the ivory child-第9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！


that；　not　to　my　mother　for　instance；　or　even　to　Lord　Ragnall。　They

would　neither　of　them　understand；　although　they　would　misunderstand

differently。　My　mother　would　think　I　ought　to　see　a　doctorand　if　you

knew　that　doctor！　He；〃　and　she　nodded　towards　Lord　Ragnall；　〃would

think　that　my　engagement　had　upset　me；　or　that　I　had　grown　rather　more

religious　than　I　ought　to　be　at　my　age；　and　been　reflecting　too　much

well；　on　the　end　of　all　things。　From　a　child　I　have　understood　that　I

am　a　mystery　set　in　the　midst　of　many　other　mysteries。　It　all　came　to

me　one　night　when　I　was　about　nine　years　old。　I　seemed　to　see　the　past

and　the　future；　although　I　could　grasp　neither。　Such　a　long；　long　past

and　such　an　infinite　future。　I　don't　know　what　I　saw；　and　still　see

sometimes。　It　comes　in　a　flash；　and　is　in　a　flash　forgotten。　My　mind

cannot　hold　it。　It　is　too　big　for　my　mind；　you　might　as　well　try　to

pack　Dr。　Jeffreys　there　into　this　wineglass。　Only　two　facts　remain

written　on　my　heart。　The　first　is　that　there　is　trouble　ahead　of　me；

curious　and　unusual　trouble；　and　the　second；　that　permanently；

continually；　I；　or　a　part　of　me；　have　something　to　do　with　Africa；　a

country　of　which　I　know　nothing　except　from　a　few　very　dull　books。

Also；　by　the　waythis　is　a　new　thoughtthat　I　have　a　great　deal　to

do　with　/you/。　That　is　why　I　am　so　interested　in　Africa　and　you。　Tell

me　about　Africa　and　yourself　now；　while　we　have　the　chance。〃　And　she

ended　rather　abruptly；　adding　in　a　louder　voice；　〃You　have　lived　there

all　your　life；　have　you　not；　Mr。　Quatermain？〃



〃I　rather　think　your　mother　would　be　rightabout　the　doctor；　I　mean；〃

I　said。



〃You　/say/　that；　but　you　don't　/believe/　it。　Oh！　you　are　very

transparent；　Mr。　Quatermainat　least；　to　me。〃



So；　hurriedly　enough；　for　these　subjects　seemed　to　be　uncomfortable；

even　dangerous　in　a　sense；　I　began　to　talk　of　the　first　thing　about

Africa　that　I　rememberednamely；　of　the　legend　of　the　Holy　Flower

that　was　guarded　by　a　huge　ape；　of　which　I　had　heard　from　a　white　man

who　was　supposed　to　be　rather　mad；　who　went　by　the　name　of　Brother

John。　Also　I　told　her　that　there　was　something　in　it；　as　I　had　with　me

a　specimen　of　the　flower。



〃Oh！　show　it　me；〃　she　said。



I　replied　that　I　feared　I　could　not；　as　it　was　locked　away　in　a　safe

in　London；　whither　I　was　returning　on　the　morrow。　I　promised；　however；

to　send　her　a　life…sized　water…colour　drawing　of　which　I　had　caused

several　to　be　made。　She　asked　me　if　I　were　going　to　look　for　this

flower；　and　I　said　that　I　hoped　so　if　I　could　make　the　necessary

arrangements。　Next　she　asked　me　if　there　chanced　to　be　any　other

African　quests　upon　which　I　had　set　my　mind。　I　replied　that　there　were

several。　For　instance；　I　had　heard　vaguely　through　Brother　John；　and

indirectly　from　one　or　two　other　sources；　of　the　existence　of　a

certain　tribe　in　East　Central　AfricaArabs　or　semi…Arabswho　were

reported　to　worship　a　child　that　always　remained　a　child。　This　child；

I　took　it；　was　a　dwarf；　but　as　I　was　interested　in　native　religious

customs　which　were　infinite　in　their　variety；　I　should　much　like　to

find　out　the　truth　of　the　matter。



〃Talking　of　Arabs；〃　she　broke　in；　〃I　will　tell　you　a　curious　story。

Once　when　I　was　a　little　girl；　eight　or　nine　years　of　ageit　was　just

before　that　kind　of　awakening　of　which　I　have　spoken　to　youI　was

playing　in　Kensington　Gardens；　for　we　lived　in　London　at　the　time；　in

the　charge　of　my　nurse…governess。　She　was　talking　to　some　young　man

who　she　said　was　her　cousin；　and　told　me　to　run　about　with　my　hoop　and

not　to　bother。　I　drove　the　hoop　across　the　grass　to　some　elm　trees。

From　behind　one　of　the　trees　came　out　two　tall　men　dressed　in　white

robes　and　turbans；　who　looked　to　me　like　scriptural　characters　in　a

picture…book。　One　was　an　elderly　man　with　flashing；　black　eyes；　hooked

nose；　and　a　long　grey　beard。　The　other　was　much　younger；　but　I　do　not

remember　him　so　well。　They　were　both　brown　in　colour；　but　otherwise

almost　like　white　men；　not　Negroes　by　any　means。　My　hoop　hit　the　elder

man；　and　I　stood　still；　not　knowing　what　to　say。　He　bowed　politely　and

picked　it　up；　but　did　not　offer　to　return　it　to　me。　They　talked

together　rapidly；　and　one　of　them　pointed　to　the　moon…shaped　birthmark

which　you　see　I　have　upon　my　neck；　for　it　was　hot　weather；　and　I　was

wearing　a　low…cut　frock。　It　was　because　of　this　mark　that　my　father

named　me　Luna。　The　elder　of　the　two　said　in　broken　English：



〃'What　is　your　name；　pretty　little　girl？'



