the ivory child- 第41部分

Then　I　heard　no　more　because　I　fainted　away。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DWELLER　IN　THE　CAVE



After　this　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　dreamed　a　long　and　very　troubled

dream　concerning　all　sorts　of　curious　things　which　I　cannot　remember。

At　last　I　opened　my　eyes　and　observed　that　I　lay　on　a　low　bed　raised

about　three　inches　above　the　floor；　in　an　Eastern…looking　room；　large

and　cool。　It　had　window…places　in　it　but　no　windows；　only　grass　mats

hung　upon　a　rod　which；　I　noted　inconsequently；　worked　on　a　rough；

wooden　hinge；　or　rather　pin；　that　enabled　the　curtain　to　be　turned

back　against　the　wall。



Through　one　of　these　window…places　I　saw　at　a　little　distance　the

slope　of　the　forest…covered　hill；　which　reminded　me　of　something　to　do

with　a　childfor　the　life　of　me　I　could　not　remember　what。　As　I　lay

wondering　over　the　matter　I　heard　a　shuffling　step　which　I　recognized；

and；　turning；　saw　Hans　twiddling　a　new　hat　made　of　straw　in　his

fingers。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃where　did　you　get　that　new　hat？〃



〃They　gave　it　me　here；　Baas；〃　he　answered。　〃The　Baas　will　remember

that　the　devil　Jana　ate　the　other。〃



Then　I　did　remember　more　or　less；　while　Hans　continued　to　twiddle　the

hat。　I　begged　him　to　put　it　on　his　head　because　it　fidgeted　me；　and

then　inquired　where　we　were。



〃In　the　Town　of　the　Child；　Baas；　where　they　carried　you　after　you　had

seemed　to　die　down　yonder。　A　very　nice　town；　where　there　is　plenty　to

eat；　though；　having　been　asleep　for　three　days；　you　have　had　nothing

except　a　little　milk　and　soup；　which　was　poured　down　your　throat　with

a　spoon　whenever　you　seemed　to　half　wake　up　for　a　while。〃



〃I　was　tired　and　wanted　a　long　rest；　Hans；　and　now　I　feel　hungry。　Tell

me；　are　the　lord　and　Bena　here　also；　or　were　they　killed　after　all？〃



〃Yes；　Baas；　they　are　safe　enough；　and　so　are　all　our　goods。　They　were

both　with　Har？t　when　he　saved　us　down　by　the　village　yonder；　but　you

went　to　sleep　and　did　not　see　them。　They　have　been　nursing　you　ever

since；　Baas。〃



Just　then　Savage　himself　entered；　carrying　some　soup　upon　a　wooden

tray　and　looking　almost　as　smart　as　he　used　to　do　at　Ragnall　Castle。



〃Good　day；　sir；〃　he　said　in　his　best　professional　manner。　〃Very　glad

to　see　you　back　with　us；　sir；　and　getting　well；　I　trust；　especially

after　we　had　given　you　and　Mr。　Hans　up　as　dead。〃



I　thanked　him　and　drank　the　soup；　asking　him　to　cook　me　something　more

substantial　as　I　was　starving；　which　he　departed　to　do。　Then　I　sent

Hans　to　find　Lord　Ragnall；　who　it　appeared　was　out　walking　in　the

town。　No　sooner　had　they　gone　than　Har？t　entered　looking　more

dignified　than　ever　and；　bowing　gravely；　seated　himself　upon　the　mat

in　the　Eastern　fashion。



〃Some　strong　spirit　must　go　with　you；　Lord　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃that

