prester john-第48章

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　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：　'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