prester john-第43章

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　and　the　east　was　flushing。　　I　marched　up　the　path　to　the　cave；　very　different　from　the　timid　being　who　had　walked　the　same　road　three　nights　before。　　Then　my　terrors　were　all　to　come：　now　I　had　conquered　terror　and　seen　the　other　side　of　fear。　　I　was　centuries　older。

But　beside　the　path　lay　something　which　made　me　pause。　　It　was　a　dead　body；　and　the　head　was　turned　away　from　me。　　I　did　not　need　to　see　the　face　to　know　who　it　was。　　There　had　been　only　two　men　in　my　vision；　and　one　of　them　was　immortal。

I　stopped　and　turned　the　body　over。　　There　was　no　joy　in　my　heart；　none　of　the　lust　of　satisfied　vengeance　or　slaked　hate。　I　had　forgotten　about　the　killing　of　my　dog　and　all　the　rest　of　Henriques'　doings。　　It　was　only　with　curiosity　that　I　looked　down　on　the　dead　face；　swollen　and　livid　in　the　first　light　of　morning。

The　man　had　been　strangled。　　His　neck；　as　we　say　in　Scotland；　was　'thrawn'；　and　that　was　why　he　had　lain　on　his　back　yet　with　his　face　turned　away　from　me。　　He　had　been　dead　probably　since　before　midnight。　　I　looked　closer；　and　saw　that　there　was　blood　on　his　shirt　and　hands；　but　no　wound。　　It　was　not　his　blood；　but　some　other's。　　Then　a　few　feet　off　on　the

path　I　found　a　pistol　with　two　chambers　empty。

What　had　happened　was　very　plain。　　Henriques　had　tried　to　shoot　Laputa　at　the　entrance　of　the　cave　for　the　sake　of　the　collar　and　the　treasure　within。　　He　had　wounded　him　…　gravely；　I　thought；　to　judge　from　the　amount　of　blood　…　but　the　quickness　and　marksmanship　of　the　Portuguese　had　not　availed　to　save　his　life　from　those　terrible　hands。　　After　two　shots　Laputa　had　got　hold　of　him　and　choked　his　life　out　as　easily　as　a　man　twists　a　partridge's　neck。　　Then　he　had　gone　into　the　cave。

I　saw　the　marks　of　blood　on　the　road；　and　hastened　on。　Laputa　had　been　hours　in　the　cave；　enough　to　work　havoc　with　the　treasure。　　He　was　wounded；　too；　and　desperate。　　Probably　he　had　come　to　the　Rooirand　looking　for　sanctuary　and　rest　for　a　day　or　two；　but　if　Henriques　had　shot　straight　he　might　find　a　safer　sanctuary　and　a　longer　rest。　　For　the　third　time　in　my　life　I　pushed　up　the　gully　between　the　straight　high　walls　of　rock；　and　heard　from　the　heart　of　the　hills　the　thunder　of　the　imprisoned　river。

There　was　only　the　faintest　gleam　of　light　in　the　cleft；　but　it　sufficed　to　show　me　that　the　way　to　the　cave　was　open。　　The　hidden　turnstile　in　the　right　wall　stood　ajar；　I　entered；　and　carelessly　swung　it　behind　me。　　The　gates　clashed　into　place　with　a　finality　which　told　me　that　they　were　firmly　shut。　　I　did　not　know　the　secret　of　them；　so　how　should　I　get　out　again？

These　things　troubled　me　less　than　the　fact　that　I　had　no　light　at　all　now。　　I　had　to　go　on　my　knees　to　ascend　the　stair；　and　I　could　feel　that　the　steps　were　wet。　　It　must　be　Laputa's　blood。

Next　I　was　out　on　the　gallery　which　skirted　the　chasm。　　The　sky　above　me　was　growing　pale　with　dawn；　and　far　below　the　tossing　waters　were　fretted　with　light。　　A　light　fragrant　wind　was　blowing　on　the　hills；　and　a　breath　of　it　came　down　the　funnel。　　I　saw　that　my　hands　were　all　bloody　with　the　stains　on　the　steps；　and　I　rubbed　them　on　the　rock　to　clean　them。　Without　a　tremor　I　crossed　the　stone　slab　over　the　gorge；　and　plunged　into　the　dark　alley　which　led　to　the　inner　chamber。

As　before；　there　was　a　light　in　front　of　me；　but　this　time　it　was　a　pin…point　and　not　the　glare　of　many　torches。　　I　felt　my　way　carefully　by　the　walls　of　the　passage；　though　I　did　not　really　fear　anything。　　It　was　by　the　stopping　of　these　lateral　walls　that　I　knew　I　was　in　the　cave；　for　the　place　had　only　one　single　speck　of　light。　　The　falling　wall　of　water　stood　out　grey　green　and　ghostly　on　the　left；　and　I　noticed　that　higher　up　it　was　lit　as　if　from　the　open　air。　　There　must　be　a　great　funnel　in　the　hillside　in　that　direction。　　I　walked　a　few　paces；　and　then　I　made　out　that　the　spark　in　front　was　a　lantern。

My　eyes　were　getting　used　to　the　half…light；　and　I　saw　what　was　beside　the　lantern。　　Laputa　knelt　on　the　ashes　of　the　fire　which　the　Keeper　had　kindled　three　days　before。　　He　knelt　before；　and　half　leaned　on；　a　rude　altar　of　stone。　　The　lantern　stood　by　him　on　the　floor；　and　its　faint　circle　lit　something　which　I　was　not　unprepared　for。　　Blood　was　welling　from　his　side；　and　spreading　in　a　dark　pool　over　the　ashes。

