allan quatermain-第51部分

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her　flanks　executed　some　threatening　demonstrations；　but　she　

thought　better　of　it；　and　there　was　no　fight　that　day。　　As　for　

the　formation　of　her　great　forces　I　cannot　now　describe　it　with　

accuracy；　and　it　would　only　serve　to　bewilder　if　I　did；　but　I　

may　say；　generally；　that　in　its　leading　features　it　resembled　

our　own；　only　her　reserve　was　much　greater。



Opposite　our　right　wing；　and　forming　Sorais'　left　wing；　was　a　

great　army　of　dark；　wild…looking　men；　armed　with　sword　and　shield　

only；　which；　I　was　informed；　was　composed　of　Nasta's　twenty…five　

thousand　savage　hillsmen。



'My　word；　Good；'　said　I；　when　I　saw　them；　'you　will　catch　it　

tomorrow　when　those　gentlemen　charge！'　whereat　Good　not　unnaturally　

looked　rather　anxious。



All　day　we　watched　and　waited；　but　nothing　happened；　and　at　last　

night　fell；　and　a　thousand　watch…fires　twinkled　brightly　on　the　

slopes；　to　wane　and　die　one　by　one　like　the　stars　they　resembled。　　

As　the　hours　wore　on；　the　silence　gradually　gathered　more　deeply　

over　the　opposing　hosts。



It　was　a　very　wearying　night；　for　in　addition　to　the　endless　

things　that　had　to　be　attended　to；　there　was　our　gnawing　suspense　

to　reckon　with。　　The　fray　which　tomorrow　would　witness　would　

be　so　vast；　and　the　slaughter　so　awful；　that　stout　indeed　must　

the　heart　have　been　that　was　not　overwhelmed　at　the　prospect。　　

And　when　I　thought　of　all　that　hung　upon　it；　I　own　I　felt　ill；　

and　it　made　me　very　sad　to　reflect　that　these　mighty　forces　were　

gathered　for　destruction；　simply　to　gratify　the　jealous　anger　

of　a　woman。　　This　was　the　hidden　power　which　was　to　send　those　

dense　masses　of　cavalry；　flashing　like　human　thunderbolts　across　

the　plain；　and　to　roll　together　the　fierce　battalions　as　clouds　

when　hurricane　meets　hurricane。　　It　was　a　dreadful　thought；　and　

set　one　wondering　about　the　responsibilities　of　the　great　ones　

of　the　earth。　　Deep　into　the　night　we　sat；　with　pale　faces　and　

heavy　hearts；　and　took　counsel；　whilst　the　sentries　tramped　up　

and　down；　down　and　up；　and　the　armed　and　plumed　generals　came　

and　went；　grim　and　shadow…like。



And　so　the　time　wore　away；　till　everything　was　ready　for　the　

coming　slaughter；　and　I　lay　down　and　thought；　and　tried　to　get　

a　little　rest；　but　could　not　sleep　for　fear　of　the　morrow　　

for　who　could　say　what　the　morrow　would　bring　forth？　　Misery　

and　death；　this　was　certain；　beyond　that　we　knew　not；　and　I　confess　

I　was　very　much　afraid。　　But　as　I　realized　then；　it　is　useless　

to　question　that　eternal　Sphinx；　the　future。　　From　day　to　day　

she　reads　aloud　the　riddles　of　the　yesterday；　of　which　the　puzzled　

wordlings　of　all　ages　have　not　answered　one；　nor　ever　will；　guess　

they　never　so　wildly　or　cry　they　never　so　loud。



And　so　at　length　I　gave　up　wondering；　being　forced　humbly　to　

leave　the　issue　in　the　balancing　hands　of　Providence　and　the　

morrow。



And　at　last　up　came　the　red　sun；　and　the　huge　camps　awoke　with　

a　clash；　and　a　roar；　and　gathered　themselves　together　for　battle。　　

It　was　a　beautiful　and　awe…inspiring　scene；　and　old　Umslopogaas；　

leaning　on　his　axe；　contemplated　it　with　grim　delight。



'Never　have　I　seen　the　like；　Macumazahn；　never；'　he　said。　　'The　

battles　of　my　people　are　as　the　play　of　children　to　what　this　

will　be。　　Thinkest　thou　that　they　will　fight　it　out？'



