allan quatermain-第39部分

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

we　found；　instead　of　our　usual　venerable　tutors；　three　of　the　

best…looking　young　women　whom　Milosis　could　produce　　and　that　

is　saying　a　good　deal　　who　blushed　and　smiled　and　curtseyed；　

and　gave　us　to　understand　that　they　were　there　to　carry　on　our　

instruction。　　Then　Good；　as　we　gazed　at　one　another　in　bewilderment；　

thought　fit　to　explain；　saying　that　it　had　slipped　his　memory　

before　　but　the　old　gentlemen　had　told　him；　on　the　previous　

evening；　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　our　further　education　

should　be　carried　on　by　the　other　sex。　　I　was　overwhelmed；　and　

appealed　to　Sir　Henry　for　advice　in　such　a　crisis。



'Well；'　he　said；　'you　see　the　ladies　are　here；　ain't　they？　　If　

we　sent　them　away；　don't　you　think　it　might　hurt　their　feelings；　

eh？　　One　doesn't　like　to　be　rough；　you　see；　and　they　look　regular　

blues；　don't　they；　eh？'



By　this　time　Good　had　already　begun　his　lessons　with　the　handsomest　

of　the　three；　and　so　with　a　sigh　I　yielded。　　That　day　everything　

went　very　well：　the　young　ladies　were　certainly　very　clever；　

and　they　only　smiled　when　we　blundered。　　I　never　saw　Good　so　

attentive　to　his　books　before；　and　even　Sir　Henry　appeared　to　

tackle　Zu…Vendi　with　a　renewed　zest。　　'Ah；'　thought　I；　'will　

it　always　be　thus？'



Next　day　we　were　much　more　lively；　our　work　was　pleasingly　interspersed　

with　questions　about　our　native　country；　what　the　ladies　were　

like　there；　etc。；　all　of　which　we　answered　as　best　as　we　could　

in　Zu…Vendi；　and　I　heard　Good　assuring　his　teacher　that　her　loveliness　

was　to　the　beauties　of　Europe　as　the　sun　to　the　moon；　to　which　

she　replied　with　a　little　toss　of　the　head；　that　she　was　a　plain　

teaching　woman　and　nothing　else；　and　that　it　was　not　kind　'to　

deceive　a　poor　girl　so'。　　Then　we　had　a　little　singing　that　was　

really　charming；　so　natural　and　unaffected。　　The　Zu…Vendi　love…songs　

are　most　touching。　　On　the　third　day　we　were　all　quite　intimate。　　

Good　narrated　some　of　his　previous　love　affairs　to　his　fair　

teacher；　and　so　moved　was　she　that　her　sighs　mingled　with　his　

own。　　I　discoursed　with　mine；　a　merry　blue…eyed　girl；　upon　Zu…Vendian　

art；　and　never　saw　that　she　was　waiting　for　an　opportunity　to　

drop　a　specimen　of　the　cockroach　tribe　down　my　back；　whilst　in　

the　corner　Sir　Henry　and　his　governess　appeared；　so　far　as　I　

could　judge；　to　be　going　through　a　lesson　framed　on　the　great　

educational　principles　laid　down　by　Wackford　Squeers　Esq。；　though　

in　a　very　modified　or　rather　spiritualized　form。　　The　lady　softly　

repeated　the　Zu…Vendi　word　for　'hand'；　and　he　took　hers；　'eyes'；　

and　he　gazed　deep　into　her　brown　orbs；　'lips'；　and　　but　just　

at　that　moment　my　young　lady　dropped　the　cockroach　down　my　back　

and　ran　away　laughing。　　Now　if　there　is　one　thing　I　loathe　more　

than　another　it　is　cockroaches；　and　moved　quite　beyond　myself；　

and　yet　laughing　at　her　impudence；　I　took　up　the　cushion　she　

had　been　sitting　on　and　threw　it　after　her。　　Imagine　then　my　

shame　　my　horror；　and　my　distress　　when　the　door　opened；　

and；　attended　by　two　guards　only；　in　walked　Nyleptha。　　The　cushion　

could　not　be　recalled　（it　missed　the　girl　and　hit　one　of　the　

guards　on　the　head）；　but　I　instantly　and　ineffectually　tried　

to　look　as　though　I　had　not　thrown　it。　　Good　ceased　his　sighing；　

and　began　to　murder　Zu…Vendi　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　and　Sir　

