allan quatermain-第48部分

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fool；　for　a　reward　thou　shalt　eat　out　thy　heart　with　love　of　

me　and　not　be　satisfied；　and　thou　mightest　have　been　my　husband　

and　a　king！　　At　least　I　hold　thee　in　chains　that　cannot　be　

broken。



'War！　　War！　　War！'　she　cried。　　'Here；　with　my　hand　upon　the　

sacred　stone　that　shall　endure；　so　runs　the　prophecy；　till　the　

Zu…Vendi　set　their　necks　beneath　an　alien　yoke；　I　declare　war　

to　the　end。　　Who　follows　Sorais　of　the　Night　to　victory　and　honour？'



Instantly　the　whole　concourse　began　to　break　up　in　indescribable　

confusion。　　Many　present　hastened　to　throw　in　their　lot　with　

the　'Lady　of　the　Night'；　but　some　came　from　her　following　to　

us。　　Amongst　the　former　was　an　under　officer　of　Nyleptha's　own　

guard；　who　suddenly　turned　and　made　a　run　for　the　doorway　through　

which　Sorais'　people　were　already　passing。　　Umslopogaas；　who　

was　present　and　had　taken　the　whole　scene　in；　seeing　with　admirable　

presence　of　mind　that　if　this　soldier　got　away　others　would　follow　

his　example；　seized　the　man；　who　drew　his　sword　and　struck　at　

him。　　Thereon　the　Zulu　sprang　back　with　a　wild　shout；　and；　avoiding　

the　sword　cuts；　began　to　peck　at　his　foe　with　his　terrible　axe；　

till　in　a　few　seconds　the　man's　fate　overtook　him　and　he　fell　

with　a　clash　heavily　and　quite　dead　upon　the　marble　floor。



This　was　the　first　blood　spilt　in　the　war。



'Shut　the　gates；'　I　shouted；　thinking　that　we　might　perhaps　catch　

Sorais　so；　and　not　being　troubled　with　the　idea　of　committing　

sacrilege。　　But　the　order　came　too　late；　her　guards　were　already　

passing　through　them；　and　in　another　minute　the　streets　echoed　

with　the　furious　galloping　of　horses　and　the　rolling　of　her　chariots。



So；　drawing　half　the　people　after　her；　Sorais　was　soon　passing　

like　a　whirlwind　through　the　Frowning　City　on　her　road　to　her　

headquarters　at　M'Arstuna；　a　fortress　situated　a　hundred　and　

thirty　miles　to　the　north　of　Milosis。



And　after　that　the　city　was　alive　with　the　endless　tramp　of　regiments　

and　preparations　for　the　gathering　war；　and　old　Umslopogaas　once　

more　began　to　sit　in　the　sunshine　and　go　through　a　show　of　sharpening　

Inkosi…kaas's　razor　edge。









CHAPTER　XIX

A　STRANGE　WEDDING







One　person；　however；　did　not　succeed　in　getting　out　in　time　before　

the　gates　were　shut；　and　that　was　the　High　Priest　Agon；　who；　

as　we　had　every　reason　to　believe；　was　Sorais'　great　ally；　and　

the　heart　and　soul　of　her　party。　　This　cunning　and　ferocious　

old　man　had　not　forgiven　us　for　those　hippopotami；　or　rather　

that　was　what　he　said。　　What　he　meant　was　that　he　would　never　

brook　the　introduction　of　our　wider　ways　of　thought　and　foreign　

learning　and　influence　while　there　was　a　possibility　of　stamping　

us　out。　　Also　he　knew　that　we　possessed　a　different　system　of　

religion；　and　no　doubt　was　in　daily　terror　of　our　attempting　

to　introduce　it　into　Zu…Vendis。　　One　day　he　asked　me　if　we　had　

any　religion　in　our　country；　and　I　told　him　that　so　far　as　I　

could　remember　we　had　ninety…five　different　ones。　　You　might　

have　knocked　him　down　with　a　feather；　and　really　it　is　difficult　

not　to　pity　a　high　priest　of　a　well…established　cult　who　is　haunted　

by　the　possible　approach　of　one　or　all　of　ninety…five　new　religions。



When　we　knew　that　Agon　was　caught；　Nyleptha；　Sir　Henry；　and　I　

discussed　what　was　to　be　done　with　him。　　I　was　for　closely　incarcerating　

him；　but　Nyleptha　shook　her　head；　saying　that　it　would　produce　

a　disastrous　effect　throughout　the　country。　　'Ah！'　she　added；　

with　a　stamp　of　her　foot；　'if　I　win　and　am　once　really　Queen；　

I　will　break　the　power　of　those　priests；　with　their　rites　and　

revels　and　dark　secret　ways。'　　I　only　wished　that　old　Agon　could　

have　heard　her；　it　would　have　frightened　him。



'Well；'　said　Sir　Henry；　'if　we　are　not　to　imprison　him；　I　suppose　

that　we　may　as　well　let　him　go。　　He　is　of　no　use　here。'



Nyleptha　looked　at　him　in　a　curious　sort　of　way；　and　said　in　

a　dry　little　voice；　'Thinkest　thou　so；　my　lord？'



'Eh？'　said　Curtis。　　'No；　I　do　not　see　what　is　the　use　of　keeping　him。'



She　said　nothing；　but　continued　looking　at　him　in　a　way　that　

was　as　shy　as　it　was　sweet。



Then　at　last　he　understood。



'Forgive　me；　Nyleptha；'　he　said；　rather　tremulously。　　'Dost　thou　

mean　that　thou　wilt　marry　me；　even　now？'



'Nay；　I　know　not；　let　my　lord　say；'　was　her　rapid　answer；　'but　

if　my　lord　wills；　the　priest　is　there　and　the　altar　is　there'　

