prester john-µÚ48ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
¡¡guns¡¡on¡¡them£»¡¡which¡¡would¡¡have¡¡meant¡¡a¡¡great¡¡slaughter£»¡¡or¡¡let¡¡them¡¡go¡¡to¡¡do¡¡mischief¡¡elsewhere¡£¡¡¡¡Arcoll¡¡was¡¡a¡¡merciful¡¡man¡¡who¡¡had¡¡no¡¡love¡¡for¡¡butchery£»¡¡besides£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡a¡¡statesman¡¡with¡¡an¡¡eye¡¡to¡¡the¡¡future¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country¡¡after¡¡the¡¡war¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡it¡¡was¡¡his¡¡duty¡¡to¡¡isolate¡¡Laputa's¡¡army£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡all¡¡costs£»¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡prevented¡¡from¡¡joining¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the¡¡concentrations¡¡in¡¡the¡¡south¡£
Then¡¡I¡¡proposed¡¡to¡¡him¡¡to¡¡do¡¡as¡¡Rhodes¡¡did¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Matoppos£»¡¡and¡¡go¡¡and¡¡talk¡¡to¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡this¡¡time£»¡¡I¡¡argued£»¡¡the¡¡influence¡¡of¡¡Laputa¡¡must¡¡have¡¡sunk£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡fervour¡¡of¡¡the¡¡purification¡¡be¡¡half¡forgotten¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡army¡¡had¡¡little¡¡food¡¡and¡¡no¡¡leader¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡rank¡¡and¡¡file¡¡had¡¡never¡¡been¡¡fanatical£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡chiefs¡¡and¡¡indunas¡¡must¡¡now¡¡be¡¡inclined¡¡to¡¡sober¡¡reflections¡£¡¡But¡¡once¡¡blood¡¡was¡¡shed¡¡the¡¡lust¡¡of¡¡blood¡¡would¡¡possess¡¡them¡£¡¡Our¡¡only¡¡chance¡¡was¡¡to¡¡strike¡¡when¡¡their¡¡minds¡¡were¡¡perplexed¡¡and¡¡undecided¡£
Arcoll¡¡did¡¡all¡¡the¡¡arranging¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡a¡¡message¡¡sent¡¡to¡¡the¡¡chiefs¡¡inviting¡¡them¡¡to¡¡an¡¡indaba£»¡¡and¡¡presently¡¡word¡¡was¡¡brought¡¡back¡¡that¡¡an¡¡indaba¡¡was¡¡called¡¡for¡¡the¡¡next¡¡day¡¡at¡¡noon¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡same¡¡night¡¡we¡¡heard¡¡that¡¡Umbooni¡¡and¡¡about¡¡twenty¡¡of¡¡his¡¡men¡¡had¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡evade¡¡our¡¡ring¡¡of¡¡scouts¡¡and¡¡got¡¡clear¡¡away¡¡to¡¡the¡¡south¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡was¡¡all¡¡to¡¡our¡¡advantage£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡removed¡¡from¡¡the¡¡coming¡¡indaba¡¡the¡¡most¡¡irreconcilable¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chiefs¡£
That¡¡indaba¡¡was¡¡a¡¡queer¡¡business¡£¡¡¡¡Arcoll¡¡and¡¡I¡¡left¡¡our¡¡escort¡¡at¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡a¡¡ravine£»¡¡and¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡kraal¡¡by¡¡the¡¡same¡¡road¡¡as¡¡I¡¡had¡¡left¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡very¡¡bright£»¡¡hot¡¡winter's¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡try¡¡as¡¡I¡¡might£»¡¡I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡bring¡¡myself¡¡to¡¡think¡¡of¡¡any¡¡danger¡£¡¡I¡¡believed¡¡that¡¡in¡¡this¡¡way¡¡most¡¡temerarious¡¡deeds¡¡are¡¡done£»¡¡the¡¡doer¡¡has¡¡become¡¡insensible¡¡to¡¡danger£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡imagination¡¡is¡¡clouded¡¡with¡¡some¡¡engrossing¡¡purpose¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡sentries¡¡received¡¡us¡¡gloomily¡¡enough£»¡¡and¡¡closed¡¡behind¡¡us¡¡as¡¡they¡¡had¡¡done¡¡when¡¡Machudi's¡¡men¡¡haled¡¡me¡¡thither¡£¡¡¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡job¡¡became¡¡eerie£»¡¡for¡¡we¡¡had¡¡to¡¡walk¡¡across¡¡a¡¡green¡¡flat¡¡with¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡eyes¡¡watching¡¡us¡£¡¡¡¡By¡and¡by¡¡we¡¡came¡¡to¡¡the¡¡merula¡¡tree¡¡opposite¡¡the¡¡kyas£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡we¡¡found¡¡a¡¡ring¡¡of¡¡chiefs£»¡¡sitting¡¡with¡¡cocked¡¡rifles¡¡on¡¡their¡¡knees¡£
We¡¡were¡¡armed¡¡with¡¡pistols£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡first¡¡thing¡¡Arcoll¡¡did¡¡was¡¡to¡¡hand¡¡them¡¡to¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chiefs¡£¡¡'We¡¡come¡¡in¡¡peace£»'¡¡he¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¡'We¡¡give¡¡you¡¡our¡¡lives¡£'
Then¡¡the¡¡indaba¡¡began£»¡¡Arcoll¡¡leading¡¡off¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡speech¡¡he¡¡made£»¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡finest¡¡I¡¡have¡¡ever¡¡listened¡¡to¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡asked¡¡them¡¡what¡¡their¡¡grievances¡¡were£»¡¡he¡¡told¡¡them¡¡how¡¡mighty¡¡was¡¡the¡¡power¡¡of¡¡the¡¡white¡¡man£»¡¡he¡¡promised¡¡that¡¡what¡¡was¡¡unjust¡¡should¡¡be¡¡remedied£»¡¡if¡¡only¡¡they¡¡would¡¡speak¡¡honestly¡¡and¡¡peacefully£»¡¡he¡¡harped¡¡on¡¡their¡¡old¡¡legends¡¡and¡¡songs£»¡¡claiming¡¡for¡¡the¡¡king¡¡of¡¡England¡¡the¡¡right¡¡of¡¡their¡¡old¡¡monarchs¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡speech£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡it¡¡did¡¡not¡¡convince¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡listened¡¡moodily£»¡¡if¡¡attentively£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡blank¡¡silence¡£
Arcoll¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡'For¡¡God's¡¡sake£»¡¡Davie£»'¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡'talk¡¡to¡¡them¡¡about¡¡Laputa¡£¡¡¡¡It's¡¡our¡¡only¡¡chance¡£'
I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡tried¡¡speaking¡¡before£»¡¡and¡¡though¡¡I¡¡talked¡¡their¡¡tongue¡¡I¡¡had¡¡not¡¡Arcoll's¡¡gift¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡that¡¡a¡¡great¡¡cause¡¡was¡¡at¡¡stake£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡spoke¡¡up¡¡as¡¡best¡¡I¡¡could¡£
