the ivory child-第24章

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In　the　morning；　after　you　have　eaten；　we　will　return　again　unarmed　and

alone。〃



Then　like　shadows　they　slipped　away。







CHAPTER　X



CHARGE！



Ten　minutes　later　the　truth　was　known　and　every　man　in　the　camp　was　up

and　armed。　At　first　there　were　some　signs　of　panic；　but　these　with　the

help　of　Babemba　we　managed　to　control；　setting　the　men　to　make　the

best　preparations　for　defence　that　circumstances　would　allow；　and　thus

occupying　their　minds。　For　from　the　first　we　saw　that；　except　for　the

three　of　us　who　had　horses；　escape　was　impossible。　That　great　camel

corps　could　catch　us　within　a　mile。



Leaving　old　Babemba　in　charge　of　his　soldiers；　we　three　white　men　and

Hans　held　a　council　at　which　I　repeated　every　word　that　had　passed

between　Har？t　and　Mar？t　and　myself；　including　their　absolute　denial　of

their　having　had　anything　to　do　with　the　disappearance　of　Lady　Ragnall

on　the　Nile。



〃Now；〃　I　asked；　〃what　is　to　be　done？　My　fate　is　sealed；　since　for

purposes　of　their　own；　of　which　probably　we　know　nothing；　these　people

intend　to　take　me　with　them　to　their　country；　as　indeed　they　are

justified　in　doing；　since　I　have　been　fool　enough　to　keep　a　kind　of

assignation　with　them　here。　But　they　don't　want　anybody　else。

Therefore　there　is　nothing　to　prevent　you　Ragnall；　and　you　Savage；　and

you　Hans；　from　returning　with　the　Mazitu。〃



〃Oh！　Baas；〃　said　Hans；　who　could　understand　English　well　enough

although　he　seldom　spoke　it；　〃why　are　you　always　bothering　me　with

such　/praatjes/？〃（that　is；　chatter）。　〃Whatever　you　do　I　will　do；　and

I　don't　care　what　you　do；　except　for　your　own　sake；　Baas。　If　I　am

going　to　die；　let　me　die；　it　doesn't　at　all　matter　how；　since　I　must

go　soon　and　make　report　to　your　reverend　father；　the　Predikant。　And

now；　Baas；　I　have　been　awake　all　night；　for　I　heard　those　camels

coming　a　long　while　before　the　two　spook　men　appeared；　and　as　I　have

never　heard　camels　before；　could　not　make　out　what　they　were；　for　they

don't　walk　like　giraffes。　So　I　am　going　to　sleep；　Baas；　there　in　the

sun。　When　you　have　settled　things；　you　can　wake　me　up　and　give　me　your

orders；〃　and　he　suited　the　action　to　the　word；　for　when　I　glanced　at

him　again　he　was；　or　appeared　to　be；　slumbering；　just　like　a　dog　at

its　master's　feet。



I　looked　at　Ragnall　in　interrogation。



〃I　am　going　on；〃　he　said　briefly。



〃Despite　the　denial　of　these　men　of　any　complicity　in　your　wife's

fate？〃　I　asked。　〃If　their　words　are　true；　what　have　you　to　gain　by

this　journey；　Ragnall？〃



〃An　interesting　experience　while　it　lasts；　that　is　all。　Like　Hans

there；　if　what　they　say　/is/　true；　my　future　is　a　matter　of　complete

indifference　to　me。　But　I　do　not　believe　a　word　of　what　they　say。

Something　tells　me　that　they　know　a　great　deal　which　they　do　not

choose　to　repeatabout　my　wife　I　mean。　That　is　why　they　are　so

anxious　that　I　should　not　accompany　you。〃



〃You　must　judge　for　yourself；〃　I　answered　doubtfully；　〃and　I　hope　to

Heaven　that　you　are　judging　right。　Now；　Savage；　what　have　you　decided？

Remember　before　you　reply　that　these　uncanny　fellows　declare　that　if

we　four　go；　two　of　us　will　never　return。　It　seems　impossible　that　they

can　read　the　future；　still；　without　doubt；　they　/are/　most　uncanny。〃



〃Sir；〃　said　Savage；　〃I　will　take　my　chance。　Before　I　left　England　his

lordship　made　a　provision　for　my　old　mother　and　my　widowed　sister　and

her　children；　and　I　have　none　other　dependent　upon　me。　Moreover；　I

won't　return　alone　with　those　Mazitu　to　become　a　barbarian；　for　how

could　I　find　my　way　back　to　the　coast　without　anyone　to　guide　me？　So

