the ivory child-第42章

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

first　opened　one　of　the　boxes　that　are　full　of　square…face　and　brandy

and　left　it　open；　for　I　wished　you　to　think　that　I　had　just　gone　to

get　drunk　like　anybody　else。　Then　I　opened　another　box　and　got　out　two

one…pound　tins　of　the　sugar　which　kills　dogs　and　fowls。　Half　a　pound

of　it　I　melted　in　boiling　water　with　some　real　sugar　to　make　the　stuff

sweet；　and　put　it　into　a　bottle。　The　rest　I　tied　with　string　in　twelve

little　packets　in　the　soft　paper　which　is　in　one　of　the　boxes；　and　put

them　in　my　pocket。　Then　I　went　up　the　hill；　Baas；　to　the　place　where　I

saw　those　goats　are　kraaled　at　night　behind　a　reed　fence。　As　I　had

hoped；　no　one　was　watching　them　because　there　are　no　tigers　so　near

this　town；　and　man　does　not　steal　the　goats　that　are　sacred。　I　went

into　the　kraal　and　found　a　fat　young　ewe　which　had　a　kid。　I　dragged　it

out　and；　taking　it　behind　some　stones；　I　made　its　leg　fast　with　a　bit

of　cord　and　poured　this　stuff　out　of　the　bottle　all　over　its　skin；

rubbing　it　in　well。　Then　I　tied　the　twelve　packets　of　hard　poison…

sugar　everywhere　about　its　body；　making　them　very　fast　deep　in　the

long　hair　so　that　they　could　not　tumble　or　rub　off。



〃After　this　I　untied　the　goat；　led　it　near　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave

