prester john-第22章

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'Well；　when　we　get　there；　what　happens？'　Henriques　asked　with　a　laugh。　　'What　kind　of　magic　will　you　spring　on　us？'

There　was　a　strong　contrast　between　the　flippant　tone　of　the　Portugoose　and　the　grave　voice　which　answered　him。

'The　Keeper　of　the　Snake　will　open　the　holy　place；　and　bring　forth　the　Isetembiso　sami。*　As　the　leader　of　my　people；　I　will　assume　the　collar　of　Umkulunkulu　in　the　name　of　our　God　and　the　spirits　of　the　great　dead。'　　　　　　　　　　　*Literally；　'Very　sacred　thing'。

'But　you　don't　propose　to　lead　the　march　in　a　necklace　of　rubies；'　said　Henriques；　with　a　sudden　eagerness　in　his　voice。

Again　Laputa　spoke　gravely；　and；　as　it　were；　abstractedly。　　I　heard　the　voice　of　one　whose　mind　was　fixed　on　a　far　horizon。

'When　I　am　acclaimed　king；　I　restore　the　Snake　to　its　Keeper；　and　swear　never　to　clasp　it　on　my　neck　till　I　have　led　my　people　to　victory。'

'I　see；'　said　Henriques。　　'What　about　the　purification　you　mentioned？'

I　had　missed　this　before　and　listened　earnestly。

'The　vows　we　take　in　the　holy　place　bind　us　till　we　are　purged　of　them　at　Inanda's　Kraal。　　Till　then　no　blood　must　be　shed　and　no　flesh　eaten。　　It　was　the　fashion　of　our　forefathers。'

'Well；　I　think　you've　taken　on　a　pretty　risky　job；'　Henriques　said。　　'You　propose　to　travel　a　hundred　miles；　binding　yourself　not　to　strike　a　blow。　　It　is　simply　putting　yourself　at　the　mercy　of　any　police　patrol。'

'There　will　be　no　patrol；'　Laputa　replied。　　'Our　march　will　be　as　secret　and　as　swift　as　death。　　I　have　made　my　preparations。'

'But　suppose　you　met　with　opposition；'　the　Portugoose　persisted；　'would　the　rule　hold？'

'If　any　try　to　stop　us；　we　shall　tie　them　hand　and　foot；　and　carry　them　with　us。　　Their　fate　will　be　worse　than　if　they　had　been　slain　in　battle。'

'I　see；'　said　Henriques；　whistling　through　his　teeth。　　'Well；　before　we　start　this　vow　business；　I　think　I'll　go　back　and　settle　that　storekeeper。'

Laputa　shook　his　head。　　'Will　you　be　serious　and　hear　me？　We　have　no　time　to　knife　harmless　fools。　　Before　we　start　for　Ntabakaikonjwa　I　must　have　from　you　the　figures　of　the　arming　in　the　south。　　That　is　the　one　thing　which　remains　to　be　settled。'

I　am　certain　these　figures　would　have　been　most　interesting；　but　I　never　heard　them。　　My　feet　were　getting　cramped　with　standing　on　the　bricks；　and　I　inadvertently　moved　them。　　The　bricks　came　down　with　a　rattle；　and　unfortunately　in　slipping　I　clutched　at　the　trap。　　This　was　too　much　for　my　frail　prop；　and　the　door　slammed　down　with　a　great　noise。

Here　was　a　nice　business　for　the　eavesdropper！　　I　scurried　along　the　passage　as　stealthily　as　I　could　and　clambered　back　into　the　store；　while　I　heard　the　sound　of　Laputa　and　Henriques　ferreting　among　the　barrels。　　I　managed　to　throttle　Colin　and　prevent　him　barking；　but　I　could　not　get　the　confounded　trap　to　close　behind　me。　　Something　had　jammed　in　it；　and　it　remained　half　a　foot　open。

I　heard　the　two　approaching　the　door；　and　I　did　the　best　thing　that　occurred　to　me。　　I　pulled　Colin　over　the　trap；　rolled　on　the　top　of　him；　and　began　to　snore　heavily　as　if　in　a　drunken　slumber。

The　key　was　turned；　and　the　gleam　of　a　lantern　was　thrown　on　the　wall。　　It　flew　up　and　down　as　its　bearer　cast　the　light　into　the　corners。

'By　God；　he's　gone；'　I　heard　Henriques　say。　　'The　swine　was　listening；　and　he　has　bolted　now。'

'He　won't　bolt　far；'　Laputa　said。　　'He　is　here。　　He　is　snoring　behind　the　counter。'

These　were　anxious　moments　for　me。　　I　had　a　firm　grip　on　Colin's　throat；　but　now　and　then　a　growl　escaped；　which　was　fortunately　blended　with　my　snores。　　I　felt　that　a　lantern　was　flashed　on　me；　and　that　the　two　men　were　peering　down　at　the　heap　on　the　half…opened　trap。　　I　think　that　was　the　worst　minute　I　ever　spent；　for；　as　I　have　said；　my　courage　was　not　so　bad　in　action；　but　in　a　passive　game　it　oozed　out　of　my　fingers。

'He　is　safe　enough；'　Laputa　said；　after　what　seemed　to　me　an　eternity。　　'The　noise　was　only　the　rats　among　the　barrels。'　I　thanked　my　Maker　that　they　had　not　noticed　the　other　trap…door。　'All　the　same　I　think　I'll　make　him　safer；'　said　Henriques。

