prester john-第24章

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ides；　who　led　me　down　a　high　passage　running　into　the　heart　of　the　mountain。

The　boom　of　the　river　sank　and　rose　as　the　passage　twined。　Soon　I　saw　a　gleam　of　light　ahead　which　was　not　the　moon。　　It　grew　larger；　until　suddenly　the　roof　rose　and　I　found　myself　in　a　gigantic　chamber。　　So　high　it　was　that　I　could　not　make　out　anything　of　the　roof；　though　the　place　was　brightly　lit　with　torches　stuck　round　the　wall；　and　a　great　fire　which　burned　at　the　farther　end。　　But　the　wonder　was　on　the　left　side；　where　the　floor　ceased　in　a　chasm。　　The　left　wall　was　one　sheet　of　water；　where　the　river　fell　from　the　heights　into　the　infinite　depth；　below。　　The　torches　and　the　fire　made　the　sheer　stream　glow　and　sparkle　like　the　battlements　of　the　Heavenly　City。　　I　have　never　seen　any　sight　so　beautiful　or　so　strange；　and　for　a　second　my　breath　stopped　in　admiration。

There　were　two　hundred　men　or　more　in　the　chamber；　but　so　huge　was　the　place　that　they　seemed　only　a　little　company。　They　sat　on　the　ground　in　a　circle；　with　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　fire　and　on　a　figure　which　stood　before　it。　　The　glow　revealed　the　old　man　I　had　seen　on　that　morning　a　month　before　moving　towards　the　cave。　　He　stood　as　if　in　a　trance；　straight　as　a　tree；　with　his　arms　crossed　on　his　breast。　　A　robe　of　some　shining　white　stuff　fell　from　his　shoulders；　and　was　clasped　round　his　middle　by　a　broad　circle　of　gold。　　His　head　was　shaven；　and　on　his　forehead　was　bound　a　disc　of　carved　gold。　　I　saw　from　his　gaze　that　his　old　eyes　were　blind。

'Who　comes？'he　asked　as　I　entered。

'A　messenger　from　the　Inkulu；'　I　spoke　up　boldly。　　'He　follows　soon　with　the　white　man；　Henriques。'

Then　I　sat　down　in　the　back　row　of　the　circle　to　await　events。　　I　noticed　that　my　neighbour　was　the　fellow　'Mwanga　whom　I　had　kicked　out　of　the　store。　　Happily　I　was　so　dusty　that　he　could　scarcely　recognize　me；　but　I　kept　my　face　turned　away　from　him。　　What　with　the　light　and　the　warmth；　the　drone　of　the　water；　the　silence　of　the　folk；　and　my　mental　and　physical　stress；　I　grew　drowsy　and　all　but　slept。



CHAPTER　XI　THE　CAVE　OF　THE　ROOIRAND


I　was　roused　by　a　sudden　movement。　　The　whole　assembly　stood　up；　and　each　man　clapped　his　right　hand　to　his　brow　and　then　raised　it　high。　　A　low　murmur　of　'Inkulu'　rose　above　the　din　of　the　water。　　Laputa　strode　down　the　hall；　with　Henriques　limping　behind　him。　　They　certainly　did　not　suspect　my　presence　in　the　cave；　nor　did　Laputa　show　any　ruffling　of　his　calm。　　Only　Henriques　looked　weary　and　cross。　　I　guessed　he　had　had　to　ride　my　pony。

The　old　man　whom　I　took　to　be　the　priest　advanced　towards　Laputa　with　his　hands　raised　over　his　head。　　A　pace　before　they　met　he　halted；　and　Laputa　went　on　his　knees　before　him。　　He　placed　his　hands　on　his　head；　and　spoke　some　words　which　I　could　not　understand。　　It　reminded　me；　so　queer　are　the　tricks　of　memory；　of　an　old　Sabbath…school　book　I　used　to　have　which　had　a　picture　of　Samuel　ordaining　Saul　as　king　of　Israel。　　I　think　I　had　forgotten　my　own　peril　and　was　enthralled　by　the　majesty　of　the　place　…　the　wavering　torches；　the　dropping　wall　of　green　water；　above　all；　the　figures　of　Laputa　and　the　Keeper　of　the　Snake；　who　seemed　to　have　stepped　out　of　an　antique　world。

Laputa　stripped　off　his　leopard　skin　till　he　stood　stark；　a　noble　form　of　a　man。　　Then　the　priest　sprinkled　some　herbs　on　the　fire；　and　a　thin　smoke　rose　to　the　roof。　　The　smell　was　that　I　had　smelled　on　the　Kirkcaple　shore；　sweet；　sharp；　and　strange　enough　to　chill　the　marrow。　　And　round　the　fire　went　the　priest　in　widening　and　contracting　circles；　just　as　on　that　Sabbath　evening　in　spring。

Once　more　we　were　sitting　on　the　ground；　all　except　Laputa　and　the　Keeper。　　Henriques　was　squatting　in　the　front　row；　a　tiny　creature　among　so　many　burly　savages。　　Laputa　stood　with　bent　head　in　the　centre。

