the ivory child-第47章

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it　that　my　boy　was　killed　by　an　elephant？〃



〃Ask　that　question　of　Jana　and　not　of　me；〃　Har？t　answered　darkly。　Then

he　went　on：　〃You　also；　Lord　Macumazana；　work　for　a　reward；　the

countless　store　of　ivory　which　your　eyes　have　beheld　lying　in　the

burial　place　of　elephants　beyond　the　Tava　River。　When　you　have　slain

Jana　who　watches　the　store；　and　defeated　the　Black　Kendah　who　serve

him；　it　is　yours　and　we　will　give　you　camels　to　bear　it；　or　some　of

it；　for　all　cannot　be　carried；　to　the　sea　where　it　can　be　taken　away

in　ships。　As　for　the　yellow　man；　I　think　that　he　seeks　no　reward　who

soon　will　inherit　all　things。〃



〃The　old　witch…doctor　means　that　I　am　going　to　die；〃　remarked　Hans

expectorating　reflectively。　〃Well；　Baas；　I　am　quite　ready；　if　only

Jana　and　certain　others　die　first。　Indeed　I　grow　too　old　to　fight　and

travel　as　I　used　to　do；　and　therefore　shall　be　glad　to　pass　to　some

land　where　I　become　young　again。〃



〃Stuff　and　rubbish！〃　I　exclaimed；　then　turned　and　listened　to　Har？t

who；　not　understanding　our　Dutch　conversation；　was　speaking　once　more。



〃Lords；〃　he　said；　〃these　paths　which　run　east　and　west　are　the　real

approach　to　the　mountain　top　and　the　temple；　not　that　which；　as　I

suppose；　led　you　through　the　cave　of　the　old　serpent。　The　road　to　the

west；　which　wanders　round　the　base　of　the　hill　to　a　pass　in　those

distant　mountains　and　thence　across　the　deserts　to　the　north；　is　so

easy　to　stop　that　by　it　we　need　fear　no　attack。　With　this　eastern　road

the　case　is；　however；　different；　as　I　shall　now　show　you；　if　you　will

ride　with　me。〃



Then　he　gave　some　orders　to　two　attendant　priests　who　departed　at　a

run　and　presently　reappeared　at　the　head　of　a　small　train　of　camels

which　had　been　hidden；　I　know　not　where。　We　mounted　and；　following　the

road　across　a　flat　piece　of　ground；　found　that　not　more　than　half　a

mile　away　was　another　precipitous　ridge　of　rock　which　had　presumably

once　formed　the　lip　of　an　outer　crater。　This　ridge；　however；　was

broken　away　for　a　width　of　two　or　three　hundred　yards；　perhaps　by　some

outrush　of　lava；　the　road　running　through　the　centre　of　the　gap　on

which　schanzes　had　been　built　here　and　there　for　purposes　of　defence。

Looking　at　these　I　saw　that　they　were　very　old　and　inefficient　and

asked　when　they　had　been　erected。　Har？t　replied　about　a　century　before

when　the　last　war　took　place　with　the　Black　Kendah；　who　had　been

finally　driven　off　at　this　spot；　for　then　the　White　Kendah　were　more

numerous　than　at　present。



〃So　Simba　knows　this　road？〃　I　said。



〃Yes；　Lord；　and　Jana　knows　it　also；　for　he　fought　in　that　war　and

still　at　times　visits　us　here　and　kills　any　whom　he　may　meet。　Only　to

the　temple　he　has　never　dared　to　come。〃



Now　I　wondered　whether　we　had　really　seen　Jana　in　the　forest　on　the

previous　night；　but　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　useless　to

investigate　the　matter；　made　no　inquiries；　especially　as　these　would

have　revealed　to　Har？t　the　route　by　which　we　approached　the　temple。

Only　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　proper　defences　should　be　put　up　here

