prester john-第27章

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ad　gone　a　mile；　I　began　to　think　that　I　should　split　in　two。　　The　paces　of　my　beast　were　uneven；　to　say　the　best　of　it；　and　the　bump…　bump　was　like　being　on　the　rack。　　I　remembered　that　the　saints　of　the　Covenant　used　to　journey　to　prison　this　way；　especially　the　great　Mr　Peden；　and　I　wondered　how　they　liked　it。　　When　I　hear　of　a　man　doing　a　brave　deed；　I　always　want　to　discover　whether　at　the　time　he　was　well　and　comfortable　in　body。　That；　I　am　certain；　is　the　biggest　ingredient　in　courage；　and　those　who　plan　and　execute　great　deeds　in　bodily　weakness　have　my　homage　as　truly　heroic。　　For　myself；　I　had　not　the　spirit　of　a　chicken　as　I　jogged　along　at　'Mwanga's　side。　　I　wished　he　would　begin　to　insult　me；　if　only　to　distract　my　mind；　but　he　kept　obstinately　silent。　　He　was　sulky；　and　I　think　rather　afraid　of　me。

As　the　sun　got　up　I　could　see　something　of　the　host　around　me。　　I　am　no　hand　at　guessing　numbers；　but　I　should　put　the　fighting　men　I　saw　at　not　less　than　twenty　thousand。　　Every　man　of　them　was　on　this　side　his　prime；　and　all　were　armed　with　good　rifles　and　bandoliers。　　There　were　none　of　your　old　roers*　and　decrepit　Enfields；　which　I　had　seen　signs　of　in　Kaffir　kraals。　　These　guns　were　new；　serviceable　Mausers；　and　the　men　who　bore　them　looked　as　if　they　knew　how　to　handle　them。　　There　must　have　been　long　months　of　training　behind　this　show；　and　I　marvelled　at　the　man　who　had　organized　it。　　I　saw　no　field…guns；　and　the　little　transport　they　had　was　evidently　for　food　only。　　We　did　not　travel　in　ranks　like　an　orthodox　column。　　About　a　third　of　the　force　was　mounted；　and　this　formed　the　centre。　　On　each　wing　the　infantry　straggled

far　afield；　but　there　was　method　in　their　disorder；　for　in　the　bush　close　ranks　would　have　been　impossible。　　At　any　rate　we　kept　wonderfully　well　together；　and　when　we　mounted　a　knoll　the　whole　army　seemed　to　move　in　one　piece。　　I　was　well　in　the　rear　of　the　centre　column；　but　from　the　crest　of　a　slope　I　sometimes　got　a　view　in　front。　　I　could　see　nothing　of　Laputa；　who　was　probably　with　the　van；　but　in　the　very　heart　of　the　force　I　saw　the　old　priest　of　the　Snake；　with　his　treasure　carried　in　the　kind　of　litter　which　the　Portuguese　call　a　machila；　between　rows　of　guards。　　A　white　man　rode　beside　him；　whom　I　judged　to　be　Henriques。　　Laputa　trusted　this　fellow；　and　I　wondered　why。　　I　had　not　forgotten　the　look　on　his　face　while　he　had　stared　at　the　rubies　in　the　cave。　　I　had　a　notion　that　the　Portugoose　might　be　an　unsuspected　ally　of　mine；　though　for　blackguard　reasons。　　　　　　　　　　　*Boer　elephant　guns。*

About　ten　o'clock；　as　far　as　I　could　judge　by　the　sun；　we　passed　Umvelos'；　and　took　the　right　bank　of　the　Labongo。　There　was　nothing　in　the　store　to　loot；　but　it　was　overrun　by　Kaffirs；　who　carried　off　the　benches　for　firewood。　　It　gave　me　an　odd　feeling　to　see　the　remains　of　the　meal　at　which　I　had　entertained　Laputa　in　the　hands　of　a　dozen　warriors。　　I　thought　of　the　long　sunny　days　when　I　had　sat　by　my　nachtmaal　while　the　Dutch　farmers　rode　in　to　trade。　　Now　these　men　were　all　dead；　and　I　was　on　my　way　to　the　same　bourne。

Soon　the　blue　line　of　the　Berg　rose　in　the　west；　and　through　the　corner　of　my　eye；　as　I　rode；　I　could　see　the　gap　of　the　Klein　Labongo。　　I　wondered　if　Arcoll　and　his　men　were　up　there　watching　us。　　About　this　time　I　began　to　be　so　wretched　in　body　that　I　ceased　to　think　of　the　future。　　I　had　had　no　food　for　seventeen　hours；　and　I　was　dropping　from　lack　of　sleep。　The　ache　of　my　bones　was　so　great　that　I　found　myself　crying　like　a　baby。　　What　between　pain　and　weakness　and　nervous　exhaustion；　I　was　almost　at　the　end　of　my　tether；　and　should　have　fainted　dead　away　if　a　halt　had　not　been　called。　　But　about　midday；　after　we　had　crossed　the　track　from　Blaauwildebeestefontein　to　the　Portuguese　frontier；　we　came　to　the　broad；　shallow　drift　of　the　Klein　Labongo。　　It　is　the　way　of　the　Kaffirs　to　rest　at　noon；　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　drift　we　encamped。　I　remember　the　smell　of　hot　earth　and　clean　water　as　my　horse　scrambled　up　the　bank。　　Then　came　the　smell　of　wood…smoke　as　fires　were　lit。　　It　seemed　an　age　after　we　stopped　before　my　feet　were　loosed　and　I　was　allowed　to　fall　over　on　the　ground。　I　lay　like　a　log　where　I　fell；　and　was　asleep　in　ten　seconds。　I　awoke　two　hours　later　much　refreshed；　and　with　a　raging　hunger。　　My　ankles　and　knees　had　been　tied　again；　but　the　sleep　had　taken　the　worst　stiffness　out　of　my　joints。　　The　natives　were　squatting　in　groups　round　their　fires；　but　no　one　came　near　me。　　I　satisfied　myself　by　straining　at　my　bonds　that　this　solitude　gave　no　chance　of　escape。　　I　wanted　food；　and　I　shouted　on　'Mwanga；　but　he　never　came。　　Then　I　rolled　over　into　the　shadow　of　a　wacht…en…beetje　bush　to　get　out　of　the　glare。

