the ivory child-第16章

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people；　indeed　all　those　among　them　who　are　black。　For　once　far　away

in　the　beginning　the　Kendah　were　two　peoples；　but　the　lighter…coloured

people　who　worshipped　the　Child　came　down　from　the　north　and　conquered

the　black　people；　bringing　the　Child　with　them；　or　so　I　understood

her；　Baas；　thousands　and　thousands　of　years　ago　when　the　world　was

young。　Since　then　they　have　flowed　on　side　by　side　like　two　streams　in

the　same　channel；　never　mixing；　for　each　keeps　its　own　colour。　Only；

she　said；　that　stream　which　comes　from　the　north　grows　weaker　and　that

from　the　south　more　strong。〃



〃Then　why　does　not　the　strong　swallow　up　the　weak？〃



〃Because　the　weak　are　still　the　pure　and　the　wise；　Baas；　or　so　the　old

vrouw　declared。　Because　they　worship　the　good　while　the　others　worship

the　devil；　and　as　your　father　the　Predikant　used　to　say；　Good　is　the

cock　which　always　wins　the　fight　at　the　last；　Baas。　Yes；　when　he　seems

to　be　dead　he　gets　up　again　and　kicks　the　devil　in　the　stomach　and

stands　on　him　and　crows；　Baas。　Also　these　northern　folk　are　mighty

magicians。　Through　their　Child…fetish　they　give　rain　and　fat　seasons

and　keep　away　sickness；　whereas　Jana　gives　only　evil　gifts　that　have

to　do　with　cruelty　and　war　and　so　forth。　Lastly；　the　priests　who　rule

through　the　Child　have　the　secrets　of　wealth　and　ancient　knowledge；

whereas　the　sultan　and　his　followers　have　only　the　might　of　the　spear。

This　was　the　song　which　the　old　woman　sang　to　me；　Baas。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　of　these　matters　when　we　were　at　Beza…Town

