prester john-第3章

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I　do　not　know　what　would　have　turned　up；　for　we　had　no　chance　of　testing　it。　　The　situation　had　proved　too　much　for　the　nerves　of　Tam　Dyke。　　As　the　man　turned　towards　us　in　his　bowings　and　bendings；　Tam　suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet　and　shouted　at　him　a　piece　of　schoolboy　rudeness　then　fashionable　in　Kirkcaple。

'Wha　called　ye　partan…face；　my　bonny　man？'　　Then；　clutching　his　lantern；　he　ran　for　dear　life；　while　Archie　and　I　raced　at　his　heels。　　As　I　turned　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　huge　figure；　knife　in　hand；　bounding　towards　us。

Though　I　only　saw　it　in　the　turn　of　a　head；　the　face　stamped　itself　indelibly　upon　my　mind。　　It　was　black；　black　as　ebony；　but　it　was　different　from　the　ordinary　negro。　　There　were　no　thick　lips　and　flat　nostrils；　rather；　if　I　could　trust　my　eyes；　the　nose　was　high…bridged；　and　the　lines　of　the　mouth　sharp　and　firm。　　But　it　was　distorted　into　an　expression　of　such　a　devilish　fury　and　amazement　that　my　heart　became　like　water。

We　had　a　start；　as　I　have　said；　of　some　twenty　or　thirty　yards。　　Among　the　boulders　we　were　not　at　a　great　disadvantage；　for　a　boy　can　flit　quickly　over　them；　while　a　grown　man　must　pick　his　way。　　Archie；　as　ever；　kept　his　wits　the　best　of　us。　'Make　straight　for　the　burn；'　he　shouted　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　we'll　beat　him　on　the　slope。'

We　passed　the　boulders　and　slithered　over　the　outcrop　of　red　rock　and　the　patches　of　sea…pink　till　we　reached　the　channel　of　the　Dyve　water；　which　flows　gently　among　pebbles　after　leaving　the　gully。　　Here　for　the　first　time　I　looked　back　and　saw　nothing。　　I　stopped　involuntarily；　and　that　halt　was　nearly　my　undoing。　　For　our　pursuer　had　reached　the　burn　before　us；　but　lower　down；　and　was　coming　up　its　bank　to　cut　us　off。

At　most　times　I　am　a　notable　coward；　and　in　these　days　I　was　still　more　of　one；　owing　to　a　quick　and　easily…heated　imagination。　　But　now　I　think　I　did　a　brave　thing；　though　more　by　instinct　than　resolution。　　Archie　was　running　first；　and　had　already　splashed　through　the　burn；　Tam　came　next；　just　about　to　cross；　and　the　black　man　was　almost　at　his　elbow。　　Another　second　and　Tam　would　have　been　in　his　clutches　had　I　not　yelled　out　a　warning　and　made　straight　up　the　bank　of　the　burn。　　Tam　fell　into　the　pool　…　I　could　hear　his　spluttering　cry　…　but　he　got　across；　for　I　heard　Archie　call　to　him；　and　the　two　vanished　into　the　thicket　which　clothes　all　the　left　bank　of　the　gully。　　The　pursuer；　seeing　me　on　his　own　side　of　the　water；　followed　straight　on；　and　before　I　knew　it　had　become　a　race　between　the　two　of　us。

I　was　hideously　frightened；　but　not　without　hope；　for　the　screes　and　shelves　of　this　right　side　of　the　gully　were　known　to　me　from　many　a　day's　exploring。　　I　was　light　on　my　feet　and　uncommonly　sound　in　wind；　being　by　far　the　best　long…　distance　runner　in　Kirkcaple。　　If　I　could　only　keep　my　lead　till　I　reached　a　certain　corner　I　knew　of；　I　could　outwit　my　enemy；　for　it　was　possible　from　that　place　to　make　a　detour　behind　a　waterfall　and　get　into　a　secret　path　of　ours　among　the　bushes。　I　flew　up　the　steep　screes；　not　daring　to　look　round；　but　at　the　top；　where　the　rocks　begin；　I　had　a　glimpse　of　my　pursuer。　The　man　could　run。　　Heavy　in　build　though　he　was　he　was　not　six　yards　behind　me；　and　I　could　see　the　white　of　his　eyes　and　the　red　of　his　gums。　　I　saw　something　else　…　a　glint　of　white　metal　in　his　hand。　　He　still　had　his　knife。

Fear　sent　me　up　the　rocks　like　a　seagull；　and　I　scrambled　and　leaped；　making　for　the　corner　I　knew　of。　　Something　told　me　that　the　pursuit　was　slackening；　and　for　a　moment　I　halted　to　look　round。　　A　second　time　a　halt　was　nearly　the　end　of　me。　A　great　stone　flew　through　the　air；　and　took　the　cliff　an　inch　from　my　head；　half…blinding　me　with　splinters。　　And　now　I　began　to　get　angry。　　I　pulled　myself　into　cover；　skirted　a　rock　till　I　came　to　my　corner；　and　looked　back　for　the　enemy。　　There　he　was　scrambling　by　the　way　I　had　come；　and　making　a　prodigious　clatter　among　the　stones。　　I　picked　up　a　loose　bit　of　rock　and　hurled　it　with　all　my　force　in　his　direction。　　It　broke　before　it　reached　him；　but　a　considerable　lump；　to　my　joy；　took　him　full　in　the　face。　　Then　my　terrors　revived。　　I　slipped　behind　the　waterfall　and　was　soon　in　the　thicket；　and　toiling　towards　the　top。

