the ivory child-第3章

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congratulate　you　upon　a　skill　that　almost　partakes　of　the　marvellous；

unless；　indeed；　chance〃　And　he　stopped。



〃It　is　natural　that　you　should　think　so；〃　I　replied；　〃but　if　more

pigeons　come；　and　Mr。　Charles　will　make　sure　that　he　loads　the　rifle；

I　hope　to　undeceive　you。〃



At　this　moment；　however；　a　loud　shout　from　Scroope；　who　was　looking

for　me；　reinforced　by　a　shrill　cry　uttered　by　Miss　Manners；　banished

every　pigeon　within　half　a　mile；　a　fact　of　which　I　was　not　sorry；

since　who　knows　whether　I　should　have　it　all；　or　any；　of　the　next

three　birds？



〃I　think　my　friends　are　calling　me；　so　I　will　bid　you　good　morning；〃　I

said　awkwardly。



〃One　moment；　sir；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Might　I　first　ask　you　your　name？

Mine　is　RagnallLord　Ragnall。〃



〃And　mine　is　Allan　Quatermain；〃　I　said。



〃Oh！〃　he　answered；　〃that　explains　matters。　Charles；　this　is　Mr。

Scroope's　friend；　the　gentleman　that　you　saidexaggerated。　I　think

you　had　better　apologize。〃



But　Charles　was　gone；　to　pick　up　the　pigeons；　I　suppose。



At　this　moment　Scroope　and　the　young　lady　appeared；　having　heard　our

voices；　and　a　general　explanation　ensued。



〃Mr。　Quatermain　has　been　giving　me　a　lesson　in　shooting　pigeons　on　the

wing　with　a　small…bore　rifle；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall；　pointing　to　the　dead

birds　that　still　lay　upon　the　ground。



〃He　is　competent　to　do　that；〃　said　Scroope。



〃Painfully　competent；〃　replied　his　lordship。　〃If　you　don't　believe　me；

ask　the　under…keeper。〃



〃It　is　the　only　thing　I　can　do；〃　I　explained　modestly。　〃Rifle…shooting

is　my　trade；　and　I　have　made　a　habit　of　practising　at　birds　on　the

wing　with　ball。　I　have　no　doubt　that　with　a　shot…gun　your　lordship

would　leave　me　nowhere；　for　that　is　a　game　at　which　I　have　had　little

practice；　except　when　shooting　for　the　pot　in　Africa。〃



〃Yes；〃　interrupted　Scroope；　〃you　wouldn't　have　any　chance　at　that；

Allan；　against　one　of　the　finest　shots　in　England。〃



〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall；　laughing　pleasantly。　〃I　have　an