Then　a　song　began；　a　wild　incantation　in　which　all　joined。　The　old　priest　would　speak　some　words；　and　the　reply　came　in　barbaric　music。　　The　words　meant　nothing　to　me；　they　must　have　been　in　some　tongue　long　since　dead。　　But　the　music　told　its　own　tale。　　It　spoke　of　old　kings　and　great　battles；　of　splendid　palaces　and　strong　battlements；　of　queens　white　as　ivory；　of　death　and　life；　love　and　hate；　joy　and　sorrow。　　It　spoke；　too；　of　desperate　things；　mysteries　of　horror　long　shut　to　the　world。　No　Kaffir　ever　forged　that　ritual。　　It　must　have　come　straight　from　Prester　John　or　Sheba's　queen；　or　whoever　ruled　in　Africa　when　time　was　young。

I　was　horribly　impressed。　　Devouring　curiosity　and　a　lurking　nameless　fear　filled　my　mind。　　My　old　dread　had　gone。　　I　was　not　afraid　now　of　Kaffir　guns；　but　of　the　black　magic　of　which　Laputa　had　the　key。

The　incantation　died　away；　but　still　herbs　were　flung　on　the　fire；　till　the　smoke　rose　in　a　great　cloud；　through　which　the　priest　loomed　misty　and　huge。　　Out　of　the　smoke…wreaths　his　voice　came　high　and　strange。　　It　was　as　if　some　treble　stop　had　been　opened　in　a　great　organ；　as　against　the　bass　drone　of　the　cataract。

He　was　asking　Laputa　questions；　to　which　came　answers　in　that　rich　voice　which　on　board　the　liner　had　preached　the　gospel　of　Christ。　　The　tongue　I　did　not　know；　and　I　doubt　if　my　neighbours　were　in　better　case。　　It　must　have　been　some　old　sacred　language　…　Phoenician；　Sabaean；　I　know　not　what　…　which　had　survived　in　the　rite　of　the　Snake。

Then　came　silence　while　the　fire　died　down　and　the　smoke　eddied　away　in　wreaths　towards　the　river。　　The　priest's　lips　moved　as　if　in　prayer：　of　Laputa　I　saw　only　the　back；　and　his　head　was　bowed。

Suddenly　a　rapt　cry　broke　from　the　Keeper。　　'God　has　spoken；'　he　cried。　　'The　path　is　clear。　　The　Snake　returns　to　the　House　of　its　Birth。'

An　attendant　led　forward　a　black　goat；　which　bleated　feebly。　With　a　huge　antique　knife　the　old　man　slit　its　throat；　catching　the　blood　in　a　stone　ewer。　　Some　was　flung　on　the　fire；　which　had　burned　small　and　low。

'Even　so；'　cried　the　priest；　'will　the　king　quench　in　blood　the　hearth…fires　of　his　foes。'

Then　on　Laputa's　forehead　and　bare　breast　he　drew　a　bloody　cross。　'I　seal　thee；'　said　the　voice；　'priest　and　king　of　God's　people。'　The　ewer　was　carried　round　the　assembly；　and　each　dipped　his　finger　in　it　and　marked　his　forehead。　　I　got　a　dab　to　add　to　the　other　marks　on　my　face。

'Priest　and　king　of　God's　people；'　said　the　voice　again；　'I　call　thee　to　the　inheritance　of　John。　　Priest　and　king　was　he；　king　of　kings；　lord　of　hosts；　master　of　the　earth。　　When　he　ascended　on　high　he　left　to　his　son　the　sacred　Snake；　the　ark　of　his　valour；　to　be　God's　dower　and　pledge　to　the　people　whom　He　has　chosen。'

I　could　not　make　out　what　followed。　　It　seemed　to　be　a　long　roll　of　the　kings　who　had　borne　the　Snake。　　None　of　them　I　knew；　but　at　the　end　I　thought　I　caught　the　name　of　Tchaka　the　Terrible；　and　I　remembered　Arcoll's　tale。

The　Keeper　held　in　his　arms　a　box　of　curiously　wrought　ivory；　about　two　feet　long　and　one　broad。　　He　was　standing　beyond　the　ashes；　from　which；　in　spite　of　the　blood；　thin　streams　of　smoke　still　ascended。　　He　opened　it；　and　drew　out　something　which　swung　from　his　hand　like　a　cascade　of　red　fire。

'Behold　the　Snake；'　cried　the　Keeper；　and　every　man　in　the　assembly；　excepting　Laputa　and　including　me；　bowed　his　head　to　the　ground　and　cried　'Ow。'

'Ye　who　have　seen　the　Snake；'　came　the　voice；　on　you　is　the　vow　of　silence　and　peace。　　No　blood　shall　ye　shed　of　man　or　beast；　no　flesh　shall　ye　eat　till　the　vow　is　taken　from　you。　　From　the　hour　of　midnight　till　sunrise　on　the　second　day　ye　are　bound　to　God。　　Whoever　shall　break　the　vow；　on　him　shall　the　curse　fall。　　His　blood　shall　dry　in　his　veins；　and　his　flesh　shrink　on　his　bones。　　He　shall　be　an　outlaw　and　accursed；　and　there　shall　follow　him　through　life　and　death　the　Avengers　of　the　Snake。　　Choose　ye；　my　people；　upon　you　is　the　vow。'

By　this　time　we　were　all　flat　on　our　faces；　and　a　great　cry　of　assent　went　up。　　I　lifted　my　head　as　much　as　I　dared　to　see　what　would　happen　next。

The　priest　raised　the　necklace　till　it　shone　above　his　head　like　a　halo　of　blood。　　I　have　never　seen　such　a　jewel；　and　I　think　there　has　never　been　another　such　on　earth。　　Later　I　was　to　have　the　handling　of　it；　and　could　examine　it　closely；　though　now　I　had　only