I¡¡began¡¡by¡¡saying¡¡that¡¡Inkulu¡¡had¡¡been¡¡my¡¡friend£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡at¡¡Umvelos'¡¡before¡¡the¡¡rising¡¡he¡¡had¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡save¡¡my¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡the¡¡mention¡¡of¡¡the¡¡name¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡eyes¡¡brighten¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡last¡¡the¡¡audience¡¡was¡¡hanging¡¡on¡¡my¡¡words¡£¡¡I¡¡told¡¡them¡¡of¡¡Henriques¡¡and¡¡his¡¡treachery¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡told¡¡them¡¡frankly¡¡and¡¡fairly¡¡of¡¡the¡¡doings¡¡at¡¡Dupree's¡¡Drift¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡made¡¡no¡¡secret¡¡of¡¡the¡¡part¡¡I¡¡played¡£¡¡¡¡'I¡¡was¡¡fighting¡¡for¡¡my¡¡life£»'¡¡I¡¡said¡£¡¡'Any¡¡man¡¡of¡¡you¡¡who¡¡is¡¡a¡¡man¡¡would¡¡have¡¡done¡¡the¡¡like¡£'
Then¡¡I¡¡told¡¡them¡¡of¡¡my¡¡last¡¡ride£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sight¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡at¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Rooirand¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡drew¡¡a¡¡picture¡¡of¡¡Henriques¡¡lying¡¡dead¡¡with¡¡a¡¡broken¡¡neck£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Inkulu£»¡¡wounded¡¡to¡¡death£»¡¡creeping¡¡into¡¡the¡¡cave¡£
In¡¡moments¡¡of¡¡extremity¡¡I¡¡suppose¡¡every¡¡man¡¡becomes¡¡an¡¡orator¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡that¡¡hour¡¡and¡¡place¡¡I¡¡discovered¡¡gifts¡¡I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡dreamed¡¡of¡£¡¡¡¡Arcoll¡¡told¡¡me¡¡afterwards¡¡that¡¡I¡¡had¡¡spoken¡¡like¡¡a¡¡man¡¡inspired£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡a¡¡fortunate¡¡chance¡¡had¡¡hit¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡only¡¡way¡¡to¡¡move¡¡my¡¡hearers¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡told¡¡of¡¡that¡¡last¡¡scene¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cave£»¡¡when¡¡Laputa¡¡had¡¡broken¡¡down¡¡the¡¡bridge£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡spoken¡¡his¡¡dying¡¡words¡¡¡¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡the¡¡last¡¡king¡¡in¡¡Africa£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡without¡¡him¡¡the¡¡rising¡¡was¡¡at¡¡an¡¡end¡£¡¡¡¡Then¡¡I¡¡told¡¡of¡¡his¡¡leap¡¡into¡¡the¡¡river£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡great¡¡sigh¡¡went¡¡up¡¡from¡¡the¡¡ranks¡¡about¡¡Me¡£
'You¡¡see¡¡me¡¡here£»'¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡'by¡¡the¡¡grace¡¡of¡¡God¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡found¡¡a¡¡way¡¡up¡¡the¡¡fall¡¡and¡¡the¡¡cliffs¡¡which¡¡no¡¡man¡¡has¡¡ever¡¡travelled¡¡before¡¡or¡¡will¡¡travel¡¡again¡£¡¡¡¡Your¡¡king¡¡is¡¡dead¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡a¡¡great¡¡king£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡who¡¡stand¡¡here¡¡bear¡¡witness£»¡¡and¡¡you¡¡will¡¡never¡¡more¡¡see¡¡his¡¡like¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡last¡¡words¡¡were¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Rising¡¡was¡¡over¡£¡¡Respect¡¡that¡¡word£»¡¡my¡¡brothers¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡come¡¡to¡¡you¡¡not¡¡in¡¡war¡¡but¡¡in¡¡peace£»¡¡to¡¡offer¡¡a¡¡free¡¡pardon£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡redress¡¡of¡¡your¡¡wrongs¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡you¡¡fight¡¡you¡¡fight¡¡with¡¡the¡¡certainty¡¡of¡¡failure£»¡¡and¡¡against¡¡the¡¡wish¡¡of¡¡the¡¡heir¡¡of¡¡John¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡come¡¡here¡¡at¡¡the¡¡risk¡¡of¡¡my¡¡life¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡you¡¡his¡¡commands¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡spirit¡¡approves¡¡my¡¡mission¡£¡¡¡¡Think¡¡well¡¡before¡¡you¡¡defy¡¡the¡¡mandate¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Snake£»¡¡and¡¡risk¡¡the¡¡vengeance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Terrible¡¡Ones¡£'
After¡¡that¡¡I¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡we¡¡had¡¡won¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡chiefs¡¡talked¡¡among¡¡themselves¡¡in¡¡low¡¡whispers£»¡¡casting¡¡strange¡¡looks¡¡at¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡of¡¡them¡¡advanced¡¡and¡¡laid¡¡his¡¡rifle¡¡at¡¡my¡¡feet¡£
'We¡¡believe¡¡the¡¡word¡¡of¡¡a¡¡brave¡¡man£»'¡¡he¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¡'We¡¡accept¡¡the¡¡mandate¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Snake¡£'
Arcoll¡¡now¡¡took¡¡command¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡arranged¡¡for¡¡the¡¡disarmament¡¡bit¡¡by¡¡bit£»¡¡companies¡¡of¡¡men¡¡being¡¡marched¡¡off¡¡from¡¡Inanda's¡¡Kraal¡¡to¡¡stations¡¡on¡¡the¡¡plateau¡¡where¡¡their¡¡arms¡¡were¡¡collected¡¡by¡¡our¡¡troops£»¡¡and¡¡food¡¡provided¡¡for¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡the¡¡full¡¡history¡¡I¡¡refer¡¡the¡¡reader¡¡to¡¡Mr¡¡Upton's¡¡work¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡took¡¡many¡¡days£»¡¡and¡¡taxed¡¡all¡¡our¡¡resources£»¡¡but¡¡by¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡a¡¡week¡¡we¡¡had¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡of¡¡Laputa's¡¡army¡¡in¡¡separate¡¡stations£»¡¡under¡¡guard£»¡¡disarmed£»¡¡and¡¡awaiting¡¡repatriation¡£
Then¡¡Arcoll¡¡went¡¡south¡¡to¡¡the¡¡war¡¡which¡¡was¡¡to¡¡rage¡¡around¡¡the¡¡Swaziland¡¡and¡¡Zululand¡¡borders¡¡for¡¡many¡¡months£»¡¡while¡¡to¡¡Aitken¡¡and¡¡myself¡¡was¡¡entrusted¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of¡¡settlement¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡had¡¡inadequate¡¡troops¡¡at¡¡our¡¡command£»¡¡and¡¡but¡¡for¡¡our¡¡prestige¡¡and¡¡the¡¡weight¡¡of¡¡Laputa's¡¡dead¡¡hand¡¡there¡¡might¡¡any¡¡moment¡¡have¡¡been¡¡a¡¡tragedy¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡task¡¡took¡¡months£»¡¡for¡¡many¡¡of¡¡the¡¡levies¡¡came¡¡from¡¡the¡¡far¡¡north£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡job¡¡of¡¡feeding¡¡troops¡¡on¡¡a¡¡long¡¡journey¡¡was¡¡difficult¡¡enough¡¡in¡¡the¡¡winter¡¡season¡¡when¡¡the¡¡energies¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country¡¡were¡¡occupied¡¡with¡¡the¡¡fighting¡¡in¡¡the¡¡south¡£¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡it¡¡was¡¡an¡¡experience¡¡for¡¡which¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡ever¡¡be¡¡grateful£»¡¡for¡¡it¡¡turned¡¡me¡¡from¡¡a¡¡rash¡¡boy¡¡into¡¡a¡¡serious¡¡man¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡knew¡¡then¡¡the¡¡meaning¡¡of¡¡the¡¡white¡¡man's¡¡duty¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡has¡¡to¡¡take¡¡all¡¡risks£»¡¡recking¡¡nothing¡¡of¡¡his¡¡life¡¡or¡¡his¡¡fortunes£»¡¡and¡¡well¡¡content¡¡to¡¡find¡¡his¡¡reward¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fulfilment¡¡of¡¡his¡¡task¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡is¡¡the¡¡difference¡¡between¡¡white¡¡and¡¡black£»¡¡the¡¡gift¡¡of¡¡responsibility£»¡¡the¡¡power¡¡of¡¡being¡¡in¡¡a¡¡little¡¡way¡¡a¡¡king£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡long¡¡as¡¡we¡¡know¡¡this¡¡and¡¡practise¡¡it£»¡¡we¡¡will¡¡rule¡¡not¡¡in¡¡Africa¡¡alone¡¡but¡¡wherever¡¡there¡¡are¡¡dark¡¡men¡¡who¡¡live¡¡only¡¡for¡¡the¡¡day¡¡and¡¡their¡¡own¡¡bellies¡£¡¡¡¡Moreover£»¡¡the¡¡work¡¡made¡¡me¡¡pitiful¡¡and¡¡kindly¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡learned¡¡much¡¡of¡¡the¡¡untold¡¡grievances¡¡of¡¡the¡¡natives£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡something¡¡of¡¡their¡¡strange£»¡¡twisted¡¡reasoning¡£¡¡¡¡Before¡¡we¡¡had¡¡got¡¡Laputa's¡¡army¡¡back¡¡to¡¡their¡¡kraals£»¡¡with¡¡food¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡tide¡¡them¡¡over¡¡the¡¡spring¡¡sowing£»¡¡Aitken¡¡and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡got¡¡sounder¡¡policy¡¡in¡¡our¡¡heads¡¡than¡¡you¡¡will¡¡find¡¡in¡¡the¡¡towns£»¡¡where¡¡men¡¡sit¡¡in¡¡offices¡¡and¡¡see¡¡the¡¡world¡¡through¡¡a¡¡mist¡¡of¡¡papers¡£
By¡¡this¡¡time¡¡peace¡¡was¡¡at¡¡hand£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡went¡¡back¡¡to¡¡Inanda's¡¡Kraal¡¡to¡¡look¡¡for¡¡Colin's¡¡grave¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡not¡¡a¡¡difficult¡¡quest£»¡¡for¡¡on¡¡the¡¡sward¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡merula¡¡tree¡¡they¡¡had¡¡buried¡¡him¡£¡¡I¡¡found¡¡a¡¡mason¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Iron¡¡Kranz¡¡village£»¡¡and¡¡from¡¡the¡¡excellent¡¡red¡¡stone¡¡of¡¡the¡¡neighbourhood¡¡was¡¡hewn¡¡a¡¡square¡¡slab¡¡with¡¡an¡¡inscription¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡ran¡¡thus£º¡¡'Here¡¡lies¡¡buried¡¡the¡¡dog¡¡Colin£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡killed¡¡in¡¡defending¡¡D¡£¡¡¡¡Crawfurd£»¡¡his¡¡master¡£¡¡To¡¡him¡¡it¡¡was¡¡mainly¡¡due¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Kaffir¡¡Rising¡¡failed¡£'¡¡¡¡I¡¡leave¡¡those¡¡who¡¡have¡¡read¡¡my¡¡tale¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡justice¡¡of¡¡the¡¡words¡£
CHAPTER¡¡XXIII¡¡MY¡¡UNCLE'S¡¡GIFT¡¡IS¡¡MANY¡¡TIMES¡¡MULTIPLIED
We¡¡got¡¡at¡¡the¡¡treasure¡¡by¡¡blowing¡¡open¡¡the¡¡turnstile¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡easy¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡trace¡¡the¡¡spot¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rock¡¡where¡¡it¡¡stood£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡most¡¡patient¡¡search¡¡did¡¡not¡¡reveal¡¡its¡¡secret¡£¡¡¡¡Accordingly¡¡we¡¡had¡¡recourse¡¡to¡¡dynamite£»¡¡and¡¡soon¡¡laid¡¡bare¡¡the¡¡stone¡¡s