the ivory child-第63部分

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serried　regiments　and　excellent　order　round　the　bend；　till　perhaps

eight　or　ten　thousand　of　them　were　visible；　a　very　fierce　and　awe…

inspiring　/impi/。　Their　front　ranks　halted　between　three　and　four

hundred　yards　away；　which　I　thought　farther　off　than　it　was　advisable

to　open　fire　on　them　with　Snider　rifles　held　by　unskilled　troops。　Then

came　a　pause；　which　at　length　was　broken　by　the　blowing　of　horns　and　a

sound　of　exultant　shouting　beyond　the　turn　of　the　pass。



Now　from　round　this　turn　appeared　the　strangest　sight　that　I　think　my

eyes　had　ever　seen。　Yes；　there　came　the　huge　elephant；　Jana；　at　a

slow；　shambling　trot。　On　his　back　and　head　were　two　men　in　whom；　with

my　glasses；　I　recognized　the　lame　priest　whom　I　already　knew　too　well

and　Simba；　the　king　of　the　Black　Kendah；　himself；　gorgeously

apparelled　and　waving　a　long　spear；　seated　in　a　kind　of　wooden　chair。

Round　the　brute's　neck　were　a　number　of　bright　metal　chains；　twelve　in

all；　and　each　of　these　chains　was　held　by　a　spearman　who　ran

alongside；　six　on　one　side　and　six　on　the　other。　Lastly；　ingeniously

fastened　to　the　end　of　his　trunk　were　three　other　chains　to　which　were

attached　spiked　knobs　of　metal。



On　he　came　as　docilely　as　any　Indian　elephant　used　for　carrying　teak

logs；　passing　through　the　centre　of　the　host　up　a　wide　lane　which　had

been　left；　I　suppose　for　his　convenience；　and　intelligently　avoiding

the　pitfalls　filled　with　dead。　I　thought　that　he　would　stop　among　the

first　ranks。　But　not　so。　Slackening　his　pace　to　a　walk　he　marched

forwards　towards　our　fortifications。　Now；　of　course；　I　saw　my　chance

and　made　sure　that　my　double…barrelled　elephant　rifle　was　ready　and

that　Hans　held　a　second　rifle；　also　double…barrelled　and　of　similar

calibre；　full…cocked　in　such　a　position　that　I　could　snatch　it　from

him　in　a　moment。



〃I　am　going　to　kill　that　elephant；〃　I　said。　〃Let　no　one　else　fire。

Stand　still　and　you　shall　see　the　god　Jana　die。〃



Still　the　enormous　beast　floundered　forward；　up　to　that　moment　I　had

never　realized　how　truly　huge　it　was；　not　even　when　it　stood　over　me

in　the　moonlight　about　to　crush　me　with　its　foot。　Of　this　I　am　sure；

that　none　to　equal　it　ever　lived　in　Africa；　at　least　in　any　times　of

which　I　have　knowledge。



〃Fire；　Baas；〃　whispered　Hans；　〃it　is　near　enough。〃



But　like　the　Frenchman　and　the　cock　pheasant；　I　determined　to　wait

until　it　stopped；　wishing　to　finish　it　with　a　single　ball；　if　only　for

the　prestige　of　the　thing。



At　length　it　did　stop　and；　opening　its　cavern　of　a　mouth；　lifted　its

great　trunk　and　trumpeted；　while　Simba；　standing　up　in　his　chair；

began　to　shout　out　some　command　to　us　to　surrender　to　the　god　Jana；

〃the　Invincible；　the　Invulnerable。〃



〃I　will　show　you　if　you　are　invulnerable；　my　boy；〃　said　I　to　myself；

glancing　round　to　make　sure　that　Hans　had　the　second　rifle　ready　and

catching　sight　of　Ragnall　and　Har？t　and　all　the　White　Kendah　standing

up　in　their　trenches；　breathlessly　awaiting　the　end；　as　were　the　Black

Kendah　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　Never　could　there　have　been　a　fairer