'Ay；'　I　answered　sadly；　'to　the　death。　　Content　thyself；　〃Woodpecker〃；　

for　once　shalt　thou　peck　thy　fill。'



Time　went　on；　and　still　there　was　no　sign　of　an　attack。　　A　force　

of　cavalry　crossed　the　brook；　indeed；　and　rode　slowly　along　our　

front；　evidently　taking　stock　of　our　position　and　numbers。　　With　

this　we　did　not　attempt　to　interfere；　as　our　decision　was　to　

stand　strictly　on　the　defensive；　and　not　to　waste　a　single　man。　　

The　men　breakfasted　and　stood　to　their　arms；　and　the　hours　wore　

on。　　About　midday；　when　the　men　were　eating　their　dinner；　for　

we　thought　they　would　fight　better　on　full　stomachs；　a　shout　

of　'Sorais；　Sorais'　arose　like　thunder　from　the　enemy's　extreme　

right；　and　taking　the　glass；　I　was　able　to　clearly　distinguish　

the　'Lady　of　the　Night'　herself；　surrounded　by　a　glittering　staff；　

and　riding　slowly　down　the　lines　of　her　battalions。　　And　as　she　

went；　that　mighty；　thundering　shout　rolled　along　before　her　like　

the　rolling　of　ten　thousand　chariots；　or　the　roaring　of　the　ocean　

when　the　gale　turns　suddenly　and　carries　the　noise　of　it　to　the　

listener's　ears；　till　the　earth　shook；　and　the　air　was　full　of　

the　majesty　of　sound。



Guessing　that　this　was　a　prelude　to　the　beginning　of　the　battle；　

we　remained　still　and　made　ready。



We　had　not　long　to　wait。　　Suddenly；　like　flame　from　a　cannon's　

mouth；　out　shot　two　great　tongue…like　forces　of　cavalry；　and　

came　charging　down　the　slope　towards　the　little　stream；　slowly　

at　first；　but　gathering　speed　as　they　came。　　Before　they　got　

to　the　stream；　orders　reached　me　from　Sir　Henry；　who　evidently　

feared　that　the　shock　of　such　a　charge；　if　allowed　to　fall　unbroken　

upon　our　infantry；　would　be　too　much　for　them；　to　send　five　thousand　

sabres　to　meet　the　force　opposite　to　me；　at　the　moment　when　it　

began　to　mount　the　stiffest　of　the　rise　about　four　hundred　yards　

from　our　lines。　　This　I　did；　remaining　behind　myself　with　the　

rest　of　my　men。



Off　went　the　five　thousand　horsemen；　drawn　up　in　a　wedge…like　

form；　and　I　must　say　that　the　general　in　command　handled　them　

very　ably。　　Starting　at　a　hand　gallop；　for　the　first　three　hundred　

yards　he　rode　straight　at　the　tip　of　the　tongue…shaped　mass　of　

cavalry　which；　numbering；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　about　eight　