and　held　it　there　for　a　time　while　it　kept　on　bleating　for　its　kid。

Next　I　took　it　almost　up　to　the　cave；　wondering　how　I　should　drive　it

in；　for　I　did　not　wish　to　enter　there　myself；　Baas。　As　it　happened　I

need　not　have　troubled　about　that。　When　the　goat　was　within　five　yards

of　the　cave；　it　stopped　bleating；　stood　still　and　shivered。　Then　it

began　to　go　forward　with　little　jumps；　as　though　it　did　not　want　to

go；　yet　must　do　so。　Also；　Baas；　I　felt　as　though　/I/　wished　to　go　with

it。　So　I　lay　down　and　put　my　heels　against　a　rock；　leaving　go　of　the

goat。



〃For　now；　Baas；　I　did　not　care　where　that　goat　went　so　long　as　I　could

keep　out　of　the　hole　where　dwelt　the　Father　of　Serpents　that　had　eaten

Bena。　But　it　was　all　right；　Baas；　the　goat　knew　what　it　had　to　do　and

did　it；　jumping　straight　into　the　cave。　As　it　entered　it　turned　its

head　and　looked　at　me。　I　could　see　its　eyes　in　the　starlight；　and；

Baas；　they　were　dreadful。　I　think　it　knew　what　was　coming　and　did　not

like　it　at　all。　And　yet　it　had　to　walk　on　because　it　could　not　help

it。　Just　like　a　man　going　to　the　devil；　Baas！



〃Holding　on　to　the　stone　I　peered　after　it；　for　I　had　heard　something

stirring　in　the　cave　making　a　soft　noise　like　a　white　lady's　dress

upon　the　floor。　There　in　the　blackness　I　saw　two　little　sparks　of

fire；　which　were　the　eyes　of　the　serpent；　Baas。　Then　I　heard　a　sound

of　hissing　like　four　big　kettles　boiling　all　at　once；　and　a　little

bleat　from　the　goat。　After　this　there　was　a　noise　as　of　men　wrestling；

followed　by　another　noise　as　of　bones　breaking；　and　lastly；　yet

another　sucking　noise　as　of　a　pump　that　won't　draw　up　the　water。　Then

everything　grew　nice　and　quiet　and　I　went　some　way　off；　sat　down　a

little　to　one　side　of　the　cave；　and　waited　to　see　if　anything

happened。



〃It　must　have　been　nearly　an　hour　later　that　something　did　begin　to

happen；　Baas。　It　was　as　though　sacks　filled　with　chaff　were　being

beaten　against　stone　walls　there　in　the　cave。　Ah！　thought　I　to　myself；

your　stomach　is　beginning　to　ache；　Eater…up…of…Bena；　and；　as　that　goat

had　little　horns　on　its　headto　which　I　tied　two　of　the　bags　of　the

poison；　Baasand；　like　all　snakes；　no　doubt　you　have　spikes　in　your

throat　pointing　downwards；　you　won't　be　able　to　get　it　up　again。　Then

I　expect　this　was　after　the　poison…sugar　had　begun　to　melt　nicely　in

the　serpent's　stomach；　Baasthere　was　a　noise　as　though　a　whole

company　of　girls　were　dancing　a　war…dance　in　the　cave　to　a　music　of

hisses。



〃And　thenoh！　then；　Baas；　of　a　sudden　that　Father　of　Serpents　came

out。　I　tell　you；　Baas；　that　when　I　saw　him　in　the　bright　starlight　my

hair　stood　up　upon　my　head；　for　never　has　there　been　such　another

snake　in　the　whole　world。　Those　that　live　in　trees　and　eat　bucks　in

Zululand；　of　whose　skins　men　make　waistcoats　and　slippers；　are　but

babies　compared　to　this　one。　He　came　out；　yard　after　yard　of　him。　He

wriggled　about；　he　stood　upon　his　tail　with　his　head　where　the　top　of

a　tree　might　be；　he　made　himself　into　a　ring；　he　bit　at　stones　and　at

his　own　stomach；　while　I　hid　behind　my　rock　praying　to　your　reverend

father　that　he　might　not　see　me。　Then　at　last　he　rushed　away　down　the

hill；　faster　than　any　horse　could　gallop。



〃Now　I　hoped　that　he　had　gone　for　good　and　thought　of　going　myself。

Still　I　feared　to　do　so　lest　I　should　meet　him　somewhere；　so　I　made　up

my　mind　to　wait　till　daylight。　It　was　as　well；　Baas；　for　about　half　an

hour　later　he　came　back　again。　Only　now　he　could　not　jump；　he　could

only　crawl。　Never　in　my　life　did　I　see　a　snake　look　so　sick；　Baas。

Into　the　cave　he　went　and　lay　there　hissing。　By　degrees　the　hissing

grew　very　faint；　till　at　length　they　died　away　altogether。　I　waited

another　half…hour；　Baas；　and　then　I　grew　so　curious　that　I　thought

that　I　would　go　to　look　in　the　cave。



〃I　lit　the　little　lantern　I　had　with　me　and；　holding　it　in　one　hand

and　my　stick　in　the　other；　I　crept　into　the　hole。　Before　I　had　crawled

ten　paces　I　saw　something　white　stretched　along　the　ground。　It　was　the

belly　of　the　great　snake；　Baas；　which　lay　upon　its　back　quite　dead。



〃I　know　that　it　was　dead；　for　I　lit　three　wax　matches；　setting　them　to

burn　upon　its　tail　and　it　never　stirred；　as　any　live　snake　will　do

when　it　feels　fire。　Then　I　came　home；　Baas；　feeling　very　proud　because

I　had　outwitted　that　great…grandfather　of　all　snakes　who　killed　Bena

my　friend；　and　had　made　the　way　clear　for　us　to　walk　through　the　cave。



〃That　is　all　the　story；　Baas。　Now　I　must　go　to　wash　those　dishes；〃　and

without　waiting　for　any　comment　off　he　went；　leaving　us　marvelling　at

his　wit；　resource　and　courage。



〃What　next？〃　I　asked　presently。



〃Nothing　till　to…night；〃　answered　Ragnall　with　determination；　〃when　I

am　going　to　look　at　the　snake　which　the　noble　Hans　has　killed　and

