the ivory child- 第51部分

least　so　the　masters　whom　they　adore　are　apt　to　think；　especially　if

their　watchfulness　and　courage　have　often　saved　them　from　death　or

disaster。







CHAPTER　XVIII



THE　EMBASSY



The　ceremonies　were　over　and　the　priests；　with　the　exception　of　Har？t

and　two　who　remained　to　attend　upon　him；　vanished；　probably　to　inform

the　male　and　female　hierophants　of　their　result；　and　through　these　the

whole　people　of　the　White　Kendah。　Old　Har？t　stared　at　us　for　a　little

while；　then　said　in　English；　which　he　always　liked　to　talk　when

Ragnall　was　present；　perhaps　for　the　sake　of　practice：



〃What　you　like　do　now；　eh？　P'r'aps　wish　fly　back　to　Town　of　Child；　for

suppose　this　how　you　come。　If　so；　please　take　me　with　you；　because

that　save　long　ride。〃



〃Oh！　no；〃　I　answered。　〃We　walked　here　through　that　hole　where　lived

the　Father　of　Snakes　who　died　of　fear　when　he　saw　us；　and　just　mixed

with　the　rest　of　you　in　the　court　of　the　temple。〃



〃Good　lie；〃　said　Har？t　admiringly；　〃very　first…class　lie！　Wonder　how

you　kill　great　snake；　which　we　all　think　never　die；　for　he　live　there

hundred；　hundred　years；　our　people　find　him　there　when　first　they　come

to　this　country；　and　make　him　kind　of　god。　Well；　he　nasty　beast　and

best　dead。　I　say；　you　like　see　Child？　If　so；　come；　for　you　our

brothers　now；　only　please　take　off　hat　and　not　speak。



I　intimated　that　we　should　〃like　see　Child；〃　and　led　by　Har？t　we

entered　the　little　sanctuary　which　was　barely　large　enough　to　hold　all

of　us。　In　a　niche　of　the　end　wall　stood　the　sacred　effigy　which

Ragnall　and　I　examined　with　a　kind　of　reverent　interest。　It　proved　to

be　the　statue　of　an　infant　about　two　feet　high；　cut；　I　imagine；　from

the　base　of　a　single　but　very　large　elephant's　tusk；　so　ancient　that

the　yellowish　ivory　had　become　rotten　and　was　covered　with　a　multitude

of　tiny　fissures。　Indeed；　for　its　appearance　I　made　up　my　mind　that

several　thousands　of　years　must　have　passed　since　the　beast　died　from

which　this　ivory　was　taken；　especially　as　it　had；　I　presume；　always

been　carefully　preserved　under　cover。



The　workmanship　of　the　object　was　excellent；　that　of　a　fine　artist

who；　I　should　think；　had　taken　some　living　infant　for　his　model；

perhaps　a　child　of　the　Pharaoh　of　the　day。　Here　I　may　say　at　once　that

there　could　be　no　doubt　of　its　Egyptian　origin；　since　on　one　side　of

the　head　was　a　single　lock　of　hair；　while　the　fourth　finger　of　the

right　hand　was　held　before　the　lips　as　though　to　enjoin　silence。　Both

of　these　peculiarities；　it　will　be　remembered；　are　characteristic　of

the　infant　Horus；　the　child　of　Osiris　and　Isis；　as　portrayed　in

bronzes　and　temple　carvings。　So　at　least　Ragnall；　who　recently　had

studied　many　such　effigies　in　Egypt；　informed　me　later。　There　was

nothing　else　in　the　place　except　an　ancient；　string…seated　chair　of

ebony；　adorned　with　inlaid　ivory　patterns；　an　effigy　of　a　snake　in

porcelain；　showing　that　serpent　worship　was　in　some　way　mixed　up　with

their　religion；　and　two　rolls　of　papyrus；　at　least　that　is　what　they

looked　like；　which　were　laid　in　the　niche　with　the　statue。　These

rolls；　to　my　disappointment；　Har？t　refused　to　allow　us　to　examine　or

even　to　touch。



After　we　had　left　the　sanctuary　I　asked　Har？t　when　this　figure　was

brought　to　their　land。　He　replied　that　it　came　when　they　came；　at　what

