the ivory child-第27章

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〃Look！　He　is　not　a　monkey　after　all；　but　a　manmore　of　a　man　than　his

master。〃



The　arrangements　were　soon　made。　Within　a　quarter　of　an　hour　of　the

departure　of　the　messengers　Har？t；　after　bowing　thrice　towards　the

Holy　Mountain；　rose　in　his　stirrups　and　shaking　a　long　spear　above　his

head；　shouted　a　single　word：



〃Charge！〃







CHAPTER　XI



ALLAN　IS　CAPTURED



The　ride　that　followed　was　really　quite　exhilarating。　The　camels；

notwithstanding　their　long　journey；　seemed　to　have　caught　some　of　the

enthusiasm　of　the　war…horse　as　described　in　the　Book　of　Job；　indeed　I

had　no　idea　that　they　could　travel　at　such　a　rate。　On　we　swung　down

the　slope；　keeping　excellent　order；　the　forest　of　tall　spears　shining

and　the　little　lancer…like　pennons　fluttering　on　the　breeze　in　a　very

gallant　way。　In　silence　we　went　save　for　the　thudding　of　the　hoofs　of

the　camels　and　an　occasional　squeal　of　anger　as　some　rider　drove　his

lance　handle　into　their　ribs。　Not　until　we　actually　joined　battle　did

a　single　man　open　his　lips。　Then；　it　is　true；　there　went　up　one

simultaneous　and　mighty　roar　of：



〃The　Child！　Death　to　Jana！　The　Child！　The　Child！〃



But　this　happened　a　few　minutes　later。



As　we　drew　near　the　enemy　I　saw　that　they　had　massed　their　footmen　in

a　dense　body；　six　or　eight　lines　thick。　There　they　stood　to　receive

the　impact　of　our　charge；　or　rather　they　did　not　all　stand；　for　the

first　two　ranks　were　kneeling　with　long　spears　stretched　out　in　front

of　them。　I　imagine　that　their　appearance　must　have　greatly　resembled

that　of　the　Greek　phalanx；　or　that　of　the　Swiss　prepared　to　receive

cavalry　in　the　Middle　Ages。　On　either　side　of　this　formidable　body；

which　by　now　must　have　numbered　four　or　five　hundred　men；　and　at　a

distance　perhaps　of　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　them；　were　gathered　the

