the ivory child- 第18部分

window　in　a　silent　kind　of　a　way　as　a　big　snake　might　do；　and　said：

〃Baas；　I　think　there　are　two　baases　out　on　the　road　there　who　are

looking　for　you。　Very　fine　baases　whom　I　don't　know。〃



〃Shareholders　in　the　Bona　Fide　Gold　Mine；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　then

added　as　I　prepared　to　leave　through　the　back　door：　〃If　they　come　here

tell　them　I　am　not　at　home。　Tell　them　I　left　early　this　morning　for

the　Congo　River　to　look　for　the　sources　of　the　Nile。〃



〃Yes；　Baas；〃　said　Hans；　collapsing　on　to　the　stoep。



I　went　out　through　the　back　door；　sorrowing　that　I；　Allan　Quatermain；

should　have　reached　a　rung　in　the　ladder　of　life　whence　I　shrank　from

looking　any　stranger　in　the　face；　for　fear　of　what　he　might　have　to

say　to　me。　Then　suddenly　my　pride　asserted　itself。　After　all　what　was

there　of　which　I　should　be　ashamed？　I　would　face　these　irate

shareholders　as　I　had　faced　the　others　yesterday。



I　walked　round　the　little　house　to　the　front　garden　which　was　planted

with　orange　trees；　and　up　to　a　big　moonflower　bush；　I　believe　/datura/

is　its　right　name；　that　grew　near　the　pomegranate　hedge　which

separated　my　domain　from　the　road。　There　a　conversation　was　in

progress；　if　so　it　may　be　called。



〃/Ikona/〃　（that　is：　〃I　don't　know〃）；　〃/Inkoosi/〃　（i。e。　〃Chief〃）；　said

some　Kafir　in　a　stupid　drawl。



Thereon　a　voice　that　instantly　struck　me　as　familiar；　answered：



〃We　want　to　know　where　the　great　hunter　lives。〃



〃/Ikona/；〃　said　the　Kafir。



〃Can't　you　remember　his　native　name？〃　asked　another　voice　which　was

also　familiar　to　me；　for　I　never　forget　voices　though　I　am　unable　to

place　them　at　once。



〃The　great　hunter；　Here…come…a…zany；〃　said　the　first　voice

triumphantly；　and　instantly　there　flashed　back　upon　my　mind　a　vision

of　the　splendid　drawing…room　at　Ragnall　Castle　and　of　an　imposing

majordomo　introducing　into　it　two　white…robed；　Arab…looking　men。



〃Mr。　Savage；　by　the　Heavens！〃　I　muttered。　〃What　in　the　name　of

goodness　is　he　doing　here？〃



〃There；〃　said　the　second　voice；　〃your　black　friend　has　bolted；　and　no

wonder；　for　who　can　be　called　by　such　a　name？　If　you　had　done　what　I

told　you；　Savage；　and　hired　a　white　guide；　it　would　have　saved　us　a

lot　of　trouble。　Why　will　you　always　think　that　you　know　better　than

anyone　else？〃



〃Seemed　an　unnecessary　expense；　my　lord；　considering　we　are　travelling

incog。；　my　lord。〃



〃How　long　shall　we　travel　'incog。'　if　you　persist　in　calling　me　my

lord　at　the　top　of　your　voice；　Savage？　There　is　a　house　beyond　those

trees；　go　in　and　ask　where〃



By　this　time　I　had　reached　the　gate　which　I　opened；　remarking　quietly；



〃How　do　you　do；　Lord　Ragnall？　How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Savage？　I　thought

