the ivory child-第30章

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blessings　or　curses　upon　men；　especially　upon　our　enemies。　When　the

Oracle　dies　we　are　helpless　since　the　Child　has　no　'mouth'　and　our

enemies　prevail　against　us。　This　happened　a　long　while　ago；　and　the

last　Oracle　having　declared　before　her　death　that　her　successor　was　to

be　found　in　England；　my　uncle　and　I　travelled　thither　disguised　as

conjurers　and　made　search　for　many　years。　We　thought　that　we　had　found

the　new　Oracle　in　the　lady　who　married　the　Lord　Igeza；　because　of　that

mark　of　the　new　moon　upon　her　neck。　After　our　return　to　Africa；

however；　for　as　I　have　spoken　of　this　matter　I　may　as　well　tell　you

all；〃　here　he　stared　me　full　in　the　eyes　and　spoke　in　a　clear　metallic

voice　which　somehow　no　longer　convinced　me；　〃we　found　that　we　had　made

a　mistake；　for　the　real　Oracle；　a　mere　girl；　was　discovered　among　our

own　people；　and　has　now　been　for　two　years　installed　in　her　office。

Without　doubt　the　last　Guardian　of　the　Child　was　wandering　in　her　mind

when　she　told　us　that　story　before　her　death　as　to　a　woman　in　England；

a　country　of　which　she　had　heard　through　Arabs。　That　is　all。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　I　replied；　feeling　that　it　would　be　useless　to　show　any

suspicion　of　his　story。　〃Now　will　you　be　so　good　as　to　tell　me　who　and

what　is　the　god；　or　the　elephant　Jana；　whom　you　have　brought　me　here

to　kill？　Is　the　elephant　a　god；　or　is　the　god　an　elephant？　In　either

case　what　has　it　to　do　with　the　Child？〃



〃Lord；　Jana　among　us　Kendah　represents　the　evil　in　the　world；　as　the

Child　represents　the　good。　Jana　is　he　whom　the　Mohammedans　call

Shaitan　and　the　Christians　call　Satan；　and　our　forefathers；　the　old

Egyptians；　called　Set。〃



〃Ah！〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃now　we　have　got　it。　Horus　the　Divine

Child；　and　Set　the　evil　monster；　with　whom　it　strives　everlastingly。〃



〃Always；〃　went　on　Mar？t；　〃there　has　been　war　between　the　Child　and

Jana；　that　is；　between　Good　and　Evil；　and　we　know　that　in　the　end　one

of　them　must　conquer　the　other。〃



〃The　whole　world　has　known　that　from　the　beginning；〃　I　interrupted。

〃But　who　and　what　is　this　Jana？〃



〃Among　the　Black　Kendah；　Lord；　Jana　is　an　elephant；　or　at　any　rate　his

symbol　is　an　elephant；　a　very　terrible　beast　to　which　sacrifices　are

made；　that　kills　all　who　do　not　worship　him　if　he　chances　to　meet

them。　He　lives　farther　on　in　the　forest　yonder；　and　the　Black　Kendah

make　use　of　him　in　war；　for　the　devil　in　him　obeys　their　priests。〃



〃Indeed；　and　is　this　elephant　always　the　same？〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you；　but　for　many　generations　it　has　been　the　same；　for

it　is　known　by　its　size　and　by　the　fact　that　one　of　its　tusks　is

twisted　downwards。〃



〃Well；〃　I　remarked；　〃all　this　proves　nothing；　since　elephants

certainly　live　for　at　least　two　hundred　years；　and　perhaps　much

longer。　Also；　after　they　become　'rogues'　they　acquire　every　kind　of

wicked　and　unnatural　habit；　as　to　which　I　could　tell　you　lots　of

stories。　Have　you　seen　this　elephant？〃



〃No；　Macumazana；〃　he　answered　with　a　shiver。　〃If　I　had　seen　it　should

I　have　been　alive　to…day？　Yet　I　fear　I　am　fated　to　see　it　ere　long；

not　alone；〃　and　again　he　shivered；　looking　at　me　in　a　very　suggestive

manner。



At　this　moment　our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　arrival　of　two

