the ivory child- 第40部分

to　my　horror　that　the　roots　were　loosening。　I　heard　some　of　them　snap；

and　a　crack　appeared　in　the　ground　not　far　from　the　bole。　Fortunately

Jana　never　noted　these　symptoms；　for　abandoning　a　plan　which　he

considered　unavailing；　he　stood　for　a　while　swaying　his　trunk　and　lost

in　gentle　thought。



〃Hans；〃　I　whispered；　〃load　the　rifle　quick！　I　can　get　him　in　the　spine

or　the　other　eye。〃



〃Wet　powder　won't　go　off；　Baas；〃　groaned　Hans。　〃The　water　got　to　it　in

the　river。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃and　it　is　all　your　fault　for　making　me　shoot　at　him

when　I　could　take　no　aim。〃



〃It　would　have　been　just　the　same；　Baas；　for　the　rifle　went　under

water　also　when　we　fell　from　the　camel；　and　the　cap　would　have　been

damp；　and　perhaps　the　powder　too。　Also　the　shot　made　Jana　stop　for　a

moment。〃



This　was　true；　but　it　was　maddening　to　be　obliged　to　sit　there　with　an

empty　gun；　when　if　I　had　but　one　charge；　or　even　my　pistol；　I　was　sure

that　I　could　have　blinded　or　crippled　this　satanic　pachyderm。



A　few　minutes　later　Jana　played　his　last　card。　Coming　quite　close　to

the　trunk　of　the　tree　he　reared　himself　up　as　before；　but　this　time

stretched　out　his　forelegs　so　that　these　and　his　body　were　supported

on　the　broad　bole。　Then　he　elongated　his　trunk　and　with　it　began　to

break　off　boughs　which　grew　between　us　and　him。



〃I　don't　think　he　can　reach　us；〃　I　said　doubtfully　to　Hans；　〃that　is；

unless　he　brings　a　stone　to　stand　on。〃



〃Oh！　Baas；　pray　be　silent；〃　answered　Hans；　〃or　he　will　understand　and

fetch　one。〃



Although　the　idea　seemed　absurd；　on　the　whole　I　thought　it　well　to

take　the　hint；　for　who　knew　how　much　this　experienced　beast　did　or　did

not　understand？　Then；　as　we　could　go　no　higher；　we　wriggled　as　far　as

we　dared　along　our　boughs　and　waited。



Presently　Jana；　having　finished　his　clearing　operations；　began　to

lengthen　his　trunk　to　its　full　measure。　Literally；　it　seemed　to　expand

like　a　telescope　or　an　indiarubber　ring。　Out　it　came；　foot　after　foot；

till　its　snapping　tip　was　waving　within　a　few　inches　of　us；　just　short

of　my　foot　and　Han's　head；　or　rather　felt　hat。　One　final　stretch　and

he　reached　the　hat；　which　he　removed　with　a　flourish　and　thrust　into

the　red　cavern　of　his　mouth。　As　it　appeared　no　more　I　suppose　he　ate

it。　This　loss　of　his　hat　moved　Hans　to　fury。　Hurling　horrible　curses

at　Jana　he　drew　his　butcher's　knife　and　made　ready。



Once　more　the　sinuous　brown　trunk　elongated　itself。　Evidently　Jana　had

got　a　better　hold　with　his　hind　legs　this　time；　or　perhaps　had

actually　wriggled　himself　a　few　inches　up　the　tree。　At　any　rate　I　saw

to　my　dismay　that　there　was　every　prospect　of　my　making　a　second

acquaintance　with　that　snapping　tip。　The　end　of　the　trunk　was　lying

along　my　bough　like　a　huge　brown　snake　and　creeping　up；　up；　up。



〃He'll　get　us；〃　I　muttered。



Hans　said　nothing　but　leaned　forward　a　little；　holding　on　with　his

left　hand。　Next　instant　in　the　light　of　the　rising　sun　I　saw　a　knife

flash；　saw　also　that　the　point　of　it　had　been　driven　through　the　lower

lip　of　Jana's　trunk；　pinning　it　to　the　bough　like　a　butterfly　to　a

board。



My　word！　what　a　commotion　ensued！　Up　the　trunk　came　a　scream　which

nearly　blew　me　away。　Then　Jana；　with　a　wriggling　motion；　tried　to

