allan quatermain-第38部分

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wrung　out　of　the　cruel　grip　of　the　Zu…Vendi　priesthood；　in　the　

face　of　which　even　the　Queens　were　practically　powerless。　　Had　

it　not　been　for　their　strenuous　efforts　to　protect　us　we　should　

have　been　slain　even　before　we　set　foot　in　the　Temple　of　the　

Sun。　　The　attempt　to　drop　us　bodily　into　the　fiery　pit　as　an　

offering　was　a　last　artifice　to　attain　this　end　when　several　

others　quite　unsuspected　by　us　had　already　failed。









CHAPTER　XV

SORAIS'　SONG







After　our　escape　from　Agon　and　his　pious　crew　we　returned　to　

our　quarters　in　the　palace　and　had　a　very　good　time。　　The　two　

Queens；　the　nobles　and　the　people　vied　with　each　other　in　doing　

us　honour　and　showering　gifts　upon　us。　　As　for　that　painful　little　

incident　of　the　hippopotami　it　sank　into　oblivion；　where　we　were　

quite　content　to　leave　it。　　Every　day　deputations　and　individuals　

waited　on　us　to　examine　our　guns　and　clothing；　our　chain　shirts；　

and　our　instruments；　especially　our　watches；　with　which　they　

were　much　delighted。　　In　short；　we　became　quite　the　rage；　so　

much　so　that　some　of　the　fashionable　young　swells　among　the　Zu…Vendi　

began　to　copy　the　cut　of　some　of　our　clothes；　notably　Sir　Henry's　

shooting　jacket。　　One　day；　indeed；　a　deputation　waited　on　us　

and；　as　usual；　Good　donned　his　full…dress　uniform　for　the　occasion。　　

This　deputation　seemed　somehow　to　be　a　different　class　to　those　

who　generally　came　to　visit　us。　　They　were　little　insignificant　

men　of　an　excessively　polite；　not　to　say　servile；　demeanour；　

and　their　attention　appeared　to　be　chiefly　taken　up　with　observing　

the　details　of　Good's　full…dress　uniform；　of　which　they　took　

copious　notes　and　measurements。　　Good　was　much　flattered　at　the　

time；　not　suspecting　that　he　had　to　deal　with　the　six　leading　

tailors　of　Milosis。　　A　fortnight　afterwards；　however；　when　on　

attending　court　as　usual　he　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　some　seven　

