the ivory child- 第15部分

The　crisis　came　at　last；　for　before　that　battery　was　delivered　our

available　funds　were　exhausted；　and　no　one　would　subscribe　another

halfpenny。　Debentures；　it　is　true；　had　been　issued　and　taken　up　to　the

extent　of　about　￡1；000　out　of　the　￡5；000　offered；　though　who　bought

them　remained　at　the　time　a　mystery　to　me。　Ultimately　a　meeting　was

called　to　consider　the　question　of　liquidating　the　company；　and　at

this　meeting；　after　three　sleepless　nights；　I　occupied　the　chair。



When　I　entered　the　room；　to　my　amazement　I　found　that　of　the　five

directors　only　one　was　present　besides　myself；　an　honest　old　retired

sea　captain　who　had　bought　and　paid　for　300　shares。　Jacob　and　the　two

friends　who　represented　his　interests　had；　it　appeared；　taken　ship

that　morning　for　Cape　Town；　whither　they　were　summoned　to　attend

various　relatives　who　had　been　seized　with　illness。



It　was　a　stormy　meeting　at　first。　I　explained　the　position　to　the　best

of　my　ability；　and　when　I　had　finished　was　assailed　with　a　number　of

questions　which　I　could　not　answer　to　the　satisfaction　of　myself　or　of

anybody　else。　Then　a　gentleman；　the　owner　of　ten　shares；　who　had

evidently　been　drinking；　suggested　in　plain　language　that　I　had

cheated　the　shareholders　by　issuing　false　reports。



I　jumped　up　in　a　fury　and；　although　he　was　twice　my　size；　asked　him　to

come　and　argue　the　question　outside；　whereon　he　promptly　went　away。

This　incident　excited　a　laugh；　and　then　the　whole　truth　came　out。　A

man　with　coloured　blood　in　him　stood　up　and　told　a　story　which　was

subsequently　proved　to　be　true。　Jacob　had　employed　him　to　〃salt〃　the

mine　by　mixing　a　heavy　sprinkling　of　gold　in　the　gravel　we　had　first

washed　（which　the　coloured　man　swore　he　did　in　innocence）；　and

subsequently　had　defrauded　him　of　his　wages。　That　was　all。　I　sank　back

in　my　chair　overcome。　Then　some　good　fellow　in　the　audience；　who　had

lost　money　himself　in　the　affair　and　whom　I　scarcely　knew；　got　up　and

made　a　noble　speech　which　went　far　to　restore　my　belief　in　human

nature。



He　said　in　effect　that　it　was　well　known　that　I；　Allan　Quatermain；

after　working　like　a　horse　in　the　interests　of　the　shareholders；　had

practically　ruined　myself　over　this　enterprise；　and　that　the　real

thief　was　Jacob；　who　had　made　tracks　for　the　Cape；　taking　with　him　a

large　cash　profit　resulting　from　the　sale　of　shares。　Finally　he

concluded　by　calling　for　〃three　cheers　for　our　honest　friend　and

fellow　sufferer；　Mr。　Allan　Quatermain。〃



Strange　to　say　the　audience　gave　them　very　heartily　indeed。　I　thanked

them　with　tears　in　my　eyes；　saying　that　I　was　glad　to　leave　the　room

as　poor　as　I　had　ever　been；　but　with　a　reputation　which　my　conscience

as　well　as　their　kindness　assured　me　was　quite　unblemished。



Thus　the　winding…up　resolution　was　passed　and　that　meeting　came　to　an

end。　After　shaking　hands　with　my　deliverer　from　a　most　unpleasant

situation；　I　walked　homewards　with　the　lightest　heart　in　the　world。　My

money　was　gone；　it　was　true；　also　my　over…confidence　in　others　had　led

me　to　make　a　fool　of　myself　by　accepting　as　fact；　on　what　I　believed

to　be　the　evidence　of　my　eyes；　that　which　I　had　not　sufficient　expert

knowledge　to　verify。　But　my　honour　was　saved；　and　as　I　have　again　and

again　seen　in　the　course　of　life；　money　is　nothing　when　compared　with