unnail　himself　as　gently　as　possible；　for　it　was　clear　that　the　knife

point　hurt　him；　but　could　not　do　so　because　Hans　still　held　the　handle

and　had　driven　the　blade　deep　into　the　wood。　Lastly　he　dragged　himself

downwards　with　such　energy　that　something　had　to　go；　that　something

being　the　skin　and　muscle　of　the　lower　lip；　which　was　cut　clean

through；　leaving　the　knife　erect　in　the　bough。



Over　he　went　backwards；　a　most　imperial　cropper。　Then　he　picked

himself　up；　thrust　the　tip　of　his　trunk　into　his　mouth；　sucked　it　as

one　does　a　cut　finger；　and　finally；　roaring　in　defeated　rage；　fled

into　the　river；　which　he　waded；　and　back　upon　his　tracks　towards　his

own　home。　Yes；　off　he　went；　Hans　screaming　curses　and　demands　that　he

should　restore　his　hat　to　him；　and　very　seldom　in　all　my　life　have　I

seen　a　sight　that　I　thought　more　beautiful　than　that　of　his　whisking

tail。



〃Now；　Baas；〃　chuckled　Hans；　〃the　old　devil　has　got　a　sore　nose　as　well

as　a　sore　eye　by　which　to　remember　us。　And；　Baas；　I　think　we　had

better　be　going　before　he　has　time　to　think　and　comes　back　with　a　long

stick　to　knock　us　out　of　this　tree。〃



So　we　went；　in　double…quick　time　I　can　assure　you；　or　at　any　rate　as

fast　as　my　stiff　limbs　and　general　condition　would　allow。　Fortunately

we　had　now　no　doubt　as　to　our　direction；　since　standing　up　through　the

mists　of　dawn　with　the　sunbeams　resting　on　its　forest…clad　crest；　we

could　clearly　see　the　strange；　tumulus…shaped　hill　which　the　White

Kendah　called　the　Holy　Mount；　the　Home　of　the　Child。　It　appeared　to　be

about　twenty　miles　away；　but　in　reality　was　a　good　deal　farther；　for

when　we　had　walked　for　several　hours　it　seemed　almost　as　distant　as

ever。



In　truth　that　was　a　dreadful　trudge。　Not　only　was　I　exhausted　with　all

the　terrors　I　had　passed　and　our　long　midnight　flight；　but　the　wound

where　Jana　had　pinched　out　a　portion　of　my　frame；　inflamed　by　the

riding；　had　now　grown　stiff　and　intolerably　sore；　so　that　every　step

gave　me　pain　which　sometimes　culminated　in　agony。　Moreover；　it　was　no

use　giving　in；　foodless　as　we　were；　for　Mar？t　had　carried　the

provisions；　and　with　the　chance　of　Jana　returning　to　look　us　up。　So　I

stuck　to　it　and　said　nothing。



For　the　first　ten　miles　the　country　seemed　uninhabited；　doubtless　it

was　too　near　the　borders　of　the　Black　Kendah　to　be　popular　as　a　place

of　residence。　After　this　we　saw　herds　of　cattle　and　a　few　camels；

apparently　untended；　perhaps　their　guards　were　hidden　away　in　the　long

grass。　Then　we　came　to　some　fields　of　mealies　that　were；　I　noticed；

quite　untouched　by　the　hailstorm；　which；　it　would　seem；　had　confined

its　attentions　to　the　land　of　the　Black　Kendah。　Of　these　we　ate

thankfully　enough。　A　little　farther　on　we　perceived　huts　perched　on　an

inaccessible　place　in　a　kloof。　Also　their　inhabitants　perceived　us；

for　they　ran　away　as　though　in　a　great　fright。



Still　we　did　not　try　to　approach　the　huts；　not　knowing　how　we　should

be　received。　After　my　sojourn　in　Simba　Town　I　had　become　possessed　of

a　love　of　life　in　the　open。



For　another　two　hours　I　limped　forward　with　pain　and　griefby　now　I

was　leaning　on　Hans'　shoulderup　an　endless；　uncultivated　rise

clothed　with　euphorbias　and　fern…like　cycads。　At　length　we　reached　its

top　and　found　ourselves　within　a　rifle　shot　of　a　fenced　native

village。　I　suppose　that　its　inhabitants　had　been　warned　of　our　coming

