the ivory child-第59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！



deformed　tusk；　which　stuck　out　in　that　direction　several　feet　clear　of

its　side。



Then　I　gave　up　all　hope。　There　was　no　time　to　gain　my　feet　and　escape；

indeed　I　did　not　wish　to　do　so；　who　felt　that　there　are　some　failures

which　can　only　be　absolved　by　death。　I　just　knelt　there；　waiting　for

the　end。



In　an　instant　the　giant　creature　was　almost　over　me。　I　remember

looking　up　at　it　and　thinking　in　a　queer　sort　of　a　wayperhaps　it　was

some　ancestral　memorythat　I　was　a　little　ape…like　child　about　to　be

slain　by　a　primordial　elephant；　thrice　as　big　as　any　that　now　inhabit

the　earth。　Then　something　appeared　to　happen　which　I　only　repeat　to

show　how　at　such　moments　absurd　and　impossible　things　seem　real　to　us。



The　reader　may　remember　the　strange　dream　which　Hans　had　related　to　me

that　morning。



One　incident　of　this　phantasy　was　that　he　had　met　the　spirit　of　the

Zulu　lady　Mameena；　whom　I　knew　in　bygone　years；　and　that　she　bade　him

tell　me　she　would　be　with　me　in　the　battle　and　that　I　was　to　look　for

her　when　death　drew　near　to　me　and　〃Jana　thundered　on；〃　for　then

perchance　I　should　see　her。



Well；　no　doubt　in　some　lightning　flash　of　thought　the　memory　of　these

words　occurred　to　me　at　this　juncture；　with　the　ridiculous　result　that

my　subjective　intelligence；　if　that　is　the　right　term；　actually

created　the　scene　which　they　described。　As　clearly；　or　perhaps　more

clearly　than　ever　I　saw　anything　else　in　my　life；　I　appeared　to　behold

the　beautiful　Mameena　in　her　fur　cloak　and　her　blue　beads；　standing

between　Jana　and　myself　with　her　arms　folded　upon　her　breast　and

looking　exactly　as　she　did　in　the　tremendous　moment　of　her　death

before　King　Panda。　I　even　noted　how　the　faint　breeze　stirred　a　loose

end　of　her　outspread　hair　and　how　the　sunlight　caught　a　particular

point　of　a　copper　bangle　on　her　upper　arm。



So　she　stood；　or　rather　seemed　to　stand；　quite　still；　and　as　it

happened；　at　that　moment　the　giant　Jana；　either　because　something　had

frightened　him；　or　perhaps　owing　to　the　shock　of　my　bullet　striking　on

his　tusk　having　jarred　the　brain；　suddenly　pulled　up；　sliding　along　a

little　with　all　his　four　feet　together；　till　I　thought　he　was　going　to

sit　down　like　a　performing　elephant。　Then　it　appeared　to　me　as　though

Mameena　turned　round　very　slowly；　bent　towards　me；　whispering

something　which　I　could　not　hear　although　her　lips　moved；　looked　at　me

sweetly　with　those　wonderful　eyes　of　hers　and　vanished　away。



A　fraction　of　a　second　later　all　this　vision　had　gone　and　something

that　was　no　vision　took　its　place。　Jana　had　recovered　himself　and　was

at　me　again　with　open　mouth　and　lifted　trunk。　I　heard　a　Dutch　curse

and　saw　a　little　yellow　form；　saw　Hans；　for　it　was　he；　thrust　the

barrels　of　my　second　elephant　rifle　almost　into　that　red　cave　of　a

mouth；　which　however　they　could　not　reach；　and　fire；　first　one　barrel；

then　the　other。



Another　moment；　and　the　mighty　trunk　had　wrapped　itself　about　Hans　and

hurled　him　through　the　air　to　fall　on　to　his　head　and　arms　thirty　or

forty　feet　away。



Jana　staggered　as　though　he　too　were　about　to　fall；　recovered　himself；

swerved　to　the　right；　perhaps　to　follow　Hans；　stumbled　on　a　few　paces；

missing　me　altogether；　then　again　came　to　a　standstill。　I　wriggled

