the ivory child-第13章

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Then　while　we　watched　he　placed　some　tobacco；　at　least　it　looked　like

tobacco；　in　a　little　wooden　bowl　that　he　also　produced　from　his

basket。　Next　he　said　something　to　his　companion；　Mar？t；　who　drew　a

flute　from　his　robe　made　out　of　a　thick　reed；　and　began　to　play　on　it

a　wild　and　melancholy　music；　the　sound　of　which　seemed　to　affect　my

backbone　as　standing　on　a　great　height　often　does。　Presently　too　Har？t

broke　into　a　low　song　whereof　I　could　not　understand　a　word；　that　rose

and　fell　with　the　music　of　the　flute。　Now　he　struck　a　match；　which

seemed　incongruous　in　the　midst　of　this　semi…magical　ceremony；　and

taking　a　pinch　of　the　tobacco；　lit　it　and　dropped　it　among　the　rest。　A

pale；　blue　smoke　arose　from　the　bowl　and　with　it　a　very　sweet　odour

not　unlike　that　of　the　tuberoses　gardeners　grow　in　hot…houses；　but

more　searching。



〃Now　you　breath　smoke；　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃and　tell　us　what　you

see。　Oh！　no　fear；　that　not　hurt　you。　Just　like　cigarette。　Look；〃　and

he　inhaled　some　of　the　vapour　and　blew　it　out　through　his　nostrils；

after　which　his　face　seemed　to　change　to　me；　though　what　the　change

was　I　could　not　define。



I　hesitated　till　Scroope　said：



〃Come；　Allan；　don't　shirk　this　Central　African　adventure。　I'll　try　if

you　like。〃



〃No；〃　said　Har？t　brusquely；　〃/you/　no　good。〃



Then　curiosity　and　perhaps　the　fear　of　being　laughed　at　overcame　me。　I

took　the　bowl　and　held　it　under　my　nose；　while　Har？t　threw　over　my

head　the　antimacassar　which　he　had　used　in　the　mango　trick；　to　keep　in

the　fumes　I　suppose。



At　first　these　fumes　were　unpleasant；　but　just　as　I　was　about　to　drop

the　bowl　they　seemed　to　become　agreeable　and　to　penetrate　to　the

inmost　recesses　of　my　being。　The　general　affect　of　them　was　not　unlike

that　of　the　laughing　gas　which　dentists　give；　with　this　difference；

that　whereas　the　gas　produces　insensibility；　these　fumes　seemed　to　set

the　mind　on　fire　and　to　burn　away　all　limitations　of　time　and

distance。　Things　shifted　before　me。　It　was　as　though　I　were　no　longer

in　that　room　but　travelling　with　inconceivable　rapidity。



Suddenly　I　appeared　to　stop　before　a　curtain　of　mist。　The　mist　rolled

up　in　front　of　me　and　I　saw　a　wild　and　wonderful　scene。　There　lay　a

lake　surrounded　by　dense　African　forest。　The　sky　above　was　still　red

with　the　last　lights　of　sunset　and　in　it　floated　the　full　moon。　On　the

eastern　side　of　the　lake　was　a　great　open　space　where　nothing　seemed

to　grow　and　all　about　this　space　were　the　skeletons　of　hundreds　of

dead　elephants。　There　they　lay；　some　of　them　almost　covered　with　grey

mosses　hanging　to　their　bones；　through　which　their　yellow　tusks

projected　as　though　they　had　been　dead　for　centuries；　others　with　the

rotting　hide　still　on　them。　I　knew　that　I　was　looking　on　a　cemetery　of

elephants；　the　place　where　these　great　beasts　went　to　die；　as　I　have

since　been　told　the　extinct　moas　did　in　New　Zealand。　All　my　life　as　a

hunter　had　I　heard　rumours　of　these　cemeteries；　but　never　before　did　I

see　such　a　spot　even　in　a　dream。



See！　There　was　one　dying　now；　a　huge　gaunt　bull　that　looked　as　though

it　were　several　hundred　years　old。　It　stood　there　swaying　to　and　fro。

Then　it　lifted　its　trunk；　I　suppose　to　trumpet；　though　of　course　I

could　hear　nothing；　and　slowly　sank　upon　its　knees　and　so　remained　in

the　last　relaxation　of　death。



Almost　in　the　centre　of　this　cemetery　was　a　little　mound　of　water…

washed　rock　that　had　endured　when　the　rest　of　the　stony　plain　was

denuded　in　past　epochs。　Suddenly　upon　that　rock　appeared　the　shape　of

the　most　gigantic　elephant　that　ever　I　beheld　in　all　my　long

experience。　It　had　one　enormous　tusk；　but　the　other　was　deformed　and

broken　off　short。　Its　sides　were　scarred　as　though　with　fighting　and

its　eyes　shone　red　and　wickedly。　Held　in　its　trunk　was　the　body　of　a

woman　whose　hair　hung　down　upon　one　side　and　whose　feet　hung　down　upon

the　other。　Clasped　in　her　arms　was　a　child　that　seemed　to　be　still

