the ivory child-第37章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



its　attentions　to　the　land　of　the　Black　Kendah。　Of　these　we　ate

thankfully　enough。　A　little　farther　on　we　perceived　huts　perched　on　an

inaccessible　place　in　a　kloof。　Also　their　inhabitants　perceived　us；

for　they　ran　away　as　though　in　a　great　fright。



Still　we　did　not　try　to　approach　the　huts；　not　knowing　how　we　should

be　received。　After　my　sojourn　in　Simba　Town　I　had　become　possessed　of

a　love　of　life　in　the　open。



For　another　two　hours　I　limped　forward　with　pain　and　griefby　now　I

was　leaning　on　Hans'　shoulderup　an　endless；　uncultivated　rise

clothed　with　euphorbias　and　fern…like　cycads。　At　length　we　reached　its

top　and　found　ourselves　within　a　rifle　shot　of　a　fenced　native

village。　I　suppose　that　its　inhabitants　had　been　warned　of　our　coming

by　runners　from　the　huts　I　have　mentioned。　At　any　rate　the　moment　we

appeared　the　men；　to　the　number　of　thirty　or　more；　poured　out　of　the

south　gate　armed　with　spears　and　other　weapons　and　proceeded　to　ring

us　round　and　behave　in　a　very　threatening　manner。　I　noticed　at　once

that；　although　most　of　them　were　comparatively　light　in　colour；　some

of　these　men　partook　of　the　negro　characteristics　of　the　Black　Kendah

from　whom　we　had　escaped；　to　such　an　extent　indeed　that　this　blood　was

clearly　predominant　in　them。　Still；　it　was　also　clear　that　they　were

deadly　foes　of　this　people；　for　when　I　shouted　out　to　them　that　we

were　the　friends　of　Har？t　and　those　who　worshipped　the　Child；　they

yelled　back　that　we　were　liars。　No　friends　of　the　Child；　they　said；

came　from　the　country　of　the　Black　Kendah；　who　worshipped　the　devil

Jana。　I　tried　to　explain　that　least　of　all　men　in　the　world　did　we

worship　Jana；　who　had　been　hunting　us　for　hours；　but　they　would　not

listen。



〃You　are　spies　of　Simba's；　the　smell　of　Jana　is　upon　you〃　（this　may

have　been　true　enough）；　they　yelled；　adding：　〃We　will　kill　you；　white…

faced　goat。　We　will　kill　you；　little　yellow　monkey；　for　none　who　are

not　enemies　come　here　from　the　land　of　the　Black　Kendah。〃



〃Kill　us　then；〃　I　answered；　〃and　bring　the　curse　of　the　Child　upon

you。　Bring　famine；　bring　hail；　bring　war！〃



These　words　were；　I　think；　well　chosen；　at　any　rate　they　induced　a

pause　in　their　murderous　intentions。　For　a　while　they　hesitated；　all

talking　together　at　once。　At　last　the　advocates　of　violence　appeared

to　get　the　upper　hand；　and　once　more　a　number　of　the　men　began　to

dance　about　us；　waving　their　spears　and　crying　out　that　we　must　die

who　came　from　the　Black　Kendah。



I　sat　down　upon　the　ground；　for　I　was　so　exhausted　that　at　the　time　I

did　not　greatly　care　whether　I　died　or　lived；　while　Hans　drew　his

knife　and　stood　over　me；　cursing　them　as　he　had　cursed　at　Jana。　By

slow　degrees　they　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　I　watched　them　with　a　kind

of　idle　curiosity；　believing　that　the　moment　when　they　came　within

actual　spear…thrust　would　be　our　last；　but；　as　I　have　said；　not

greatly　caring　because　of　my　mental　and　physical　exhaustion。



I　had　already　closed　my　eyes　that　I　might　not　see　the　flash　of　the

falling　steel；　when　an　exclamation　from　Hans　caused　me　to　open　them

again。　Following　the　line　of　the　knife　with　which　he　pointed；　I

perceived　a　troop　of　men　on　camels　emerging　from　the　gates　of　the

village　at　full　speed。　In　front　of　these；　his　white　garments

fluttering　on　the　wind；　rode　a　bearded　and　dignified　person　in　whom　I

recognized　Har？t；　Har？t　himself；　waving　a　spear　and　shouting　as　he

came。　Our　assailants　heard　and　saw　him　also；　then　flung　down　their

weapons　as　though　in　dismay　either　at　his　appearance　or　his　words；

which　I　could　not　catch。　Har？t　guided　his　rushing　camel　straight　at

the　man　who　I　presume　was　their　leader；　and　struck　at　him　with　his

spear；　as　though　in　fury；　wounding　him　in　the　shoulder　and　causing　him

to　fall　to　the　ground。　As　he　struck　he　called　out：



〃Dog！　Would　you　harm　the　guests　of　the　Child？〃



Then　I　heard　no　more　because　I　fainted　away。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DWELLER　IN　THE　CAVE



