prester john- 第20部分

The　key　was　turned；　and　the　gleam　of　a　lantern　was　thrown　on　the　wall。　　It　flew　up　and　down　as　its　bearer　cast　the　light　into　the　corners。

'By　God；　he's　gone；'　I　heard　Henriques　say。　　'The　swine　was　listening；　and　he　has　bolted　now。'

'He　won't　bolt　far；'　Laputa　said。　　'He　is　here。　　He　is　snoring　behind　the　counter。'

These　were　anxious　moments　for　me。　　I　had　a　firm　grip　on　Colin's　throat；　but　now　and　then　a　growl　escaped；　which　was　fortunately　blended　with　my　snores。　　I　felt　that　a　lantern　was　flashed　on　me；　and　that　the　two　men　were　peering　down　at　the　heap　on　the　half…opened　trap。　　I　think　that　was　the　worst　minute　I　ever　spent；　for；　as　I　have　said；　my　courage　was　not　so　bad　in　action；　but　in　a　passive　game　it　oozed　out　of　my　fingers。

'He　is　safe　enough；'　Laputa　said；　after　what　seemed　to　me　an　eternity。　　'The　noise　was　only　the　rats　among　the　barrels。'　I　thanked　my　Maker　that　they　had　not　noticed　the　other　trap…door。　'All　the　same　I　think　I'll　make　him　safer；'　said　Henriques。

Laputa　seemed　to　have　caught　him　by　the　arm。

'Come　back　and　get　to　business；'　he　said。　　'I've　told　you　I'll　have　no　more　murder。　　You　will　do　as　I　tell　you；　Mr　Henriques。'

I　did　not　catch　the　answer；　but　the　two　went　out　and　locked　the　door。　　I　patted　the　outraged　Colin；　and　got　to　my　feet　with　an　aching　side　where　the　confounded　lid　of　the　trap　had　been　pressing。　　There　was　no　time　to　lose　for　the　two　in　the　outhouse　would　soon　be　setting　out；　and　I　must　be　before　them。

With　no　better　light　than　a　ray　of　the　moon　through　the　window；　I　wrote　a　message　on　a　leaf　from　my　pocket…book。　　I　told　of　the　plans　I　had　overheard；　and　especially　I　mentioned　Dupree's　Drift　on　the　Letaba。　　I　added　that　I　was　going　to　the　Rooirand　to　find　the　secret　of　the　cave；　and　in　one　final　sentence　implored　Arcoll　to　do　justice　on　the　Portugoose。　　That　was　all；　for　I　had　no　time　for　more。　　I　carefully　tied　the　paper　with　a　string　below　the　collar　of　the　dog。

Then　very　quietly　I　went　into　the　bedroom　next　door　…　the　side　of　the　store　farthest　from　the　outhouse。　　The　place　was　flooded　with　moonlight；　and　the　window　stood　open；　as　I　had　left　it　in　the　afternoon。　　As　softly　as　I　could　I　swung　Colin　over　the　sill　and　clambered　after　him。　　In　my　haste　I　left　my　coat　behind　me　with　my　pistol　in　the　pocket。

Now　came　a　check。　　My　horse　was　stabled　in　the　shed；　and　that　was　close　to　the　outhouse。　　The　sound　of　leading　him　out　would　most　certainly　bring　Laputa　and　Henriques　to　the　door。　In　that　moment　I　all　but　changed　my　plans。　　I　thought　of　slipping　back　to　the　outhouse　and　trying　to　shoot　the　two　men　as　they　came　forth。　　But　I　reflected　that；　before　I　could　get　them　both；　one　or　other　would　probably　shoot　me。　　Besides；　I　had　a　queer　sort　of　compunction　about　killing　Laputa。　　I　understood　now　why　Arcoll　had　stayed　his　hand　from　murder；　and　I　was　beginning　to　be　of　his　opinion　on　our　arch…enemy。

