the ivory child-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　perhaps　I　will　watch　you　from　day　to　day　till　you；　who　have　no

water；　die　of　thirst　in　the　heat　of　the　sun。　These　are　my　words　to

which　nothing　may　be　added　and　from　which　nothing　shall　be　taken

away。〃



Having　finished　this　speech　he　rode　back　a　few　yards　out　of　earshot；

and　waited。



〃What　will　you　answer；　Lord　Macumazana？〃　asked　Mar？t。



I　replied　by　another　question。　〃Is　there　any　chance　of　our　being

rescued　by　your　people？〃



He　shook　his　head。　〃None。　What　we　have　seen　to…day　is　but　a　small　part

of　the　army　of　the　Black　Kendah；　one　regiment　of　foot　and　one　of

horse；　that　are　always　ready。　By　to…morrow　thousands　will　be　gathered；

many　more　than　we　can　hope　to　deal　with　in　the　open　and　still　less　in

their　strongholds；　also　Har？t　will　believe　that　we　are　dead。　Unless

the　Child　saves　us　we　shall　be　left　to　our　fate。〃



〃Then　it　seems　that　we　are　indeed　in　a　pit；　as　that　black　brute　of　a

king　puts　it；　Mar？t；　and　if　he　does　what　he　says　and　rushes　us　at

sundown；　everyone　of　us　will　be　killed。　Also　I　am　thirsty　already　and

there　is　nothing　to　drink。　But　will　this　king　keep　his　word？　There　are

other　ways　of　dying　besides　by　steel。〃



〃I　think　that　he　will　keep　his　word；　but　as　that　messenger　said；　he

will　not　add　to　his　word。　Choose　now；　for　see；　they　are　beginning　to

hedge　us　round。〃



〃What　do　you　say；　men？〃　I　asked　of　the　three　who　had　remained　with　us。



〃We　say；　Lord；　that　we　are　in　the　hands　of　the　Child；　though　we　wish

now　that　we　had　died　with　our　brothers；〃　answered　their　spokesman

fatalistically。



So　after　Mar？t　and　I　had　consulted　together　for　a　little　as　to　the

form　of　his　reply；　he　beckoned　to　the　messenger　and　said：



〃We　accept　the　offer　of　Simba；　although　it　would　be　easy　for　this　lord

to　kill　him　now　where　he　stands；　namely；　to　yield　ourselves　as

prisoners　on　his　oath　that　no　harm　shall　come　to　us。　For　know　that　if

harm　does　come；　the　vengeance　will　be　terrible。　Now　in　proof　of　his

good　faith；　let　Simba　draw　near　and　drink　the　cup　of　peace　with　us；

for　we　thirst。〃



〃Not　so；〃　said　the　messenger；　〃for　then　that　white　lord　might　kill　him

with　his　tube。　Give　me　the　tube　and　Simba　shall　come。〃



〃Take　it；〃　I　said　magnanimously；　handing　him　the　rifle；　which　he

received　in　a　very　gingerly　fashion。　After　all；　I　reflected；　there　is

nothing　much　more　useless　than　a　rifle　without　ammunition。



Off　he　went　holding　the　weapon　at　arm's　length；　and　presently　Simba

himself；　accompanied　by　some　of　his　men；　one　of　whom　carried　a　skin　of

water　and　another　a　large　cup　hollowed　from　an　elephant's　tusk；　rode

up　to　us。　This　Simba　was　a　fine　and　rather　terrifying　person　with　a

large　moustache　and　a　chin　shaved　except　for　a　little　tuft　of　hair

which　he　wore　at　its　point　like　an　Italian。　His　eyes　were　big　and

dark；　frank…looking；　yet　now　and　again　with　sinister　expression　in　the

corners　of　them。　He　was　not　nearly　so　black　as　most　of　his　followers；

probably　in　bygone　generations　his　blood　had　been　crossed　with　that　of

the　White　Kendah。　He　wore　his　hair　long　without　any　head…dress；　held

in　place　by　a　band　of　gold　which　I　suppose　represented　a　crown。　On　his

forehead　was　a　large　white　scar；　probably　received　in　some　battle。

Such　was　his　appearance。



He　looked　at　me　with　great　curiosity；　and　I　have　often　wondered　since

what　kind　of　an　impression　I　produced　upon　him。　My　hat　had　fallen　off；

or　I　had　knocked　it　off　when　I　fired　my　last　cartridge　into　his

people；　and　forgotten　to　replace　it；　and　my　intractable　hair；　which

was　longer　than　usual；　had　not　been　recently　brushed。　My　worn　Norfolk

jacket　was　dyed　with　blood　from　a　wounded　or　dying　man　who　had　tumbled

against　me　in　the　scrimmage　when　the　cavalry　charged　us；　and　my　right

leg　and　boot　were　stained　in　a　similar　fashion　from　having　rubbed

against　my　camel　where　a　spear　had　entered　it。　Altogether　I　must　have

appeared　a　most　disreputable　object。



Some　indication　of　his　opinion　was　given；　however；　in　a　remark；　which

of　course　I　pretended　not　to　understand；　that　I　overheard　him　make　to

one　of　his　officers：



〃Truly；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　not　always　look　to　the　strong　for　strength。

