the ivory child-第53章

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〃What　of　my　wife？〃　Ragnall　asked　hoarsely。



〃While　the　temple　stands　she　must　remain　in　the　temple；〃　replied

Har？t。　〃But　when　all　is　lost；　if　I　have　fallen；　do　you；　White　Lord；　go

to　the　sanctuary　with　those　who　remain　and　take　her　and　the　Ivory

Child　and　flee　after　the　others。　Only　I　lay　this　charge　on　you　under

pain　of　the　curse　of　Heaven；　that　you　do　not　suffer　the　Ivory　Child　to

fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Black　Kendah。　First　must　you　burn　it　with

fire　or　grind　it　to　dust　with　stones。　Moreover；　I　give　this　command　to

all　in　case　of　the　priests　in　charge　of　it　should　fail　me；　that　they

set　flame　to　the　brushwood　that　is　built　up　with　the　stacks　of　corn；

so　that；　after　all；　those　of　our　enemies　who　escape　may　die　of

famine。〃



Instantly　and　without　murmuring；　for　never　did　I　see　more　perfect

discipline　than　that　which　prevailed　among　these　poor　people；　the

orders　given　by　Har？t；　who　in　addition　to　his　office　as　head　priest

was　a　kind　of　president　of　what　was　in　fact　a　republic；　were　put　in

the　way　of　execution。　Company　by　company　the　men　appointed　to　escort

the　women　and　children　departed　through　the　gateway　of　the　second

court；　each　company　turning　in　the　gateway　to　salute　us　who　remained；

by　raising　their　spears；　till　all　were　gone。　Then　we；　the　three

hundred　and　fifty　who　were　left；　marshalled　ourselves　as　the　Greeks

may　have　done　in　the　Pass　of　Thermopyl？。



First　stood　I　and　my　riflemen；　to　whom　all　the　remaining　ammunition

was　served　out；　it　amounted　to　eight　rounds　per　man。　Then；　ranged

across　the　court　in　four　lines；　came　the　spearmen　armed　with　lances

and　swords　under　the　immediate　command　of　Har？t。　Behind　these；　near

the　gate　of　the　second　court　so　that　at　the　last　they　might　attempt

the　rescue　of　the　priestess；　were　fifty　picked　men；　captained　by

Ragnall；　who；　I　forgot　to　say；　was　wounded　in　two　places；　though　not

badly；　having　received　a　spear　thrust　in　the　left　shoulder　and　a　sword

cut　to　the　left　thigh　during　his　desperate　defence　of　the

entrenchment。



By　the　time　that　all　was　ready　and　every　man　had　been　given　to　drink

from　the　great　jars　of　water　which　stood　along　the　walls；　the　massive

wooden　doors　began　to　burn　through；　though　this　did　not　happen　for

quite　half　an　hour　after　the　enemy　had　begun　to　attempt　to　fire　them。

They　fell　at　length　beneath　the　battering　of　poles；　leaving　only　the

mound　of　earth　and　stones　which　we　had　piled　up　in　the　gateway　after

the　closing　of　the　doors。　This　the　Black　Kendah；　who　had　raked　out　the

burning　embers；　set　themselves　to　dig　away　with　hands　and　sticks　and

spears；　a　task　that　was　made　very　difficult　to　them　by　about　a　score

of　our　people　who　stabbed　at　them　with　their　long　lances　or　dashed

them　down　with　stones；　killing　and　disabling　many。　But　always　the　dead

and　wounded　were　dragged　off　while　others　took　their　places；　so　that

at　last　the　gateway　was　practically　cleared。　Then　I　called　back　the

spearmen　who　passed　into　the　ranks　behind　us；　and　made　ready　to　play

my　part。



I　had　not　long　to　wait。　With　a　rush　and　a　roar　a　great　company　of　the

Black　Kendah　charged　the　gateway。　Just　as　they　began　to　emerge　into

the　court　I　gave　the　word　to　fire；　sending　fifty　Snider　bullets

tearing　into　them　from　a　distance　of　a　few　yards。　They　fell　in　a　heap；

they　fell　like　corn　before　the　scythe；　not　a　man　won　through。　Quickly

we　reloaded　and　waited　for　the　next　rush。　In　due　course　it　came　and

the　dreadful　scene　repeated　itself。　Now　the　gateway　and　the　tunnel

beyond　were　so　choked　with　fallen　men　that　the　enemy　must　drag　these

