stories by english authors in africa(旅非英国作家的故事)-第2章
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〃Look here； Jack！〃 he cried； when he saw that I was awake。 〃Come
and give me your opinion。 Suppose I put this cross…stick pointing straight
at a thing； and arranged this small one so as to keep it so； and left it； I
could find that thing again if I wanted itdon't you think I could； Jack
don't you think so？〃 he continued； nervously； clutching me by the arm。
〃Well；〃 I answered； 〃it would depend on how far off the thing was； and
how accurately it was pointed。 If it were any distance； I'd cut sights on
your cross…stick； then a string tied to the end of it； and held in a plumb…line
forward； would lend you pretty near what you wanted。 But surely； Tom；
you don't intend to localise the ghost in that way？〃
〃You'll see to…night； old friendyou'll see to…night。 I'll carry this to the
Sasassa Valley。 You get the loan of Madison's crowbar； and come with me；
but mind you tell no man where you are going； or what you want it for。〃
All day Tom was walking up and down the room； or working hard at
the apparatus。 His eyes were glistening； his cheeks hectic； and he had all
the symptoms of high fever。 〃Heaven grant that Dick's diagnosis be not
correct！〃 I thought； as I returned with the crowbar； and yet； as evening
drew near； I found myself imperceptibly sharing the excitement。
About six o'clock Tom sprang to his feet and seized his sticks。 〃I can
stand it no longer； Jack；〃 he cried； 〃up with your crowbar； and hey for
Sasassa Valley！ To…night's work； my lad； will either make us or mar us！
Take your six…shooter； in case we meet the Kaffirs。 I daren't take mine；
Jack；〃 he continued； putting his hands upon my shoulders 〃I daren't take
mine； for if my ill luck sticks to me to…night； I don't know what I might not
do with it。〃
Well； having filled our pockets with provisions； we set out； and； as we
took our wearisome way toward the Sasassa Valley； I frequently attempted
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to elicit from my companion some clue as to his intentions。 But his only
answer was： 〃Let us hurry on； Jack。 Who knows how many have heard of
Wharton's adventure by this time！ Let us hurry on； or we may not be first
in the field！〃
Well； sir； we struggled on through the hills for a matter of ten miles；
till at last； after descending a crag； we saw opening out in front of us a
ravine so sombre and dark that it might have been the gate of Hades itself；
cliffs many hundred feet shut in on every side the gloomy boulder…studded
passage which led through the haunted defile into Kaffirland。 The moon；
rising above the crags； threw into strong relief the rough； irregular
pinnacles of rock by which they were topped； while all below was dark as
Erebus。
〃The Sasassa Valley？〃 said I。
〃Yes；〃 said Tom。
I looked at him。 He was calm now； the flush and feverishness had
passed away； his actions were deliberate and slow。 Yet there was a certain
rigidity in his face and glitter in his eye which showed that a crisis had
come。
We entered the pass； stumbling along amid the great boulders。
Suddenly I heard a short； quick exclamation from Tom。 〃That's the crag！〃
he cried； pointing to a great mass looming before us in the darkness。 〃Now；
Jack； for any favour use your eyes！ We're about a hundred yards from that
cliff； I take it； so you move slowly toward one side and I'll do the same
toward the other。 When you see anything； stop and call out。 Don't take
more than twelve inches in a step； and keep your eye fixed on the cliff
about eight feet from the ground。 Are you ready？〃
〃Yes。〃 I was even more excited than Tom by this time。 What his
intention or object was I could not conjecture； beyond that he wanted to
examine by daylight the part of the cliff from which the light came。 Yet the
influence of the romantic situation and my companion's suppressed
excitement was so great that I could feel the blood coursing through my
veins and count the pulses throbbing at my temples。
〃Start！〃 cried Tom； and we moved off； he to the right； I to the left； each
with our eyes fixed intently on the base of the crag。 I had moved perhaps
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twenty feet； when in a moment it burst upon me。 Through the growing
darkness there shone a small； ruddy； glowing point； the light from which
waned and increased； flickered and oscillated； each change producing a
more weird effect than the last。 The old Kaffir superstition came into my
mind； and I felt a cold shudder pass over me。 In my excitement I stepped a
pace backward； when instantly the light went out； leaving utter darkness in
its place； but when I advanced again； there was the ruddy glare glowing
from the base of the cliff。 〃Tom； Tom！〃 I cried。