〃I　told　him　it　was　Luna　Holmes。　Then　he　drew　from　his　robe　a　box　made

of　scented　wood；　and；　opening　it；　took　out　some　sweetmeat　which　looked

as　if　it　had　been　frozen；　and　gave　me　a　piece　that；　being　very　fond　of

sweet；　I　put　into　my　mouth。　Next；　he　bowled　the　hoop　along　the　ground

into　the　shadow　of　the　treesit　was　evening　time　and　beginning　to

grow　darksaying；　'Run；　catch　it；　little　girl！'



〃I　began　to　run；　but　something　in　the　taste　of　that　sweet　caused　me　to

drop　it　from　my　lips。　Then　all　grew　misty；　and　the　next　thing　I

remember　was　finding　myself　in　the　arms　of　the　younger　Eastern；　with

the　nurse　and　her　'cousin；'　a　stalwart　person　like　a　soldier；　standing

in　front　of　us。



〃'Little　girl　go　ill；'　said　the　elder　Arab。　'We　seek　policeman。'



〃'You　drop　that　child；'　answered　the　'cousin；'　doubling　his　fists。

Then　I　grew　faint　again；　and　when　I　came　to　myself　the　two　white…robed

men　had　gone。　All　the　way　home　my　governess　scolded　me　for　accepting

sweets　from　strangers；　saying　that　if　my　parents　came　to　know　of　it；　I

should　be　whipped　and　sent　to　bed。　Of　course；　I　begged　her　not　to　tell

them；　and　at　last　she　consented。　Do　you　know；　I　think　you　are　the

first　to　whom　I　have　ever　mentioned　the　matter；　of　which　I　am　sure　the

governess　never　breathed　a　word；　though　after　that；　whenever　we　walked

in　the　gardens；　her　'cousin'　always　came　to　look　after　us。　In　the　end

I　think　she　married　him。〃



〃You　believe　the　sweet　was　drugged？〃　I　asked。



She　nodded。　〃There　was　something　very　strange　in　it。　It　was　a　night　or

two　after　I　had　tasted　it　that　I　had　what　just　now　I　called　my

awakening；　and　began　to　think　about　Africa。〃



〃Have　you　ever　seen　these　men　again；　Miss　Holmes？〃



〃No；　never。〃



At　this　moment　I　heard　Lady　Longden　say；　in　a　severe　voice：



〃My　dear　Luna；　I　am　sorry　to　interrupt　your　absorbing　conversation；

but　we　are　all　waiting　for　you。〃



So　they　were；　for　to　my　horror　I　saw　that　everyone　was　standing　up

except　ourselves。



Miss　Holmes　departed　in　a　hurry；　while　Scroope　whispered　in　my　ear

with　a　snigger：



〃I　say；　Allan；　if　you　carry　on　like　that　with　his　young　lady；　his

lordship　will　be　growing　jealous　of　you。〃



〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　I　said　sharply。　But　there　was　something　in　his

remark；　for　as　Lord　Ragnall　passed　on　his　way　to　the　other　end　of　the

table；　he　said　in　a　low　voice　and　with　rather　a　forced　smile：



〃Well；　Quatermain；　I　hope　your　dinner　has　not　been　as　dull　as　mine；

although　your　appetite　seemed　so　poor。〃



Then　I　reflected　that　I　could　not　remember　having　eaten　a　thing　since

the　first　entrée。　So　overcome　was　I　that；　rejecting　all　Scroope's

attempts　at　conversation；　I　sat　silent；　drinking　port　and　filling　up

with　dates；　until　not　long　afterwards　we　went　into　the　drawing…room；

where　I　sat　down　as　far　from　Miss　Holmes　as　possible；　and　looked　at　a

book　of　views　of　Jerusalem。



While　I　was　thus　engaged；　Lord　Ragnall；　pitying　my　lonely　condition；

or　being　instigated　thereto　by　Miss　Holmes；　I　know　not　which；　came　up

and　began　to　chat　with　me　about　African　big…game　shooting。　Also　he

asked　me　what　was　my　permanent　address　in　that　country。　I　told　him

Durban；　and　in　my　turn　asked　why　he　wanted　to　know。



〃Because　Miss　Holmes　seems　quite　crazy　about　the　place；　and　I　expect　I

shall　be　dragged　out　there　one　day；〃　he　replied；　quite　gloomily。　It

was　a　prophetic　remark。



At　this　moment　our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　Lady　Longden；　who

came　to　bid　her　future　son…in…law　good　night。　She　said　that　she　must

go　to　bed；　and　put　her　feet　in　mustard　and　water　as　her　cold　was　so

bad；　which　left　me　wondering　whether　she　meant　to　carry　out　this

operation　in　bed。　I　recommended　her　to　take　quinine；　a　suggestion　she

acknowledged　rather　inconsequently　by　remarking　in　somewhat　icy　tones

that　she　supposed　I　sat　up　to　all　hours　of　the　night　in　Africa。　I

replied　that　frequently　I　did；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　rise　next　day；

for　that　member　of　the　British　aristocracy　irritated　me。



Thus　we　parted；　and　I　never　saw　her　again。　She　died　many　years　ago；

poor　soul；　and　I　suppose　is　now　freezing　her　former　acquaintances　in

the　Shades；　for　I　cannot　imagine　that　she　ever　had　a　friend。　They　talk

a　great　deal　about　the　influences　of　heredity　nowadays；　but　I　don't

believe　very　much　in　them　myself。　Who；　for　instance；　could　conceive

that　persons　so　utterly　different　in　every　way　as　Lady　Longden　and　her

daughter；　Miss　Hol