that　I　recognized　your　voices　on　the　road　and　came　to　see　if　I　was

right。　Please　walk　in；　that　is；　if　it　is　I　whom　you　wish　to　visit。〃



As　I　spoke　I　studied　them　both；　and　observed　that　while　Savage　looked

much　the　same；　although　slightly　out　of　place　in　these　strange

surroundings；　the　time　that　had　passed　since　we　met　had　changed　Lord

Ragnall　a　good　deal。　He　was　still　a　magnificent…looking　man；　one　of

those　whom　no　one　that　had　seen　him　would　ever　forget；　but　now　his

handsome　face　was　stamped　with　some　new　seal　of　suffering。　I　felt　at

once　that　he　had　become　acquainted　with　grief。　The　shadow　in　his　dark

eyes　and　a　certain　worn　expression　about　the　mouth　told　me　that　this

was　so。



〃Yes；　Quatermain；〃　he　said　as　he　took　my　hand；　〃it　is　you　whom　I　have

travelled　seven　thousand　miles　to　visit；　and　I　thank　God　that　I　have

been　so　fortunate　as　to　find　you。　I　feared　lest　you　might　be　dead；　or

perhaps　far　away　in　the　centre　of　Africa　where　I　should　never　be　able

to　track　you　down。〃



〃A　week　later　perhaps　you　would　not　have　found　me；　Lord　Ragnall；〃　I

answered；　〃but　as　it　happens　misfortune　has　kept　me　here。〃



〃And　misfortune　has　brought　me　here；　Quatermain。〃



Then　before　I　had　time　to　answer　Savage　came　up　and　we　went　into　the

house。



〃You　are　just　in　time　for　lunch；〃　I　said；　〃and　as　luck　will　have　it

there　is　a　good　rock　cod　and　a　leg　of　oribé　buck　for　you　to　eat。　Boy；

set　two　more　places。〃



〃One　more　place；　if　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Savage。　〃I　should　prefer　to