〃Ay； ay！〃 I heard him exclaim； as he hurried over toward me。
〃There it isthere； up against the cliff！〃
Tom was at my elbow。 〃I see nothing；〃 said he。
〃Why； there； there； man； in front of you！〃 I stepped to the right as I
spoke； when the light instantly vanished from my eyes。
But from Tom's ejaculations of delight it was clear that from my
former position it was visible to him also。 〃Jack；〃 he cried； as he turned
and wrung my hand〃Jack； you and I can never complain of our luck
again。 Now heap up a few stones where we are standing。 That's right。 Now
we must fix my sign…post firmly in at the top。 There！ It would take a
strong wind to blow that down； and we only need it to hold out till
morning。 O Jack； my boy； to think that only yesterday we were talking of
becoming clerks； and you saying that no man knew what was awaiting
him； too！ By Jove； Jack； it would make a good story！〃
By this time we had firmly fixed the perpendicular stick in between
the two large stones； and Tom bent down and peered along the horizontal
one。 For fully a quarter of an hour he was alternately raising and
depressing it； until at last； with a sigh of satisfaction； he fixed the prop into
the angle； and stood up。 〃Look along； Jack；〃 he said。 〃You have as straight
an eye to take a sight as any man I know of。〃
I looked along。 There beyond the farther sight was the ruddy；
scintillating speck； apparently at the end of the stick itself； so accurately
had it been adjusted。
〃And now； my boy；〃 said Tom； 〃let's have some supper and a sleep。
There's nothing more to be done to…night； but we'll need all our wits and
strength to…morrow。 Get some sticks and kindle a fire here； and then we'll
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be able to keep an eye on our signal…post； and see that nothing happens to
it during the night。〃
Well； sir； we kindled a fire； and had supper with the Sasassa demon's
eye rolling and glowing in front of us the whole night through。 Not always
in the same place； though； for after supper； when I glanced along the sights
to have another look at it； it was nowhere to be seen。 The information did
not； however； seem to disturb Tom in any way。 He merely remarked； 〃It's
the moon； not the thing； that has shifted；〃 and coiling himself up； went to
sleep。
By early dawn we were both up； and gazing along our pointer at the
cliff； but we could make out nothing save the one dead； monotonous； slaty
surface； rougher perhaps at the part we were examining than elsewhere；
but otherwise presenting nothing remarkable。
〃Now for your idea； Jack！〃 said Tom Donahue； unwinding a long thin
cord from round his waist。 〃You fasten it； and guide me while I take the
other end。〃 So saying； he walked off to the base of the cliff； holding one
end of the cord； while I drew the other taut； and wound it round the middle
of the horizontal stick； passing it through the sight at the end。 By this
means I could direct Tom to the right or left； until we had our string
stretching from the point of attachment； through the sight； and on to the
rock； which it struck about eight feet from the ground。 Tom drew a chalk
circle of about three feet diameter round the spot； and then called to me to
come and join him。 〃We've managed this business together； Jack；〃 he said；
〃and we'll find what we are to find； together。〃 The circle he had drawn
embraced a part of the rock smoother than the rest； save that about the
centre there were a few rough protuberances or knobs。 One of these Tom
pointed to with a cry of delight。 It was a roughish； brownish mass about
the size of a man's closed fist； and looking like a bit of dirty glass let into
the wall of the cliff。 〃That's it！〃 he cried〃that's it！〃
〃That's what？〃
〃Why； man； /a diamond/； and such a one as there isn't a monarch in
Europe but would envy Tom Donahue the possession of。 Up with your
crowbar； and we'll soon exorcise the demon of Sasassa Valley！〃
I was so astounded that for a moment I stood speechless with surprise；
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gazing at the treasure which had so unexpectedly fallen into our hands。
〃Here； hand me the crowbar；〃 said Tom。 〃Now； by using this little
round knob which projects from the cliff here as a fulcrum； we may be
able to lever it off。 Yes； there it goes。 I never thought it could have come
so easily。 Now； Jack； the sooner we get back to our hut and then down to
Cape Town； the better。〃
We wrapped up our treasure； and made our way across the hills toward
home。 On the way； Tom told me how； while a law student in the Middle
Temple； he had come upon a dusty pamphlet in the library； by one Jans
van Hounym； which told of an experience very similar to ours； which had
befallen that worthy Dutchman in the latter part of the seventeenth century；
and which resulted in the