without　delay；　that　is　if　they　meant　to　make　a　stronghold　of　the

mountain。



〃We　do；　Lord；〃　he　answered；　〃since　we　are　not　strong　enough　to　attack

the　Black　Kendah　in　their　own　country　or　to　meet　them　in　pitched

battle　on　the　plain。　Here　and　in　no　other　place　must　be　fought　the

last　fight　between　Jana　and　the　Child。　Therefore　it　will　be　your　task

to　build　walls　cunningly；　so　that　when　they　come　we　may　defeat　Jana

and　the　hosts　of　the　Black　Kendah。〃



〃Do　you　mean　that　this　elephant　will　accompany　Simba　and　his　soldiers；

Har？t？〃



〃Without　doubt；　Lord；　since　he　has　always　done　so　from　the　beginning。

Jana　is　tame　to　the　king　and　certain　priests　of　the　Black　Kendah；

whose　forefathers　have　fed　him　for　generations；　and　will　obey　their

orders。　Also　he　can　think　for　himself；　being　an　evil　spirit　and

invulnerable。〃



〃His　left　eye　and　the　tip　of　his　trunk　are　not　invulnerable；〃　I

remarked；　〃though　from　what　I　saw　of　him　I　should　say　there　is　no

doubt　about　his　being　able　to　think　for　himself。　Well；　I　am　glad　the

brute　is　coming　as　I　have　an　account　to　settle　with　him。〃



〃As　he；　Lord；　who　does　not　forget；　has　an　account　to　settle　with　you

and　your　servant；　Light…in…Darkness；〃　commented　Har？t　in　an　unpleasant

and　suggestive　tone。



Then　after　we　had　taken　a　few　measurements　and　Ragnall；　who

understands　such　matters；　had　drawn　a　rough　sketch　of　the　place　in　his

pocket…book　to　serve　as　data　for　our　proposed　scheme　of

fortifications；　we　pursued　our　journey　back　to　the　town；　where　we　had

left　all　our　stores　and　there　were　many　things　to　be　arranged。　It

proved　to　be　quite　a　long　ride；　down　the　eastern　slope　of　the　mountain

which　was　easy　to　negotiate；　although　like　the　rest　of　this　strange

hill　it　was　covered　with　dense　cedar　forests　that　also　seemed　to　me　to

have　defensive　possibilities。　Reaching　its　foot　at　length　we　were

obliged　to　make　a　detour　by　certain　winding　paths　to　avoid　ground　that

was　too　rough　for　the　camels；　so　that　in　the　end　we　did　not　come　to

our　own　house　in　the　Town　of　the　Child　till　about　midday。



Glad　enough　were　we　to　reach　it；　since　all　three　of　us　were　tired　out

with　our　terrible　night　journey　and　the　anxious　emotions　that　we　had

undergone。　Indeed；　after　we　had　eaten　we　lay　down　and　I　rejoiced　to

see　that；　notwithstanding　the　state　of　mental　excitement　into　which

the　discovery　of　his　wife　had　plunged　him；　Ragnall　was　the　first　of　us

to　fall　asleep。



About　five　o'clock　we　were　awakened　by　a　messenger　from　Har？t；　who

requested　our　attendance　on　important　business　at　a　kind　of　meeting…

house　which　stood　at　a　little　distance　on　an　open　place　where　the

White　Kendah　bartered　produce。　Here　we　found　Har？t　and　about　twenty　of

the　headmen　seated　in　the　shade　of　a　thatched　roof；　while　behind　them；

at　a　respectful　distance；　stood　quite　a　hundred　of　the　White　Kendah。

Most　of　these；　however；　were　women　and　children；　for　as　I　have　said

the　greater　part　of　the　male　population　was　absent　from　the　town

because　of　the　commencement　of　the　harvest。



We　were　conducted　to　chairs；　or　rather　stools　of　honour；　and　when　we

two　had　seated　ourselves；　Hans　taking　his　stand　behind　us；　Har？t　rose

and　informed　us　that　an　embassy　had　arrived　from　the　Black　Kendah

which　was　about　to　be　admitted。



Presently　they　came；　five　of　them；　great；　truculent…looking　fellows　of

a　surprising　blackness；　unarmed；　for　they　had　not　been　allowed　to

bring　their　weapons　in　to　the　town；　but　adorned　with　the　usual　silver

chains　across　their　breasts　to　show　their　rank；　and　other　savage

finery。　In　the　man　who　was　their　leader　I　recognized　one　of　those

messengers　who　had　accosted　us　when　first　we　entered　their　territory

on　our　way　from　the　south；　before　that　fight　in　which　I　was　taken

prisoner。　Stepping　forward　and　addressing　himself　to　Har？t；　he　said：



〃A　while　ago；　O　Prophet　of　the　Child；　I；　the　messenger　of　the　god

