prester john-第18章

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'I　first　came　across　him　at　a　revival　meeting　in　London；　where　he　was　a　great　success。　　He　came　and　spoke　to　me　about　my　soul；　but　he　gave　up　when　I　dropped　into　Zulu。　　The　next　time　I　met　him　was　on　the　lower　Limpopo；　when　I　had　the　pleasure　of　trying　to　shoot　him　from　a　boat。'　Captain　Arcoll　took　his　pipe　from　his　mouth　and　laughed　at　the　recollection。

'I　had　got　on　to　an　I。D。B。　gang；　and　to　my　amazement　found　the　evangelist　among　them。　　But　the　Reverend　John　was　too　much　for　me。　　He　went　overboard　in　spite　of　the　crocodiles；　and　managed　to　swim　below　water　to　the　reed　bed　at　the　side。　However；　that　was　a　valuable　experience　for　me；　for　it　gave　me　a　clue。

'I　next　saw　him　at　a　Missionary　Conference　in　Cape　Town；　and　after　that　at　a　meeting　of　the　Geographical　Society　in　London；　where　I　had　a　long　talk　with　him。　　My　reputation　does　not　follow　me　home；　and　he　thought　I　was　an　English　publisher　with　an　interest　in　missions。　　You　see　I　had　no　evidence　to　connect　him　with　I。D。B。；　and　besides　I　fancied　that　his　real　game　was　something　bigger　than　that；　so　I　just　bided　my　time　and　watched。

'I　did　my　best　to　get　on　to　his　dossier；　but　it　was　no　easy　job。　　However；　I　found　out　a　few　things。　　He　had　been　educated　in　the　States；　and　well　educated　too；　for　the　man　is　a　good　scholar　and　a　great　reader；　besides　the　finest　natural　orator　I　have　ever　heard。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　he　was　of　Zulu　blood；　but　I　could　get　no　traces　of　his　family。　　He　must　come　of　high　stock；　for　he　is　a　fine　figure　of　a　man。　'Very　soon　I　found　it　was　no　good　following　him　in　his　excursions　into　civilization。　　There　he　was　merely　the　educated　Kaffir；　a　great　pet　of　missionary　societies；　and　a　favourite　speaker　at　Church　meetings。　　You　will　find　evidence　given　by　him　in　Blue…Books　on　native　affairs；　and　he　counted　many　members　of　Parliament　at　home　among　his　correspondents。　　I　let　that　side　go；　and　resolved　to　dog　him　when　on　his　evangelizing　tours　in　the　back…veld。

'For　six　months　I　stuck　to　him　like　a　leech。　　I　am　pretty　good　at　disguises；　and　he　never　knew　who　was　the　broken…down　old　Kaffir　who　squatted　in　the　dirt　at　the　edge　of　the　crowd　when　he　spoke；　or　the　half…caste　who　called　him　〃Sir〃　and　drove　his　Cape…cart。　　I　had　some　queer　adventures；　but　these　can　wait。　The　gist　of　the　thing　is；　that　after　six　months　which　turned　my　hair　grey　I　got　a　glimmering　of　what　he　was　after。　　He　talked　Christianity　to　the　mobs　in　the　kraals；　but　to　the　indunas*　he　told　a　different　story。'　　　　　　　　　　　*Lesser　chiefs。

Captain　Arcoll　helped　himself　to　a　drink。　　'You　can　guess　what　that　story　was；　Mr　Crawfurd。　　At　full　moon　when　the　black　cock　was　blooded；　the　Reverend　John　forgot　his　Christianity。　He　was　back　four　centuries　among　the　Mazimba　sweeping　down　on　the　Zambesi。　　He　told　them；　and　they　believed　him；　that　he　was　the　Umkulunkulu；　the　incarnated　spirit　of　Prester　John。　　He　told　them　that　he　was　there　to　lead　the　African　race　to　conquest　and　empire。　　Ay；　and　he　told　them　more：　for　he　has；　or　says　he　has；　the　Great　Snake　itself；　the　necklet　of　Prester　John。'

Neither　of　us　spoke；　we　were　too　occupied　with　fitting　this　news　into　our　chain　of　knowledge。

Captain　Arcoll　went　on。　　'Now　that　I　knew　his　purpose；　I　set　myself　to　find　out　his　preparations。　　It　was　not　long　before　I　found　a　mighty　organization　at　work　from　the　Zambesi　to　the　Cape。　　The　great　tribes　were　up　to　their　necks　in　the　conspiracy；　and　all　manner　of　little　sects　had　been　taken　in。　　I　have　sat　at　tribal　councils　and　been　sworn　a　blood　brother；　and　I　have　used　the　secret　password　to　get　knowledge　in　odd　places。　　It　was　a　dangerous　game；　and；　as　I　have　said；　I　had　my　adventures；　but　I　came　safe　out　of　it　…　with　my　knowledge。

