the ivory child-第8章

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

remember　was　finding　myself　in　the　arms　of　the　younger　Eastern；　with

the　nurse　and　her　'cousin；'　a　stalwart　person　like　a　soldier；　standing

in　front　of　us。



〃'Little　girl　go　ill；'　said　the　elder　Arab。　'We　seek　policeman。'



〃'You　drop　that　child；'　answered　the　'cousin；'　doubling　his　fists。

Then　I　grew　faint　again；　and　when　I　came　to　myself　the　two　white…robed

men　had　gone。　All　the　way　home　my　governess　scolded　me　for　accepting

sweets　from　strangers；　saying　that　if　my　parents　came　to　know　of　it；　I

should　be　whipped　and　sent　to　bed。　Of　course；　I　begged　her　not　to　tell

them；　and　at　last　she　consented。　Do　you　know；　I　think　you　are　the

first　to　whom　I　have　ever　mentioned　the　matter；　of　which　I　am　sure　the

governess　never　breathed　a　word；　though　after　that；　whenever　we　walked

in　the　gardens；　her　'cousin'　always　came　to　look　after　us。　In　the　end

I　think　she　married　him。〃



〃You　believe　the　sweet　was　drugged？〃　I　asked。



She　nodded。　〃There　was　something　very　strange　in　it。　It　was　a　night　or

two　after　I　had　tasted　it　that　I　had　what　just　now　I　called　my

awakening；　and　began　to　think　about　Africa。〃



〃Have　you　ever　seen　these　men　again；　Miss　Holmes？〃



〃No；　never。〃



At　this　moment　I　heard　Lady　Longden　say；　in　a　severe　voice：



〃My　dear　Luna；　I　am　sorry　to　interrupt　your　absorbing　conversation；

but　we　are　all　waiting　for　you。〃



So　they　were；　for　to　my　horror　I　saw　that　everyone　was　standing　up

except　ourselves。



Miss　Holmes　departed　in　a　hurry；　while　Scroope　whispered　in　my　ear

with　a　snigger：



〃I　say；　Allan；　if　you　carry　on　like　that　with　his　young　lady；　his

lordship　will　be　growing　jealous　of　you。〃



〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　I　said　sharply。　But　there　was　something　in　his

remark；　for　as　Lord　Ragnall　passed　on　his　way　to　the　other　end　of　the

table；　he　said　in　a　low　voice　and　with　rather　a　forced　smile：



〃Well；　Quatermain；　I　hope　your　dinner　has　not　been　as　dull　as　mine；

although　your　appetite　seemed　so　poor。〃



Then　I　reflected　that　I　could　not　remember　having　eaten　a　thing　since

the　first　entrée。　So　overcome　was　I　that；　rejecting　all　Scroope's

attempts　at　conversation；　I　sat　silent；　drinking　port　and　filling　up

with　dates；　until　not　long　afterwards　we　went　into　the　drawing…room；

where　I　sat　down　as　far　from　Miss　Holmes　as　possible；　and　looked　at　a

book　of　views　of　Jerusalem。



While　I　was　thus　engaged；　Lord　Ragnall；　pitying　my　lonely　condition；

or　being　instigated　thereto　by　Miss　Holmes；　I　know　not　which；　came　up

and　began　to　chat　with　me　about　African　big…game　shooting。　Also　he

asked　me　what　was　my　permanent　address　in　that　country。　I　told　him

Durban；　and　in　my　turn　asked　why　he　wanted　to　know。



〃Because　Miss　Holmes　seems　quite　crazy　about　the　place；　and　I　expect　I

shall　be　dragged　out　there　one　day；〃　he　replied；　quite　gloomily。　It

was　a　prophetic　remark。



At　this　moment　our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　Lady　Longden；　who

came　to　bid　her　future　son…in…law　good　night。　She　said　that　she　must

go　to　bed；　and　put　her　feet　in　mustard　and　water　as　her　cold　was　so

bad；　which　left　me　wondering　whether　she　meant　to　carry　out　this

operation　in　bed。　I　recommended　her　to　take　quinine；　a　suggestion　she

acknowledged　rather　inconsequently　by　remarking　in　somewhat　icy　tones

that　she　supposed　I　sat　up　to　all　hours　of　the　night　in　Africa。　I

replied　that　frequently　I　did；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　rise　next　day；

