the ivory child-第34章

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perhaps；　that　while　the　act　of　the　woman　and　the　child　was　omitted；　in

our　case　there　was　another　act　of　the　play　to　follow　of　which　I　had

received　no　inkling　in　my　Ragnall　experience。　Indeed；　if　I　had

received　it；　I　should　not　have　been　there　that　night；　for　no

inducement　on　earth　would　have　brought　me　to　Kendahland。



This　was　the　act。　Jana；　having　prodded　his　dead　brother　to　his

satisfaction；　whether　from　viciousness　or　to　put　it　out　of　pain；　I

cannot　say；　stood　over　the　carcass　in　an　attitude　of　grief　or　pious

meditation。　At　this　time；　I　should　mention；　the　wind；　which　had　been

rustling　the　hail…stripped　reeds　at　the　lake　border；　had　died　away

almost；　but　not　completely；　that　is　to　say；　only　a　very　faint　gust

blew　now　and　again；　which；　with　a　hunter's　instinct；　I　observed　with

satisfaction　drew　/from/　the　direction　of　Jana　towards　ourselves。　This

I　knew；　because　it　struck　on　my　forehead；　which　was　wet　with

perspiration；　and　cooled　the　skin。



Presently；　however；　by　a　cursed　spite　of　fate；　one　of　these　gustsa

very　little　onecame　from　some　quarter　behind　us；　for　I　felt　it　in　my

back　hair；　that　was　as　damp　as　the　rest　of　me。　Just　then　I　was

glancing　to　my　right；　where　it　seemed　to　me　that　out　of　the　corner　of

my　eye　I　had　caught　sight　of　something　passing　among　the　stones　at　a

distance　of　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　possibly　the　shadow　of　a　cloud　or

another　elephant。　At　the　time　I　did　not　ascertain　which　it　was；　since

a　faint　rattle　from　Jana's　trunk　reconcentrated　all　my　faculties　on

him　in　a　painfully　vivid　fashion。



I　looked　to　see　that　all　the　contemplation　had　departed　from　his

attitude；　now　as　alert　as　that　of　a　fox…terrier　which　imagines　he　has

seen　a　rat。　His　vast　ears　were　cocked；　his　huge　bulk　trembled；　his

enormous　trunk　sniffed　the　air。



〃Great　Heavens！〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃he　has　winded　us！〃　Then　I　took