Black　Kendahs　who　brought　us　our　breakfast　of　porridge　and　a　boiled

fowl；　and　stood　there　while　we　ate　it。　For　my　part　I　was　not　sorry；　as

I　had　learned　all　I　wanted　to　know　of　the　theological　opinions　and

practice　of　the　land；　and　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　terrible

devil…god　of　the　Black　Kendah　was　merely　a　rogue　elephant　of　unusual

size　and　ferocity；　which　under　other　circumstances　it　would　have　given

me　the　greatest　pleasure　to　try　to　shoot。



When　we　had　finished　eating；　that　is　soon；　for　neither　of　our

appetites　was　good　that　morning；　we　walked　out　of　the　house　into　the

surrounding　compound　and　visited　the　camelmen　in　their　hut。　Here　we

found　them　squatted　on　the　ground　looking　very　depressed　indeed。　When

I　asked　them　what　was　the　matter　they　replied；　〃Nothing；〃　except　that

they　were　men　about　to　die　and　life　was　pleasant。　Also　they　had　wives

and　children　whom　they　would　never　see　again。



Having　tried　to　cheer　them　up　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　which　I　fear

I　did　without　conviction；　for　in　my　heart　I　agreed　with　their　view　of

the　case；　we　returned　to　the　guest…house　and　mounted　the　stair　which

led　to　the　flat　roof。　Hence　we　saw　that　some　curious　ceremony　was　in

progress　in　the　centre　of　the　market…place。　At　that　distance　we　could

not　make　out　the　details；　for　I　forgot　to　say　that　my　glasses　had　been

stolen　with　the　pistol　and　knife；　probably　because　they　were　supposed

to　be　lethal　weapons　or　instruments　of　magic。



A　rough　altar　had　been　erected；　on　which　a　fire　burned。　Behind　it　the

king；　Simba；　was　seated　on　a　stool　with　various　councillors　about　him。

In　front　of　the　altar　was　a　stout　wooden　table；　on　which　lay　what

looked　like　the　body　of　a　goat　or　a　sheep。　A　fantastically　dressed

man；　assisted　by　other　men；　appeared　to　be　engaged　in　inspecting　the

inside　of　this　animal　with；　we　gathered；　unsatisfactory　results；　for

presently　he　raised　his　arms　and　uttered　a　loud　wail。　Then　the

creature's　viscera　were　removed　from　it　and　thrown　upon　the　fire；

while　the　rest　of　the　carcass　was　carried　off。



I　asked　Mar？t　what　he　thought　they　were　doing。　He　replied　dejectedly：



〃Consulting　their　Oracle；　perhaps　as　to　whether　we　should　live　or　die；

Macumazana。〃



Just　then　the　priest　in　the　strange；　feathered　attire　approached　the

king；　carrying　some　small　object　in　his　hand。　I　wondered　what　it　could

be；　till　the　sound　of　a　report　reached　my　ears　and　I　saw　the　man　begin

to　jump　round　upon　one　leg；　holding　the　other　with　both　his　hands　at

the　knee　and　howling　loudly。



〃Ah！〃　I　said；　〃that　pistol　was　full　cocked；　and　the　bullet　got　him　in

the　foot。〃



Simba　shouted　out　something；　whereon　a　man　picked　up　the　pistol　and

threw　it　into　the　fire；　round　which　the　others　gathered　to　watch　it

burn。



〃You　wait；〃　I　said　to　Mar？t；　and　as　I　spoke　the　words　the　inevitable

happened。



Off　went　the　other　barrel　of　the　pistol；　which　hopped　out　of　the　fire

with　the　recoil　like　a　living　thing。　But　as　it　happened　one　of　the

assistant　priests　was　standing　in　front　of　the　mouth　of　that　barrel；

and　he　also　hopped　once；　but　never　again；　for　the　heavy　bullet　struck

him　somewhere　in　the　body　and　killed　him。　Now　there　was　consternation。

Everyone　ran　away；　leaving　the　dead　man　lying　on　the　ground。　Simba　led

the　rout　and　the　head…priest　brought　up　the　rear；　skipping　along　upon

one　leg。



Having　observed　these　events；　which　filled　me　with　an　unholy　joy；　we

descended　into　the　house　again　as　there　was　nothing　more　to　see；　also

because　it　occurred　to　me　that　our　presence　on　the　roof；　watching

their　discomfiture；　might　irritate　these　savages。　About　ten　minutes

later　the　gate　of　the　fence　round　the　guest…house　was　thrown　open；　and

through　it　came　four　men　carrying　on　a　stretcher　the　body　of　the

priest　whom　the　bullet　had　killed；　which　they　laid　down　in　front　of