idea　that　Mr。　Quatermain　is　full　of　surprises。　However；　with　his

leave；　we'll　see。　If　you　have　a　day　to　spare；　Mr。　Quatermain；　we　are

going　to　shoot　through　the　home　coverts　to…morrow；　which　haven't　been

touched　till　now；　and　I　hope　you　will　join　us。〃



〃It　is　most　kind　of　you；　but　that　is　impossible；〃　I　answered　with

firmness。　〃I　have　no　gun　here。〃



〃Oh；　never　mind　that；　Mr。　Quatermain。　I　have　a　pair　of　breech…loaders〃

these　were　new　things　at　that　date〃which　have　been　sent　down　to　me

to　try。　I　am　going　to　return　them；　because　they　are　much　too　short　in

the　stock　for　me。　I　think　they　would　just　suit　you；　and　you　are　quite

welcome　to　the　use　of　them。〃



Again　I　excused　myself；　guessing　that　the　discomfited　Charles　would

put　all　sorts　of　stories　about　concerning　me；　and　not　wishing　to　look

foolish　before　a　party　of　grand　strangers；　no　doubt　chosen　for　their

skill　at　this　particular　form　of　sport。



〃Well；　Allan；〃　exclaimed　Scroope；　who　always　had　a　talent　for　saying

the　wrong　thing；　〃you　are　quite　right　not　to　go　into　a　competition

with　Lord　Ragnall　over　high　pheasants。〃



I　flushed；　for　there　was　some　truth　in　his　blundering　remark；　whereon

Lord　Ragnall　said　with　ready　tact：



〃I　asked　Mr。　Quatermain　to　shoot；　not　to　a　shooting　match；　Scroope；

and　I　hope　he'll　come。〃



This　left　me　no　option；　and　with　a　sinking　heart　I　had　to　accept。



〃Sorry　I　can't　ask　you　too；　Scroope；〃　said　his　lordship；　when　details

had　been　arranged；　〃but　we　can　only　manage　seven　guns　at　this　shoot。

But　will　you　and　Miss　Manners　come　to　dine　and　sleep　to…morrow

evening？　I　should　like　to　introduce　your　future　wife　to　my　future

wife；〃　he　added；　colouring　a　little。



Miss　Manners　being　devoured　with　curiosity　as　to　the　wonderful　Miss

Holmes；　of　whom　she　had　heard　so　much　but　never　actually　seen；

accepted　at　once；　before　her　lover　could　get　out　a　word；　whereon

Scroope　volunteered　to　bring　me　over　in　the　morning　and　load　for　me。

Being　possessed　by　a　terror　that　I　should　be　handed　over　to　the　care

of　the　unsympathetic　Charles；　I　replied　that　I　should　be　very

grateful；　and　so　the　thing　was　settled。



On　our　way　home　we　passed　through　a　country　town；　of　which　I　forget

the　name；　and　the　sight　of　a　gunsmith's　shop　there　reminded　me　that　I

had　no　cartridges。　So　I　stopped　to　order　some；　as；　fortunately；　Lord

Ragnall　had　mentioned　that　the　guns　he　was　going　to　lend　me　were

twelve…bores。　The　tradesman　asked　me　how　many　cartridges　I　wanted；　and

when　I　replied　〃a　hundred；〃　stared　at　me　and　said：



〃If；　as　I　understood；　sir；　you　are　going　to　the　big　winter　shoot　at

Ragnall　to…morrow；　you　had　better　make　it　three　hundred　and　fifty　at

least。　I　shall　be　there　to　watch；　like　lots　of　others；　and　I　expect　to

see　nearly　two　hundred　fired　by　each　gun　at　the　last　Lake　stand。〃



〃Very　well；〃　I　answered；　fearing　to　show　more　ignorance　by　further

discussion。　〃I　will　call　for　the　cartridges　on　my　way　to…morrow

morning。　Please　load　them　with　three　drachms　of　powder。〃



〃Yes；　sir；　and　an　ounce　and　an　eighth　of　No。　5　shot；　sir？　That's　what

all　the　gentlemen　use。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃No。　3；　please　be　sure　as　to　that。　Good　evening。〃



The　gunsmith　stared　at　me；　and　as　I　left　the　shop　I　heard　him　remark

to　his　assistant：



〃That　African　gent　must　think　he's　going　out　to　shoot　ostriches　with

buck　shot。　I　expect　he　ain't　no　good；　whatever　they　may　say　about

him。〃







CHAPTER　II



ALLAN　MAKES　A　BET



On　the　following　morning　Scroope　and　I　arrived　at　Castle　Ragnall　at　or

about　a　quarter　to　ten。　On　our　way　we　stopped　to　pick　up　my　three

hundred　and　fifty　cartridges。　I　had　to　pay　something　over　three　solid

sovereigns　for　them；　as　in　those　days　such　things　were　dear；　which

showed　me　that　I　was　not　going　to　get　my　lesson　in　English　pheasant

shooting　for　nothing。　The　gunsmith；　however；　to　whom　Scroope　gave　a

lift　in　his　cart　to　the　castle；　impressed　upon　me　that　they　were　dirt

cheap；　since　he　and　his　assistant　had　sat　up　most　of　the　night　loading

them　with　my　special　No。　3　shot。



As　I　climbed　out　of　the　vehicle　a　splendid…looking　and　portly　person；

arrayed　in　a　velvet　coat　and　a　scarlet　waistcoat；　approached　with　the

air　of　an　emperor；　followed　by　an　individual　in　whom　I　recognized

Charles；　carrying　a　gun　under　each　arm。



〃That's　the　head…keeper；〃　whispered　Scroope；　〃mind　you　treat　him

respectfully。〃



Much　alarmed；　I　took　off　my　hat　and　waited。



〃Do　I　speak　to　Mr。　Allan　Quatermain？〃　said　his　majesty　in　a　deep　and

rumbling　voice；　surveying　me　the　while　with　a　cold　and　disapproving

eye。



I　intimated　that　he　did。



〃Then；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　pausing　a　little　at　the　〃sir；〃　as　though　he

suspected　me　of　being　no　more　than　an　African　colleague　of　his　own；　〃I

have　been　ordered　by　his　lordship　to　bring　you　these　guns；　and　I　hope；

sir；　that　you　will　be　careful　of　them；　as　they　are　here　on　sale　or

return。　Charles；　explain　the　working　of　them　there　guns　to　this

foreign　gentleman；　and　in　doing　so　keep　the　muzzles　up　/or/　down。　They

ain't　loaded；　it's　true；　but　the　example　is　always　useful。〃



〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Keeper；〃　I　replied；　growing　somewhat　nettled；　〃but　I

think　that　I　am　already　acquainted　with　most　that　there　is　to　learn

about　guns。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　sir；〃　said　his　majesty　with　evident　disbelief。

〃Charles；　I　understand　that　Squire　Scroope　is　going　to　load　for　the

gentleman；　which　I　hope　he　knows　how　to　do　with　safety。　His　lordship's

orders　are　that　you　accompany　them　and　carry　the　cartridges。　And；

Charles；　you　will　please　keep　count　of　the　number　fired　and　what　is

killed　dead；　not　reckoning　runners。　I'm　sick　of　them　stories　of

runners。〃



These　directions　were　given　in　a　portentous　stage　aside　which　we　were

not　supposed　to　hear。　They　caused　Scroope　to　snigger　and　Charles　to

grin；　but　in　me　they　raised　a　feeling　of　indignation。



I　took　one　of　the　guns　and　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　costly　an