by　runners　from　the　huts　I　have　mentioned。　At　any　rate　the　moment　we

appeared　the　men；　to　the　number　of　thirty　or　more；　poured　out　of　the

south　gate　armed　with　spears　and　other　weapons　and　proceeded　to　ring

us　round　and　behave　in　a　very　threatening　manner。　I　noticed　at　once

that；　although　most　of　them　were　comparatively　light　in　colour；　some

of　these　men　partook　of　the　negro　characteristics　of　the　Black　Kendah

from　whom　we　had　escaped；　to　such　an　extent　indeed　that　this　blood　was

clearly　predominant　in　them。　Still；　it　was　also　clear　that　they　were

deadly　foes　of　this　people；　for　when　I　shouted　out　to　them　that　we

were　the　friends　of　Har？t　and　those　who　worshipped　the　Child；　they

yelled　back　that　we　were　liars。　No　friends　of　the　Child；　they　said；

came　from　the　country　of　the　Black　Kendah；　who　worshipped　the　devil

Jana。　I　tried　to　explain　that　least　of　all　men　in　the　world　did　we

worship　Jana；　who　had　been　hunting　us　for　hours；　but　they　would　not

listen。



〃You　are　spies　of　Simba's；　the　smell　of　Jana　is　upon　you〃　（this　may

have　been　true　enough）；　they　yelled；　adding：　〃We　will　kill　you；　white…

faced　goat。　We　will　kill　you；　little　yellow　monkey；　for　none　who　are

not　enemies　come　here　from　the　land　of　the　Black　Kendah。〃



〃Kill　us　then；〃　I　answered；　〃and　bring　the　curse　of　the　Child　upon

you。　Bring　famine；　bring　hail；　bring　war！〃



These　words　were；　I　think；　well　chosen；　at　any　rate　they　induced　a

pause　in　their　murderous　intentions。　For　a　while　they　hesitated；　all

talking　together　at　once。　At　last　the　advocates　of　violence　appeared

to　get　the　upper　hand；　and　once　more　a　number　of　the　men　began　to

dance　about　us；　waving　their　spears　and　crying　out　that　we　must　die

who　came　from　the　Black　Kendah。



I　sat　down　upon　the　ground；　for　I　was　so　exhausted　that　at　the　time　I

did　not　greatly　care　whether　I　died　or　lived；　while　Hans　drew　his

knife　and　stood　over　me；　cursing　them　as　he　had　cursed　at　Jana。　By

slow　degrees　they　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　I　watched　them　with　a　kind

of　idle　curiosity；　believing　that　the　moment　when　they　came　within

actual　spear…thrust　would　be　our　last；　but；　as　I　have　said；　not

greatly　caring　because　of　my　mental　and　physical　exhaustion。



I　had　already　closed　my　eyes　that　I　might　not　see　the　flash　of　the

falling　steel；　when　an　exclamation　from　Hans　caused　me　to　open　them

again。　Following　the　line　of　the　knife　with　which　he　pointed；　I

perceived　a　troop　of　men　on　camels　emerging　from　the　gates　of　the

village　at　full　speed。　In　front　of　these；　his　white　garments

fluttering　on　the　wind；　rode　a　bearded　and　dignified　person　in　whom　I

recognized　Har？t；　Har？t　himself；　waving　a　spear　and　shouting　as　he

came。　Our　assailants　heard　and　saw　him　also；　then　flung　down　their

weapons　as　though　in　dismay　either　at　his　appearance　or　his　words；

which　I　could　not　catch。　Har？t　guided　his　rushing　camel　straight　at

the　man　who　I　presume　was　their　leader；　and　struck　at　him　with　his

spear；　as　though　in　fury；　wounding　him　in　the　shoulder　and　causing　him

to　fall　to　the　ground。　As　he　struck　he　called　out：



〃Dog！　Would　you　harm　the　guests　of　the　Child？〃



Then　I　heard　no　more　because　I　fainted　away。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DWELLER　IN　THE　CAVE



After　this　it　seemed　to　me　that　I