our　door。　Then　followed　the　king　with　an　armed　guard；　and　after　him

the　befeathered　diviner　with　his　foot　bound　up；　who　supported　himself

upon　the　shoulders　of　two　of　his　colleagues。　This　man；　I　now

perceived；　wore　a　hideous　mask；　from　which　projected　two　tusks　in

imitation　of　those　of　an　elephant。　Also　there　were　others；　as　many　as

the　space　would　hold。



The　king　called　to　us　to　come　out　of　the　house；　which；　having　no

choice；　we　did。　One　glance　at　him　showed　me　that　the　man　was　frantic

with　fear；　or　rage；　or　both。



〃Look　upon　your　work；　magicians！〃　he　said　in　a　terrible　voice；

pointing　first　to　the　dead　priest；　then　to　the　diviner's　wounded　foot。



〃It　is　no　work　of　ours；　King　Simba；〃　answered　Mar？t。　〃It　is　your　own

work。　You　stole　the　magic　weapon　of　the　white　lord　and　made　it　angry；

so　that　it　has　revenged　itself　upon　you。〃



〃It　is　true；〃　said　Simba；　〃that　the　tube　has　killed　one　of　those　who

took　it　away　from　you　and　wounded　the　other〃　（here　was　luck　indeed）。

〃But　it　was　you　who　ordered　it　to　do　so；　magicians。　Now；　hark！

Yesterday　I　promised　you　safety；　that　no　spear　should　pierce　your

hearts　and　no　knife　come　near　your　throats；　and　drank　the　cup　of　peace

with　you。　But　you　have　broken　the　pact；　working　us　more　harm；　and

therefore　it　no　longer　holds；　since　there　are　many　other　ways　in　which

men　can　die。　Listen　again！　This　is　my　decree。　By　your　magic　you　have

taken　away　the　life　of　one　of　my　servants　and　hurt　another　of　my

servants；　destroying　the　middle　toe　of　his　left　foot。　If　within　three

days　you　do　not　give　back　the　life　to　him　who　seems　to　be　dead；　and

give　back　the　toe　to　him　who　seems　to　be　hurt；　as　you　well　can　do；

then　you　shall　join　those　whom　you　have　slain　in　the　land　of　death；

how　I　will　not　tell　you。〃



Now　when　I　heard　this　amazing　sentence　I　gasped　within　myself；　but

thinking　it　better　to　keep　up　my　r？le　of　understanding　nothing　of

their　talk；　I　preserved　an　immovable　countenance　and　left　Mar？t　to

answer。　This；　to　his　credit　be　it　recorded；　he　did　with　his　customary

pleasant　smile。



〃O　King；〃　he　said；　〃who　can　bring　the　dead　back　to　life？　Not　even　the

Child　itself；　at　any　rate　in　this　world；　for　there　is　no　way。〃



〃Then；　Prophet　of　the　Child；　you　had　better　find　a　way；　or；　I　repeat；

I　send　you　to　join　them；〃　he　shouted；　rolling　his　eyes。



〃What　did　my　brother；　the　great　Prophet；　promise　to　you　but　yesterday；

O　King；　if　you　harmed　us？〃　asked　Mar？t。　〃Was　it　not　that　the　three

great　curses　should　fall　upon　your　people？　Learn　now　that　if　so　much

as　one　of　us　is　murdered　by　you；　these　things　shall　swiftly　come　to

pass。　I；　Mar？t；　who　am　also　a　Prophet　of　the　Child；　have　said　it。〃



Now　Simba　seemed　to　go　quite　mad；　so　mad　that　I　thought　all　was　over。

He　waved　his　spear　and　danced　about　in　front　of　us；　till　the　silver

chains　clanked　upon　his　breast。　He　vituperated　the　Child　and　its

worshippers；　who；　he　declared；　had　worked　evil　on　the　Black　Kendah　for

generations。　He　appealed　to　his　god　Jana　to　avenge　these　evils；　〃to

pierce　the　Child　with　his　tusks；　to　tear　it　with　his　trunk；　and　to

trample　it　with　his　feet；〃　all　of　which　the　wounded　diviner　ably

seconded　through　his　horrid　mask。



There　we　stood　before　him；　I　leaning　against　the　wall　of　the　house

with　an　air　of　studied　nonchalance　mingled　with　mild　interest；　at

least　that　is　what　I　meant　to　do；　and　Mar？t　smiling　sweetly　and

staring　at　the　heavens。　Whilst　I　was　wondering　what　exact　portion　of

my　frame　was　destined　to　become　acquainted　with　that　spear；　of　a

sudden　Simba　gave　it　up。　Turning　to　his　followers；　he　bade　them　dig　a

hole　in　the　corner　of　our　little　enclosure　and　set　the　dead　man　in　it；

〃with　his　head　out　so　that　he　may　breathe；〃　an　order　which　they

promptly　executed。



Then　he　issued　a　command　that　we　should　be　well　fed　and　tended；　and