I'll　go　on　and　leave　the　rest　to　God。〃



〃Which　is　just　what　we　have　all　got　to　do；〃　I　remarked。　〃Well；　as　that

is　settled；　let　us　send　for　Babemba　and　tell　him。〃



This　we　did　accordingly。　The　old　fellow　received　the　news　with　more

resignation　than　I　had　anticipated。　Fixing　his　one　eye　upon　me；　he

said：



〃Macumazana；　these　words　are　what　I　expected　from　you。　Had　any　other

man　spoken　them　I　should　have　declared　that　he　was　quite　mad。　But　I

remember　that　I　said　this　when　you　determined　to　visit　the　Pongo；　and

that　you　came　back　from　their　country　safe　and　sound；　having　done

wonderful　things　there；　and　that　it　was　the　Pongo　who　suffered；　not

you。　So　I　believe　it　will　be　again；　so　far　as　you　are　concerned；

Macumazana；　for　I　think　that　some　devil　goes　with　you　who　looks　after

his　own。　For　the　others　I　do　not　know。　They　must　settle　the　matter

with　their　own　devils；　or　with　those　of　the　Kendah　people。　Now

farewell；　Macumazana；　for　it　comes　to　me　that　we　shall　meet　no　more。

Well；　that　happens　to　all　at　last；　and　it　is　good　to　have　known　you

who　are　so　great　in　your　own　way。　Often　I　shall　think　of　you　as　you

will　think　of　me；　and　hope　that　in　a　country　beyond　that　of　the　Kendah

I　may　hear　from　your　lips　all　that　has　befallen　you　on　this　and　other

journeys。　Now　I　go　to　withdraw　my　men　before　these　white…robed　Arabs

come　on　their　strange　beasts　to　seize　you；　lest　they　should　take　us

also　and　there　should　be　a　fight　in　which　we；　being　the　fewer；　must

die。　The　loads　are　all　in　order　ready　to　be　laden　on　their　strange

beasts。　If　they　declare　that　the　horses　cannot　cross　the　desert；　leave

them　loose　and　we　will　catch　them　and　take　them　home　with　us；　and

since　they　are　male　and　female；　breed　young　ones　from　them　which　shall

be　yours　when　you　send　for　them；　or　Bausi　the　king's　if　you　never

send。　Nay；　I　want　no　more　presents　who　have　the　gun　and　the　powder　and

the　bullets　you　gave　me；　and　the　tusks　of　ivory　for　Bausi　the　king；

and　what　is　best　of　all；　the　memory　of　you　and　of　your　courage　and

wisdom。　May　these　and　the　gods　you　worship　befriend　you。　From　yonder

hill　we　will　watch　till　we　see　that　you　have　gone。　Farewell；〃　and

waiting　for　no　answer；　he　departed　with　the　tears　running　from　his

solitary　eye。



Ten　minutes　later　the　Mazitu　bearers　had　also　saluted　us　and　gone；

leaving　us　seated　in　that　deserted　camp　surrounded　by　our　baggage；　and

so　far　as　I　was　concerned；　feeling　most　lonely。　Another　ten　minutes

went　by　which　we　occupied　in　packing　our　personal　belongings。　Then

Hans；　who　was　now　washing　out　the　coffee　kettle　at　a　little　distance；

looked　up　and　said：



〃Here　come　the　spook…men；　Baas；　the　whole　regiment　of　them。〃　We　ran

and　looked。　It　was　true。　Marshalled　in　orderly　squadrons；　the　camels

with　their　riders　were　sweeping　towards　us；　and　a　fine　sight　the

beasts　made　with　their　swaying　necks　and　long；　lurching　gait。　About

fifty　yards　away　they　halted　just　where　the　stream　from　our　spring

entered　the　desert；　and　there　proceeded　to　water　the　camels；　twenty　of

them　at　a　time。　Two　men；　however；　in　whom　I　recognized　Har？t　and

Mar？t；　walked　forward　and　presently　were　standing　before　us；　bowing

obsequiously。



〃Good　morning；　Lord；〃　said　Har？t　to　Ragnall　in　his　broken　English。　〃So

you　come　with　Macumazana　to　call　at　our　poor　house；　as　we　call　at　your

fine　one　in　England。　You　think　we　got　the　beautiful　lady　you　marry；

she　we　give　old　necklace。　That　is　not　so。　No　white　lady　ever　in

Kendahland。　We　hear　story　from　Macumazana　and　believe　that　lady

drowned　in　Nile；　for　you　'member　she　walk　much　in　her　sleep。　We　very

sorry　for　you；　but　gods　know　their　business。　They　leave　when　they　will