　pointing　to　the　entrance　to　a　private　chapel　　'and　am　I　

not　ready　to　do　the　will　of　my　lord？　　Listen；　oh　my　lord！　　In　

eight　days　or　less　thou　must　leave　me　and　go　down　to　war；　for　

thou　shalt　lead　my　armies；　and　in　war　　men　sometimes　fall；　

and　so　I　would　for　a　little　space　have　had　thee　all　my　own；　if　

only　for　memory's　sake；'　and　the　tears　overflowed　her　lovely　

eyes　and　rolled　down　her　face　like　heavy　drops　of　dew　down　the　

red　heart　of　a　rose。



'Mayhap；　too；'　she　went　on；　'I　shall　lose　my　crown；　and　with　

my　crown　my　life　and　thine　also。　　Sorais　is　very　strong　and　very　

bitter；　and　if　she　prevails　she　will　not　spare。　　Who　can　read　

the　future？　　Happiness　is　the　world's　White　Bird；　that　alights　

seldom；　and　flies　fast　and　far　till　one　day　he　is　lost　in　the　

clouds。　　Therefore　should　we　hold　him　fast　if　by　any　chance　he　

rests　for　a　little　space　upon　our　hand。　　It　is　not　wise　to　neglect　

the　present　for　the　future；　for　who　knows　what　the　future　will　

be；　Incubu？　　Let　us　pluck　our　flowers　while　the　dew　is　on　them；　

for　when　the　sun　is　up　they　wither　and　on　the　morrow　will　others　

bloom　that　we　shall　never　see。'　　And　she　lifted　her　sweet　face　

to　him　and　smiled　into　his　eyes；　and　once　more　I　felt　a　curious　

pang　of　jealousy　and　turned　and　went　away。　　They　never　took　much　

notice　of　whether　I　was　there　or　not；　thinking；　I　suppose；　that　

I　was　an　old　fool；　and　that　it　did　not　matter　one　way　or　the　

other；　and　really　I　believe　that　they　were　right。



So　I　went　back　to　our　quarters　and　ruminated　over　things　in　general；　

and　watched　old　Umslopogaas　whetting　his　axe　outside　the　window　

as　a　vulture　whets　his　beak　beside　a　dying　ox。



And　in　about　an　hour's　time　Sir　Henry　came　tearing　over；　looking　

very　radiant　and　wildly　excited；　and　found　Good　and　myself　and　

even　Umslopogaas；　and　asked　us　if　we　should　like　to　assist　at　

a　real　wedding。　　Of　course　we　said　yes；　and　off　we　went　to　the　

chapel；　where　we　found　Agon　looking　as　sulky　as　any　High　Priest　

possibly　could；　and　no　wonder。　　It　appeared　that　he　and　Nyleptha　

had　a　slight　difference　of　opinion　about　the　coming　ceremony。　　

He　had　flatly　refused　to　celebrate　it；　or　to　allow　any　of　his　

priests　to　do　so；　whereupon　Nyleptha　became　very　angry　and　told　

him　that　she；　as　Queen；　was　head　of　the　Church；　and　meant　to　

be　obeyed。　　Indeed；　she　played　the　part　of　a　Zu…Vendi　Henry　the　

Eighth　to　perfection；　and　insisted　that；　if　she　wanted　to　be　

married；　she　would　be　married；　and　that　he　should　marry　her。　

｛Endnote　18｝



He　still　refused　to　go　through　the　ceremony；　so　she　clinched　

her　argument　thus　



'Well；　I　cannot　execute　a　High　Priest；　because　there　is　an　absurd　

prejudice　against　it；　and　I　cannot　imprison　him　because　all　his　

