stories by english authors in africa(旅非英国作家的故事)-第2节
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upon his shoulder。 〃I say； Dick； could we get to Sasassa Valley before
sunrise？〃
〃Scarcely；〃 said Dick。
〃Well； look here； we are old friends； Dick Wharton； you and I。 Now
don't you tell any other man what you have told us； for a week。 You'll
promise that； won't you？〃
I could see by the look on Dick's face as he acquiesced that he
considered poor Tom to be mad； and indeed I was myself completely
mystified by his conduct。 I had； however； seen so many proofs of my
friend's good sense and quickness of apprehension that I thought it quite
possible that Wharton's story had had a meaning in his eyes which I was
too obtuse to take in。
All night Tom Donahue was greatly excited； and when Wharton left he
begged him to remember his promise； and also elicited from him a
description of the exact spot at which he had seen the apparition； as well
as the hour at which it appeared。 After his departure； which must have
been about four in the morning； I turned into my bunk and watched Tom
sitting by the fire splicing two sticks together； until I fell asleep。 I suppose
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I must have slept about two hours； but when I awoke Tom was still sitting
working away in almost the same position。 He had fixed the one stick
across the top of the other so as to form a rough T； and was now busy in
fitting a smaller stick into the angle between them； by manipulating which；
the cross one could be either cocked up or depressed to any extent。 He had
cut notches； too； in the perpendicular stick； so that； by the aid of the small
prop； the cross one could be kept in any position for an indefinite time。
〃Look here； Jack！〃 he cried； when he saw that I was awake。 〃Come
and give me your opinion。 Suppose I put this cross…stick pointing straight
at a thing； and arranged this small one so as to keep it so； and left it； I
could find that thing again if I wanted itdon't you think I could； Jack
don't you think so？〃 he continued； nervously； clutching me by the arm。
〃Well；〃 I answered； 〃it would depend on how far off the thing was； and
how accurately it was pointed。 If it were any distance； I'd cut sights on
your cross…stick； then a string tied to the end of it； and held in a plumb…line
forward； would lend you pretty near what you wanted。 But surely； Tom；
you don't intend to localise the ghost in that way？〃
〃You'll see to…night； old friendyou'll see to…night。 I'll carry this to the
Sasassa Valley。 You get the loan of Madison's crowbar； and come with me；
but mind you tell no man where you are going； or what you want it for。〃
All day Tom was walking up and down the room； or working hard at
the apparatus。 His eyes were glistening； his cheeks hectic； and he had all
the symptoms of high fever。 〃Heaven grant that Dick's diagnosis be not
correct！〃 I thought； as I returned with the crowbar； and yet； as evening
drew near； I found myself imperceptibly sharing the excitement。
About six o'clock Tom sprang to his feet and seized his sticks。 〃I can
stand it no longer； Jack；〃 he cried； 〃up with your crowbar； and hey for
Sasassa Valley！ To…night's work； my lad； will either make us or mar us！
Take your six…shooter； in case we meet the Kaffirs。 I daren't take mine；
Jack；〃 he continued； putting his hands upon my shoulders 〃I daren't take
mine； for if my ill luck sticks to me to…night； I don't know what I might not
do with it。〃
Well； having filled our pockets with provisions； we set out； and； as we
took our wearisome way toward the Sasassa Valley； I frequently attempted
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to elicit from my companion some clue as to his intentions。 But his only
answer was： 〃Let us hurry on； Jack。 Who knows how many have heard of
Wharton's adventure by this time！ Let us hurry on； or we may not be first
in the field！〃
Well； sir； we struggled on through the hills for a matter of ten miles；
till at last； after descending a crag； we saw opening out in front of us a
ravine so sombre and dark that it might have been the gate of Hades itself；
cliffs many hundred feet shut in on every side the gloomy boulder…studded
passage which led through the haunted defile into Kaffirland。 The moon；
rising above the crags； threw into strong relief the rough； irregular
pinnacles of rock by which they were topped； while all below was dark as
Erebus。
〃The Sasassa Valley？〃 said I。
〃Yes；〃 said Tom。
I looked at him。 He was calm now； the flush and feverishness had
passed away； his actions were deliberate and slow。 Yet there was a certain
rigidity in his face and glitter in his eye which showed that a crisis had
come。
We entered the pass； stumbling along amid the great boulders。
Suddenly I heard a short； quick exclamation from Tom。 〃That's the crag！〃
he cried； pointing to a great mass looming before us in the darkness。 〃Now；
Jack； for any favour use your eyes！ We're about a hundred yards from that
cliff； I take it； so you move slowly toward one side and I'll do the same
toward the other。 When you see anything； stop and call out。 Don't take
more than twelve inches in a step； and keep your eye fixed on the cliff
about eight feet from the ground。 Are you ready？〃
〃Yes。〃 I was even more excited than Tom by this time。 What his
intention or object was I could not conjecture； beyond that he wanted to
examine by daylight the part of the cliff from which the light came。 Yet the
influence of the romantic situation and my companion's suppressed
excitement was so great that I could feel the blood coursing through my
veins and count the pulses throbbing at my temples。
〃Start！〃 cried Tom； and we moved off； he to the right； I to the left； each
with our eyes fixed intently on the base of the crag。 I had moved perhaps
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twenty feet； when in a moment it burst upon me。 Through the growing
darkness there shone a small； ruddy； glowing point； the light from which
waned and increased； flickered and oscillated； each change producing a
more weird effect than the last。 The old Kaffir superstition came into my
mind； and I felt a cold shudder pass over me。 In my excitement I stepped a
pace backward； when instantly the light went out； leaving utter darkness in
its place； but when I advanced again； there was the ruddy glare glowing
from the base of the cliff。 〃Tom； Tom！〃 I cried。
〃Ay； ay！〃 I heard him exclaim； as he hurried over toward me。
〃There it isthere； up against the cliff！〃
Tom was at my elbow。 〃I see nothing；〃 said he。
〃Why； there； there； man； in front of you！〃 I stepped to the right as I
spoke； when the light instantly vanished from my eyes。
But from Tom's ejaculations of delight it was clear that from my
former position it was visible to him also。 〃Jack；〃 he cried； as he turned
and wrung my hand〃Jack； you and I can never complain of our luck
again。 Now heap up a few stones where we are standing。 That's right。 Now
we must fix my sign…post firmly in at the top。 There！ It would take a
strong wind to blow that down； and we only need it to hold out till
morning。 O Jack； my boy； to think that only yesterday we were talking of
becoming clerks； and you saying that no man knew what was awaiting
him； too！ By Jove； Jack； it would make a good story！〃
By this time we had firmly fixed the perpendicular stick in between
the two large stones； and Tom bent down and peered along the horizontal
one。 For fully a quarter of an hour he was alternately raising and
depressing it； until at last； with a sigh of satisfaction； he fixed the prop into
the angle； and stood up。 〃Look along； Jack；〃 he said。 〃You have as straight
an eye to take a sight as any man I know of。〃
I looked along。 There beyond the farther sight was the rud
