the ivory child-第61章

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that　man's　blood；　would　have　lived　on　a　while。　Why　did　you　do　this

thing？　That　you　might　keep　a　secret；　the　secret　of　the　theft　of　a

woman；　that　you　might　continue　to　act　a　lie　which　falls　upon　your　head

like　a　stone　from　heaven。



〃Thus　saith　the　Child：　'Lift　no　hand　against　the　three　who　remain；　and

what　they　shall　ask；　that　give；　for　thus　alone　shall　some　of　you　be

saved　from　Jana　and　those　who　serve　him；　even　though　the　Guardian　and

the　Child　be　taken　away　and　the　Child　itself　returned　to　its　own

place。'　These　are　the　words　of　the　Oracle　uttered　at　the　Feast　of　the

First…fruits；　the　words　that　cannot　be　changed　and　mayhap　its　last。〃





Har？t　ceased；　and　there　was　silence　while　this　portentous　message　sank

into　the　minds　of　his　audience。　At　length　they　seemed　to　understand

its　ominous　nature　and　from　them　all　there　arose　a　universal；

simultaneous　groan。　As　it　died　away　the　two　attendants　dressed　as

goddesses　assisted　the　personification　of　the　Lady　Isis　to　rise　from

her　seat　and；　opening　the　robes　upon　her　breast；　pointed　to　something

beneath　her　throat；　doubtless　that　birthmark　shaped　like　the　new　moon

which　made　her　so　sacred　in　their　eyes　since　she　who　bore　it　and　she

alone　could　fill　her　holy　office。



All　the　audience　and　with　them　the　priests　and　priestesses　bowed

before　her。　She　lifted　the　symbol　of　the　Child；　holding　it　high　above

her　head；　whereon　once　more　they　bowed　with　the　deepest　veneration。

Then　still　holding　the　effigy　aloft；　she　turned　and　with　her　two

attendants　passed　into　the　sanctuary　and　doubtless　thence　by　a　covered

way　into　the　house　beyond。　At　any　rate　we　saw　her　no　more。







As　soon　as　she　was　gone　the　congregation；　if　I　may　call　it　so；　leaving

their　seats；　swarmed　down　into　the　outer　court　of　the　temple　through

its　eastern　gate；　which　was　now　opened。　Here　the　priests　proceeded　to

distribute　among　them　the　offerings　taken　from　the　altar；　giving　a

grain　of　corn　to　each　of　the　men　to　eat　and　a　flower　to　each　of　the

women；　which　flower　she　kissed　and　hid　in　the　bosom　of　her　robe。

Evidently　it　was　a　kind　of　sacrament。



Ragnall　lifted　himself　a　little　upon　his　hands　and　knees；　and　I　saw

that　his　eyes　glowed　and　his　face　was　very　pale。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。



〃Demand　that　those　people　give　me　back　my　wife；　whom　they　have　stolen。

Don't　try　to　stop　me；　Quatermain；　I　mean　what　I　say。〃



〃But；　but；〃　I　stammered；　〃they　never　will　and　we　are　but　three　unarmed

men。〃



Hans　lifted　up　his　little　yellow　face　between　us。



〃Baas；〃　he　hissed；　〃I　have　a　thought。　The　Lord　Baas　wishes　to　get　the

lady　dressed　like　a　bird　as　to　her　head　and　like　one　for　burial　as　to

her　body；　who　is；　he　says；　his　wife。　But　for　us　to　take　her　from　among

so　many　is　impossible。　Now　what　did　that　old　witch…doctor　Har？t

declare　just　now？　He　declared；　speaking　for　his　fetish；　that　by　our

help　alone　the　White　Kendah　can　resist　the　hosts　of　the　Black　Kendah

and　that　no　harm　must　be　done　to　us　if　the　White　Kendah　would　continue

to　live。　So　it　seems；　Baas；　that　we　have　something　to　sell　which　the

White　Kendah　must　buy；　namely　our　help　against　the　Black　Kendah；　for

if　we　will　not　fight　for　them；　they　believe　that　they　cannot　conquer

their　enemies　and　kill　the　devil　Jana。　Well　now；　supposing　that　the

Baas　says　that　our　price　is　the　white　woman　dressed　like　a　bird；　to　be

delivered　over　to　us　when　we　have　defeated　the　Black　Kendah　and　killed

Janaafter　which　they　will　have　no　more　use　for　her。　And　supposing

that　the　Baas　says　that　if　they　refuse　to　pay　that　price　we　will　burn

all　our　powder　and　cartridges　so　that　the　rifles　are　no　use？　Is　there

not　a　path　to　walk　on　here？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　I　answered。　〃Something　of　the　sort　was　working　in　my　mind

but　I　had　no　time　to　think　it　out。〃



Turning；　I　explained　the　idea　to　Ragnall；　adding：



〃I　pray　you　not　to　be　rash。　If　you　are；　not　only　may　we　be　killed；

which　does　not　so　much　matter；　but　it　is　very　probable　that　even　if

they　spare　us　they　will　put　an　end　to　your　wife　rather　than　suffer　one

whom　they　look　upon　as　holy　and　who　is　necessary　to　their　faith　in　its

last　struggle　to　be　separated　from　her　charge　of　the　Child。〃



This　was　a　fortunate　argument　of　mine　and　one　which　went　home。



〃To　lose　her　now　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear；〃　he　muttered。