out　before　they　could　charge　any　more。　It　was　done　under　the　fire　of

myself；　Hans　and　a　few　picked　shotssomehow　it　was　done。



Once　more　they　charged；　and　once　more　were　mown　down。　So　it　went　on

till　our　last　cartridge　was　spent；　for　never　did　I　see　more

magnificent　courage　than　was　shown　by　those　Black　Kendah　in　the　face

of　terrific　loss。　Then　my　people　threw　aside　their　useless　rifles　and

arming　themselves　with　spears　and　swords　fell　back　to　rest；　leaving

Har？t　and　his　company　to　take　their　place。　For　half　an　hour　or　more

raged　that　awful　struggle；　since　the　spot　being　so　narrow；　charge　as

they　would；　the　Black　Kendah　could　not　win　through　the　spears　of

despairing　warriors　defending　their　lives　and　the　sanctuary　of　their

god。　Nor；　the　encircling　cliffs　being　so　sheer；　could　they　get　round

any　other　way。



At　length　the　enemy　drew　back　as　though　defeated；　giving　us　time　to

drag　aside　our　dead　and　wounded　and　drink　more　water；　for　the　heat　in

the　place　was　now　overwhelming。　We　hoped　against　hope　that　they　had

given　up　the　attack。　But　this　was　far　from　the　case；　they　were　but

making　a　new　plan。



Suddenly　in　the　gateway　there　appeared　the　huge　bulk　of　the　elephant

Jana；　rushing　forward　at　speed　and　being　urged　on　by　men　who　pricked

it　with　spears　behind。　It　swept　through　the　defenders　as　though　they

were　but　dry　grass；　battering　those　in　front　of　it　with　its　great

trunk　from　which　swung　the　iron　balls　that　crushed　all　on　whom　they

fell；　and　paying　no　more　heed　to　the　lance　thrusts　than　it　might　have

done　to　the　bites　of　gnats。　On　it　came；　trumpeting　and　trampling；　and

after　it　in　a　flood　flowed　the　Black　Kendah；　upon　whom　our　spearmen

flung　themselves　from　either　side。



At　the　time　I；　followed　by　Hans；　was　just　returning　from　speaking　with

Ragnall　at　the　gate　of　the　second　court。　A　little　before　I　had　retired

exhausted　from　the　fierce　and　fearful　fighting；　whereon　he　took　my

place　and　repelled　several　of　the　Black　Kendah　charges；　including　the

last。　In　this　fray　he　received　a　further　injury；　a　knock　on　the　head

from　a　stick　or　stone　which　stunned　him　for　a　few　minutes；　whereon

some　of　our　people　had　carried　him　off　and　set　him　on　the　ground　with

his　back　against　one　of　the　pillars　of　the　second　gate。　Being　told

that　he　was　hurt　I　ran　to　see　what　was　the　matter。　Finding　to　my　joy

that　it　was　nothing　very　serious；　I　was　hurrying　to　the　front　again

when　I　looked　up　and　saw　that　devil　Jana　charging　straight　towards　me；

the　throng　of　armed　men　parting　on　each　side　of　him；　as　rough　water

does　before　the　leaping　prow　of　a　storm…driven　ship。



To　tell　the　truth；　although　I　was　never　fond　of　unnecessary　risks；　I

rejoiced　at　the　sight。　Not　even　all　the　excitement　of　that　hideous　and

prolonged　battle　had　obliterated　from　my　mind　the　burning　sense　of

shame　at　the　exhibition　which　I　had　made　of　myself　by　missing　this

beast　with　four　barrels　at　forty　yards。



Now；　thought　I　to　myself　with　a　kind　of　exultant　thrill；　now；　Jana；　I

will　wipe　out　both　my　disgrace　and　you。　This　time　there　shall　be　no

mistake；　or　if　there　is；　let　it　be　my　last。



On　thundered　Jana；　whirling　the　iron　balls　among　the　soldiers；　who

fled　to　right　and　left　leaving　a　clear　path　between　me　and　him。　To

make　quite　sure　of　things；　for　I　was　trembling　a　little　with　fatigue

and　somewhat　sick　from　the　continuous　sight　of　bloodshed；　I　knelt　down

upon　my　right　knee；　using　the　other　as　a　prop　for　my　left　elbow；　and

since　I　could　not　make　certain　of　a　head　shot　because　of　the　continual

whirling　of　the　huge　trunk；　got　the　sight　of　my　big…game　rifle　dead　on

to　the　beast　where　the　throat　joins　the　chest。　I　hoped　that　the　heavy