I　saw　a　Kaffir　on　the　other　side　of　the　bush　who　seemed　to　be　grinning　at　me。　　Slowly　he　moved　round　to　my　side；　and　stood　regarding　me　with　interest。

'For　God's　sake　get　me　some　food；'　I　said。

'ja；　Baas；'　was　the　answer；　and　he　disappeared　for　a　minute；　and　returned　with　a　wooden　bowl　of　hot　mealie…meal　porridge；　and　a　calabash　full　of　water。

I　could　not　use　my　hands；　so　he　fed　me　with　the　blade　of　his　knife。　　Such　porridge　without　salt　or　cream　is　beastly　food；　but　my　hunger　was　so　great　that　I　could　have　eaten　a　vat　of　it。

Suddenly　it　appeared　that　the　Kaffir　had　something　to　say　to　me。　　As　he　fed　me　he　began　to　speak　in　a　low　voice　in　English。

'Baas；'　he　said；　'I　come　from　Ratitswan；　and　I　have　a　message　for　you。'

I　guessed　that　Ratitswan　was　the　native　name　for　Arcoll。　There　was　no　one　else　likely　to　send　a　message。　'Ratitswan　says；'　he　went　on；　〃'Look　out　for　Dupree's　Drift。〃　I　will　be　near　you　and　cut　your　bonds；　then　you　must　swim　across　when　Ratitswan　begins　to　shoot。'

The　news　took　all　the　weight　of　care　from　my　mind。　　Colin　had　got　home；　and　my　friends　were　out　for　rescue。　　So　volatile　is　the　mood　of　19　that　I　veered　round　from　black　despair　to　an　unwarranted　optimism。　　I　saw　myself　already　safe；　and　Laputa's　rising　scattered。　　I　saw　my　hands　on　the　treasure；　and　Henriques'　ugly　neck　below　my　heel。

'I　don't　know　your　name；'　I　said　to　the　Kaffir；　'but　you　are　a　good　fellow。　　When　I　get　out　of　this　business　I　won't　forget　you。'

'There　is　another　message；　Baas；'　he　said。　　'It　is　written　on　paper　in　a　strange　tongue。　　Turn　your　head　to　the　bush；　and　see；　I　will　hold　it　inside　the　bowl；　that　you　may　read　it。'

I　did　as　I　was　told；　and　found　myself　looking　at　a　dirty　half…　sheet　of　notepaper；　marked　by　the　Kaffir's　thumbs。　　Some　words　were　written　on　it　in　Wardlaw's　hand；　and；　　characteristically；　in　Latin；　which　was　not　a　bad　cipher。　　I　read　…　'Henricus　de　Letaba　transeunda　apud　Duprei　vada　jam　nos　certiores　fecit。'*　　　　　　　　　　　*'Henriques　has　already　told　us　about　the　crossing　at　Dupree's　Drift。'

I　had　guessed　rightly。　　Henriques　was　a　traitor　to　the　cause　he　had　espoused。　　Arcoll's　message　had　given　me　new　heart；　but　Wardlaw's　gave　me　information　of　tremendous　value。　　I　repented　that　I　had　ever　underrated　the　schoolmaster's　sense。　He　did　not　come　out　of　Aberdeen　for　nothing。

I　asked　the　Kaffir　how　far　it　was　to　Dupree's　Drift；　and　was　told　three　hours'　march。　　We　should　get　there　after　the　darkening。　It　seemed　he　had　permission　to　ride　with　me　instead　of　'Mwanga；　who　had　no　love　for　the　job。　　How　he　managed　this　I　do　not　know；　but　Arcoll's　men　had　their　own　ways　of　doing　things。　　He　undertook　to　set　me　free　when　the　first　shot　was　fired　at　the　ford。　　Meantime　I　bade　him　leave　me；　to　avert　suspicion。

There　is　a　story　of　one　of　King　Arthur's　knights　…　Sir　Percival；　I　think　…　that　once；　riding　through　a　forest；　he　found　a　lion　fighting　with　a　serpent。　　He　drew　his　sword　and　helped　the　lion；　for　he　thought　it　was　the　more　natural　beast　of　the　two。　　To　me　Laputa　was　the　lion；　and　Henriques　the　serpent；　and　though　I　had　no　good　will　to　either；　I　was　determined　to　spoil　the　serpent's　game。　　He　was　after　the　rubies；　as　I　had　fancied；　he　had　never　been　after　anything　else。　He　had　found　out　about　Arcoll's　preparations；　and　had　sent　him　a　warning；　hoping；　no　doubt；　that；　if　Laputa's　force　was　scattered　on　the　Letaba；　he　would　have　a　chance　of　getting　off　with　the　necklace　in　the　confusion。　　If　he　succeeded；　he