for　that　member　of　the　British　aristocracy　irritated　me。



Thus　we　parted；　and　I　never　saw　her　again。　She　died　many　years　ago；

poor　soul；　and　I　suppose　is　now　freezing　her　former　acquaintances　in

the　Shades；　for　I　cannot　imagine　that　she　ever　had　a　friend。　They　talk

a　great　deal　about　the　influences　of　heredity　nowadays；　but　I　don't

believe　very　much　in　them　myself。　Who；　for　instance；　could　conceive

that　persons　so　utterly　different　in　every　way　as　Lady　Longden　and　her

daughter；　Miss　Holmes；　could　be　mother　and　child？　Our　bodies；　no

doubt；　we　do　inherit　from　our　ancestors；　but　not　our　individualities。

These　come　from　far　away。



A　good　many　of　the　guests　went　at　the　same　time；　having　long　distances

to　drive　on　that　cold　frosty　night；　although　it　was　only　just　ten

o'clock。　For　as　was　usual　at　that　period　even　in　fashionable　houses；

we　had　dined　at　seven。







CHAPTER　IV



HAR？T　AND　MAR？T



After　Lord　Ragnall　had　seen　his　guests　to　the　door　in　the　old…

fashioned　manner；　he　returned　and　asked　me　if　I　played　cards；　or

whether　I　preferred　music。　I　was　assuring　him　that　I　hated　the　sight

of　a　card　when　Mr。　Savage　appeared　in　his　silent　way　and　respectfully

inquired　of　his　lordship　whether　any　gentleman　was　staying　in　the

house　whose　Christian　name　was　/Here…come…a…zany/。　Lord　Ragnall　looked

at　him　with　a　searching　eye　as　though　he　suspected　him　of　being　drunk；

and　then　asked　what　he　meant　by　such　a　ridiculous　question。



〃I　mean；　my　lord；〃　replied　Mr。　Savage　with　a　touch　of　offence　in　his

tone；　〃that　two　foreign　individuals　in　white　clothes　have　arrived　at

the　castle；　stating　that　they　wish　to　speak　at　once　with　a　/Mr。　Here…

come…a…zany/　who　is　staying　here。　I　told　them　to　go　away　as　the　butler

said　he　could　make　nothing　of　their　talk；　but　they　only　sat　down　in

the　snow　and　said　they　would　wait　for　/Here…come…a…zany/。〃



〃Then　you　had　better　put　them　in　the　old　guardroom；　lock　them　up　with

something　to　eat；　and　send　the　stable…boy　for　the　policeman；　who　is　a

zany　if　ever　anybody　was。　I　expect　they　are　after　the　pheasants。〃



〃Stop　a　bit；〃　I　said；　for　an　idea　had　occurred　to　me。　〃The　message　may

be　meant　for　me；　though　I　can't　conceive　who　sent　it。　My　native　name

is　Macumazana；　which　possibly　Mr。　Savage　has　not　caught　quite

correctly。　Shall　I　go　to　see　these　men？〃



〃I　wouldn't　do　that　in　this　cold；　Quatermain；〃　Lord　Ragnall　answered。

〃Did　they　say　what　they　are；　Savage？〃



〃I　made　out　that　they　were　conjurers；　my　lord。　At　least　when　I　told

them　to　go　away　one　of　them　said；　'You　will　go　first；　gentleman。'

Then；　my　lord；　I　heard　a　hissing　sound　in　my　coat…tail　pocket　and；

putting　my　hand　into　it；　I　found　a　large　snake　which　dropped　on　the

ground　and　vanished。　It　quite　paralysed　me；　my　lord；　and　while　I　stood

there　wondering　whether　I　was　bitten；　a　mouse　jumped　out　of　the

kitchenmaid's　hair。　She　had　been　laughing　at　their　dress；　my　lord；

but　/now/　she's　screaming　in　hysterics。〃



The　solemn　aspect　of　Mr。　Savage　as　he　narrated　these　unholy　marvels

was　such　that；　like　the　kitchenmaid；　we　both　burst　into　ill…timed

merriment。　Attracted　by　our　laughter；　Miss　Holmes；　Miss　Manners；　with

whom　she　was　talking；　and　some　of　the　other　guests；　approached　and

asked　what　was　the　matter。



〃Savage　here　declares　that　there　are　two　conjurers　in　the　kitchen

premises；　who　have　been　producing　snakes　out　of　his　pocket　and　mice

from　the　hair　of　one　of　the　maids；　and　who　want　to　see　Mr。

Quatermain；〃　Lord　Ragnall　answered。



〃Conjurers！　Oh；　do　have　them　in；　George；〃　exclaimed　Miss　Holmes；　while

Miss　Manners　and　the　others；　who　were　getting　a　little　tired　of

promiscuous　conversation；　echoed　her　request。



〃By　all　means；〃　he　answered；　〃though　we　have　enough　mice　here　without

their　bringing　any　more。　Savage；　go　and　tell　your　two　friends　that

/Mr。　Here…come…a…zany/　is　waiting　for　them　in　the　drawing…room；　and

that　the　company　would　like　to　see　some　of　their　tricks。〃



Savage　bowed　and　departed；　like　a　hero　to　execution；　for　by　his　pallor

I　could　see　that　he　was　in　a　great　fright。　When　he　had　gone　we　set　to

work　and　cleared　a　space　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　in　front　of　which

