the ivory child-第30部分

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again　and　again。　We　made　the　best　stand　we　could。　By　degrees　the

bewildered　camels　sank　under　the　repeated　spear…thrusts　of　the　enemy；

all　except　one；　oddly　enough　that　ridden　by　Hans；　which　by　some

strange　chance　was　never　touched。　The　rest　of　us　were　thrown　or

tumbled　off　the　camels　and　continued　the　fight　from　behind　their

struggling　bodies。



That　is　where　I　came　in。　Up　to　this　time　I　had　not　fired　a　single

shot；　partly　because　I　do　not　like　missing；　which　it　is　so　easy　to　do

from　the　back　of　a　swaying　camel；　and　still　more　for　the　reason　that　I

had　not　the　slightest　desire　to　kill　any　of　these　savage　men　unless　I

was　obliged　to　do　so　in　self…defence。　Now；　however；　the　thing　was

different；　as　I　was　fighting　for　my　life。　Leaning　against　my　camel；

which　was　dying　and　beating　its　head　upon　the　ground；　groaning

horribly　the　while；　I　emptied　the　five　cartridges　of　the　repeater　into

those　Black　Kendah；　pausing　between　each　shot　to　take　aim；　with　the

result　that　presently　five　riderless　horses　were　galloping　loose　about

the　veld。



The　effect　was　electrical；　since　our　attackers　had　never　seen　anything

of　the　kind　before。　For　a　while　they　all　drew　off；　which　gave　me　time

to　reload。　Then　they　came　on　again　and　I　repeated　the　process。　For　a

second　time　they　retreated　and　after　consultation　which　lasted　for　a

minute　or　more；　made　a　third　attack。　Once　more　I　saluted　them　to　the

best　of　my　ability；　though　on　this　occasion　only　three　men　and　a　horse

fell。　The　fifth　shot　was　a　clean　miss　because　they　came　on　in　such　a

scattered　formation　that　I　had　to　turn　from　side　to　side　to　fire。



Now　at　last　the　game　was　up；　for　the　simple　reason　that　I　had　no　more

cartridges　save　two　in　my　double…barrelled　pistol。　It　may　be　asked

why。　The　answer　is；　want　of　foresight。　Too　many　cartridges　in　one's

pocket　are　apt　to　chafe　on　camel…back　and　so　is　a　belt　full　of　them。

In　those　days　also　the　engagements　were　few　in　which　a　man　fired　over

fifteen。　I　had　forty　or　fifty　more　in　a　bag；　which　bag　Savage　with　his

usual　politeness　had　taken　and　hung　upon　his　saddle　without　saying　a

word　to　me。　At　the　beginning　of　the　action　I　found　this　out；　but　could

not　then　get　them　from　him　as　he　was　separated　from　me。　Hans；　always

careless　in　small　matters；　was　really　to　blame　as　he　ought　to　have

seen　that　I　had　the　cartridges；　or　at　any　rate　to　have　carried　them

himself。　In　short；　it　was　one　of　those　accidents　that　will　happen。

There　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。



After　a　still　longer　consultation　our　enemies　advanced　on　us　for　the

fourth　time；　but　very　slowly。　Meanwhile　I　had　been　taking　stock　of　the

position。　The　camel　corps；　or　what　was　left　of　it；　oblivious　of　our

plight　which　the　dust　of　conflict　had　hidden　from　them；　was　travelling

on　to　the　north；　more　or　less　victorious。　That　is　to　say；　it　had　cut

its　way　through　the　Black　Kendah　and　was　escaping　unpursued；　huddled

up　in　a　mob　with　the　baggage　animals　safe　in　its　centre。　The　Black

Kendah　themselves　were　engaged　in　killing　our　wounded　and　succouring

their　own；　also　in　collecting　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　In　short；　quite

unintentionally；　we　were　deserted。　Probably；　if　anybody　thought　about

us　at　all　in　the　turmoil　of　desperate　battle；　they　concluded　that　we

were　among　the　slain。



Mar？t　came　up　to　me；　unhurt；　still　smiling　and　waving　a　bloody　spear。



〃Lord　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃the　end　is　at　hand。　The　Child　has　saved

