the ivory child-第60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！


Moreover；　I　have　kept　my　word　strictly　and；　even　when　I　had　occasion

to　see　to　the　blocking　of　the　western　road；　made　a　circuit　on　the

mountain…top　in　order　to　avoid　the　neighbourhood　of　that　house　where　I

suppose　she　lives　Oh！　Quatermain；　my　friend；　my　case　is　a　hard　one；　as

you　would　think　if　the　woman　you　loved　with　your　whole　heart　were　shut

up　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　you　and　no　communication　with　her

possible　after　all　this　time　of　separation　and　agony。　What　makes　it

worse　is；　as　I　gathered　from　what　Har？t　said　the　other　day；　that　she

is　still　out　of　her　mind。〃



〃That　has　some　consolations；〃　I　replied；　〃since　the　mindless　do　not

suffer。　But　if　such　is　the　case；　how　do　you　account　for　what　you　and

poor　Savage　saw　that　night　in　the　Town　of　the　Child？　It　was　not

altogether　a　phantasy；　for　the　dress　you　described　was　the　same　we　saw

her　wearing　at　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　it；　Quatermain；　except　that　many　strange

things　happen　in　the　world　which　we　mock　at　as　insults　to　our　limited

intelligence　because　we　cannot　understand　them。〃　（Very　soon　I　was　to

have　another　proof　of　this　remark。）　〃But　what　are　you　driving　at？　You

are　keeping　something　back。〃



〃Only　this；　Ragnall。　If　your　wife　were　utterly　mad　I　cannot　conceive

how　it　came　about　that　she　searched　you　out　and　spoke　to　you　even　in　a

visionfor　the　thing　was　not　an　individual　dream　since　both　you　and

Savage　saw　her。　Nor　did　she　actually　visit　you　in　the　flesh；　as　the

door　never　opened　and　the　spider's　web　across　it　was　not　broken。　So　it

comes　to　this：　either　some　part　of　her　is　not　mad　but　can　still

exercise　sufficient　will　to　project　itself　upon　your　senses；　or　she　is

dead　and　her　disembodied　spirit　did　this　thing。　Now　we　know　that　she

is　not　dead；　for　we　have　seen　her　and　Har？t　has　confessed　as　much。

Therefore　I　maintain　that；　whatever　may　be　her　temporary　state；　she

must　still　be　fundamentally　of　a　reasonable　mind；　as　she　is　of　a

natural　body。　For　instance；　she　may　only　be　hypnotized；　in　which　case

the　spell　will　break　one　day。〃



〃Thank　you　for　that　thought；　old　fellow。　It　never　occurred　to　me　and

it　gives　me　new　hope。　Now　listen！　If　I　should　come　to　grief　in　this

business；　which　is　very　likely；　and　you　should　survive；　you　will　do

your　best　to　get　her　home；　will　you　not？　Here　is　a　codicil　to　my　will

which　I　drew　up　after　that　night　of　dream；　duly　witnessed　by　Savage

and　Hans。　It　leaves　to　you　whatever　sums　may　be　necessary　in　this

connexion　and　something　over　for　yourself。　Take　it；　it　is　best　in　your

keeping；　especially　as　if　you　should　be　killed　it　has　no　value。〃



〃Of　course　I　will　do　my　best；〃　I　answered　as　I　put　away　the　paper　in

my　pocket。　〃And　now　don't　let　us　take　any　more　thought　of　being

killed；　which　may　prevent　us　from　getting　the　sleep　we　want。　I　don't

mean　to　be　killed　if　I　can　help　it。　I　mean　to　give　those　beggars；　the

Black　Kendah；　such　a　doing　as　they　never　had　before；　and　then　start

for　the　coast　with　you　and　Lady　Ragnall；　as；　God　willing；　we　shall　do。

Good　night。〃



After　this　I　slept　like　a　top　for　some　hours；　as　I　believe　Ragnall　did

also。　When　I　awoke；　which　happened　suddenly　and　completely；　the　first

thing　that　I　saw　was　Hans　seated　at　the　entrance　to　my　little　shelter

smoking　his　corn…cob　pipe；　and　nursing　the　single…barrelled　rifle；

Intombi；　on　his　knee。　I　asked　him　what　the　time　was；　to　which　he

replied　that　it　lacked　two　hours　to　dawn。　Then　I　asked　him　why　he　had

not　been　sleeping。　He　replied　that　he　had　been　asleep　and　dreamed　a

dream。　Idly　enough　I　inquired　what　dream；　to　which　he　replied：



〃Rather　a　strange　one；　Baas；　for　a　man　who　is　about　to　go　into　battle。

I　dreamed　that　I　was　in　a　large　place　that　was　full　of　quiet。　It　was

light　there；　but　I　could　not　see　any　sun　or　moon；　and　the　air　was　very

soft　and　tasted　like　food　and　drink；　so　much　so；　Baas；　that　if　anyone

had　offered　me　a　cup　quite　full　of　the　best　'Cape　smoke'　I　should　have

told　him　to　take　it　away。　Then；　Baas；　suddenly　I　saw　your　reverend

father；　the　Predikant；　standing　beside　me　and　looking　just　as　he　used

to　look；　only　younger　and　stronger　and　very　happy；　and　so　of　course

knew　at　once　that　I　was　dead　and　in　hell。　Only　I　wondered　where　the

fire　that　does　not　go　out　might　be；　for　I　could　not　see　it。　Presently

your　reverend　father　said　to　me：　'Good　day；　Hans。　So　you　have　come

here　at　last。　Now　tell　me；　how　has　it　gone　with　my　son；　the　Baas

Allan？　Have　you　looked　after　him　as　I　told　you　to　do？'