After　this　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　dreamed　a　long　and　very　troubled

dream　concerning　all　sorts　of　curious　things　which　I　cannot　remember。

At　last　I　opened　my　eyes　and　observed　that　I　lay　on　a　low　bed　raised

about　three　inches　above　the　floor；　in　an　Eastern…looking　room；　large

and　cool。　It　had　window…places　in　it　but　no　windows；　only　grass　mats

hung　upon　a　rod　which；　I　noted　inconsequently；　worked　on　a　rough；

wooden　hinge；　or　rather　pin；　that　enabled　the　curtain　to　be　turned

back　against　the　wall。



Through　one　of　these　window…places　I　saw　at　a　little　distance　the

slope　of　the　forest…covered　hill；　which　reminded　me　of　something　to　do

with　a　childfor　the　life　of　me　I　could　not　remember　what。　As　I　lay

wondering　over　the　matter　I　heard　a　shuffling　step　which　I　recognized；

and；　turning；　saw　Hans　twiddling　a　new　hat　made　of　straw　in　his

fingers。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃where　did　you　get　that　new　hat？〃



〃They　gave　it　me　here；　Baas；〃　he　answered。　〃The　Baas　will　remember

that　the　devil　Jana　ate　the　other。〃



Then　I　did　remember　more　or　less；　while　Hans　continued　to　twiddle　the

hat。　I　begged　him　to　put　it　on　his　head　because　it　fidgeted　me；　and

then　inquired　where　we　were。



〃In　the　Town　of　the　Child；　Baas；　where　they　carried　you　after　you　had

seemed　to　die　down　yonder。　A　very　nice　town；　where　there　is　plenty　to

eat；　though；　having　been　asleep　for　three　days；　you　have　had　nothing

except　a　little　milk　and　soup；　which　was　poured　down　your　throat　with

a　spoon　whenever　you　seemed　to　half　wake　up　for　a　while。〃



〃I　was　tired　and　wanted　a　long　rest；　Hans；　and　now　I　feel　hungry。　Tell

me；　are　the　lord　and　Bena　here　also；　or　were　they　killed　after　all？〃



〃Yes；　Baas；　they　are　safe　enough；　and　so　are　all　our　goods。　They　were

both　with　Har？t　when　he　saved　us　down　by　the　village　yonder；　but　you

went　to　sleep　and　did　not　see　them。　They　have　been　nursing　you　ever

since；　Baas。〃



Just　then　Savage　himself　entered；　carrying　some　soup　upon　a　wooden

tray　and　looking　almost　as　smart　as　he　used　to　do　at　Ragnall　Castle。



〃Good　day；　sir；〃　he　said　in　his　best　professional　manner。　〃Very　glad

to　see　you　back　with　us；　sir；　and　getting　well；　I　trust；　especially

after　we　had　given　you　and　Mr。　Hans　up　as　dead。〃



I　thanked　him　and　drank　the　soup；　asking　him　to　cook　me　something　more

substantial　as　I　was　starving；　which　he　departed　to　do。　Then　I　sent

Hans　to　find　Lord　Ragnall；　who　it　appeared　was　out　walking　in　the

town。　No　sooner　had　they　gone　than　Har？t　entered　looking　more

dignified　than　ever　and；　bowing　gravely；　seated　himself　upon　the　mat

in　the　Eastern　fashion。



〃Some　strong　spirit　must　go　with　you；　Lord　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃that

