the ivory child-第41章

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all　the　men　seemed　to　be　away；　making　preparations　for　the　harvest；　I

suppose；　and　as　the　women　shut　themselves　up　in　their　houses　after　the

Oriental　fashion；　though　the　few　that　I　saw　about　were　unveiled　and

rather　good…looking；　I　did　not　gather　any　intelligence　worth　noting。



To　tell　the　truth　I　cannot　remember　being　in　a　more　uninteresting

place　than　this　little　town　with　its　extremely　uncommunicative

population　which；　it　seemed　to　me；　lived　under　a　shadow　of　fear　that

prevented　all　gaiety。　Even　the　children；　of　whom　there　were　not　many；

crept　about　in　a　depressed　fashion　and　talked　in　a　low　voice。　I　never

saw　any　of　them　playing　games　or　heard　them　shouting　and　laughing；　as

young　people　do　in　most　parts　of　the　world。　For　the　rest　we　were　very

well　looked　after。　Plenty　of　food　was　provided　for　us　and　every

thought　taken　for　our　comfort。　Thus　a　strong　and　quiet　pony　was

brought　for　me　to　ride　because　of　my　lameness。　I　had　only　to　go　out　of

the　house　and　call　and　it　arrived　from　somewhere；　all　ready　saddled

and　bridled；　in　charge　of　a　lad　who　appeared　to　be　dumb。　At　any　rate

when　I　spoke　to　him　he　would　not　answer。



Mounted　on　this　pony　I　took　one　or　two　rides　along　the　southern　slopes

of　the　mountain　on　the　old　pretext　of　shooting　for　the　pot。　Hans

accompanied　me　on　these　occasions；　but　was；　I　noted；　very　silent　and

thoughtful；　as　though　he　were　hunting　something　up　and　down　his

tortuous　intelligence。　Once　we　got　quite　near　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave

or　tunnel　where　poor　Savage　had　met　his　horrid　end。　As　we　stood

studying　it　a　white…robed　man　whose　head　was　shaved；　which　made　me

think　he　must　be　a　priest；　came　up　and　asked　me　mockingly　why　we　did

not　go　through　the　tunnel　and　see　what　lay　beyond；　adding；　almost　in

the　words　of　Har？t　himself；　that　none　would　attempt　to　interfere　with

us　as　the　road　was　open　to　any　who　could　travel　it。　By　way　of　answer　I

only　smiled　and　put　him　a　few　questions　about　a　very　beautiful　breed

of　goats　with　long　silky　hair；　some　of　which　he　seemed　to　be　engaged

in　herding。　He　replied　that　these　goats　were　sacred；　being　the　food　of

〃one　who　dwelt　in　the　Mountain　who　only　ate　when　the　moon　changed。〃



When　I　inquired　who　this　person　was　he　said　with　his　unpleasant　smile

that　I　had　better　go　through　the　tunnel　and　see　for　myself；　an

invitation　which　I　did　not　accept。



That　evening　Har？t　appeared　unexpectedly；　looking　very　grave　and

troubled。　He　was　in　a　great　hurry　and　only　stayed　long　enough　to

congratulate　me　upon　the　excellent　effects　of　his　ointment；　since　〃no

man　could　fight　Jana　on　one　leg。〃



I　asked　him　when　the　fight　with　Jana　was　to　come　off。　He　replied：



〃Lord；　I　go　up　to　the　Mountain　to　attend　the　Feast　of　the　First…

fruits；　which　is　held　at　sunrise　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon。　After　the

