09-rikki-tikki-tavi-第3章

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〃But　are　you　sure　that　there　is　anything　to　be　gained　by

killing　the　people？〃　said　Nag。



〃Everything。　　When　there　were　no　people　in　the　bungalow；　did

we　have　any　mongoose　in　the　garden？　　So　long　as　the　bungalow　is

empty；　we　are　king　and　queen　of　the　garden；　and　remember　that　as

soon　as　our　eggs　in　the　melon　bed　hatch　（as　they　may　tomorrow）；

our　children　will　need　room　and　quiet。〃



〃I　had　not　thought　of　that；〃　said　Nag。　　〃I　will　go；　but　there

is　no　need　that　we　should　hunt　for　Rikki…tikki　afterward。　　I　will

kill　the　big　man　and　his　wife；　and　the　child　if　I　can；　and　come

away　quietly。　　Then　the　bungalow　will　be　empty；　and　Rikki…tikki

will　go。〃



Rikki…tikki　tingled　all　over　with　rage　and　hatred　at　this；　and

then　Nag's　head　came　through　the　sluice；　and　his　five　feet　of　cold

body　followed　it。　　Angry　as　he　was；　Rikki…tikki　was　very

frightened　as　he　saw　the　size　of　the　big　cobra。　　Nag　coiled

himself　up；　raised　his　head；　and　looked　into　the　bathroom　in　the

dark；　and　Rikki　could　see　his　eyes　glitter。



〃Now；　if　I　kill　him　here；　Nagaina　will　know；　and　if　I　fight

him　on　the　open　floor；　the　odds　are　in　his　favor。　　What　am　I　to

do？〃　said　Rikki…tikki…tavi。



Nag　waved　to　and　fro；　and　then　Rikki…tikki　heard　him　drinking

from　the　biggest　water…jar　that　was　used　to　fill　the　bath。　　〃That

is　good；〃　said　the　snake。　　〃Now；　when　Karait　was　killed；　the　big

man　had　a　stick。　　He　may　have　that　stick　still；　but　when　he　comes

in　to　bathe　in　the　morning　he　will　not　have　a　stick。　　I　shall　wait

here　till　he　comes。　　Nagainado　you　hear　me？I　shall　wait

here　in　the　cool　till　daytime。〃



There　was　no　answer　from　outside；　so　Rikki…tikki　knew　Nagaina

had　gone　away。　　Nag　coiled　himself　down；　coil　by　coil；　round　the

bulge　at　the　bottom　of　the　water　jar；　and　Rikki…tikki　stayed　still

as　death。　　After　an　hour　he　began　to　move；　muscle　by　muscle；

toward　the　jar。　　Nag　was　asleep；　and　Rikki…tikki　looked　at　his　big

back；　wondering　which　would　be　the　best　place　for　a　good　hold。

〃If　I　don't　break　his　back　at　the　first　jump；〃　said　Rikki；　〃he　can

still　fight。　　And　if　he　fightsO　Rikki！〃　　He　looked　at　the

thickness　of　the　neck　below　the　hood；　but　that　was　too　much　for

him；　and　a　bite　near　the　tail　would　only　make　Nag　savage。



〃It　must　be　the　head〃'　he　said　at　last；　〃the　head　above　the

hood。　　And；　when　I　am　once　there；　I　must　not　let　go。〃



Then　he　jumped。　　The　head　was　lying　a　little　clear　of　the

water　jar；　under　the　curve　of　it；　and；　as　his　teeth　met；　Rikki

braced　his　back　against　the　bulge　of　the　red　earthenware　to　hold

down　the　head。　　This　gave　him　just　one　second's　purchase；　and　he

made　the　most　of　it。　　Then　he　was　battered　to　and　fro　as　a　rat　is

shaken　by　a　dogto　and　fro　on　the　floor；　up　and　down；　and

around　in　great　circles；　but　his　eyes　were　red　and　he　held　on　as

the　body　cart…whipped　over　the　floor；　upsetting　the　tin　dipper　and

the　soap　dish　and　the　flesh　brush；　and　banged　against　the　tin　side

of　the　bath。　　As　he　held　he　closed　his　jaws　tighter　and　tighter；

for　he　made　sure　he　would　be　banged　to　death；　and；　for　the　honor

of　his　family；　he　preferred　to　be　found　with　his　teeth　locked。　　He

was　dizzy；　aching；　and　felt　shaken　to　pieces　when　something　went

off　like　a　thunderclap　just　behind　him。　　A　hot　wind　knocked　him

senseless　and　red　fire　singed　his　fur。　　The　big　man　had　been

wakened　by　the　noise；　and　had　fired　both　barrels　of　a　shotgun　into

Nag　just　behind　the　hood。



Rikki…tikki　held　on　with　his　eyes　shut；　for　now　he　was　quite

sure　he　was　dead。　　But　the　head　did　not　move；　and　the　big　man

picked　him　up　and　said；　〃It's　the　mongoose　again；　Alice。　　The

little　chap　has　saved　our　lives　now。〃



Then　Teddy's　mother　came　in　with　a　very　white　face；　and　saw

what　was　left　of　Nag；　and　Rikki…tikki　dragged　himself　to　Teddy's

bedroom　and　spent　half　the　rest　of　the　night　shaking　himself

tenderly　to　find　out　whether　he　really　was　broken　into　forty