subordinates　would　raise　a　crying　that　would　bring　the　stars　

down　on　Zu…Vendis　and　crush　it；　but　I　can　leave　him　to　contemplate　

the　altar　of　the　Sun　without　anything　to　eat；　because　that　is　

his　natural　vocation；　and　if　thou　wilt　not　marry　me；　O　Agon！　

thou　shalt　be　placed　before　the　altar　yonder　with　nought　but　

a　little　water　till　such　time　as　thou　hast　reconsidered　the　matter。'



Now；　as　it　happened；　Agon　had　been　hurried　away　that　morning　

without　his　breakfast；　and　was　already　exceedingly　hungry；　so　

he　presently　modified　his　views　and　consented　to　marry　them；　

saying　at　the　same　time　that　he　washed　his　hands　of　all　responsibility　

in　the　matter。



So　it　chanced　that　presently；　attended　only　by　two　of　her　favourite　

maidens；　came　the　Queen　Nyleptha；　with　happy　blushing　face　and　

downcast　eyes；　dressed　in　pure　white；　without　embroidery　of　any　

sort；　as　seems　to　be　the　fashion　on　these　occasions　in　most　countries　

of　the　world。　　She　did　not　wear　a　single　ornament；　even　her　gold　

circlets　were　removed；　and　I　thought　that　if　possible　she　looked　

more　lovely　than　ever　without　them；　as　really　superbly　beautiful　

women　do。



She　came；　curtseyed　low　to　Sir　Henry；　and　then　took　his　hand　

and　led　him　up　before　the　altar；　and　after　a　little　pause；　in　

a　slow；　clear　voice　uttered　the　following　words；　which　are　customary　

in　Zu…Vendis　if　the　bride　desires　and　the　man　consents：　



'Thou　dost　swear　by　the　Sun　that　thou　wilt　take　no　other　woman　

to　wife　unless　I　lay　my　hand　upon　her　and　bid　her　come？'



'I　swear　it；'　answered　Sir　Henry；　adding　in　English；　'One　is　

quite　enough　for　me。'



Then　Agon；　who　had　been　sulking　in　a　corner　near　the　altar；　came　

forward　and　gabbled　off　something　into　his　beard　at　such　a　rate　

that　I　could　not　follow　it；　but　it　appeared　to　be　an　invocation　

to　the　Sun　to　bless　the　union　and　make　it　fruitful。　　I　observed　

that　Nyleptha　listened　very　closely　to　every　word；　and　afterwards　

discovered　that　she　was　afraid　lest　Agon　should　play　her　a　trick；　

and　by　going　through　the　invocations　backwards　divorce　them　instead　

of　marry　them。　　At　the　end　of　the　invocations　they　were　asked；　

as　in　our　service；　if　they　took　each　other　for　husband　and　wife；　

and　on　their　assenting　they　kissed　each　other　before　the　altar；　

and　the　service　was　over；　so　far　as　their　rites　were　concerned。　　

But　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　yet　something　wanting；　and　

so　I　produced　a　Prayer…Book；　which　has；　together　which　the　'Ingoldsby　

Legends'；　that　I　often　read　when　I　lie　awake　at　night；　accompanied　

me　in　all　my　later　wanderings。　　I　gave　it　to　my　poor　boy　Harry　

years　ago；　and　after　his　death　I　found　it　among　his　things　and　

took　it　back　again。