offering　the　Oracle　will　speak　and　we　shall　learn　when　there　will　be

war　with　Jana；　and　perchance　other　things。〃



〃May　we　not　attend　this　feast；　Har？t；　who　are　weary　of　doing　nothing

here？〃



〃Certainly；〃　he　answered　with　his　grave　bow。　〃That　is；　if　you　come

unarmed；　for　to　appear　before　the　Child　with　arms　is　death。　You　know

the　road；　it　runs　through　yonder　cave　and　the　forest　beyond　the　cave。

Take　it　when　you　will；　Lord。〃



〃Then　if　we　can　pass　the　cave　we　shall　be　welcome　at　the　feast？〃



〃You　will　be　very　welcome。　None　shall　hurt　you　there；　going　or

returning。　I　swear　it　by　the　Child。　Oh！　Macumazana；〃　he　added；　smiling

a　little；　〃why　do　you　talk　folly；　who　know　well　that　one　lives　in

yonder　cave　whom　none　may　look　upon　and　love；　as　Bena　learned　not　long

ago？　You　are　thinking　that　perhaps　you　might　kill　this　Dweller　in　the

cave　with　your　weapons。　Put　away　that　dream；　seeing　that　henceforth

those　who　watch　you　have　orders　to　see　that　none　of　you　leave　this

house　carrying　so　much　as　a　knife。　Indeed；　unless　you　promise　me　that

this　shall　be　so　you　will　not　be　suffered　to　set　foot　outside　its

garden　until　I　return　again。　Now　do　you　promise？〃



I　thought　a　while　and；　drawing　the　two　others　aside　out　of　hearing；

asked　them　their　opinion。



Ragnall　was　at　first　unwilling　to　give　any　such　promise；　but　Hans

said：



〃Baas；　it　is　better　to　go　free　and　unhurt　without　guns　and　knives　than

to　become　a　prisoner　once；　as　you　were　among　the　Black　Kendah。　Often

there　is　but　a　short　step　between　the　prison　and　the　grave。〃



Both　Ragnall　and　I　acknowledged　the　force　of　this　argument　and　in　the

end　we　gave　the　promise；　speaking　one　by　one。



〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Har？t；　〃moreover；　know；　Lord；　that　among　us　White

Kendah　he　who　breaks　an　oath　is　put　across　the　River　Tava　unarmed　to

make　report　thereof　to　Jana；　Father　of　Lies。　Now　farewell。　If　we　do

not　meet　at　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon；

whither　once　more　I　invite　you；　we　can　talk　together　here　after　I　have

heard　the　voice　of　the　Oracle。〃



Then　he　mounted　a　camel　which　awaited　him　outside　the　gate　and

departed　with　an　escort　of　twelve　men；　also　riding　camels。



〃There　is　some　other　road　up　that　mountain；　Quatermain；〃　said　Ragnall。

〃A　camel　could　sooner　pass　through　the　eye　of　a　needle　than　through

that　dreadful　cave；　even　if　it　were　empty。〃



〃Probably；〃　I　answered；　〃but　as　we　don't　know　where　it　is　and　I　dare

say　it　lies　miles　from　here；　we　need　not　trouble　our　heads　on　the

matter。　The　cave　is　/our/　only　road；　which　means　that　there　is　/no/

road。〃



That　evening　at　supper　we　discovered　that　Hans　was　missing；　also　that

he　had　got　possession　of　my　keys　and　broken　into　a　box　containing

liquor；　for　there　it　stood　open　in　the　cooking…hut　with　the　keys　in

the　lock。



〃He　has　gone　on　the　drink；〃　I　said　to　Ragnall；　〃and　upon　my　soul　I

don't　wonder　at　it；　for　sixpence　I　would　follow　his　example。〃



Then　we　went　to　bed。　Next　morning　we　breakfasted　rather　late；　since

when　one　has　nothing　to　do　there　is　no　object　in　getting　up　early。　As

I　was　preparing　to　go　to　the　cook…house　to　boil　some　eggs；　to　our

astonishment　Hans　appeared　with　a　kettle　of　coffee。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　a　thief。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；〃　answered　Hans。



〃You　have　been　at　the　gin　box　and　taking　that　poison。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；　I　have　been　taking　poison。　Also　I　took　a　walk　and　all　is

right　now。　The　Baas　must　not　be　angry；　for　it　is　very　dull　doing

nothing　here。　Will　the　Baases　eat　porridge　as　well　as　eggs？〃



As　it　was　no　use　scolding　him　I　said　that　we　would。　Moreover；　there

was　something　about　his　manner　which　made　me　suspicious；　for　really　he

did　not　look　like　a　person　who　has　just　been　very　drunk。



After　we　had　finished　breakfast　he　came　and　squatted　down　before　me。

Having　lit　his　pipe　he　asked　suddenly：



〃Would　the　Baases　like　to　walk　through　that　cave　to…night？　If　so；

there　will　be　no　trouble。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　suspecting　that　he　was　still　drunk。



〃I　mean；　Baas；　that　the　Dweller…in…the…cave　is　fast　asleep。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that；　Hans？〃



