prester john- 第22部分

He　was　asking　Laputa　questions；　to　which　came　answers　in　that　rich　voice　which　on　board　the　liner　had　preached　the　gospel　of　Christ。　　The　tongue　I　did　not　know；　and　I　doubt　if　my　neighbours　were　in　better　case。　　It　must　have　been　some　old　sacred　language　…　Phoenician；　Sabaean；　I　know　not　what　…　which　had　survived　in　the　rite　of　the　Snake。

Then　came　silence　while　the　fire　died　down　and　the　smoke　eddied　away　in　wreaths　towards　the　river。　　The　priest's　lips　moved　as　if　in　prayer：　of　Laputa　I　saw　only　the　back；　and　his　head　was　bowed。

Suddenly　a　rapt　cry　broke　from　the　Keeper。　　'God　has　spoken；'　he　cried。　　'The　path　is　clear。　　The　Snake　returns　to　the　House　of　its　Birth。'

An　attendant　led　forward　a　black　goat；　which　bleated　feebly。　With　a　huge　antique　knife　the　old　man　slit　its　throat；　catching　the　blood　in　a　stone　ewer。　　Some　was　flung　on　the　fire；　which　had　burned　small　and　low。

'Even　so；'　cried　the　priest；　'will　the　king　quench　in　blood　the　hearth…fires　of　his　foes。'

Then　on　Laputa's　forehead　and　bare　breast　he　drew　a　bloody　cross。　'I　seal　thee；'　said　the　voice；　'priest　and　king　of　God's　people。'　The　ewer　was　carried　round　the　assembly；　and　each　dipped　his　finger　in　it　and　marked　his　forehead。　　I　got　a　dab　to　add　to　the　other　marks　on　my　face。

'Priest　and　king　of　God's　people；'　said　the　voice　again；　'I　call　thee　to　the　inheritance　of　John。　　Priest　and　king　was　he；　king　of　kings；　lord　of　hosts；　master　of　the　earth。　　When　he　ascended　on　high　he　left　to　his　son　the　sacred　Snake；　the　ark　of　his　valour；　to　be　God's　dower　and　pledge　to　the　people　whom　He　has　chosen。'

I　could　not　make　out　what　followed。　　It　seemed　to　be　a　long　roll　of　the　kings　who　had　borne　the　Snake。　　None　of　them　I　knew；　but　at　the　end　I　thought　I　caught　the　name　of　Tchaka　the　Terrible；　and　I　remembered　Arcoll's　tale。

The　Keeper　held　in　his　arms　a　box　of　curiously　wrought　ivory；　about　two　feet　long　and　one　broad。　　He　was　standing　beyond　the　ashes；　from　which；　in　spite　of　the　blood；　thin　streams　of　smoke　still　ascended。　　He　opened　it；　and　drew　out　something　which　swung　from　his　hand　like　a　cascade　of　red　fire。

'Behold　the　Snake；'　cried　the　Keeper；　and　every　man　in　the　assembly；　excepting　Laputa　and　including　me；　bowed　his　head　to　the　ground　and　cried　'Ow。'

'Ye　who　have　seen　the　Snake；'　came　the　voice；　on　you　is　the　vow　of　silence　and　peace。　　No　blood　shall　ye　shed　of　man　or　beast；　no　flesh　shall　ye　eat　till　the　vow　is　taken　from　you。　　From　the　hour　of　midnight　till　sunrise　on　the　second　day　ye　are　bound　to　God。　　Whoever　shall　break　the　vow；　on　him　shall　the　curse　fall。　　His　blood　shall　dry　in　his　veins；　and　his　flesh　shrink　on　his　bones。　　He　shall　be　an　outlaw　and　accursed；　and　there　shall　follow　him　through　life　and　death　the　Avengers　of　the　Snake。　　Choose　ye；　my　people；　upon　you　is　the　vow。'

By　this　time　we　were　all　flat　on　our　faces；　and　a　great　cry　of　assent　went　up。　　I　lifted　my　head　as　much　as　I　dared　to　see　what　would　happen　next。

