allan quatermain-第28部分

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it　shone　like　Good's　patent　leather　boots。　　Then　he　put　on　the　

mail　shirt　Sir　Henry　had　given　him　and　his　'moocha'；　and；　having　

cleaned　up　Inkosi…kaas　a　little；　stood　forth　complete。



All　this　while；　having　hoisted　the　sail　again　as　soon　as　we　had　

finished　bathing；　we　had　been　progressing　steadily　for　the　land；　

or；　rather；　for　the　mouth　of　a　great　river。　　Presently　　in　

all　about　an　hour　and　a　half　after　the　little　boat　had　left　us　

　we　saw　emerging　from　the　river　or　harbour　a　large　number　of　

boats；　ranging　up　to　ten　or　twelve　tons　burden。　　One　of　these　

was　propelled　by　twenty…four　oars；　and　most　of　the　rest　sailed。　　

Looking　through　the　glass　we　soon　made　out　that　the　row…boat　

was　an　official　vessel；　her　crew　being　all　dressed　in　a　sort　

of　uniform；　whilst　on　the　half…deck　forward　stood　an　old　man　

of　venerable　appearance；　and　with　a　flowing　white　beard；　and　

a　sword　strapped　to　his　side；　who　was　evidently　the　commander　

of　the　craft。　　The　other　boats　were　apparently　occupied　by　people　

brought　out　by　curiosity；　and　were　rowing　or　sailing　towards　

us　as　quickly　as　they　could。



'Now　for　it；'　said　I。　　'What　is　the　betting？　　Are　they　going　

to　be　friendly　or　to　put　an　end　to　us？'



