the ivory child-第19章

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the　Scotch　cart；　Lord　Ragnall　and　I　continued　our　conversation。　First；

however；　we　unpacked　the　guns　and　checked　the　ammunition；　of　which

there　was　a　large　supply；　with　more　to　follow。



A　beautiful　battery　they　were　of　all　sorts　from　elephant　guns　down；

the　most　costly　and　best　finished　that　money　could　buy　at　the　time。　It

made　me　shiver　to　think　what　the　bill　for　them　must　have　been；　while

their　appearance　when　they　were　put　together　and　stood　in　a　long　line

against　the　wall　of　my　sitting…room；　moved　old　Hans　to　a　kind　of

ecstasy。　For　a　long　while　he　contemplated　them；　patting　the　stocks　one

after　the　other　and　giving　to　each　a　name　as　though　they　were　all

alive；　then　exclaimed：



〃With　such　weapons　as　these　the　Baas　could　kill　the　devil　himself。

Still；　let　the　Baas　bring　Intombi　with　him〃a　favourite　old　rifle　of

mine　and　a　mere　toy　in　size；　that　had　however　done　me　good　service　in

the　past；　as　those　who　have　read　what　I　have　written　in　〃Marie〃　and

〃The　Holy　Flower〃　may　remember。　〃For；　Baas；　after　all；　the　wife　of

one's　youth　often　proves　more　to　be　trusted　than　the　fine　young　ones　a

man　buys　in　his　age。　Also　one　knows　all　her　faults；　but　who　can　say

how　many　there　may　be　hidden　up　in　new　women　however　beautifully　they

are　tattooed？〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　elaborate　engraving　upon　the

guns。



I　translated　this　speech　to　Lord　Ragnall。　It　made　him　laugh；　at　which

I　was　glad　for　up　till　then　I　had　not　seen　him　even　smile。　I　should

add　that　in　addition　to　these　sporting　weapons　there　were　no　fewer

than　fifty　military　rifles　of　the　best　make；　they　were　large…bore

Sniders　that　had　just　then　been　put　upon　the　market；　and　with　them；

packed　in　tin　cases；　a　great　quantity　of　ammunition。　Although　the

regulations　were　not　so　strict　then　as　they　are　now；　I　met　with　a

great　deal　of　difficulty　in　getting　all　this　armament　through　the

Customs。　Lord　Ragnall　however　had　letters　from　the　Colonial　Office　to

such　authorities　as　ruled　in　Natal；　and　on　our　giving　a　joint

undertaking　that　they　were　for　defensive　purposes　only　in　unexplored

territory　and　not　for　sale；　they　were　allowed　through。　Fortunate　did

it　prove　for　us　in　after　days　that　this　matter　was　arranged。



That　night　before　we　went　to　bed　I　narrated　to　Lord　Ragnall　all　the

history　of　our　search　for　the　Holy　Flower；　which　he　seemed　to　find

very　entertaining。　Also　I　told　him　of　my　adventures；　to　me　far　more

terrible；　as　chairman　of　the　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine　and　of　their

melancholy　end。



〃The　lesson　of　which　is；〃　he　remarked　when　I　had　finished；　〃that

because　a　man　is　master　of　one　trade；　it　does　not　follow　that　he　is

master　of　another。　You　are；　I　should　judge；　one　of　the　finest　shots　in

the　world；　you　are　also　a　great　hunter　and　explorer。　But　when　it　comes

to　companies；　Quatermain！　Still；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　ought　to　be

grateful　to　that　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine；　since　I　gather　that　had　it　not

been　for　it　and　for　your　rascally　friend；　Mr。　Jacob；　I　should　not　have

found　you　here。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃it　is　probable　that　you　would　not；　as　by　this　time

