prester john- 第31部分

'I　hope　it　isn't　scratched；'　I　said。　　'Henriques　trod　on　it　when　I　hit　him。'

Laputa　peered　at　the　gems　like　a　mother　at　a　child　who　has　had　a　fall。　　I　saw　my　chance　and　took　it。　　With　a　great　heave　I　pulled　the　boulder　down　into　the　pool。　　It　made　a　prodigious　splash；　sending　a　shower　of　spray　over　Laputa　and　the　Collar。　In　cover　of　it　I　raced　up　the　shelf；　straining　for　the　shelter　of　the　juniper　tree。

A　shot　rang　out　and　struck　the　rock　above　me。　　A　second　later　I　had　reached　the　tree　and　was　scrambling　up　the　crack　beyond　it。

Laputa　did　not　fire　again。　　He　may　have　distrusted　his　shooting；　or　seen　a　better　way　of　it。　　He　dashed　through　the　stream　and　ran　up　the　shelf　like　a　klipspringer　after　me。　　I　felt　rather　than　saw　what　was　happening；　and　with　my　heart　in　my　mouth　I　gathered　my　dregs　of　energy　for　the　last　struggle。

You　know　the　nightmare　when　you　are　pursued　by　some　awful　terror；　and；　though　sick　with　fear；　your　legs　have　a　strange　numbness；　and　you　cannot　drag　them　in　obedience　to　the　will。　　Such　was　my　feeling　in　the　crack　above　the　juniper　tree。　　In　truth；　I　had　passed　the　bounds　of　my　endurance。　　Last　night　I　had　walked　fifty　miles；　and　all　day　I　had　borne　the　torments　of　a　dreadful　suspense。　　I　had　been　bound　and　gagged　and　beaten　till　the　force　was　out　of　my　limbs。　　Also；　and　above　all；　I　had　had　little　food；　and　I　was　dizzy　with　want　of　sleep。　My　feet　seemed　leaden；　my　hands　had　no　more　grip　than　putty。　　I　do　not　know　how　I　escaped　falling　into　the　pool；　for　my　head　was　singing　and　my　heart　thumping　in　my　throat。　　I　seemed　to　feel　Laputa's　great　hand　every　second　clawing　at　my　heels。

I　had　reason　for　my　fears。　　He　had　entered　the　crack　long　before　I　had　reached　the　top；　and　his　progress　was　twice　as　fast　as　mine。　　When　I　emerged　on　the　topmost　shelf　he　was　scarcely　a　yard　behind　me。　　But　an　overhang　checked　his　bulky　figure　and　gave　me　a　few　seconds'　grace。　　I　needed　it　all；　for　these　last　steps　on　the　shelf　were　the　totterings　of　an　old　man。　　Only　a　desperate　resolution　and　an　extreme　terror　made　me　drag　one　foot　after　the　other。　　Blindly　I　staggered　on　to　the　top　of　the　ravine；　and　saw　before　me　the　Schimmel　grazing　in　the　light　of　the　westering　sun。

I　forced　myself　into　a　sort　of　drunken　run；　and　crawled　into　the　saddle。　　Behind　me；　as　I　turned；　I　could　see　Laputa's　shoulders　rising　over　the　edge。　　I　had　no　knife　to　cut　the　knee…　halter；　and　the　horse　could　not　stir。

Then　the　miracle　happened。　　When　the　rope　had　gagged　me；　my　teeth　must　have　nearly　severed　it　at　one　place；　and　this　Laputa　had　not　noticed　when　he　used　it　as　a　knee…halter。　　The　shock　of　my　entering　the　saddle　made　the　Schimmel　fling　up　his　head　violently；　and　the　rope　snapped。　　I　could　not　find　the　stirrups；　but　I　dug　my　heels　into　his　sides；　and　he　leaped　forward。

At　the　same　moment　Laputa　began　to　shoot。　　It　was　a　foolish　move；　for　he　might　have　caught　me　by　running；　since　I　had　neither　spurs　nor　whip；　and　the　horse　was　hampered　by　the　loose　end　of　rope　at　his　knee。　　In　any　case；　being　an　indifferent　shot；　he　should　have　aimed　at　the　Schimmel；　not　at　me；　but　I　suppose　he　wished　to　save　his　charger。　　One　bullet　sang　past　my　head；　a　second　did　my　business　for　me。　　It　passed　over　my　shoulder；　as　I　lay　low　in　the　saddle；　and　grazed　the　beast's　right　ear。　　The　pain　maddened　him；　and；　rope…end　and　all；　he　plunged　into　a　wild　gallop。　　Other　shots　came；　but　they　fell　far　short。　　I　saw　dimly　a　native　or　two　…　the　men　who　had　followed　us　…　rush　to　intercept　me；　and　I　think　a　spear　was　flung。　　But　in　a　flash　we　were　past　them；　and　their　cries　faded　behind　me。　I　found　the　bridle；　reached　for　the　stirrups；　and　galloped　straight　for　the　sunset　and　for　freedom。




