the ivory child-第44章

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for　all　were　young　and　very　comely；　who　ranged　themselves　alongside　of

the　men。　These　also　carried　wooden　platters；　and　on　them　blooming

flowers。



At　a　sign　they　struck　up　a　religious　chant　and　began　to　walk　forward

through　the　passage　that　led　from　the　first　court　to　the　second。

Arriving　in　front　of　the　altar　they　halted　and　one　by　one；　first　a

priest　and　then　a　priestess；　set　down　the　platters　of　offerings；

piling　them　above　each　other　into　a　cone。　Next　the　priests　and　the

priestesses　ranged　themselves　in　lines　on　either　side　of　the　altar；

and　Har？t　took　a　platter　of　corn　and　a　platter　of　flowers　in　his

hands。　These　he　held　first　towards　that　quarter　of　the　sky　in　which

swam　the　invisible　new　moon；　secondly　towards　the　rising　sun；　and

thirdly　towards　the　doors　of　the　sanctuary；　making　genuflexions　and

uttering　some　chanted　prayer；　the　words　of　which　we　could　not　hear。



A　pause　followed；　that　was　succeeded　by　a　sudden　outburst　of　song

wherein　all　the　audience　took　part。　It　was　a　very　sonorous　and

beautiful　song　or　hymn　in　some　language　which　I　did　not　understand；

divided　into　four　verses；　the　end　of　each　verse　being　marked　by　the

bowing　of　every　one　of　those　many　singers　towards　the　east；　towards

the　west；　and　finally　towards　the　altar。



Another　pause　till　suddenly　the　doors　of　the　sanctuary　were　thrown

wide　and　from　between　them　issuedthe　goddess　Isis　of　the　Egyptians

as　I　have　seen　her　in　pictures！　She　was　wrapped　in　closely　clinging

draperies　of　material　so　thin　that　the　whiteness　of　her　body　could　be

seen　beneath。　Her　hair　was　outspread　before　her；　and　she　wore　a　head…

dress　or　bonnet　of　glittering　feathers　from　the　front　of　which　rose　a

little　golden　snake。　In　her　arms　she　bore　what　at　that　distance　seemed

to　be　a　naked　child。　With　her　came　two　women；　walking　a　little　behind

her　and　supporting　her　arms；　who　also　wore　feather　bonnets　but　without

the　golden　snake；　and　were　clad　in　tight…fitting；　transparent

garments。



〃My　God！〃　whispered　Ragnall；　〃it　is　my　wife！〃



〃Then　be　silent　and　thank　Him　that　she　is　alive　and　well；〃　I　answered。



The　goddess　Isis；　or　the　English　ladyin　that　excitement　I　did　not

reck　whichstood　still　while　the　priests　and　priestesses　and　all　the

audience；　who；　gathered　on　the　upper　benches　of　the　amphitheatre；

could　see　her　above　the　wall　of　the　inner　court；　raised　a　thrice…

repeated　and　triumphant　cry　of　welcome。　Then　Har？t　and　the　first

priestess　lifted　respectively　an　ear　of　corn　and　a　flower　from　the　two

topmost　platters　and　held　these　first　to　the　lips　of　the　child　in　her

arms　and　secondly　to　her　lips。



This　ceremony　concluded；　the　two　attendant　women　led　her　round　the

altar　to　the　stone　chair；　upon　which　she　seated　herself。　Next　fire　was

kindled　in　the　bowl　on　the　tripod　in　front　of　the　chair；　how　I　could

not　see；　but　perhaps　it　was　already　smouldering　there。　At　any　rate　it

burnt　up　in　a　thin　blue　flame；　on　to　which　Har？t　and　the　head

priestess　threw　something　that　caused　the　flame　to　turn　to　smoke。　Then

Isis；　for　I　prefer　to　call　her　so　while　describing　this　ceremony；　was

caused　to　bend　her　head　forward；　so　that　it　was　enveloped　in　the　smoke

