the ivory child-第3章

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lift　in　his　cart　to　the　castle；　impressed　upon　me　that　they　were　dirt

cheap；　since　he　and　his　assistant　had　sat　up　most　of　the　night　loading

them　with　my　special　No。　3　shot。



As　I　climbed　out　of　the　vehicle　a　splendid…looking　and　portly　person；

arrayed　in　a　velvet　coat　and　a　scarlet　waistcoat；　approached　with　the

air　of　an　emperor；　followed　by　an　individual　in　whom　I　recognized

Charles；　carrying　a　gun　under　each　arm。



〃That's　the　head…keeper；〃　whispered　Scroope；　〃mind　you　treat　him

respectfully。〃



Much　alarmed；　I　took　off　my　hat　and　waited。



〃Do　I　speak　to　Mr。　Allan　Quatermain？〃　said　his　majesty　in　a　deep　and

rumbling　voice；　surveying　me　the　while　with　a　cold　and　disapproving

eye。



I　intimated　that　he　did。



〃Then；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　pausing　a　little　at　the　〃sir；〃　as　though　he

suspected　me　of　being　no　more　than　an　African　colleague　of　his　own；　〃I

have　been　ordered　by　his　lordship　to　bring　you　these　guns；　and　I　hope；

sir；　that　you　will　be　careful　of　them；　as　they　are　here　on　sale　or

return。　Charles；　explain　the　working　of　them　there　guns　to　this

foreign　gentleman；　and　in　doing　so　keep　the　muzzles　up　/or/　down。　They

ain't　loaded；　it's　true；　but　the　example　is　always　useful。〃



〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Keeper；〃　I　replied；　growing　somewhat　nettled；　〃but　I

think　that　I　am　already　acquainted　with　most　that　there　is　to　learn

about　guns。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　sir；〃　said　his　majesty　with　evident　disbelief。

〃Charles；　I　understand　that　Squire　Scroope　is　going　to　load　for　the

gentleman；　which　I　hope　he　knows　how　to　do　with　safety。　His　lordship's

orders　are　that　you　accompany　them　and　carry　the　cartridges。　And；

Charles；　you　will　please　keep　count　of　the　number　fired　and　what　is

killed　dead；　not　reckoning　runners。　I'm　sick　of　them　stories　of

runners。〃



These　directions　were　given　in　a　portentous　stage　aside　which　we　were

not　supposed　to　hear。　They　caused　Scroope　to　snigger　and　Charles　to

grin；　but　in　me　they　raised　a　feeling　of　indignation。



I　took　one　of　the　guns　and　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　costly　and

beautifully　made　weapon　of　the　period；　with　an　under…lever　action。



〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　the　gun；　sir；〃　rumbled　Red　Waistcoat。　〃If

you　hold　it　straight　it　will　do　the　rest。　But　keep　the　muzzle　up；　sir；

keep　it　up；　for　I　know　what　the　bore　is　without　studying　the　same　with

my　eye。　Also　perhaps　you　won't　take　it　amiss　if　I　tell　you　that　here

at　Ragnall　we　hates　a　low　pheasant。　I　mention　it　because　the　last

gentleman　who　came　from　foreign　partshe　was　French；　he　wasshot

nothing　all　day　but　one　hen　bird　sitting　just　on　the　top　of　the　brush；

two　beaters；　his　lordship's　hat；　and　a　starling。〃



At　this　point　Scroope　broke　into　a　roar　of　idiotic　laughter。　Charles；

from　whom　Fortune　decreed　that　I　was　not　to　escape；　after　all；　turned

his　back　and　doubled　up　as　though　seized　with　sudden　pain　in　the

stomach；　and　I　grew　absolutely　furious。



〃Confound　it；　Mr。　Keeper；〃　I　explained；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　lecturing

me？　Attend　to　your　business；　and　I'll　attend　to　mine。〃



At　this　moment　who　should　appear　from　behind　the　angle　of　some

buildingwe　were　talking　in　the　stableyard；　near　the　gun…roombut

Lord　Ragnall　himself。　I　could　see　that　he　had　overheard　the

conversation；　for　he　looked　angry。



〃Jenkins；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　keeper；　〃do　what　Mr。　Quatermain　has