CHAPTER　XVIII　HOW　A　MAN　MAY　SOMETIMES　PUT　HIS　TRUST　IN　A　HORSE


I　had　long　passed　the　limit　of　my　strength。　　Only　constant　fear　and　wild　alternations　of　hope　had　kept　me　going　so　long；　and　now　that　I　was　safe　I　became　light…headed　in　earnest。　　The　wonder　is　that　I　did　not　fall　off。　　Happily　the　horse　was　good　and　the　ground　easy；　for　I　was　powerless　to　do　any　guiding。　　I　simply　sat　on　his　back　in　a　silly　glow　of　comfort；　keeping　a　line　for　the　dying　sun；　which　I　saw　in　a　nick　of　the　Iron　Crown　Mountain。　　A　sort　of　childish　happiness　possessed　me。　　After　three　days　of　imminent　peril；　to　be　free　was　to　be　in　fairyland。　To　be　swishing　through　the　long　bracken　or　plunging　among　the　breast…high　flowers　of　the　meadowlands　in　a　world　of　essential　lights　and　fragrances；　seemed　scarcely　part　of　mortal　experience。　　Remember　that　I　was　little　more　than　a　lad；　and　that　I　had　faced　death　so　often　of　late　that　my　mind　was　all　adrift。　　To　be　able　to　hope　once　more；　nay；　to　be　allowed　to　cease　both　from　hope　and　fear；　was　like　a　deep　and　happy　opiate　to　my　senses。　　Spent　and　frail　as　I　was；　my　soul　swam　in　blessed　waters　of　ease。

The　mood　did　not　last　long。　　I　came　back　to　earth　with　a　shock；　as　the　schimmel　stumbled　at　the　crossing　of　a　stream。　　I　saw　that　the　darkness　was　fast　falling；　and　with　the　sight　panic　returned　to　me。　　Behind　me　I　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　pursuit。　　The　noise　was　in　my　ears；　but　when　I　turned　it　ceased；　and　I　saw　only　the　dusky　shoulders　of　hills。

I　tried　to　remember　what　Arcoll　had　told　me　about　his　headquarters；　but　my　memory　was　wiped　clean。　　I　thought　they　were　on　or　near　the　highway；　but　I　could　not　remember　where　the　highway　was。　　Besides；　he　was　close　to　the　enemy；　and　I　wanted　to　get　back　into　the　towns；　far　away　from　the　battle…　line。　　If　I　rode　west　I　must　come　in　time　to　villages；　where　I　could　hide　myself。　　These　were　unworthy　thoughts；　but　my　excuse　must　be　my　tattered　nerves。　　When　a　man　comes　out　of　great　danger；　he　is　apt　to　be　a　little　deaf　to　the　call　of　duty。

Suddenly　I　became　ashamed。　　God　had　preserved　me　from　deadly　perils；　but　not　that　I　might　cower　in　some　shelter。　　I　had　a　mission　as　clear　as　Laputa's。　　For　the　first　time　I　became　conscious　to　what　a　little　thing　I　owed　my　salvation。　　That　matter　of　the　broken　halter　was　like　the　finger　of　Divine　Providence。　　I　had　been　saved　for　a　purpose；　and　unless　I　fulfilled　that　purpose　I　should　again　be　lost。　　I　was　always　a　fatalist；　and　in　that　hour　of　strained　body　and　soul　I　became　something　of　a　mystic。　　My　panic　ceased；　my　lethargy　departed；　and　a　more　manly　resolution　took　their　place。　　I　gripped　the　Schimmel　by　the　head　and　turned　him　due　left。　　Now　I　remembered　where　the　highroad　ran；　and　I　remembered　something　else。

For　it　was　borne　in　on　me　that　Laputa　had　fallen　into　my　hands。　　Without　any　subtle　purpose　I　had　played　a　master　game。　　He　was　cut　off　from　his　people；　without　a　horse；　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　highroad　which　Arcoll's　men　patrolled。　Without　him　the　rising　would　crumble。　　There　might　be　war；　even　desperate　war；　but　we　should　fight　against　a　leaderless　foe。　　If　he　could　only　be　shepherded　to　the　north；　his　game　was　over；　and　at　our　leisure　we　could　mop　up　the　scattered　concentrations。