And　yet　this　little　white　porcupine　is　strength　itself；　for　see　how

much　damage　he　has　wrought　us。　Also　consider　his　eyes　that　appear　to

pierce　everything。　Jana　himself　might　fear　those　eyes。　Well；　time　that

grinds　the　rocks　will　tell　us　all。〃



All　of　this　I　caught　perfectly；　my　ears　being　very　sharp；　although　he

thought　that　he　spoke　out　of　my　hearing；　for　after　spending　a　month　in

their　company　I　understood　the　Kendah　dialect　of　Bantu　very　well。



Having　delivered　himself　thus　he　rode　nearer　and　said：



〃You；　Prophet　Mar？t；　my　enemy；　have　heard　the　terms　of　me；　Simba　the

King；　and　have　accepted　them。　Therefore　discuss　them　no　more。　What　I

have　promised　I　will　keep。　What　I　have　given　I　give；　neither　greater

nor　less　by　the　weight　of　a　hair。〃



〃So　be　it；　O　King；〃　answered　Mar？t　with　his　usual　smile；　which　nothing

ever　seemed　to　disturb。　〃Only　remember　that　if　those　terms　are　broken

either　in　the　letter　or　in　the　spirit；　especially　the　spirit〃　（that　is

the　best　rendering　I　can　give　of　his　word）；　〃the　manifold　curses　of

the　Child　will　fall　upon　you　and　yours。　Yes；　though　you　kill　us　all　by

treachery；　still　those　curses　will　fall。〃



〃May　Jana　take　the　Child　and　all　who　worship　it；〃　exclaimed　the　king

with　evident　irritation。



〃In　the　end；　O　King；　Jana　will　take　the　Child　and　its　followersor

the　Child　will　take　Jana　and　his　followers。　Which　of　these　things　must

happen　is　known　to　the　Child　alone；　and　perchance　to　its　prophets。

Meanwhile；　for　every　one　of　those　of　the　Child　I　think　that　three　of

the　followers　of　Jana；　or　more；　lie　dead　upon　this　field。　Also　the

caravan　is　now　out　of　your　reach　with　two　of　the　white　lords　and　many

of　such　tubes　which　deal　death；　like　that　which　we　have　surrendered　to

you。　Therefore　because　we　are　helpless；　do　not　think　that　the　Child　is

helpless。　Jana　must　have　been　asleep；　O　King；　or　you　would　have　set

your　trap　better。〃



I　thought　that　this　coolly　insolent　speech　would　have　produced　some

outburst；　but　in　fact　it　seemed　to　have　an　opposite　effect。　Making　no

reply　to　it；　Simba　said　almost　humbly：



〃I　come　to　drink　the　cup　of　peace　with　you　and　the　white　lord；　O

Prophet。　Afterwards　we　can　talk。　Give　me　water；　slave。〃



Then　a　man　filled　the　great　ivory　cup　with　water　from　the　skin　he

carried。　Simba　took　it　and　having　sprinkled　a　little　upon　the　ground；

I　suppose　as　an　offering；　drank　from　the　cup；　doubtless　to　show　that

it　was　not　poisoned。　Watching　carefully；　I　made　sure　that　he　swallowed

what　he　drank　by　studying　the　motions　of　his　throat。　Then　he　handed

the　cup　with　a　bow　to　Mar？t；　who　with　a　still　deeper　bow　passed　it　to

me。　Being　absolutely　parched　I　absorbed　about　a　pint　of　it；　and

feeling　a　new　man；　passed　the　horn　to　Mar？t；　who　swallowed　the　rest。

Then　it　was　filled　again　for　our　three　White　Kendah；　the　King　first