said　and　attend　to　your　own　business。　Perhaps　you　are　not　aware　that

he　has　shot　more　lions；　elephants；　and　other　big　game　than　you　have

cats。　But；　however　that　may　be；　it　is　not　your　place　to　try　to

instruct　him　or　any　of　my　guests。　Now　go　and　see　to　the　beaters。〃



〃Beg　pardon；　my　lord；〃　ejaculated　Jenkins；　his　face；　that　was　as

florid　as　his　waistcoat；　turning　quite　pale；　〃no　offence　meant；　my

lord；　but　elephants　and　lions　don't　fly；　my　lord；　and　those　accustomed

to　such　ground　varmin　are　apt　to　shoot　low；　my　lord。　Beaters　all　ready

at　the　Hunt　Copse；　my　lord。〃



Thus　speaking　he　backed　himself　out　of　sight。　Lord　Ragnall　watched　him

go；　then　said　with　a　laugh：



〃I　apologize　to　you；　Mr。　Quatermain。　That　silly　old　fool　was　part　of

my　inheritance；　so　to　speak；　and　the　joke　of　it　is　that　he　is　himself

the　worst　and　most　dangerous　shot　I　ever　saw。　However；　on　the　other

hand；　he　is　the　best　rearer　of　pheasants　in　the　county；　so　I　put　up

with　him。　Come　in；　now；　won't　you？　Charles　will　look　after　your　guns

and　cartridges。〃



So　Scroope　and　I　were　taken　through　a　side　entrance　into　the　big　hall

and　there　introduced　to　the　other　members　of　the　shooting　party；　most

of　whom　were　staying　at　the　castle。　They　were　famous　shots。　Indeed；　I

had　read　of　the　prowess　of　some　of　them　in　/The　Field/；　a　paper　that　I

always　took　in　Africa；　although　often　enough；　when　I　was　on　my　distant

expeditions；　I　did　not　see　a　copy　of　it　for　a　year　at　a　time。



To　my　astonishment　I　found　that　I　knew　one　of　these　gentlemen。　We　had

not；　it　is　true；　met　for　a　dozen　years；　but　I　seldom　forget　a　face；

and　I　was　sure　that　I　could　not　be　mistaken　in　this　instance。　That

mean　appearance；　those　small；　shifty　grey　eyes；　that　red；　pointed　nose

could　belong　to　nobody　except　Van　Koop；　so　famous　in　his　day　in　South

Africa　in　connexion　with　certain　gigantic　and　most　successful　frauds

that　the　law　seemed　quite　unable　to　touch；　of　which　frauds　I　had　been

one　of　the　many　victims　to　the　extent　of　￡250；　a　large　sum　for　me。



The　last　time　we　met　there　had　been　a　stormy　scene　between　us；　which

ended　in　my　declaring　in　my　wrath　that　if　I　came　across　him　on　the

veld　I　should　shoot　him　at　sight。　Perhaps　that　was　one　of　the　reasons

why　Mr。　van　Koop　vanished　from　South　Africa；　for　I　may　add　that　he　was

a　cur　of　the　first　water。　I　believe　that　he　had　only　just　entered　the

room；　having　driven　over　from　wherever　he　lived　at　some　distance　from

Ragnall。　At　any　rate；　he　knew　nothing　of　my　presence　at　this　shoot。

Had　he　known　I　am　quite　sure　that　he　would　have　been　absent。　He

turned；　and　seeing　me；　ejaculated：　〃Allan　Quatermain；　by　heaven！〃

beneath　his　breath；　but　in　such　a　tone　of　astonishment　that　it

attracted　the　attention　of　Lord　Ragnall；　who　was　standing　near。



〃Yes；　Mr。　van　Koop；〃　I　answered　in　a　cheerful　voice；　〃Allan

Quatermain；　no　other；　and　I　hope　you　are　as　glad　to　see　me　as　I　am　to

see　you。〃



〃I　think　there　is　some　mistake；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall；　staring　at　us。

〃This　is　Sir　Junius　Fortescue；　who　used　to　be　Mr。　Fortescue。〃



〃Indeed；〃　I　replied。　〃I　don't　know　that　I　ever　remember　his　being

called　by　that　particular　name；　but　I　do　know　that　we　are　old

friends。〃



Lord　Ragnall　moved　away　as　though　he　did　not　wish　to　continue　the

conversation；　which　no　one　else　had　overheard；　and　Van　Koop　sidled　up

to　me。



〃Mr。　Quatermain；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃circumstances　have　changed

with　me　since　last　we　met。〃



〃So　I　gather；〃　I　replied；　〃but　mine　have　remained　much　the　same；　and

if　it　is　convenient　to　you　to　repay　me　that　￡250　you　owe　me；　with

interest；　I　shall　be　much　obliged。　If　not；　I　think　I　have　a　good　story

to　tell　about　you。〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Quatermain；〃　he　answered　with　a　sort　of　smile　which　made　me

feel　inclined　to　kick　him；　〃you　know　I　dispute　that　debt。〃



〃Do　you？〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Well；　perhaps　you　will　dispute　the　story　also。

