the ivory child-第20章

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

come　to　business。　If　I　may　look　upon　this　amount　as　salary；　a　very

handsome　salary　by　the　way；　paid　in　advance；　you　taking　the　risks　of

my　dying　or　becoming　incapacitated　before　it　is　earned；　I　will　say　no

more　of　the　matter。　If　not　I　must　refuse　to　accept　what　is　an　unearned

gift。〃



〃I　confess；　Quatermain；　that　I　did　not　regard　it　in　that　light；　though

I　might　have　been　willing　to　call　it　a　retaining　fee。　However；　do　not

let　us　wrangle　about　money　any　more。　We　can　always　settle　our　accounts

when　the　bill　is　added　up；　if　ever　we　reach　so　far。　Now　let　us　come　to

more　important　details。〃



So　we　fell　to　discussing　the　scheme；　route　and　details　of　our　proposed

journey。　Expenditure　being　practically　no　object；　there　were　several

plans　open　to　us。　We　might　sail　up　the　coast　and　go　by　Kilwa；　as　I　had

done　on　the　search　for　the　Holy　Flower；　or　we　might　retrace　the　line

of　our　retreat　from　the　Mazitu　country　which　ran　through　Zululand。

Again；　we　might　advance　by　whatever　road　we　selected　with　a　small　army

of　drilled　and　disciplined　retainers；　trusting　to　force　to　break　a　way

through　to　the　Kendah。　Or　we　might　go　practically　unaccompanied；

relying　on　our　native　wit　and　good　fortune　to　attain　our　ends。　Each　of

these　alternatives　had　so　much　to　recommend　it　and　yet　presented　so

many　difficulties；　that　after　long　hours　of　discussion；　for　this　talk

was　renewed　again　and　again；　I　found　it　quite　impossible　to　decide

upon　any　one　of　them；　especially　as　in　the　end　Lord　Ragnall　always

left　the　choice　with　its　heavy　responsibilities　to　me。



At　length　in　despair　I　opened　the　window　and　whistled　twice　on　a

certain　low　note。　A　minute　later　Hans　shuffled　in；　shaking　the　wet　off

the　new　corduroy　clothes　which　he　had　bought　upon　the　strength　of　his

return　to　affluence；　for　it　was　raining　outside；　and　squatted　himself

down　upon　the　floor　at　a　little　distance。　In　the　shadow　of　the　table

which　cut　off　the　light　from　the　hanging　lamp　he　looked；　I　remember；

exactly　like　an　enormous　and　antique　toad。　I　threw　him　a　piece　of

tobacco　which　he　thrust　into　his　corn…cob　pipe　and　lit　with　a　match。



〃The　Baas　called　me；〃　he　said　when　it　was　drawing　to　his　satisfaction；

〃what　does　Baas　want　of　Hans？〃



〃Light　in　darkness！〃　I　replied；　playing　on　his　native　name；　and

proceeded　to　set　out　the　whole　case　to　him。



He　listened　without　a　word；　then　asked　for　a　small　glass　of　gin；　which

I　gave　him　doubtfully。　Having　swallowed　this　at　a　gulp　as　though　it

were　water；　he　delivered　himself　briefly　to　this　effect：



〃I　think　the　Baas　will　do　well　not　to　go　to　Kilwa；　since　it　means

waiting　for　a　ship；　or　hiring　one；　also　there　may　be　more　slave…

traders　there　by　now　who　will　bear　him　no　love　because　of　a　lesson　he

taught　them　a　while　ago。　On　the　other　hand　the　road　through　Zululand

is　open；　though　it　be　long；　and　there　the　name　of　Macumazana　is　one

well　known。　I　think　also　that　the　Baas　would　do　well　not　to　take　too

many　men；　who　make　marching　slow；　only　a　wagon　or　two　and　some　drivers

which　might　be　sent　back　when　they　can　go　no　farther。　From　Zululand

messengers　can　be　dispatched　to　the　Mazitu；　who　love　you；　and　Bausi　or

whoever　is　king　there　to…day　will　order　bearers　to　meet　us　on　the

road；　until　which　time　we　can　hire　other　bearers　in　Zululand。　The　old

woman　at　Beza…Town　told　me；　moreover；　as　you　will　remember；　that　the

Kendah　are　a　very　great　people　who　live　by　themselves　and　will　allow

none　to　enter　their　land；　which　is　bordered　by　deserts。　Therefore　no

force　that　you　could　take　with　you　and　feed　upon　a　road　without　water

would　be　strong　enough　to　knock　down　their　gates　like　an　elephant；　and

it　seems　better　that　you　should　try　to　creep　through　them　like　a　wise

snake；　although　they　appear　to　be　shut　in　your　face。　Perhaps　also　they

will　not　be　shut　since　did　you　not　say　that　two　of　their　great　doctors

promised　to　meet　you　and　guide　you　through　them？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　interrupted；　〃I　dare　say　it　will　be　easier　to　get　in　than　to