living。



The　rogue；　as　a　brute　of　this　sort　is　called；　for　evidently　such　it

was；　dropped　the　corpse　to　the　ground　and　stood　a　while；　flapping　its

ears。　Then　it　felt　for　and　picked　up　the　child　with　its　trunk；　swung

it　to　and　fro　and　finally　tossed　it　high　into　the　air；　hurling　it　far

away。　After　this　it　walked　to　the　elephant　that　I　had　just　seen　die；

and　charged　the　carcass；　knocking　it　over。　Then　having　lifted　its

trunk　as　though　to　trumpet　in　triumph；　it　shambled　off　towards　the

forest　and　vanished。



The　curtain　of　mist　fell　again　and　in　it；　dimly；　I　thought　I　saw

well；　never　mind　who　or　what　I　saw。　Then　I　awoke。



〃Well；　did　you　see　anything？〃　asked　a　chorus　of　voices。



I　told　them　what　I　had　seen；　leaving　out　the　last　part。



〃I　say；　old　fellow；〃　said　Scroope；　〃you　must　have　been　pretty　clever

to　get　all　that　in；　for　your　eyes　weren't　shut　for　more　than　ten

seconds。〃



〃Then　I　wonder　what　you　would　say　if　I　repeated　everything；〃　I

answered；　for　I　still　felt　dreamy　and　not　quite　myself。



〃You　see　elephant　Jana？〃　asked　Har？t。　〃He　kill　woman　and　child；　eh？

Well；　he　do　that　every　night。　Well；　that　why　people　of　White　Kendah

want　you　to　kill　/him/　and　take　all　that　ivory　which　they　no　dare

touch　because　it　in　holy　place　and　Black　Kendah　not　let　them。　So　he

live　still。　That　what　we　wish　know。　Thank　you　much；　Macumazana。　You

very　good　look　through…distance　man。　Just　what　I　think。　Kendah　'bacco

smoke　work　very　well　in　you。　Now；　beautiful　lady；〃　he　added　turning　to

Miss　Holmes；　〃you　like　look　too？　Better　look。　Who　knows　what　you　see？〃



Miss　Holmes　hesitated　a　moment；　studying　me　with　an　inquiring　eye。　But

I　made　no　sign；　being　in　truth　very　curious　to　hear　/her/　experience。



〃Yes；〃　she　said。



〃I　would　prefer；　Luna；　that　you　left　this　business　alone；〃　remarked

Lord　Ragnall　uneasily。　〃I　think　it　is　time　that　you　ladies　went　to

bed。〃



〃Here　is　a　match；〃　said　Miss　Holmes　to　Har？t　who　was　engaged　in

putting　more　tobacco　into　the　bowl；　the　suspicion　of　a　smile　upon　his

grave　and　statuesque　countenance。　Har？t　received　the　match　with　a　low

bow　and　fired　the　stuff　as　before。　Then　he　handed　the　bowl；　from　which

once　again　the　blue　smoke　curled　upwards；　to　Miss　Holmes；　and　gently

and　gracefully　let　the　antimacassar　fall　over　it　and　her　head；　which

it　draped　as　a　wedding　veil　might　do。　A　few　seconds　later　she　threw

off　the　antimacassar　and　cast　the　bowl；　in　which　the　fire　was　now　out；

on　to　the　floor。　Then　she　stood　up　with　wide　eyes；　looking　wondrous

lovely　and；　notwithstanding　her　lack　of　height；　majestic。



〃I　have　been　in　another　world；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　as　though　she

spoke　to　the　air；　〃I　have　travelled　a　great　way。　I　found　myself　in　a

small　place　made　of　stone。　It　was　dark　in　the　place；　the　fire　in　that

bowl　lit　it　up。　There　was　nothing　there　except　a　beautiful　statue　of　a

naked　baby　which　seemed　to　be　carved　in　yellow　ivory；　and　a　chair　made

of　ebony　inlaid　with　ivory　and　seated　with　string。　I　stood　in　front　of

the　statue　of　the　Ivory　Child。　It　seemed　to　come　to　life　and　smile　at

me。　Round　its　neck　was　a　string　of　red　stones。　It　took　them　from　its

neck　and　set　them　upon　mine。　Then　it　pointed　to　the　chair；　and　I　sat

down　in　the　chair。　That　was　all。〃



Har？t　followed　her　words　with　an　interest　that　I　could　see　was

intense；　although　he　attempted　to　hide　it。　Then　he　asked　me　to

translate　them；　which　I　did。



As　their　full　sense　came　home　to　him；　although　his　face　remained

impassive；　I　saw　his　dark　eyes　shine　with　the　light　of　triumph。

Moreover　I　heard　him　whisper　to　Mar？t　words　that　seemed　to　mean；



〃The　Sacred　Child　accepts　the　Guardian。　The　Spirit　of　the　White　Kendah

finds　a　voice　again。〃



Then　as　though　involuntarily；　but　with　the　utmost　reverence；　both　of

them　bowed　deeply　towards　Miss　Holmes。



A　babel　of　conversation　broke　out。



〃What　a　ridiculous　dream；〃　I　heard　Lord　Ragnall　say　in　a　vexed　voice。

〃An　ivory　child　that　seemed　to　come　to　life　and　to　giv