prester john-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rgy；　for　it　left　him　plenty　of　leisure　to　sit　indoors　and　drink。　　But　soon　he　grew　suspicious；　for　he　must　have　seen　that　I　was　in　a　fair　way　to　oust　him　altogether。　　He　was　very　anxious　to　know　if　I　had　seen　Colles　in　Durban；　and　what　the　manager　had　said。　　'I　have　letters；'　he　told　me　a　hundred　times；　'from　Mr　Mackenzie　himself　praising　me　up　to　the　skies。　　The　firm　couldn't　get　along　without　old　Peter　Japp；　I　can　tell　you。'　　I　had　no　wish　to　quarrel　with　the　old　man；　so　I　listened　politely　to　all　he　said。　　But　this　did　not　propitiate　him；　and　I　soon　found　him　so　jealous　as　to　be　a　nuisance。　　He　was　Colonial…born　and　was　always　airing　the　fact。　　He　rejoiced　in　my　rawness；　and　when　I　made　a　blunder　would　crow　over　it　for　hours。　　'It's　no　good；　Mr　Crawfurd；　you　new　chums　from　England　may　think　yourselves　mighty　clever；　but　we　men　from　the　Old　Colony　can　get　ahead　of　you　every　time。　　In　fifty　years　you'll　maybe　learn　a　little　about　the　country；　but　we　know　all　about　it　before　we　start。'　　He　roared　with　laughter　at　my　way　of　tying　a　voorslag；　and　he　made　merry　（no　doubt　with　reason）　on　my　management　of　a　horse。　　I　kept　my　temper　pretty　well；　but　I　own　there　were　moments　when　I　came　near　to　kicking　Mr　Japp。

The　truth　is　he　was　a　disgusting　old　ruffian。　　His　character　was　shown　by　his　treatment　of　Zeeta。　　The　poor　child　slaved　all　day　and　did　two　men's　work　in　keeping　the　household　going。　She　was　an　orphan　from　a　mission　station；　and　in　Japp's　opinion　a　creature　without　rights。　　Hence　he　never　spoke　to　her　except　with　a　curse；　and　used　to　cuff　her　thin　shoulders　till　my　blood　boiled。　　One　day　things　became　too　much　for　my　temper。　Zeeta　had　spilled　half　a　glass　of　Japp's　whisky　while　tidying　up　the　room。　　He　picked　up　a　sjambok；　and　proceeded　to　beat　her　unmercifully　till　her　cries　brought　me　on　the　scene。　　I　tore　the　whip　from　his　hands；　seized　him　by　the　scruff　and　flung　him

on　a　heap　of　potato　sacks；　where　he　lay　pouring　out　abuse　and　shaking　with　rage。　　Then　I　spoke　my　mind。　　I　told　him　that　if　anything　of　the　sort　happened　again　I　would　report　it　at　once　to　Mr　Colles　at　Durban。　　I　added　that　before　making　my　report　I　would　beat　him　within　an　inch　of　his　degraded　life。　　After　a　time　he　apologized；　but　I　could　see　that　thenceforth　he　regarded　me　with　deadly　hatred。　There　was　another　thing　I　noticed　about　Mr　Japp。　　He　might　brag　about　his　knowledge　of　how　to　deal　with　natives；　but　to　my　mind　his　methods　were　a　disgrace　to　a　white　man。　　Zeeta　came　in　for　oaths　and　blows；　but　there　were　other　Kaffirs　whom　he　treated　with　a　sort　of　cringing　friendliness。　　A　big　black　fellow　would　swagger　into　the　shop；　and　be　received　by　Japp　as　if　he　were　his　long…lost　brother。　　The　two　would　collogue　for　hours；　and　though　at　first　I　did　not　understand　the　tongue；　I　could　see　that　it　was　the　white　man　who　fawned　and　the　black　man　who　bullied。　　Once　when　japp　was　away　one　of　these　fellows　came　into　the　store　as　if　it　belonged　to　him；　but　he　went　out　quicker　than　he　entered。　　Japp　complained　afterwards　of　my　behaviour。　　''Mwanga　is　a　good　friend　of　mine；'　he　said；　'and　brings　us　a　lot　of　business。　　I'll　thank　you　to　be　civil　to　him　the　next　time。'　　I　replied　very　shortly　that　'Mwanga　or　anybody　else　who　did　not　mend　his　manners　would　feel　the　weight　of　my　boot。

The　thing　went　on；　and　I　am　not　sure　that　he　did　not　give　the　Kaffirs　drink　on　the　sly。　　At　any　rate；　I　have　seen　some　very　drunk　natives　on　the　road　between　the　locations　and　Blaauwildebeestefontein；　and　some　of　them　I　recognized　as　Japp's　friends。　　I　discussed　the　matter　with　Mr　Wardlaw；　who　said；　'I　believe　the　old　villain　has　got　some　sort　of　black　secret；　and　the　natives　know　it；　and　have　got　a　pull　on　him。'　　And　I　was　inclined　to　think　he　was　right。


