the ivory child-第48部分

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and　that　we　should　attempt　such　an　escape　under　cover　of　an　expedition

to　kill　the　elephant　Jana。



Supposing　such　a　vision　to　be　possible；　then　might　it　not　have　come；

or　been　sent　to　deter　us　from　this　plan？　It　would　seem　so。



Thus　reflecting　I　went　to　sleep　worn　out　with　useless　wonderment；　and

did　not　wake　again　till　breakfast　time。　That　morning；　when　we　were

alone　together；　Ragnall　said　to　me：



〃I　have　been　thinking　over　what　happened；　or　seemed　to　happen　last

night。　I　am　not　at　all　a　superstitious　man；　or　one　given　to　vain

imaginings；　but　I　am　sure　that　Savage　and　I　really　did　see　and　hear

the　spirit　or　the　shadow　of　my　wife。　Her　body　it　could　not　have　been

as　you　will　admit；　though　how　she　could　utter；　or　seem　to　utter；

audible　speech　without　one　is　more　than　I　can　tell。　Also　I　am　sure

that　she　is　captive　upon　yonder　mountain　and　came　to　call　me　to　rescue

her。　Under　these　circumstances　I　feel　that　it　is　my　duty；　as　well　as

my　desire；　to　give　up　any　idea　of　leaving　the　country　and　try　to　find

out　the　truth。〃



〃And　how　will　you　do　that；〃　I　asked；　〃seeing　that　no　one　will　tell　us

anything？〃



〃By　going　to　see　for　myself。〃



〃It　is　impossible；　Ragnall。　I　am　too　lame　at　present　to　walk　half　a

mile；　much　less　to　climb　precipices。〃



〃I　know；　and　that　is　one　of　the　reasons　why　I　did　not　suggest　that　you

should　accompany　me。　The　other　is　that　there　is　no　object　in　all　of　us

risking　our　lives。　I　wished　to　face　the　thing　alone；　but　that　good

fellow　Savage　says　that　he　will　go　where　I　go；　leaving　you　and　Hans

here　to　make　further　attempts　if　we　do　not　return。　Our　plan　is　to　slip

out　of　the　town　during　the　night；　wearing　white　dresses　like　the

Kendah；　of　which　I　have　bought　some　for　tobacco；　and　make　the　best　of

our　way　up　the　slope　by　starlight　that　is　very　bright　now。　When　dawn

comes　we　will　try　to　find　the　road　through　that　precipice；　or　over　it；

and　for　the　rest　trust　to　Providence。〃



Dismayed　at　this　intelligence；　I　did　all　I　could　to　dissuade　him　from

such　a　mad　venture；　but　quite　without　avail；　for　never　did　I　know　a

more　determined　or　more　fearless　man　than　Lord　Ragnall。　He　had　made　up

his　mind　and　there　was　an　end　of　the　matter。　Afterwards　I　talked　with

Savage；　pointing　out　to　him　all　the　perils　involved　in　the　attempt；

but　likewise　without　avail。　He　was　more　depressed　than　usual；

apparently　on　the　ground　that　〃having　seen　the　ghost　of　her　ladyship〃

he　was　sure　he　had　not　long　to　live。　Still；　he　declared　that　where　his

master　went　he　would　go；　as　he　preferred　to　die　with　him　rather　than

alone。



So　I　was　obliged　to　give　in　and　with　a　melancholy　heart　to　do　what　I

could　to　help　in　the　simple　preparations　for　this　crazy　undertaking；

realizing　all　the　while　that　the　only　real　help　must　come　from　above；

since　in　such　a　case　man　was　powerless。　I　should　add　that　after

consultation；　Ragnall　gave　up　the　idea　of　adopting　a　Kendah　disguise

which　was　certain　to　be　discovered；　also　of　starting　at　night　when　the

town　was　guarded。



That　very　afternoon　they　went；　going　out　of　the　town　quite　openly　on

the　pretext　of　shooting　partridges　and　small　buck　on　the　lower　slopes

of　the　mountain；　where　both　were　numerous；　as　Har？t　had　informed　us　we

were　quite　at　liberty　to　do。　The　farewell　was　somewhat　sad；　especially

with　Savage；　who　gave　me　a　letter　he　had　written　for　his　old　mother　in

England；　requesting　me　to　post　it　if　ever　again　I　came　to　a　civilized

land。



I　did　my　best　to　put　a　better　spirit　in　him　but　without　avail。　He　only

wrung　my　hand　warmly；　said　that　it　was　a　pleasure　to　have　known　such　a

〃real　gentleman〃　as　myself；　and　expressed　a　hope　that　I　might　get　out

of　this　hell　and　live　to　a　green　old　age　amongst　Christians。　Then　he

wiped　away　a　tear　with　the　cuff　of　his　coat；　touched　his　hat　in　the

orthodox　fashion　and　departed。　Their　outfit；　I　should　add；　was　very

simple：　some　food　in　bags；　a　flask　of　spirits；　two　double…barrelled

guns　that　would　shoot　either　shot　or　ball；　a　bull's…eye　lantern；

matches　and　their　pistols。



Hans　walked　with　them　a　little　way　and；　leaving　them　outside　the　town；

returned。



〃Why　do　you　look　so　gloomy；　Hans？〃　I　asked。



〃Because；　Baas；〃　he　answered；　twiddling　his　hat；　〃I　had　grown　to　be

fond　of　the　white　man；　Bena；　who　was　always　very　kind　to　me　and　did

not　treat　me　like　dirt　as　low…born　whites　are　apt　to　do。　Also　he

cooked　well；　and　now　I　shall　have　to　do　that　work　which　I　do　not

like。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　Hans？　The　man　isn't　dead；　is　he？〃