pieces；　as　he　fancied。



When　morning　came　he　was　very　stiff；　but　well　pleased　with　his

doings。　　〃Now　I　have　Nagaina　to　settle　with；　and　she　will　be　worse

than　five　Nags；　and　there's　no　knowing　when　the　eggs　she　spoke　of

will　hatch。　　Goodness！　　I　must　go　and　see　Darzee；〃　he　said。



Without　waiting　for　breakfast；　Rikki…tikki　ran　to　the

thornbush　where　Darzee　was　singing　a　song　of　triumph　at　the　top　of

his　voice。　　The　news　of　Nag's　death　was　all　over　the　garden；　for

the　sweeper　had　thrown　the　body　on　the　rubbish…heap。



〃Oh；　you　stupid　tuft　of　feathers！〃　said　Rikki…tikki　angrily。

〃Is　this　the　time　to　sing？〃



〃Nag　is　deadis　deadis　dead！〃　sang　Darzee。　　〃The

valiant　Rikki…tikki　caught　him　by　the　head　and　held　fast。　　The　big

man　brought　the　bang…stick；　and　Nag　fell　in　two　pieces！　　He　will

never　eat　my　babies　again。〃



〃All　that's　true　enough。　　But　where's　Nagaina？〃　said

Rikki…tikki；　looking　carefully　round　him。



〃Nagaina　came　to　the　bathroom　sluice　and　called　for　Nag；〃

Darzee　went　on；　〃and　Nag　came　out　on　the　end　of　a　stickthe

sweeper　picked　him　up　on　the　end　of　a　stick　and　threw　him　upon　the

rubbish　heap。　　Let　us　sing　about　the　great；　the　red…eyed

Rikki…tikki！〃　　And　Darzee　filled　his　throat　and　sang。



〃If　I　could　get　up　to　your　nest；　I'd　roll　your　babies　out！〃

said　Rikki…tikki。　　〃You　don't　know　when　to　do　the　right　thing　at

the　right　time。　　You're　safe　enough　in　your　nest　there；　but　it's

war　for　me　down　here。　　Stop　singing　a　minute；　Darzee。〃



〃For　the　great；　the　beautiful　Rikki…tikki's　sake　I　will　stop；〃

said　Darzee。　　〃What　is　it；　O　Killer　of　the　terrible　Nag？〃



〃Where　is　Nagaina；　for　the　third　time？〃



〃On　the　rubbish　heap　by　the　stables；　mourning　for　Nag。　　Great

is　Rikki…tikki　with　the　white　teeth。〃



〃Bother　my　white　teeth！　　Have　you　ever　heard　where　she　keeps

her　eggs？〃



〃In　the　melon　bed；　on　the　end　nearest　the　wall；　where　the　sun

strikes　nearly　all　day。　　She　hid　them　there　weeks　ago。〃



〃And　you　never　thought　it　worth　while　to　tell　me？　　The　end

nearest　the　wall；　you　said？〃



〃Rikki…tikki；　you　are　not　going　to　eat　her　eggs？〃



〃Not　eat　exactly；　no。　　Darzee；　if　you　have　a　grain　of　sense

you　will　fly　off　to　the　stables　and　pretend　that　your　wing　is

broken；　and　let　Nagaina　chase　you　away　to　this　bush。　　I　must　get

to　the　melon…bed；　and　if　I　went　there　now　she'd　see　me。〃



Darzee　was　a　feather…brained　little　fellow　who　could　never

hold　more　than　one　idea　at　a　time　in　his　head。　　And　just　because

he　knew　that　Nagaina's　children　were　born　in　eggs　like　his　own；　he

didn't　think　at　first　that　it　was　fair　to　kill　them。　　But　his　wife

was　a　sensible　bird；　and　she　knew　that　cobra's　eggs　meant　young

cobras　later　on。　　So　she　flew　off　from　the　nest；　and　left　Darzee

to　keep　the　babies　warm；　and　continue　his　song　about　the　death　of

Nag。　　Darzee　was　very　like　a　man　in　some　ways。



She　fluttered　in　front　of　Nagaina　by　the　rubbish　heap　and

cried　out；　〃Oh；　my　wing　is　broken！　　The　boy　in　the　house　threw　a

stone　at　me　and　broke　it。〃　　Then　she　fluttered　more　desperately

than　ever。



Nagaina　lifted　up　her　head　and　hissed；　〃You　warned　Rikki…tikki

when　I　would　have　killed　him。　　Indeed　and　truly；　you've　chosen　a

bad　place　to　be　lame　in。〃　　And　she　moved　toward　Darzee's　wife；

slipping　along　over　the　dust。



〃The　boy　broke　it　with　a　stone！〃　shrieked　Darzee's　wife。



〃Well！　　It　may　be　some　consolation　to　you　when　you're　dead　to

know　that　I　shall　settle　accounts　with　the　boy。　　My　husband　lies

on　the　rubbish　heap　this　morning；　but　before　night　the　boy　in　the

house　will　lie　very　still。　　What　is　the　use　of　running　away？　　I　am

sure　to　catch　you。　　Little　fool；　look　at　me！〃



Darzee's　wife　knew　better　than　to　do　that；　for　a　bird　who

looks　at　a　snake's　eyes　gets　so　frightened　that　she　cannot　move。

Darzee's　wife　fluttered　on；　piping　sorrowfully；　and　never　leaving

the　ground；　and　Nagaina　quickened　her　pace。



Rikki…tikki　heard　them　going　up　the　path　from　the　stables；　and

he　raced　for　the　end　of　the　melon　patch　near　the　wall。