get　out　of　Kendahland。〃



〃Last　of　all；　Baas；　if　you　take　many　men　armed　with　guns；　the　black

part　of　the　Kendah　people　of　whom　I　told　you　will　perhaps　think　you

come　to　make　war；　whatever　the　white　Kendah　may　say；　and　kill　us　all；

whereas　if　we　be　but　a　few　perchance　they　will　let　us　pass　in　peace。　I

think　that　is　all；　Baas。　Let　the　Baas　and　the　Lord　Igeza　forgive　me　if

my　words　are　foolish。〃



Here　I　should　explain　that　〃Igeza〃　was　the　name　which　the　natives　had

given　to　Lord　Ragnall　because　of　his　appearance。　The　word　means　a

handsome　person　in　the　Zulu　tongue。　Savage　they　called　〃Bena；〃　I　don't

know　why。　〃Bena〃　in　Zulu　means　to　push　out　the　breast　and　it　may　be

that　the　name　was　a　round…about　allusion　to　the　proud　appearance　of

the　dignified　Savage；　or　possibly　it　had　some　other　recondite

signification。　At　any　rate　Lord　Ragnall；　Hans　and　myself　knew　the

splendid　Savage　thenceforward　by　the　homely　appellation　of　Beans。　His

master　said　it　suited　him　very　well　because　he　was　so　green。



〃The　advice　seems　wise；　Hans。　Go　now。　No；　no　more　gin；〃　I　answered。



As　a　matter　of　fact　careful　consideration　convinced　us　it　was　so　wise

that　we　acted　on　it　down　to　the　last　detail。







So　it　came　about　that　one　fine　afternoon　about　a　fortnight　later；　for

hurry　as　we　would　our　preparations　took　a　little　time；　we　trekked　for

Zululand　over　the　sandy　roads　that　ran　from　the　outskirts　of　Durban。

Our　baggage　and　stores　were　stowed　in　two　half…tented　wagons；　very

good　wagons　since　everything　we　had　with　us　was　the　best　that　money

could　buy；　the　after…part　of　which　served　us　as　sleeping…places　at

night。　Hans　sat　on　the　/voor…kisse/　or　driving…seat　of　one　of　the

wagons；　Lord　Ragnall；　Savage　and　I　were　mounted　upon　〃salted〃　horses；

that　is；　horses　which　had　recovered　from　and　were　therefore　supposed

to　be　proof　against　the　dreadful　sickness；　valuable　and　docile　animals

which　were　trained　to　shooting。



At　our　start　a　little　contretemps　occurred。　To　my　amazement　I　saw

Savage；　who　insisted　upon　continuing　to　wear　his　funereal　upper

servant's　cut…away　coat；　engaged　with　grim　determination　in　mounting

his　steed　from　the　wrong　side。　He　got　into　the　saddle　somehow；　but

there　was　worse　to　follow。　The　horse；　astonished　at　such　treatment；

bolted　a　little　way；　Savage　sawing　at　its　mouth。　Lord　Ragnall　and　I

cantered　after　it　past　the　wagons；　fearing　disaster。　All　of　a　sudden

it　swerved　violently　and　Savage　flew　into　the　air；　landing　heavily　in

a　sitting　posture。



〃Poor　Beans！〃　ejaculated　Lord　Ragnall　as　we　sped　forward。　〃I　expect

there　is　an　end　of　his　journeyings。〃



To　our　surprise；　however；　we　saw　him　leap　from　the　ground　with　the

most　marvellous　agility　and　begin　to　dance　about　slapping　at　his

posterior　parts　and　shouting；



〃Take　it　off！　Kill　it！〃



A　few　seconds　later　we　discovered　the　reason。　The　horse　had　shied　at　a

sleeping　puff　adder　which　was　curled　up　in　the　sand　of　that　little

frequented　road；　and　on　this　puff　adder　Savage　had　descended　with　so

much　force；　for　he　weighed　thirteen　stone；　that　the　creature　was

squashed　quite　flat　and　never　stirred　again。　This；　however；　he　did　not

notice　in　his　agitation；　being　convinced　indeed　that　it　was　hanging　to

him　behind　like　a　bulldog。



〃Snakes！　my　lord；〃　he　exclaimed；　when　at　last　after　careful　search　we

demonstrated　to　him　that　the　adder　had　died　before　it　could　come　into

action。



