the ivory child-第49部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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

and　splashed　with　silver　and　with　gold。



〃It　hissed　and　swayed　its　great　head　to　the　right；　holding　Savage　with

cold　eyes　that　yet　seemed　to　be　on　fire；　whereon　he　danced　to　the

right。　It　hissed　again　and　swayed　its　head　to　the　left；　whereon　he

danced　to　the　left。　Then　suddenly　it　reared　its　head　right　to　the　top

of　the　cave　and　so　remained　for　a　few　seconds；　whereon　Savage　stood

still；　bending　a　little　forward；　as　though　he　were　bowing　to　the

reptile。　Next　instant；　like　a　flash　it　struck；　for　I　saw　its　white

fangs　bury　themselves　in　the　back　of　Savage；　who　with　a　kind　of　sigh

fell　forward　on　to　his　face。　Then　there　was　a　convulsion　of　those

shining　folds；　followed　by　a　sound　as　of　bones　being　ground　up　in　a

steam…driven　mortar。



〃I　staggered　against　the　wall　of　the　cave　and　shut　my　eyes　for　a

moment；　for　I　felt　faint。　When　I　opened　them　again　it　was　to　see

something　flat；　misshapen；　elongated　like　a　reflection　in　a　spoon；

something　that　had　been　Savage　lying　on　the　floor；　and　stretched　out

over　it　the　huge　serpent　studying　me　with　its　steely　eyes。　Then　I　ran；

I　am　not　ashamed　to　say　I　ran　out　of　that　horrible　hole　and　far　into

the　night。〃



〃Small　blame　to　you；〃　I　said；　adding：　〃Hans；　give　me　some　square…face

neat。〃　For　I　felt　as　queer　as　though　I　also　had　been　in　that　cave　with

its　guardian。



〃There　is　very　little　more　to　tell；〃　went　on　Ragnall　after　I　had　drunk

the　hollands。　〃I　lost　my　way　on　the　mountain…side　and　wandered　for

many　hours；　till　at　last　I　blundered　up　against　one　of　the　outermost

houses　of　the　town；　after　which　things　were　easy。　Perhaps　I　should　add

that　wherever　I　went　on　my　way　down　the　mountain　it　seemed　to　me　that

I　heard　people　laughing　at　me　in　an　unnatural　kind　of　voice。　That's

all。〃



After　this　we　sat　silent　for　a　long　while；　till　at　length　Hans　said　in

his　unmoved　tone：



〃The　light　has　come；　Baas。　Shall　I　blow　out　the　candle；　which　it　is　a

pity　to　waste？　Also；　does　the　Baas　wish　me　to　cook　the　breakfast；　now

that　the　snake　devil　is　making　his　off　Bena；　as　I　hope　to　make　mine

off　him　before　all　is　done。　Snakes　are　very　good　to　eat；　Baas；　if　you

know　how　to　dress　them　in　the　Hottentot　way。〃







CHAPTER　XVI



HANS　STEALS　THE　KEYS



A　few　hours　later　some　of　the　White　Kendah　arrived　at　the　house　and

very　politely　delivered　to　us　Ragnall's　and　poor　Savage's　guns　and

pistols；　which　they　said　they　had　found　lying　in　the　grass　on　the

mountain…side；　and　with　them　the　bull's…eye　lantern　that　Ragnall　had

thrown　away　in　his　flight；　all　of　which　articles　I　accepted　without

comment。　That　evening　also　Har？t　called　and；　after　salutations；　asked

where　Bena　was　as　he　did　not　see　him。　Then　my　indignation　broke　out：



〃Oh！　white…bearded　father　of　liars；〃　I　said；　〃you　know　well　that　he　is

in　the　belly　of　the　serpent　which　lives　in　the　cave　of　the　mountain。〃



〃What；　Lord！〃　exclaimed　Har？t　addressing　Ragnall　in　his　peculiar

English；　〃have　you　been　for　walk　up　to　hole　in　hill？　Suppose　Bena　want

see　big　snake。　He　always　very　fond　of　snake；　you　know；　and　they　very

fond　of　him。　You　'member　how　they　come　out　of　his　pocket　in　your　house

in　England？　Well；　he　know　all　about　snake　now。〃



〃You　villain！〃　exclaimed　Ragnall；　〃you　murderer！　I　have　a　mind　to　kill

you　where　you　are。〃



〃Why　you　choke　me；　Lord；　because　snake　choke　your　man？　Poor　snake；　he

only　want　dinner。　If　you　go　where　lion　live；　lion　kill　you。　If　you　go

where　snake　live；　snake　kill　you。　I　tell　you　not　to。　You　take　no

notice。　Now　I　tell　you　allgo　if　you　wish；　no　one　stop　you。　Perhaps

you　kill　snake；　who　knows？　Only　you　no　take　gun　there；　please。　That

not　allowed。　When　you　tired　of　this　town；　go　see　snake。　Only；　'member

that　not　right　way　to　House　of　Child。　There　another　way　which　you

never　find。〃



〃Look　here；〃　said　Ragnall；　〃what　is　the　use　of　all　this　foolery？　You

know　very　well　why　we　are　in　your　devilish　country。　It　is　because　I

believe　you　have　stolen　my　wife　to　make　her　the　priestess　of　your　evil

religion　whatever　it　may　be；　and　I　want　her　back。〃



〃All　this　great　mistake；〃　replied　Har？t　blandly。　〃We　no　steal

beautiful　lady　you　marry　because　we　find　she　not　right　priestess。　Also

Macumazana　here　not　to　look　for　lady　but　to　kill　elephant　Jana　and　get

pay　in　ivory　like　good　business　man。　You；　Lord；　come　with　him　as

friend　though　we　no　ask　you；　that　all。　Then　you　try　find　temple　of　our

god　and　snake　which　watch　door　kill　your　servant。　Why　we　not　kill

/you/；　eh？〃



〃Because　you　are　afraid　to；〃　answered　Ragnall　boldly。　〃Kill　me　if　you

can　and　take　the　consequences。　I　am　ready。〃



Har？t　studied　him　not　without　admiration。



〃You　very　brave　man；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　no　wish　kill　you　and　p'raps