tasting　the　water　as　before；　after　which　Mar？t　and　I　had　a　second

pull。



When　at　length　our　thirst　was　satisfied；　horses　were　brought　to　us；

serviceable　and　docile　little　beasts　with　sheepskins　for　saddles　and

loops　of　hide　for　stirrups。　On　these　we　mounted　and　for　the　next　three

hours　rode　across　the　plain；　surrounded　by　a　strong　escort　and　with　an

armed　Black　Kendah　running　on　each　side　of　our　horses　and　holding　in

his　hand　a　thong　attached　to　the　ring　of　the　bridle；　no　doubt　to

prevent　any　attempt　to　escape。



Our　road　ran　past　but　not　through　some　villages　whence　we　saw　many

women　and　children　staring　at　us；　and　through　beautiful　crops　of

mealies　and　other　sorts　of　grain　that　in　this　country　were　now　just

ripening。　The　luxuriant　appearance　of　these　crops　suggested　that　the

rains　must　have　been　plentiful　and　the　season　all　that　could　be

desired。　From　some　of　the　villages　by　the　track　arose　a　miserable

sound　of　wailing。　Evidently　their　inhabitants　had　already　heard　that

certain　of　their　menkind　had　fallen　in　that　morning's　fight。



At　the　end　of　the　third　hour　we　began　to　enter　the　great　forest　which

I　had　seen　when　first　we　looked　down　on　Kendahland。　It　was　filled　with

splendid　trees；　most　of　them　quite　strange　to　me；　but　perhaps　because

of　the　denseness　of　their　overshadowing　crowns　there　was　comparatively

no　undergrowth。　The　general　effect　of　the　place　was　very　gloomy；　since

little　light　could　pass　through　the　interlacing　foliage　of　the　tops　of

those　mighty　trees。



Towards　evening　we　came　to　a　clearing　in　this　forest；　it　may　have　been

four　or　five　miles　in　diameter；　but　whether　it　was　natural　or

artificial　I　am　not　sure。　I　think；　however；　that　it　was　probably　the

former　for　two　reasons：　the　hollow　nature　of　the　ground；　which　lay　a

good　many　feet　lower　than　the　surrounding　forest；　and　the　wonderful

fertility　of　the　soil；　which　suggested　that　it　had　once　been　deposited

upon　an　old　lake　bottom。　Never　did　I　see　such　crops　as　those　that　grew

upon　that　clearing；　they　were　magnificent。



Wending　our　way　along　the　road　that　ran　through　the　tall　corn；　for

here　every　inch　was　cultivated；　we　came　suddenly　upon　the　capital　of

the　Black　Kendah；　which　was　known　as　Simba　Town。　It　was　a　large　place；

somewhat　different　from　any　other　African　settlement　with　which　I　am

acquainted；　inasmuch　as　it　was　not　only　stockaded　but　completely

surrounded　by　a　broad　artificial　moat　filled　with　water　from　a　stream

that　ran　through　the　centre　of　the　town；　over　which　moat　there　were

four　timber　bridges　placed　at　the　cardinal　points　of　the　compass。

These　bridges　were　strong　enough　to　bear　horses　or　stock；　but　so　made

that　in　the　event　of　attack　they　could　be　destroyed　in　a　few　minutes。



Riding　through　the　eastern　gate；　a　stout　timber　structure　on　th