'The　first　thing　I　found　out　was　that　there　was　a　great　deal　of　wealth　somewhere　among　the　tribes。　　Much　of　it　was　in　diamonds；　which　the　labourers　stole　from　the　mines　and　the　chiefs　impounded。　　Nearly　every　tribe　had　its　secret　chest；　and　our　friend　Laputa　had　the　use　of　them　all。　　Of　course　the　difficulty　was　changing　the　diamonds　into　coin；　and　he　had　to　start　I。D。B。　on　a　big　scale。　　Your　pal；　Henriques；　was　the　chief　agent　for　this；　but　he　had　others　at　Mozambique　and　Johannesburg；　ay；　and　in　London；　whom　I　have　on　my　list。　　With　the　money；　guns　and　ammunition　were　bought；　and　it　seems　that　a　pretty　flourishing　trade　has　been　going　on　for　some　time。　They　came　in　mostly　overland　through　Portuguese　territory；　though　there　have　been　cases　of　consignments　to　Johannesburg　houses；　the　contents　of　which　did　not　correspond　with　the　invoice。　　You　ask　what　the　Governments　were　doing　to　let　this　go　on。　　Yes；　and　you　may　well　ask。　　They　were　all　asleep。　　They　never　dreamed　of　danger　from　the　natives；　and　in　any　case　it　was　difficult　to　police　the　Portuguese　side。　　Laputa　knew　our　weakness；　and　he　staked　everything　on　it。

'my　first　scheme　was　to　lay　Laputa　by　the　heels；　but　no　Government　would　act　on　my　information。　　The　man　was　strongly　buttressed　by　public　support　at　home；　and　South　Africa　has　burned　her　fingers　before　this　with　arbitrary　arrests。　Then　I　tried　to　fasten　I。D。B。　on　him；　but　I　could　not　get　my　proofs　till　too　late。　　I　nearly　had　him　in　Durban；　but　he　got　away；　and　he　never　gave　me　a　second　chance。　　For　five　months　he　and　Henriques　have　been　lying　low；　because　their　scheme　was　getting　very　ripe。　　I　have　been　following　them　through　Zululand　and　Gazaland；　and　I　have　discovered　that　the　train　is　ready；　and　only　wants　the　match。　　For　a　month　I　have　never　been　more　than　five　hours　behind　him　on　the　trail；　and　if　he　has　laid　his　train；　I　have　laid　mine　also。'

Arcoll's　whimsical；　humorous　face　had　hardened　into　grimness；　and　in　his　eyes　there　was　the　light　of　a　fierce　purpose。　The　sight　of　him　comforted　me；　in　spite　of　his　tale。

'But　what　can　he　hope　to　do？'　I　asked。　　'Though　he　roused　every　Kaffir　in　South　Africa　he　would　be　beaten。　　You　say　he　is　an　educated　man。　　He　must　know　he　has　no　chance　in　the　long　run。'

'I　said　he　was　an　educated　man；　but　he　is　also　a　Kaffir。　　He　can　see　the　first　stage　of　a　thing；　and　maybe　the　second；　but　no　more。　　That　is　the　native　mind。　　If　it　was　not　like　that　our　chance　would　be　the　worse。'

'You　say　the　scheme　is　ripe；'　I　said；　'how　ripe？'

Arcoll　looked　at　the　clock。　　'In　half　an　hour's　time　Laputa　will　be　with　'Mpefu。　　There　he　will　stay　the　night。　　To…morrow　morning　he　goes　to　Umvelos'　to　meet　Henriques。　　To…morrow　evening　the　gathering　begins。'

'One　question；'　I　said。　　'How　big　a　man　is　Laputa？'

'The　biggest　thing　that　the　Kaffirs　have　ever　produced。　　I　tell　you；　in　my　opinion　he　is　a　great　genius。　　If　he　had　been　white　he　might　have　been　a　second　Napoleon。　　He　is　a　born　leader　of　men；　and　as　brave　as　a　lion。　　There　is　no　villainy　he　would　not　do　if　necessary；　and　yet　I　should　hesitate　to　call　him　a　blackguard。　　Ay；　you　may　look　surprised　at　me；　you　two　pragmatical　Scotsmen；　but　I　have；　so　to　speak；　lived　with　the　man　for　months；　and　there's　fineness　and　nobility　in　him。　　He　would　be　a　terrible　enemy；　but　a　just　one。　　He　has　the　heart　of　a　poet　and　a　king；　and　it　is　God's　curse　that　he　has　been　born　among　the　children　of　Ham。　　I　hope　to　shoot　him　like　a　dog　in　a　day　or　two；　but　I　am　glad　to　bear　testimony　to　his　greatness。'

'If　the　rising　starts　to…morrow；'　I　asked；　'have　you　any　of　his　plans？'

He　picked　up　a　map　from　the　table　and　opened　it。　　'The　first　rendezvous　is　somewhere　near　Sikitola's。　　Then　they　move　south；　picking　up　contingents；　and　the　final　concentration　is　to　be　on　the　high　veld　near　Amsterdam；　which　is　convenient　for　the　Swazis　and　the　Zulus。　　After　that　I　know　nothing；　but　of　course　there　are　local　concentrations　along　the　whole　line　of　the　Berg　from　Mashonaland　to　Basutoland。　　Now；　look　here。　To　get　to　Amsterdam　they　must　cross　the　Delagoa　Bay　Railway。　　Well；　they　won't　be　allowed　to。　　If　they　get　as　far；　they　will　be　scattered　there。　　As　I　told　you；　I　too　have　laid　my　train。　　We　have　the　police　ready　all　along　the　scarp　of　the　Berg。　Every　exit　from　native　territory　is　watched；　and　the　frontier　farmers　are　out　on　commando。　　We　have　regulars　on　the　Delagoa　Bay　and　Natal　lines；　and　a　system　of　field　telegraphs　laid　which　can　summon　further　troops　to　any　point。　　It　has　all　been　kept　secret；　bec