horsemen　of　the　Black　Kendah；　divided　into　two　bodies　of　nearly　equal

strength；　say　about　a　hundred　horse　in　each　body。



As　we　approached；　our　triangle　curved　a　little；　no　doubt　under　the

direction　of　Har？t。　A　minute　or　so　later　I　saw　the　reason。　It　was　that

we　might　strike　the　foot…soldiers　not　full　in　front　but　at　an　angle。

It　was　an　admirable　man？uvre；　for　when　presently　we　did　strike；　we

caught　them　swiftly　on　the　flank　and　crumpled　them　up。　My　word！　we

went　through　those　fellows　like　a　knife　through　butter；　they　had　as

much　chance　against　the　rush　of　our　camels　as　a　brown…paper　screen　has

against　a　typhoon。　Over　they　rolled　in　heaps　while　the　White　Kendah

spitted　them　with　their　lances。



〃The　Child　is　top　dog！　My　money　on　the　Child；〃　reflected　I　in

irreverent　ecstasy。　But　that　exultation　was　premature；　for　those　Black

Kendah　were　by　no　means　all　dead。　Presently　I　saw　that　scores　of　them

had　appeared　among　the　camels；　which　they　were　engaged　in　stabbing；　or

trying　to　stab；　in　the　stomach　with　their　spears。　Also　I　had　forgotten

the　horsemen。　As　our　charge　slackened　owing　to　the　complication　in

front；　these　arrived　on　our　flanks　like　two　thunderbolts。　We　faced

about　and　did　our　best　to　meet　the　onslaught；　of　which　the　net　result

was　that　both　our　left　and　right　lines　were　pierced　through　about

fifty　yards　behind　the　baggage　camels。　Luckily　for　us　the　very

impetuosity　of　the　Black　Kendah　rush　deprived　it　of　most　of　the　fruits

of　victory；　since　the　two　squadrons；　being　unable　to　check　their

horses；　ended　by　charging　into　each　other　and　becoming　mixed　in

inextricable　confusion。　Then；　I　do　not　know　who　gave　the　order；　we

wheeled　our　camels　in　and　fell　upon　them；　a　struggling；　stationary

mass；　with　the　result　that　many　of　them　were　speared；　or　overthrown

and　trampled。



〃I　have　said　we；　but　that　is　not　quite　correct；　at　any　rate　so　far　as

Mar？t；　Hans；　I　and　about　fifteen　camelmen　were　concerned。　How　it

happened　I　could　not　tell　in　that　dust　and　confusion；　but　we　were　cut

off　from　the　main　body　and　presently　found　ourselves　fighting

desperately　in　a　group　at　which　Black　Kendah　horsemen　were　charging

again　and　again。　We　made　the　best　stand　we　could。　By　degrees　the

bewildered　camels　sank　under　the　repeated　spear…thrusts　of　the　enemy；

all　except　one；　oddly　enough　that　ridden　by　Hans；　which　by　some

strange　chance　was　never　touched。　The　rest　of　us　were　thrown　or

tumbled　off　the　camels　and　continued　the　fight　from　behind　their

struggling　bodies。



That　is　where　I　came　in。　Up　to　this　time　I　had　not　fired　a　single

shot；　partly　because　I　do　not　like　missing；　which　it　is　so　easy　to　do

from　the　back　of　a　swaying　camel；　and　still　more　for　the　reason　that　I

had　not　the　slightest　desire　to　kill　any　of　these　savage　men　unless　I

was　obliged　to　do　so　in　self…defence。　Now；　however；　the　thing　was

different；　as　I　was　fighting　for　my　life。　Leaning　against　my　camel；

which　was　dying　and　beating　its　head　upon　the　ground；　groaning

horribly　the　while；　I　emptied　the　five　cartridges　of　the　repeater　into

those　Black　Kendah；　pausing　between　each　shot　to　take　aim；　with　the

result　that　presently　five　riderless　horses　were　galloping　loose　about

the　veld。



The　effect　was　electrical；　since　our　attackers　had　never　seen　anything

of　the　kind　before。　For　a　while　they　all　drew　off；　which　gave　me　time

to　reload。　Then　they　came　on　again　and　I　repeated　the　process。　For　a

second　time　they　retreated　and　after　consultation　which　lasted　for　a

minute　or　more；　made　a　third　attack。　Once　more　I　saluted　them　to　the

best　of　my　ability；　though　on　this　occasion　only　three　men　and　a　horse

fell。　The　fifth　shot　was　a　clean　miss　because　they　came　on　in　such　a

scattered　formation　that　I　had　to　turn　from　side　to　side　to　fire。



Now　at　last　the　game　was　up；　for　the　simple　reason　that　I　had　no　more

cartridges　save　two　in　my　double…barrelled　pistol。　It　may　be　asked

why。　The　answer　is；　want　of　foresight。　Too　many　cartridges　in　one's

pocket　are　apt　to　chafe　on　camel…back　and　so　is　a　belt　full　of　them。

In　those　days　also　the　engagements　were　few　in　which　a　man　fired　over

fifteen。　I　had　forty　or　fifty　more　in　a　bag；　which　bag　Savage　with　his

usual　politeness　had　taken　and　hung　upon　his　saddle　without　saying　a

word　to　me。　At　the　beginning　of　the　action　I　found　this　out；　but　could

not　then　get　them　from　him　as　he　was　separated　from　me。　Hans；　always

careless　in　small　matters；　was　really　to　blame　as　he　ought　to　have

seen　that　I　had　the　cartridges；　or　at　any　rate　to　have　carried　them

himself。　In　short；　it　was　one　of　those　accidents　that　will　happen。

There　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。



After　a　still　longer　consultation　our　enemies　advanced　on　us　for　the

fourth　time；　but　very　slowly。　Meanwhile　I　had　been　taking　stock　of　the

position。　The　camel　corps；　or　what　was　left　of　it；　oblivious　of　our

plight　which　the　dust　of　conflict　had　hidden　from　them；　was　travelling

on　to　the　north；　more　or　less　victorious。　That　is　to　say；　it　had　cut

its　way　through　the　Black　Kendah　and　was　escaping　unpursued；　huddled

up　in　a　mob　with　the　baggage　animals　safe　in　its　centre。　The　Black

Kendah　themselves　were　engaged　in　killing　our　wounded　and　succouring

their　own；　also　in　collecting　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　In　short；　quite

unintentionally；　we　were　deserted。　Probably；　if　anybody　thought　about

us　at　all　in　the　turmoil　of　desperate　battle；　they　concluded　that　we

were　among　the　slain。



Mar？t　came　up　to　me；　unhurt；　still　smiling　and　waving　a　bloody　spear。



〃Lord　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃the　end　is　at　hand。　The　Child　has　saved