Then　I　remembered　the　horses　tied　up　in　the　bush。　　One　of　them　I　could　get　with　perfect　safety。　　I　ran　round　the　end　of　the　store　and　into　the　thicket；　keeping　on　soft　grass　to　dull　my　tread。　　There；　tied　up　to　a　merula　tree；　were　two　of　the　finest　beasts　I　had　seen　in　Africa。　　I　selected　the　better；　an　Africander　stallion　of　the　blaauw…schimmel；　or　blue…roan　type；　which　is　famous　for　speed　and　endurance。　　Slipping　his　bridle　from　the　branch；　I　led　him　a　little　way　into　the　bush　in　the　direction　of　the　Rooirand。

Then　I　spoke　to　Colin。　　'Home　with　you；'　I　said。　　'Home；　old　man；　as　if　you　were　running　down　a　tsessebe。'*　　　　　　　　　　　*A　species　of　buck；　famous　for　its　speed。

The　dog　seemed　puzzled。　　'Home；'　I　said　again；　pointing　west　in　the　direction　of　the　Berg。　　'Home；　you　brute。'

And　then　he　understood。　　He　gave　one　low　whine；　and　cast　a　reproachful　eye　on　me　and　the　blue　roan。　　Then　he　turned；　and　with　his　head　down　set　off　with　great　lopes　on　the　track　of　the　road　I　had　ridden　in　the　morning。

A　second　later　and　I　was　in　the　saddle；　riding　hell…for…leather　for　the　north。



CHAPTER　X　I　GO　TREASURE…HUNTING


For　a　mile　or　so　I　kept　the　bush；　which　was　open　and　easy　to　ride　through；　and　then　turned　into　the　path。　　The　moon　was　high；　and　the　world　was　all　a　dim　dark　green；　with　the　track　a　golden　ivory　band　before　me。　　I　had　looked　at　my　watch　before　I　started；　and　seen　that　it　was　just　after　eight　o'clock。　　I　had　a　great　horse　under　me；　and　less　than　thirty　miles　to　cover。　Midnight　should　see　me　at　the　cave。　　With　the　password　I　would　gain　admittance；　and　there　would　wait　for　Laputa　and　Henriques。　　Then；　if　my　luck　held；　I　should　see　the　inner　workings　of　the　mystery　which　had　puzzled　me　ever　since　the　Kirkcaple　shore。　　No　doubt　I　should　be　roughly　treated；　tied　up　prisoner；　and　carried　with　the　army　when　the　march　began。　But　till　Inanda's　Kraal　my　life　was　safe；　and　before　that　came　the　ford　of　the　Letaba。　　Colin　would　carry　my　message　to　Arcoll；　and　at　the　Drift　the　tables　would　be　turned　on　Laputa's　men。

Looking　back　in　cold　blood；　it　seems　the　craziest　chain　of　accidents　to　count　on　for　preservation。　　A　dozen　possibilities　might　have　shattered　any　link　of　it。　　The　password　might　be　wrong；　or　I　might　never　get　the　length　of　those　who　knew　it。　The　men　in　the　cave　might　butcher　me　out　of　hand；　or　Laputa　might　think　my　behaviour　a　sufficient　warrant　for　the　breach　of　the　solemnest　vow。　　Colin　might　never　get　to　Blaauwildebeestefontein；　Laputa　might　change　his　route　of　march；　or　Arcoll's　men　might　fail　to　hold　the　Drift。　　Indeed；　the　other　day　at　Portincross　I　was　so　overcome　by　the　recollection　of　the　perils　I　had　dared　and　God's　goodness　towards　me　that　I　built　a　new　hall　for　the　parish　kirk　as　a　token　of　gratitude。