I　had　no　fear；　only　a　great　pity　…　pity　for　lost　romance；　for　vain　endeavour；　for　fruitless　courage。　　'Greeting；　Inkulu！'　I　said　in　Kaffir；　as　if　I　had　been　one　of　his　indunas。

He　turned　his　head　and　slowly　and　painfully　rose　to　his　feet。　The　place；　it　was　clear；　was　lit　from　without；　and　the　daylight　was　growing。　　The　wall　of　the　river　had　become　a　sheet　of　jewels；　passing　from　pellucid　diamond　above　to　translucent　emerald　below。　　A　dusky　twilight　sought　out　the　extreme　corners　of　the　cave。　　Laputa's　tall　figure　stood　swaying　above　the　white　ashes；　his　hand　pressed　to　his　side。

'Who　is　it？'　he　said；　looking　at　me　with　blind　eyes。

'It　is　the　storekeeper　from　Umvelos'；'　I　answered。

'The　storekeeper　of　Umvelos'；'　he　repeated。　　'God　has　used　the　weak　things　of　the　world　to　confound　the　strong。　　A　king　dies　because　a　pedlar　is　troublesome。　　What　do　they　call　you；　man？　　You　deserve　to　be　remembered。'

I　told　him　'David　Crawfurd。'

'Crawfurd；'　he　repeated；　'you　have　been　the　little　reef　on　which　a　great　vessel　has　foundered。　　You　stole　the　collar　and　cut　me　off　from　my　people；　and　then　when　I　was　weary　the　Portuguese　killed　me。'

'No；'　I　cried；　'it　was　not　me。　　You　trusted　Henriques；　and　you　got　your　fingers　on　his　neck　too　late。　　Don't　say　I　didn't　warn　you。'

'You　warned　me；　and　I　will　repay　you。　　I　will　make　you　rich；　Crawfurd。　　You　are　a　trader；　and　want　money。　　I　am　a　king；　and　want　a　throne。　　But　I　am　dying；　and　there　will　be　no　more　kings　in　Africa。'

The　mention　of　riches　did　not　thrill　me　as　I　had　expected；　but　the　last　words　awakened　a　wild　regret。　　I　was　hypnotized　by　the　man。　　To　see　him　going　out　was　like　seeing　the　fall　of　a　great　mountain。

He　stretched　himself；　gasping；　and　in　the　growing　light　I　could　see　how　broken　he　was。　　His　cheeks　were　falling　in；　and　his　sombre　eyes　had　shrunk　back　in　their　sockets。　　He　seemed　an　old　worn　man　standing　there　among　the　ashes；　while　the　blood；　which　he　made　no　effort　to　staunch；　trickled　down　his　side　till　it　dripped　on　the　floor。　　He　had　ceased　to　be　the　Kaffir　king；　or　the　Christian　minister；　or　indeed　any　one　of　his　former　parts。　　Death　was　stripping　him　to　his　elements；　and　the　man　Laputa　stood　out　beyond　and　above　the　characters　he　had　played；　something　strange；　and　great；　and　moving；　and　terrible。

'We　met　for　the　first　time　three　days　ago；'　he　said；　'and　now　you　will　be　the　last　to　see　the　Inkulu。'

'Umvelos'　was　not　our　first　meeting；'　said　I。　　'Do　you　mind　the　Sabbath　eight　years　since　when　you　preached　in　the　Free　Kirk　at　Kirkcaple？　　I　was　the　boy　you　chased　from　the　shore；　and　I　flung　the　stone　that　blacked　your　eye。　　Besides；　I　came　out　from　England　with　you　and　Henriques；　and　I　was　in　the　boat　which　took　you　from　Durban　to　Delagoa　Bay。　　You　and　I　have　been　long　acquaint；　Mr　Laputa。'

'It　is　the　hand　of　God；'　he　said　solemnly。　　'Your　fate　has　been　twisted　with　mine；　and　now　you　will　die　with　me。'

I　did　not　understand　this　talk　about　dying。　　I　was　not　mortally　wounded　like　him；　and　I　did　not　think　Laputa　had　the　strength　to　kill　me　even　if　he　wished。　　But　my　mind　was　so　impassive　that　I　scarcely　regarded　his　words。

'I　will　make　you　rich；'　he　cried。　　'Crawfurd；　the　storekeeper；　will　be　the　richest　man　in　Africa。　　We　are　scattered；　and　our　wealth　is　another's。　　He　shall　have　the　gold　and　the　diamonds　…　all　but　the　Collar；　which　goes　with　me。'

He　staggered　into　a　dark　recess；　one　of　many　in　the　cave；　and　I　followed　him。　　There　were　boxes　there；　tea　chests；　cartridge　cases；　and　old　brass…ribbed　Portuguese　coffers。　Laputa　had　keys　at　his　belt；　and　unlocked　them；　his　fingers　fumbling　with　weakness。　　I　peered　in　and　saw　gold　coin　and　little　bags　of　stones。

'Money　and　diamonds；'　he　cried。　　'Once　it　was　the　war　chest　of　a　king；　and　now　it　will　be　the　hoard　of　a　trader。　　No；　by　the　Lord！　　The　trader's　place　is　with　the　Terrible　Ones。'　　An　arm　shot　out；　and　my　shoulder　was　fierc