the ivory child-第31章

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〃Then；　Macumazana；　I　fear　that　you　will　have　to　wait　by　yourselves

until　you　discover　which　of　us　is　right；〃　he　said　stolidly。



Turning　to　Ragnall；　I　asked　him　what　he　would　do；　pointing　out　that　to

journey　into　the　desert　meant　death；　especially　as　we　did　not　know

whither　we　were　going；　and　that　to　return　alone；　without　the　stores

which　we　must　abandon；　through　the　country　of　the　bushmen　to

Mazituland；　would　also　be　a　risky　proceeding。　However；　it　was　for　him

to　decide。



Now　he　grew　much　perturbed。　Taking　me　apart　again　he　dwelt　earnestly

upon　his　secret　reasons　for　wishing　to　visit　these　Kendah；　with　which

of　course　I　was　already　acquainted；　as　indeed　was　Savage。



〃I　desire　to　stay　here；〃　he　ended。



〃Which　means　that　we　must　all　stay；　Ragnall；　since　Savage　will　not

desert　you。　Nor　will　Hans　desert　me　although　he　thinks　us　mad。　He

points　out　that　I　came　to　seek　ivory　and　here　about　is　ivory　in　plenty

for　the　trouble　of　taking。〃



〃I　might　remain　alone；　Quatermain〃　he　began；　but　I　looked　at　him

in　such　a　way　that　he　never　finished　the　sentence。



Ultimately　we　came　to　a　compromise。　Babemba；　on　behalf　of　the　Mazitu；

agreed　to　wait　three　more　days。　If　nothing　happened　during　that　period

we　on　our　part　agreed　to　return　with　them　to　a　stretch　of　well…watered

bush　about　fifty　miles　behind　us；　which　we　knew　swarmed　with

elephants；　that　by　now　were　growing　shy　of　approaching　our　oasis　where

there　was　so　much　noise　and　shooting。　There　we　would　kill　as　much

ivory　as　we　could　carry；　an　operation　in　which　they　were　willing　to

assist　for　the　fun　of　it；　and　then　go　back　with　them　to　Mazituland。



The　three　days　went　by　and　with　every　hour　that　passed　my　spirits

rose；　as　did　those　of　Savage　and　Hans；　while　Lord　Ragnall　became　more

and　more　depressed。　The　third　afternoon　was　devoted　to　a　jubilant

packing　of　loads；　for　in　accordance　with　the　terms　of　our　bargain　we

were　to　start　backwards　on　our　spoor　at　dawn　upon　the　morrow。　Most

happily　did　I　lay　myself　down　to　sleep　in　my　little　bough　shelter　that

night；　feeling　that　at　last　I　was　rid　of　an　uncommonly　awkward

adventure。　If　I　thought　that　we　could　do　any　good　by　staying　on；　it

would　have　been　another　matter。　But　as　I　was　certain　that　there　was　no

earthly　chance　of　our　finding　among　the　Kendahif　ever　we　reached

themthe　lady　who　had　tumbled　in　the　Nile　in　Egypt；　well；　I　was　glad

that　Providence　had　been　so　good　as　to　make　it　impossible　for　us　to

commit　suicide　by　thirst　in　a　desert；　or　otherwise。　For；

notwithstanding　my　former　reasonings　to　the　contrary；　I　was　now

convinced　that　this　was　what　had　happened　to　poor　Ragnall's　wife。



That；　however；　was　just　what　Providence　had　not　done。　In　the　middle　of

the　night；　to　be　precise；　at　exactly　two　in　the　morning；　I　was

awakened　by　Hans；　who　slept　at　the　back　of　my　shanty；　into　which　he

had　crept　through　a　hole　in　the　faggots；　exclaiming　in　a　frightened

voice；



〃Open　your　eyes　and　look；　Baas。　There　are　two　/spooks/　waiting　to　see

you　outside；　Baas。〃



Very　cautiously　I　lifted　myself　a　little　and　stared　out　into　the

moonlight。　There；　seated　about　five　paces　from　the　open　end　of　the　hut

were　the　〃spooks〃　sure　enough；　two　white…robed　figures　squatting

silent　and　immovable　on　the　ground。　At　first　I　was　frightened。　Then　I

bethought　me　of　thieves　and　felt　for　my　Colt　pistol　under　the　rug　that

served　me　as　a　pillow。　As　I　got　hold　of　the　handle；　however；　a　deep

voice　said：



〃Is　it　your　custom；　O　Macumazana；　Watcher…by…Night；　to　receive　guests

with　bullets？〃



Now　thought　I　to　myself；　who　is　there　in　the　world　who　could　see　a　man

catch　hold　of　the　handle　of　a　pistol　in　the　recesses　of　a　dark　place

and　under　a　blanket　at　night；　except　the　owner　of　that　voice　which　I

seemed　to　remember　hearing　in　a　certain　drawing…room　in　England？



〃Yes；　Har？t；〃　I　answered　with　an　unconcerned　yawn；　〃when　the　guests

come　in　such　a　doubtful　fashion　and　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　But　as