Laputa　seemed　to　have　caught　him　by　the　arm。

'Come　back　and　get　to　business；'　he　said。　　'I've　told　you　I'll　have　no　more　murder。　　You　will　do　as　I　tell　you；　Mr　Henriques。'

I　did　not　catch　the　answer；　but　the　two　went　out　and　locked　the　door。　　I　patted　the　outraged　Colin；　and　got　to　my　feet　with　an　aching　side　where　the　confounded　lid　of　the　trap　had　been　pressing。　　There　was　no　time　to　lose　for　the　two　in　the　outhouse　would　soon　be　setting　out；　and　I　must　be　before　them。

With　no　better　light　than　a　ray　of　the　moon　through　the　window；　I　wrote　a　message　on　a　leaf　from　my　pocket…book。　　I　told　of　the　plans　I　had　overheard；　and　especially　I　mentioned　Dupree's　Drift　on　the　Letaba。　　I　added　that　I　was　going　to　the　Rooirand　to　find　the　secret　of　the　cave；　and　in　one　final　sentence　implored　Arcoll　to　do　justice　on　the　Portugoose。　　That　was　all；　for　I　had　no　time　for　more。　　I　carefully　tied　the　paper　with　a　string　below　the　collar　of　the　dog。

Then　very　quietly　I　went　into　the　bedroom　next　door　…　the　side　of　the　store　farthest　from　the　outhouse。　　The　place　was　flooded　with　moonlight；　and　the　window　stood　open；　as　I　had　left　it　in　the　afternoon。　　As　softly　as　I　could　I　swung　Colin　over　the　sill　and　clambered　after　him。　　In　my　haste　I　left　my　coat　behind　me　with　my　pistol　in　the　pocket。

Now　came　a　check。　　My　horse　was　stabled　in　the　shed；　and　that　was　close　to　the　outhouse。　　The　sound　of　leading　him　out　would　most　certainly　bring　Laputa　and　Henriques　to　the　door。　In　that　moment　I　all　but　changed　my　plans。　　I　thought　of　slipping　back　to　the　outhouse　and　trying　to　shoot　the　two　men　as　they　came　forth。　　But　I　reflected　that；　before　I　could　get　them　both；　one　or　other　would　probably　shoot　me。　　Besides；　I　had　a　queer　sort　of　compunction　about　killing　Laputa。　　I　understood　now　why　Arcoll　had　stayed　his　hand　from　murder；　and　I　was　beginning　to　be　of　his　opinion　on　our　arch…enemy。

Then　I　remembered　the　horses　tied　up　in　the　bush。　　One　of　them　I　could　get　with　perfect　safety。　　I　ran　round　the　end　of　the　store　and　into　the　thicket；　keeping　on　soft　grass　to　dull　my　tread。　　There；　tied　up　to　a　merula　tree；　were　two　of　the　finest　beasts　I　had　seen　in　Africa。　　I　selected　the　better；　an　Africander　stallion　of　the　blaauw…schimmel；　or　blue…roan　type；　which　is　famous　for　speed　and　endurance。　　Slipping　his　bridle　from　the　branch；　I　led　him　a　little　way　into　the　bush　in　the　direction　of　the　Rooirand。

Then　I　spoke　to　Colin。　　'Home　with　you；'　I　said。　　'Home；　old　man；　as　if　you　were　running　down　a　tsessebe。'*　　　　　　　　　　　*A　species　of　buck；　famous　for　its　speed。

The　dog　seemed　puzzled。　　'Home；'　I　said　again；　pointing　west　in　the　direction　of　the　Berg。　　'Home；　you　brute。'

And　then　he　understood。　　He　gave　one　low　whine；　and　cast　a　reproachful　eye　on　me　and　the　blue　roan。　　Then　he　turned；　and　with　his　head　down　set　off　with　great　lopes　on　the　track　of　the　road　I　had　ridden　in　the　morning。

A　second　later　and　I　was　in　the　saddle；　riding　hell…for…leather　for　the　north。



CHAPTER　X　I　GO　TREASURE…HUNTING


For　a　mile　or　so　I　kept　the　bush；　which　was　open　and　easy　to　ride　through；　and　then　turned　into　the　path。　　The　moon　was　high；　and　the　world　was　all　a　dim　dark　green；　with　the　track　a　golden　ivory　band　before　me。　　I　had　looked　at　my　watch　before　I　started；　and　seen　that　it　was　just　after　eight　o'clock。　　I　had　a　great　horse　under　me；　and　less　than　thirty　miles　to　cover。　Midnight　should　see　me　at　the　cave。　　With　the　password　I　would　gain　admittance；　and　there　would　wait　for　Laputa　and　Henriques。　　Then；　if　my　luck　held；　I　should　see　the　inner　workings　of　the　mystery　which　had　puzzled　me　ever　since　the　Kirkcaple　shore。　　No　doubt　I　should　be　roughly　treated；　tied　up　prisoner；　and　carried　with　the　army　when　the　march　began。　But　till　Inanda's　Kraal　my　life　was　safe；　and　before　that　came　the　ford　of　the　Letaba。　　Colin　would　carry　my　message　to　Arcoll；　and　at　the　Drift　the　tables　would　be　turned　on　Laputa's　men。

Looking　back　in　cold　blood；　it　seems　the　craziest　chain　of　accidents　to　count　on　for　preservation。　　A　dozen　possibilities　might　have　shattered　any　link　of　it。　　The　pas