the ivory child-第7章

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in　the　winter　grass；〃　as　the　Zulus　say；　and　when　that　dinner　was　over

the　grass　was　still　burning。



I　don't　think　that　Lord　Ragnall　quite　liked　it；　but　fortunately　Lady

Longden　was　a　talkative　person。　First　she　conversed　about　her　cold　in

the　head；　sneezing　at　intervals；　poor　soul；　and　being　reduced　to　send

for　another　handkerchief　after　the　entrées。　Then　she　got　off　upon

business　matters；　to　judge　from　the　look　of　boredom　on　her　host's

face；　I　think　it　must　have　been　of　settlements。　Three　times　did　I　hear

him　refer　her　to　the　lawyerswithout　avail。　Lastly；　when　he　thought

he　had　escaped；　she　embarked　upon　a　quite　vigorous　argument　with　Dr。

Jeffreys　about　church　mattersI　gathered　that　she　was　〃low〃　and　he

was　〃high〃in　which　she　insisted　upon　his　lordship　acting　as　referee。



〃Do　try　and　keep　your　attention　fixed；　George；〃　I　heard　her　say

severely。　〃To　allow　it　to　wander　when　high　spiritual　affairs　are　under

discussion　（sneeze）　is　scarcely　reverent。　Could　you　tell　the　man　to

shut　that　door？　The　draught　is　dreadful。　It　is　quite　impossible　for

you　to　agree　with　both　of　us；　as　you　say　you　do；　seeing　that

metaphorically　Dr。　Jeffreys　is　at　one　pole　and　I　am　at　the　other。〃

（Sneeze。）



〃Then　I　wish　I　were　at　the　Tropic　of　Cancer；〃　I　heard　him　mutter　with

a　groan。



In　vain；　he　had　to　keep　his　〃attention　fixed〃　on　this　point　for　the

next　three…quarters　of　an　hour。　So　as　Miss　Manners　was　at　the　other

side　of　me；　and　Scroope；　unhampered　by　the　presence　of　any　prospective

mother…in…law；　was　at　the　other　side　of　her；　for　all　practical

purposes　Miss　Holmes　and　I　were　left　alone。



She　began　by　saying：



〃I　hear　you　beat　Sir　Junius　Fortescue　out　shooting　to…day；　and　won　a

lot　of　money　from　him　which　you　gave　to　the　Cottage　Hospital。　I　don't

like　shooting；　and　I　don't　like　betting；　and　it's　strange；　because　you

don't　look　like　a　man　who　bets。　But　I　detest　Sir　Junius　Fortescue；　and

that　is　a　bond　of　union　between　us。〃



〃I　never　said　I　detested　him。〃



〃No；　but　I　am　sure　you　do。　Your　face　changed　when　I　mentioned　his

name。〃



〃As　it　happens；　you　are　right。　But；　Miss　Holmes；　I　should　like　you　to

understand　that　you　were　also　right　when　you　said　I　did　not　look　like

a　betting　man。〃　And　I　told　her　some　of　the　story　of　Van　Koop　and　the

￡250。



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　when　I　had　finished；　〃I　always　felt　sure　he　was　a