exactly　as　she　and　I　had　done　some　years　before　in　the　drawing…room　at

Ragnall　Castle。　Presently　the　smoke　died　away　and　the　two　attendants

with　the　feathered　head…dresses　straightened　her　in　the　chair　where

she　sat　still　holding　the　babe　against　her　breast　as　she　might　have

done　to　nurse　it；　but　with　her　head　bent　forward　like　that　of　a　person

in　a　swoon。



Now　Har？t　stepped　forward　and　appeared　to　speak　to　the　goddess　at　some

length；　then　fell　back　again　and　waited；　till　in　the　midst　of　an

intense　silence　she　rose　from　her　seat　and；　fixing　her　wide　eyes　on

the　heavens；　spoke　in　her　turn；　for　although　we　heard　nothing　of　what

she　said；　in　that　clear；　morning　light　we　could　see　her　lips　moving。

For　some　minutes　she　spoke；　then　sat　down　again　upon　the　chair　and

remained　motionless；　staring　straight　in　front　of　her。　Har？t　advanced

again；　this　time　to　the　front　of　the　altar；　and；　taking　his　stand　upon

a　kind　of　stone　step；　addressed　the　priests　and　priestesses　and　all

the　encircling　audience　in　a　voice　so　loud　and　clear　that　I　could

distinguish　and　understand　every　word　he　said。



〃The　Guardian　of　the　heavenly　Child；　the　Nurse　decreed；　the　appointed

Nurturer；　She　who　is　the　shadow　of　her　that　bore　the　Child；　She　who　in

her　day　bears　the　symbol　of　the　Child　and　is　consecrated　to　its

service　from　of　old；　She　whose　heart　is　filled　with　the　wisdom　of　the

Child　and　who　utters　the　decrees　of　Heaven；　has　spoken。　Hearken　now　to

the　voice　of　the　Oracle　uttered　in　answer　to　the　questions　of　me；

Har？t；　the　head　priest　of　the　Eternal　Child　during　my　life…days。　Thus

says　the　Oracle；　the　Guardian；　the　Nurturer；　marked　like　all　who　went

before　her　with　the　holy　mark　of　the　new　moon。　She　on　whom　the　spirit；

flitting　from　generation　to　generation；　has　alighted　for　a　while。　'O

people　of　the　White　Kendah；　worshippers　of　the　Child　in　this　land　and

descendants　of　those　who　for　thousands　of　years　worshipped　the　Child

in　a　more　ancient　land　until　the　barbarians　drove　it　thence　with　the

remnant　that　remained。　War　is　upon　you；　O　people　of　the　White　Kendah。

Jana　the　evil　one；　he　whose　other　name　is　Set；　he　whose　other　name　is

Satan；　he　who　for　this　while　lives　in　the　shape　of　an　elephant；　he　who

is　worshipped　by　the　thousands　whom　once　you　conquered；　and　whom　still

you　bridle　by　my　might；　comes　up　against　you。　The　Darkness　wars

against　the　Daylight；　the　Evil　wars　against　the　Good。　My　curse　has

fallen　upon　the　people　of　Jana；　my　hail　has　smitten　them；　their　corn

and　their　cattle；　they　have　no　food　to　eat。　But　they　are　still　strong

for　war　and　there　is　food　in　your　land。　They　come　to　take　your　corn；

Jana　comes　to　trample　your　god。　The　Evil　comes　to　destroy　the　Good；

the　Night　to　Devour　the　Day。　It　is　the　last　of　many　battles。　How　shall

you　conquer；　O　People　of　the　Child？　Not　by　your　own　strength；　for　you

are　few　in　number　and　Jana　is　very　strong。　Not　by　the　strength　of　the

Child；　for　the　Child　grows　weak　and　old；　the　days　of　its　dominion　are

almost　done；　and　its　worship　is　almost　outworn。　Here　alone　that

worship　lingers；　but　new　gods；　who　are　still　the　old　gods；　press　on　to

take　its　place　and　to　lead　it　to　its　rest。'