Nobody　could　answer　this　question；　and；　not　liking　the　warlike　

appearance　of　the　old　gentleman　and　his　sword；　we　felt　a　

little　anxious。



Just　then　Good　spied　a　school　of　hippopotami　on　the　water　about　

two　hundred　yards　off　us；　and　suggested　that　it　would　not　be　

a　bad　plan　to　impress　the　natives　with　a　sense　of　our　power　by　

shooting　some　of　them　if　possible。　　This；　unluckily　enough；　struck　

us　as　a　good　idea；　and　accordingly　we　at　once　got　out　our　eight…bore　

rifles；　for　which　we　still　had　a　few　cartridges　left；　and　prepared　

for　action。　　There　were　four　of　the　animals；　a　big　bull；　a　cow；　

and　two　young　ones；　one　three　parts　grown。　　We　got　up　to　them　

without　difficulty；　the　great　animals　contenting　themselves　with　

sinking　down　into　the　water　and　rising　again　a　few　yards　farther　

on；　indeed；　their　excessive　tameness　struck　me　as　being　peculiar。　　

When　the　advancing　boats　were　about　five　hundred　yards　away；　

Sir　Henry　opened　the　ball　by　firing　at　the　three　parts　grown　

young　one。　　The　heavy　bullet　struck　it　fair　between　the　eyes；　

and；　crashing　through　the　skull；　killed　it；　and　it　sank；　leaving　

a　long　train　of　blood　behind　it。　　At　the　same　moment　I　fired　

at　the　cow；　and　Good　at　the　old　bull。　　My　shot　took　effect；　but　

not　fatally；　and　down　went　the　hippopotamus　with　a　prodigious　

splashing；　only　to　rise　again　presently　blowing　and　grunting　

furiously；　dyeing　all　the　water　round　her　crimson；　when　I　killed　

her　with　the　left　barrel。　　Good；　who　is　an　execrable　shot；　missed　

the　head　of　the　bull　altogether；　the　bullet　merely　cutting　the　

side　of　his　face　as　it　passed。　　On　glancing　up；　after　I　had　fired　

my　second　shot；　I　perceived　that　the　people　we　had　fallen　among　

were　evidently　ignorant　of　the　nature　of　firearms；　for　the　consternation　

caused　by　our　shots　and　their　effect　upon　the　animals　was　prodigious。　　

Some　of　the　parties　in　the　boats　began　to　cry　out　in　fear；　others　

turned　and　made　off　as　hard　as　they　could；　and　even　the　old　gentleman　

with　the　sword　looked　greatly　puzzled　and　alarmed；　and　halted　

his　big　row…boat。　　We　had；　however；　but　little　time　for　observation；　

for　just　then　the　old　bull；　rendered　furious　by　the　wound　he　

had　received；　rose　fair　within　forty　yards　of　us；　glaring　savagely。　　

We　all　fired；　and　hit　him　in　various　places；　and　down　he　went。　　

We　all　fired；　and　hit　him　in　various　places；　and　down　he　went；　

badly　wounded。　　Curiosity　now　began　to　overcome　the　fear　of　the　

onlookers；　and　some　of　them　sailed　on　up　close　to　us；　amongst　

these　being　the　man　and　woman　whom　we　had　first　seen　a　couple　

of　hours　or　so　before；　who　drew　up　almost　alongside。　　Just　then　

the　great　brute　rose　again　within　ten　yards　of　their　base；　and　

instantly　with　a　roar　of　fury　made　at　it　open…mouthed。　　The　woman　

shrieked；　and　the　man　tried　to　give　the　boat　way；　but　without　

success。　　In　another　second　I　saw　the　huge　red　jaws　and　gleaming　

ivories　close　with　a　crunch　on　the　frail　craft；　taking　an　enormous　

mouthful　out　of　its　side　and　capsizing　it。　　Down　went　the　boat；　

leaving　its　occupants　struggling　in　the　water。　　Next　moment；　

before　we　could　do　anything　towards　saving　them；　the　huge　and　

furious　creature　was　up　again　and　making　open…mouthed　at　the　

poor　girl；　who　was　struggling　in　the　water。　　Lifting　my　rifle　

just　as　the　grinding　jaws　were　about　to　close　on　her；　I　fired　

over　her　head　right　down　the　hippopotamus's　throat。　　Over　he　

went；　and　commenced　turning　round　and　round；　snorting；　and　blowing　

red　streams　of　blood　through　his　nostrils。　　Before　he　could　recover　

himself；　however；　I　let　him　have　the　other　barrel　in　the　side　

of　the　throat；　and　that　finished　him。　　He　never　moved　or　struggled　

again；　but　instantly　sank。　　Our　next　effort　was　directed　towards　

saving　the　girl；　the　man　having　swum　off　towards　another　boat；　

and　in　this　we　were　fortunately　successful；　pulling　her　into　

the　canoe　（amidst　the　shouts　of　the　spectators）　considerably　

exhausted　and　frightened；　but　otherwise　unhurt。



Meanwhile　the　boats　had　gathered　together　at　a　distance；　and　

we　could　see　that　the　occupants；　who　were　evidently　much　frightened；　

were　consulting　what　to　do。　　Without　giving　them　time　for　further　

consideration；　which　we　thought　might　result　unfavourably　to　

ourselves；　we　instantly　took　our　paddles　and　advanced　towards　