I　might　have　been　far　in　the　interior　where　a　man　cannot　be　traced　and

letters　do　not　reach　him。〃



Then　he　made　a　few　pointed　inquiries　about　the　affairs　of　the　mine；

noting　my　answers　down　in　his　pocket…book。　I　thought　this　odd　but

concluded　that　he　wished　to　verify　my　statements　before　entering　into

a　close　companionship　with　me；　since　for　aught　he　knew　I　might　be　the

largest　liar　in　the　world　and　a　swindler　to　boot。　So　I　said　nothing；

even　when　I　heard　through　a　roundabout　channel　on　the　morrow　that　he

had　sought　an　interview　with　the　late　secretary　of　the　defunct

company。



A　few　days　later；　for　I　may　as　well　finish　with　this　matter　at　once；

the　astonishing　object　of　these　inquiries　was　made　clear　to　me。　One

morning　I　found　upon　my　table　a　whole　pile　of　correspondence；　at　the

sight　of　which　I　groaned；　feeling　sure　that　it　must　come　from　duns　and

be　connected　with　that　infernal　mine。　Curiosity　and　a　desire　to　face

the　worst；　however；　led　me　to　open　the　first　letter　which　as　it

happened　proved　to　be　from　that　very　shareholder　who　had　proposed　a

vote　of　confidence　in　me　at　the　winding…up　meeting。　By　the　time　that

it　was　finished　my　eyes　were　swimming　and　really　I　felt　quite　faint。

It　ran：



　〃Honoured　Sir；I　knew　that　I　was　putting　my　money　on　the　right

　　horse　when　I　said　the　other　day　that　you　were　one　of　the

　　straightest　that　ever　ran。　Well；　I　have　got　the　cheque　sent　me　by

　　the　lawyer　on　your　account；　being　payment　in　full　for　every

　　farthing　I　invested　in　the　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine；　and　I　can　only　say

　　that　it　is　uncommonly　useful；　for　that　business　had　pretty　well

　　cleaned　me　out。　God　bless　you；　Mr。　Quatermain。〃



I　opened　another　letter；　and　another；　and　another。　They　were　all　to

the　same　effect。　Bewildered　I　went　on　to　the　stoep；　where　I　found　Hans

with　an　epistle　in　his　hand　which　he　requested　me　to　be　good　enough　to

read。　I　read　it。　It　was　from　a　well…known　firm　of　local　lawyers　and

said：



　〃On　behalf　of　Allan　Quatermain；　Esq。；　we　beg　to　enclose　a　draft　for

　　the　sum　of　￡650；　being　the　value　of　the　interest　in　the　Bona　Fide

　　Gold　Company；　Limited　（in　liquidation）；　which　stands　in　your　name

　　on　the　books　of　the　company。　Please　sign　enclosed　receipt　and

　　return　same　to　us。〃



Yes；　and　there　was　the　draft　for　￡650　sterling！



I　explained　the　matter　to　Hans；　or　rather　I　translated　the　document；

adding：



〃You　see　you　have　got　your　money　back　again。　But　Hans；　I　never　sent

it；　I　don't　know　where　it　comes　from。〃



〃Is　it　money；　Baas？〃　asked　Hans；　surveying　the　draft　with　suspicion。

〃It　looks　very　much　like　the　other　bit　of　paper　for　which　I　paid

money。〃



Again　I　explained；　reiterating　that　I　knew　nothing　of　the　transaction。



〃Well；　Baas；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　did　not　send　it　someone　didperhaps

your　father　the　reverend　Predikant；　who　sees　that　you　are　in　trouble

and　wishes　to　wash　your　name　white　again。　Meanwhile；　Baas；　please　put

that　bit　of　paper　in　your　pocket…book　and　keep　it　for　me；　for

otherwise　I　might　be　tempted　to　buy　square…face　with　it。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃you　can　now　buy　your　land　back；　or　some　other　land；

