　after　I　had　knocked；　it

occurred　to　me　that