the ivory child-第32章

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curse！〃　said　Mar？t　solemnly。



I　stared　at　him；　but　as　he　chose　to　believe　that　a　very　unusual

hailstorm　was　a　visitation　from　heaven　I　did　not　think　it　worth　while

arguing　the　point。　Only　I　wondered　if　he　really　did　believe　this。　Then

I　remembered　that　such　an　event　was　said　to　have　afflicted　the　old

Egyptians　in　the　hour　of　their　pride　because　they　would　not　〃let　the

people　go。〃　Well；　these　blackguardedly　Black　Kendah　were　certainly

worse　than　the　Egyptians　can　ever　have　been；　also　they　would　not　let

/us/　go。　It　was　not　wonderful　therefore　that　Mar？t　should　be　the

victim　of　phantasies　on　the　matter。



Not　until　the　following　morning　did　we　come　to　understand　the　full

extent　of　the　calamity　which　had　overtaken　the　Black　Kendah。　I　think　I

have　said　that　their　crops　this　year　were　magnificent　and　just

ripening　to　harvest。　From　our　roof　on　previous　days　we　could　see　a

great　area　of　them　stretching　to　the　edge　of　the　forest。　When　the　sun

rose　that　morning　this　area　had　vanished；　and　the　ground　was　covered

with　a　carpet　of　green　pulp。　Also　the　forest　itself　appeared　suddenly

to　have　experienced　the　full　effects　of　a　northern　winter。　Not　a　leaf

was　left　upon　the　trees；　which　stood　their　pointing　their　naked　boughs

to　heaven。



No　one　who　had　not　seen　it　could　imagine　the　devastating　fury　of　that

storm。　For　example；　the　head　of　the　diviner　who　was　buried　in　the

court…yard　awaiting　resurrection　through　our　magic　was；　it　may　be

recalled；　covered　with　a　stout　earthenware　pot。　Now　that　pot　had

shattered　into　sherds　and　the　head　beneath　was　nothing　but　bits　of

broken　bone　which　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　the　very　best

magic　to　reconstruct　to　the　likeness　of　a　human　being。



Calamity　indeed　stalked　naked　through　the　land。







CHAPTER　XIII



JANA



No　breakfast　was　brought　to　us　that　morning；　probably　for　the　reason

that　there　was　none　to　bring。　This　did　not　matter；　however；　seeing

that　plenty　of　food　accumulated　from　supper　and　other　meals　stood　in　a

corner　of　the　house　practically　untouched。　So　we　ate　what　we　could　and

then　paid　our　usual　visit　to　the　hut　in　which　the　camelmen　had　been

confined。　I　say　had　been；　for　now　it　was　quite　empty；　the　last　poor

fellow　having　vanished　away　like　his　companions。



The　sight　of　this　vacuum　filled　me　with　a　kind　of　fury。



〃They　have　all　been　murdered！〃　I　said　to　Mar？t。



〃No；〃　he　replied　with　gentle　accuracy。　〃They　have　been　sacrificed　to

Jana。　What　we　have　seen　on　the　market…place　at　night　was　the　rite　of

their　sacrifice。　Now　it　will　be　our　turn；　Lord　Macumazana。〃



〃Well；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃I　hope　these　devils　are　satisfied　with　Jana's