you　should　live　today；　after　we　were　sure　that　you　had　been　slain。〃



〃That's　where　you　made　a　mistake。　Your　magic　was　not　of　much　service

to　you　there；　friend　Har？t。〃



〃Yet　my　magic；　as　you　call　it；　though　I　have　none；　was　of　some　service

after　all；　Macumazana。　As　it　chanced　I　had　no　opportunity　of　breathing

in　the　wisdom　of　the　Child　for　two　days　from　the　hour　of　our　arrival

here；　because　I　was　hurt　on　the　knee　in　the　fight　and　so　weary　that　I

could　not　travel　up　the　mountain　and　seek　light　from　the　eyes　of　the

Child。　On　the　third　day；　however；　I　went　and　the　Oracle　told　me　all。

Then　I　descended　swiftly；　gathered　men　and　reached　those　fools　in　time

to　keep　you　from　harm。　They　have　paid　for　what　they　did；　Lord。〃



〃I　am　sorry；　Har？t；　for　they　knew　no　better；　and；　Har？t；　although　I

saved　myself；　or　rather　Hans　saved　me；　we　have　left　your　brother

behind；　and　with　him　the　others。〃



〃I　know。　Jana　was　too　strong　for　them；　you　and　your　servant　alone

could　prevail　against　him。〃



〃Not　so；　Har？t。　He　prevailed　against　us；　all　we　could　do　was　to　injure

his　eye　and　the　tip　of　his　trunk　and　escape　from　him。〃



〃Which　is　more　than　any　others　have　done　for　many　generations；　Lord。

But　doubtless　as　the　beginning　was；　so　shall　the　end　be。　Jana；　I

think；　is　near　his　death　and　through　you。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　repeated。　〃Who　and　what　is　Jana？〃



〃Have　I　not　told　you　that　he　is　an　evil　spirit　who　inhabits　the　body

of　a　huge　elephant？〃



〃Yes；　and　so　did　Mar？t；　but　I　think　that　he　is　just　a　huge　elephant

with　a　very　bad　temper　of　his　own。　Still；　whatever　he　is；　he　will　take

some　killing；　and　I　don't　want　to　meet　him　again　by　that　horrible

lake。〃



〃Then　you　will　meet　him　elsewhere；　Lord。　For　if　you　do　not　go　to　look

for　Jana；　Jana　will　come　to　look　for　you　who　have　hurt　him　so　sorely。

Remember　that　henceforth；　wherever　you　go　in　all　this　land；　it　may

happen　that　you　will　meet　Jana。〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　brute　comes　into　the　territory　of　the

White　Kendah？〃



〃Yes；　Macumazana；　at　times　he　comes；　or　a　spirit　wearing　his　shape

comes；　I　know　not　which。　What　I　do　know　is　that　twice　in　my　life　I

myself　have　seen　him　upon　the　Holy　Mount；　though　how　he　came　or　how　he

went　none　can　tell。〃



〃Why　was　he　wandering　there；　Har？t？〃



〃Who　can　say；　Lord？　Tell　me　why　evil　wanders　through　the　world　and　I

will　answer　your　question。　Only　I　repeatlet　those　who　have　harmed

Jana　beware　of　Jana。〃



〃And　let　Jana　beware　of　me　if　I　can　meet　him　with　a　decent　gun　in　my

hand；　for　I　have　a　score　to　settle　with　the　beast。　Now；　Har？t；　there

is　another　matter。　Just　before　he　was　killed　Mar？t；　your　brother；

began　to　tell　me　something　about　the　wife　of　the　Lord　Ragnall。　I　had

no　time　to　listen　to　the　end　of　his　words；　though　I　thought　he　said

that　she　was　upon　yonder　Holy　Mount。　Did　I　hear　aright？〃



Instantly　Har？t's　face　became　like　that　of　a　stone　idol；　impenetrable；

impassive。



〃Either　you　misunderstood；　Lord；〃　he　answered；　〃or　my　brother　raved　in

his　fear。　Wherever　she　may　be；　that　beautiful　lady　is　not　upon　the

Holy　Mount；　unless　there　is　another　Holy　Mount　in　the　Land　of　Death。

Moreover；　Lord；　as　we　are　speaking　of　this　matter；　let　me　tell　you　the

forest　upon　that　Mount　must　be　trodden　by　none　save　the　priest　of　the

Child。　If　others　set　foot　there　they　die；　for　it　is　watched　by　a

guardian　more　terrible　even　than　Jana；　nor　is　he　the　only　one。　Ask　me

nothing　of　that　guardian；　for　I　will　not　answer；　and；　above　all；　if

you　or　your　comrades　value　life；　let　them　not　seek　to　look　upon　him。〃



Understanding　that　it　was　quite　useless　to　pursue　this　subject　farther

at　the　moment；　I　turned　to　another；　remarking　that　the　hailstorm　which

had　smitten　the　country　of　the　Black　Kendah　was　the　worst　that　I　had

ever　experienced。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Har？t；　〃so　I　have　learned。　That　was　the　first　of　the

curses　which　the　Child；　through　my　mouth；　promised　to　Simba　and　his

people　if　they　molested　us　upon　our　road。　The　second；　you　will

remember；　was　famine；　which　for　them　is　near　at　hand；　seeing　that　they

have　little　corn　in　store　and　none　left　to　gather；　and　that　most　of

their　cattle　are　dead　of　the　hail。〃



〃If　they　have　no　corn　while；　as　I　noted；　yo