〃Because　I　am　the　nurse　who　put　him　to　sleep；　Baas；　though　he　kicked

and　cried　a　great　deal。　He　is　asleep；　he　will　wake　no　more。　Baas；　I

have　killed　the　Father　of　Serpents。〃



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃now　I　am　sure　that　you　are　still　drunk；　although　you

do　not　show　it　outside。〃



〃Hans；〃　added　Ragnall；　to　whom　I　had　translated　as　much　of　this　as　he

did　not　understand；　〃it　is　too　early　in　the　day　to　tell　good　stories。

How　could　you　possibly　have　killed　that　serpent　without　a　gunfor　you

took　none　with　youor　with　it　either　for　that　matter？〃



〃Will　the　Baases　come　and　take　a　walk　through　the　cave？〃　asked　Hans

with　a　snigger。



〃Not　till　I　am　quite　sure　that　you　are　sober；〃　I　replied；　then；

remembering　certain　other　events　in　this　worthy's　career；　added；

〃Hans；　if　you　do　not　tell　us　the　story　at　once　I　will　beat　you。〃



〃There　isn't　much　story；　Baas；〃　replied　Hans　between　long　sucks　at　his

pipe；　which　had　nearly　gone　out；　〃because　the　thing　was　so　easy。　The

Baas　is　very　clever　and　so　is　the　Lord　Baas；　why　then　can　they　never

see　the　stones　that　lie　under　their　noses？　It　is　because　their　eyes

are　always　fixed　upon　the　mountains　between　this　world　and　the　next。

But　the　poor　Hottentot；　who　looks　at　the　ground　to　be　sure　that　he

does　not　stumble；　ah！　he　sees　the　stones。　Now；　Baas；　did　you　not　hear

that　man　in　a　night　shirt　with　his　head　shaved　say　that　those　goats

were　food　for　One　who　dwelt　in　the　mountain？〃



〃I　did。　What　of　it；　Hans？〃



〃Who　would　be　the　One　who　dwelt　in　the　mountain　except　the　Father　of

Snakes　in　the　cave；　Baas？　Ah；　now　for　the　first　time　you　see　the　stone

that　lay　at　your　feet　all　the　while。　And；　Baas；　did　not　the　bald　man

add　that　this　One　in　the　mountain　was　only　fed　at　new　and　full　moon；

and　is　not　to…morrow　the　day　of　new　moon；　and　therefore　would　he　not

be　very　hungry　on　the　day　before　new　moon；　that　is；　last　night？〃



〃No　doubt；　Hans；　but　how　can　you　kill　a　snake　by　feeding　it？〃



〃Oh！　Baas；　you　may　eat　things　that　make　you　ill；　and　so　can　a　snake。

Now　you　will　guess　the　rest；　so　I　had　better　go　to　wash　the　dishes。〃



〃Whether　I　guess　or　do　not　guess；〃　I　replied　sagely；　the　latter　being

the　right　hypothesis；　〃the　dishes　can　wait；　Hans；　since　the　Lord　there

has　not　guessed；　so　continue。〃



〃Very　well；　Baas。　In　one　of　those　boxes　are　some　pounds　of　stuff

which；　when　mixed　with　water；　is　used　for　preserving　skins　and

skulls。〃



〃You　mean　the　arsenic　crystals；〃　I　said　with　a　flash　of　inspiration。



〃I　don't　know　what　you　call　them；　Baas。　At　first　I　thought　they　were

hard　sugar　and　stole　some　once；　when　the　real　sugar　was　left　behind；

to　put　into　the　coffeewithout　telling　the　Baas；　because　it　was　my

fault　that　the　sugar　was　left　behind。〃



〃Great　Heavens！〃　I　ejaculated；　〃then　why　aren't　we　all　dead？〃



〃Because　at　the　last　moment；　Baas；　I　thought　I　would　make　sure；　so　I

put　some　of　the　hard　sugar　into　hot　milk　and；　when　it　had　melted；　I

gave　it　to　that　yellow　dog　which　once　bit　me　in　the　leg；　the　one　that

came　from　Beza…Town；　Baas；　that　I　told　you　had　run　away。　He　was　a　very

greedy　dog；　Baas；　and　drank　up　the　milk　at　once。　Then　he　gave　a　howl；

twisted　about；　foamed　at　the　mouth　and　died　and　I　buried　him　at　once。

After　that　I　threw　some　more　of　the　large　sugar　mixed　with　mealies　to

the　fowls　that　we　brought　with　us　for　cooking。　Two　cocks　and　a　hen

swallowed　them　by　mistake　for　the　corn。　Presently　they　fell　on　their

backs；　kicked　a　little　and　died。　Some　of　the　Mazitu；　who　were　great

thieves；　stole　those　dead　fowls；　Baas。　After　this；　Baas；　I　thought　it

best　not　to　use　that　sugar　in　the　coffee；　and　later　on　Bena　told　me

that　it　was　deadly　poison。　Well；　Baas；　it　came　into　my　mind　that　if　I

could　make　that　great　snake　swallow　enough　of　this　poison；　he；　too；

might　die。



〃So　I　stole　your　keys；　as　I　often　do；　Baas；　when　I　want　anything；

because　you　leave　them　lying　about　everywhere；　and　to　deceive　you

first　opened　one　of　the　boxes　that　are　full　of　squa