answer　to　their　accursed　offerings；　and　if　they　try　their　fiendish

pranks　on　us〃



〃Doubtless　there　will　be　another　answer。　But；　Lord；　the　question　is；

will　that　help　us？〃



Dumb　with　impotent　rage　I　returned　to　the　house；　where　presently　the

remains　of　the　reed　gate　opened。　Through　it　appeared　Simba　the　King；

the　diviner　with　the　injured　foot　walking　upon　crutches；　and　others　of

whom　the　most　were　more　or　less　wounded；　presumably　by　the　hailstones。

Then　it　was　that　in　my　wrath　I　put　off　the　pretence　of　not

understanding　their　language　and　went　for　them　before　they　could　utter

a　single　word。



〃Where　are　our　servants；　you　murderers？〃　I　asked；　shaking　my　fist　at

them。　〃Have　you　sacrificed　them　to　your　devil…god？　If　so；　behold　the

fruits　of　sacrifice！〃　and　I　swept　my　arm　towards　the　country　beyond。

〃Where　are　your　crops？〃　I　went　on。　〃Tell　me　on　what　you　will　live　this

winter？〃　（At　these　words　they　quailed。　In　their　imagination　already

they　saw　famine　stalking　towards　them。）　〃Why　do　you　keep　us　here？　Is

it　that　you　wait　for　a　worse　thing　to　befall　you？　Why　do　you　visit　us

here　now？〃　and　I　paused；　gasping　with　indignation。



〃We　came　to　look　whether　you　had　brought　back　to　life　that　doctor　whom

you　killed　with　your　magic；　white　man；〃　answered　the　king　heavily。



I　stepped　to　the　corner　of　the　court…yard　and；　drawing　aside　a　mat

that　I　had　thrown　there；　showed　them　what　lay　beneath。



〃Look　then；〃　I　said；　〃and　be　sure　that　if　you　do　not　let　us　go；　as

yonder　thing　is；　so　shall　all　of　you　be　before　another　moon　has　been

born　and　died。　Such　is　the　life　we　shall　give　to　evil　men　like　you。〃



Now　they　grew　positively　terrified。



〃Lord；〃　said　Simba；　for　the　first　time　addressing　me　by　a　title　of

respect；　〃your　magic　is　too　strong　for　us。　Great　misfortune　has　fallen

upon　our　land。　Hundreds　of　people　are　dead；　killed　by　the　ice…stones

that　you　have　called　down。　Our　harvest　is　ruined；　and　there　is　but

little　corn　left　in　the　storepits　now　when　we　looked　to　gather　the　new

grain。　Messengers　come　in　from　the　outlying　land　telling　us　that

nearly　all　the　sheep　and　goats　and　very　many　of　the　cattle　are　slain。

Soon　we　shall　starve。〃



〃As　you　deserve　to　starve；〃　I　answered。　〃Nowwill　you　let　us　go？〃



Simba　stared　at　me　doubtfully；　then　began　to　whisper　into　the　ear　of

the　lamed　diviner。　I　could　not　catch　what　they　said；　so　I　watched

their　faces。　That　of　the　diviner　whose　head　I　was　glad　to　see　had　been

cut　by　a　hailstone　so　that　both　ends　of　him　were　now　injured；　told　me

a　good　deal。　His　mask　had　been　ugly；　but　now　that　it　was　off　the

countenance　beneath　was　far　uglier。　Of　a　negroid　type；　pendulous…

lipped；　sensuous　and　loose…eyed；　he　was　indeed　a　hideous　fellow；　yet

very　cunning　and　cruel…looking；　as　men　of　his　class　are　apt　to　be。

Humbled　as　he　was　for　the　moment；　I　felt　sure　that　he　was　still

plotting　evil　against　us；　somewhat　against　the　will　of　his　master。　The

issue　showed　that　I　was　right。　At　length　Simba　spoke；　saying：



〃We　had　intended；　Lord；　to　keep　you　and　the　priest　of　the　Child　here

as　hostages　against　mischief　that　might　be　worked　on　us　by　the

followers　of　the　Child；　who　have　always　been　our　bitter　enemies　and

done　us　much　undeserved　wrong；　although　on　our　part　we　have　faithfully

kept　the　pact　concluded　in　the　days　of　our　grandfathers。　It　seems；

however；　that　fate；　or　your　magic；　is　too　strong　for　us；　and　therefore

I　have　determined　to　let　you　go。　To…night　at　sundown　we　will　set　you

on　the　road　which　leads　to　the　ford　of　the　River　Tava；　which　divides

our　territory　from　that　of　the　White　Kendah；　and　you　may　depart　where

you　will；　since　our　wish　is　that　never　again　may　we　see　your　ill…

omened　faces。〃



At　this　intelligence　my　heart　leapt　in　joy　that　was　altogether

premature。　But；　preserving　my　indignant　air；　I　exclaimed：



〃To…night！　Why　to…night？　Why　not　at　once？　It　is　hard　for　us　to　cross

unknown　rivers　in　the　dark。〃



〃The　water　is　low；　Lord；　and　the　ford　easy。　Moreover；　if　you　started

now　you　would　reach　it　in　the　dark；　whereas　if　you　start　at　sundown；

you　will　reach　it　in　the　morning。　Lastly；　we　cannot　conduct　you　hence