conical　bullet　would　either　pierce　through　to　the　spine　or　cut　one　of

the　large　arteries　in　the　neck；　or　at　least　that　the　tremendous　shock

of　its　impact　would　bring　him　down。



At　about　twenty　paces　I　fired　and　hitnot　Jana　but　the　lame　priest

who　was　fulfilling　the　office　of　mahout；　perched　upon　his　shoulders

many　feet　above　the　point　at　which　I　had　aimed。　Yes！　I　hit　him　in　the

head；　which　was　shattered　like　an　eggshell；　so　that　he　fell　lifeless

to　the　ground。



In　perfect　desperation　again　I　aimed；　and　fired　when　Jana　was　not　more

than　thirty　feet　away。　This　time　the　bullet　must　have　gone　wide　to　the

left；　for　I　saw　a　chip　fly　from　the　end　of　the　animal's　broken　and

deformed　tusk；　which　stuck　out　in　that　direction　several　feet　clear　of

its　side。



Then　I　gave　up　all　hope。　There　was　no　time　to　gain　my　feet　and　escape；

indeed　I　did　not　wish　to　do　so；　who　felt　that　there　are　some　failures

which　can　only　be　absolved　by　death。　I　just　knelt　there；　waiting　for

the　end。



In　an　instant　the　giant　creature　was　almost　over　me。　I　remember

looking　up　at　it　and　thinking　in　a　queer　sort　of　a　wayperhaps　it　was

some　ancestral　memorythat　I　was　a　little　ape…like　child　about　to　be

slain　by　a　primordial　elephant；　thrice　as　big　as　any　that　now　inhabit

the　earth。　Then　something　appeared　to　happen　which　I　only　repeat　to

show　how　at　such　moments　absurd　and　impossible　things　seem　real　to　us。



The　reader　may　remember　the　strange　dream　which　Hans　had　related　to　me

that　morning。



One　incident　of　this　phantasy　was　that　he　had　met　the　spirit　of　the

Zulu　lady　Mameena；　whom　I　knew　in　bygone　years；　and　that　she　bade　him

tell　me　she　would　be　with　me　in　the　battle　and　that　I　was　to　look　for

her　when　death　drew　near　to　me　and　〃Jana　thundered　on；〃　for　then

perchance　I　should　see　her。



Well；　no　doubt　in　some　lightning　flash　of　thought　the　memory　of　these

words　occurred　to　me　at　this　juncture；　with　the　ridiculous　result　that

my　subjective　intelligence；　if　that　is　the　right　term；　actually

created　the　scene　which　they　described。　As　clearly；　or　perhaps　more

clearly　than　ever　I　saw　anything　else　in　my　life；　I　appeared　to　behold

the　beautiful　Mameena　in　her　fur　cloak　and　her　blue　beads；　standing

between　Jana　and　myself　with　her　arms　folded　upon　her　breast　and

looking　exactly　as　she　did　in　the　tremendous　moment　of　her　death

before　King　Panda。　I　even　noted　how　the　faint　breeze　stirred　a　loose

end　of　her　outspread　hair　and　how　the　sunlight　caught　a　particular

point　of　a　copper　bangle　on　her　upper　arm。



So　she　stood；　or　rather　seemed　to　stand；　quite　still；　and　as　it

happened；　at　that　moment　the　giant　Jana；　either　because　something　had

frightened　him；　or　perhaps　owing　to　the　shock　of　my　bullet　striking　on

his　tusk　having　jarred　the　brain；　suddenly　pulled　up；　sliding　along　a

little　with　all　his　four　feet　together；　till　I　thought　he　was　going　to

sit　down　like　a　performing　elephant。　Then　it　appeared　to　me　as　though

Mameena　turned　round　very　slowly；　bent　towards　me；　whispering

something　which　I　could　not　hear　although　her　lips　moved；　looked　at　me

sweetly　with　those　wonderful　eyes　of　hers　and　vanished　away。



A　fraction　of　a　second　later　all　this　vision　had　gone　and　something

that　was　no　vision　took　its　place。　Jana　had　recovered　himself　and　was

at　me　again　with　open　mouth　and　lifted　trunk。　I　heard　a　Dutch　curse

and　saw　a　little　yellow　form；　saw　Hans；　for　it　was　he；　thrust　the

barrels　of　my　second　elephant　rifle　almost　into　that　red　cave　of　a

mouth；　which　however　they　could　not　reach；　and　fire；　first　one　barrel；

then　the　other。



Another　moment；　and　the　mighty　trunk　had　wrapped　itself　about　Hans　and

hurled　him　through　the　a