I　think　this　last　bit　was　the　worst　in　the　race；　for　my　strength　was　failing；　and　I　seemed　to　hear　those　horrid　steps　at　my　heels。　　My　heart　was　in　my　mouth　as；　careless　of　my　best　clothes；　I　tore　through　the　hawthorn　bushes。　　Then　I　struck　the　path　and；　to　my　relief；　came　on　Archie　and　Tam；　who　were　running　slowly　in　desperate　anxiety　about　my　fate。　　We　then　took　hands　and　soon　reached　the　top　of　the　gully。

For　a　second　we　looked　back。　　The　pursuit　had　ceased；　and　far　down　the　burn　we　could　hear　the　sounds　as　of　some　one　going　back　to　the　sands。

'Your　face　is　bleeding；　Davie。　　Did　he　get　near　enough　to　hit　you？'　Archie　asked。

'He　hit　me　with　a　stone。　　But　I　gave　him　better。　　He's　got　a　bleeding　nose　to　remember　this　night　by。'

We　did　not　dare　take　the　road　by　the　links；　but　made　for　the　nearest　human　habitation。　　This　was　a　farm　about　half　a　mile　inland；　and　when　we　reached　it　we　lay　down　by　the　stack…　yard　gate　and　panted。

'I've　lost　my　lantern；'　said　Tam。　　'The　big　black　brute！　　See　if　I　don't　tell　my　father。'

'Ye'll　do　nothing　of　the　kind；'　said　Archie　fiercely。　　'He　knows　nothing　about　us　and　can't　do　us　any　harm。　　But　if　the　story　got　out　and　he　found　out　who　we　were；　he'd　murder　the　lot　of　US。'

He　made　us　swear　secrecy；　which　we　were　willing　enough　to　do；　seeing　very　clearly　the　sense　in　his　argument。　　Then　we　struck　the　highroad　and　trotted　back　at　our　best　pace　to　Kirkcaple；　fear　of　our　families　gradually　ousting　fear　of　pursuit。　In　our　excitement　Archie　and　I　forgot　about　our　Sabbath　hats；　reposing　quietly　below　a　whin　bush　on　the　links。

We　were　not　destined　to　escape　without　detection。　　As　ill　luck　would　have　it；　Mr　Murdoch　had　been　taken　ill　with　the　stomach…ache　after　the　second　psalm；　and　the　congregation　had　been　abruptly　dispersed。　　My　mother　had　waited　for　me　at　the　church　door；　and；　seeing　no　signs　of　her　son；　had　searched　the　gallery。　　Then　the　truth　came　out；　and；　had　I　been　only　for　a　mild　walk　on　the　links；　retribution　would　have　overtaken　my　truantry。　　But　to　add　to　this　I　arrived　home　with　a　scratched　face；　no　hat；　and　several　rents　in　my　best　trousers。　　I　was　well　cuffed　and　sent　to　bed；　with　the　promise　of　full…dress　chastisement　when　my　father　should　come　home　in　the　morning。

My　father　arrived　before　breakfast　next　day；　and　I　was　duly　and　soundly　whipped。　　I　set　out　for　school　with　aching　bones　to　add　to　the　usual　depression　of　Monday　morning。　　At　the　corner　of　the　Nethergate　I　fell　in　with　Archie；　who　was　staring　at　a　trap　carrying　two　men　which　was　coming　down　the　street。　It　was　the　Free　Church　minister　…　he　had　married　a　rich　wife　and　kept　a　horse　…　driving　the　preacher　of　yesterday　to　the　railway　station。　　Archie　and　I　were　in　behind　a　doorpost　in　a　twinkling；　so　that　we　could　see　in　safety　the　last　of　our　enemy。　He　was　dressed　in　minister's　clothes；　with　a　heavy　fur…coat　and　a　brand　new　yellow…leather　Gladstone　bag。　　He　was　talking　loudly　as　he　passed；　and　the　Free　Church　minister　seemed　to　be　listening　attentively。　　I　heard　his　deep　voice　saying　something　about　the　'work　of　God　in　this　place。'　　But　what　I　noticed　specially　…　and　the　sight　made　me　forget　my　aching　hinder　parts　…　was　that　he　had　a　swollen　eye；　and　two　strips　of　sticking…plaster　on　his　cheek。



CHAPTER　II　FURTH！　FORTUNE！


In　this　plain　story　of　mine　there　will　be　so　many　wild　doings　ere　the　end　is　reached；　that　I　beg　my　reader's　assent　to　a　prosaic　digression。　　I　will　tell　briefly　the　things　which　happened　between　my　sight　of　the　man　on　the　Kirkcaple　sands　and　my　voyage　to　Africa。　I　continued　for　three　years　at　the　burgh　school；　where　my　progress　was　less　notable　in　my　studies　than　in　my　sports。　　One　by　one　I　saw　my　companions　pass　out　of　idle　boyhood　and　be　set　to　professions。　　Tam　Dyke　on　two　occasions　ran　off　to　sea　in　the　Dutch　schooners　which　used　to　load　with　coal　in　our　port；　and　finally　his　father　gave　him　his　will；　and　he　was　apprenticed　to　the　merchant　service。　　Archie　Leslie；　who　was　a　yea