until　we　have　buried　our　dead。〃



Then；　without　giving　me　time　to　answer；　he　turned　and　left　the　place；

followed　by　the　others。　Only　at　the　gateway　the　diviner　wheeled　round

on　his　crutches　and　glared　at　us　both；　muttering　something　with　his

thick　lips；　probably　it　was　curses。



〃At　any　rate　they　are　going　to　set　us　free；〃　I　said　to　Mar？t；　not

without　exultation；　when　they　had　all　vanished。



〃Yes；　Lord；〃　he　replied；　〃but　/where/　are　they　going　to　set　us　free？

The　demon　Jana　lives　in　the　forests　and　the　swamps　by　the　banks　of　the

Tava　River；　and　it　is　said　that　he　ravages　at　night。〃



I　did　not　pursue　the　subject；　but　reflected　to　myself　cheerfully　that

this　mystic　rogue…elephant　was　a　long　way　off　and　might　be

circumvented；　whereas　that　altar　of　sacrifice　was　extremely　near　and

very　difficult　to　avoid。



Never　did　a　thief　with　a　rich　booty　in　view；　or　a　wooer　having　an

assignation　with　his　lady；　wait　for　sundown　more　eagerly　than　I　did

that　day。　Hour　after　hour　I　sat　upon　the　house…top；　watching　the　Black

Kendah　carrying　off　the　dead　killed　by　the　hailstones　and　generally

trying　to　repair　the　damage　done　by　the　terrific　tempest。　Watching　the

sun　also　as　it　climbed　down　the　cloudless　sky；　and　literally　counting

the　minutes　till　it　should　reach　the　horizon；　although　I　knew　well

that　it　would　have　been　wiser　after　such　a　night　to　prepare　for　our

journey　by　lying　down　to　sleep。



At　length　the　great　orb　began　to　sink　in　majesty　behind　the　tattered

western　forest；　and；　punctual　to　the　minute；　Simba；　with　a　mounted

escort　of　some　twenty　men　and　two　led　horses；　appeared　at　our　gate。　As

our　preparations；　which　consisted　only　of　Mar？t　stuffing　such　food　as

was　available　into　the　breast　of　his　robe；　were　already　made；　we

walked　out　of　that　accursed　guest…house　and；　at　a　sign　from　the　king；

mounted　the　horses。　Riding　across　the　empty　market…place　and　past　the

spot　where　the　rough　stone　altar　still　stood　with　charred　bones

protruding　from　the　ashes　of　its　extinguished　firewere　they　those　of

our　friends　the　camel…drivers？　I　wonderedwe　entered　the　north　street

of　the　town。



Here；　standing　at　the　doors　of　their　houses；　were　many　of　the

inhabitants　who　had　gathered　to　watch　us　pass。　Never　did　I　see　hate

more　savage　than　was　written　on　those　faces　as　they　shook　their　fists

at　us　and　muttered　curses　not　loud　but　deep。



No　wonder！　for　they　were　all　ruined；　poor　folk；　with　nothing　to　look

forward　to　but　starvation　until　long　months　hence　the　harvest　came

again　for　those　who　would　live　to　gather　it。　Also　they　were　convinced

that　we；　the　white　magician　and　the　prophet　of　their　enemy　the　Child；

had　brought　this　disaster　on　them。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　escort　I

believe　they　would　have　fallen　on　us　and　torn　us　to　pieces。

Considering　them　I　understood　for　the　first　time　how　disagreeable　real

unpopularity　/can　be/。　But　when　I　saw　the　actual　condition　of　the

fruitful　gardens　without　in　the　waning　daylight；　I　confess　that　I　was

moved　to　some　sympathy　with　their　owners。　It　was　appalling。　Not　a

handful　of　grain　was　there　left　to　gather；　for　the　corn　had　been　not

only　〃laid〃　but　literally　cut　to　ribbons　by　the　hail。



After　running　for　some　miles　through　the　cultivated　land　the　road

entered　the　forest。　Here　it　was　dark　as　pitch；　so　dark　that　I　wondered

how　our　guides　found　their　way。　In　that　blackness　dreadful

apprehensions　seized　me；　for　I　became　convinced　that　we　had　been

brought　here　to　be　murdered。　Every　minute　I　expected　to　feel　a　knife…

thrust　in　my　back。　I　thought　of　digging　my　heels　into　the　horse's

sides　and　trying　to　gallop　off　anywhere；　but　abandoned　the　idea；　first

because　I　could　not　desert　Mar？t；　of　whom　I　had　lost　touch　in　the

gloom；　and　secondly　because　I　was　hemmed　in　by　the　escort。　For　the

same　reason　I　did　not　try　to　slip　from　the　horse　and　glide　away　into

the　forest。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　save　to　go　on　and　await　the

end。



It　came　at　last　some　hours　later。　We　were　out　of　the　forest　now；　and

there　was　the　moon　rising；　past　her　full　but　still　very　bright。　Her

light　showed　me　that　we　were　on　a