horror。　And　my　mother　wanted　me；　just　because　he　pretended　to　be　low

churchbut　that's　a　secret。〃



Then　I　congratulated　her　upon　her　approaching　marriage；　saying　what　a

joyful　thing　it　was　now　and　again　to　see　everything　going　in　real；

happy；　storybook　fashion：　beauty；　male　and　female；　united　by　love；

high　rank；　wealth；　troops　of　friends；　health　of　body；　a　lovely　and　an

ancient　home　in　a　settled　land　where　dangers　do　not　comeat　present

respect　and　affection　of　crowds　of　dependants；　the　prospect　of　a　high

and　useful　career　of　a　sort　whereof　the　door　is　shut　to　most　people；

everything　in　short　that　human　beings　who　are　not　actually　royalty

could　desire　or　deserve。　Indeed　after　my　second　glass　of　champagne　I

grew　quite　eloquent　on　these　and　kindred　points；　being　moved　thereto

by　memories　of　the　misery　that　is　in　the　world　which　formed　so　great　a

contrast　to　the　lot　of　this　striking　and　brilliant　pair。



She　listened　to　me　attentively　and　answered：



〃Thank　you　for　your　kind　thoughts　and　wishes。　But　does　it　not　strike

you；　Mr。　Quatermain；　that　there　is　something　ill…omened　in　such　talk？

I　believe　that　it　does；　that　as　you　finished　speaking　it　occurred　to

you　that　after　all　the　future　is　as　much　veiled　from　all　of　us　asas

the　picture　which　hangs　behind　its　curtain　of　rose…coloured　silk　in

Lord　Ragnall's　study　is　from　you。〃



〃How　did　you　know　that？〃　I　asked　sharply　in　a　low　voice。　For　by　the

strangest　of　coincidences；　as　I　concluded　my　somewhat　old…fashioned

little　speech　of　compliments；　this　very　reflection　had　entered　my

mind；　and　with　it　the　memory　of　the　veiled　picture　which　Mr。　Savage

had　pointed　out　to　me　on　the　previous　morning。



〃I　can't　say；　Mr。　Quatermain；　but　I　did　know　it。　You　were　thinking　of

the　picture；　were　you　not？〃



〃And　if　I　was；〃　I　said；　avoiding　a　direct　reply；　〃what　of　it？　Though

it　is　hidden　from　everybody　else；　he　has　only　to　draw　the　curtain　and

seeyou。〃



〃Supposing　he　should　draw　the　curtain　one　day　and　see　nothing；　Mr。

Quatermain？〃



〃Then　the　picture　would　have　been　stolen；　that　is　all；　and　he　would

have　to　search　for　it　till　he　found　it　again；　which　doubtless　sooner

or　later　he　would　do。〃



〃Yes；　sooner　or　later。　But　where？　Perhaps　you　have　lost　a　picture　or

two　in　your　time；　Mr。　Quatermain；　and　are　better　able　to　answer　the

question　than　I　am。〃



There　was　silence　for　a　few　moments；　for　this　talk　of　lost　pictures

brought　back　memories　which　choked　me。



Then　she　began　to　speak　again；　low；　quickly；　and　with　suppressed

passion；　but　acting　wonderfully　all　the　while。　Knowing　that　eyes　were

on　her；　her　gestures　and　the　expression　of　her　face　were　such　as　might

have　been　those　of　any　young　lady　of　fashion　who　was　talking　of

everyday　affairs；　such　as　dancing；　or　flowers；　or　jewels。　She　smiled

and　even　laughed　occasionally。　She　played　with　the　golden　salt…cellar

in　front　of　her　and；　upsetting　a　little　of　the　salt；　threw　it　over　her

left　shoulder；　appearing　to　ask　me　if　I　were　a　victim　of　that　ancient

habit；　and　so　on。



But　all　the　while　she　was　talking　deeply　of　deep　things；　such　as　I

should　never　have　thought　would　pass　her　mind。　This　was　the　substance

of　what　she　said；　for　I　cannot　set　it　all　down　verbatim；　after　so　many

years　my　memory　fails　me。



〃I　am　not　like　other　women。　Something　moves　me　to　tell　you　so；

something　very　real　and　powerful　which　pushes　me　as　a　strong　man

might。　It　is　odd；　because　I　have　never　spoken　to　anyone　else　like

that；　not　to　my　mother　for　instance；　or　even　to　Lord　Ragnall。　They

would　neither　of　them　understand；　although　they　would　misunderstand

differently。　My　mother　would　think　I　ought　to　see　a　doctorand　if　you

knew　that　doctor！　He；〃　and　she　nodded　towards　Lord　Ragnall；　〃would

think　that　my　engagement　had　upset　me；　or　that　I　had　grown　rather　more

religious　than　I　ought　to　be　at　my　age；　and　been　reflecting　too　much

well；　on　the　end　of　all　things。　From　a　child　I　have　understood　that　I

am　a　mystery　set　in　the　midst　of　many　other　mysteries。　It　all　came　to

me　one　night　when　I　was　about　nine　years　old。　I　seemed　to　see　the　past

and　the　future；　although　I　could　grasp　neither。　Such　a　long；　long　past

and　such　an　infinite　future。　I　don't　know　what　I　saw；　and　still　see

sometimes。　It　comes　in　a　flash；　and　is　in　a　flash　forgotten。　My　mind

