she-第22章

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could；　and　checked　thembetween　us；　Job　and　I；　
besides　the　woman；　killed　or　mortally　wounded　five　men　
with　our　pistols　before　they　were　emptied。　But　we　had　
no　time　to　reload；　and　they　still　came　on　in　a　way　
that　was　almost　splendid　in　its　recklessness；　seeing　
that　they　did　not　know　but　that　we　could　go　on　firing　
forever。

A　great　fellow　bounded　up　upon　the　platform；　and　Leo　
struck　him　dead　with　one　blow　of　his　powerful　arm；　
sending　the　knife　right　through　him。　I　did　the　same　by　
another；　but　Job　missed　his　stroke；　and　I　saw　a　brawny　
Amahagger　grip　him　by　the　middle　and　whirl　him　off　the　
rock。　The　knife；　not　being　secured　by　a　thong；　fell　
from　Job's　hand　as　he　did　so；　and；　by　a　most　happy　
accident　for　him　lit　upon　its　handle　on　the　rock；　just　
as　the　body　of　the　Amahagger；　being　undermost；　hit　
upon　its　point　and　was　transfixed　upon　it。　What　
happened　to　Job　after　that　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；　
but　my　own　impression　is　that　he　lay　still　upon　the　
corpse　of　his　deceased　assailant；　〃playing　possum；〃　as　
the　Americans　say。　As　for　myself；　I　was　soon　involved　
in　a　desperate　encounter　with　two　ruffians　who；　
luckily　for　me；　had　left　their　spears　behind　them；　and　
for　the　first　time　in　my　life　the　great　physical　power　
with　which　nature　has　endowed　me　stood　me　in　good　
stead。　I　had　hacked　at　the　head　of　one　man　with　my　
hunting…knife；　which　was　almost　as　big　and　heavy　as　a　
short　sword；　with　such　vigor　that　the　sharp　steel　had　
split　his　skull　down　to　the　eyes；　and　was　held　so　fast　
by　it　that　as　he　suddenly　fell　sideways　the　knife　was　
twisted　right　out　of　my　hand。

Then　it　was　that　the　two　others　sprang　upon　me。　I　saw　
them　coming；　and　got　an　arm　round　the　waist　of　each；　
and　down　we　all　fell　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave　
together；　rolling　over　and　over。　They　were　strong　men；　
but　I　was　mad　with　rage；　and　that　awful　lust　for　
slaughter　which　will　creep　into　the　hearts　of　the　most　
civilized　of　us　when　blows　are　flying；　and　life　and　
death　tremble　on　the　turn。　My　arms　were　round　the　two　
swarthy　demons；　and　I　hugged　them　till　I　heard　their　
ribs　crack　and　crunch　up　beneath　my　grip。　They　twisted　
and　writhed　like　snakes；　and　clawed　and　battered　at　me　
with　their　fists；　but　I　held　on。　Lying　on　my　back　
there；　so　that　their　bodies　might　protect　me　from　
spear　thrusts　from　above；　I　slowly　crushed　the　life　
out　of　them；　and　as　I　did　so；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　
I　thought　of　what　the　amiable　head　of　my　college　at　
Cambridge　（who　is　a　member　of　the　Peace　Society）　and　
my　brother　fellows　would　say　if　by　clairvoyance　they　
could　see　me；　of　all　men；　playing　such　a　bloody　game。　
Soon　my　assailants　grew　faint；　and　almost　ceased　to　
struggle；　their　breath　had　failed　them；　and　they　were　
dying；　but　still　I　dared　not　leave　them；　for　they　died　
very　slowly。　I　knew　that　if　I　relaxed　my　grip　they　
would　revive。　The　other　ruffians　probably　thoughtfor　
we　were　all　three　lying　in　the　shadow　of　the　ledge
that　we　were　all　dead　together；　at　any　rate　they　did　
not　interfere　with　our　little　tragedy。

I　turned　my　head；　and　as　I　lay　gasping　in　the　throes　
of　that　awful　struggle　I　could　see　that　Leo　was　off　
the　rock　now；　for　the　lamplight　fell　full　upon　him。　He　
was　still　on　his　feet；　but　in　the　centre　of　a　surging　
mass　of　struggling　men；　who　were　striving　to　pull　him　
down　as　wolves　pull　down　a　stag。　Up　above　them　towered　
his　beautiful　pale　face　crowned　with　its　bright　curls　
（for　Leo　is　six　feet　two　high）；　and　I　saw　that　he　was　
fighting　with　a　desperate　abandonment　and　energy　that　
was　at　once　splendid　and　hideous　to　behold。　He　drove　
his　knife　through　one　manthey　were　so　close　to　him　
and　mixed　up　with　him　that　they　could　not　get　at　him　
to　kill　him　with　their　big　spears；　and　they　had　no　
knives　or　sticks。　The　man　fell；　and　then　somehow　the　
knife　was　wrenched　from　his　hand；　leaving　him　
defenceless；　and　I　thought　the　end　had　come。　But　no；　
with　a　desperate　effort　he　broke　loose　from　them；　
seized　the　body　of　the　man　he　had　just　slain；　and　
lifting　it　high　in　the　air　hurled　it　right　at　the　mob　
of　his　assailants；　so　that　the　shock　and　weight　of　it　
swept　some　five　or　six　of　them　to　the　earth。　But　in　a　
minute　they　were　all　up　again；　except　one；　whose　skull　
was　smashed；　and　had　once　more　fastened　upon　him。　And　
then　slowly；　and　with　infinite　labor　and　struggling；　
the　wolves　bore　the　lion　down。　Once　even　then　he　
recovered　himself；　and　felled　an　Amahagger　with　his　
fist；　but　it　was　more　than　man　could　do　to　hold　his　
own　for　long　against　so　many；　and　at　last　he　came　
crashing　down　upon　the　rock　floor；　falling　as　an　oak　
falls；　and　bearing　with　him　to　the　earth　all　those　who　
clung　about　him。　They　gripped　him　by　his　arms　and　
legs；　and　then　cleared　off　his　body。

