a simpleton-第73章

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brain。

He　hem'd　and　haw'd　a　little　at　Squat's　proposal；　and　then　got　out
of　it　by　saying；　〃That　is　not　necessary。　　I　can　shoot　it　from
here。〃

〃It　is　too　far；〃　objected　Blacky。

〃Too　far！　　This　is　an　Enfield　rifle。　　I　could　kill　the　poor　beast
at　three　times　that　distance。〃

Blacky　was　amazed。　　〃An　Enfield　rifle；〃　said　he；　in　the　soft
musical　murmur　of　his　tribe；　which　is　the　one　charm　of　the　poor
Hottentot；　〃and　shoot　three　times　SO　far。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Christopher。　　Then；　seeing　his　companion's　hesitation；
he　conceived　a　hope。　　〃If　I　kill　that　eland　from　here；　will　you
give　me　the　diamond　for　my　horse　and　the　wonderful　rifle？no
Hottentot　has　such　a　rifle。〃

Squat　became　cold　directly。　　〃The　price　of　the　diamond　is　two
hundred　pounds。〃

Staines　groaned　with　disappointment；　and　thought　to　himself　with
rage；　〃Anybody　but　me　would　club　the　rifle；　give　the　obstinate
black　brute　a　stunner；　and　take　the　diamondGod　forgive　me！〃

Says　the　Hottentot　cunningly；　〃I　can't　think　so　far　as　white　man。
Let　me　see　the　eland　dead；　and　then　I　shall　know　how　far　the　rifle
shoot。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Staines。　　But　he　felt　sure　the　savage　only　wanted
his　meal；　and　would　never　part　with　the　diamond；　except　for　the　odd
money。

However；　he　loaded　his　left　barrel　with　one　of　the　explosive
projectiles　Falcon　had　given　him；　it　was　a　little　fulminating　shell
with　a　steel　point。　　It　was　with　this　barrel　he　had　shot　the　murcat
overnight；　and　he　had　found　he　shot　better　with　this　barrel　than
the　other。　　He　loaded　his　left　barrel　then；　saw　the　powder　well　up；
capped　it　and　cut　away　a　strip　of　the　acacia　with　his　knife　to　see
clear；　and　lying　down　in　volunteer　fashion；　elbow　on　ground；　drew
his　bead　steadily　on　an　eland　who　presented　him　her　broadside；　her
back　being　turned　to　the　wood。　　The　sun　shone　on　her　soft　coat；　and
never　was　a　fairer　mark；　the　sportsman's　deadly　eye　being　in　the
cool　shade；　the　animal　in　the　sun。

He　aimed　long　and　steadily。　　But　just　as　he　was　about　to　pull　the
trigger；　Mind　interposed；　and　he　lowered　the　deadly　weapon。　　〃Poor
creature！〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　to　take　her　lifefor　what？　for　a
single　meal。　　She　is　as　big　as　a　pony；　and　I　am　to　lay　her　carcass
on　the　plain；　that　we　may　eat　two　pounds　of　it。　　This　is　how　the
weasel　kills　the　rabbit；　sucks　an　ounce　of　blood　for　his　food；　and
wastes　the　rest。　　So　the　demoralized　sheep…dog　tears　out　the　poor
creature's　kidneys；　and　wastes　the　rest。　　Man；　armed　by　science
with　such　powers　of　slaying；　should　be　less　egotistical　than
weasels　and　perverted　sheep…dogs。　　I　will　not　kill　her。　　I　will　not
lay　that　beautiful　body　of　hers　low；　and　glaze　those　tender；　loving
eyes　that　never　gleamed　with　hate　or　rage　at　man；　and　fix　those
innocent　jaws　that　never　bit　the　life　out　of　anything；　not　even　of
the　grass　she　feeds　on；　and　does　it　more　good　than　harm。　　Feed　on；
poor　innocent。　　And　you　be　blanked；　you　and　your　diamond；　that　I
begin　to　wish　I　had　never　seen；　for　it　would　corrupt　an　angel。〃

Squat　understood　one　word　in　ten；　but　he　managed　to　reply。　　〃This
is　nonsense…talk；〃　said　he；　gravely。　　〃The　life　is　no　bigger　in
that　than　in　the　murcat　you　shot　last　shoot。〃

〃No　more　it　is；〃　said　Staines。　　〃I　am　a　fool。　　It　is　come　to　this；
then；　Kafirs　teach　us　theology；　and　Hottentots　morality。　　I　bow　to
my　intellectual　superior。　　I'll　shoot　the　eland。〃　　He　raised　his
rifle　again。