and　there　will　be　no　need　for　you　to　come　with　me　to　the　country　of

the　Kendah。〃



Hans　thought　a　moment　and　then　very　deliberately　began　to　tear　up　the

draft；　indeed　I　was　only　just　in　time　to　save　it　from　destruction。



〃If　the　Baas　is　going　to　turn　me　off　because　of　this　paper；〃　he　said；

〃I　will　make　it　small　and　eat　it。〃



〃You　silly　old　fool；〃　I　said　as　I　possessed　myself　of　the　cheque。



Then　the　conversation　was　interrupted；　for　who　should　appear　but

Sammy；　my　old　cook；　who　began　in　his　pompous　language：



〃The　perfect　rectitude　of　your　conduct；　Mr。　Quatermain；　moves　me　to

the　deepest　gratitude；　though　indeed　I　wish　that　I　had　put　something

into　the　food　of　the　knave　Jacob　who　beguiled　us　all；　that　would　have

caused　him　internal　pangs　of　a　severe　if　not　of　a　dangerous　order。　My

holding　in　the　gold　mine　was　not　extensive；　but　the　unpaid　bill　of　the

said　Jacob　and　his　friends〃



Here　I　cut　him　short　and　fled；　since　I　saw　yet　another　shareholder

galloping　to　the　gate；　and　behind　him　two　more　in　a　spider。　First　I

took　refuge　in　my　room；　my　idea　being　to　put　away　that　pile　of

letters。　In　so　doing　I　observed　that　there　was　one　still　unopened。

Half　mechanically　I　took　it　from　the　envelope　and　glanced　at　its

contents。　They　were　word　for　word　identical　with　those　of　that

addressed　to　〃Mr。　Hans；　Hottentot；〃　only　my　name　was　at　the　bottom　of

it　instead　of　that　of　Hans　and　the　cheque　was　for　￡1；500；　the　amount　I

had　paid　for　the　shares　I　held　in　the　venture。



Feeling　as　though　my　brain　were　in　a　melting…pot；　I　departed　from　the

house　into　a　patch　of　native　bush　that　in　those　days　still　grew　upon

the　slope　of　the　hill　behind。　Here　I　sat　myself　down；　as　I　had　often

done　before　when　there　was　a　knotty　point　to　be　considered；　aimlessly

watching　a　lovely　emerald　cuckoo　flashing；　a　jewel　of　light；　from　tree

to　tree；　while　I　turned　all　this　fairy…godmother　business　over　in　my

mind。



Of　course　it　soon　became　clear　to　me。　Lord　Ragnall　in　this　case　was

the　little　old　lady　with　the　wand；　the　touch　of　which　could　convert

worthless　share　certificates　into　bank…notes　of　their　face　value。　I

remembered　now　that　his　wealth　was　said　to　be　phenomenal　and　after　all

the　cash　capital　of　the　company　was　quite　small。　But　the　question　was

could　I　accept　his　bounty？



I　returned　to　the　house　where　the　first　person　whom　I　met　was　Lord

Ragnall　himself；　just　arrived　from　some　interview　about　the　fifty

Snider　rifles；　which　were　still　in　bond。　I　told　him　solemnly　that　I

wished　to　speak　to　him；　whereon　he　remarked　in　a　cheerful　voice；



〃Advance；　friend；　and　all's　well！〃



I　don't　know　that　I　need　set　out　the　details　of　the　interview。　He

waited　till　I　had　got　through　my　halting　speech　of　mingled　gratitude

and　expostulation；　then　remarked：



〃My　friend；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　you　so；　it　is　quite　true　that

I　have　done　this　because　I　wished　to　do　it。　But　it　is　equally　true

that　to　me　it　is　a　small　thingto　be　frank；　scarcely　a　month's

income；　what　I　have　saved　travelling　on　that　ship　to　Natal　would　pay

for　it　all。　Also　I　have　weighed　my　own　interest　in　the　matter；　for　I

am　anxious　that　you　should　start　upon　this　hazardous　journey　of　ours

up　country　with　a　mind　absolutely　free　from　self…reproach　or　any　money

care；　for　thus　you　will　be　able　to　do　me　better　service。　Therefore　I

beg　that　you　will　say　no　more　of　the　episode。　I　have　only　one　thing　to

add；　namely　that　I　have　myself　bought　up　at　par　value　a　few　of　the

debentures。　The　price　of　them　will　pay　the　lawyers　and　the　liquidation

fees；　moreover　they　give　me　a　status　as　a　shareholder　which　will

enable　me　to　sue　Mr。　Jacob　for　his　fraud；　to　which　business　I　have

already　issued　instructions。　For　please　understand　that　I　have　not

paid　off　any　shares　still　standing　in　his　name　or　in　those　of　his

friends。〃



Here　I　may　add　that　nothing　ever　came　of　this　action；　for　the　lawyers

found　themselves　unable　to　serve　any　writ　upon　that　elusive　person；

Mr。　Jacob；　who　by　then　had　probably　adopted　the　name　of　some　other

patriarch。



〃Please　put　it　all　down　as　a　rich　man's　whim；〃　he　concluded。



〃I　can't　call　that　a　whim　which　has　returned　￡1；500　odd　to　my　pocket

that　I　had　lost　upon　a　gamble；　Lord　Ragnall。〃



〃Do　you　remember；　Quatermain；　how　you　won　￡250　upon　a　gamble　at　my

place　and　what　you　did　with　it；　which　sum　probably　represented　to　you

twenty　or　fifty　times　what　it　would　to　me？　Also　if　that　argument　does

not　appeal　to　you；　may　I　remark　that　I　do　not　expect　you　to　give　me

your　services　as　a　professional　hunter　and　guide　for　nothing。〃



〃Ah！〃　I　answered；　fixing　on　this　point　and　ignoring　the　rest；　〃now　we

come　to　business。　If　I　may　look　upon　this　amount　as