the research magnificent-第7章

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sh　and　smash　of　their　retreat　grow　distant；　disperse。　　He　remained　standing　with　his　back　to　the　rock。　Slowly　the　strophe　and　antistrophe　of　frogs　and　goat…suckers　resumed　possession　of　his　consciousness。　　But　now　some　primitive　instinct　perhaps　or　some　subconscious　intimation　of　danger　made　him　meticulously　noiseless。　He　went　on　down　a　winding　sound…deadening　path　of　sand　towards　the　drinking…place。　　He　came　to　a　wide　white　place　that　was　almost　level；　and　beyond　it　under　clustering　pale…stemmed　trees　shone　the　mirror　surface　of　some　ancient　tank；　and；　sharp　and　black；　a　dog…　like　beast　sat　on　its　tail　in　the　midst　of　this　space；　started　convulsively　and　went　slinking　into　the　undergrowth。　　Benham　paused　for　a　moment　and　then　walked　out　softly　into　the　light；　and；　behold！　as　if　it　were　to　meet　him；　came　a　monster；　a　vast　dark　shape　drawing　itself　lengthily　out　of　the　blackness；　and　stopped　with　a　start　as　if　it　had　been　instantly　changed　to　stone。　It　had　stopped　with　one　paw　advanced。　　Its　striped　mask　was　light　and　dark　grey　in　the　moonlight；　grey　but　faintly　tinged　with　ruddiness；　its　mouth　was　a　little　open；　its　fangs　and　a　pendant　of　viscous　saliva　shone　vivid。　　Its　great　round…pupilled　eyes　regarded　him　stedfastly。　　At　last　the　nightmare　of　Benham's　childhood　had　come　true；　and　he　was　face　to　face　with　a　tiger；　uncaged；　uncontrolled。　For　some　moments　neither　moved；　neither　the　beast　nor　the　man。　　They　stood　face　to　face；　each　perhaps　with　an　equal　astonishment；　motionless　and　soundless；　in　that　mad　Indian　moonlight　that　makes　all　things　like　a　dream。　Benham　stood　quite　motionless；　and　body　and　mind　had　halted　together。　　That　confrontation　had　an　interminableness　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　actual　passage　of　time。　　Then　some　trickle　of　his　previous　thoughts　stirred　in　the　frozen　quiet　of　his　mind。　He　spoke　hoarsely。　　〃I　am　Man；〃　he　said；　and　lifted　a　hand　as　he　spoke。　　〃The　Thought　of　the　world。〃　His　heart　leapt　within　him　as　the　tiger　moved。　　But　the　great　beast　went　sideways；　gardant；　only　that　its　head　was　low；　three　noiseless　instantaneous　strides　it　made；　and　stood　again　watching　him。　〃Man；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　had　no　sound；　and　took　a　step　forward。　〃Wough！〃　　With　two　bounds　the　monster　had　become　a　great　grey　streak　that　crackled　and　rustled　in　the　shadows　of　the　trees。　　And　then　it　had　vanished；　become　invisible　and　inaudible　with　a　kind　of　instantaneousness。　For　some　seconds　or　some　minutes　Benham　stood　rigid；　fearlessly　expectant；　and　then　far　away　up　the　ravine　he　heard　the　deer　repeat　their　cry　of　alarm；　and　understood　with　a　new　wisdom　that　the　tiger　had　passed　among　them　and　was　gone。　。　。　。　He　walked　on　towards　the　deserted　tank　and　now　he　was　talking　aloud。　〃I　understand　the　jungle。　　I　understand。　。　。　。　　If　a　few　men　die　here；　what　matter？　　There　are　worse　deaths　than　being　killed。　。　。　。　〃What　is　this　fool's　trap　of　security？　〃Every　time　in　my　life　that　I　have　fled　from　security　I　have　fled　from　death。　。　。　。　〃Let　men　stew　in　their　cities　if　they　will。　　It　is　in　the　lonely　places；　in　jungles　and　mountains；　in　snows　and　fires；　in　the　still　observatories　and　the　silent　laboratories；　in　those　secret　and　dangerous　places　where　life　probes　into　life；　it　is　there　that　the　masters　of　the　world；　the　lords　of　the　beast；　the　rebel　sons　of　Fate　come　to　their　own。　。　。　。　〃You　sleeping　away　there　in　the　cities！　　Do　you　know　what　it　means　for　you　that　I　am　here　to…night？　〃Do　you　know　what　it　means　to　you？　〃I　am　just　onejust　the　precursor。　〃Presently；　if　you　will　not　budge；　those　hot　cities　must　be　burnt　about　you。　　You　must　come　out　of　them。　。　。　。〃　He　wandered　now　uttering　his　thoughts　as　they　came　to　him；　and　he　saw　no　more　living　creatures　because　they　fled　and　hid　before　the　sound　of　his　voice。　　He　wandered　until　the　moon；　larger　now　and　yellow　tinged；　was　low　between　the　black　bars　of　the　tree　stems。　And　then　it　sank　very　suddenly　behind　a　hilly　spur　and　the　light　failed　swiftly。　He　stumbled　and　went　with　difficulty。　　He　could　go　no　further　among　these　rocks　and　ravines；　and　he　sat　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree　to　wait　for　day。　He　sat　very　still　indeed。　A　great　stillness　came　over　the　world；　a　velvet　silence　that　wrapped　about　him；　as　the　velvet　shadows　wrapped　about　him。　　The　corncrakes　had　ceased；　all　the　sounds　and　stir　of　animal　life　had　died　away；　the　breeze　had　fallen。　　A　drowsing　comfort　took　possession　of　him。　He　grew　more　placid　and　more　placid　still。　　He　was　enormously　content　to　find　that　fear　had　fled　before　him　and　was　gone。　　He　drifted　into　that　state　of　mind　when　one　thinks　without　ideas；　when　one's　mind　is　like　a　starless　sky；　serene　and　empty。