honour；　a　remark　which　Shakespeare　made　long　ago；　though　like　many

other　truths　this　is　one　of　which　a　full　appreciation　can　only　be

gained　by　personal　experience。



Not　very　far　from　the　place　where　our　meeting　had　been　held　I　passed　a

side　street　then　in　embryo；　for　it　had　only　one　or　two　houses　situated

in　their　gardens　and　a　rather　large　and　muddy　sluit　of　water　running

down　one　side　at　the　edge　of　the　footpath。　Save　for　two　people　this

street　was　empty；　but　that　pair　attracted　my　attention。　They　were　a

white　man；　in　whom　I　recognized　the　stout　and　half…intoxicated

individual　who　had　accused　me　of　cheating　the　company　and　then

departed；　and　a　withered　old　Hottentot　who　at　that　distance；　nearly　a

hundred　yards　away；　much　reminded　me　of　a　certain　Hans。



This　Hans；　I　must　explain；　was　originally　a　servant　of　my　father；　who

was　a　missionary　in　the　Cape　Colony；　and　had　been　my　companion　in　many

adventures。　Thus　in　my　youth　he　and　I　alone　escaped　when　Dingaan

murdered　Retief　and　his　party　of　Boers；＇*＇　and　he　had　been　one　of　my

party　in　our　quest　for　the　wonderful　orchid；　the　record　of　which　I

have　written　down　in　〃The　Holy　Flower。〃



＇*＇　See　the　book　called　〃Marie。〃Editor。



Hans　had　his　weak　points；　among　which　must　be　counted　his　love　of

liquor；　but　he　was　a　gallant　and　resourceful　old　fellow　as　indeed　he

had　amply　proved　upon　that　orchid…seeking　expedition。　Moreover　he

loved　me　with　a　love　passing　the　love　of　women。　Now；　having　acquired

some　money　in　a　way　I　need　not　stop　to　describefor　is　it　not　written

elsewhere？he　was　settled　as　a　kind　of　little　chief　on　a　farm　not

very　far　from　Durban；　where　he　lived　in　great　honour　because　of　the

fame　of　his　deeds。



The　white　man　and　Hans；　if　Hans　it　was；　were　engaged　in　violent

altercation　whereof　snatches　floated　to　me　on　the　breeze；　spoken　in

the　Dutch　tongue。



〃You　dirty　little　Hottentot！〃　shouted　the　white　man；　waving　a　stick；

〃I'll　cut　the　liver　out　of　you。　What　do　you　mean　by　nosing　about　after

me　like　a　jackal？〃　And　he　struck　at　Hans；　who　jumped　aside。



〃Son　of　a　fat　white　sow；〃　screamed　Hans　in　answer　（for　the　moment　I

heard　his　voice　I　knew　that　it　was　Hans）；　〃did　you　dare　to　call　the

Baas　a　thief？　Yes；　a　thief；　O　Rooter　in　the　mud；　O　Feeder　on　filth　and

worms；　O　Hog　of　the　gutterthe　Baas；　the　clipping　of　whose　nail　is

worth　more　than　you　and　all　your　family；　he　whose　honour　is　as　clear

as　the　sunlight　and　whose　heart　is　cleaner　than　the　white　sand　of　the

sea。〃



〃Yes；　I　did；〃　roared　the　white　man；　〃for　he　got　my　money　in　the　gold

mine。〃



〃Then；　hog；　why　did　you　run　away。　Why　did　you　not　wait　to　tell　him　so

outside　that　house？〃



〃I'll　teach　you　about　running　away；　you　little　yellow　dog；〃　replied

the　other；　catching　Hans　a　cut　across　the　ribs。



〃Oh！　you　want　to　see　me　run；　do　you？〃　said　Hans；　skipping　back　a　few

yards　with　wonderful　agility。　〃Then　look！〃



Thus　speaking　he　lowered　his　head　and　charged　like　a　buffalo。　Fair　in

the　middle　he　caught　that　white　man；　causing　him　to　double　up；　fly

backwards　and　land　with　a　most　resounding　splash　in　the　deepest　part

of　the　muddy　sluit。　Here　I　may　remark　that；　as　his　shins　are　the

weakest；　a　Hottentot's　head　is　by　far　the　hardest　and　most　dangerous

part　of　him。　Indeed　it　seems　to　partake　of　the　nature　of　a　cannon