the　others；　or　most　of　them；　but　us　it　has　abandoned。　Now　what　will

you　do？　Kill　yourself；　or　if　that　does　not　please　you；　suffer　me　to

kill　you？　Or　shoot　on　until　you　must　surrender？〃



〃I　have　nothing　to　shoot　with　any　more；〃　I　answered。　〃But　if　we

surrender；　what　will　happen　to　us？〃



〃We　shall　be　taken　to　Simba's　town　and　there　sacrificed　to　the　devil

JanaI　have　not　time　to　tell　you　how。　Therefore　I　propose　to　kill

myself。〃



〃Then　I　think　you　are　foolish；　Mar？t；　since　once　we　are　dead；　we　are

dead；　but　while　we　are　alive　it　is　always　possible　that　we　may　escape

from　Jana。　If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst　I　have　a　pistol　with　two

bullets　in　it；　one　for　you　and　one　for　me。〃



〃The　wisdom　of　the　Child　is　in　you；〃　he　replied。　〃I　shall　surrender

with　you；　Macumazana；　and　take　my　chance。〃



Then　he　turned　and　explained　things　to　his　followers；　who　spoke

together　for　a　moment。　In　the　end　these　took　a　strange　and；　to　my

mind；　a　very　heroic　decision。　Waiting　till　the　attacking　Kendah　were

quite　close　to　us；　with　the　exception　of　three　men；　who　either　because

they　lacked　courage　or　for　some　other　reason；　stayed　with　us；　they

advanced　humbly　as　though　to　make　submission。　A　number　of　the　Black

Kendah　dismounted　and　ran　up；　I　suppose　to　take　them　prisoners。　The

men　waited　till　these　were　all　round　them。　Then　with　a　yell　of　〃The

Child！〃　they　sprang　forward；　taking　the　enemy　unawares　and　fighting

like　demons；　inflicted　great　loss　upon　them　before　they　fell

themselves　covered　with　wounds。



〃Brave　men　indeed！〃　said　Mar？t　approvingly。　〃Well；　now　they　are　all　at

peace　with　the　Child；　where　doubtless　we　shall　find　them　ere　long。〃



I　nodded　but　answered　nothing。　To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　too　much

engaged　in　nursing　the　remains　of　my　own　courage　to　enter　into

conversation　about　that　of　other　people。



This　fierce　and　cunning　stratagem　of　desperate　men　which　had　cost

their　enemies　so　dear；　seemed　to　infuriate　the　Black　Kendah。



At　us　came　the　whole　mob　of　themwe　were　but　six　nowroaring　〃Jana！

Jana！〃　and　led　by　a　grey…beard　who；　to　judge　from　the　number　of　silver

chains　upon　his　breast　and　his　other　trappings；　seemed　to　be　a　great

man　among　them。　When　they　were　about　fifty　yards　away　and　I　was

preparing　for　the　worst；　a　shot　rang　out　from　above　and　behind　me。　At

the　same　instant　Greybeard　threw　his　arms　wide　and　letting　fall　the

spear　he　held；　pitched　from　his　horse；　evidently　stone　dead。　I　glanced

back　and　saw　Hans；　the　corn…cob　pipe　still　in　his　mouth　and　the　little

rifle；　〃Intombi；〃　still　at　his　shoulder。　He　had　fired　from　the　back　of

the　camel；　I　think　for　the　first　time　that　day；　and　whether　by　chance

or　through　good　marksmanship；　I　do　not　know；　had　killed　this　man。



His　sudden　and　unexpected　end　seemed　to　fill　the　Black　Kendah　with

grief　and　dismay。　Halting　in　their　charge　they　gathered　round　him；

while　a　fierce…looking　middle…aged　man；　also　adorned　with　much

barbaric　finery；　dismounted　to　examine　him。



〃That　is　Simba　the　King；〃　said　Mar？t；　〃and　the　slain　one　is　his　uncle；

Goru；　the　great　general　who　brought　him　up　from　a　babe。〃



〃Then　I　wish　I　had　another　cartridge　left　for　the　nephew；〃　I　began　and

stopped；　for　Hans　was　speaking　to　me。



〃Good…bye；　Baas；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　go；　for　I　cannot　load　'Intombi'　on

the　back　of　this　beast。　If　you　meet　your　reverend　father　the　Predikant

before　I　do；　tell　him　to　make　a　nice　place　ready　for　me　among　the

fires。〃



Then　before　I　could　get　out　an　answer；　Hans　dragged