〃No；　no；　no；　no；　no；　no；〃　murmured　the　Hottentot；　in　a　sweet　voice
scarcely　audible；　yet　so　keen　in　its　entreaty；　that　Staines　turned
hastily　round　to　look　at　him。　　His　face　was　ashy；　his　teeth
chattering；　his　limbs　shaking。　　Before　Staines　could　ask　him　what
was　the　matter；　he　pointed　through　an　aperture　of　the　acacias　into
the　wood　hard　by　the　elands。　　Staines　looked；　and　saw　what　seemed
to　him　like　a　very　long　dog；　or　some　such　animal；　crawling　from
tree　to　tree。　　He　did　not　at　all　share　the　terror　of　his　companion；
nor　understand　it。　　But　a　terrible　explanation　followed。　　This
creature；　having　got　to　the　skirt　of　the　wood；　expanded；　by　some
strange　magic；　to　an　incredible　size；　and　sprang　into　the　open；
with　a　growl；　a　mighty　lion；　he　seemed　to　ricochet　from　the　ground；
so　immense　was　his　second　bound；　that　carried　him　to　the　eland；　and
he　struck　her　one　blow　on　the　head　with　his　terrible　paw；　and
felled　her　as　if　with　a　thunderbolt：　down　went　her　body；　with　all
the　legs　doubled；　and　her　poor　head　turned　over；　and　the　nose
kissed　the　ground。　　The　lion　stood　motionless。　　Presently　the
eland；　who　was　not　dead；　but　stunned；　began　to　recover　and　struggle
feebly　up。　　Then　the　lion　sprang　on　her　with　a　roar；　and　rolled　her
over；　and　with　two　tremendous　bites　and　a　shake；　tore　her　entrails
out　and　laid　her　dying。　　He　sat　composedly　down；　and　contemplated
her　last　convulsions；　without　touching　her　again。

At　this　roar；　though　not　loud；　the　horse；　though　he　had　never　heard
or　seen　a　lion；　trembled；　and　pulled　at　his　halter。

Blacky　crept　into　the　water；　and　Staines　was　struck　with　such　an
awe　as　he　had　never　felt。　　Nevertheless；　the　king　of　beasts　being
at　a　distance；　and　occupied；　and　Staines　a　brave　man；　and　out　of
sight；　he　kept　his　ground　and　watched；　and　by　those　means　saw　a
sight　never　to　be　forgotten。　　The　lion　rose　up；　and　stood　in　the
sun　incredibly　beautiful　as　well　as　terrible。　　He　was　not　the　mangy
hue　of　the　caged　lion；　but　a　skin　tawny；　golden；　glossy　as　a　race…
horse；　and　of　exquisite　tint　that　shone　like　pure　gold　in　the　sun；
his　eye　a　lustrous　jewel　of　richest　hue；　and　his　mane　sublime。　　He
looked　towards　the　wood；　and　uttered　a　full　roar。　　This　was　so
tremendous　that　the　horse　shook　all　over　as　if　in　an　ague；　and
began　to　lather。　　Staines　recoiled；　and　his　flesh　crept；　and　the
Hottentot　went　under　water；　and　did　not　emerge　for　ever　so　long。

After　a　pause；　the　lion　roared　again；　and　all　the　beasts　and　birds
of　prey　seemed　to　know　the　meaning　of　that　terrible　roar。　　Till
then　the　place　had　been　a　solitude；　but　now　it　began　to　fill　in　the
strangest　way；　as　if　the　lord　of　the　forest　could　call　all　his
subjects　together　with　a　trumpet　roar：　first　came　two　lion　cubs；　to
whom；　in　fact；　the　roar　had　been　addressed。　　The　lion　rubbed
himself　several　times　against　the　eland；　but　did　not　eat　a　morsel；
and　the　cubs　went　in　and　feasted　on　the　prey。　　The　lion　politely
and　paternally　drew　back；　and　watched　the　young　people　enjoying
themselves。

Meantime　approached；　on　tiptoe；　jackals　and　hyenas；　but　dared　not
come　too　near。　　Slate…colored　vultures　settled　at　a　little
distance；　but　not　a　soul　dared　interfere　with　the　cubs；　they　saw
the　lion　was　acting　sentinel；　and　they　knew　better　than　come　near。

After　a　time；　papa　feared　for　the　digestion　of　those　brats；　or　else
his　own　mouth　watered；　for　he　came　up；　knocked　them　head　over　heels
with　his　velvet　paw；　and　they　took　the　gentle　hint；　and　ran　into
the　wood　double　quick。

Then　the　lion　began　tearing　away　at　the　eland；　and　bolting　huge
morsels　greedily。　　This　made　the　rabble's　mouth　water。　　The　hyenas；
and　jackals；　and　vultures　formed　a　circle　ludicrous　to　behold；　and
that　circle　kept　narrowing　as　the　lion　tore　away　at　his　prey。　　They
increased　in　number；　and　at　last　hunger　overcame　prudence；　the　rear
rank　shoved　on　the　front；　as　amongst　men；　and　a　general　attack
seemed　imminent。

Then　the　lion　looked　up　at　these　invaders；　uttered　a　reproachful
growl；　and　went　at　them；　patting　them　right　and　left；　and　knocking
them　over。　　He　never　touched　a　vulture；　nor　indeed　did　he　kill　an
animal。　　He　was　a　lion；　and　only　killed　to　eat；　yet　he　soon　cleared
the　place；　because　he　knocked　over　a　few　hyenas　and　jackals；　and
the　rest；　being　active；　tumbled　over　the　vultures　before　they　could
spread　their　heavy　wings。　　After　this　warning；　they　made　a
respectful　circle　again；　through　which；　in　due　course；　the　gorged
lion　stalked　into　the　wood。

A　savage's　sentiments　change　quickly；　and　the　Hottentot；　fearing
little　from　a　full　lion；　was　now　giggling　at　Staines's　side。
Staines　asked　him　which　he　thought　was　the　lord　of　all　creatures；　a
man　or　a　lion。

〃A　lion；〃　said　Blacky；　amazed　at　such　a　shallow　question。

Staines　now　got　up；　and　proposed　to　continue　their　jo