The　priest　raised　the　necklace　till　it　shone　above　his　head　like　a　halo　of　blood。　　I　have　never　seen　such　a　jewel；　and　I　think　there　has　never　been　another　such　on　earth。　　Later　I　was　to　have　the　handling　of　it；　and　could　examine　it　closely；　though　now　I　had　only　a　glimpse。　　There　were　fifty…five　rubies　in　it；　the　largest　as　big　as　a　pigeon's　egg；　and　the　least　not　smaller　than　my　thumbnail。　　In　shape　they　were　oval；　cut　on　both　sides　en　cabochon；　and　on　each　certain　characters　were　engraved。　No　doubt　this　detracted　from　their　value　as　gems；　yet　the　characters　might　have　been　removed　and　the　stones　cut　in　facets；　and　these　rubies　would　still　have　been　the　noblest　in　the　world。　　I　was　no　jewel　merchant　to　guess　their　value；　but　I　knew　enough　to　see　that　here　was　wealth　beyond　human　computation。　　At　each　end　of　the　string　was　a　great　pearl　and　a　golden　clasp。　　The　sight　absorbed　me　to　the　exclusion　of　all　fear。　　I；　David　Crawfurd；　nineteen　years　of　age；　an　assistant…　storekeeper　in　a　back…veld　dorp；　was　privileged　to　see　a　sight　to　which　no　Portuguese　adventurer　had　ever　attained。　　There；　floating　on　the　smoke…wreaths；　was　the　jewel　which　may　once　have　burned　in　Sheba's　hair。　As　the　priest　held　the　collar　aloft；　the　assembly　rocked　with　a　strange　passion。　　Foreheads　were　rubbed　in　the　dust；　and　then　adoring　eyes　would　be　raised；　while　a　kind　of　sobbing　shook　the　worshippers。　　In　that　moment　I　learned　something　of　the　secret　of　Africa；　of　Prester　John's　empire　and　Tchaka's　victories。

；　In　the　name　of　God；'　came　the　voice；　'I　deliver　to　the　heir　of　John　the　Snake　of　John。'

Laputa　took　the　necklet　and　twined　it　in　two　loops　round　his　neck　till　the　clasp　hung　down　over　his　breast。　　The　position　changed。　　The　priest　knelt　before　him；　and　received　his　hands　on　his　head。　　Then　I　knew　that；　to　the　confusion　of　all　talk　about　equality；　God　has　ordained　some　men　to　be　kings　and　others　to　serve。　　Laputa　stood　naked　as　when　he　was　born；　The　rubies　were　dulled　against　the　background　of　his　skin；　but　they　still　shone　with　a　dusky　fire。　　Above　the　blood…red　collar　his　face　had　the　passive　pride　of　a　Roman　emperor。　　Only　his　great　eyes　gloomed　and　burned　as　he　looked　on　his　followers。

'Heir　of　John；'　he　said；　'I　stand　before　you　as　priest　and　king。　　My　kingship　is　for　the　morrow。　　Now　I　am　the　priest　to　make　intercession　for　my　people。'

He　prayed　…　prayed　as　I　never　heard　man　pray　before　…　and　to　the　God　of　Israel！　　It　was　no　heathen　fetich　he　was　invoking；　but　the　God　of　whom　he　had　often　preached　in　Christian　kirks。　　I　recognized　texts　from　Isaiah　and　the　Psalms　and　the　Gospels；　and　very　especially　from　the　two　last　chapters　of　Revelation。　　He　pled　with　God　to　forget　the　sins　of　his　people；　to　recall　the　bondage　of　Zion。　　It　was　amazing　to　hear　these　bloodthirsty　savages　consecrated　by　their　leader　to　the　meek　service　of　Christ。　　An　enthusiast　may　deceive　himself；　and　I　did　not　question　his　sincerity。　　I　knew　his　heart；　black　with　all　the　lusts　of　paganism。　　I　knew　that　his　purpose　was　to　deluge　the　land　with　blood。　　But　I　knew　also　that　in　his　eyes　his　mission　was　divine；　and　that　he　felt　behind　him　all　the　armies　of　Heaven。

