the ivory child- 第16部分

disadvantages　of　various　possible　hunting　grounds　in　my　mind；　my

attention　was　caught　by　a　kind　of　cough　that　seemed　to　proceed　from

the　farther　side　of　a　large　gardenia　bush。　It　was　not　a　human　cough；

but　rather　resembled　that　made　by　a　certain　small　buck　at　night；

probably　to　signal　to　its　mate；　which　of　course　it　could　not　be　as

there　were　no　buck　within　several　miles。　Yet　I　knew　it　came　from　a

human　throat；　for　had　I　not　heard　it　before　in　many　an　hour　of

difficulty　and　danger？



〃Draw　near；　Hans；〃　I　said　in　Dutch；　and　instantly　out　of　a　clump　of

aloes　that　grew　in　front　of　the　pomegranate　hedge；　crept　the　withered

shape　of　the　old　Hottentot；　as　a　big　yellow　snake　might　do。　Why　he

should　choose　this　method　of　advance　instead　of　that　offered　by　the

garden　path　I　did　not　know；　but　it　was　quite　in　accordance　with　his

secretive　nature；　inherited　from　a　hundred　generations　of　ancestors

who　spent　their　lives　avoiding　the　observation　of　murderous　foes。



He　squatted　down　in　front　of　me；　staring　in　a　vacant　way　at　the　fierce

ball　of　the　westering　sun　without　blinking　an　eyelid；　just　as　a

vulture　does。



〃You　look　to　me　as　though　you　had　been　fighting；　Hans；〃　I　said。　〃The

crown　of　your　hat　is　knocked　out；　you　are　splashed　with　mud　and　there

is　the　mark　of　a　stick　upon　your　left　side。〃



〃Yes；　Baas。　You　are　right　as　usual；　Baas。　I　had　a　quarrel　with　a　man

about　sixpence　that　he　owed　me；　and　knocked　him　over　with　my　head；

forgetting　to　take　my　hat　off　first。　Therefore　it　is　spoiled；　for

which　I　am　sorry；　as　it　was　quite　a　new　hat；　not　two　years　old。　The

Baas　gave　it　me。　He　bought　it　in　a　store　at　Utrecht　when　we　were

coming　back　from　Pongoland。〃



〃Why　do　you　lie　to　me？〃　I　asked　〃You　have　been　fighting　a　white　man

and　for　more　than　sixpence。　You　knocked　him　into　a　sluit　and　the　mud

splashed　up　over　you。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；　that　is　so。　Your　spirit　speaks　truly　to　you　of　the　matter。