you　should　live　today；　after　we　were　sure　that　you　had　been　slain。〃



〃That's　where　you　made　a　mistake。　Your　magic　was　not　of　much　service

to　you　there；　friend　Har？t。〃



〃Yet　my　magic；　as　you　call　it；　though　I　have　none；　was　of　some　service

after　all；　Macumazana。　As　it　chanced　I　had　no　opportunity　of　breathing

in　the　wisdom　of　the　Child　for　two　days　from　the　hour　of　our　arrival

here；　because　I　was　hurt　on　the　knee　in　the　fight　and　so　weary　that　I

could　not　travel　up　the　mountain　and　seek　light　from　the　eyes　of　the

Child。　On　the　third　day；　however；　I　went　and　the　Oracle　told　me　all。

Then　I　descended　swiftly；　gathered　men　and　reached　those　fools　in　time

to　keep　you　from　harm。　They　have　paid　for　what　they　did；　Lord。〃



〃I　am　sorry；　Har？t；　for　they　knew　no　better；　and；　Har？t；　although　I

saved　myself；　or　rather　Hans　saved　me；　we　have　left　your　brother

behind；　and　with　him　the　others。〃



〃I　know。　Jana　was　too　strong　for　them；　you　and　your　servant　alone

could　prevail　against　him。〃



〃Not　so；　Har？t。　He　prevailed　against　us；　all　we　could　do　was　to　injure

his　eye　and　the　tip　of　his　trunk　and　escape　from　him。〃



〃Which　is　more　than　any　others　have　done　for　many　generations；　Lord。

But　doubtless　as　the　beginning　was；　so　shall　the　end　be。　Jana；　I

think；　is　near　his　death　and　through　you。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　repeated。　〃Who　and　what　is　Jana？〃



〃Have　I　not　told　you　that　he　is　an　evil　spirit　who　inhabits　the　body

of　a　huge　elephant？〃



〃Yes；　and　so　did　Mar？t；　but　I　think　that　he　is　just　a　huge　elephant

with　a　very　bad　temper　of　his　own。　Still；　whatever　he　is；　he　will　take

some　killing；　and　I　don't　want　to　meet　him　again　by　that　horrible

lake。〃



〃Then　you　will　meet　him　elsewhere；　Lord。　For　if　you　do　not　go　to　look

for　Jana；　Jana　will　come　to　look　for　you　who　have　hurt　him　so　sorely。

Remember　that　henceforth；　wherever　you　go　in　all　this　land；　it　may

happen　that　you　will　meet　Jana。〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　brute　comes　into　the　territory　of　the

White　Kendah？〃



〃Yes；　Macumazana；　at　times　he　comes；　or　a　spirit　wearing　his　shape

comes；　I　know　not　which。　What　I　do　know　is　that　twice　in　my　life　I

myself　have　seen　him　upon　the　Holy　Mount；　though　how　he　came　or　how　he

went　none　can　tell。〃



〃Why　was　he　wandering　there；　Har？t？〃



〃Who　can　say；　Lord？　Tell　me　why　evil　wanders　through　the　world　and　I

will　answer　your　question。　Only　I　repeatlet　those　who　have　harmed

Jana　beware　of　Jana。〃



〃And　let　Jana　beware　of　me　if　I　can　meet　him　with　a　decent　gun　in　my

hand；　for　I　have　a　score　to　settle　with　the　beast。　Now；　Har？t；　there

is　another　matter。　Just　before　he　was　killed　Mar？t；　your　brother；

began　to　tell　me　something　about　the　wife　of　the　Lord　Ragnall。　I　had

no　time　to　listen　to　the　end　of　his　words；　though　I　thought　he　said

that　she　was　upon　yonder　Holy　Mount。　Did　I　hear　aright？〃



Instantly　Har？t's　face　became　like　that　of　a　stone　idol；　impenetrable；

impassive。



〃Either　you　misunderstood；　Lord；〃　he　answered；　〃or　my　brother　raved　in

his　fear。　Wherever　she　may　be；　that　beautiful　lady　is　not　upon　the

Holy　Mount；　unless　there　is　another　Holy　Mount　in　the　Land　of　Death。

Moreover；　Lord；　as　we　are　speaking　of　this　matter；　let　me　tell　you　the

forest　upon　that　Mount　must　be　trodden　by　none　save　the　priest　of　the

Child。　If　others　set　foot　there　they　die；　for　it　is　watched　by　a

guardian　more　terrible　even　than　Jana；　nor　is　he　the　only　one。　Ask　me

nothing　of　that　guardian；　for　I　will　not　answer；　and；　above　all；　if

you　or　your　comrades　value　life；　let　them　not　seek　to　look　upon　him。〃



Understanding　that　it　was　quite　useless　to　pursue　this　subject　farther

at　the　moment；　I　turned　to　another；　remarking　that　the　hailstorm　which

had　smitten　the　country　of　the　Black　Kendah　was　the　worst　that　I　had

ever　experienced。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Har？t；　〃so　I　have　learned。　That　was　the　first　of　the