or　eight　Zu…Vendi　'mashers'　arrayed　in　all　the　glory　of　a　very　

fair　imitation　of　his　full…dress　uniform；　he　changed　his　mind。　　

I　shall　never　forget　his　face　of　astonishment　and　disgust。　　

It　was　after　this；　chiefly　to　avoid　remark；　and　also　because　

our　clothes　were　wearing　out　and　had　to　be　saved　up；　that　we　

resolved　to　adopt　the　native　dress；　and　a　very　comfortable　one　

we　found　it；　though　I　am　bound　to　say　that　I　looked　sufficiently　

ridiculous　in　it；　and　as　for　Alphonse！　　Only　Umslopogaas　would　

have　none　of　these　things；　when　his　moocha　was　worn　out　the　fierce　

old　Zulu　made　him　a　new　one；　and　went　about　unconcerned；　as　grim　

and　naked　as　his　own　battleaxe。



Meanwhile　we　pursued　our　study　of　the　language　steadily　and　made　

very　good　progress。　　On　the　morning　following　our　adventure　in　

the　temple；　three　grave　and　reverend　signiors　presented　themselves　

armed　with　manuscript　books；　ink…horns　and　feather　pens；　and　

indicated　that　they　had　been　sent　to　teach　us。　　So；　with　the　

exception　of　Umslopogaas；　we　all　buckled　to　with　a　will；　doing　

four　hours　a　day。　　As　for　Umslopogaas；　he　would　have　none　of　

that　either。　　He　did　not　wish　to　learn　that　'woman's　talk'；　not　

he；　and　when　one　of　the　teachers　advanced　on　him　with　a　book　

and　an　ink…horn　and　waved　them　before　him　in　a　mild　persuasive　

way；　much　as　a　churchwarden　invitingly　shakes　the　offertory　bag　

under　the　nose　of　a　rich　but　niggardly　parishioner；　he　sprang　

up　with　a　fierce　oath　and　flashed　Inkosi…kaas　before　the　eyes　

of　our　learned　friend；　and　there　was　an　end　of　the　attempt　to　

teach　him　Zu…Vendi。



Thus　we　spent　our　mornings　in　useful　occupation　which　grew　more　

and　more　interesting　as　we　proceeded；　and　the　afternoons　were　

given　up　to　recreation。　　Sometimes　we　made　trips；　notably　one　

to　the　gold　mines　and　another　to　the　marble　quarries　both　of　

which　I　wish　I　had　space　and　time　to　describe；　and　sometimes　

we　went　out　hunting　buck　with　dogs　trained　for　that　purpose；　

and　a　very　exciting　sport　it　is；　as　the　country　is　full　of　agricultural　

enclosures　and　our　horses　were　magnificent。　　This　is　not　to　be　

wondered　at；　seeing　that　the　royal　stables　were　at　our　command；　

in　addition　to　which　we　had　four　splendid　saddle　horses　given　

to　us　by　Nyleptha。



Sometimes；　again；　we　went　hawking；　a　pastime　that　is　in　great　

favour　among　the　Zu…Vendi；　who　generally　fly　their　birds　at　a　

species　of　partridge　which　is　remarkable　for　the　swiftness　and　

strength　of　its　flight。　　When　attacked　by　the　hawk　this　bird　

appears　to　lose　its　head；　and；　instead　of　seeking　cover；　flies　

high　into　the　sky；　thus　offering　wonderful　sport。　　I　have　seen　

one　of　these　partridges　soar　up　almost　out　of　sight　when　followed　

by　the　hawk。　　Still　better　sport　is　offered　by　a　variety　of　solitary　

snipe　as　big　as　a　small　woodcock；　which　is　plentiful　in　this　

country；　and　which　is　flown　at　with　a　very　small；　agile；　and　

highly…trained　hawk　with　an　almost　red　tail。　　The　zigzagging　

of　the　great　snipe　and　the　lightning　rapidity　of　the　flight　and　

movements　of　the　red…tailed　hawk　make　the　pastime　a　delightful　

one。　　Another　variety　of　the　same　amusement　is　the　hunting　of　

a　very　small　species　of　antelope　with　trained　eagles；　and　it　

certainly　is　a　marvellous　sight　to　see　the　great　bird　soar　and　

soar　till　he　is　nothing　but　a　black　speck　in　the　sunlight；　and　

then　suddenly　come　dashing　down　like　a　cannon…ball　upon　some　

cowering　buck　that　is　hidden　in　a　patch　of　grass　from　everything　

but　that　piercing　eye。　　Still　finer　is　the　spectacle　when　the　

eagle　takes　the　buck　running。



On　other　days　we　would　pay　visits　to　the　country　seats　at　some　

of　the　great　lords'　beautiful　fortified　places；　and　the　villages　

clustering　beneath　their　walls。　　Here　we　saw　vineyards　and　corn…fields　

and　well…kept　park…like　grounds；　with　such　timber　in　them　as　

filled　me　with　delight；　for　I　do　love　a　good　tree。　　There　it　

stands　so　strong　and　sturdy；　and　yet　so　beautiful；　a　very　type　