Yet　it　wanders　a　little　from　the　path；　since　I　fought　the　white　man

for　less　than　sixpence。　I　fought　him　for　love；　which　is　nothing　at

all。〃



〃Then　you　are　even　a　bigger　fool　than　I　took　you　for；　Hans。　What　do

you　want　now？〃



〃I　want　to　borrow　a　pound；　Baas。　The　white　man　will　take　me　before　the

magistrate；　and　I　shall　be　fined　a　pound；　or　fourteen　days　in　the

/trunk/　（i。e。　jail）。　It　is　true　that　the　white　man　struck　me　first；

but　the　magistrate　will　not　believe　the　word　of　a　poor　old　Hottentot

against　his；　and　I　have　no　witness。　He　will　say；　'Hans；　you　were　drunk

again。　Hans；　you　are　a　liar　and　deserve　to　be　flogged；　which　you　will

be　next　time。　Pay　a　pound　and　ten　shillings　more；　which　is　the　price

of　good　white　justice；　or　go　to　the　/trunk/　for　fourteen　days　and　make

baskets　there　for　the　great　Queen　to　use。'　Baas；　I　have　the　price　of

the　justice　which　is　ten　shillings；　but　I　want　to　borrow　the　pound　for

the　fine。〃



〃Hans；　I　think　that　just　now　you　are　better　able　to　lend　me　a　pound

than　I　am　to　lend　one　to　you。　My　bag　is　empty；　Hans。〃



〃Is　it　so；　Baas？　Well；　it　does　not　matter。　If　necessary　I　can　make

baskets　for　the　great　white　Queen　to　put　her　food　in；　for　fourteen

days；　or　mats　on　which　she　will　wipe　her　feet。　The　/trunk/　is　not　such

a　bad　place；　Baas。　It　gives　time　to　think　of　the　white　man's　justice

and　to　thank　the　Great　One　in　the　Sky；　because　the　little　sins　one　did

not　do　have　been　found　out　and　punished；　while　the　big　sins　one　did

do；　such　aswell；　never　mind；　Baashave　not　been　found　out　at　all。

Your　reverend　father；　the　Predikant；　always　taught　me　to　have　a

thankful　heart；　Baas；　and　when　I　remember　that　I　have　only　been　in　the

/trunk/　for　three　months　altogether　who；　if　all　were　known；　ought　to

have　been　there　for　years；　I　remember　his　words；　Baas。〃



〃Why　should　you　go　to　the　/trunk/　at　all；　Hans；　when　you　are　rich　and

can　pay　a　fine；　even　if　it　were　a　hundred　pounds？〃



〃A　month　or　two　ago　it　is　true　I　was　rich；　Baas；　but　now　I　am　poor。　I

have　nothing　left　except　ten　shillings。〃



〃Hans；〃　I　said　severely；　〃you　have　been　gambling　again；　you　have　been

drinking　again。　You　have　sold　your　property　and　your　cattle　to　pay

your　gambling　debts　and　to　buy　square…face　gin。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；　and　for　no　good　it　seems；　though　it　is　not　true　that　I

have　been　drinking。　I　sold　the　land　and　the　cattle　for　￡650；　Baas；　and

with　the　money　I　bought　other　things。〃



〃What　did　you　buy？〃　I　said。



He　fumbled　first　in　one　pocket　of　his　coat　and　then　in　the　other；　and

ultimately　produced　a　crumpled　and　dirty…looking　piece　of　paper　that

resembled　a　bank…note。　I　took　and　examined　this　document　and　next

minute　nearly　fainted。　It　certified　that　Hans　was　the　proprietor　of　I

know　not　how　many　debentures　or　shares；　I　forget　which　they　were；　in

the　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine；　Limited；　that　same　company　of　which　I　was　the