and　I　could　have　talked　with　her　myself；　Hans？〃



〃For　two　reasons；　Baas。　The　first　was　that　I　feared；　if　I　told　you；

you　would　wish　to　go　on　to　find　these　people；　whereas　I　was　tired　of

travelling　and　wanted　to　come　to　Natal　to　rest。　The　second　was　that　on

the　night　when　the　old　woman　finished　telling　me　her　story；　she　was

taken　sick　and　died；　and　therefore　it　would　have　been　no　use　to　bring

you　to　see　her。　So　I　saved　it　up　in　my　head　until　it　was　wanted。

Moreover；　Baas；　all　the　Mazitu　declared　that　old　woman　to　be　the

greatest　of　liars。〃



〃She　was　not　altogether　a　liar；　Hans。　Hear　what　I　have　learned；〃　and　I

told　him　of　the　magic　of　Har？t　and　Mar？t　and　of　the　picture　that　I　had

seemed　to　see　of　the　elephant　Jana　and　of　the　prayer　that　Har？t　and

Mar？t　had　made　to　me；　to　all　of　which　he　listened　quite　stolidly。　It

is　not　easy　to　astonish　a　Hottentot's　brain；　which　often　draws　no

accurate　dividing…line　between　the　possible　and　what　the　modern　world

holds　to　be　impossible。



〃Yes；　Baas；〃　he　said　when　I　had　finished；　〃then　it　seems　that　the　old

woman　was　not　such　a　liar　after　all。　Baas；　when　shall　we　start　after

that　hoard　of　dead　ivory；　and　which　way　will　you　go？　By　Kilwa　or

through　Zululand？　It　should　be　settled　soon　because　of　the　seasons。〃



After　this　we　talked　together　for　a　long　while；　for　with　pockets　as

empty　as　mine　were　then；　the　problem　seemed　difficult；　if　not

insoluble。







CHAPTER　VII



LORD　RAGNALL'S　STORY



That　night　Hans　slept　at　my　house；　or　rather　outside　of　it　in　the

garden；　or　upon　the　stoep；　saying　that　he　feared　arrest　if　he　went　to

the　town；　because　of　his　quarrel　with　the　white　man。　As　it　happened；

however；　the　other　party　concerned　never　stirred　further　in　the

business；　probably　because　he　was　too　drunk　to　remember　who　had

knocked　him　into　the　sluit　or　whether　he　had　gravitated　thither　by

accident。



On　the　following　morning　we　renewed　our　discussion；　debating　in　detail

every　possible　method　of　reaching　the　Kendah　people　by　help　of　such

means　as　we　could　command。　Like　that　of　the　previous　night　it　proved

somewhat　abortive。　Obviously　such　a　long　and　hazardous　expedition

ought　to　be　properly　financed　andwhere　was　the　money？　At　length　I

came　to　the　conclusion　that　if　we　went　at　all　it　would　be　best；　in　the

circumstances；　for　Hans　and　myself　to　start　alone　with　a　Scotch　cart

drawn　by　oxen　and　driven　by　a　couple　of　Zulu　hunters；　which　we　could

lade　with　ammunition　and　a　few　necessaries。



Thus　lightly　equipped　we　might　work　through　Zululand　and　thence

northward　to　Beza…Town；　the　capital　of　the　Mazitu；　where　we　were　sure

of　a　welcome。　After　that　we　must　take　our　chance。　It　was　probable　that

we　should　never　reach　the　district　where　these　Kendah　were　supposed　to

dwell；　but　at　least　I　might　be　able　to　kill　some　elephants　in　the　wild

country　beyond　Zululand。



While　we　were　talking　I　heard　the　gun　fired　which　announced　the

arrival　of　the　English　mail；　and　stepping　to　the　end　of　the　garden；

saw　the　steamer　lying　at　anchor　outside　the　bar。　Then　I　went　indoors

to　write　a　few　business　letters　which；　since　I　had　become　immersed　in

the　affairs　of　that　unlucky　gold　mine；　had　grown　to　be　almost　a　daily

task　with　me。　I　had　got　through　several　with　many　groanings；　for　none

were　agreeable　in　their　tenor；　when　Hans　poked　his　head　through　the

window　in　a　silent　kind　of　a　way　as　a　big　snake　might　do；　and　said：

〃Baas；　I　think　there　are　two　baases　out　on　the　road　there　who　are

looking　for　you。　Very　fine　baases　whom　I　don't　know。〃



〃Shareholders　in　the　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　then

added　as　I　prepared　to　leave　through　the　back　door：　〃If　they　come　here

tell　them　I　am　not　at　home。　Tell　them　I　left　early　this　morning　for

the　Congo　River　to　look　for　the　sources　of　the　Nile。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；〃　said　Hans；　collapsing　on　to　the　stoep。



I　went　out　through　the　back　door；　sorrowing　that　I；　Allan　Quatermain；

should　have　reached　a　rung　in　the　ladder　of　life　whence　I　shrank　from

looking　any　stranger　in　the　face；　for　fear　of　what　he　might　have　to

say　to　me。　Then　suddenly　my　pride　asserted　itself。　After　all　what　was

there　of　which　I　should　be　ashamed？　I　would　face　these　irate

shareholders　as　I　had　faced　the　others　yesterday。



I　walked　round　the　little　house　to　the　front　garden　which　was　planted

with　orange　trees；　and　up　to　a　big　moonflower　bush；　I　believe　/datura/

is　its　right　name；　that　grew　near　the　pomegranate　hedge　which

separated　my　domain　from　the　road。　There　a　conversation　was　in

progress；　if　so　it　may　be　called。



〃/Ikona/〃　（that　is：　〃I　don't　know〃）；　〃/Inkoosi/〃　（i。e。　〃Chief〃）；　said

some　Kafir　in　a　stupid　drawl。



Thereon　a　voice　that　instantly　struck　me　as　familiar；　answered：



〃We　want　to　know　where　the　great　hunter　lives。〃



〃/Ikona/；〃　said　the　Kafir。



〃Can't　you　remember　his　native　name？〃　asked　another　voice　which　was

also　familiar　to　me；　for　I　never　forget　voices　though　I　am　unable　to

place　them　at　once。



〃The　great　hunter；　Here…come…a…zany；〃　said　the　first　voice

triumphantly；　and　instantly　there　flashed　back　upon　my　mind　a　vision

of　the　splendid　drawing…room　at　Ragnall　Castle　and　of　an　imposing

majordomo　introducing　into　it　two　white…robed；　Arab…looking　men。



〃Mr。　Savage；　by　the　Heavens！〃　I　muttered。　〃What　in　the　name　of

goodness　is　he　doing　here？〃



〃There；〃　said　the　second　voice；　〃your　black　friend　has　bolted；　and　no

wonder；　for　who　can　be　called　by　such　a　name？　If　you　had　done　what　I

told　you；　Savage；　and　hired　a　white　guide；　it　would　have　saved　us　a

lot　of　trouble。　Why　will　you　always　think　that　you　know　better　than

anyone　else？〃



〃Seemed　an　unnecessary　expense；　my　lord；　considering　we　are　travelling

incog。；　my　lord。〃



〃How　long　shall　we　travel　'incog。'　if　you　persist　in　calling　me　my

lord　at　the　top　of　your　voice；　Savage？　There　is　a　house　beyond　those

trees；　go　in　and　ask　where〃



By　this　time　I　had　reached　the　gate　which　I　opened；　remarking　quietly；



〃How　do　you　do；　Lord　Ragnall？　How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Savage？　I　thought

