the ivory child- 第12部分

hunter　had　I　heard　rumours　of　these　cemeteries；　but　never　before　did　I

see　such　a　spot　even　in　a　dream。



See！　There　was　one　dying　now；　a　huge　gaunt　bull　that　looked　as　though

it　were　several　hundred　years　old。　It　stood　there　swaying　to　and　fro。

Then　it　lifted　its　trunk；　I　suppose　to　trumpet；　though　of　course　I

could　hear　nothing；　and　slowly　sank　upon　its　knees　and　so　remained　in

the　last　relaxation　of　death。



Almost　in　the　centre　of　this　cemetery　was　a　little　mound　of　water…

washed　rock　that　had　endured　when　the　rest　of　the　stony　plain　was

denuded　in　past　epochs。　Suddenly　upon　that　rock　appeared　the　shape　of

the　most　gigantic　elephant　that　ever　I　beheld　in　all　my　long

experience。　It　had　one　enormous　tusk；　but　the　other　was　deformed　and

broken　off　short。　Its　sides　were　scarred　as　though　with　fighting　and

its　eyes　shone　red　and　wickedly。　Held　in　its　trunk　was　the　body　of　a

woman　whose　hair　hung　down　upon　one　side　and　whose　feet　hung　down　upon

the　other。　Clasped　in　her　arms　was　a　child　that　seemed　to　be　still

living。



The　rogue；　as　a　brute　of　this　sort　is　called；　for　evidently　such　it

was；　dropped　the　corpse　to　the　ground　and　stood　a　while；　flapping　its

ears。　Then　it　felt　for　and　picked　up　the　child　with　its　trunk；　swung

it　to　and　fro　and　finally　tossed　it　high　into　the　air；　hurling　it　far

away。　After　this　it　walked　to　the　elephant　that　I　had　just　seen　die；

and　charged　the　carcass；　knocking　it　over。　Then　having　lifted　its

trunk　as　though　to　trumpet　in　triumph；　it　shambled　off　towards　the

forest　and　vanished。



The　curtain　of　mist　fell　again　and　in　it；　dimly；　I　thought　I　saw

well；　never　mind　who　or　what　I　saw。　Then　I　awoke。



〃Well；　did　you　see　anything？〃　asked　a　chorus　of　voices。



I　told　them　what　I　had　seen；　leaving　out　the　last　part。



〃I　say；　old　fellow；〃　said　Scroope；　〃you　must　have　been　pretty　clever

to　get　all　that　in；　for　your　eyes　weren't　shut　for　more　than　ten

seconds。〃



〃Then　I　wonder　what　you　would　say　if　I　repeated　everything；〃　I

answered；　for　I　still　felt　dreamy　and　not　quite　myself。



〃You　see　elephant　Jana？〃　asked　Har？t。　〃He　kill　woman　and　child；　eh？

Well；　he　do　that　every　night。　Well；　that　why　people　of　White　Kendah

want　you　to　kill　/him/　and　take　all　that　ivory　which　they　no　dare

touch　because　it　in　holy　place　and　Black　Kendah　not　let　them。　So　he

live　still。　That　what　we　wish　know。　Thank　you　much；　Macumazana。　You

very　good　look　through…distance　man。　Just　what　I　think。　Kendah　'bacco

smoke　work　very　well　in　you。　Now；　beautiful　lady；〃　he　added　turning　to

Miss　Holmes；　〃you　like　look　too？　Better　look。　Who　knows　what　you　see？〃



Miss　Holmes　hesitated　a　moment；　studying　me　with　an　inquiring　eye。　But