By…and…by　I　began　to　feel　the　lack　of　company；　for　Wardlaw　was　so　full　of　his　books　that　he　was　of　little　use　as　a　companion。　So　I　resolved　to　acquire　a　dog；　and　bought　one　from　a　prospector；　who　was　stony…broke　and　would　have　sold　his　soul　for　a　drink。　　It　was　an　enormous　Boer　hunting…dog；　a　mongrel　in　whose　blood　ran　mastiff　and　bulldog　and　foxhound；　and　Heaven　knows　what　beside。　　In　colour　it　was　a　kind　of　brindled　red；　and　the　hair　on　its　back　grew　against　the　lie　of　the　rest　of　its　coat。　　Some　one　had　told　me；　or　I　may　have　read　it；　that　a　back　like　this　meant　that　a　dog　would　face　anything　mortal；　even　to　a　charging　lion；　and　it　was　this　feature　which　first　caught　my　fancy。　　The　price　I　paid　was　ten　shillings　and　a　pair　of　boots；　which　I　got　at　cost　price　from　stock；　and　the　owner　departed　with　injunctions　to　me　to　beware　of　the　brute's　temper。　　Colin　…　for　so　I　named　him　…　began　his　career　with　me　by　taking　the　seat　out　of　my　breeches　and　frightening　Mr　Wardlaw　into　a　tree。　　It　took　me　a　stubborn　battle　of　a　fortnight　to　break　his　vice；　and　my　left　arm　to…day　bears　witness　to　the　struggle。　　After　that　he　became　a　second　shadow；　and　woe　betide　the　man　who　had　dared　to　raise　his　hand　to　Colin's　master。　　Japp　declared　that　the　dog　was　a　devil；　and　Colin　repaid　the　compliment　with　a　hearty　dislike。

With　Colin；　I　now　took　to　spending　some　of　my　ample　leisure　in　exploring　the　fastnesses　of　the　Berg。　　I　had　brought　out　a　shot…gun　of　my　own；　and　I　borrowed　a　cheap　Mauser　sporting　rifle　from　the　store。　　I　had　been　born　with　a　good　eye　and　a　steady　hand；　and　very　soon　I　became　a　fair　shot　with　a　gun　and；　I　believe；　a　really　fine　shot　with　the　rifle。　　The　sides　of　the　Berg　were　full　of　quail　and　partridge　and　bush　pheasant；　and　on　the　grassy　plateau　there　was　abundance　of　a　bird　not　unlike　our　own　blackcock；　which　the　Dutch　called　korhaan。　But　the　great　sport　was　to　stalk　bush…buck　in　the　thickets；　which　is　a　game　in　which　the　hunter　is　at　small　advantage。　　I　have　been　knocked　down　by　a　wounded　bush…buck　ram；　and　but　for　Colin　might　have　been　badly　damaged。　　Once；　in　a　kloof　not　far　from　the　Letaba；　I　killed　a　fine　leopard；　bringing　him　down　with　a　single　shot　from　a　rocky　shelf　almost　on　the　top　of　Colin。　　His　skin　lies　by　my　fireside　as　I　write　this　tale。　　But　it　was　during　the　days　I　could　spare　for　an　expedition　into　the　plains　that　I　proved　the　great　qualities　of　my　dog。　　There　we　had　nobler　game　to　follow　…　wildebeest　and　hartebeest；　impala；　and　now　and　then　a　koodoo。　　At　first　I　was　a　complete　duffer；　and　shamed　myself　in　Colin's　eyes。　　But　by…and…by　I　learned　something　of　veld…craft：　I　learned　how　to　follow　spoor；　how　to　allow　for　the　wind；　and　stalk　under　cover。　　Then；　when　a　shot　had　crippled　the　beast；　Colin　was　on　its　track　like　a　flash　to　pull　it　down。　　The　dog　had　the　nose　of　a　retriever；　the　speed　of　a　greyhound；　and　the　strength　of　a　bull…terrier。　　I　blessed　the　day　when　the　wandering　prospector　had　passed　the　store。

Colin　slept　at　night　at　the　foot　of　my　bed；　and　it　was　he　who　led　me　to　make　an　important　discovery。　　For　I　now　became　aware　that　I　was　being　subjected　to　constant　espionage。　　It　may　have　been　going　on　from　the　start；　but　it　was　not　till　my　third　month　at　Blaauwildebeestefontein　that　I　found　it　out。　　One　night　I　was　going　to　bed；　when　suddenly　the　bristles　rose　on　the　dog's　back　and　he　barked　uneasily　at　the　window。　　I　had　been　standing　in　the　shadow；　and　as　I　stepped　to　the　window　to　look　out　I　saw　a　black　face　disappear　below　the　palisade　of　the　backyard。　　The　incident　was　trifling；　but　it　put　me　on　my　guard。　　The　next　night　I　looked；　but　saw　nothing。　　The　third　night　I　looked；　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　face　almost　pressed　to　the　pane。　　Thereafter　I　put　up　the　shutters　after　dark；　and　shifted　my　bed　to　a　part　of　the　room　out　of　line　with　the　window。

It　was　the　same　out　of　doors。　　I　would　suddenly　be　conscious；　as　I　walked　on　the　road；　that　I　was　being　watched。　　If　I　made　as　if　to　walk　into　the　roadside　bush　there　would　be　a　faint　rustling；　which　told　that　the　watcher　had　retired。　　The　stalking　was　brilliantly　done；　for　I　never　caught　a　glimpse　of　one　of　the　stalkers。　　Wherever　I　went　…　on　the　road；　on　the　meadows　of　the　plateau；　or　on　the　rugged　sides　of　the　Berg　…　it　was　the　same。　　I　had　silent　followers；　who　betrayed　themselves　now　and　then　by　the　crackling　of　a　branch；　and　eyes　were　always　looking　at　me　which　I　could　not　see。　　Only　when　I　went　down　to　the　plains　did　the　espionage　cease。　　This　thing