Henry　whistled　and　looked　silly。　　As　for　the　poor　girls；　they　

were　utterly　dumbfounded。



And　Nyleptha！　she　drew　herself　up　till　her　frame　seemed　to　tower　

even　above　that　of　the　tall　guards；　and　her　face　went　first　red；　

and　then　pale　as　death。



'Guards；'　she　said　in　a　quiet　choked　voice；　and　pointing　at　the　fair　

but　unconscious　disciple　of　Wackford　Squeers；　'slay　me　that　woman。'



The　men　hesitated；　as　well　they　might。



'Will　ye　do　my　bidding；'　she　said　again　in　the　same　voice；　

'or　will　ye　not？'



Then　they　advanced　upon　the　girl　with　uplifted　spears。　　

By　this　time　Sir　Henry　had　recovered　himself；　and　saw　that　

the　comedy　was　likely　to　turn　into　a　tragedy。



'Stand　back；'　he　said　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　at　the　same　time　

getting　in　front　of　the　terrified　girl。　　'Shame　on　thee；　

Nyleptha　　shame！　　Thou　shalt　not　kill　her。'



'Doubtless　thou　hast　good　reason　to　try　to　protect　her。　　

Thou　couldst　hardly　do　less　in　honour；'　answered　the　

infuriated　Queen；　'but　she　shall　die　　she　shall　die；'　

and　she　stamped　her　little　foot。



'It　is　well；'　he　answered；　'then　will　I　die　with　her。　　I　am　thy　

servant；　oh　Queen；　do　with　me　even　as　thou　wilt。'　　And　he　bowed　

towards　her；　and　fixed　his　clear　eyes　contemptuously　on　her　face。



'I　could　wish　to　slay　thee　too；'　she　answered；　'for　thou　dost　

make　a　mock　of　me；'　and　then　feeling　that　she　was　mastered；　and　

I　suppose　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　she　burst　into　such　a　

