the ivory child-第67章

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through　spies　were　well　acquainted　with　every　feature　of　the　country；

had　detached　a　party　of　several　thousand　men　to　watch　the　western　road

and　the　slopes　of　the　mountain；　in　case　we　should　try　to　break　out　by

that　route。　The　only　one　remaining；　that　which　ran　through　the　cave　of

the　serpent；　we　had　taken　the　precaution　of　blocking　up　with　great

stones；　lest　through　it　our　flank　should　be　turned。



In　short；　we　were　rats　in　a　trap　and　where　we　were　there　we　must

either　conquer　or　dieunless　indeed　we　chose　to　surrender；　which　for

most　of　us　would　mean　a　fate　worse　than　death。







CHAPTER　XIX



ALLAN　QUATERMAIN　MISSES



I　had　made　my　last　round　of　the　little　corps　that　I　facetiously　named

〃The　Sharpshooters；〃　though　to　tell　the　truth　at　shooting　they　were

anything　but　sharp；　and　seen　that　each　man　was　in　his　place　behind　a

wall　with　a　reserve　man　squatted　at　the　rear　of　every　pair　of　them；

waiting　to　take　his　rifle　if　either　of　these　should　fall。　Also　I　had

made　sure　that　all　of　them　had　twenty　rounds　of　ammunition　in　their

skin　pouches。　More　I　would　not　serve　out；　fearing　lest　in　excitement

or　in　panic　they　might　fire　away　to　the　last　cartridge　uselessly；　as

before　now　even　disciplined　white　troops　have　been　known　to　do。

Therefore　I　had　arranged　that　certain　old　men　of　standing　who　could　be

trusted　should　wait　in　a　place　of　comparative　safety　behind　the　line；

carrying　all　our　reserve　ammunition；　which　amounted；　allowing　for　what

had　been　expended　in　practice；　to　nearly　sixty　rounds　per　rifle。　This

they　were　instructed　to　deliver　from　their　wallets　to　the　firing　line

in　small　lots　when　they　saw　that　it　was　necessary　and　not　before。



It　was；　I　admit；　an　arrangement　apt　to　miscarry　in　the　heat　of

desperate　battle；　but　I　could　think　of　none　better；　since　it　was

absolutely　necessary　that　no　shot　should　be　wasted。



After　a　few　words　of　exhortation　and　caution　to　the　natives　who　acted

as　sergeants　to　the　corps；　I　returned　to　a　bough　shelter　that　had　been

built　for　us　behind　a　rock　to　get　a　few　hours'　sleep；　if　that　were

possible；　before　the　fight　began。



Here　I　found　Ragnall；　who　had　just　come　in　from　his　inspection。　This

was　of　a　much　more　extensive　nature　than　my　own；　since　it　involved

going　round　some　furlongs　of　the　rough　walls　and　trenches　that　he　had

prepared　with　so　much　thought　and　care；　and　seeing　that　the　various

companies　of　the　White　Kendah　were　ready　to　play　their　part　in　the

defence　of　them。



He　was　tired　and　rather　excited；　too　much　so　to　sleep　at　once。　So　we

talked　a　little　while；　first　about　the　prospects　of　the　morrow's

battle；　as　to　which　we　were；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　dubious；　and

afterwards　of　other　things。　I　asked　him　if　during　his　stay　in　this

place；　while　I　was　below　at　the　town　or　later；　he　had　heard　or　seen

anything　of　his　wife。



〃Nothing；〃　he　answered。　〃These　priests　never　speak　of　her；　and　if　they

did　Har？t　is　the　only　one　of　them　that　I　can　really　understand。

Moreover；　I　have　kept　my　word　strictly　and；　even　when　I　had　occasion

to　see　to　the　blocking　of　the　western　road；　made　a　circuit　on　the

mountain…top　in　order　to　avoid　the　neighbourhood　of　that　house　where　I

suppose　she　lives　Oh！　Quatermain；　my　friend；　my　case　is　a　hard　one；　as

you　would　think　if　the　woman　you　loved　with　your　whole　heart　were　shut

up　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　you　and　no　communication　with　her

possible　after　all　this　time　of　separation　and　agony。　What　makes　it

worse　is；　as　I　gathered　from　what　Har？t　said　the　other　day；　that　she

is　still　out　of　her　mind。〃



〃That　has　some　consolations；〃　I　replied；　〃since　the　mindless　do　not

suffer。　But　if　such　is　the　case；　how　do　you　account　for　what　you　and

poor　Savage　saw　that　night　in　the　Town　of　the　Child？　It　was　not

altogether　a　phantasy；　for　the　dress　you　described　was　the　same　we　saw

her　wearing　at　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　it；　Quatermain；　except　that　many　strange