thousand　sabres；　was　advancing　to　charge　us。　　Then　he　suddenly　

swerved　to　the　right　and　put　on　the　pace；　and　I　saw　the　great　

wedge　curl　round；　and　before　the　foe　could　check　himself　and　

turn　to　meet　it；　strike　him　about　halfway　down　his　length；　with　

a　crashing　rending　sound；　like　that　of　the　breaking…up　of　vast　

sheets　of　ice。　　In　sank　the　great　wedge；　into　his　heart；　and　

as　it　cut　its　way　hundreds　of　horsemen　were　thrown　up　on　either　

side　of　it；　just　as　the　earth　is　thrown　up　by　a　ploughshare；　

or　more　like　still；　as　the　foaming　water　curls　over　beneath　the　

bows　of　a　rushing　ship。　　In；　yet　in；　vainly　does　the　tongue　twist　

its　ends　round　in　agony；　like　an　injured　snake；　and　strive　to　

protect　its　centre；　still　farther　in；　by　Heaven！　right　through；　

and　so；　amid　cheer　after　cheer　from　our　watching　thousands；　back　

again　upon　the　severed　ends；　beating　them　down；　driving　them　

as　a　gale　drives　spray；　till　at　last；　amidst　the　rushing　of　hundreds　

of　riderless　horses；　the　flashing　of　swords；　and　the　victorious　

clamour　of　their　pursuers；　the　great　force　crumples　up　like　an　

empty　glove；　then　turns　and　gallops　pell…mell　for　safety　back　

to　its　own　lines。



I　do　not　think　it　reached　them　more　than　two…thirds　as　strong　

as　it　went　out　ten　minutes　before。　　The　lines　which　were　now　

advancing　to　the　attack；　opened　and　swallowed　them　up；　and　my　

force　returned；　having　only　suffered　a　loss　of　about　five　hundred　

men　　not　much；　I　thought；　considering　the　fierceness　of　the　

struggle。　　I　could　also　see　that　the　opposing　bodies　of　cavalry　

on　our　left　wing　were　drawing　back；　but　how　the　fight　went　with　

them　I　do　not　quite　know。　　It　is　as　much　as　I　can　do　to　describe　

what　took　place　immediately　around　me。



By　this　time　the　dense　masses　of　the　enemy's　left；　composed　almost　

entirely　of　Nasta's　swordsmen；　were　across　the　little　stream；　

and　with　alternate　yells　of　'Nasta'　and　'Sorais'；　with　dancing　

banners　and　gleaming　swords；　were　swarming　up　towards　us　like　

ants。



Again　I　received　orders　to　try　and　check　this　movement；　and　also　

the　main　advance　against　the　chest　of　our　army；　by　means　of　cavalry　

charges；　and　this　I　did　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　by　continually　

sending　squadrons　of　about　a　thousand　sabres　out　against　them。　　

These　squadrons　did　the　enemy　much　damage；　and　it　was　a　glorious　

sight　to　see　them　flash　down　the　hillside；　and　bury　themselves　

like　a　living　knife　in　the　heart　of　the　foe。　　But；　also；　we　lost　

many　men；　for　after　the　experience　of　a　couple　of　these　charges；　

which　had　drawn　a　sort　of　bloody　St　Andrew's　cross　of　dead　and　

dying　through　the　centre　of　Nasta's　host；　our　foes　no　longer　

attempted　to　offer　an　unyielding　front　to　their　irresistible　

weight；　but　opened　out　to　let　the　rush　go　through；　throwing　themselves　

on　the　ground　and　hamstringing　hundreds　of　horses　as　they　passed。



And　so；　notwithstanding　all　that　we　could　do；　the　enemy　drew　

nearer；　till　at　last　he　hurled　himself　upon　Good's　force　of　seven　

thousand　five　hundred　regulars；　who　were　drawn　up　to　receive　

them　in　three　strong　squares。　　About　the　same　time；　too；　an　awful　

and　heartshaking　roar　told　me　that　the　main　battle　had　closed　

in　on　the　centre　and　extreme　left。　　I　raised　myself　in　my　stirrups　

and　looked　down　to　my　left；　so　far　as　the　eye　could　see　there　

was　a　long　dazzling　shimmer　of　steel　as　the　sun　glanced　upon　

falling　sword　and　thrusting　spear。



To　and　fro　swung　the　contending　lines　in　that　dread　struggle；　

now　giving　way；　now　gaining　a　little　in　the　mad　yet　ordered　confusion　

of　attack　and　defence。　　But　it　was　as　much　as　I　could　do　to　keep　

count　of　what　was　happening　to　our　own　wing；　and；　as　for　the　

moment　the　cavalry　had　fallen　back　under　cover　of　Good's　three　

squares；　I　had　a　fair　view　of　this。



Nasta's　wild　swordsmen　were　now　breaking　in　red　waves　against　

the　sullen　rock…like　squares。　　Time　after　time　did　they　yell　

out　their　war…cries；　and　hurl　themselves　furiously　against　the　

long　triple　ridges　of　spear　points；　only　to　be　rolled　back　as　

billows　are　when　they　meet　the　cliff。



And　so　for　four　long　hours　the　battle　raged　almost　without　a　

pause；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time；　if　we　had　gained　nothing　

we　had　lost　nothing。　　Two　attempts　to　turn　our　left　flank　by　

forcing