prester john-第13章

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fs。'

Presently　the　object　of　this　conversation　appeared。　　Mr　Wardlaw　thought　that　we　were　underrating　the　capacity　of　the　native。　　This　opinion　was　natural　enough　in　a　schoolmaster；　but　not　in　the　precise　form　Wardlaw　put　it。　　It　was　not　his　intelligence　which　he　thought　we　underrated；　but　his　dangerousness。　　His　reasons；　shortly；　were　these：　There　were　five　or　six　of　them　to　every　white　man；　they　were　all；　roughly　speaking；　of　the　same　stock；　with　the　same　tribal　beliefs；　they　had　only　just　ceased　being　a　warrior　race；　with　a　powerful　military　discipline；　and；　most　important；　they　lived　round　the　rim　of　the　high…veld　plateau；　and　if　they　combined　could　cut　off　the　white　man　from　the　sea。　　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　it　would　only　be　a　matter　of　time　before　we　opened　the　road　again。　　'Ay；'　he　said；　'but　think　of　what　would　happen　before　then。　　Think　of　the　lonely　farms　and　the　little　dorps　wiped　out　of　the　map。　　It　would　be　a　second　and　bloodier　Indian　mutiny。　'I'm　not　saying　it's　likely；'　he　went　on；　'but　I　maintain　it's　possible。　　Supposing　a　second　Tchaka　turned　up；　who　could　get　the　different　tribes　to　work　together。　　It　wouldn't　be　so　very　hard　to　smuggle　in　arms。　　Think　of　the　long；　unwatched　coast　in　Gazaland　and　Tongaland。　　If　they　got　a　leader　with　prestige　enough　to　organize　a　crusade　against　the　white　man；　I　don't　see　what　could　prevent　a　rising。'

'We　should　get　wind　of　it　in　time　to　crush　it　at　the　start；'　I　said。

'I'm　not　so　sure。　　They　are　cunning　fellows；　and　have　arts　that　we　know　nothing　about。　　You　have　heard　of　native　telepathy。　　They　can　send　news　over　a　thousand　miles　as　quick　as　the　telegraph；　and　we　have　no　means　of　tapping　the　wires。　If　they　ever　combined　they　could　keep　it　as　secret　as　the　grave。　My　houseboy　might　be　in　the　rising；　and　I　would　never　suspect　it　till　one　fine　morning　he　cut　my　throat。'

'But　they　would　never　find　a　leader。　　If　there　was　some　exiled　prince　of　Tchaka's　blood；　who　came　back　like　Prince　Charlie　to　free　his　people；　there　might　be　danger；　but　their　royalties　are　fat　men　with　top　hats　and　old　frock…coats；　who　live　in　dirty　locations。'

Wardlaw　admitted　this；　but　said　that　there　might　be　other　kinds　of　leaders。　　He　had　been　reading　a　lot　about　Ethiopianism；　which　educated　American　negroes　had　been　trying　to　preach　in　South　Africa。　　He　did　not　see　why　a　kind　of　bastard　Christianity　should　not　be　the　motive　of　a　rising。　　'The　Kaffir　finds　it　an　easy　job　to　mix　up　Christian　emotion　and　pagan　practice。　　Look　at　Hayti　and　some　of　the　performances　in　the　Southern　States。'

Then　he　shook　the　ashes　out　of　his　pipe　and　leaned　forward　with　a　solemn　face。　　'I'll　admit　the　truth　to　you；　Davie。　　I'm　black　afraid。'

He　looked　so　earnest　and　serious　sitting　there　with　his　short…　sighted　eyes　peering　at　me　that　I　could　not　help　being　impressed。

'Whatever　is　the　matter？'　I　asked。　　'Has　anything　happened？'

He　shook　his　head。　　'Nothing　I　can　put　a　name　to。　　But　I　have　a　presentiment　that　some　mischief　is　afoot　in　these　hills。　　I　feel　it　in　my　bones。'

I　confess　I　was　startled　by　these　words。　　You　must　remember　that　I　had　never　given　a　hint　of　my　suspicions　to　Mr　Wardlaw　beyond　asking　him　if　a　wizard　lived　in　the　neighbourhood　…　a　question　anybody　might　have　put。　　But　here　was　the　schoolmaster　discovering　for　himself　some　mystery　in　Blaauwildebeestefontein。

I　tried　to　get　at　his　evidence；　but　it　was　very　little。　　He　thought　there　were　an　awful　lot　of　blacks　about。　　'The　woods　are　full　of　them；'　he　said。　　I　gathered　he　did　not　imagine　he　was　being　spied　on；　but　merely　felt　that　there　were　more　natives　about　than　could　be　explained。　'There's　another　thing；'　he　said。　　'The　native　bairns　have　all　left　the　school。　　I've　only　three　scholars　left；　and　they　are　from　Dutch　farms。　　I　went　to　Majinje　to　find　out　what　was　up；　and　an　old　crone　told　me　the　place　was　full　of　bad　men。　　I　tell　you；　Davie；　there's　something　brewing；　and　that　something　is　not　good　for　us。'