date　he　could　not　tell　us　as　it　was　so　long　ago；　and　that　with　it　came

the　worship　and　the　ceremonies　of　their　religion。



In　answer　to　further　questions　he　added　that　this　figure；　which　seemed

to　be　of　ivory；　contained　the　spirits　which　ruled　the　sun　and　the

moon；　and　through　them　the　world。　This；　said　Ragnall；　was　just　a　piece

of　Egyptian　theology；　preserved　down　to　our　own　times　in　a　remote

corner　of　Africa；　doubtless　by　descendants　of　dwellers　on　the　Nile　who

had　been　driven　thence　in　some　national　catastrophe；　and　brought　away

with　them　their　faith　and　one　of　the　effigies　of　their　gods。　Perhaps

they　fled　at　the　time　of　the　Persian　invasion　by　Cambyses。



After　we　had　emerged　from　this　deeply　interesting　shrine；　which　was

locked　behind　us；　Har？t　led　us；　not　through　the　passage　connecting　it

with　the　stone　house　that　we　knew　was　occupied　by　Ragnall's　wife　in

her　capacity　as　Guardian　of　the　Child；　or　a　latter…day　personification

of　Isis；　Lady　of　the　Moon；　at　which　house　he　cast　many　longing

glances；　but　back　through　the　two　courts　and　the　pylon　to　the　gateway

of　the　temple。　Here　on　the　road　by　which　we　had　entered　the　place；　a

fact　which　we　did　not　mention　to　him；　he　paused　and　addressed　us。



〃Lords；〃　he　said；　〃now　you　and　the　People　of　the　White　Kendah　are　one；

your　ends　are　their　ends；　your　fate　is　their　fate；　their　secrets　are

your　secrets。　You；　Lord　Igeza；　work　for　a　reward；　namely　the　person　of

that　lady　whom　we　took　from　you　on　the　Nile。〃



〃How　did　you　do　that？〃　interrupted　Ragnall　when　I　had　interpreted。



〃Lord；　we　watched　you。　We　knew　when　you　came　to　Egypt；　we　followed　you

in　Egypt；　whither　we　had　journeyed　on　our　road　to　England　once　more　to

seek　our　Oracles；　till　the　day　of　our　opportunity　dawned。　Then　at

night　we　called　her　and　she　obeyed　the　call；　as　she　must　do　whose　mind

we　have　taken　awayask　me　not　howand　brought　her　to　dwell　with　us；

she　who　is　marked　from　her　birth　with　the　holy　sign　and　wears　upon　her

breast　certain　charmed　stones　and　a　symbol　that　for　thousands　of　years

have　adorned　the　body　of　the　Child　and　those　of　its　Oracles。　Do　you

remember　a　company　of　Arabs　whom　you　saw　riding　on　the　banks　of　the

Great　River　on　the　day　before　the　night　when　she　was　lost　to　you？　We

were　with　that　company　and　on　our　camels　we　bore　her　thence；　happy　and

unharmed　to　this　our　land；　as　I　trust；　when　all　is　done；　we　shall　bear

her　back　again　and　you　with　her。〃



〃I　trust　so　also；　for　you　have　wrought　me　a　great　wrong；〃　said　Ragnall

briefly；　〃perhaps　a　greater　wrong　than　I　know　at　present；　for　how　came

it　that　my　boy　was　killed　by　an　elephant？〃



〃Ask　that　question　of　Jana　and　not　of　me；〃　Har？t　answered　darkly。　Then

he　went　on：　〃You　also；　Lord　Macumazana；　work　for　a　reward；　the

countless　store　of　ivory　which　your　eyes　have　beheld　lying　in　the

burial　place　of　elephants　beyond　the　Tava　River。　When　you　have　slain

Jana　who　watches　the　store；　and　defeated　the　Black　Kendah　who　serve

him；　it　is　yours　and　we　will　give　you　camels　to　bear　it；　or　some　of

it；　for　all　cannot　be　carried；　to　the　sea　where　it　can　be　taken　away

in　ships。　As　for　the　yellow　man；　I　think　that　he　seeks　no　reward　who

soon　will　inherit　all　things。〃



〃The　old　witch…doctor　means　that　I　am　going　to　die；〃　remarked　Hans