we　arranged　chairs　for　the　company　to　sit　on。



〃No　doubt　they　are　Indian　jugglers；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall；　〃and　will　want

a　place　to　grow　their　mango…tree；　as　I　remember　seeing　them　do　in

Kashmir。〃



As　he　spoke　the　door　opened　and　Mr。　Savage　appeared　through　it；

walking　much　faster　than　was　his　wont。　I　noted　also　that　he　gripped

the　pockets　of　his　swallow…tail　coat　firmly　in　his　hand。



〃Mr。　Hare…root　and　Mr。　Mare…root；〃　he　announced。



〃Hare…root　and　Mare…root！〃　repeated　Lord　Ragnall。



〃Har？t　and　Mar？t；　I　expect；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　I　have　read　somewhere

that　they　were　great　magicians；　whose　names　these　conjurers　have

taken。〃　（Since　then　I　have　discovered　that　they　are　mentioned　in　the

Koran　as　masters　of　the　Black　Art。）



A　moment　later　two　men　followed　him　through　the　doorway。　The　first　was

a　tall；　Eastern…looking　person　with　a　grave　countenance；　a　long；　white

beard；　a　hooked　nose；　and　flashing；　hawk…like　eyes。　The　second　was

shorter　and　rather　stout；　also　much　younger。　He　had　a　genial；　smiling

face；　small；　beady…black　eyes；　and　was　clean…shaven。　They　were　very

light　in　colour；　indeed　I　have　seen　Italians　who　are　much　darker；　and

there　was　about　their　whole　aspect　a　certain　air　of　power。



Instantly　I　remembered　the　story　that　Miss　Holmes　had　told　me　at

dinner　and　looked　at　her　covertly；　to　see　that　she　had　turned　quite

pale　and　was　trembling　a　little。　I　do　not　think　that　anyone　else

noticed　this；　however；　as　all　were　staring　at　the　strangers。　Moreover

she　recovered　herself　in　a　moment；　and；　catching　my　eye；　laid　her

finger　on　her　lips　in　token　of　silence。



The　men　were　clothed　in　thick；　fur…lined　cloaks；　which　they　took　off

and；　folding　them　neatly；　laid　upon　the　floor；　standing　revealed　in

robes　of　a　beautiful　whiteness　and　in　large　plain　turbans；　also　white。



〃High…class　Somali　Arabs；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　noting　the　while　that

as　they　arranged　the　robes　they　were　taking　in　every　one　of　us　with

their　quick　eyes。　One　of　them　shut　the　door；　leaving　Savage　on　this

side　of　it　as　though　they　meant　him　to　be　present。　Then　they　walked

towards　us；　each　of　them　carrying　an　ornamental　basket　made　apparently

of　split　reeds；　that　contained　doubtless　their　conjuring　outfit　and

probably　the　snake　which　Savage　had　found　in　his　pocket。　To　my

surprise　they　came　straight　to　me；　and；　having　set　down　the　baskets；

lifted　their　hands　above　their　heads；　as　a　person　about　to　dive　might

do；　and　bowed　till　the　points　of　their　fingers　touched　the　floor。　Next

they　spoke；　not　in　Arabic　as　I　had　expected　that　they　would；　but　in

Bantu；　which　of　course　I　understood　perfectly　well。



〃I；　Har？t；　head　priest　and　doctor　of　the　White　Kendah　People；　greet

you；　O　Macumazana；〃　said　the　elder　man。



〃I；　Mar？t；　a　priest　and　doctor　of　the　People　of　the　White　Kendah；

greet　you；　O　Watcher…by…night；　whom　we　have　travelled　far　to　find；〃

said　the　younger　man。　Then　together；



〃We　both　greet　you；　O　Lord；　who　seem　small　but　are　great；　O　Chief　with

a　troubled　past　and　with　a　mighty　future；　O　Beloved　of　Mameena　who　has

'gone　down'　but　still　speaks　from　beneath；　Mameena　who　was　and　is　of

our　company。〃



At　this　point　it　was　my　turn　to　shiver　and　become　pale；　as　any　may

guess　who　may　have　chanced　to　read　the　h