you　are　here　at　last；　will　you　be　so　good　as　to　tell　us　why　you　have

kept　us　waiting　all　this　time？　Is　that　your　way　of　fulfilling　an

engagement？〃



〃O　Lord　Macumazana；〃　answered　Har？t；　for　of　course　it　was　he；　in　quite

a　perturbed　tone；　〃I　offer　to　you　our　humble　apologies。　The　truth　is

that　when　we　heard　of　your　arrival　at　Beza…Town　we　started；　or　tried

to　start；　from　hundreds　of　miles　away　to　keep　our　tryst　with　you　here

as　we　promised　we　would　do。　But　we　are　mortal；　Macumazana；　and

accidents　intervened。　Thus；　when　we　had　ascertained　the　weight　of　your

baggage；　camels　had　to　be　collected　to　carry　it；　which　were　grazing　at

a　distance。　Also　it　was　necessary　to　send　forward　to　dig　out　a　certain

well　in　the　desert　where　they　must　drink。　Hence　the　delay。　Still；　you

will　admit　that　we　have　arrived　in　time；　five；　or　at　any　rate　four

hours　before　the　rising　of　that　sun　which　was　to　light　you　on　your

homeward　way。〃



〃Yes；　you　have；　O　Prophets；　or　O　Liars；　whichever　you　may　be；〃　I

exclaimed　with　pardonable　exasperation；　for　really　their　knowledge　of

my　private　affairs；　however　obtained；　was　enough　to　anger　a　saint。　〃So

as　you　are　here　at　last；　come　in　and　have　a　drink；　for　whether　you　are

men　or　devils；　you　must　be　cold　out　there　in　the　damp。〃



In　they　came　accordingly；　and；　not　being　Mohammedans；　partook　of　a　tot

of　square…face　from　a　bottle　which　I　kept　locked　in　a　box　to　put　Hans

beyond　the　reach　of　temptation。



〃To　your　health；　Har？t　and　Mar？t；〃　I　said；　drinking　a　little　out　of

the　pannikin　and　giving　the　rest　to　Hans；　who　gulped　the　fiery　liquor

down　with　a　smack　of　his　lips。　For　I　will　admit　that　I　joined　in　this

unholy　midnight　potation　to　gain　time　for　thought　and　to　steady　my

nerve。



〃To　your　health；　O　Lord　Macumazana；〃　the　pair　answered　as　they

swallowed　their　tots；　which　I　had　made　pretty　stiff；　and　set　down

their　pannikins　in　front　of　them　with　as　much　reverence　as　though

these　had　been　holy　vessels。



〃Now；〃　I　said；　throwing　a　blanket　over　my　shoulders；　for　the　air　was

chilly；　〃now　let　us　talk；〃　and　taking　the　lantern　which　Hans　had

thoughtfully　lighted；　I　held　it　up　and　contemplated　them。



There　they　were；　Har？t　and　Mar？t　without　doubt；　to　all　appearance

totally　unchanged　since　some　years　before　I　had　seen　them　at　Ragnall

in　England。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　I　asked　in　a　kind　of　fiery

indignation　inspired　by　my　intense　curiosity。　〃How　did　you　get　out　of

England　after　you　had　tried　to　steal　away　the　lady　to　whom　you　sent

the　necklace？　What　did　you　do　with　that　lady　after　you　had　beguiled

her　from　the　boat　at　Abu…Simbel？　In　the　name　of　your　Holy　Child；　or　of

Shaitan　of　the　Mohammedans；　or　of　Set　of　the　Egyptians；　answer　me；

lest　I　should　make　an　end　of　both　of　you；　which　I　can　do　here　without

any　questions　being　asked；〃　and　I　whipped　out　my　pistol。



〃Pardon　us；〃　said　Har？t　with　a　grave　smile；　〃but　if　you　were　to　do　as

you　say；　Lord　Macumazana；　many　questions　would　be　asked　which　/you/

might　find　it　hard　to　answer。　So　be　pleased　to　put　that　death…dealer

back　into　its　place；　and　to　tell　us　before　we　reply　to　you；　what　you

know　of　Set　of　the　Egyptians。〃



〃As　much　or　as　little　as　you　do；〃　I　replied。



Both　bowed　as　though　this　information　were　of　the　most　satisfactory

order。　Then　Har？t　went　on：　〃In　reply　to　your　requests；　O　Macumazana；

we　left　England　by　a　steamboat　and　in　due　course　after　long

journeyings　we　reached　our　own　country。　We　do　not　understand　your

allusions　to　a　place　called　Abu…Simbel　on　the　Nile；　whence；　never

having　been　there；　we　have　taken　no　lady。　Indeed；　we　never　meant　to

take　that　lady　to　whom　we　sent　a　necklace　in　England。　We　only　meant　to

ask　certain　questions　of　her；　as　she　had　the　gift　of　vision；　when　you

appeared　and　interrupted　us。　What　should　we　want　with　white　ladies；

who　have　already　far　too　many　of　our　own？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　replied；　〃but　I　do　know　that　you　are　the　biggest

liars　I　ever　met。〃



At　these　words；　which　some　might　have