the ivory child-第45章

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they　spare　us　they　will　put　an　end　to　your　wife　rather　than　suffer　one

whom　they　look　upon　as　holy　and　who　is　necessary　to　their　faith　in　its

last　struggle　to　be　separated　from　her　charge　of　the　Child。〃



This　was　a　fortunate　argument　of　mine　and　one　which　went　home。



〃To　lose　her　now　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear；〃　he　muttered。



〃Then　will　you　promise　to　let　me　try　to　manage　this　affair　and　not　to

interfere　with　me　and　show　violence？〃



He　hesitated　a　moment　and　answered：



〃Yes；　I　promise；　for　you　two　are　cleverer　than　I　am　andI　cannot

trust　my　judgment。〃



〃Good；〃　I　said；　assuming　an　air　of　confidence　which　I　did　not　feel。

〃Now　we　will　go　down　to　call　upon　Har？t　and　his　friends。　I　want　to

have　a　closer　look　at　that　temple。〃



So　behind　our　screen　of　bushes　we　wriggled　back　a　little　distance　till

we　knew　that　the　slope　of　the　ground　would　hide　us　when　we　stood　up。

Then　as　quickly　as　we　could　we　made　our　way　eastwards　for　something

over　a　quarter　of　a　mile　and　after　this　turned　to　the　north。　As　I

expected；　beyond　the　ring　of　the　crater　we　found　ourselves　on　the

rising；　tree…clad　bosom　of　the　mountain　and；　threading　our　path

through　the　cedars；　came　presently　to　that　track　or　roadway　which　led

to　the　eastern　gate　of　the　amphitheatre。　This　road　we　followed　unseen

until　presently　the　gateway　appeared　before　us。　We　walked　through　it

without　attracting　any　attention；　perhaps　because　all　the　people　were

either　talking　together；　or　praying；　or　perhaps　because　like

themselves　we　were　wrapped　in　white　robes。　At　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel

we　stopped　and　I　called　out　in　a　loud　voice：



〃The　white　lords　and　their　servant　have　come　to　visit　Har？t；　as　he

invited　them　to　do。　Bring　us；　we　pray　you；　into　the　presence　of

Har？t。〃



Everyone　wheeled　round　and　stared　at　us　standing　there　in　the　shadow

of　the　gateway　tunnel；　for　the　sun　behind　us　was　still　low。　My　word；

how　they　did　stare！　A　voice　cried：



〃Kill　them！　Kill　these　strangers　who　desecrate　our　temple。〃



〃What！〃　I　answered。　〃Would　you　kill　those　to　whom　your　high…priest　has

given　safe…conduct；　those　moreover　by　whose　help　alone；　as　your　Oracle

has　just　declared；　you　can　hope　to　slay　Jana　and　destroy　his　hosts？〃



〃How　do　they　know　that？〃　shouted　another　voice。　〃They　are　magicians！〃



〃Yes；〃　I　remarked；　〃all　magic　does　not　dwell　in　the　hearts　of　the

White　Kendah。　If　you　doubt　it；　go　to　look　at　the　Watcher　in　the　Cave

whom　your　Oracle　told　you　is　dead。　You　will　find　that　it　did　not　lie。〃



As　I　spoke　a　man　rushed　through　the　gates；　his　white　rob　streaming　on

the　wind；　shouting　as　he　emerged　from　the　tunnel：



〃O　Priests　and　Priestesses　of　the　Child；　the　ancient　serpent　is　dead。

I　whose　office　it　is　to　feed　the　serpent　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon

have　found　him　dead　in　his　house。〃



〃You　hear；〃　I　interpolated　calmly。　〃The　Father　of　Snakes　is　dead。　If

you　want　to　know　how；　I　will　tell　you。　We　looked　on　it　and　it　died。〃



They　might　have　answered　that　poor　Savage　also　looked　on　it　with　the

result　that　/he/　died；　but　luckily　it　did　not　occur　to　them　to　do　so。

On　the　contrary；　they　just　stood　still　and　stared　at　us　like　a　flock

of　startled　sheep。



Presently　the　sheep　parted　and　the　shepherd　in　the　shape　of　Har？t

appeared　looking；　I　reflected；　the　very　picture　of　Abraham　softened　by

a　touch　of　the　melancholia　of　Job；　that　is；　as　I　have　always　imagined

those　patriarchs。　He　bowed　to　us　with　his　usual　Oriental　courtesy；　and

we　bowed　back　to　him。　Hans'　bow；　I　may　explain；　was　of　the　most

peculiar　nature；　more　like　a　/skulpat/；　as　the　Boers　call　a　land…

tortoise；　drawing　its　wrinkled　head　into　its　shell　and　putting　it　out

again　than　anything　else。　Then　Har？t　remarked　in　his　peculiar　English；

which　I　suppose　the　White　Kendah　took　for　some　tongue　known　only　to

magicians：



〃So　you　get　here；　eh？　Why　you　get　here；　how　the　devil　you　get　here；

eh？〃



〃We　got　here　because　you　asked　us　to　do　so　if　we　could；〃　I　answered；

〃and　we　thought　it　rude　not　to　accept　your　invitation。　For　the　rest；

we　came　through　a　cave　where　you　kept　a　tame　snake；　an　ugly…looking

reptile　but　very　harmless　to　those　who　know　how　to　deal　with　snakes

and　are　not　afraid　of　them　as　poor　Bena　was。　If　you　can　spare　the　skin

I　should　like　to　have　it　to　make　myself　a　robe。〃



Har？t　looked　at　me　with　evident　respect；　muttering：



〃Oh；　Macumazana；　you　what　you　English　call　cool；　quite　cool！　Is　that

all？〃



〃No；〃　I　answered。　〃Although　you　did　not　happen　to　notice　us；　we　have

been　present　at　your　church　service；　and　heard　and　seen　everything。

For　instance；　we　saw　the　wife　of　the　lord　here　whom　you　stole　away　in

Egypt；　her　that；　being　a　liar；　Har？t；　you　swore　you　never　stole。　Also

we　heard　her　words　after　you　had　made　her　drunk　with　your　tobacco

smoke。〃



Now　for　once　in　his　life　Har？t　was；　in　sporting　parlance；　knocked　out。

He　looked　at　us；　then　turning　quite　pale；　lifted　his　eyes　to　heaven

and　rocked　upon　his　feet　as　though　he　were　about　to　fall。



〃How　you　do　it？　How　you　do　it；　eh？〃　he　queried　in　a　weak　voice。



〃Never　you　mind　how　we　did　it；　my　friend；〃　I　answered　loftily。　〃What

we　want　to　know　is　when　you　are　going　to　hand　over　that　lady　to　her

husband。〃



〃Not　possible；〃　he　answered；　recovering　some　of　his　tone。　〃First　we

kill　you；　first　we　kill　her；　she　Nurse　of　the　Child。　While　Child

there；　she　stop　there　till　she　die。〃



〃See　here；〃　broke　in　Ragnall。　〃Either　you　give　me　my　wife　or　someone

else　will　die。　You　will　die；　Har？t。　I　am　a　stronger　man　than　you　are

and　unless　you　promise　to　give　me　my　wife　I　will　kill　you　now　with

this　stick　and　my　hands。　Do　not　move　or　call　out　if　you　want　to　live。〃



〃Lord；〃　answered　the　old　man　with　some　dignity；　〃I　know　you　can　kill

me；　and　if　you　kill　me；　I　think　I　say　thank　you　who　no　wish　to　live　in

so　much　trouble。　But　what　good　that；　since　in　one　minute　then　you　die

too；　all　of　you；　and　lady　she　stop　here　till　Black　Kendah　king　take

her　to　wife　or　she　too　die？〃



〃Let　us　talk；〃　I　broke　in；　treading　warningly　upon　Ragnall's　foot。　〃We

have　heard　your　Oracle　and　we　know　that　you　believe　its　words。　It　is

said　that　we　alone　can　help　you　to　conquer　the　Black　Kendah。　If　you

will　not　promise　what　we　ask；　we　will　not　help　you。　We　will　burn　our

powder　and　melt　our　lead；　so　that　the　guns　we　have　cannot　speak　with

Jana　and　with　Simba；　and　after　that　we　will　do　other　things　that　I

need　not　tell　you。　But　if　you　promise　what　we　ask；　then　we　will　fight

for　you　against　Jana　and　Simba　and　teach　your　men　to　use　the　fifty

rifles　which　we　have　here　with　us；　and　by　our　help　you　shall　conquer。

Do　you　understand？〃



He　nodded　and　stroking　his　long　beard；　asked：



〃What　you　want　us　promise；　eh？〃



〃We　want　you　to　promise　that　after　Jana　is　dead　and　the　Black　Kendah

are　driven　away；　you　will　give　up　to　us　unharmed　that　lady　whom　you