myself　round　and；　seated　on　the　pavement　of　the　court；　watched　what

followed；　and　glad　am　I　that　I　was　able　to　do　so；　for　never　shall　I

behold　such　another　scene。



First　I　saw　Ragnall　run　up　with　a　rifle　and　fire　two　barrels　at　the

brute's　head；　of　which　he　took　no　notice　whatsoever。　Then　I　saw　his

wife；　who　in　this　land　was　known　as　the　Guardian　of　the　Child；　issuing

from　the　portals　of　the　second　court；　dressed　in　her　goddess　robes；

wearing　the　cap　of　bird's　feathers；　attended　by　the　two　priestesses

also　dressed　as　goddesses；　as　we　had　seen　her　on　the　morning　of

sacrifice；　and　holding　in　front　of　her　the　statue　of　the　Ivory　Child。



On　she　came　quite　quietly；　her　wide；　empty　eyes　fixed　upon　Jana。　As

she　advanced　the　monster　seemed　to　grow　uneasy。　Turning　his　head；　he

lifted　his　trunk　and　thrust　it　along　his　back　until　it　gripped　the

ankle　of　the　King　Simba；　who　all　this　while　was　seated　there　in　his

chair　making　no　movement。



With　a　slow；　steady　pull　he　dragged　Simba　from　the　chair　so　that　he

fell　upon　the　ground　near　his　left　foreleg。　Next　very　composedly　he

wound　his　trunk　about　the　body　of　the　helpless　man；　whose　horrified

eyes　I　can　see　to　this　day；　and　began　to　whirl　him　round　and　round　in

the　air；　gently　at　first　but　with　a　motion　that　grew　ever　more　rapid；

until　the　bright　chains　on　the　victim's　breast　flashed　in　the　sunlight

like　a　silver　wheel。　Then　he　hurled　him　to　the　ground；　where　the　poor

king　lay　a　mere　shattered　pulp　that　had　been　human。



Now　the　priestess　was　standing　in　front　of　the　beast…god；　apparently

quite　without　fear；　though　her　two　attendants　had　fallen　back。　Ragnall

sprang　forward　as　though　to　drag　her　away；　but　a　dozen　men　leapt　on　to

him　and　held　him　fast；　either　to　save　his　life　or　for　some　secret

reason　of　their　own　which　I　never　learned。



Jana　looked　down　at　her　and　she　looked　up　at　Jana。　Then　he　screamed

furiously　and；　shooting　out　his　trunk；　snatched　the　Ivory　Child　from

her　hands；　whirled　it　round　as　he　had　whirled　Simba；　and　at　last

dashed　it　to　the　stone　pavement　as　he　had　dashed　Simba；　so　that　its

substance；　grown　brittle　on　the　passage　of　the　ages；　shattered　into

ten　thousand　fragments。



At　this　sight　a　great　groan　went　up　from　the　men　of　the　White　Kendah；

the　women　dressed　as　goddesses　shrieked　and　tore　their　robes；　and

Har？t；　who　stood　near；　fell　down　in　a　fit　or　faint。



Once　more　Jana　screamed。　Then　slowly　he　knelt　down；　beat　his　trunk　and

the　clattering　metal　balls　upon　the　ground　thrice；　as　though　he　were

making　obeisance　to　the　beautiful　priestess　who　stood　before　him；

shivered　throughout　his　mighty　bulk；　and　rolled　overdead！







The　fighting　ceased。　The　Black　Kendah；　who　all　this　while　had　been

pressing　into　the　court　of　the　temple；　saw　and　stood　stupefied。　It　was

as　though　in　the　presence　of　events　to　them　so　pregnant　and　terrible

men　could　no　longer　lift　their　swords　in　war。



A　voice　called：　〃The　god　is　dead！　The　king　is　dead！　Jana　has　slain

Simba　and　has　himself　been　slain！　Shattered　is　the　Child；　spilt　is　the

blood　of　Jana！　Fly；　People　of　the　Black　Kendah；　fly；　for　the　gods　are

dead　and　your　land　is　a　land　of　ghosts！〃



From　every　side　was　this　wail　echoed：　〃Fly；　People　of　the　Black

Kendah；　for　the　gods　are　dead！〃



They　turned；　they　sped　away　like　shadows；　carrying　their　wounded　with