But　the　question　is；　will　you　be　believed　when　I　give　the　proofs？〃



〃Ever　heard　of　the　Statute　of　Limitations；　Mr。　Quatermain？〃　he　asked

with　a　sneer。



〃Not　where　character　is　concerned；〃　I　replied　stoutly。　〃Now；　what　are

you　going　to　do？〃



He　reflected　for　a　moment；　and　answered：



〃Look　here；　Mr。　Quatermain；　you　were　always　a　bit　of　a　sportsman；　and

I'll　make　you　an　offer。　If　I　kill　more　birds　than　you　do　to…day；　you

shall　promise　to　hold　your　tongue　about　my　affairs　in　South　Africa；

and　if　you　kill　more　than　I　do；　you　shall　still　hold　your　tongue；　but

I　will　pay　you　that　￡250　and　interest　for　six　years。〃



I　also　reflected　for　a　moment；　knowing　that　the　man　had　something　up

his　sleeve。　Of　course；　I　could　refuse　and　make　a　scandal。　But　that　was

not　in　my　line；　and　would　not　bring　me　nearer　my　￡250；　which；　if　I

chanced　to　win；　might　find　its　way　back　to　me。



〃All　right；　done！〃　I　said。



〃What　is　your　bet；　Sir　Junius？〃　asked　Lord　Ragnall；　who　was

approaching　again。



〃It　is　rather　a　long　story；〃　he　answered；　〃but；　to　put　it　shortly；

years　ago；　when　I　was　travelling　in　Africa；　Mr。　Quatermain　and　I　had　a

dispute　as　to　a　sum　of　￡5　which　he　thought　I　owed　him；　and　to　save

argument　about　a　trifle　we　have　agreed　that　I　should　shoot　against　him

for　it　to…day。〃



〃Indeed；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall　rather　seriously；　for　I　could　see　that　he

did　not　believe　Van　Koop's　statement　as　to　the　amount　of　the　bet；

perhaps　he　had　heard　more　than　we　thought。　〃To　be　frank；　Sir　Junius；　I

don't　much　care　for　bettingfor　that's　what　it　comes　tohere。　Also　I

think　Mr。　Quatermain　said　yesterday　that　he　had　never　shot　pheasants

in　England；　so　the　match　seems　scarcely　fair。　However；　you　gentlemen

know　your　own　business　best。　Only　I　must　tell　you　both　that　if　money

is　concerned；　I　shall　have　to　set　someone　whose　decision　will　be　final

to　count　your　birds　and　report　the　number　to　me。〃



〃Agreed；〃　said　Van　Koop；　or；　rather；　Sir　Junius；　but　I　answered

nothing；　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　already　I　felt　ashamed　of　the　whole

affair。



As　it　happened；　Lord　Ragnall　and　I　walked　together　ahead　of　the

others；　to　the　first　covert；　which　was　half　a　mile　or　more　away。



〃You　have　met　Sir　Junius　before？〃　he　said　to　me　interrogatively。



〃I　have　met　Mr。　van　Koop　before；〃　I　answered；　〃about　twelve　years

since；　shortly　after　which　he　vanished　from　South　Africa；　where　he　was

a　well…known　and　very　successfulspeculator。〃



〃To　reappear　here。　Ten　years　ago　he　bought　a　large　property　in　this

neighbourhood。　Three　years　ago　he　became　a　baronet。〃



〃How　did　a　man　like　Van　Koop　become　a　baronet？〃　I　inquired。



〃By　purchase；　I　believe。〃



〃By　purchase！　Are　honours　in　England　purchased？〃



〃You　are　delightfully　innocent；　Mr。　Quatermain；　as　a　hunter　from

Africa　should　be；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall；　laughing。　〃Your　friend〃



〃Excuse　me；　Lord　Ragnall；　I　am　a　very　humble　person；　not　so　elevated；

indeed；　as　that　gamekeeper　of　yours；　therefore　I　should　not　venture　to

call　Sir　Junius；　late　Mr。　van　Koop；　my　friend；　at　least　in　earnest。〃



He　laughed　again。



〃Well；　the　individual　with　whom　you　make　bets　subscribed　largely　to

the　funds　of　his　party。　I　am　telling　you　what　I　know　to　be　true；

though　the　amount　I　do　not　know。　It　has　been　variously　stated　to　be

from　fifteen　to　fifty　thousand　pounds；　and；　perhaps　by　coincidence；

subsequently　was　somehow　created　a　baronet。〃



I　stared　at　him。



〃That's　all　the　story；〃　he　went　on。　〃I　don't　like　the　man　myself；　but

he　is　a　wonderful　pheasant　shot；　which　passes　him　everywhere。　Shooting

has　become　a　kind　of　fetish　in　these　parts；　Mr。　Quatermain。　For

instance；　i