I　made　no　sign；　being　in　truth　very　curious　to　hear　/her/　experience。



〃Yes；〃　she　said。



〃I　would　prefer；　Luna；　that　you　left　this　business　alone；〃　remarked

Lord　Ragnall　uneasily。　〃I　think　it　is　time　that　you　ladies　went　to

bed。〃



〃Here　is　a　match；〃　said　Miss　Holmes　to　Har？t　who　was　engaged　in

putting　more　tobacco　into　the　bowl；　the　suspicion　of　a　smile　upon　his

grave　and　statuesque　countenance。　Har？t　received　the　match　with　a　low

bow　and　fired　the　stuff　as　before。　Then　he　handed　the　bowl；　from　which

once　again　the　blue　smoke　curled　upwards；　to　Miss　Holmes；　and　gently

and　gracefully　let　the　antimacassar　fall　over　it　and　her　head；　which

it　draped　as　a　wedding　veil　might　do。　A　few　seconds　later　she　threw

off　the　antimacassar　and　cast　the　bowl；　in　which　the　fire　was　now　out；

on　to　the　floor。　Then　she　stood　up　with　wide　eyes；　looking　wondrous

lovely　and；　notwithstanding　her　lack　of　height；　majestic。



〃I　have　been　in　another　world；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　as　though　she

spoke　to　the　air；　〃I　have　travelled　a　great　way。　I　found　myself　in　a

small　place　made　of　stone。　It　was　dark　in　the　place；　the　fire　in　that

bowl　lit　it　up。　There　was　nothing　there　except　a　beautiful　statue　of　a

naked　baby　which　seemed　to　be　carved　in　yellow　ivory；　and　a　chair　made

of　ebony　inlaid　with　ivory　and　seated　with　string。　I　stood　in　front　of

the　statue　of　the　Ivory　Child。　It　seemed　to　come　to　life　and　smile　at

me。　Round　its　neck　was　a　string　of　red　stones。　It　took　them　from　its

neck　and　set　them　upon　mine。　Then　it　pointed　to　the　chair；　and　I　sat

down　in　the　chair。　That　was　all。〃



Har？t　followed　her　words　with　an　interest　that　I　could　see　was

intense；　although　he　attempted　to　hide　it。　Then　he　asked　me　to

translate　them；　which　I　did。



As　their　full　sense　came　home　to　him；　although　his　face　remained

impassive；　I　saw　his　dark　eyes　shine　with　the　light　of　triumph。

Moreover　I　heard　him　whisper　to　Mar？t　words　that　seemed　to　mean；



〃The　Sacred　Child　accepts　the　Guardian。　The　Spirit　of　the　White　Kendah

finds　a　voice　again。〃



Then　as　though　involuntarily；　but　with　the　utmost　reverence；　both　of

them　bowed　deeply　towards　Miss　Holmes。



A　babel　of　conversation　broke　out。



〃What　a　ridiculous　dream；〃　I　heard　Lord　Ragnall　say　in　a　vexed　voice。

〃An　ivory　child　that　seemed　to　come　to　life　and　to　give　you　a

necklace。　Whoever　heard　such　nonsense？〃



〃Whoever　heard　such　nonsense？〃　repeated　Miss　Holmes　after　him；　as

though　in　polite　acquiescence；　but　speaking　as　an　automaton　might

speak。



〃I　say；〃　interrupted　Scroope；　addressing　Miss　Manners；　〃this　is　a

drawing…room　entertainment　and　a　half；　isn't　it；　dear？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Miss　Manners；　doubtfully；　〃it　is　rather　too