〃I　hate　'em；　my　lord；　and　they　haunts〃　（he　said　'aunts）　〃me。　If　ever　I

get　out　of　this　I'll　go　and　live　in　Ireland；　my　lord；　where　they　say

there　ain't　none。　But　it　isn't　likely　that　I　shall；〃　he　added

mournfully；　〃for　the　omen　is　horrid。〃



〃On　the　contrary；〃　I　answered；　〃it　is　splendid；　for　you　have　killed

the　snake　and　not　the　snake　you。　'The　dog　it　was　that　died；'　Savage。〃



After　this　the　Kafirs　gave　Savage　a　second　very　long　name　which　meant

〃He…who…sits…down…on…snakes…and…makes…them…flat。〃　Having　remounted　him

on　his　horse；　which　was　standing　patiently　a　few　yards　away；　at　length

we　got　off。　I　lingered　a　minute　behind　the　others　to　give　some

directions　to　my　old　Griqua　gardener；　Jack；　who　snivelled　at　parting

with　me；　and　to　take　a　last　look　at　my　little　home。　Alack！　I　feared　it

might　be　the　last　indeed；　knowing　as　I　did　that　this　was　a　dangerous

enterprise　upon　which　I　found　myself　embarked；　I　who　had　vowed　that　I

would　be　done　with　danger。



With　a　lump　in　my　throat　I　turned　from　the　contemplation　of　that

peaceful　dwelling　and　happy　garden　in　which　each　tree　and　plant　was

dear　to　me；　and　waving　a　good…bye　to　Jack；　cantered　on　to　where

Ragnall　was　waiting　for　me。



〃I　am　afraid　this　is　rather　a　sad　hour　for　you；　who　are　leaving　your

little　boy　and　your　home；〃　he　said　gently；　〃to　face　unknown　perils。〃



〃Not　so　sad　as　others　I　have　passed；〃　I　answered；　〃and　perils　are　my

daily　bread　in　every　sense　of　the　word。　Moreover；　whatever　it　is　for

me　it　is　for　you　also。〃



〃No；　Quatermain。　For　me　it　is　an　hour　of　hope；　a　faint　hope；　I　admit；

but　the　only　one　left；　for　the　letters　I　got　last　night　from　Egypt　and

England　report　that　no　clue　whatsoever　has　been　found；　and　indeed　that

the　search　for　any　has　been　abandoned。　Yes；　I　follow　the　last　star

left　in　my　sky　and　if　it　sets　I　hope　that　I　may　set　also；　at　any　rate

to　this　world。　Therefore　I　am　happier　than　I　have　been　for　months；

thanks　to　you；〃　and　he　stretched　out　his　hand；　which　I　shook。



It　was　a　token　of　friendship　and　mutual　confidence　which　I　am　glad　to

say　nothing　that　happened　afterwards　ever　disturbed　for　a　moment。







CHAPTER　IX



THE　MEETING　IN　THE　DESERT



Now　I　do　not　propose　to　describe　all　our　journey　to　Kendahland；　or　at

any　rate　the　first　part　thereof。　It　was　interesting　enough　in　its　way

and　we　met　with　a　few　hunting　adventures；　also　some　others。　But　there

is　so　much　to　tell　of　what　happened　to　us　after　we　reached　the　place

that　I　have　not　the　time；　even　if　I　had　the　inclination　to　set　all

these　matters　down。　Let　it　be　sufficient；　then；　to　say　that　although

owing　to　political　events　the　country　happened　to　be　rather　disturbed

at　the　time；　we　trekked　through　Zululand　without　any　great　difficulty。

For　here　my　name　was　a　power　in　the　land　and　all　parties　united　to

help　me。　Thence；　too；　I　managed　to　dispatch　three　messengers；　half…

bred　border　men；　lean　fellows　and　swift　of　foot；　forward　to　the　king

of　the　Mazitu；　as　Hans　had　suggested　that　I　should　do；　advising　him

that　his　old　friends；　Macumazana；　Watcher…by…Night；　and　the　yellow　man

who　was　named　Light…in…Darkness　and　Lord…of…the…Fire；　were　about　to

visit　him　again。



As　I　knew　we　could　not　take　the　wagons　beyond　a　certain　point　where

there　was　a　river　called　the　Luba；　unfordable　by　anything　on　wheels；　I

requested　him；　moreover；　to　send　a　hundred　bearers　with　whatever

escort　might　be　necessary；　to　meet　us　on　the　banks