them；　Good　standing　in　the　bow　and　taking　off　his　cocked　hat　

politely　in　ever　direction；　his　amiable　features　suffused　by　

a　bland　but　intelligent　smile。　　Most　of　the　craft　retreated　as　

we　advanced；　but　a　few　held　their　ground；　while　the　big　row…boat　

came　on　to　meet　us。　　Presently　we　were　alongside；　and　I　could　

see　that　our　appearance　　and　especially　Good's　and　Umslopogaas's　

　filled　the　venerable…looking　commander　with　astonishment；　

not　unmixed　with　awe。　　He　was　dressed　after　the　same　fashion　

as　the　man　we　first　met；　except　that　his　shirt　was　not　made　of　

brown　cloth；　but　of　pure　white　linen　hemmed　with　purple。　　The　

kilt；　however；　was　identical；　and　so　were　the　thick　rings　of　

gold　around　the　arm　and　beneath　the　left　knee。　　The　rowers　wore　

only　a　kilt；　their　bodies　being　naked　to　the　waist。　　Good　took　

off　his　hat　to　the　old　gentleman　with　an　extra　flourish；　and　

inquired　after　his　health　in　the　purest　English；　to　which　he　

replied　by　laying　the　first　two　fingers　of　his　right　hand　horizontally　

across　his　lips　and　holding　them　there　for　a　moment；　which　we　

took　as　his　method　of　salutation。　　Then　he　also　addressed　some　

remarks　to　us　in　the　same　soft　accents　that　had　distinguished　

our　first　interviewer；　which　we　were　forced　to　indicate　we　did　

not　understand　by　shaking　our　heads　and　shrugging　our　shoulders。　　

This　last　Alphonse；　being　to　the　manner　born；　did　to　perfection；　

and　in　so　polite　a　way　that　nobody　could　take　any　offence。　　Then　

we　came　a　standstill；　till　I；　being　exceedingly　hungry；　thought　

I　might　as　well　call　attention　to　the　fact；　and　did　so　first　

by　opening　my　mouth　and　pointing　down　it；　and　then　rubbing　my　

stomach。　　These　signals　the　old　gentleman　clearly　understood；　

for　he　nodded　his　head　vigorously；　and　pointed　towards　the　harbour；　

and　at　the　same　time　one　of　the　men　on　his　boat　threw　us　a　line　

and　motioned　to　us　to　make　it　fast；　which　we　did。　　The　row…boat　

then　took　us　in　tow；　and　went　with　great　rapidity　towards　the　

mouth　of　the　river；　accompanied　by　all　the　other　boats。　　In　about　

twenty　minutes　more　we　reached　the　entrance　to　the　harbour；　which　

was　crowded　with　boats　full　of　people　who　had　come　out　to　see　

us。　　We　observed　that　all　the　occupants　were　more　or　less　of　

the　same　type；　though　some　were　fairer　than　others。　　Indeed；　

we　noticed　certain　ladies　whose　skin　was　of　a　most　dazzling　whiteness；　

and　the　darkest　shade　of　colour　which　we　saw　was　about　that　of　

a　rather　swarthy　Spaniard。　　Presently　the　wide　river　gave　a　sweep；　

and　when　it　did　so　an　exclamation　of　astonishment　and　delight　

burst　from　our　lips　as　we　caught　our　first　view　of　the　place　

that　we　afterwards　knew　as　Milosis；　or　the　Frowning　City　（from　

mi；　which　means　city；　and　losis；　a　frown）。



At　a　distance　of　some　five　hundred　yards　from　the　river's　bank　

rose　a　sheer　precipice　of　granite；　two　hundred　feet　or　so　in　

height；　which　had　no　doubt　once　formed　the　bank　itself　　the　

intermediate　space　of　land　now　utilized　as　docks　and　roadways　

having　been　gained　by　draining；　and　deepening　and　embanking　

the　stream。



On　the　brow　of　this　precipice　stood　a　great　building　of　the　same　

granite　that　formed　the　cliff；　built　on　three　sides　of　a　square；　

the　fourth　side　being　open；　save　for　a　kind　of　battlement　pierced　

at　its　base　by　a　little　door。　　This　imposing　place　we　afterwards　

discovered　was　the　palace　of　the　queen；　or　rather　of　the　queens。　　

At　the　back　of　the　palace　the　town　sloped　gently　upwards　to　

a　flashing　building　of　white　marble；　crowned　by　the　golden　dome　

which　we　had　already　observed。　　The　city　was；　with　the　exception　

of　this　one　building；　entirely　built　of　red　granite；　and　laid　

out　in　regular　blocks　with　splendid　roadways　between。　　So　far　

as　we　could　see　also　the　houses　were　all　one…storied　and　detached；　

with　gardens　round　them；　which　gave　some　relief　to　the　eye　wearied　

with　the　vista　of　red　granite。　　At　the　back　of　the　palace　a　road　

of　extraordinary　width　stretched　away　up　the　hill　for　a　distance　

of　a　mile　and　a　half　or　so；　and　appeared　to　terminate　at　an　open　

space　surrounding　the　gleaming　building　that　crowned　the　hill。　　

But　right　in　front　of　us　was　the　wonder　and　glory　of　Milosis　

　the　great　staircase　of　the　palace；　the　magnificence　of　which　

took　our　breath　away。　　Let　the　reader　imagine；　if　he　can；　a　splendid　

stairway；　sixty…five　feet　from　balustra