them；　nor　did　any　attempt　to　stay　them。　Thirty　minutes　later；　save　for

some　desperately　hurt　or　dying　men；　not　one　of　them　was　left　in　the

temple　or　the　pass　beyond。　They　had　all　gone；　leaving　none　but　the

dead　behind　them。



The　fight　was　finished！　The　fight　that　had　seemed　lost　was　won！







I　dragged　myself　from　the　ground。　As　I　gained　my　tottering　feet；　for

now　that　all　was　over　I　felt　as　if　I　were　made　of　running　water；　I　saw

the　men　who　held　Ragnall　loose　their　grip　of　him。　He　sprang　to　where

his　wife　was　and　stood　before　her　as　though　confused；　much　as　Jana　had

stood；　Jana　against　whose　head　he　rested；　his　left　hand　holding　to　the

brute's　gigantic　tusk；　for　I　think　that　he　also　was　weak　with　toil；

terror；　loss　of　blood　and　emotion。



〃Luna；〃　he　gasped；　〃Luna！〃



Leaning　on　the　shoulder　of　a　Kendah　man；　I　drew　nearer　to　see　what

passed　between　them；　for　my　curiosity　overcame　my　faintness。　For　quite

a　long　while　she　stared　at　him；　till　suddenly　her　eyes　began　to

change。　It　was　as　though　a　soul　were　arising　in　their　emptiness　as　the

moon　arises　in　the　quiet　evening　sky；　giving　them　light　and　life。　At

length　she　spoke　in　a　slow；　hesitating　voice；　the　tones　of　which　I

remembered　well　enough；　saying：



〃Oh！　George；　that　dreadful　brute；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　dead

elephant；　〃has　killed　our　baby。　Look　at　it！　Look　at　it！　We　must　be

everything　to　each　other　now；　dear；　as　we　were　before　it　cameunless

God　sends　us　another。〃



Then　she　burst　into　a　flood　of　weeping　and　fell　into　his　arms；　after

which　I　turned　away。　So；　to　their　honour　be　it　said；　did　the　Kendah；

leaving　the　pair　alone　behind　the　bulk　of　dead　Jana。



Here　I　may　state　two　things：　first；　that　Lady　Ragnall；　whose　bodily

health　had　remained　perfect　throughout；　entirely　recovered　her　reason

from　that　moment。　It　was　as　though　on　the　shattering　of　the　Ivory

Child　some　spell　had　been　lifted　off　her。　What　this　spell　may　have

been　I　am　quite　unable　to　explain；　but　I　presume　that　in　a　dim　and

unknown　way　she　connected　this　effigy　with　her　own　lost　infant　and

that　while　she　held　and　tended　it　her　intellect　remained　in　abeyance。

If　so；　she　must　also　have　connected　its　destruction　with　the　death　of

her　own　child　which；　strangely　enough；　it　will　be　remembered；　was

likewise　killed　by　an　elephant。　The　first　death　that　occurred　in　her

presence　took　away　her　reason；　the　second　seeming　death；　which　also

occurred　in　her　presence；　brought　it　back　again！



Secondly；　from　the　moment　of　the　destruction　of　her　boy　in　the　streets

of　the　English　country　town　to　that　of　the　shattering　of　the　Ivory

Child　in　Central　Africa　her　memory　was　an　utter　blank；　with　one

exception。　This　exception　was　a　dream　which　a　few　days　later　she

narrated　to　Ragnall　in　my　presence。　That　dream　was　that　she　had　seen

him　and　Savage　sleeping　together　in　a　native　house　one　night。　In　view

of　a　certain　incident　recorded　in　this　history　I　leave　the　reader　to

draw　his　own　conclusions　as　to　this　curious　incident。　I　have　none　to

offer；　or　if　I　have　I　prefer　to　keep　them　to　myself。



Leaving　Ragnall　and　his　wife；　I　staggered　off　to　look　for　Hans　and

found　him　lying　senseless　near　the　north　wall　of　the　temple。　Evidently

he　was　beyond　human　help；　for　Jana　seemed　to　have　crushed　most　of　his

ribs　in　his　iron　trun