that　I　recognized　your　voices　on　the　road　and　came　to　see　if　I　was

right。　Please　walk　in；　that　is；　if　it　is　I　whom　you　wish　to　visit。〃



As　I　spoke　I　studied　them　both；　and　observed　that　while　Savage　looked

much　the　same；　although　slightly　out　of　place　in　these　strange

surroundings；　the　time　that　had　passed　since　we　met　had　changed　Lord

Ragnall　a　good　deal。　He　was　still　a　magnificent…looking　man；　one　of

those　whom　no　one　that　had　seen　him　would　ever　forget；　but　now　his

handsome　face　was　stamped　with　some　new　seal　of　suffering。　I　felt　at

once　that　he　had　become　acquainted　with　grief。　The　shadow　in　his　dark

eyes　and　a　certain　worn　expression　about　the　mouth　told　me　that　this

was　so。



〃Yes；　Quatermain；〃　he　said　as　he　took　my　hand；　〃it　is　you　whom　I　have

travelled　seven　thousand　miles　to　visit；　and　I　thank　God　that　I　have

been　so　fortunate　as　to　find　you。　I　feared　lest　you　might　be　dead；　or

perhaps　far　away　in　the　centre　of　Africa　where　I　should　never　be　able

to　track　you　down。〃



〃A　week　later　perhaps　you　would　not　have　found　me；　Lord　Ragnall；〃　I

answered；　〃but　as　it　happens　misfortune　has　kept　me　here。〃



〃And　misfortune　has　brought　me　here；　Quatermain。〃



Then　before　I　had　time　to　answer　Savage　came　up　and　we　went　into　the

house。



〃You　are　just　in　time　for　lunch；〃　I　said；　〃and　as　luck　will　have　it

there　is　a　good　rock　cod　and　a　leg　of　oribé　buck　for　you　to　eat。　Boy；

set　two　more　places。〃



〃One　more　place；　if　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Savage。　〃I　should　prefer　to

take　my　food　afterwards。〃



〃You　will　have　to　get　over　that　in　Africa；〃　I　muttered。　Still　I　let

him　have　his　way；　with　the　result　that　presently　the　strange　sight　was

seen　of　the　magnificent　English　majordomo　standing　behind　my　chair　in

the　little　room　and　handing　round　the　square…face　as　though　it　were

champagne。　It　was　a　spectacle　that　excited　the　greatest　interest　in　my

primitive　establishment　and　caused　Hans　with　some　native　hangers…on　to

gather　at　the　window。　However；　Lord　Ragnall　took　it　as　a　matter　of

course　and　I　thought　it　better　not　to　interfere。



When　we　had　finished　we　went　on　to　the　stoep　to　smoke；　leaving　Savage

to　eat　his　dinner；　and　I　asked　Lord　Ragnall　where　his　luggage　was。　He

replied　that　he　had　left　it　at　the　Customs。　〃Then；〃　I　said；　〃I　will

send　a　native　with　Savage　to　arrange　about　getting　it　up　here。　If　you

do　not　mind　my　rough　accommodation　there　is　a　room　for　you；　and　your

man　can　pitch　a　tent　in　the　garden。〃



After　some　demur　he　accepted　with　gratitude；　and　a　little　later　Savage

and　the　native　were　sent　off　with　a　note　to　a　man　who　hired　out　a

mule…cart。



〃Now；〃　I　said　when　the　gate　had　shut　behind　them；　〃will　you　tell　me

why　you　have　come　to　Africa？〃



〃Disaster；〃　he　replied。　〃Disaster　of　the　worst　sort。〃



〃Is　your　wife　dead；　Lord　Ragnall？〃



〃I　do　not　know。　I　almost　hope　that　she　is。　At　any　rate　she　is　lost　to

me。〃



An　idea　leapt　to　my　mind　to　the　effect　that　she　might　have　run　away

with　somebody　else；　a　thing　which　often　happens　in　the　world。　But

fortunately　I　kept　it　to　myself　and　only　said；



〃She　was　nearly　lost　once　before；　was　she　not？〃



〃Yes；　when　you　saved　her。　Oh！　if　only　you　had　been　with　us；

Quatermain；　this　would　never　have　happened。　Listen：　About　eighteen

months　ago　she　had　a　son；　a　ve