storm　of　tears　and　looked　so　royally　lovely　in　her　passionate　

distress；　that；　old　as　I　am；　I　must　say　I　envied　Curtis　his　task　

of　supporting　her。　　It　was　rather　odd　to　see　him　holding　her　

in　his　arms　considering　what　had　just　passed　　a　thought　that　

seemed　to　occur　to　herself；　for　presently　she　wrenched　herself　

free　and　went；　leaving　us　all　much　disturbed。



Presently；　however；　one　of　the　guards　returned　with　a　message　

to　the　girls　that　they　were；　on　pain　of　death；　to　leave　the　city　

and　return　to　their　homes　in　the　country；　and　that　no　further　

harm　would　come　to　them；　and　accordingly　they　went；　one　of　them　

remarking　philosophically　that　it　could　not　be　helped；　and　that　

it　was　a　satisfaction　to　know　that　they　had　taught　us　a　little　

serviceable　Zu…Vendi。　　Mine　was　an　exceedingly　nice　girl；　and；　

overlooking　the　cockroach；　I　made　her　a　present　of　my　favourite　

lucky　sixpence　with　a　hole　in　it　when　she　went　away。　　After　that　

our　former　masters　resumed　their　course　of　instruction；　needless　

to　say　to　my　great　relief。



That　night；　when　in　fear　and　trembling　we　attended　the　royal　

supper　table；　we　found　that　Nyleptha　was　laid　up　with　a　bad　headache。　　

That　headache　lasted　for　three　whole　days；　but　on　the　fourth　

she　was　present　at　supper　as　usual；　and　with　the　most　gracious　

and　sweet　smile　gave　Sir　Henry　her　hand　to　lead　her　to　the　table。　　

No　allusion　was　made　to　the　little　affair　described　above　beyond　

her　saying；　with　a　charming　air　of　innocence；　that　when　she　came　

to　see　us　at　our　studies　the　other　day　she　had　been　seized　with　

a　giddiness　from　which　she　had　only　now　recovered。　　She　supposed；　

she　added　with　a　touch　of　the　humour　that　was　common　to　her；　

that　it　was　the　sight　of　people　working　so　hard　which　had　affected　her。



In　reply　Sir　Henry　said；　dryly；　that　he　had　thought　she　did　not　

look　quite　herself　on　that　day；　whereat　she　flashed　one　of　those　

quick　glances　of　hers　at　him；　which　if　he　had　the　feelings　of　

a　man　must　have　gone　through　him　like　a　knife；　and　the　subject　

dropped　entirely。　　Indeed；　after　supper　was　over　Nyleptha　condescended　

to　put　us　through　an　examination　to　see　what　we　had　learnt；　and　

to　express　herself　well　satisfied　with　the　results。　　Indeed；　

she　proceeded　to　give　us；　especially　Sir　Henry；　a　lesson　on　her　

own　account；　and　very　interesting　we　found　it。



And　all　the　while　that　we　talked；　or　rather　tried　to　talk；　and　

laughed；　Sorais　would　sit　there　in　her　carven　ivory　chair；　and　

look　at　us　and　read　us　all　like　a　book；　only　from　time　to　time　

saying　a　few　words；　and　smiling　that　quick　ominous　smile　of　hers　

which　was　more　like　a　flash　of　summer　lightning　on　a　dark　cloud　

than　anything　else。　　And　as　near　to　her　as　he　dared　would　sit　

Good；　worshipping　through　his　eyeglass；　for　he　really　was　getting　

seriously　devoted　to　this　sombre　beauty；　of　whom；　speaking　personally；　

I　felt　terribly　afraid。　　I　watched　her　keenly；　and　soon　I　found　

out　that　for　all　her　apparent　impassibility　she　was　at　heart　

bitterly　jealous　of　Nyleptha。　　Another　thing　I　found　out；　and　

the　discovery　filled　me　with　dismay；　and　that　was；　that　she　also　

was　growing　devoted　to　Sir　Henry　Curtis。　　Of　course　I　could　not　

be　sure；　it　is　not　easy　to　read　so　cold　and　haughty　a　woman；　

but　I　noticed　one　or　two　little　things；　and；　as　elephant　hunters　

know；　dried　grass　shows　which　way　the　wind　has　set。



And　so　another　three　months　passed　over　us；　by　which　time　we　

had　all　attained　to　a　very　considerable　mastery　of　the　Zu…Vendi　

language；　which　is　an　easy　one　to　learn。　　And　as　the　time　went　

on　we　became　great　favourites　with　the　people；　and　even　with　

the　courtiers；　gaining　an　enormous　reputation　for　cleverness；　

because；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　Sir　Henry　was　able　to　show　them　

how　to　make　glass；　which　was　a　national　want；　and　also；　by　the　

help　of　a　twenty…year　almanac　that　we　had　with　us；　to　predict　

various　heavenly　combinations　which　were　quite　unsuspected　by　

the　native　astronomers。　　We　even　succeeded　in　demonstrating　the　

principle　of　the　steam…engine　to　a　gathering　of　the　learned　men；　

who　were　filled　with　amazement；　and　several　other　things　of　the　

same　sort　we　did。　　And　so　it　came　about　that　the　people　made　

up　their　minds　that　we　must　on　no　account　be　allowed　to　go　out　

of　the　country　（which　indeed　was　an　apparent　impossibility　even　

if　we　had　wished　it）；　and　we　were　advanced　to　great　honour　and　

made　officers　to　the　bodyguards　of　the　sister　Queens　while　permanent　

quarters　were　assigned　to　us　in　the　palace；　and　our　opinion　was　

asked　upon　questions　of　national　policy。



But　blue　as　the　sky　seemed；　there　was　a　cloud；　and　a　big　one；　

on　the　horizon。　　We　had　indeed　heard　no　more　of　those　confounded　

hippopotami；　but　it　is　not　on　that　account　to　be　supposed　that　

our　sacrilege　was　forgotten；　or　the　enmity　of　the　great　and　powerful　

priesthood　headed　by　Agon　appeased。　　On　the　contrary；　it　was　

burning　the　more　fiercely　because　it　was　necessarily　suppressed；　

and　what　had　perhaps　begun　in　bigo