ball；　for；　without　more　than　temporary　disturbance　to　its　possessor；　I

have　seen　a　half…loaded　wagon　go　over　one　of　them　on　a　muddy　road。



Having　delivered　this　home　thrust　Hans　bolted　round　a　corner　and

disappeared；　while　I　waited　trembling　to　see　what　happened　to　his

adversary。　To　my　relief　nearly　a　minute　later　he　crept　out　of　the

sluit　covered　with　mud　and　dripping　with　water　and　hobbled　off　slowly

down　the　street；　his　head　so　near　his　feet　that　he　looked　as　though　he

had　been　folded　in　two；　and　his　hands　pressed　upon　what　I　believe　is

medically　known　as　the　diaphragm。　Then　I　also　went　upon　my　way　roaring

with　laughter。　Often　I　have　heard　Hottentots　called　the　lowest　of

mankind；　but；　reflected　I；　they　can　at　any　rate　be　good　friends　to

those　who　treat　them　wella　fact　of　which　I　was　to　have　further　proof

ere　long。



By　the　time　I　reached　my　house　and　had　filled　my　pipe　and　sat　myself

down　in　the　dilapidated　cane　chair　on　the　veranda；　that　natural

reaction　set　in　which　so　often　follows　rejoicing　at　the　escape　from　a

great　danger。　It　was　true　that　no　one　believed　I　had　cheated　them　over

that　thrice…accursed　gold　mine；　but　how　about　other　matters？



I　mused　upon　the　Bible　narrative　of　Jacob　and　Esau　with　a　new　and　very

poignant　sympathy　for　Esau。　I　wondered　what　would　become　of　my　Jacob。

Jacob；　I　mean　the　original；　prospered　exceedingly　as　a　result　of　his

deal　in　porridge；　and；　as　thought　I；　probably　would　his　artful

descendant　who　so　appropriately　bore　his　name。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I

do　not　know　what　became　of　him；　but　bearing　his　talents　in　mind　I

think　it　probable　that；　like　Van　Koop；　under　some　other　patronymic　he

has　now　been　rewarded　with　a　title　by　the　British　Government。　At　any

rate　I　had　eaten　the　porridge　in　the　shape　of　worthless　but　dearly

purchased　shares；　after　labouring　hard　at　the　chase　of　the　golden

calf；　while　brother　Jacob　had　got　my　inheritance；　or　rather　my　money。

Probably　he　was　now　counting　it　over　in　sovereigns　upon　the　ship　and

sniggering　as　he　thought　of　the　shareholders'　meeting　with　me　in　the

chair。　Well；　he　was　a　thief　and　would　run　his　road　to　whatever　end　is

appointed　for　thieves；　so　why　should　I　bother　my　head　more　about　him？

As　I　had　kept　my　honourlet　him　take　my　savings。



But　I　had　a　son　to　support；　and　now　what　was　I　to　do　with　scarcely

three　hundred　pounds；　a　good　stock　of　guns　and　this　little　Durban

property　left　to　me　in　the　world？　Commerce　in　all　its　shapes　I

renounced　once　and　for　ever。　It　was　too　highor　too　lowfor　me；　so

it　would　seem　that　there　remained　to　me　only　my　old　business　of

professional　hunting。　Once　again　I　must　seek　those　adventures　which　I

had　forsworn　when　my　evil　star　shone　so　brightly　over　a　gold　mine。

What　was　it　to　be？　Elephants；　I　supposed；　since　these　are　the　only

creatures　worth　killing　from　a　money　point　of　view。　But　most　of　my　old

haunts　had　been　more　or　less　shot　out。　The　competition　of　younger

professionals；　of　wandering　backveld　Boers　and　even　of　poaching

natives　who　had　obtained　guns；　was　growing　severe。　If　I　went　at　all　I

should　have　to　travel　farther　afield。



Whilst　I　meditated　thus；　turning　over　the　comparative　advantages　or

disadvantages　of　various　possible　hunting　grounds　in　my　mind；　my

attention　was　caught　by　a　kind　of　cough　that　see