take　my　food　afterwards。〃



〃You　will　have　to　get　over　that　in　Africa；〃　I　muttered。　Still　I　let

him　have　his　way；　with　the　result　that　presently　the　strange　sight　was

seen　of　the　magnificent　English　majordomo　standing　behind　my　chair　in

the　little　room　and　handing　round　the　square…face　as　though　it　were

champagne。　It　was　a　spectacle　that　excited　the　greatest　interest　in　my

primitive　establishment　and　caused　Hans　with　some　native　hangers…on　to

gather　at　the　window。　However；　Lord　Ragnall　took　it　as　a　matter　of

course　and　I　thought　it　better　not　to　interfere。



When　we　had　finished　we　went　on　to　the　stoep　to　smoke；　leaving　Savage

to　eat　his　dinner；　and　I　asked　Lord　Ragnall　where　his　luggage　was。　He

replied　that　he　had　left　it　at　the　Customs。　〃Then；〃　I　said；　〃I　will

send　a　native　with　Savage　to　arrange　about　getting　it　up　here。　If　you

do　not　mind　my　rough　accommodation　there　is　a　room　for　you；　and　your

man　can　pitch　a　tent　in　the　garden。〃



After　some　demur　he　accepted　with　gratitude；　and　a　little　later　Savage

and　the　native　were　sent　off　with　a　note　to　a　man　who　hired　out　a

mule…cart。



〃Now；〃　I　said　when　the　gate　had　shut　behind　them；　〃will　you　tell　me

why　you　have　come　to　Africa？〃



〃Disaster；〃　he　replied。　〃Disaster　of　the　worst　sort。〃



〃Is　your　wife　dead；　Lord　Ragnall？〃



〃I　do　not　know。　I　almost　hope　that　she　is。　At　any　rate　she　is　lost　to

me。〃



An　idea　leapt　to　my　mind　to　the　effect　that　she　might　have　run　away

with　somebody　else；　a　thing　which　often　happens　in　the　world。　But

fortunately　I　kept　it　to　myself　and　only　said；



〃She　was　nearly　lost　once　before；　was　she　not？〃



〃Yes；　when　you　saved　her。　Oh！　if　only　you　had　been　with　us；

Quatermain；　this　would　never　have　happened。　Listen：　About　eighteen

months　ago　she　had　a　son；　a　very　beautiful　child。　She　recovered　well

from　the　business　and　we　were　as　happy　as　two　mortals　could　be；　for　we

loved　each　other；　Quatermain；　and　God　has　blessed　us　in　every　way；　we

were　so　happy　that　I　remember　her　telling　me　that　our　great　good

fortune　made　her　feel　afraid。　One　day　last　September　when　I　was　out

shooting；　she　drove　in　a　little　pony　cart　we　had；　with　the　nurse；　and

the　child　but　no　man；　to　call　on　Mrs。　Scroope　who　also　had　been

recently　confined。　She　often　went　out　thus；　for　the　pony　was　an　old

animal　and　quiet　as　a　sheep。



〃By　some　cursed　trick　of　fate　it　chanced　that　when　they　were　passing

through　the　little　town　which　you　may　remember　near　Ragnall；　they　met

a　travelling　menagerie　that　was　going　to　some　new　encampment。　At　the

head　of　the　procession　marched　a　large　bull　elephant；　which　I

discovered　afterwards　was　an　ill…tempered　brute　that　had　already

killed　a　man　and　should　never　have　been　allowed　upon　the　roads。　The

sight　of　the　pony　cart；　or　perhaps　a　red　cloak　which　my　wife　was

wearing；　as　she　always　liked　bright　colours；　for　some　unknown　reason

seems　to　have　infuriated　this　beast；　which　trumpeted。　The　pony

becoming　frightened　wheeled　round　and　overturned　the　cart　right　in

front　of　the　animal；　but　apparently　without　hurting　anybody。　Then〃

here　he　paused　a　moment　and　with　an　effort　continued〃that　devil　in

beast's　shape　cocked　its　ears；　stretched　out　its　long　trunk；　dragged

the　baby　from　the　nurse's　arms；　whirled　it　round　and　threw　it　high

into　the　air；　to　fall　crushed　upon　the　kerb。　It　sniffed　at　the　body　of

the　child；　feeling　it　over　with　the　tip　of　its　trunk；　as　though　to

make　sure　that　it　was　dead。　Next；　once　more　it　trumpeted　triumphantly；

and　without　attempting　to　harm　my　wife　or　anybody　else；　walked　quietly

past　the　broken　cart　and　continued　its　journey；　until　outside　the　town

it　was　made　fast　and　shot。〃



〃What　an　awful　story！〃　I　said　with　a　gasp。



〃Yes；　but　there　is　worse　to　follow。　My　poor　wife　went　off　her　head；

with　the　shock　I　suppose；　for　no　physical　injury　could　be　found　upon

her。　She　did　not　suffer　in　health　or　become　violent；　quite　the　reverse

indeed　for　her　gentleness　increased。　She　just　went　off　her　head。　For

hours　at　a　time　she　would　sit　silent　and　smiling；　playing　with　the

stones　of　that　red　necklace　which　those　conjurers　gave　her；　or　rather

counting　them；　as　a　nun　might　do　with　the　beads　of　her　rosary。　At

times；　however；　she　would　talk；　but　always　to　the　baby；　as　though　it

lay　before　her　or　she　were　nursing　it。　Oh！　Quatermain；　it　was　pitiful；

pitiful！



〃I　did　everything　I　could。　She　was　seen　by　three　of　the　greatest

brain…doctors　in　England；　but　none　of　them　was　able　to　help。　The　only

hope　they　gave　was　that　the　fit　might　pass　off　as　suddenly　as　it　had

come。　They　said　too　that　a　thorough　change　of　scene　would　perhaps　be

beneficial；　and　suggested　Egypt；　that　was　in　October。　I　did　not　take

much　to　the　idea；　I　don't　know　why；　and　personally　should　not　have

acceded　to　it　had　it　not　been　for　a　curious　circumstance。　The　last

consultation　took　place　in　the　big　drawing…room　at　Ragnall。　When　it

was　over　my　wife　remained　with　her　mother　at　one　end　of　the　room　while

I　and　the　doctors　talked　together　at　the　other；　as　I　thought　quite　out

of　her　earshot。　Presently；　however；　she　called　to　me；　saying　in　a

perfectly　clear　and　natural　voice：



〃'Yes；　George；　I　will　go　to　Egypt。　I　should　like　to　go　to　Egypt。'　Then

she　went　on　playing　with　the　necklace　and　talking　to　the　imaginary

child。



〃Again　on　the　following　morning　as　I　came　into　her　room　to　kiss　her；

she　exclaimed；



〃'When　do　we　start　for　Egypt？　Let　it　be　soon。'



〃With　these　sayings　the　doctors　were　very　pleased；　declaring　that　they

showed　signs　of　a　returning　interest　in　life　and　begging　me　not　to

thwart　her　wish。



〃So　I　gave　way　and　in　the　end　we　went　to　Egypt　together　with　Lady

Longden；　who　insisted　upon　accompanyin