〃A　spear；〃　cried　a　voice；　〃a　spear　to　cut　his　throat；　
and　a　vessel　to　catch　his　blood。〃

I　shut　my　eyes；　for　I　saw　the　man　coming　with　a　spear；　
and　myself；　I　could　not　stir　to　Leo's　help；　for　I　was　
growing　weak；　and　the　two　men　on　me　were　not　yet　dead；　
and　a　deadly　sickness　overcame　me。

Then　suddenly　there　was　a　disturbance；　and　
involuntarily　I　opened　my　eyes　again；　and　looked　
towards　the　scene　of　murder。　The　girl　Ustane　had　
thrown　herself　on　Leo's　prostrate　form；　covering　his　
body　with　her　body；　and　fastening　her　arms　about　his　
neck。　They　tried　to　drag　her　from　him；　but　she　twisted　
her　legs　round　his；　and　hung　on　like　a　bulldog；　or　
rather　like　a　creeper　to　a　tree；　and　they　could　not。　
Then　they　tried　to　stab　him　in　the　side　without　
hurting　her；　but　somehow　she　shielded　him；　and　he　was　
only　wounded。

At　last　they　lost　patience。

〃Drive　the　spear　through　the　man　and　the　woman　
together；〃　said　a　voice；　the　same　voice　that　had　asked　
the　questions　at　that　ghastly　feast；　〃so　of　a　verity　
shall　they　be　wed。〃

Then　I　saw　the　man　with　the　weapon　straighten　himself　
for　the　effort。　I　saw　the　cold　steel　gleam　on　high；　
and　once　more　I　shut　my　eyes。

As　I　did　so　I　heard　the　voice　of　a　man　thunder　out　in　
tones　that　rang　and　echoed　down　the　rocky　ways

〃　_i_　Cease！　_i_　〃

Then　I　fainted；　and　as　I　did　so　it　flashed　through　my　
darkening　mind　that　I　was　passing　down　into　the　last　
oblivion　of　death。

CHAPTER　IX

A　LITTLE　FOOT

WHEN　I　opened　my　eyes　again　I　found　myself　lying　on　a　
skin　mat　not　far　from　the　fire　round　which　we　had　been　
gathered　for　that　dreadful　feast。

Near　me　lay　Leo；　still　apparently　in　a　swoon；　and　over　
him　was　bending　the　tall　form　of　the　girl　Ustane；　who　
was　washing　a　deep　spear　wound　in　his　side　with　cold　
water　preparatory　to　binding　it　up　with　linen。　Leaning　
against　the　wall　of　the　cave　behind　her　was　Job；　
apparently　uninjured；　but　bruised　and　trembling。　On　
the　other　side　of　the　fire；　tossed　about　this　way　and　
that；　as　though　they　had　thrown　themselves　down　to　
sleep　in　some　moment　of　absolute　exhaustion；　were　the　
bodies　of　those　whom　we　had　killed　in　our　frightful　
struggle　for　life。　I　counted　them；　there　were　twelve；　
besides　the　woman　and　the　corpse　of　poor　Mahomed；　who　
had　died　by　my　hand；　which；　the　fire…stained　pot　at　
its　side；　was　placed　at　the　end　of　the　irregular　line。　
To　the　left　a　body　of　men　were　engaged　in　binding　the　
arms　of　the　survivors　of　the　cannibals　behind　them；　
and　then　fastening　them　two　and　two。　The　villains　were　
submitting　with　a　look　of　sulky　indifference　upon　
their　faces　which　accorded　ill　with　the　baffled　fury　
that　gleamed　in　their　sombre　eyes。　In　front　of　these　
men；　directing　the　operations；　stood　no…other　than　our　
friend　Billali；　looking　rather　tired；　but　particularly　
patriarchal　with　his　flowing　beard；　and　as　cool　and　
unconcerned　as　though　he　were　superintending　the　
cutting…up　of　an　ox。

Presently　he　turned；　and；　perceiving　that　I　was　
sitting　up；　advanced　to　me；　and　with　the　utmost　
courtesy　said　that　he　trusted　that　I　felt　better。　I　
answered　that　at　present　I　scarcely　knew　how　I　felt；　
except　that　I　ached　all　over。

Then　he　bent　down　and　examined　Leo's　wound。

〃It　is　a　nasty　cut；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　spear　has　not　
pierced　the　entrails。　He　will　recover。〃

〃Thanks　to　thy　arrival；　my　father；〃　I　answered。　〃In　
another　minute　we　should　all　have　b