12

Some　hours　later　Benham　found　that　the　trees　and　rocks　were　growing　visible　again；　and　he　saw　a　very　bright　star　that　he　knew　must　be　Lucifer　rising　amidst　the　black　branches。　　He　was　sitting　upon　a　rock　at　the　foot　of　a　slender…stemmed　leafless　tree。　　He　had　been　asleep；　and　it　was　daybreak。　　Everything　was　coldly　clear　and　colourless。　He　must　have　slept　soundly。　He　heard　a　cock　crow；　and　another　answerjungle　fowl　these　must　be；　because　there　could　be　no　village　within　earshotand　then　far　away　and　bringing　back　memories　of　terraced　houses　and　ripe　walled　gardens；　was　the　scream　of　peacocks。　　And　some　invisible　bird　was　making　a　hollow　beating　sound　among　the　trees　near　at　hand。　TUNK。　。　。　。　　TUNK；　and　out　of　the　dry　grass　came　a　twittering。　There　was　a　green　light　in　the　east　that　grew　stronger；　and　the　stars　after　their　magnitudes　were　dissolving　in　the　blue；　only　a　few　remained　faintly　visible。　　The　sound　of　birds　increased。　　Through　the　trees　he　saw　towering　up　a　great　mauve　thing　like　the　back　of　a　monster；but　that　was　nonsense；　it　was　the　crest　of　a　steep　hillside　covered　with　woods　of　teak。　He　stood　up　and　stretched　himself；　and　wondered　whether　he　had　dreamed　of　a　tiger。　He　tried　to　remember　and　retrace　the　course　of　his　over…night　wanderings。　A　flight　of　emerald　parakeets　tore　screaming　through　the　trees；　and　then　far　away　uphill　he　heard　the　creaking　of　a　cart。　He　followed　the　hint　of　a　footmark；　and　went　back　up　the　glen　slowly　and　thoughtfully。　Presently　he　came　to　a　familiar　place；　a　group　of　trees；　a　sheet　of　water；　and　the　ruins　of　an　old　embankment。　　It　was　the　ancient　tank　of　his　overnight　encounter。　　The　pool　of　his　dream？　With　doubt　still　in　his　mind；　he　walked　round　its　margin　to　the　sandy　level　beyond；　and　cast　about　and　sought　intently；　and　at　last　found；　and　then　found　clearly；　imposed　upon　the　tracks　of　several　sorts　of　deer　and　the　footprints　of　many　biggish　birds；　first　the　great　spoor　of　the　tiger　and　then　his　own。　　Here　the　beast　had　halted；　and　here　it　had　leapt　aside。　　Here　his　own　footmarks　stopped。　　Here　his　heels　had　come　together。　It　had　been　no　dream。　There　was　a　white　mist　upon　the　water　of　the　old　tank　like　the　bloom　upon　a　plum；　and　the　trees　about　it　seemed　smaller　and　the　sand…　space　wider　and　rougher　than　they　had　seemed　in　the　moonshine。　　Then　the　ground　had　looked　like　a　floor　of　frosted　silver。　And　thence　he　went　on　upward　through　the　fresh　morning；　until　just　as　the　east　grew　red　with　sunrise；　he　reached　the　cart…track　from　which　he　had　strayed　overnight。　　It　was；　he　found；　a　longer　way　back　to　the　camp　than　he　remembered　it　to　be。　　Perhaps　he　had　struck　the　path　further　along。　　It　curved　about　and　went　up　and　down　and　crossed　three　ravines。　　At　last　he　came　to　that　trampled　place　of　littered　white　blossom　under　great　trees　where　he　had　seen　the　bears。　The　sunlight　went　before　him　in　a　sheaf　of　golden　spears；　and　his　shadow；　that　was　at　first　limitless；　crept　towards　his　feet。　　The　dew　had　gone　from　the　dead　grass　and　the　sand　was　hot　to　his　dry　boots　before　he　came　back　into　the　open　space　about　the　great　banyan　and　the　tents。　　And　Kepple；　refreshed　by　a　night's　rest　and　coffee；　was　wondering　loudly　where　the　devil　he　had　gone。