the　others；　or　most　of　them；　but　us　it　has　abandoned。　Now　what　will

you　do？　Kill　yourself；　or　if　that　does　not　please　you；　suffer　me　to

kill　you？　Or　shoot　on　until　you　must　surrender？〃



〃I　have　nothing　to　shoot　with　any　more；〃　I　answered。　〃But　if　we

surrender；　what　will　happen　to　us？〃



〃We　shall　be　taken　to　Simba's　town　and　there　sacrificed　to　the　devil

JanaI　have　not　time　to　tell　you　how。　Therefore　I　propose　to　kill

myself。〃



〃Then　I　think　you　are　foolish；　Mar？t；　since　once　we　are　dead；　we　are

dead；　but　while　we　are　alive　it　is　always　possible　that　we　may　escape

from　Jana。　If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst　I　have　a　pistol　with　two

bullets　in　it；　one　for　you　and　one　for　me。〃



〃The　wisdom　of　the　Child　is　in　you；〃　he　replied。　〃I　shall　surrender

with　you；　Macumazana；　and　take　my　chance。〃



Then　he　turned　and　explained　things　to　his　followers；　who　spoke

together　for　a　moment。　In　the　end　these　took　a　strange　and；　to　my

mind；　a　very　heroic　decision。　Waiting　till　the　attacking　Kendah　were

quite　close　to　us；　with　the　exception　of　three　men；　who　either　because

they　lacked　courage　or　for　some　other　reason；　stayed　with　us；　they

advanced　humbly　as　though　to　make　submission。　A　number　of　the　Black

Kendah　dismounted　and　ran　up；　I　suppose　to　take　them　prisoners。　The

men　waited　till　these　were　all　round　them。　Then　with　a　yell　of　〃The

Child！〃　they　sprang　forward；　taking　the　enemy　unawares　and　fighting

like　demons；　inflicted　great　loss　upon　them　before　they　fell

themselves　covered　with　wounds。



〃Brave　men　indeed！〃　said　Mar？t　approvingly。　〃Well；　now　they　are　all　at

peace　with　the　Child；　where　doubtless　we　shall　find　them　ere　long。〃



I　nodded　but　answered　nothing。　To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　too　much

engaged　in　nursing　the　remains　of　my　own　courage　to　enter　into

conversation　about　that　of　other　people。



This　fierce　and　cunning　stratagem　of　desperate　men　which　had　cost

their　enemies　so　dear；　seemed　to　infuriate　the　Black　Kendah。



At　us　came　the　whole　mob　of　themwe　were　but　six　nowroaring　〃Jana！

Jana！〃　and　led　by　a　grey…beard　who；　to　judge　from　the　number　of　silver

chains　upon　his　breast　and　his　other　trappings；　seemed　to　be　a　great

man　among　them。　When　they　were　about　fifty　yards　away　and　I　was

preparing　for　the　worst；　a　shot　rang　out　from　above　and　behind　me。　At

the　same　instant　Greybeard　threw　his　arms　wide　and　letting　fall　the

spear　he　held；　pitched　from　his　horse；　evidently　stone　dead。　I　glanced

back　and　saw　Hans；　the　corn…cob　pipe　still　in　his　mouth　and　the　little

rifle；　〃Intombi；〃　still　at　his　shoulder。　He　had　fired　from　the　back　of

the　camel；　I　think　for　the　first　time　that　day；　and　whether　by　chance

or　through　good　marksmanship；　I　do　not　know；　had　killed　this　man。



His　sudden　and　unexpected　end　seemed　to　fill　the　Black　Kendah　with

grief　and　dismay。　Halting　in　their　charge　they　gathered　round　him；

while　a　fierce…looking　middle…aged　man；　also　adorned　with　much

barbaric　finery；　dismounted　to　examine　him。



〃That　is　Simba　the　King；〃　said　Mar？t；　〃and　the　slain　one　is　his　uncle；

Goru；　the　great　general　who　brought　him　up　from　a　babe。〃



〃Then　I　wish　I　had　another　cartridge　left　for　the　nephew；〃　I　began　and

stopped；　for　Hans　was　speaking　to　me。



〃Good…bye；　Baas；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　go；　for　I　cannot　load　'Intombi'　on