unlucky　chairman；　in　consideration　for　which　he　had　paid　a　sum　of　over

six　hundred　and　fifty　pounds。



〃Hans；〃　I　said　feebly；　〃from　whom　did　you　buy　this？〃



〃From　the　baas　with　the　hooked　nose；　Baas。　He　who　was　named　Jacob；

after　the　great　man　in　the　Bible　of　whom　your　father；　the　Predikant；

used　to　tell　us；　that　one　who　was　so　slim　and　dressed　himself　up　in　a

goatskin　and　gave　his　brother　mealie　porridge　when　he　was　hungry；

after　he　had　come　in　from　shooting　buck；　Baas；　and　got　his　farm　and

cattle；　Baas；　and　then　went　to　Heaven　up　a　ladder；　Baas。〃



〃And　who　told　you　to　buy　them；　Hans？〃



〃Sammy；　Baas；　he　who　was　your　cook　when　we　went　to　Pongoland；　he　who

hid　in　the　mealie…pit　when　the　slavers　burned　Beza…Town　and　came　out

half　cooked　like　a　fowl　from　the　oven。　The　Baas　Jacob　stopped　at

Sammy's　hotel；　Baas；　and　told　him　that　unless　he　bought　bits　of　paper

like　this；　of　which　he　had　plenty；　you　would　be　brought　before　the

magistrate　and　sent　to　the　/trunk/；　Baas。　So　Sammy　bought　some；　Baas；

but　not　many　for　he　had　only　a　little　money；　and　the　Baas　Jacob　paid

him　for　all　he　ate　and　drank　with　other　bits　of　paper。　Then　Sammy　came

to　me　and　showed　me　what　it　was　my　duty　to　do；　reminding　me　that　your

reverend　father；　the　Predikant；　had　left　you　in　my　charge　till　one　of

us　dies；　whether　you　were　well　or　ill　and　whether　you　got　better　or

got　worsejust　like　a　white　wife；　Baas。　So　I　sold　the　farm　and　the

cattle　to　a　friend　of　the　Baas　Jacob's；　at　a　very　low　price；　Baas；　and

that　is　all　the　story。〃



I　heard　and；　to　tell　the　honest　truth；　almost　I　wept；　since　the

thought　of　the　sacrifice　which　this　poor　old　Hottentot　had　made　for　my

sake　on　the　instigation　of　a　rogue　utterly　overwhelmed　me。



〃Hans；〃　I　asked　recovering　myself；　〃tell　me　what　was　that　new　name

which　the　Zulu　captain　Mavovo　gave　you　before　he　died；　I　mean　after

you　had　fired　Beza…Town　and　caught　Hassan　and　his　slavers　in　their　own

trap？〃



Hans；　who　had　suddenly　found　something　that　interested　him　extremely

out　at　sea；　perhaps　because　he　did　not　wish　to　witness　my　grief；

turned　round　slowly　and　answered：



〃Mavovo　named　me　Light…in…Darkness；　and　by　that　name　the　Kafirs　know

me　now；　Baas；　though　some　of　them　call　me　Lord…of…the…Fire。〃



〃Then　Mavovo　named　you　well；　for　indeed；　Hans；　you　shine　like　a　light

in　the　darkness　of　my　heart。　I　whom　you　think　wise　am　but　a　fool；

Hans；　who　has　been　tricked　by　a　/vernuker/；　a　common　cheat；　and　he　has

tricked　you　and　Sammy　as　well。　But　as　he　has　shown　me　that　man　can　be

very　vile；　you　have　shown　me　that　he　can　be　very　noble；　and；　setting

the　one　against　the　other；　my　spirit　that　was　in　the　dust　rises　up

once　more　like　a　withered　flower　after　rain。　Light…in…Darkness；

although　if　I　had　ten　thousand　pounds　I　could　never　pay　you　back

since　what　you　have　given　me　is　more　than　all　the　gold　in　the　world

and　all　the　land　and　all　the　cattleyet　with　honour　and　with　love　I

will　try　to　pay　you；〃　and　I　held　out　my　hand　to　him。



He　took　it　and　pressed　it　against　his　wrinkled　old　forehead；　then

answered：



〃Talk　no　more　of　that；　Baas；　for　it　makes　me　sad；　who　am　so　happy。　How

often　have　you　forgiven　me　when　I　have　done　wrong？　How　often　have　you

not　flogged　me　when　I　should　have　been　flogged　for　being　drunk　and

other　thingsyes；　even　when　once　I　stole　some　of　your　powder　and　sold

it　to　buy　square…face　gin；　though　it　is　true　I　knew　it　was　bad　powder；

not　fit　for　you　to　use？　Did　I　thank　you　then　overmuch？　Why　therefore

should　you　thank　me　who　have　done　but　a　little　thing；　not　really　to

help　you　but　because；　as　you　know；　I　love　gambling；　and　was　told　that

this　bit　of　paper　would　soon　be　worth　much　more　than　I　gave　for　it。　If

it　had　proved　so；　should　I　have　given　you　that　money？　No；　I　should

have　kept　it　myself　and　bought　a　bigger　farm　and　more　cattle。〃



〃Hans；〃　I　said　sternly；　〃if　you　lie　so　hard；　you　will　certainly　go　to

hell；　as　the　Predikant；　my　father；　often　told　you。〃



〃Not　if　I　lie　for　you；　Baas；　or　if　I　do　it　doesn't　matter；　except　that

then　we　should　be　separated　by　the　big　kloof　written　of　in　the　Book；

especially　as　there　I　should　meet　the　Baas　Jacob；　as　I　very　much　want

to　do　for　a　reason　of　my　own。〃



Not　wishing　to　pursue　this　somewhat　unchristian　line　of　thought；　I

inquired　of　him　why　he　felt　happy。



〃Oh！　Baas；〃　he　answered　with　a　twinkle　in　his　little　black　eyes；

〃can't　you　guess　why？　Now　you　have　very　little　money　left　and　I　have

none　at　all。　Therefore　it　is　plain　that　we　must　go　somewhere　to　earn

money；　and　I　am　glad　of　that；　Baas；　for　I　am　tired　of　sitting　on　that

farm　out　there　and　growing　mealies　and　milking　cows；　especially　as　I

am　too　old　to　marry；　Baas；　as　you　are　tired　of　looking　for　gold　where

there　isn't　any　and　singing　sad　songs　in　that　house　of　meeting　yonder

like　you　did　this　afternoon。　Oh！　the　Great　Father　in　the　skies　knew

what　He　was　about　when　He　sent　the　Baas　Jacob　our　way。　He　beat　us　for

our　good；　Baas；　as　He　does　always　if　we　could　only　understand。〃



I　reflected　to　myself　that　I　had　not　often　heard　the　doctrine　of　the

Church　better　or　more　concise