such　consolation　as　I　could　from　the　fact　that　the　next　gust　once　more

struck　upon　my　forehead；　for　I　hoped　he　would　conclude　that　he　had

made　a　mistake。



Not　a　bit　of　it！　Jana　as　far　too　old　a　birdor　beastto　make　any

mistake。　He　grunted；　got　himself　going　like　a　luggage　train；　and　with

great　deliberation　walked　towards　us；　smelling　at　the　ground；　smelling

at　the　air；　smelling　to　the　right；　to　the　left；　and　even　towards

heaven　above；　as　though　he　expected　that　thence　might　fall　upon　him

vengeance　for　his　many　sins。　A　dozen　times　as　he　came　did　I　cover　him

with　an　imaginary　rifle；　marking　the　exact　spots　where　I　might　have

hoped　to　send　a　bullet　to　his　vitals；　in　a　kind　of　automatic　fashion；

for　all　my　real　brain　was　contemplating　my　own　approaching　end。




I　wondered　how　it　would　happen。　Would　he　drive　that　great　tusk　through

me；　would　he　throw　me　into　the　air；　or　would　he　kneel　upon　my　poor

little　body；　and　avenge　the　deaths　of　his　kin　that　had　fallen　at　my

hands？　Mar？t　was　speaking　in　a　rattling　whisper：



〃His　priests　have　told　Jana　to　kill　us；　we　are　about　to　die；〃　he　said。

〃Before　I　die　I　want　to　say　that　the　lady；　the　wife　of　the　lord〃



〃Silence！〃　I　hissed。　〃He　will　hear　you；〃　for　at　that　instant　I　took

not　the　slightest　interest　in　any　lady　on　the　earth。　Fiercely　I　glared

at　Mar？t　and　noted　even　then　how　pitiful　was　his　countenance。　There

was　no　smile　there　now。　All　its　jovial　roundness　had　vanished。　It　had

sunk　in；　it　was　blue　and　ghastly　with　large；　protruding　eyes；　like　to

that　of　a　man　who　had　been　three　days　dead。



I　was　rightJana　/had/　heard。　Low　as　the　whisper　was；　through　that

intense　silence　it　had　penetrated　to　his　almost　preternatural　senses。

Forward　he　came　at　a　run　for　twenty　paces　or　more　with　his　trunk　held

straight　out　in　front　of　him。　Then　he　halted　again；　perhaps　the　length

of　a　cricket　pitch　away；　and　smelt　as　before。



The　sight　was　too　much　for　Mar？t。　He　sprang　up　and　ran　for　his　life

towards　the　lake；　purposing；　I　suppose；　to　take　refuge　in　the　water。

Oh！　how　he　ran。　After　him　went　Jana　like　a　railway　engineexpress

this　timetrumpeting　as　he　charged。　Mar？t　reached　the　lake；　which　was

quite　close；　about　ten　yards　ahead；　and　plunging　into　it　with　a　bound；

began　to　swim。



Now；　I　thought；　he　may　get　away　if　the　crocodiles　don't　have　him；　for

that　devil　will　scarcely　take　to　the　water。　But　this　was　just　where　I

made　a　mistake；　for　with　a　mighty　splash　in　went　Jana　too。　Also　he　was

the　better　swimmer。　Mar？t　soon　saw　this　and　swung　round　to　the　shore；

by　which　man？uvre　he　gained　a　little　as　he　could　turn　quicker　than

Jana。



Back　they　came；　Jana　just　behind　Mar？t；　striking　at　him　with　his　great

trunk。　They　landed；　Mar？t　flew　a　few　yards　ahead　doubling　in　and　out

among　the　rocks　like　a　hare　and；　to　my　horror；　making　for　where　I　lay；

whether　by　accident　or　in　a　mad　hope　of　obtaining　protection；　I　do　not

know。



It　may　be　asked　why　I　had　not　taken　the　opportunity　to　run　also　in　the

opposite　direction。　There　are　several　answers。　The　first　was　that

there　seemed　to　be　nowhere　to　run；　the　second；　that　I　felt　sure；　if　I

did　run；　I　should　trip　up　over　the　skeletons　of　those　elephants　or　the

stones；　the　third；　that　I　did　not　think　of　it　at　once；　the　fourth；

that　Jana　had　not　yet　seen　me；　and　I　had　no　craving　to　introduce

myself　to　him　personally；　and　the　fifth　and　greatest；　that　I　was　so

paralysed　with　fear　that　I　did　not　feel　as　though　I　could　lift　myself

from　the　ground。　Everything　about　me　seemed　to　be　dead；　except　my

powers　of　observation；　which　were　painfully　alive。



Of　a　sudden　Mar？t　gave　up。　Less　than　a　stone's　throw　from　me　he

wheeled　round　and；　facing　Jana；　hurled　at　him　some　fearful　and

concentrated　curse；　of　which　all　that　I　could　distinguish　were　the

words：　〃The　Child！〃



Oddly　enough　it　seemed　to　have　an　effect　upon　the　furious　rogue；　which

halted　in　its　rush　and；　putting　its　four　feet　together；　slid　a　few

paces　nearer　and　stood　still。　It　was　just　as　though　the　beast　had

understood　the　words　and　were　considering　them。　If　so；　their　effect

was　to　rouse　him　to　perfect　madness。　He　screamed　terribly；　he　lashed

his　sides　with　his　trunk；　his　red　and　wicked　eyes　rolled；　foam　flew

from　the　cavern　of　his　open　mouth；　he　danced　upon　his　great　feet；　a

sort　of　hideous　Scottish　reel。　Then　he　charged！



I　shut　my　eyes　for　a　moment。　When　I　opened　them　again　it　was　to　see

poor　Mar？t　higher　in　the　air　than　ever　he　flew　before。　I　thought　that

he　would　never　come　down；　but　he　did　at　last　with　an　awesome　thud。

Jana　went　to　him　and　very　gently；　now　that　he　was　dead；　picked　him　up

in　his　trunk。　I　prayed　that　he　might　carry　him　away　to　some　hiding…

place　and　leave　me　in　peace。　But　not　so。　With　slow　and　stately

strides；　rocking　the　deceased　Mar？t　up　and　down　in　his　trunk；　as　a

nurse　might　rock　a　baby；　he　marched　on　to　the　very　stone　where　I　lay；

behind　which　I　suppose　he　had　seen　or　smelt　me　all　the　time。



For　quite　a　long　while；　it　seemed　more　than　a　century；　he　stood　over

me；　studying　me　as　though　I　interested　him　very　much；　the　water　of　the

lake　trickling　in　a　refreshing　stream　from　his　great　ears　on　to　my

back。　Had　it　not　been　for　that　water　I　think　I　should　have　fainted；

but　as　it　was　I　did　the　next　best　thingpretended　to　be　dead。　Perhaps

this　monster　would　scorn　to　touch　a　dead　man。　Watching　out　of　the

corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　him　lift　one　vast　paw　that　was　the　size　of　an