leave；　and　take　when　they　will　take。　You　find　her　again　some　day　more

beautiful　still　and　with　her　soul　come　back。〃



Here　I　looked　at　him　sharply。　I　had　told　him　nothing　about　Lady

Ragnall　having　lost　her　wits。　How　then　did　he　know　of　the　matter？

Still　I　thought　it　best　to　hold　my　peace。　I　think　that　Har？t　saw　he

had　made　some　mistake；　for　leaving　the　subject　of　Lady　Ragnall；　he

went　on：



〃You　very　welcome；　O　Lord；　but　it　right　tell　you　this　most　dangerous

journey；　since　elephant　Jana　not　like　strangers；　and；〃　he　continued

slowly；　〃think　no　elephant　like　your　blood；　and　all　elephants

brothers。　What　one　hate　rest　hate　everywhere　in　world。　See　it　in　your

face　that　you　already　suffer　great　hurt　from　elephant；　you　or　someone

near　you。　Also　some　of　Kendah　very　fierce　people　and　love　fighting；

and　p'raps　there　war　in　the　land　while　you　there；　and　in　war　people

get　killed。〃



〃Very　good；　my　friend；〃　said　Ragnall；　〃I　am　prepared　to　take　my　chance

of　these　things。　Either　we　all　go　to　your　country　together；　as

Macumazana　has　explained　to　you；　or　none　of　us　go。〃



〃We　understand。　That　is　our　bargain　and　we　no　break　word；〃　replied

Har？t。



Then　he　turned　his　benevolent　gaze　upon　Savage；　and　said：　〃So　you　come

too；　Mr。　Bena。　That　your　name　here；　eh？　Well；　you　learn　lot　things　in

Kendahland；　about　snakes　and　all　rest。〃



Here　the　jovial…looking　Mar？t　whispered　something　into　the　ear　of　his

companion；　smiling　all　over　his　face　and　showing　his　white　teeth　as　he

did　so。　〃Oh！〃　went　on　Har？t；　〃my　brother　tells　me　you　meet　one　snake

already；　down　in　country　called　Natal；　but　sit　on　him　so　hard；　that　he

grow　quite　flat　and　no　bite。〃



〃Who　told　him　that？〃　gasped　Savage。



〃Oh！　forget。　Think　Macumazana。　No？　Then　p'raps　you　tell　him　in　sleep；

for　people　talk　much　in　sleep；　you　know；　and　some　other　people　got

good　ears　and　hear　long　way。　Or　p'raps　little　joke　Har？t。　You　'member；

he　first…rate　conjurer。　P'raps　he　send　that　snake。　No　trouble　if　know

how。　Well；　we　show　you　much　better　snake　Kendahland。　But　you　no　sit　on

/him/；　Mr。　Bena。〃



To　me；　I　know　not　why；　there　was　something　horrible　in　all　this

jocosity；　something　that　gave　me　the　creeps　as　always　does　the　sight

of　a　cat　playing　with　a　mouse。　I　felt　even　then　that　it　foreshadowed

terrible　things。　How　/could/　these　men　know　the　details　of　occurrences

at　which　they　were　not　present　and　of　which　no　one　had　told　them？　Did

that　strange　〃tobacco〃　of　theirs　really　give　them　some　clairvoyant

power；　I　wondered；　or　had　they　other　secret　methods　of　obtaining　news？

I　glanced　at　poor　Savage　and　perceived　that　he　too　felt　as　I　did；　for

he　had　turned　quite　pale　beneath　his　tan。　Even　Hans　was　affected；　for

he　whispered　to　me　in　Dutch：　〃These　are　not　men；　these　are　devils；

Baas；　and　this　journey　of　ours　is　one　into　hell。〃



Only　Ragnall　sat　stern；　silent；　and　apparently　quite　unmoved。　Indeed

there　was　something　almost　sphinx…like　about　the　set　and　expression　of

his　handsome　face。　Moreover；　I　felt　sure　that　Har？t　and　Mar？t

recognized　the　man's　strength　and　determination　and　that　he　was　one

with　whom　they　must　reckon　seriously。　Beneath　all　their　smiles　and

courtesies　I　could　read　this　knowledge　in　their　eyes；　also　that　it　was

causing　them　grave　anxiety。　It　was　as　though　they　knew　that　here　was

one　against　whom　their　power　had　no　avail；　whose　fate　was　the　master

of　their　fate。　In　a　sense　Har？t　admitted　this　to　me；　for　suddenly　he

looked　up　and　said　in　a　changed　voice　and　in　Bantu：



〃You　are　a　good　reader　of　hearts；　O　Macumazana；　almost　as　good　as　I

am。　But　remember　that　there　is　One　Who　writes　upon　the　book　of　the