Jana；　speaking　through　the　mouth　of　Simba　the　King；　gave　to　you　and

your　brother　Mar？t　a　certain　warning　to　which　you　did　not　listen。　Now

Jana　has　Mar？t；　and　again　I　come　to　warn　you；　Har？t。〃



〃If　I　remember　right；〃　interrupted　Har？t　blandly；　〃I　think　that　on

that　occasion　two　of　you　delivered　the　message　and　that　the　Child

marked　one　of　you　upon　the　brow。　If　Jana　has　my　brother；　say；　where　is

yours？〃



〃We　warned　you；〃　went　on　the　messenger；　〃and　you　cursed　us　in　the　name

of　the　Child。〃



〃Yes；〃　interrupted　Har？t　again；　〃we　cursed　you　with　three　curses。　The

first　was　the　curse　of　Heaven　by　storm　or　drought；　which　has　fallen

upon　you。　The　second　was　the　curse　of　famine；　which　is　falling　upon

you；　and　the　third　was　the　curse　of　war；　which　is　yet　to　fall　on　you。〃



〃It　is　of　war　that　we　come　to　speak；〃　replied　the　messenger；

diplomatically　avoiding　the　other　two　topics　which　perhaps　he　found　it

awkward　to　discuss。



〃That　is　foolish　of　you；〃　replied　the　bland　Har？t；　〃seeing　that　the

other　day　you　matched　yourselves　against　us　with　but　small　success。

Many　of　you　were　killed　but　only　a　very　few　of　us；　and　the　white　lord

whom　you　took　captive　escaped　out　of　your　hands　and　from　the　tusks　of

Jana　who；　I　think；　now　lacks　an　eye。　If　he　is　a　god；　how　comes　it　that

he　lacks　an　eye　and　could　not　kill　an　unarmed　white　man？〃



〃Let　Jana　answer　for　himself；　as　he　will　do　ere　long；　O　Har？t。

Meanwhile；　these　are　the　words　of　Jana　spoken　through　the　mouth　of

Simba　the　King：　The　Child　has　destroyed　my　harvest　and　therefore　I

demand　this　of　the　people　of　the　Childthat　they　give　me　three…

fourths　of　their　harvest；　reaping　the　same　and　delivering　it　on　the

south　bank　of　the　River　Tava。　That　they　give　me　the　two　white　lords　to

be　sacrificed　to　me。　That　they　give　the　white　lady　who　is　Guardian　of

the　Child　to　be　a　wife　of　Simba　the　King；　and　with　her　a　hundred

virgins　of　your　people。　That　the　image　of　the　Child　be　brought　to　the

god　Jana　in　the　presence　of　his　priests　and　Simba　the　King。　These　are

the　demands　of　Jana　spoken　through　the　mouth　of　Simba　the　King。〃



Watching；　I　saw　a　thrill　of　horror　shake　the　forms　of　Har？t　and　of　all

those　with　him　as　the　full　meaning　of　these；　to　them；　most　impious

requests　sank　into　their　minds。　But　he　only　asked　very　quietly：



〃And　if　we　refuse　the　demands；　what　then？〃



〃Then；〃　shouted　the　messenger　insolently；　〃then　Jana　declares　war　upon

you；　the　last　war　of　all；　war　till　every　one　of　your　men　be　dead　and

the　Child　you　worship　is　burnt　to　grey　ashes　with　fire。　War　till　your

women　are　taken　as　slaves　and　the　corn　which　you　refuse　is　stored　in

our　grain　pits　and　your　land　is　a　waste　and　your　name　forgotten。

Already　the　hosts　of　Jana　are　gathered　and　the　trumpet　of　Jana　calls

them　to　the　fight。　To…morrow　or　the　next　day　they　advance　upon　you；

and　ere　the　moon　is　full　not　one　of　you　will　be　left　to　look　upon

her。〃



Har？t　rose；　and　walking　from　under　the　shed；　turned　his　back　upon　the

envoys　and　stared　at　the　distant　line　of　great　mountains　which　stood

out　far　away　against　the　sky。　Out　of　curiosity　I　followed　him　and

observed　that　these　mountains　were　no　longer　visible。　Where　they　had

been　was　nothing　but　a　line　of　black　and　heavy　cloud。　After　looking

for　a　while　he　returned　and　addressing　the　envoys；　said　quite

casually：



〃If　you　will　be　advised　by　me；　friends；　you　will　ride　hard　for　the

river。　There　is　such　rain　upon　the　mountains　as　I　have　never　seen

before；　and　you　will　be　fortunate　if　you　cross　it　before　the　flood

comes　down；　the　greatest　flood　that　has　happened　in　our　day。〃



This　intelligence　seemed　to　disturb　the　messengers；　for　they　too

stepped　out　of　the　shed　and　stared　at　the　mountains；　muttering　to　each

other　something　that　I　could　not　understand。　Then　they　returned　and

with　a　fine　appearance　of　indifference　demanded　an　immediate　answer　to

their　challenge。



〃Can　you　not　guess　it？〃　answered　Har？t。