__'Thou　hast　been　a　strength　to　the　poor；'　said　the　voice；　'a　refuge　from　the　storm；　a　shadow　from　the　heat；　when　the　blast　of　the　Terrible　Ones　is　as　a　storm　against　a　wall。

__'Thou　shalt　bring　down　the　noise　of　strangers；　as　the　heat　in　a　dry　place；　the　branch　of　the　Terrible　Ones　shall　be　brought　low。

__'And　in　this　mountain　shall　the　Lord　of　Hosts　make　unto　all　people　a　feast　of　fat　things；　a　feast　of　wines　on　the　lees；　of　fat　things　full　of　marrow。

__'And　He　will　destroy　in　this　mountain　the　face　of　the　covering　cast　over　all　people；　and　the　vail　that　is　brought　over　all　nations。　__'And　the　rebuke　of　His　people　shall　He　take　away　from　off　all　the　earth；　for　the　Lord　hath　spoken　it。'_

I　listened　spellbound　as　he　prayed。　　I　heard　the　phrases　familiar　to　me　in　my　schooldays　at　Kirkcaple。　　He　had　some　of　the　tones　of　my　father's　voice；　and　when　I　shut　my　eyes　I　could　have　believed　myself　a　child　again。　　So　much　he　had　got　from　his　apprenticeship　to　the　ministry。　　I　wondered　vaguely　what　the　good　folks　who　had　listened　to　him　in　churches　and　halls　at　home　would　think　of　him　now。　　But　there　was　in　the　prayer　more　than　the　supplications　of　the　quondam　preacher。　There　was　a　tone　of　arrogant　pride；　the　pride　of　the　man　to　whom　the　Almighty　is　only　another　and　greater　Lord　of　Hosts。　He　prayed　less　as　a　suppliant　than　as　an　ally。　　A　strange　emotion　tingled　in　my　blood；　half　awe；　half　sympathy。　　As　I　have　said；　I　understood　that　there　are　men　born　to　kingship。

He　ceased　with　a　benediction。　　Then　he　put　on　his　leopard…　skin　cloak　and　kilt；　and　received　from　the　kneeling　chief　a　spear　and　shield。　　Now　he　was　more　king　than　priest；　more　barbarian　than　Christian。　　It　was　as　a　king　that　he　now　spoke。

I　had　heard　him　on　board　the　liner；　and　had　thought　his　voice　the　most　wonderful　I　had　ever　met　with。　　But　now　in　that　great　resonant　hall　the　magic　of　it　was　doubled。　　He　played　upon　the　souls　of　his　hearers　as　on　a　musical　instrument。　　At　will　he　struck　the　chords　of　pride；　fury；　hate；　and　mad　joy。　Now　they　would　be　hushed　in　breathless　quiet；　and　now　the　place　would　echo　with　savage　assent。　　I　remember　noticing　that　the　face　of　my　neighbour；　'Mwanga；　was　running　with　tears。

He　spoke　of　the　great　days　of　Prester　John；　and　a　hundred　names　I　had　never　heard　of。　　He　pictured　the　heroic　age　of　his　nation；　when　every　man　was　a　warrior　and　hunter；　and　rich　kraals　stood　in　the　spots　now　desecrated　by　the　white　man；　and　cattle　wandered　on　a　thousand　hills。　　Then　he　told　tales　of　white　infamy；　lands　snatched　from　their　rightful　possessors；　unjust　laws　which　forced　the　Ethiopian　to　the　bondage　of　a　despised　caste；　the　finger　of　scorn　everywhere；　and　the　mocking　word。　　If　it　be　the　part　of　an　orator　to　rouse　the　passion　of　his　hearers；　Laputa　was　the　greatest　on　earth。　　'What　have　ye　gained　from　the　white　man？'　he　cried。　　'A　bastard　civilization　which　has　sapped　your　manhood；　a　false　religion　which　would　rivet　on　you　the　chains　of　the　slave。　　Ye；　the　old　masters　of　the　land；　are　now　the　servants　of　the　oppressor。　　And　yet　the　oppressors　are　few；　and　the　fear　of　you　is　in　their　hearts。　　They