cannot　hold　it。　It　is　too　big　for　my　mind；　you　might　as　well　try　to

pack　Dr。　Jeffreys　there　into　this　wineglass。　Only　two　facts　remain

written　on　my　heart。　The　first　is　that　there　is　trouble　ahead　of　me；

curious　and　unusual　trouble；　and　the　second；　that　permanently；

continually；　I；　or　a　part　of　me；　have　something　to　do　with　Africa；　a

country　of　which　I　know　nothing　except　from　a　few　very　dull　books。

Also；　by　the　waythis　is　a　new　thoughtthat　I　have　a　great　deal　to

do　with　/you/。　That　is　why　I　am　so　interested　in　Africa　and　you。　Tell

me　about　Africa　and　yourself　now；　while　we　have　the　chance。〃　And　she

ended　rather　abruptly；　adding　in　a　louder　voice；　〃You　have　lived　there

all　your　life；　have　you　not；　Mr。　Quatermain？〃



〃I　rather　think　your　mother　would　be　rightabout　the　doctor；　I　mean；〃

I　said。



〃You　/say/　that；　but　you　don't　/believe/　it。　Oh！　you　are　very

transparent；　Mr。　Quatermainat　least；　to　me。〃



So；　hurriedly　enough；　for　these　subjects　seemed　to　be　uncomfortable；

even　dangerous　in　a　sense；　I　began　to　talk　of　the　first　thing　about

Africa　that　I　rememberednamely；　of　the　legend　of　the　Holy　Flower

that　was　guarded　by　a　huge　ape；　of　which　I　had　heard　from　a　white　man

who　was　supposed　to　be　rather　mad；　who　went　by　the　name　of　Brother

John。　Also　I　told　her　that　there　was　something　in　it；　as　I　had　with　me

a　specimen　of　the　flower。



〃Oh！　show　it　me；〃　she　said。



I　replied　that　I　feared　I　could　not；　as　it　was　locked　away　in　a　safe

in　London；　whither　I　was　returning　on　the　morrow。　I　promised；　however；

to　send　her　a　life…sized　water…colour　drawing　of　which　I　had　caused

several　to　be　made。　She　asked　me　if　I　were　going　to　look　for　this

flower；　and　I　said　that　I　hoped　so　if　I　could　make　the　necessary

arrangements。　Next　she　asked　me　if　there　chanced　to　be　any　other

African　quests　upon　which　I　had　set　my　mind。　I　replied　that　there　were

several。　For　instance；　I　had　heard　vaguely　through　Brother　John；　and

indirectly　from　one　or　two　other　sources；　of　the　existence　of　a

certain　tribe　in　East　Central　AfricaArabs　or　semi…Arabswho　were

reported　to　worship　a　child　that　always　remained　a　child。　This　child；

I　took　it；　was　a　dwarf；　but　as　I　was　interested　in　native　religious

customs　which　were　infinite　in　their　variety；　I　should　much　like　to

find　out　the　truth　of　the　matter。



〃Talking　of　Arabs；〃　she　broke　in；　〃I　will　tell　you　a　curious　story。

Once　when　I　was　a　little　girl；　eight　or　nine　years　of　ageit　was　just

before　that　kind　of　awakening　of　which　I　have　spoken　to　youI　was

playing　in　Kensington　Gardens；　for　we　lived　in　London　at　the　time；　in

the　charge　of　my　nurse…governess。　She　was　talking　to　some　young　man

who　she　said　was　her　cousin；　and　told　me　to　run　about　with　my　hoop　and

not　to　bother。　I　drove　the　hoop　across　the　grass　to　some　elm　trees。

From　behind　one　of　the　trees　came　out　two　tall　men　dressed　in　white

robes　and　turbans；　who　looked　to　me　like　scriptural　characters　in　a

picture…book。　One　was　an　elderly　man　with　flashing；　black　eyes；　hooked

nose；　and　a　long　grey　beard。　The　other　was　much　younger；　but　I　do　not

remember　him　so　well。　They　were　both　brown　in　colour；　but　otherwise

almost　like　white　men；　not　Negroes　by　any　means。　My　hoop　hit　the　elder

man；　and　I　stood　still；　not　knowing　what　to　say。　He　bowed　politely　and

picked　it　up；　but　did　not　offer　to　return　it　to　me。　They　talked

together　rapidly；　and　one　of　them　pointed　to　the　moon…shaped　birthmark

which　you　see　I　have　upon　my　neck；　for　it　was　hot　weather；　and　I　was

wearing　a　low…cut　frock。　It　was　because　of　this　mark　that　my　father

named　me　Luna。　The　elder　of　the　two　said　in　broken　English：



〃'What　is　your　name；　pretty　little　girl？'



〃I　told　him　it　was　Luna　Holmes。　Then　he　drew　from　his　robe　a　box　made

of　scented　wood；　and；　opening　it；　took　out　some　sweetmeat　which　looked

as　if　it　had　been　frozen；　and　gave　me　a　piece　that；　being　very　fond　of

sweet；　I　put　into　my　mouth。　Next；　he　bowled　the　hoop　along　the　ground

into　the　shadow　of　the　treesit　was　evening　time　and　beginning　to

grow　darksaying；　'Run；　catch　it；　little　girl！'



〃I　began　to　run；　but　something　in　the　taste　of　that　sweet　caused　me　to

drop　it　from　my　lips。　Then　all　grew　misty；　and　the　next　thing　I

remember　was　finding