prester john-第7章

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'Tut；　my　man；　most　of　the　subjects　of　his　Majesty　the　King　of　Portugal　would　answer　to　that　description。　　If　he's　a　rascal；　as　you　think；　you　may　be　certain　he's　in　the　I。D。B。　business；　and　if　I'm　right　about　Blaauwildebeestefontein　you'll　likely　have　news　of　him　there　some　time　or　other。　　Drop　me　a　line　if　he　comes；　and　I'll　get　on　to　his　record。'

I　saw　Tam　off　in　the　boat　with　a　fairly　satisfied　mind。　　I　was　going　to　a　place　with　a　secret；　and　I　meant　to　find　it　out。　　The　natives　round　Blaauwildebeestefontein　were　queer；　and　diamonds　were　suspected　somewhere　in　the　neighbourhood。

Henriques　had　something　to　do　with　the　place；　and　so　had　the　Rev。　　John　Laputa；　about　whom　I　knew　one　strange　thing。　　So　did　Tam　by　the　way；　but　he　had　not　identified　his　former　pursuer；　and　I　had　told　him　nothing。　　I　was　leaving　two　men　behind　me；　Colles　at　Durban　and　Aitken　at　Lourenco　Marques；　who　would　help　me　if　trouble　came。　　Things　were　shaping　well　for　some　kind　of　adventure。

The　talk　with　Aitken　had　given　Tam　an　inkling　of　my　thoughts。　　His　last　words　to　me　were　an　appeal　to　let　him　know　if　there　was　any　fun　going。

'I　can　see　you're　in　for　a　queer　job。　　Promise　to　let　me　hear　from　you　if　there's　going　to　be　a　row；　and　I'll　come　up　country；　though　I　should　have　to　desert　the　service。　　Send　us　a　letter　to　the　agents　at　Durban　in　case　we　should　be　in　port。　　You　haven't　forgotten　the　Dyve　Burn；　Davie？'



CHAPTER　III　BLAAUWILDEBEESTEFONTEIN


The　Pilgrim's　Progress　had　been　the　Sabbath　reading　of　my　boyhood；　and　as　I　came　in　sight　of　Blaauwildebeestefontein　a　passage　ran　in　my　head。　　It　was　that　which　tells　how　Christian　and　Hopeful；　after　many　perils　of　the　way；　came　to　the　Delectable　Mountains；　from　which　they　had　a　prospect　of　Canaan。　　After　many　dusty　miles　by　rail；　and　a　weariful　journey　in　a　Cape…cart　through　arid　plains　and　dry　and　stony　gorges；　I　had　come　suddenly　into　a　haven　of　green。　　The　Spring　of　the　Blue　Wildebeeste　was　a　clear　rushing　mountain　torrent；　which　swirled　over　blue　rocks　into　deep　fern…fringed　pools。　　All　around　was　a　tableland　of　lush　grass　with　marigolds　and　arum　lilies　instead　of　daisies　and　buttercups。　　Thickets　of　tall　trees　dotted　the　hill　slopes　and　patched　the　meadows　as　if　some　landscape…gardener　had　been　at　work　on　them。　　Beyond；　the　glen　fell　steeply　to　the　plains；　which　ran　out　in　a　faint　haze　to　the　horizon。　　To　north　and　south　I　marked　the　sweep　of　the　Berg；　now　rising　high　to　a　rocky　peak　and　now　stretching　in　a　level　rampart　of　blue。　　On　the　very　edge　of　the　plateau　where　the　road　dipped　for　the　descent　stood　the　shanties　of　Blaauwildebeestefontein。　The　fresh　hill　air　had　exhilarated　my　mind；　and　the　aromatic　scent　of　the　evening　gave　the　last　touch　of　intoxication。　　Whatever　serpent　might　lurk　in　it；　it　was　a　veritable　Eden　I　had　come　to。

Blaauwildebeestefontein　had　no　more　than　two　buildings　of　civilized　shape；　the　store；　which　stood　on　the　left　side　of　the　river；　and　the　schoolhouse　opposite。　　For　the　rest；　there　were　some　twenty　native　huts；　higher　up　the　slope；　of　the　type　which　the　Dutch　call　rondavels。　　The　schoolhouse　had　a　pretty　garden；　but　the　store　stood　bare　in　a　patch　of　dust　with　a　few　outhouses　and　sheds　beside　it。　　Round　the　door　lay　a　few　old　ploughs　and　empty　barrels；　and　beneath　a　solitary　blue　gum　was　a　wooden　bench　with　a　rough　table。　　Native　children　played　in　the　dust；　and　an　old　Kaffir　squatted　by　the　wall。

My　few　belongings　were　soon　lifted　from　the　Cape…cart；　and　I　entered　the　shop。　　It　was　the　ordinary　pattern　of　up…country　store　…　a　bar　in　one　corner　with　an　array　of　bottles；　and　all　round　the　walls　tins　of　canned　food　and　the　odds　and　ends　of　trade。　　The　place　was　empty；　and　a　cloud　of　flies　buzzed　over　the　sugar　cask。

Two　doors　opened　at　the　back；　and　I　chose　the　one　to　the　right。　　I　found　myself　in　a　kind　of　kitchen　with　a　bed　in　one　corner；　and　a　litter　of　dirty　plates　on　the　table。　　On　the　bed　lay　a　man；　snoring　heavily。　　I　went　close　to　him；　and　found　an　old　fellow　with　a　bald　head；　clothed　only　in　a　shirt　and　trousers。　His　face　was　red　and　swollen；　and　his　breath　came　in　heavy　grunts。　　A　smell　of　bad　whisky　hung　over　everything。　　I　had　no　doubt　that　this　was　Mr　Peter　Japp；　my　senior　in　the　store。　　One　reason　for　the　indifferent　trade　at　Blaauwildebeestefontein　was　very　clear　to　me：　the　storekeeper　was　a　sot。