shot　and　one　more　certain　to　result　in　a　fatal　wound。　The　brute's　head

was　up　and　its　mouth　was　open。　All　I　had　to　do　was　to　send　a　hard…

tipped　bullet　crashing　through　the　palate　to　the　brain　behind。　It　was

so　easy　that　I　would　have　made　a　bet　that　I　could　have　finished　him

with　one　hand　tied　behind　me。



I　lifted　the　heavy　rifle。　I　got　the　sights　dead　on　to　a　certain　spot

at　the　back　of　that　red　cave。　I　pressed　the　trigger；　the　charge　boomed

and　nothing　happened！　I　heard　no　bullet　strike　and　Jana　did　not　even

take　the　trouble　to　close　his　mouth。



An　exclamation　of　〃O…oh！〃　went　up　from　the　watchers。　Before　it　had

died　away　the　second　bullet　followed　the　first；　with　the　same　result

or　rather　lack　of　result；　and　another　louder　〃O…oh！〃　arose。　Then　Jana

tranquilly　shut　his　mouth；　having　finished　trumpeting；　and　as　though

to　give　me　a　still　better　target；　turned　broadside　on　and　stood　quite

still。



With　an　inward　curse　I　snatched　the　second　rifle　and　aiming　behind　the

ear　at　a　spot　which　long　experience　told　me　covered　the　heart　let

drive　again；　first　one　barrel　and　then　the　other。



Jana　never　stirred。　No　bullet　thudded。　No　mark　of　blood　appeared　upon

his　hide。　The　horrible　thought　overcame　me　that　I；　Allan　Quatermain；　I

the　famous　shot；　the　renowned　elephant…hunter；　had　four　times　missed

this　haystack　of　a　brute　from　a　distance　of　forty　yards。　So　great　was

my　shame　that　I　think　I　almost　fainted。　Through　a　kind　of　mist　I　heard

various　ejaculations：



〃Great　Heavens！〃　said　Ragnall。



〃/Allemagte！/〃　remarked　Hans。



〃The　Child　help　us！〃　muttered　Har？t。



All　the　rest　of　them　stared　at　me　as　though　I　were　a　freak　or　a

lunatic。　Then　somebody　laughed　nervously；　and　immediately　everybody

began　to　laugh。　Even　the　distant　army　of　the　Black　Kendah　became

convulsed　with　roars　of　unholy　merriment　and　I；　Allan　Quatermain；　was

the　centre　of　all　this　mockery；　till　I　felt　as　though　I　were　going

mad。　Suddenly　the　laughter　ceased　and　once　more　Simba　the　King　began

to　roar　out　something　about　〃Jana　the　Invincible　and　Invulnerable；〃　to

which　the　White　Kendah　replied　with　cries　of　〃Magic〃　and　〃Bewitched！

Bewitched！〃



〃Yes；〃　yelled　Simba；　〃no　bullet　can　touch　Jana　the　god；　not　even　those

of　the　white　lord　who　was　brought　from　far　to　kill　him。〃



Hans　leaped　on　to　the　top　of　the　wall；　where　he　danced　up　and　down

like　an　intoxicated　monkey；　and　screamed：



〃Then　where　is　Jana's　left　eye？　Did　not　my　bullet　put　it　out　like　a

lamp？　If　Jana　is　invulnerable；　why　did　my　bullet　put　out　his　left

eye？〃



Hans　ceased　from　dancing　on　the　wall　and　steadying　himself；　lifted　the

little　rifle　Intombi；　shouting：



〃Let　us　see　whether　after　all　this　beast　is　a　god　or　an　elephant。〃



Then　he　touched　the　trigger；　and　simultaneously　with　the　report；　I

heard　the　bullet　clap　and　saw　blood　appear　on　Jana's　hide　just　by　the

very　spot　over　the　heart　at　which　I　had　aimed　without　result。　Of

course；　the　soft　ball　driven　from　a　small…bore　rifle　with　a　light

charge　of　powder　was　far　too　weak　to　penetrate　to　the　vitals。　Probably

it　did　not　do　much　more　than　pierce　through　the　skin　and　an　inch　or

two　of　flesh　behind　it。



Still；　its　effects　upon　this　〃invulnerable〃　god　were　of　a　marked

order。　He　whipped　round；　he　lifted　his　trunk　and　screamed　with　rage

and　pain。　Then　off　he　lumbered　back　towards　his　own　people；　at　such　a

pace　that　the　attendants　who　held　the　chains　on　either　side　of　him

were　thrown　over　and　forced　to　leave　go　of　him；　while　the　king　and　the

priest　upon　his　back　could　only　retain　their　seats　by　clinging　to　the

chair　and　the　rope　about　his　neck。



The　result　was　satisfactory　so　far　as　the　dispelling　of　magical

illusions　went；　but　it　left　me　in　a　worse　position　than　before；　since

it　now　became　evident　that　what　had　protected　Jana　from　my　bullets　was

nothing　more　supernatural　than　my　own　lack　of　skill。　Oh！　never　in　my

life　did　I　drink　of　such　a　cup　of　humiliation　as　it　was　my　lot　to

drain　to　the　dregs　in　this　most　unhappy　hour。　Almost　did　I　hope　that　I

might　be　killed　at　once。



And　yet；　and　yet；　how　was　it　possible　that　with　all　my　skill　I　should

have　missed　this　towering　mountain　of　flesh　four　times　in　succession。

The　question　is　one　to　which　I　have　never　discovered　any　answer；

especially　as　Hans　hit　it　easily　enough；　which　at　the　time　I　wished

heartily　he　had　not　done；　since　his　success　only　served　to　emphasize

my　miserable　failure。　Fortunately；　just　then　a　diversion　occurred

which　freed　my　unhappy　self　from　further　public　attention。　With　a

shout　and　a　roar　the　great　army　of　the　Black　Kendah　woke　into　life。



The　advance　had　begun。







CHAPTER　XX



ALLAN　WEEPS



On　they　came；　slowly　and　steadily；　preceded　by　a　cloud　of　skirmishers

a　thousand　or　more　of　thesewho　kept　as　open　an　order　as　the　narrow

ground　would　allow　and　carried；　each　of　them；　a　bundle　of　throwing

spears　arranged　in　loops　or　sockets　at　the　back　of　the　shield。　When

these　men　were　about　a　hundred　yards　away　we　opened　fire　and　killed　a

great　number　of　them；　also　some　of　the　marshalled　troops　behind。　But

this　did　not　stop　them　in　the　least；　for　what　could　fifty　rifles　do

against　a　horde　of　brave　barbarians　who；　it　seemed；　had　no　fear　of

death？　Presently　their　spears　were　falling　among　us　and　a　few

casualties　began　to　occur；　not　many；　because　of　the　protecting　wall；

but　still　some。　Again　and　again　we　loaded　and　fired；　sweeping　away

those　in　front　of　us；　but　always　others　came　to　take　their　places。

Finally　at　some　word　of　command　these　light　skirmishers　vanished；

except　whose　who　were　dead　or　wounded；　taking　shelter　behind　the

advancing　regiments　which　now　were　within　fifty　yards　of　us。



Then；　after　a　momentary　pause　another　command　was　shouted　out　and　the

first　regiment　charged　in　three　solid　ranks。　We　fired　a　volley　point

blank　into　them　a