〃Then　will　you　promise　to　let　me　try　to　manage　this　affair　and　not　to

interfere　with　me　and　show　violence？〃



He　hesitated　a　moment　and　answered：



〃Yes；　I　promise；　for　you　two　are　cleverer　than　I　am　andI　cannot

trust　my　judgment。〃



〃Good；〃　I　said；　assuming　an　air　of　confidence　which　I　did　not　feel。

〃Now　we　will　go　down　to　call　upon　Har？t　and　his　friends。　I　want　to

have　a　closer　look　at　that　temple。〃



So　behind　our　screen　of　bushes　we　wriggled　back　a　little　distance　till

we　knew　that　the　slope　of　the　ground　would　hide　us　when　we　stood　up。

Then　as　quickly　as　we　could　we　made　our　way　eastwards　for　something

over　a　quarter　of　a　mile　and　after　this　turned　to　the　north。　As　I

expected；　beyond　the　ring　of　the　crater　we　found　ourselves　on　the

rising；　tree…clad　bosom　of　the　mountain　and；　threading　our　path

through　the　cedars；　came　presently　to　that　track　or　roadway　which　led

to　the　eastern　gate　of　the　amphitheatre。　This　road　we　followed　unseen

until　presently　the　gateway　appeared　before　us。　We　walked　through　it

without　attracting　any　attention；　perhaps　because　all　the　people　were

either　talking　together；　or　praying；　or　perhaps　because　like

themselves　we　were　wrapped　in　white　robes。　At　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel

we　stopped　and　I　called　out　in　a　loud　voice：



〃The　white　lords　and　their　servant　have　come　to　visit　Har？t；　as　he

invited　them　to　do。　Bring　us；　we　pray　you；　into　the　presence　of

Har？t。〃



Everyone　wheeled　round　and　stared　at　us　standing　there　in　the　shadow

of　the　gateway　tunnel；　for　the　sun　behind　us　was　still　low。　My　word；

how　they　did　stare！　A　voice　cried：



〃Kill　them！　Kill　these　strangers　who　desecrate　our　temple。〃



〃What！〃　I　answered。　〃Would　you　kill　those　to　whom　your　high…priest　has

given　safe…conduct；　those　moreover　by　whose　help　alone；　as　your　Oracle

has　just　declared；　you　can　hope　to　slay　Jana　and　destroy　his　hosts？〃



〃How　do　they　know　that？〃　shouted　another　voice。　〃They　are　magicians！〃



〃Yes；〃　I　remarked；　〃all　magic　does　not　dwell　in　the　hearts　of　the

White　Kendah。　If　you　doubt　it；　go　to　look　at　the　Watcher　in　the　Cave

whom　your　Oracle　told　you　is　dead。　You　will　find　that　it　did　not　lie。〃



As　I　spoke　a　man　rushed　through　the　gates；　his　white　rob　streaming　on

the　wind；　shouting　as　he　emerged　from　the　tunnel：



〃O　Priests　and　Priestesses　of　the　Child；　the　ancient　serpent　is　dead。

I　whose　office　it　is　to　feed　the　serpent　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon

have　found　him　dead　in　his　house。〃



〃You　hear；〃　I　interpolated　calmly。　〃The　Father　of　Snakes　is　dead。　If

you　want　to　know　how；　I　will　tell　you。　We　looked　on　it　and　it　died。〃



They　might　have　answered　that　poor　Savage　also　looked　on　it　with　the

result　that　/he/　died；　but　luckily　it　did　not　occur　to　them　to　do　so。

On　the　contrary；　they　just　stood　still　and　stared　at　us　like　a　flock

of　startled　sheep。



Presently　the　sheep　parted　and　the　shepherd　in　the　shape　of　Har？t

appeared　looking；　I　reflected；　the　very　picture　of　Abraham　softened　by

a　touch　of　the　melancholia　of　Job；　that　is；　as　I　have　always　imagined

those　patriarchs。　He　bowed　to　us　with　his　usual　Oriental　courtesy；　and

we　bowed　back　to　him。　Hans'　bow；　I　may　explain；　was　of　the　most

peculiar　nature；　more　like　a　/skulpat/；　as　the　Boers　call　a　land…

tortoise；　drawing　its　wrinkled　head　into　its　shell　and　putting　it　out

again　than　anything　else。　Then　Har？t　remarked　in　his　peculiar　English；

which　I　suppose　the　White　Kendah　took　for　some　tongue　known　only　to

magicians：



〃So　you　get　here；　eh？　Why　you　get　here；　how　the　devil　you　get　here；

eh？〃



〃We　got　here　because　you　asked　us　to　do　so　if　we　could；〃　I　answere