arm…chair　and　hold　it　over　me。



Now　good…bye　to　the　world；　thought　I。　Then　the　foot　descended　as　a

steam…hammer　does；　but　also　as　a　steam…hammer　sometimes　does　when　used

to　crack　nuts；　stopped　as　it　touched　my　back；　and　presently　came　to

earth　again　alongside　of　me；　perhaps　because　Jana　thought　the　foothold

dangerous。　At　any　rate；　he　took　another　and　better　way。　Depositing　the

remains　of　Mar？t　with　the　most　tender　care　beside　me；　as　though　the

nurse　were　putting　the　child　to　bed；　he　unwound　his　yards　of　trunk　and

began　to　feel　me　all　over　with　its　tip；　commencing　at　the　back　of　my

neck。　Oh！　the　sensation　of　that　clammy；　wriggling　tip　upon　my　spinal

column！



Down　it　went　till　it　reached　the　seat　of　my　trousers。　There　it

pinched；　presumably　to　ascertain　whether　or　no　I　were　malingering；　a

most　agonizing　pinch　like　to　that　of　a　pair　of　blacksmith's　tongs。　So

sharp　was　it　that；　although　I　did　not　stir；　who　was　aware　that　the

slightest　movement　meant　death；　it　tore　a　piece　out　of　the　stout　cloth

of　my　breeches；　to　say　nothing　of　a　portion　of　the　skin　beneath。　This

seemed　to　astonish　the　beast；　for　it　lifted　the　tip　of　its　trunk　and

shifted　its　head；　as　though　to　examine　the　fragment　by　the　light　of

the　moon。



Now　indeed　all　was　over；　for　when　it　saw　blood　upon　that　cloth！　I

put　up　one　short；　piteous　prayer　to　Heaven　to　save　me　from　this

terrible　end；　and　lo；　it　was　answered！



For　just　as　Jana；　the　results　of　the　inspection　being　unsatisfactory；

was　cocking　his　ears　and　making　ready　to　slay　me；　there　rang　out　the

short；　sharp　report　of　a　rifle　fired　within　a　few　yards。　Glancing　up

at　the　instant；　I　saw　blood　spurt　from　the　monster's　left　eye；　where

evidently　the　bullet　had　found　a　home。



He　felt　at　his　eye　with　his　trunk；　then；　uttering　a　scream　of　pain；

wheeled　round　and　rushed　away。







CHAPTER　XIV



THE　CHASE



I　suppose　that　I　swooned　for　a　minute　or　two。　At　any　rate　I　remember　a

long　and　very　curious　dream；　such　a　dream　as　is　evolved　by　a　patient

under　laughing　gas；　that　is　very　clear　and　vivid　at　the　time　but

immediately　afterwards　slips　from　the　mind's　grasp　as　water　does　from

the　clenched　hand。　It　was　something　to　the　effect　that　all　those

hundreds　of　skeleton　elephants　rose　and　marshalled　themselves　before

me；　making　obeisance　to　me　by　bending　their　bony　knees；　because；　as　I

quite　understood；　I　was　the　only　human　being　that　had　ever　escaped

from　Jana。　Moreover；　on　the　foremost　elephant's　skull　Hans　was　perched

like　a　mahout；　giving　words　of　command；　to　their　serried　ranks　and

explaining　to　them　that　it　would　be　very　convenient　if　they　would

carry　their　tusks；　for　which　they　had　no　further　use；　and　pile　them　in

a　certain　placeI　forget　wherethat　must　be　near　a　good　road　to

facilitate　their　subsequent　transport　to　a　land　where　they　would　be

made　into　billiard　balls　and　the　backs　of　ladies'　hair…brushes。　Next；

through　the　figments　of　that　retreating　dream；　I　heard　the　undoubted

voice　of　Hans　himself；　which　of　course　I　knew　to　be　absurd　as　Hans　was

lost　and　doubtless　dead；　saying：



〃If　you　are　alive；　Baas；　please　wake　up　soon；　as　I　have　finished

reloading　Intombi；　and　it　is　time　to　be　going。　I　think　I　hit　Jana　in

the　eye；　but　so　big　a　beast　will　soon　get　over　so　little　a　thing　as

that　and　look　for　us；　and　the　bullet　from　Intombi　is　too　small　to　kill

him；　Baas；　especially　as　it　is　not　likely　that　either　of　us　could　hit

him　in　the　other　eye。〃



Now　I　sat　up　and　stared。　Yes；　there　was　Hans　himself　looking　just　the

same　as　usual；　only　perhaps　rather　dirtier；　engaged　in　setting　a　cap

on　to　the