There　was　nothing　new　to　me　in　what　Wardlaw　had　to　tell；　and　yet　that　talk　late　at　night　by　a　dying　fire　made　me　feel　afraid　for　the　second　time　since　I　had　come　to　Blaauwildebeestefontein。　　I　had　a　clue　and　had　been　on　the　look…out　for　mysteries；　but　that　another　should　feel　the　strangeness　for　himself　made　it　seem　desperately　real　to　me。　　Of　course　I　scoffed　at　Mr　Wardlaw's　fears。　　I　could　not　have　him　spoiling　all　my　plans　by　crying　up　a　native　rising　for　which　he　had　not　a　scrap　of　evidence。

'Have　you　been　writing　to　anybody？'　I　asked　him。

He　said　that　he　had　told　no　one；　but　he　meant　to；　unless　things　got　better。　　'I　haven't　the　nerve　for　this　job；　Davie；'　he　said；　'I'll　have　to　resign。　　And　it's　a　pity；　for　the　place　suits　my　health　fine。　　You　see　I　know　too　much；　and　I　haven't　your　whinstone　nerve　and　total　lack　of　imagination。'

I　told　him　that　it　was　simply　fancy；　and　came　from　reading　too　many　books　and　taking　too　little　exercise。　　But　I　made　him　promise　to　say　nothing　to　anybody　either　by　word　of　mouth　or　letter；　without　telling　me　first。　　Then　I　made　him　a　rummer　of　toddy　and　sent　him　to　bed　a　trifle　comforted。

The　first　thing　I　did　in　my　new　room　was　to　shift　the　bed　into　the　corner　out　of　line　with　the　window。　　There　were　no　shutters；　so　I　put　up　an　old　table…top　and　jammed　it　between　the　window　frames。　　Also；　I　loaded　my　shot…gun　and　kept　it　by　my　bedside。　　Had　Wardlaw　seen　these　preparations　he　might　have　thought　more　of　my　imagination　and　less　of　my　nerve。　　It　was　a　real　comfort　to　me　to　put　out　a　hand　in　the　darkness　and

feel　Colin's　shaggy　coat。



CHAPTER　VI　THE　DRUMS　BEAT　AT　SUNSET


japp　was　drunk　for　the　next　day　or　two；　and　I　had　the　business　of　the　store　to　myself。　　I　was　glad　of　this；　for　it　gave　me　leisure　to　reflect　upon　the　various　perplexities　of　my　situation。　　As　I　have　said；　I　was　really　scared；　more　out　of　a　sense　of　impotence　than　from　dread　of　actual　danger。　　I　was　in　a　fog　of　uncertainty。　Things　were　happening　around　me　which　I　could　only　dimly　guess　at；　and　I　had　no　power　to　take　one　step　in　defence。　　That　Wardlaw　should　have　felt　the　same　without　any　hint　from　me　was　the　final　proof　that　the　mystery　was　no　figment　of　my　nerves。　　I　had　written　to　Colles　and　got　no　answer。　　Now　the　letter　with　Japp's　resignation　in　it　had　gone　to　Durban。　　Surely　some　notice　would　be　taken　of　that。　　If　I　was　given　the　post；　Colles　was　bound　to　consider　what　I　had　said　in　my　earlier　letter　and　give　me　some　directions。　　Meanwhile　it　was　my　business　to　stick　to　my　job　till　I　was　relieved。

A　change　had　come　over　the　place　during　my　absence。　　The　natives　had　almost　disappeared　from　sight。　　Except　the　few　families　living　round　Blaauwildebeestefontein　one　never　saw　a　native　on　the　roads；　and　none　came　into　the　store。　　They　were　sticking　close　to　their　locations；　or　else　they　had　gone　after　some　distant　business。　　Except　a　batch　of　three　Shangaans　returning　from　the　Rand；　I　had　nobody　in　the　store　for　the　whole　of　one　day。　　So　about　four　o'clock　I　shut　it　up；　whistled　on　Colin；　and　went　for　a　walk　along　the　Berg。

If　there　were　no　natives　on　the　road；　there　were　plenty　in　the　bush。　　I　had　the　impression；　of　which　Wardlaw　had　spoken；　that　the　native　population　of　the　countryside　had　suddenly　been　hugely　increased。　　The　woods　were　simply　hotching　with　them。　　I　was　being　spied　on　as　before；　but　now　there　were　so　many　at　the　business　that　they　could　not　all　conceal　their　tracks。　　Every　now　and　then　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　black　shoulder　or　leg；　and　Colin；　whom　I　kept　on　the　leash；　was　half…mad　with　excitement。　　I　had　seen　all　I　wanted；　and　went　home　with　a　preoccupied　mind。　　I　sat　long　on　Wardlaw's　garden…seat；　trying　to　puzzle　out　the　truth　of　this　spying。

What　perplexed　me　was　that　I　had　been　left　unmolested　when　I　had　gone　to　Umvelos'。　　Now；　as　I　conjectured；　the　secret　of　the　neighbourhood；　whatever　it　was；　was　probably　connected　with　the　Rooirand。　　But　when　I　had　ridden　in　that　direction　and　had　spent　two　days　in　exploring；　no　one　had　troubled　to　watch　me。　　I　was　quite　certain　about　this；　for　my　eye　had　grown　quick　to　note　espionage；　and　it　is　harder　for　a　spy　to　hide　in　the　spare　bush　of　the　flats　than　in　the　dense　thickets　on　these　uplands。

The　watchers；　then；　did　not　mind　my　fossicking