things　happen　in　the　world　which　we　mock　at　as　insults　to　our　limited

intelligence　because　we　cannot　understand　them。〃　（Very　soon　I　was　to

have　another　proof　of　this　remark。）　〃But　what　are　you　driving　at？　You

are　keeping　something　back。〃



〃Only　this；　Ragnall。　If　your　wife　were　utterly　mad　I　cannot　conceive

how　it　came　about　that　she　searched　you　out　and　spoke　to　you　even　in　a

visionfor　the　thing　was　not　an　individual　dream　since　both　you　and

Savage　saw　her。　Nor　did　she　actually　visit　you　in　the　flesh；　as　the

door　never　opened　and　the　spider's　web　across　it　was　not　broken。　So　it

comes　to　this：　either　some　part　of　her　is　not　mad　but　can　still

exercise　sufficient　will　to　project　itself　upon　your　senses；　or　she　is

dead　and　her　disembodied　spirit　did　this　thing。　Now　we　know　that　she

is　not　dead；　for　we　have　seen　her　and　Har？t　has　confessed　as　much。

Therefore　I　maintain　that；　whatever　may　be　her　temporary　state；　she

must　still　be　fundamentally　of　a　reasonable　mind；　as　she　is　of　a

natural　body。　For　instance；　she　may　only　be　hypnotized；　in　which　case

the　spell　will　break　one　day。〃



〃Thank　you　for　that　thought；　old　fellow。　It　never　occurred　to　me　and

it　gives　me　new　hope。　Now　listen！　If　I　should　come　to　grief　in　this

business；　which　is　very　likely；　and　you　should　survive；　you　will　do

your　best　to　get　her　home；　will　you　not？　Here　is　a　codicil　to　my　will

which　I　drew　up　after　that　night　of　dream；　duly　witnessed　by　Savage

and　Hans。　It　leaves　to　you　whatever　sums　may　be　necessary　in　this

connexion　and　something　over　for　yourself。　Take　it；　it　is　best　in　your

keeping；　especially　as　if　you　should　be　killed　it　has　no　value。〃



〃Of　course　I　will　do　my　best；〃　I　answered　as　I　put　away　the　paper　in

my　pocket。　〃And　now　don't　let　us　take　any　more　thought　of　being

killed；　which　may　prevent　us　from　getting　the　sleep　we　want。　I　don't

mean　to　be　killed　if　I　can　help　it。　I　mean　to　give　those　beggars；　the

Black　Kendah；　such　a　doing　as　they　never　had　before；　and　then　start

for　the　coast　with　you　and　Lady　Ragnall；　as；　God　willing；　we　shall　do。

Good　night。〃



After　this　I　slept　like　a　top　for　some　hours；　as　I　believe　Ragnall　did

also。　When　I　awoke；　which　happened　suddenly　and　completely；　the　first

thing　that　I　saw　was　Hans　seated　at　the　entrance　to　my　little　shelter

smoking　his　corn…cob　pipe；　and　nursing　the　single…barrelled　rifle；

Intombi；　on　his　knee。　I　asked　him　what　the　time　was；　to　which　he

replied　that　it　lacked　two　hours　to　dawn。　Then　I　asked　him　why　he　had

not　been　sleeping。　He　replied　that　he　had　been　asleep　and　dreamed　a

dream。　Idly　enough　I　inquired　what　dream；　to　which　he　replied：



〃Rather　a　strange　one；　Baas；　for　a　man　who　is　about　to　go　into　battle。

I　dreamed　that　I　was　in　a　large　place　that　was　full　of　quiet。　It　was

light　there；　but　I　could　not　see　any　sun　or　moon；　and　the　air　was　very

soft　and　tasted　like　food　and　drink；　so　much　so；　Baas；　that　if　anyone

had　offered　me　a　cup　quite　full　of　the　best　'Cape　smoke'　I　should　have

told　him　to　take　it　away。　Then；　Baas；　suddenly　I　saw　your　reverend

father；　the　Predikant；　standing　beside　me　and　looking　just　as　he　used

to　look；　only　younger　and　stronger　and　very　happy；　and　so　of　course

knew　at　once　that　I　was　dead　and　in　hell。　Only　I　wondered　where　the

fire　that　does　not　go　out　might　be；　for　I　could　not　see　it。　Presently

your　reverend　father　said　to　me：　'Good　day；　Hans。　So　you　have　come

here　at　last。　Now　tell　me；　how　has　it　gone　with　my　son；　the　Baas

Allan？　Have　you　looked　after　him　as　I　told　you　to　do？'



〃I　answered：　'I　have　looked　after　him　as　well　as　I　could；　O　reverend

sir。　Little　enough　have　I　done；　still；　not　once　or　twice　or　three

times　only　have　I　offered　up　my　life　for　him　as　was　my　duty；　and　yet

we　both　have　lived。'　And　that　I　might　be　sure　he　heard　the　best　of　me；

as　was　but　natural；　I　told　him　the　times；　Baas；　making　a　big　story　out

of　small　things；　although　all　the　while　I　could　see　that　he　knew

exactly　just　where　I　began　to　lie　and　just　where　I　stopped　from　ly