have　stolen。　Also　that　you　will　bring　her　and　us　safely　out　of　your

country　by　the　roads　you　know；　and　meanwhile　that　you　will　let　this

lord　see　his　wife。〃



〃Not　last；　no；〃　replied　Har？t；　〃that　not　possible。　That　bring　us　all

to　grave。　Also　no　good；　'cause　her　mind　empty。　For　rest；　you　come　to

other　place；　sit　down　and　eat　while　I　talk　with　priests。　Be　afraid

nothing；　you　quite　safe。〃



〃Why　should　we　be　afraid？　It　is　you　who　should　be　afraid；　you　who

stole　the　lady　and　brought　Bena　to　his　death。　Do　you　not　remember　the

words　of　your　own　Oracle；　Har？t？〃



〃Yes；　I　know　words；　but　how　/you/　know　them　/that/　I　not　know；〃　he

replied。



Then　he　issued　some　orders；　as　a　result　of　which　a　guard　formed　itself

about　us　and　conducted　us　through　the　crowd　and　along　the　passage　to

the　second　court　of　the　temple；　which　was　now　empty。　Here　the　guard

left　us　but　remained　at　the　mouth　of　the　passage；　keeping　watch。

Presently　women　brought　us　food　and　drink；　of　which　Hans　and　I　partook

heartily　though　Ragnall；　who　was　so　near　to　his　lost　wife　and　yet　so

far　away；　could　eat　but　little。　Mingled　joy　because　after　these　months

of　arduous　search　he　found　her　yet　alive；　and　fear　lest　she　should

again　be　taken　from　him　for　ever；　deprived　him　of　all　appetite。



While　we　ate；　priests　to　the　number　of　about　a　dozen；　who　I　suppose

had　been　summoned　by　Har？t；　were　admitted　by　the　guard　and；　gathering

out　of　earshot　of　us　between　the　altar　and　the　sanctuary；　entered　on

an　earnest　discussion　with　him。　Watching　their　faces　I　could　see　that

there　was　a　strong　difference　of　opinion　between　them；　about　half

taking　one　view　on　the　matter　of　which　they　disputed；　and　half

another。　At　length　Har？t　made　some　proposition　to　which　they　all

agreed。　Then　the　door　of　the　sanctuary　was　opened　with　a　strange　sort

of　key　which　one　of　the　priests　produced；　showing　a　dark　interior　in

which　gleamed　a　white　object；　I　suppose　the　statue　of　the　Child。　Har？t

and　two　others　entered；　the　door　being　closed　behind　them。　About　five

minutes　later　they　appeared　again　and　others；　who　listened　earnestly

and　after　renewed　consultation　signified　assent　by　holding　up　the

right　hand。　Now　one　of　the　priests　walked　to　where　we　were　and；

bowing；　begged　us　to　advance　to　the　altar。　This　we　did；　and　were　stood

in　a　line　in　front　of　it；　Hans　being　set　in　the　middle　place；　while

the　priests　ranged　themselves　on　either　side。　Next　Har？t；　having　once

more　opened　the　door　of　the　sanctuary；　took　his　stand　a　little　to　the

right　of　it　and　addressed　us；　not　in　English　but　in　his　own　language；

pausing　at　the　end　of　each　sentence　that　I　might　translate　to　Ragnall。



〃Lords　Macumazana　and　Igeza；　and　yellow　man　who　is　named　Light…in…

Darkness；〃　he　said；　〃we；　the　head　priests　of　the　Child；　speaking　on

behalf　of　the　White　Kendah　people　with　full　authority　so　to　do；　have

taken　counsel　together　and　of　the　wisdom　of　the　Child　as　to　the

demands　which　you　make　of　us。　Those　demands　are：　First；　that　after　you

have　killed　Jana　and　defeated　the　Black　Kendah　we　should　give　over　to

you　the　white　lady　who　was　born　in　a　far　land　to　fill　the　office　of

Guardian　of　the　Child；　as　is　shown　by　the　mark　of　the　new　moon　upon

her　breast；　but　who；　because　for　the　second　time　we　could　not　take

her；　became　the　wife　of　you；　the　Lord　Igeza。　Secondly；　that　we　should

conduct　you　and　her　safely　out　of　our　land　to　some　place　whence　you

can　return　to　your　own　country。　Both　of　these　things　we　will　do；

because　we　know　from　of　old　that　if　once　Jana　is　dead　we　shall　have　no

cause　to　fear　the　Black　Kendah　any　more；　since　we　believe　that　then

they　will　leave　their　home　and　go　elsewhere；　and　therefore　that　we

shall　no　longer　need　an　Oracle　to　declare　to　us　in　what　way　Heaven

will　protect　us　from　Jana　and　from　them。　Or　if　another　Oracle　should

become　necessary　to　us；　doubtless　in　due　season　she　will　be　found。

Also　we　admit　that　we　stole　away　this　lady　because　we　must；　although

she　was　the　wife　of　one　of　you。　But　if　we　swear　this；　you　on　your　part

must　also　swea