〃How　then　shall　you　conquer　that；　when　the　Child　has　departed　to　its

own　place；　a　remnant　of　you　may　still　remain？　In　one　way　onlyso　says

the　Guardian；　the　Nurturer　of　the　Child　speaking　with　the　voice　of　the

Child；　by　the　help　of　those　whom　you　have　summoned　to　your　aid　from

far。　There　were　four　of　them；　but　one　you　have　suffered　to　be　slain　in

the　maw　of　the　Watcher　in　the　cave。　It　was　an　evil　deed；　O　sons　and

daughters　of　the　Child；　for　as　the　Watcher　is　now　dead；　so　ere　long

many　of　you　who　planned　this　deed　must　die　who；　had　it　not　been　for

that　man's　blood；　would　have　lived　on　a　while。　Why　did　you　do　this

thing？　That　you　might　keep　a　secret；　the　secret　of　the　theft　of　a

woman；　that　you　might　continue　to　act　a　lie　which　falls　upon　your　head

like　a　stone　from　heaven。



〃Thus　saith　the　Child：　'Lift　no　hand　against　the　three　who　remain；　and

what　they　shall　ask；　that　give；　for　thus　alone　shall　some　of　you　be

saved　from　Jana　and　those　who　serve　him；　even　though　the　Guardian　and

the　Child　be　taken　away　and　the　Child　itself　returned　to　its　own

place。'　These　are　the　words　of　the　Oracle　uttered　at　the　Feast　of　the

First…fruits；　the　words　that　cannot　be　changed　and　mayhap　its　last。〃





Har？t　ceased；　and　there　was　silence　while　this　portentous　message　sank

into　the　minds　of　his　audience。　At　length　they　seemed　to　understand

its　ominous　nature　and　from　them　all　there　arose　a　universal；

simultaneous　groan。　As　it　died　away　the　two　attendants　dressed　as

goddesses　assisted　the　personification　of　the　Lady　Isis　to　rise　from

her　seat　and；　opening　the　robes　upon　her　breast；　pointed　to　something

beneath　her　throat；　doubtless　that　birthmark　shaped　like　the　new　moon

which　made　her　so　sacred　in　their　eyes　since　she　who　bore　it　and　she

alone　could　fill　her　holy　office。



All　the　audience　and　with　them　the　priests　and　priestesses　bowed

before　her。　She　lifted　the　symbol　of　the　Child；　holding　it　high　above

her　head；　whereon　once　more　they　bowed　with　the　deepest　veneration。

Then　still　holding　the　effigy　aloft；　she　turned　and　with　her　two

attendants　passed　into　the　sanctuary　and　doubtless　thence　by　a　covered

way　into　the　house　beyond。　At　any　rate　we　saw　her　no　more。







As　soon　as　she　was　gone　the　congregation；　if　I　may　call　it　so；　leaving

their　seats；　swarmed　down　into　the　outer　court　of　the　temple　through

its　eastern　gate；　which　was　now　opened。　Here　the　priests　proceeded　to

distribute　among　them　the　offerings　taken　from　the　altar；　giving　a

grain　of　corn　to　each　of　the　men　to　eat　and　a　flower　to　each　of　the

women；　which　flower　she　kissed　and　hid　in　the　bosom　of　her　robe。

Evidently　it　was　a　kind　of　sacrament。



Ragnall　lifted　himself　a　little　upon　his　hands　and　knees；　and　I　saw

that　his　eyes　glowed　and　his　face　was　very　pale。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。



〃Demand　that　those　people　give　me　back　my　wife；　whom　they　have　stolen。

Don't　try　to　stop　me；　Quatermain；　I　mean　what　I　say。〃



〃But；　but；〃　I　stammered；　〃they　never　will　and　we　are　but　three　unarmed

men。〃



Hans　lifted　up　his　little　yellow　face　between　us。



〃Baas；〃　he　hissed；　〃I　have　a　thought。　The　Lord　Baas　wishes　to　get　the

lady　dressed　like　a　bird　as　to　her　head　and　like　one　for　burial　as　to

her　body；　who　is；　he　says；　his　wife。　But　for　us　to　take　her　from　among

so　many　is　impossible。　Now　what　did　that　old　witch…doctor　Har？t

declare　just　now？　He　declared；　speaking　for　his　fetish；　that　by　our

help　alone　the　White　Kendah　can　resist　the　hosts　of　the　Black　Kendah

and　that　no　harm　must　be　done　to　us　if　the　White　Kendah　would　continue

to　live。　So　it　seems；　Baas；　that　we　have　something　to　sell　which　the

White　Kendah　must　buy；　namely　our　help　against　the　Black　Kendah；　for

if　we　will　not　fight　for　them；　they　believe　that　they　cannot　conquer

their　enemies　and　kill　the　devil　Jana。　Well　now；　supposing　that　the

Baas　says　that　our　price　is　the　white　woman　dressed　like　a　bird；　to　be

delivered　over　to　us　when　we　have　defeated　the　Black　Kendah　and　killed

Janaafter　which　they　will　have　no　more　use　for　her。　And　supposing

that　the　Baas　says　that　if　they　refuse　to　pay　that　price　we　will　burn

all　our　powder　and　cartridges　so　that　the　rifles　are　no　use？　Is　there

not　a　path　to　walk　on　here？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　I　answered。　〃Something　of　the　sort　was　working　in　my　mind

but　I　had　no　time　to　think　it　out。〃



Turning；　I　explained　the　idea　to　Ragnall；　adding：



〃I　pray　you　not　to　be　rash。　If　you　are；　not　only　may　we　be　killed；

which　does　not　so　much　matter；　but　it　is　very　probable　that　even　if

they　spare　us　they　will　put　an　end　to　your　wif