whatever　lies　beyond　the　cave；　as　you　will　remember　Har？t　invited　us

to　do　unmolested；　if　we　could。〃



〃Do　you　think　Har？t　will　keep　his　word；　Ragnall？〃



〃On　the　whole；　yes；　and　if　he　doesn't　I　don't　care。　Anything　is　better

than　sitting　here　in　this　suspense。〃



〃I　agree　as　to　Har？t；　because　we　are　too　valuable　to　be　killed　just

now；　if　for　no　other　reason；　also　as　to　the　suspense；　which　is

unendurable。　Therefore　I　will　walk　with　you　to　look　at　that　snake；

Ragnall；　and　so　no　doubt　will　Hans。　The　exercise　will　do　my　leg　good。〃



〃Do　you　think　it　wise？〃　he　asked　doubtfully；　〃in　your　case；　I　mean。〃



〃I　think　it　most　unwise　that　we　should　separate　any　more。　We　had

better　stand　or　fall　altogether；　further；　we　do　not　seem　to　have　any

luck　apart。〃







CHAPTER　XVII



THE　SANCTUARY　AND　THE　OATH



That　evening　shortly　after　sundown　the　three　of　us　started　boldly　from

our　house　wearing　over　our　clothes　the　Kendah　dresses　which　Ragnall

had　bought；　and　carrying　nothing　save　sticks　in　our　hands；　some　food

and　the　lantern　in　our　pockets。　On　the　outskirts　of　the　town　we　were

met　by　certain　Kendah；　one　of　whom　I　knew；　for　I　had　often　ridden　by

his　side　on　our　march　across　the　desert。



〃Have　any　of　you　arms　upon　you；　Lord　Macumazana？〃　he　asked；　looking

curiously　at　us　and　our　white　robes。



〃None；〃　I　answered。　〃Search　us　if　you　will。〃



〃Your　word　is　sufficient；〃　he　replied　with　the　grave　courtesy　of　his

people。　〃If　you　are　unarmed　we　have　orders　to　let　you　go　where　you

wish　however　you　may　be　dressed。　Yet；　Lord；〃　he　whispered　to　me；　〃I

pray　you　do　not　enter　the　cave；　since　One　lives　there　who　strikes　and

does　not　miss；　One　whose　kiss　is　death。　I　pray　it　for　your　own　sakes；

also　for　ours　who　need　you。〃



〃We　shall　not　wake　him　who　sleeps　in　the　cave；〃　I　answered

enigmatically；　as　we　departed　rejoicing；　for　now　we　had　learned　that

the　Kendah　did　not　yet　know　of　the　death　of　the　serpent。



An　hour's　walk　up　the　hill；　guided　by　Hans；　brought　us　to　the　mouth　of

the　tunnel。　To　tell　the　truth　I　could　have　wished　it　had　been　longer；

for　as　we　drew　near　all　sorts　of　doubts　assailed　me。　What　if　Hans

really　had　been　drinking　and　invented　this　story　to　account　for　his

absence？　What　if　the　snake　had　recovered　from　a　merely　temporary

indisposition？　What　if　it　had　a　wife　and　family　living　in　that　cave；

every　one　of　them　thirsting　for　vengeance？



Well；　it　was　too　late　to　hesitate　now；　but　secretly　I　hoped　that　one

of　the　others　would　prefer　to　lead　the　way。　We　reached　the　place　and

listened。　It　was　silent　as　a　tomb。　Then　that　brave　fellow　Hans　lit　the

lantern　and　said：



〃Do　you　stop　here；　Baases；　while　I　go　to　look。　If　you　hear　anything

happen　to　me；　you　will　have　time　to　run　away；〃　words　that　made　me　feel

somewhat　ashamed　of　myself。



However；　knowing　that　he　was　quick　as　a　weasel　and　silent　as　a　cat；　we

let　him　go。　A　minute　or　two　later　suddenly　he　reappeared　out　of　the

darkness；　for　he　had　turned　the　metal　shield　over　the　bull's…eye　of

the　lantern；　and　even　in　that　light　I　could　see　that　he　was　grinning。



〃It　is　all　right；　Baas；〃　he　said。　〃The　Father　of　Serpents　has　really

gone　to　that　land　whither　he　sent　Bena；　where　no　doubt　he　is　now

roasting　in　the　fires　of　hell；　and　I　don't　see　any　others。　Come　and

look　at　him。〃



So　in　we　went　and　there；　true　enough；　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave　lay

the　huge　reptile　stone　dead　and　already　much　swollen。　I　don't　know　how

long　it　was；　for　part　of　its　body　was　twisted　into　coils；　so　I　will

only　say　that　it　was　by　far　the　most　enormous　snake　that　I　have　ever

seen。　It　is　true　that　I　have　heard　of　such　reptiles　in　different　parts

of　Africa；　but　hitherto　I　had　always　put　them　down　as　fabulous

creatures　transformed　into　and　worshipped　as　local　gods。　Also　this

particular　specimen　was；　I　presume；　of　a　new　variety；　since；　according

to　Ragnall；　it　both　struck　like　the　cobra　or　the　adder；　and　crushed

like　the　boa…constrictor。　It　is　possible；　however；　that　he　was

mistaken　on　this　point；　I　do　not　know；　since　I　had　no　time；　or　indeed

inclination；　to　examine　its　head　for　the　poison　fangs；　and　when　next　I

passed　that　way　it　was　gone。



I　shall　never　forget　the　stench　of　that　cave。　It　was　horrible；　which

is　not　to　be　wondered　at　seeing　that　probably　this　creature　had　dwelt

there　for　centuries；　since　these　large　snakes　are　said　to　be　as　long

lived　as　tortoises；　and；　being　sacred；　of　course　it　had　never　lacked

for　food。　Everywhere　lay　piles　of　cast　bones；　amongst　one　of　which　I

noticed　fragments　of　a　human　skull；　perhaps　that　of　poor　Savage。　Also

the　projecting　rocks　in　the　place　were　covered　with　great　pieces　of

snake　skin；　doubtless　rubbed　off　by　the　reptile　when　once　a　year　it

changed　its　coat。



For　a　while　we　gazed　at　the　loathsome　and　still