queer　for　my　taste。　Tricks　are　all　very　well；　but　when　it　comes　to

magic　and　visions　I　get　frightened。〃



〃Well；　I　suppose　the　show　is　over；〃　said　Lord　Ragnall。　〃Quatermain；

would　you　mind　asking　your　conjurer　friends　what　I　owe　them？〃



Here　Har？t；　who　had　understood；　paused　from　packing　up　his　properties

and　answered；



〃Nothing；　O　great　Lord；　nothing。　It　is　we　owe　you　much。　Here　we　learn

what　we　want　know　long　time。　I　mean　if　elephant　Jana　still　kill　people

of　Kendah。　Kendah　'bacco　no　speak　to　us。　Only　speak　to　new　spirit。　You

got　great　gift；　lady；　and　you　too；　Macumazana。　You　not　like　smoke　more

Kendah　'bacco　and　look　into　past；　eh？　Better　look！　Very　full；　past；

learn　much　there　about　all　us；　learn　how　things　begin。　Make　you

understand　lot　what　seem　odd　to…day。　No！　Well；　one　day　you　look

p'raps；　'cause　past　pull　hard　and　call　loud；　only　no　one　hear　what　it

say。　Good　night；　O　great　Lord。　Good　night；　O　beautiful　lady。　Good

night；　O　Macumazana；　till　we　meet　again　when　you　come　kill　elephant

Jana。　Blessing　of　the　Heaven…Child；　who　give　rain；　who　protect　all

danger；　who　give　food；　who　give　health；　on　you　all。〃



Then　making　many　obeisances　they　walked　backwards　to　the　door　where

they　put　on　their　long　cloaks。



At　a　sign　from　Lord　Ragnall　I　accompanied　them；　an　office　which；

fearing　more　snakes；　Mr。　Savage　was　very　glad　to　resign　to　me。

Presently　we　stood　outside　the　house　amidst　the　moaning　trees；　and

very　cold　it　was　there。



〃What　does　all　this　mean；　O　men　of　Africa？〃　I　asked。



〃Answer　the　question　yourself　when　you　stand　face　to　face　with　the

great　elephant　Jana　that　has　in　it　an　evil　spirit；　O　Macumazana；〃

replied　Har？t。　〃Nay；　listen。　We　are　far　from　our　home　and　we　sought

tidings　through　those　who　could　give　it　to　us；　and　we　have　won　those

tidings；　that　is　all。　We　are　worshippers　of　the　Heavenly　Child　that　is

eternal　youth　and　all　good　things；　but　of　late　the　Child　has　lacked　a

tongue。　Yet　to…night　it　spoke　again。　Seek　to　know　no　more；　you　who　in

due　season　will　know　all　things。〃



〃Seek　to　know　no　more；〃　echoed　Mar？t；　〃who　already；　perhaps；　know　too

much；　lest　harm　should　come　to　you；　Macumazana。〃



〃Where　are　you　going　to　sleep　to…night？〃　I　asked。



〃We　do　not　sleep　here；〃　answered　Har？t；　〃we　walk　to　the　great　city　and

thence　find　our　way　to　Africa；　where　we　shall　meet　you　again。　You　know

that　we　are　no　liars；　common　readers　of　thought　and　makers　of　tricks；

for　did　not　Dogeetah；　the　wandering　white　man；　speak　to　you　of　the

people　of　whom　he　had　heard　who　worshipped　the　Child　of　Heaven？　Go　in；

Macumazana；　ere　you　take　harm　in　this　horrible　cold；　and　take　with　you

this　as　a　marriage　gift　from　the　Child　of　Heaven　whom　she　met

to…night；　to　the　beautiful　lady　stamped　with　the　sign　of　the　young

moon　who　is　about　to　marry　the　great　lord　she　loves。〃



Then　he　thrust　a　little　linen…wrapped　parcel　into　my　hand　and　with　his

companion　vanished　into　the　darkness。



I　returned　to　the　drawing…room　where　the　others　were　still　discussing

the　remarkable　performance　of　the　two　native　conjurers。



〃They　have　gone；〃　I　said　in　answer　to　Lord　Ragnall；　〃to　walk　to　London

as　they　said。　But　they　have　sent　a　wedding…present　to　Miss　Holmes；〃

and　I　showed　the　parcel。



〃Open　it；　Quatermain；〃　he　said　again。



〃No；　George；〃　interrupted　Miss　Holmes；　laughing；　for　by　now　she　seemed

to　have　quite　recovered　herself；　〃I　like　to　open　my　own　presents。〃







He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　I　handed　her　the　parcel；　which　was

ne