I　was　now　as　eager　to　get　back　into　danger　as　I　had　been　to　get　into　safety。　　Arcoll　must　be　found　and　warned；　and　that　at　once；　or　Laputa　would　slip　over　to　Inanda's　Kraal　under　cover　of　dark。　　It　was　a　matter　of　minutes；　and　on　these　minutes　depended　the　lives　of　thousands。　　It　was　also　a　matter　of　ebbing　strength；　for　with　my　return　to　common　sense　I　saw　very　clearly　how　near　my　capital　was　spent。　　If　I　could　reach　the　highroad；　find　Arcoll　or　Arcoll's　men；　and　give　them　my　news；　I　would　do　my　countrymen　a　service　such　as　no　man　in　Africa　could　render。　　But　I　felt　my　head　swimming；　I　was　swaying　crazily　in　the　saddle；　and　my　hands　had　scarcely　the　force　of　a　child's。　　I　could　only　lie　limply　on　the　horse's　back；　clutching　at　his　mane　with　trembling　fingers。　　I　remember　that　my　head　was　full　of　a　text　from　the　Psalms　about　not　putting　one's　trust　in　horses。　　I　prayed　that　this　one　horse　might　be　an　exception；　for　he　carried　more　than　Caesar　and　his　fortunes。

My　mind　is　a　blank　about　those　last　minutes。　　In　less　than　an　hour　after　my　escape　I　struck　the　highway；　but　it　was　an　hour　which　in　the　retrospect　unrolls　itself　into　unquiet　years。　　I　was　dimly　conscious　of　scrambling　through　a　ditch　and　coming　to　a　ghostly　white　road。　　The　schimmel　swung　to　the　right；　and　the　next　I　knew　some　one　had　taken　my　bridle　and　was　speaking　to　me。

At　first　I　thought　it　was　Laputa　and　screamed。　　Then　I　must　have　tottered　in　the　saddle；　for　I　felt　an　arm　slip　round　my　middle。　　The　rider　uncorked　a　bottle　with　his　teeth　and　forced　some　brandy　down　my　throat。　　I　choked　and　coughed；　and　then　looked　up　to　see　a　white　policeman　staring　at　me。　　I　knew　the　police　by　the　green　shoulder…straps。

'Arcoll；'　I　managed　to　croak。　　'For　God's　sake　take　me　to　Arcoll。'

The　man　whistled　shrilly　on　his　fingers；　and　a　second　rider　came　cantering　down　the　road。　　As　he　came　up　I　recognized　his　face；　but　could　not　put　a　name　to　it。　'Losh；　it's　the　lad　Crawfurd；'　I　heard　a　voice　say。　　'Crawfurd；　man；　d'ye　no　mind　me　at　Lourenco　Marques？　　Aitken？'

The　Scotch　tongue　worked　a　spell　with　me。　　It　cleared　my　wits　and　opened　the　gates　of　my　past　life。　　At　last　I　knew　I　was　among　my　own　folk。

'I　must　see　Arcoll。　　I　have　news　for　him　…　tremendous　news。　O　man；　take　me　to　Arcoll　and　ask　me　no　questions。　　Where　is　he？　　Where　is　he？'

'As　it　happens；　he's　about　two　hundred　yards　off；'　Aitken　said。　　'That　light　ye　see　at　the　top　of　the　brae　is　his　camp。'

They　helped　me　up　the　road；　a　man　on　each　side　of　me；　for　I　could　never　have　kept　in　the　saddle　without　their　support。　My　message　to　Arcoll　kept　humming　in　my　head　as　I　tried　to　put　it　into　words；　for　I　had　a　horrid　fear　that　my　wits　would　fail　me　and　I　should　be　dumb　when　the　time　came。　　Also　I　was　in　a　fever　of　haste。　　Every　minute　I　wasted　increased　Laputa's　chance　of　getting　back　to　the　kraal。　　He　had　men　with　him　every　bit　as　skilful　as　Arcoll's　trackers。　　Unless　Arcoll　had　a　big　force　and　the　best　horses　there　was　no　hope。　　Often　in　looking　back　at　this　hour　I　have　marvelled　at　the　strangeness　of　my　behaviour。　　Here　was　I　just　set　free　from　the　certainty　of　a　hideous　death；　and　yet　I　had　lost　all　joy　in　my　security。　　I　was　more　fevered　at　the　thought　of　Laputa's　escape　than　I　had　been　at　the　prospect　of　David　Crawfurd's　end。

The　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　being