expectorating　reflectively。　〃Well；　Baas；　I　am　quite　ready；　if　only

Jana　and　certain　others　die　first。　Indeed　I　grow　too　old　to　fight　and

travel　as　I　used　to　do；　and　therefore　shall　be　glad　to　pass　to　some

land　where　I　become　young　again。〃



〃Stuff　and　rubbish！〃　I　exclaimed；　then　turned　and　listened　to　Har？t

who；　not　understanding　our　Dutch　conversation；　was　speaking　once　more。



〃Lords；〃　he　said；　〃these　paths　which　run　east　and　west　are　the　real

approach　to　the　mountain　top　and　the　temple；　not　that　which；　as　I

suppose；　led　you　through　the　cave　of　the　old　serpent。　The　road　to　the

west；　which　wanders　round　the　base　of　the　hill　to　a　pass　in　those

distant　mountains　and　thence　across　the　deserts　to　the　north；　is　so

easy　to　stop　that　by　it　we　need　fear　no　attack。　With　this　eastern　road

the　case　is；　however；　different；　as　I　shall　now　show　you；　if　you　will

ride　with　me。〃



Then　he　gave　some　orders　to　two　attendant　priests　who　departed　at　a

run　and　presently　reappeared　at　the　head　of　a　small　train　of　camels

which　had　been　hidden；　I　know　not　where。　We　mounted　and；　following　the

road　across　a　flat　piece　of　ground；　found　that　not　more　than　half　a

mile　away　was　another　precipitous　ridge　of　rock　which　had　presumably

once　formed　the　lip　of　an　outer　crater。　This　ridge；　however；　was

broken　away　for　a　width　of　two　or　three　hundred　yards；　perhaps　by　some

outrush　of　lava；　the　road　running　through　the　centre　of　the　gap　on

which　schanzes　had　been　built　here　and　there　for　purposes　of　defence。

Looking　at　these　I　saw　that　they　were　very　old　and　inefficient　and

asked　when　they　had　been　erected。　Har？t　replied　about　a　century　before

when　the　last　war　took　place　with　the　Black　Kendah；　who　had　been

finally　driven　off　at　this　spot；　for　then　the　White　Kendah　were　more

numerous　than　at　present。



〃So　Simba　knows　this　road？〃　I　said。



〃Yes；　Lord；　and　Jana　knows　it　also；　for　he　fought　in　that　war　and

still　at　times　visits　us　here　and　kills　any　whom　he　may　meet。　Only　to

the　temple　he　has　never　dared　to　come。〃



Now　I　wondered　whether　we　had　really　seen　Jana　in　the　forest　on　the

previous　night；　but　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　useless　to

investigate　the　matter；　made　no　inquiries；　especially　as　these　would

have　revealed　to　Har？t　the　route　by　which　we　approached　the　temple。

Only　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　proper　defences　should　be　put　up　here

without　delay；　that　is　if　they　meant　to　make　a　stronghold　of　the

mountain。



〃We　do；　Lord；〃　he　answered；　〃since　we　are　not　strong　enough　to　attack

the　Black　Kendah　in　their　own　country　or　to　meet　them　in　pitched

battle　on　the　plain。　Here　and　in　no　other　place　must　be　fought　the

last　fight　between　Jana　and　the　Child。　Therefore　it　will　be　your　task

to　build　walls　cunningly；　so　that　when　they　come　we　may　defeat　Jana

and　the　hosts　of　the　Black　Kendah。〃



〃Do　you　mean　that　this　elephant　will　accompany　Simba　and　his　soldiers；

Har？t？〃



〃Without　doubt；　Lord；　since　he　has　always　done　so　from　the　beginning。

Jana　is　tame　to　the　king　and　certain　priests　of　the　Black　Kendah；

whose　forefathers　have　fed　him　for　generations；　and　will　obey　their

orders。　Also　he　can　think　for　himself；　being　an　evil　spirit　and

invulnerable。〃



〃His　left　eye　and　the　tip　of　his　trunk　are　not　invulnerable；〃　I

remarked；　〃though　from　what　I　saw　of　hi