the　back　of　this　beast。　If　you　meet　your　reverend　father　the　Predikant

before　I　do；　tell　him　to　make　a　nice　place　ready　for　me　among　the

fires。〃



Then　before　I　could　get　out　an　answer；　Hans　dragged　his　camel　round；

as　I　have　said；　it　was　quite　uninjured。　Urging　it　to　a　shambling

gallop　with　blows　of　the　rifle　stock；　he　departed　at　a　great　rate；　not

towards　the　home　of　the　Child　but　up　the　hill　into　a　brake　of　giant

grass　mingled　with　thorn　trees　that　grew　quite　close　at　hand。　Here

with　startling　suddenness　both　he　and　the　camel　vanished　away。



If　the　Black　Kendah　saw　him　go；　of　which　I　am　doubtful；　for　they　all

seemed　to　be　lost　in　consultation　round　their　king　and　the　dead

general；　Goru；　they　made　no　attempt　to　follow　him。　Another　possibility

is　that　they　thought　he　was　trying　to　lead　them　into　some　snare　or

ambush。



I　do　not　know　what　they　thought　because　I　never　heard　them　mention

Hans　or　the　matter　of　his　disappearance；　if　indeed　they　ever　realized

that　there　was　such　a　person。　Curiously　enough　in　the　case　of　men　who

had　just　shown　themselves　so　brave；　this　last　accident　of　the　decease

of　Goru　coming　on　the　top　of　all　their　other　casualties；　seemed　to

take　the　courage　out　of　them。　It　was　as　though　they　had　come　to　the

conclusion　that　we　with　our　guns　were　something　more　than　mortal。



For　several　minutes　they　debated　in　evident　hesitation。　At　last

from　out　of　their　array　rode　a　single　man；　in　whom　I　recognized　one　of

the　envoys　who　had　met　us　in　the　morning；　carrying　in　his　hand　a　white

flag　as　he　had　done　before。　Thereon　I　laid　down　my　rifle　in　token　that

I　would　not　fire　at　him；　which　indeed　I　could　not　do　having　nothing　to

fire。　Seeing　this　he　came　to　within　a　few　yards　and　halting；　addressed

Mar？t。



〃O　second　Prophet　of　the　Child；〃　he　said；　〃these　are　the　words　of

Simba　the　King：　Your　god　has　been　too　strong　for　us　to…day；　though　in

a　day　to　come　it　may　be　otherwise。　I　thought　I　had　you　in　a　pit；　that

you　were　the　bucks　and　I　the　hunter。　But；　though　with　loss；　you　have

escaped　out　of　the　pit；〃　and　the　speaker　glanced　towards　our

retreating　force　which　was　now　but　a　cloud　of　dust　in　the　far

distance；　〃while　I　the　hunter　have　been　gored　by　your　horns；〃　and

again　he　glanced　at　the　dead　that　were　scattered　about　the　plain。　〃The

noblest　of　the　buck；　the　white　bull　of　the　herd；〃　and　he　looked　at　me；

who　in　any　other　circumstances　would　have　felt　complimented；　〃and　you；

O　Prophet　Mar？t；　and　one　or　two　others；　besides　those　that　I　have

slain；　are　however　still　in　the　pit　and　your　horn　is　a　magic　horn；〃

here　he　pointed　to　my　rifle；　〃which　pierces　from　afar　and　kills　dead

all　by　whom　it　is　touched。〃



〃So　I　caught　those　gentry　well　in　the　middle；〃　thought　I　to　myself；

〃and　with　soft…nosed　bullets！〃



〃Therefore　I；　Simba　the　King；　make　you　an　offer。　Yield　yourselves　and

I　swear　that　no　spear　shall　be　driven　through　your　hearts　and　no　knife

come　near　your　throats。　You　shall　only　be　taken　to　my　town　and　there

be　fed　on　the　best　and　kept　as　prisoners；　till　once　more　there　is

peace　between　the　Black　Kendah　and　the　White。　If　you　refuse；　then　I

will　ring　you　round　and　perhaps　in　the　dark　rush　on　you　and　kill　you

all。　Or　per