after　all　everything　come　right　in　end。　Only　Child　know　about　that。

Also　you　help　us　fight　Black　Kendah　by　and　by。　So；　Lord；　you　quite

safe　unless　you　big　fool　and　go　call　on　snake　in　cave。　He　very　hungry

snake　and　soon　want　more　dinner。　You　hear；　Light…in…Darkness；　Lord…of…

the…Fire；〃　he　added　suddenly　turning　on　Hans　who　was　squatted　near　by

twiddling　his　hat　with　a　face　that　for　absolute　impassiveness

resembled　a　deal　board。　〃You　hear；　he　very　hungry　snake；　and　you　make

nice　tea　for　him。〃



Hans　rolled　his　little　yellow　eyes　without　even　turning　his　head　until

they　rested　on　the　stately　countenance　of　Har？t；　and　answered　in

Bantu：



〃I　hear；　Liar…with…the…White…Beard；　but　what　have　I　to　do　with　this

matter？　Jana　is　my　enemy　who　would　have　killed　Macumazana；　my　master；

not　your　dirty　snake。　What　is　the　good　of　this　snake　of　yours？　If　it

were　any　good；　why　does　it　not　kill　Jana　whom　you　hate？　And　if　it　is

no　good；　why　do　you　not　take　a　stick　and　knock　it　on　the　head？　If　you

are　afraid　I　will　do　so　for　you　if　you　pay　me。　That　for　your　snake；〃

and　very　energetically　he　spat　upon　the　floor。



〃All　right；〃　said　Har？t；　still　speaking　in　English；　〃you　go　kill

snake。　Go　when　you　like；　no　one　say　no。　Then　we　give　you　new　name。

Then　we　call　you　Lord…of…the…Snake。〃



As　Hans；　who　now　was　engaged　in　lighting　his　corn…cob　pipe；　did　not

deign　to　answer　these　remarks；　Har？t　turned　to　me　and　said：



〃Lord　Macumazana；　your　leg　still　bad；　eh？　Well；　I　bring　you　some

ointment　what　make　it　quite　well；　it　holy　ointment　come　from　the

Child。　We　want　you　get　well　quick。〃



Then　suddenly　he　broke　into　Bantu。　〃My　Lord；　war　draws　near。　The　Black

Kendah　are　gathering　all　their　strength　to　attack　us　and　we　must　have

your　aid。　I　go　down　to　the　River　Tava　to　see　to　certain　matters；　as　to

the　reaping　of　the　outlying　crops　and　other　things。　Within　a　week　I

will　be　back；　then　we　must　talk　again；　for　by　that　time；　if　you　will

use　the　ointment　that　I　have　given　you；　you　will　be　as　well　as　ever

you　were　in　your　life。　Rub　it　on　your　leg；　and　mix　a　piece　as　large　as

a　mealie　grain　in　water　and　swallow　it　at　night。　It　is　not　poison；

see；〃　and　taking　the　cover　off　a　little　earthenware　pot　which　he

produced　he　scooped　from　it　with　his　finger　some　of　the　contents；

which　looked　like　lard；　put　it　on　his　tongue　and　swallowed　it。



Then　he　rose　and　departed　with　his　usual　bows。



Here　I　may　state　that　I　used　Har？t's　prescription　with　the　most

excellent　results。　That　night　I　took　a　dose　in　water；　very　nasty　it

was；　and　rubbed　my　leg　with　the　stuff；　to　find　that　next　morning　all

pain　had　left　me　and　that；　except　for　some　local　weakness；　I　was

practically　quite　well。　I　kept　the　rest　of　the　salve　for　years；　and　it

proved　a　perfect　specific　in　cases　of　sciatica　and　rheumatism。　Now；

alas！　it　is　all　used　and　no　recipe　is　available　from　which　it　can　be

made　up　again。



The　next　few　days　passed　uneventfully。　As　soon　as　I　could　walk　I　began

to　go　about　the　town；　which　was　nothing　but　a　scattered　village　much

resembling　those　to　be　seen　on　the　eastern　coasts　of　Africa。　Nearly

all　the　men　seemed　to　be　away；　making　preparations　for　the　harvest；　I

suppose；　and　as　the　women　shut　themselves　up　in　their　houses　after　the

Oriental　fashion；　though　the　few　that　I　saw　about　were　unveiled　and

rather　good…looking；　I　did　not　gather　any　intelligence　worth　noting。



To　tell　the　truth　I　cannot　remember　being　in　a　more　uninteresting

place　than　this　little　town　with　its　extremely　uncommunicative

population　which；　it　seemed　to　me；　lived　under　a　shadow　of　fear　that

prevented　all　gaiety。　Even　the　children；　of　whom　there　were　not　many；

crept　about　in　a　depressed　fashion　and　talked　in　a　low　voice。　I　never

saw　any　of　them　playing　games　or　heard　them　shouting　and　laughing；　as

young　people　do　in　most　parts　of　the　world。　For　the　rest　we　were　very

well　looked　after。　Plenty　of　food　was　provided　for　us　and　every

thought　taken　for　our　comfort。　Thus　a　strong　and　quiet　pony　was

brought　for　me　to　ride　because　of　my　lameness。　I　had　only　to　go　out　of

the　house　and　call　and　it　arrived　from　somewhere；　all　ready　saddled

and　bridled；　in　ch