THE　STORY

CHAPTER　THE　FIRST　THE　BOY　GROWS　UP

1

Benham　was　the　son　of　a　schoolmaster。　　His　father　was　assistant　first　at　Cheltenham；　and　subsequently　at　Minchinghampton；　and　then　he　became　head　and　later　on　sole　proprietor　of　Martindale　House；　a　high…class　preparatory　school　at　Seagate。　　He　was　extremely　successful　for　some　years；　as　success　goes　in　the　scholastic　profession；　and　then　disaster　overtook　him　in　the　shape　of　a　divorce。　　His　wife；　William　Porphyry's　mother；　made　the　acquaintance　of　a　rich　young　man　named　Nolan；　who　was　recuperating　at　Seagate　from　the　sequelae　of　snake…bite；　malaria；　and　a　gun　accident　in　Brazil。　　She　ran　away　with　him；　and　she　was　divorced。　　She　was；　however；　unable　to　marry　him　because　he　died　at　Wiesbaden　only　three　days　after　the　Reverend　Harold　Benham　obtained　his　decree　absolute。　Instead；　therefore；　being　a　woman　of　great　spirit；　enterprise　and　sweetness；　she　married　Godfrey　Marayne；　afterwards　Sir　Godfrey　Marayne；　the　great　London　surgeon。　Nolan　was　a　dark；　rather　melancholy　and　sentimental　young　man；　and　he　left　about　a　third　of　his　very　large　fortune　entirely　to　Mrs。　Benham　and　the　rest　to　her　in　trust　for　her　son；　whom　he　deemed　himself　to　have　injured。　　With　this　and　a　husband　already　distinguished；　she　returned　presently　to　London；　and　was　on　the　whole　fairly　well　received　there。　It　was　upon　the　reverend　gentleman　at　Seagate　that　the　brunt　of　this　divorce　fell。　　There　is　perhaps　a　certain　injustice　in　the　fact　that　a　schoolmaster　who　has　lost　his　wife　should　also　lose　the　more　valuable　proportion　of　his　pupils；　but　the　tone　of　thought　in　England　is　against　any　association　of　a　schoolmaster　with　matrimonial　irregularity。　　And　also　Mr。　Benham　remarried。　　It　would　certainly　have　been　better　for　him　if　he　could　have　produced　a　sister。　　His　school　declined　and　his　efforts　to　resuscitate　it　only　hastened　its　decay。　　Conceiving　that　he　could　now　only　appeal　to　the　broader…minded；　more　progressive　type　of　parent；　he　became　an　educational　reformer；　and　wrote　upon　modernizing　the　curriculum　with　increasing　frequency　to　the　TIMES。　　He　expended　a　considerable　fraction　of　his　dwindling　capital　upon　a　science　laboratory　and　a　fives　court；　he　added　a　London　Bachelor　of　Science　with　a　Teaching　Diploma　to　the　school　staff；　and　a　library　of　about　a　thousand　volumes；　including　the　Hundred　Best　Books　as　selected　by　the　late　Lord　Avebury；　to　the　school　equipment。　　None　of　these　things　did　anything　but　enhance　the　suspicion　of　laxity　his　wife's　escapade　had　created　in　the　limited　opulent　and　discreet　class　to　which　his　establishment　appealed。　　One　boy　who；　under　the　influence　of　the　Hundred　Best　Books；　had　quoted　the　ZEND…AVESTA　to　an　irascible　but　influential　grandfather；　was　withdrawn　without　notice　or　compensation　in　the　middle　of　the　term。　　It　intensifies　the　tragedy　of　the　Reverend　Harold　Benham's　failure　that　in　no　essential　respect　did　his　school　depart　from　the　pattern　of　all　other　properly…　conducted　preparatory　schools。　In　appearance　he　was　near　the　average　of　scholastic　English　gentlemen。　　He　displayed　a　manifest　handsomeness　somewhat　weakened　by　disregard　and　disuse；　a　large　moustache　and　a　narrow　high　forehead。　　His　rather　tired　brown　eyes　were　magnified　by　glasses。　He　was　an　active　man　in　unimportant　things；　with　a　love　for　the　phrase　〃ship…shape；〃　and　he　played　cricket　better　than　any　one　else　on　the　staff。　　He　walked　in　wide　strides；　and　would　sometimes　u