curses　which　the　Child；　through　my　mouth；　promised　to　Simba　and　his

people　if　they　molested　us　upon　our　road。　The　second；　you　will

remember；　was　famine；　which　for　them　is　near　at　hand；　seeing　that　they

have　little　corn　in　store　and　none　left　to　gather；　and　that　most　of

their　cattle　are　dead　of　the　hail。〃



〃If　they　have　no　corn　while；　as　I　noted；　you　have　plenty　which　the

storm　spared；　will　not　they；　who　are　many　in　number　but　near　to

starving；　attack　you　and　take　your　corn；　Har？t？〃



〃Certainly　they　will　do　so；　Lord；　and　then　will　fall　the　third　curse；

the　curse　of　war。　All　this　was　foreseen　long　ago；　Macumazana；　and　you

are　here　to　help　us　in　that　war。　Among　your　goods　you　have　many　guns

and　much　powder　and　lead。　You　shall　teach　our　people　how　to　use　those

guns；　that　with　them　we　may　destroy　the　Black　Kendah。〃



〃I　think　not；〃　I　replied　quietly。　〃I　came　here　to　kill　a　certain

elephant；　and　to　receive　payment　for　my　service　in　ivory；　not　to　fight

the　Black　Kendah；　of　whom　I　have　already　seen　enough。　Moreover；　the

guns　are　not　my　property　but　that　of　the　Lord　Ragnall；　who　perhaps

will　ask　his　own　price　for　the　use　of　them。〃



〃And　the　Lord　Ragnall；　who　came　here　against　our　will；　is；　as　it

chances；　our　property　and　we　may　ask　your　own　price　for　his　life。　Now；

farewell　for　a　while；　since　you；　who　are　still　sick　and　weak；　have

talked　enough。　Only　before　I　go；　as　your　friend　and　that　of　those　with

you；　I　will　add　one　word。　If　you　would　continue　to　look　upon　the　sun；

let　none　of　you　try　to　set　foot　in　the　forest　upon　the　Holy　Mount。

Wander　where　you　will　upon　its　southern　slopes；　but　strive　not　to　pass

the　wall　of　rock　which　rings　the　forest　round。〃



Then　he　rose；　bowed　gravely　and　departed；　leaving　me　full　of

reflections。



Shortly　afterwards　Savage　and　Hans　returned；　bringing　me　some　meat

which　the　former　had　cooked　in　an　admirable　fashion。　I　ate　of　it

heartily；　and　just　as　they　were　carrying　off　the　remains　of　the　meal

Ragnall　himself　arrived。　Our　greeting　was　very　warm；　as　might　be

expected　in　the　case　of　two　comrades　who　never　thought　to　speak　to

each　other　again　on　this　side　of　the　grave。　As　I　had　supposed；　he　was

certain　that　Hans　and　I　had　been　cut　off　and　killed　by　the　Black

Kendah；　as；　after　we　were　missed；　some　of　the　camelmen　asserted　that

they　had　actually　seen　us　fall。　So　he　went　on；　or　rather　was　carried

on　by　the　rush　of　the　camels；　grieving；　since；　it　being　impossible　to

attempt　to　recover　our　bodies　or　even　to　return；　that　was　the　only

thing　to　do；　and　in　due　course　reached　the　Town　of　the　Child　without

further　accident。　Here　they　rested　and　mourned　for　us；　till　some　days

later　Har？t　suddenly　announced　that　we　still　lived；　though　how　he　knew

this　they　could　not　ascertain。　Then　they　sallied　out　and　found　us；　as

has　been　told；　in　great　danger　from　the　ignorant　villagers　who；　until

we　appeared；　had　not　even　heard　of　our　existence。



I　asked　what　they　had　done　and　what　information　they　had　obtained

since　their　arrival　at　this　place。　His　answer　was：　Nothing　and　none

worth　mentioning。　The　town　appeared　to　be　a　small　one　of　not　much　over

two　thousand　inhabitants；　all　of　whom　were　engaged　in　agricultural

pursuits　and　in　camel…breeding。　The　herds　of　camels；　ho