of　the　best　sort　of　man。　　How　proudly　it　lifts　its　bare　head　

to　the　winter　storms；　and　with　what　a　full　heart　it　rejoices　

when　the　spring　has　come　again！　　How　grand　its　voice　is；　too；　

when　it　talks　with　the　wind：　a　thousand　aeolian　harps　cannot　

equal　the　beauty　of　the　sighing　of　a　great　tree　in　leaf。　　All　

day　it　points　to　the　sunshine　and　all　night　to　the　stars；　and　

thus　passionless；　and　yet　full　of　life；　it　endures　through　the　

centuries；　come　storm；　come　shine；　drawing　its　sustenance　from　

the　cool　bosom　of　its　mother　earth；　and　as　the　slow　years　roll　

by；　learning　the　great　mysteries　of　growth　and　of　decay。　　And　

so　on　and　on　through　generations；　outliving　individuals；　customs；　

dynasties　　all　save　the　landscape　it　adorns　and　human　nature　

　till　the　appointed　day　when　the　wind　wins　the　long　battle　

and　rejoices　over　a　reclaimed　space；　or　decay　puts　the　last　stroke　

to　his　fungus…fingered　work。



Ah；　one　should　always　think　twice　before　one　cuts　down　a　tree！



In　the　evenings　it　was　customary　for　Sir　Henry；　Good；　and　myself　

to　dine；　or　rather　sup；　with　their　Majesties　　not　every　night；　

indeed；　but　about　three　or　four　times　a　week；　whenever　they　had　

not　much　company；　or　the　affairs　of　state　would　allow　of　it。　　

And　I　am　bound　to　say　that　those　little　suppers　were　quite　the　

most　charming　things　of　their　sort　that　I　ever　had　to　do　with。　　

How　true　is　the　saying　that　the　very　highest　in　rank　are　always　

the　most　simple　and　kindly。　　It　is　from　your　half…and…half　sort　

of　people　that　you　get　pomposity　and　vulgarity；　the　difference　

between　the　two　being　very　much　what　you　one　sees　every　day　in　

England　between　the　old；　out…at…elbows；　broken…down　county　family；　

and　the　overbearing；　purse…proud　people　who　come　and　'take　the　

place'。　　I　really　think　that　Nyleptha's　greatest　charm　is　her　

sweet　simplicity；　and　her　kindly　genuine　interest　even　in　little　

things。　　She　is　the　simplest　woman　I　ever　knew；　and　where　her　

passions　are　not　involved；　one　of　the　sweetest；　but　she　can　look　

queenly　enough　when　she　likes；　and　be　as　fierce　as　any　savage　too。



For　instance；　never　shall　I　forget　that　scene　when　I　for　the　

first　time　was　sure　that　she　was　really　in　love　with　Curtis。　　

It　came　about　in　this　way　　all　through　Good's　weakness　for　

ladies'　society。　　When　we　had　been　employed　for　some　three　months　

in　learning　Zu…Vendi；　it　struck　Master　Good　that　he　was　getting　

rather　tired　of　the　old　gentlemen　who　did　us　the　honour　to　lead　

us　in　the　way　that　we　should　go；　so　he　proceeded；　without　saying　

a　word　to　anybody　else；　to　inform　them　that　it　was　a　peculiar　

fact；　but　that　we　could　not　make　any　real　progress　in　the　deeper　

intricacies　of　a　foreign　language　unless　we　were　taught　by　ladies　

　young　ladies；　he　was　careful　to　explain。　　In　his　own　country；　

he　pointed　out；　it　was　habitual　to　choose　the　very　best…looking　

and　most　charming　girls　who　could　be　found　to　instruct　any　strangers　

who　happened　to　come　that　way；　etc。



All　of　this　the　old　gentlemen　swallowed　open…mouthed。　　There　

was；　they　admitted；　reason　in　what　he　said；　since　the　contemplation　

of　the　beautiful；　as　their　philosophy　taught；　induced　a　certain　

porosity　of　mind　similar　to　that　produced　upon　the　physical　body　

by　the　healthful　influences　of　sun　and　air。　　Consequently　it　

was　probable　that　we　might　absorb　the　Zu…Vendi　tongue　a　little　

faster　if　suitable　teachers　could　be　found。　　Another　thing　was　

that；　as　the　female　sex　was　naturally　loquacious；　good　practice　

would　be　gained　in　the　viva　voce　department　of　our　studies。



To　all　of　this　Good　gravely　assented；　and　the　learned　gentlemen　

departed；　assuring　him　that　their　orders　were　to　fall　in　with　

our　wishes　in　every　way；　and　that；　if　possible；　our　views　should　

be　met。



Imagine；　therefore　the　surprise　and　disgust　of　myself；　and　I　

trust　and　believe　Sir　Henry；　when；　on　entering　the　room　where　

we　were　accustomed　to　carry　on　our　studies　the　following　morning；　

we　found；　instead　of　our　usual　venera