〃No；　Baas；　but　soon　he　will　be；　for　the　shadow　of　death　is　in　his

eyes。〃



〃Then　how　about　Lord　Ragnall？〃



〃I　saw　no　shadow　in　his　eyes；　I　think　that　he　will　live；　Baas。〃



I　tried　to　get　some　explanation　of　these　dark　sayings　out　of　the

Hottentot；　but　he　would　add　nothing　to　his　words。



All　the　following　night　I　lay　awake　filled　with　heavy　fears　which

deepened　as　the　hours　went　on。　Just　before　dawn　we　heard　a　knocking　on

our　door　and　Ragnall's　voice　whispering　to　us　to　open。　Hans　did　so

while　I　lit　a　candle；　of　which　we　had　a　good　supply。　As　it　burned　up

Ragnall　entered；　and　from　his　face　I　saw　at　once　that　something

terrible　had　happened。　He　went　to　the　jar　where　we　kept　our　water　and

drank　three　pannikin…fuls；　one　after　the　other。　Then　without　waiting

to　be　asked；　he　said：



〃Savage　is　dead；〃　and　paused　a　while　as　though　some　awful　recollection

overcame　him。　〃Listen；〃　he　went　on　presently。　〃We　worked　up　the　hill…

side　without　firing；　although　we　saw　plenty　of　partridges　and　one

buck；　till　just　as　twilight　was　closing　in；　we　came　to　the　cliff　face。

Here　we　perceived　a　track　that　ran　to　the　mouth　of　a　narrow　cave　or

tunnel　in　the　lava　rock　of　the　precipice；　which　looked　quite

unclimbable。　While　we　were　wondering　what　to　do；　eight　or　ten　white…

robed　men　appeared　out　of　the　shadows　and　seized　us　before　we　could

make　any　resistance。　After　talking　together　for　a　little　they　took

away　our　guns　and　pistols；　with　which　some　of　them　disappeared。　Then

their　leader；　with　many　bows；　indicated　that　we　were　at　liberty　to

proceed　by　pointing　first　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　and　next　to　the

top　of　the　precipice；　saying　something　about　'/ingane/；'　which　I

believe　means　a　little　child；　does　it　not？〃



I　nodded；　and　he　went　on：



〃After　this　they　all　departed　down　the　hill；　smiling　in　a　fashion　that

disturbed　me。　We　stood　for　a　while　irresolute；　until　it　became　quite

dark。　I　asked　Savage　what　he　thought　we　had　better　do；　expecting　that

he　would　say　'Return　to　the　town。'　To　my　surprise；　he　answered：



〃'Go　on；　of　course；　my　lord。　Don't　let　those　brutes　say　that　we　white

men　daren't　walk　a　step　without　our　guns。　Indeed；　in　any　case　I　mean

to　go　on；　even　if　your　lordship　won't。'



〃Whilst　he　spoke　he　took　a　bull's…eye　lantern　from　his　foodbag；　which

had　not　been　interfered　with　by　the　Kendah；　and　lit　it。　I　stared　at

him　amazed；　for　the　man　seemed　to　be　animated　by　some　tremendous

purpose。　Or　rather　it　was　as　though　a　force　from　without　had　got　hold

of　his　will　and　were　pushing　him　on　to　an　unknown　end。　Indeed　his　next

words　showed　that　this　was　so；　for　he　exclaimed：



〃'There　is　something　drawing　me　into　that　cave；　my　lord。　It　may　be

death；　I　think　it　is　death；　but　whatever　it　be；　go　I　must。　Perhaps　you

would　do　well　to　stop　outside　till　I　have　seen。'



〃I　stepped　forward　to　catch　hold　of　the　man；　who　I　thought　had　gone

mad；　as　perhaps　was　the　case。　Before　I　could　lay　my　hands　on　him　he

had　run　rapidly　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　Of　course　I　followed；　but

when　I　reached　its　entrance　the　star　of　light　thrown　forward　by　the

bull's…eye　lantern　showed　me　that　he　was　already　about　eight　yards

down　the　tunnel。　Then　I　heard　a　terrible　hissing　noise　and　Savage

exclaiming：　'Oh！　my　God！'　twice　over。　As　he　spoke　the　lantern　fell

from　his　hand；　but　did　not　go　out；　because；　as　you　know；　it　is　made　to

burn　in　any　position。　I　leapt　forward　and　picked　it　from　the　ground；

and　while　I　was　doing　so　became　aware　that　Savage　was　running　still

farther　into　the　depths　of　the　cave。　I　lifted　the　lantern　above　my

head　and　looked。



〃This　was　what　I　saw：　About　ten　paces　from　me　was　Savage　with　his　arms

outstretched　and　dancingyes；　dancingfirst　to　the　right　and　then　to

the　left；　with　a　kind　of　horrible　grace　and　to　the　tune　of　a　hideous

hissing　music。　I　held　the　lantern　higher　and　perceived　that　beyond

him；　lifted　eight　or　nine　feet　into　the　air；　nearly　to　the　roof　of　the

tunnel　in　fact；　was　the　head　of　the　hugest　snake　of　which　I　have　ever

heard。　It　was　as　broad　as　the　bottom　of　a　wheelbarrowwere　it　cut　off

I　think　it　would　fill　a　large　wheelbarrowwhile　the　neck　upon　which

it　was　supported　was　quite　as　thick　as　my　middle；　and　the　undulating

body　behind　it；　which　stretched　far　away　into　the　darkness；　was　the

size　of　an　eighteen…gallon　cask　and　glittered　green　and　grey；　lined

and　splashed　with　silver　and　with　gold。



〃It　hissed　and　swayed　its　gr