〃I　answered：　'I　have　looked　after　him　as　well　as　I　could；　O　reverend

sir。　Little　enough　have　I　done；　still；　not　once　or　twice　or　three

times　only　have　I　offered　up　my　life　for　him　as　was　my　duty；　and　yet

we　both　have　lived。'　And　that　I　might　be　sure　he　heard　the　best　of　me；

as　was　but　natural；　I　told　him　the　times；　Baas；　making　a　big　story　out

of　small　things；　although　all　the　while　I　could　see　that　he　knew

exactly　just　where　I　began　to　lie　and　just　where　I　stopped　from　lying。

Still　he　did　not　scold　me；　Baas；　indeed；　when　I　had　finished；　he　said：



〃'Well　done；　O　good　and　faithful　servant；'　words　that　I　think　I　have

heard　him　use　before　when　he　was　alive；　Baas；　and　used　to　preach　to　us

for　such　a　long　time　on　Sunday　afternoons。　Then　he　asked：　'And　how

goes　it　with　Baas　Allan；　my　son；　now；　Hans？'　to　which　I　replied：



〃'The　Baas　Allan　is　going　to　fight　a　very　great　battle　in　which　he　may

well　fall；　and　if　I　could　feel　sorry　here；　which　I　can't；　I　should

weep；　O　reverend　sir；　because　I　have　died　before　that　battle　began　and

therefore　cannot　stand　at　his　side　in　the　battle　and　be　killed　for　him

as　a　servant　should　for　his　master！'



〃'You　will　stand　at　his　side　in　the　battle；'　said　your　＇missing　line

in　printed　versionJB＇　do　as　it　is　fitting　that　you　should。　And

afterwards；　Hans；　you　will　make　report　to　me　of　how　the　battle　went

and　of　what　honour　my　son　has　won　therein。　Moreover；　know　this；　Hans；

that　though　while　you　live　in　the　world　you　seem　to　see　many　other

things；　they　are　but　dreams；　since　in　all　the　world　there　is　but　one

real　thing；　and　its　name　is　Love；　which　if　it　be　but　strong　enough；

the　stars　themselves　must　obey；　for　it　is　the　king　of　every　one　of

them；　and　all　who　dwell　in　them　worship　it　day　and　night　under　many

names　for　ever　and　for　ever；　Amen。'



〃What　he　meant　by　that　I　am　sure　I　don't　know；　Baas；　seeing　that　I

have　never　thought　much　of　women；　at　least　not　for　many　years　since　my

last　old　vrouw　went　and　drank　herself　to　death　after　lying　in　her

sleep　on　the　baby　which　I　loved　much　better　than　I　did　her；　Baas。



〃Well；　before　I　could　ask　him；　or　about　hell　either；　he　was　gone　like

a　whiff　of　smoke　from　a　rifle　mouth　in　a　strong　wind。〃



Hans　paused；　puffed　at　his　pipe；　spat　upon　the　ground　in　his　usual

reflective　way　and　asked：



〃Is　the　Baas　tired　of　the　dream　or　would　he　like　to　hear　the　rest？〃



〃I　should　like　to　hear　the　rest；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　for　I　was

strangely　moved。



〃Well；　Baas；　while　I　was　standing　in　that　place　which　was　so　full　of

quiet；　turning　my　hat　in　my　hands　and　wondering　what　work　they　would

set　me　to　there　among　the　devils；　I　looked　up。　There　I　saw　coming

towards　me　two　very　beautiful　women；　Baas；　who　had　their　arms　round

each　other's　necks。　They　were　dressed　in　white；　with　the　little　hard

things　that　are　found　in　shells　hanging　about　them；　and　bright　stones

in　their　hair。　And　as　they　came；　Baas；　wherever　they　set　a　foot

flowers　sprang　up；　very　pretty　flowers；　so　that　all　their　path　across

the　quiet　place　was　marked　with　flowers。　Birds　too　sang　as　they

passed；　at　least　I　think　they　were　birds　though　I　could　not　see　them。〃



〃What　were　they　like；　Hans？〃　I　whispered。



〃One　of　them；　Baas；　the　taller　I　did　not　know。　But　the　other　I　knew

well　enough；　it　was　she　whose　name　is　holy；　not　to　be　mentioned。　Yet　I

must　mention　that　name；　it　was　the　Missie　Marie　herself　as　last　we　saw

her　alive　many；　many　years　ago；　only　grown　a　hundred　times　more

beautiful。〃＇*＇



＇*＇　See　the　book　called　/Marie/　by　H。　Rider　Haggard。



Now　I　groaned；　and　Hans　went　on：



〃The　two　White　Ones　came　up　to　me；　and　stood　looking　at　me　with　eyes

that　were　more　soft　than　those　of　bucks。　Then　the　Missie　Marie　said　to

the　other：　'This　is　Hans　of　whom　I　have　so　often　told　you；　O　Star。'〃



Here　I　groaned　again；　for　how　did　this　Hottentot　know　that　name；　or

rather　its　sweet　rendering？



〃Then　she　who　was　called　Star　asked；　'How　goes　it　with　one　who　is　the

heart　of　all　three　of　us；　O　Hans？'　Yes；　Baas；　those　Shining　Ones

joined　/me/；　the　dirty　little　Hottentot　in　my　old　clothes　and　smelling

of　tobacco；　with　themselves　when　they　spoke　of　you；　for　I　knew　they

were　speaking　of　you；　Baas；　which　made　me　think　I　must　be　drunk；　even

there　in　the　quiet　place。　So　I　told　them　all　that　I　had　told　your

reverend　father；　and　a　very　great　deal　more；　for　they　seemed　never　to

be　tired　of　listening。　And　once；　when　I　mentione