Fortunately　for　mankind　the　brain　in　a　life　of　action　turns　more　to　the　matter　in　hand　than　to　conjuring　up　the　chances　of　the　future。　　Certainly　it　was　in　no　discomfort　of　mind　that　I　swung　along　the　moonlit　path　to　the　north。　　Truth　to　tell；　I　was　almost　happy。　　The　first　honours　in　the　game　had　fallen　to　me。　I　knew　more　about　Laputa　than　any　man　living　save　Henriques；　I　had　my　finger　on　the　central　pulse　of　the　rebellion。　There　was　hid　treasure　ahead　of　me　…　a　great　necklace　of　rubies；　Henriques　had　said。　　Nay；　there　must　be　more；　I　argued。　　This　cave　of　the　Rooirand　was　the　headquarters　of　the　rising；　and　there　must　be　stored　their　funds　…　diamonds；　and　the　gold　they　had　been　bartered　for。　　I　believe　that　every　man　has　deep　in　his　soul　a　passion　for　treasure…hunting；　which　will　often　drive　a　coward　into　prodigies　of　valour。　　I　lusted　for　that　treasure　of　jewels　and　gold。　　Once　I　had　been　high…minded；　and　thought　of　my　duty　to　my　country；　but　in　that　night　ride　I　fear　that　what　I　thought　of　was　my　duty　to　enrich　David　Crawfurd。　　One　other　purpose　simmered　in　my　head。　　I　was　devoured　with　wrath　against　Henriques。　　Indeed；　I　think　that　was　the　strongest　motive　for　my　escapade；　for　even　before　I　heard　Laputa　tell　of　the　vows　and　the　purification；　I　had　it　in　my　mind　to　go　at　all　costs　to　the　cave。　　I　am　a　peaceable　man　at　most　times；　but　I　think　I　would　rather　have　had　the　Portugoose's　throat　in　my　hands　than　the　collar　of　Prester　John。

But　behind　my　thoughts　was　one　master…feeling；　that　Providence　had　given　me　my　chance　and　I　must　make　the　most　of　it。　Perhaps　the　Calvinism　of　my　father's　preaching　had　unconsciously　taken　grip　of　my　soul。　　At　any　rate　I　was　a　fatalist　in　creed；　believing　that　what　was　willed　would　happen；　and　that　man　was　but　a　puppet　in　the　hands　of　his　Maker。　　I　looked　on　the　last　months　as　a　clear　course　which　had　been　mapped　out　for　me。　　Not　for　nothing　had　I　been　given　a　clue　to　the　strange　events　which　were　coming。　　It　was　foreordained　that　I　should　go　alone　to　Umvelos'；　and　in　the　promptings　of　my　own　fallible　heart　I　believed　I　saw　the　workings　of　Omnipotence。　　Such　is　our　moral　arrogance；　and　yet　without　such　a　belief　I　think　that　mankind　would　have　ever　been　content　to　bide　sluggishly　at　home。

I　passed　the　spot　where　on　my　former　journey　I　had　met　the　horses；　and　knew　that　I　had　covered　more　than　half　the　road。　My　ear　had　been　alert　for　the　sound　of　pursuit；　but　the　bush　was　quiet　as　the　grave。　　The　man　who　rode　my　pony　would　find　him　a　slow　traveller；　and　I　pitied　the　poor　beast　bucketed　along　by　an　angry　rider。　　Gradually　a　hazy　wall　of　purple　began　to　shimmer　before　me；　apparently　very　far　off。　　I　knew　the　ramparts　of　the　Rooirand；　and　let　my　Schimmel　feel　my　knees　in　his　ribs。　　Within　an　hour　I　should　be　at　the　cliff's　foot。

I　had　trusted　for　safety　to　the　password；　but　as　it　turned　out　I　owed　my　life　mainly　to　my　horse。　　For；　a　mile　or　so　from　the　cliffs；　I　came　to　the　fringes　of　a　great　army。　　The　bush　was　teeming　with　men；　and　I　saw　horses　picketed　in　bunches；　and　a　multitude　of　Cape…carts　and　light　wagons。　　It　was　like　a　colossal　gathering　for　naachtmaal*1　at　a　Dutch　dorp；　but　every　man　was　black。　　I　saw　through　a　corner　of　my　eye　that　they　were　armed　with　guns；　though　many　carried　in　addition　their　spears　and　shields。　　Their　first　impulse　was　to　stop　me。　　I　saw　guns　fly　to　shoulders；　and　a　rush　towards　the　path。　　The　boldest　game　was　the　safest；　so　I　dug　my　heels　into　the　schimmel　and　shouted　for　a　passage。　　'Make　way！'　I　cried　in　Kaffir。　　'I　bear　a　message　from　the　Inkulu。*2　　Clear　out；　you　dogs