I　went　back　to　the　shop　and　tried　the　other　door。　　It　was　a　bedroom　too；　but　clean　and　pleasant。　　A　little　native　girl　…　Zeeta；　I　found　they　called　her　…　was　busy　tidying　it　up；　and　when　I　entered　she　dropped　me　a　curtsy。　　'This　is　your　room；　Baas；'　she　said　in　very　good　English　in　reply　to　my　question。　The　child　had　been　well　trained　somewhere；　for　there　was　a　cracked　dish　full　of　oleander　blossom　on　the　drawers'…head；　and　the　pillow…slips　on　the　bed　were　as　clean　as　I　could　wish。　She　brought　me　water　to　wash；　and　a　cup　of　strong　tea；　while　I　carried　my　baggage　indoors　and　paid　the　driver　of　the　cart。　Then；　having　cleaned　myself　and　lit　a　pipe；　I　walked　across　the　road　to　see　Mr　Wardlaw。

I　found　the　schoolmaster　sitting　under　his　own　fig…tree　reading　one　of　his　Kaffir　primers。　　Having　come　direct　by　rail　from　Cape　Town；　he　had　been　a　week　in　the　place；　and　ranked　as　the　second　oldest　white　resident。

'Yon's　a　bonny　chief　you've　got；　Davie；'　were　his　first　words。　'For　three　days　he's　been　as　fou　as　the　Baltic。'

I　cannot　pretend　that　the　misdeeds　of　Mr　Japp　greatly　annoyed　me。　　I　had　the　reversion　of　his　job；　and　if　he　chose　to　play　the　fool　it　was　all　in　my　interest。　　But　the　schoolmaster　was　depressed　at　the　prospect　of　such　company。　　'Besides　you　and　me；　he's　the　only　white　man　in　the　place。　　It's　a　poor　look…　out　on　the　social　side。'

The　school；　it　appeared；　was　the　merest　farce。　　There　were　only　five　white　children；　belonging　to　Dutch　farmers　in　the　mountains。　　The　native　side　was　more　flourishing；　but　the　mission　schools　at　the　locations　got　most　of　the　native　children　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Mr　Wardlaw's　educational　zeal　ran　high。　　He　talked　of　establishing　a　workshop　and　teaching　carpentry　and　blacksmith's　work；　of　which　he　knew　nothing。　He　rhapsodized　over　the　intelligence　of　his　pupils　and　bemoaned　his　inadequate　gift　of　tongues。　　'You　and　I；　Davie；'　he　said；　'must　sit　down　and　grind　at　the　business。　　It　is　to　the　interest　of　both　of　us。　　The　Dutch　is　easy　enough。　　It's　a　sort　of　kitchen　dialect　you　can　learn　in　a　fortnight。　　But　these　native　languages　are　a　stiff　job。　　Sesuto　is　the　chief　hereabouts；　and　I'm　told　once　you've　got　that　it's　easy　to　get　the　Zulu。　　Then　there's　the　thing　the　Shangaans　speak　…　Baronga；　I　think　they　call　it。　　I've　got　a　Christian　Kaffir　living　up　in　one　of　the　huts　who　comes　every　morning　to　talk　to　me　for　an　hour。　　You'd　better　join　me。'

I　promised；　and　in　the　sweet…smelling　dust　crossed　the　road　to　the　store。　　Japp　was　still　sleeping；　so　I　got　a　bowl　of　mealie　porridge　from　Zeeta　and　went　to　bed。


Japp　was　sober　next　morning　and　made　me　some　kind　of　apology。　　He　had　chronic　lumbago；　he　said；　and　'to　go　on　the　bust'　now　and　then　was　the　best　cure　for　it。　　Then　he　proceeded　to　initiate　me　into　my　duties　in　a　tone　of　exaggerated　friendliness。　'I　took　a　fancy　to　you　the　first　time　I　clapped　eyes　on　you；'　he　said。　　'You　and　me　will　be　good　friends；　Crawfurd；　I　can　see　that。　　You're　a　spirited　young　fellow；　and　you'll　stand　no　nonsense。　　The　Dutch　about　here　are　a　slim　lot；　and　the　Kaffirs　are　slimmer。　　Trust　no　man；　that's　my　motto。　　The　firm　know　that；　and　I've　had　their　confidence　for　forty　years。'

The　first　day　or　two　things　went　well　enough。　　There　was　no　doubt　that；　properly　handled；　a　fine　trade　could　be　done　in　Blaauwildebeestefontein。　　The　countryside　was　crawling　with　natives；　and　great　strings　used　to　come　through　from　Shangaan　territory　on　the　way　to　the　Rand　mines。　　Besides；　there　was　business　to　be　done　with　the　Dutch　farmers；　especially　with　the　tobacco；　which　I　foresaw　could　be　worked　up　into　a　profitable　export。　　There　was　no　lack　of　money　either；　and　we　had　to　give　very　little　credit；　though　it　was　often　asked　for。　　I　flung　myself　into　the　work；　and　in　a　few　weeks　had　been　all　round　the　farms　and　locations。　　At　first　Japp　praised　my　energy；　for　it　left　him　plenty　of　le