the darrow enigma-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



When　I　had　recovered　from　the　first　momentary　shock　I　turned　and
looked　behind　me。　　There；　close　upon　me；　with　his　huge　form　blocking
the　narrow　entrance；　stood　Rama　Ragobah；　my　rival；　his　face　hideous
with　malignant　triumph！　　I　was　trapped；　and　that；　too；　by　a　man　whom
my　hatred；　could　it　have　worked　its　will；　would　have　plunged　into　the
uttermost　hell　of　torment。　　I　felt　sure　my　hour　had　come；　but　my
assassin　should　not　have　the　satisfaction　of　thinking　I　feared　him。
I　did　not　permit　myself　to　betray　the　slightest　concern　as　to　my
position　…　indeed；　after　the　shock　of　the　first　surprise；　I　did　not
care　so　very　much　what　fate　awaited　me。　　Why　should　I？　　Had　I　not
seriously　thought　of　taking　my　own　life？　　Was　it　not　clear　now　that
Lona；　whose　own　handwriting　had　decoyed　me；　had　most　basely
betrayed　me　into　her　husband's　hands？　　If　I　had　wished　to　end　my
own　life　before；　surely　now；　death；　at　the　hands　of　another；　was　no
very　terrible　thing。　　Could　I　have　dragged　that　other　down　with　me；
I　would　have　rejoiced　at　the　prospect！

Ragobah　broke　the　silence。　　〃You　have　left　your　stick　this　time；　I
see；〃　he　said；　as　he　unsheathed　the　long　knife　I　had　once　before
escaped；　and　ostentatiously　felt　its　edge　as　if　he　were　about　to
shave　with　it。

〃You　were　in　haste；　Sahib；　when　you　left　me　last　time；　or　I　should
not　now　have　the　pleasure　of　this　interview。　　Be　assured　I　shall　do
my　work　more　thoroughly　this　time。　　Behind　you　there　is　a　hole
partly　filled　with　water。　　If　you　drop　a　stone　into　this　well；　it
is　several　seconds　before　you　hear　the　splash；　and　there　is　a　saying
hereabouts　that　it　is　bottomless。　　I　am　curious　to　know　if　this　be
true；　and　I　am　going　to　send　you　to　see。　　Of　course；　if　the　story　is
well　founded；　I　shall　not　expect　you　to　come　back。　　That　would　be
unreasonable；　Sahib。〃

All　this　was　said　with　a　refined　sarcasm　which　maddened　me；　and；　as
he　concluded；　he　began　to　edge　stealthily　toward　me。　　So　strong　is
the　instinct　of　self…preservation　within　us　that　I　doubt　not　a
would…be　suicide；　caught　in　the　act　of　hanging　himself；　would
struggle　madly　for　his　life　were　someone　else　to　forcibly　adjust　the
noose　about　his　neck。　　At　all　events；　I　found　myself　unwilling；　at
the　last　moment；　to　have　someone　else　launch　me　into　eternity　and；
as　I　wished　to　gain　time　to　think　what　I　should　do　to　escape；　I
said　to　him：

〃Why　do　you　bear　me　such　malice？　　Can　you　not　see　that　any　injury　I
may　have　done　you　was　purely　in　self…defence？　　You　sought　the　quarrel；
and　I　took　the　only　means　at　hand　to　protect　myself。　　I　did　not；　as
you　know；　seek　to　kill　you；　a　thing　I　could　easily　have　done；　but
was　content　merely　to　make　good　my　escape。　　I　…〃

〃Bah！〃　he　said；　interrupting　me　savagely。　　〃That　has　nothing　to　do
with　it。　　Had　you　only　pounded　my　head　you　might　live；　but　you　have
pounded　my　heart！　　It　is　for　that　I　hate　you；　and　for　that　you　die！〃

〃What　have　I　done？〃　I　asked。

〃What　have　you　done？〃　he　roared；　furious　with　rage。　　〃I　will　tell
you。　　You　have　by　magic　possessed　the　mind　of　my　wife。　　Your　name；
your　cursed　name　is　ever　upon　her　lips！　　My　entreaties；　my
supplications　are　answered　by　nothing　else。　　Even　in　her　sleep　she
starts　up　and　calls　for　you。　　You　have　cast　a　spell　upon　her。　　Day
by　day　she　droops　and　withers　like　a　lotus…flower　whose　root　is
severed；　yet　ever　and　always；　is　your　cursed　name　upon　her　lips；
goading　me　to　madness；　until　at　last　I　have　registered　a　sacred　oath
to　kill　you；　and　remove　the　accursed　spell　you　have　thrown　upon　her。〃

Had　he　advanced　upon　me　at　this　moment　he　would　have　found　me　as
helpless　as　a　child；　so　overcome　was　I　by　the　sudden　joy　which　seized
upon　me；　and　seemed　to　turn　my　melancholy　inside　out。　　Those　words　of
hatred　had　been　as　a　torch　illumining　the　gloom　of　my　despair；　for
they　had　shown　me　that　my　existence　was　not　altogether　barren　and
unproductive。　　The　life　which　has　known　the　heaven　of　true　love
cannot　be　called　a　failure。　　There　is　no　wall　so　high；　no　distance
so　great；　no　separation　so　complete　as　to　defy　the　ineffable　commerce
of　two　loving　hearts！　　Lona；　then；　was　still　mine；　despite　all
obstacles。　　What　a　change　this　knowledge　made！　　In　an　instant　life
became　an　inexpressible　benefaction；　for　it　permitted　me　to　realise
I　was　beloved；　…　and　death　was　dowered　with　a　new　horror　…　the　fear
that　I　should　cease　to　know　it。

I　was　roughly　aroused　from　my　reflections　by　Rama　Ragobah。

〃Come；　Sahib；〃　he　said；　as　his　thick　lips　curled　sneeringly；　〃suppose
you　try　your　spells　upon　me？　　You　will　never　have　a　better　chance
than　now　to　show　your　power；〃　and　again　he　made　a　slight　movement
toward　me　with　the　gleaming　knife。　　The　moon；　low　down　upon　the
horizon；　sent　a　broad　beam　of　light　into　the　entrance　of　the　cave
and　over　the　head　and　shoulders　of　the　Indian。　　Its　cold　light
shimmered　along　the　blade　which　was　now　held　threateningly　toward
me。　　The　crisis　had　been　reached。

In　times　of　such　great　urgency　one　has　frequently　an　inspiration
　…　instantaneous；　disconnected；　unbidden　…　which　no　amount　of　quiet；
peaceful　thought　would　suggest。　　Such　extraordinary　flashes　are　the
result　of　reasoning　too　rapid　for　consciousness　to　note。　　The　Indian
had　already　laid　bare　his　right　arm　to　the　elbow　before　I　had
determined　upon　the　desperate　course　I　would　pursue；　and　upon　which
I　must　hazard　all。　　As　he　advanced　upon　me　I　seized　the　large；　white
sola　hat　from　my　head；　and　hurled　it　full　in　his　face。　　It　was　a
schoolboy　trick；　yet　upon　its　success　depended　my　life。
Instinctively；　and　in　spite　of　himself；　Ragobah　dodged；　closed　his
eyes；　and　raised　his　right　hand；　knife　and　all；　to　shield　his　face。
I　sprang　upon　him　at　the　same　instant　I　threw　my　hat；　and　so　was
able　to　reach　him　before　he　opened　his　eyes。　　I　had　well　calculated
his　movements；　and　had　made　no　mistake。　　As　I　reached　him　his　head
was　bent　downward　and　forward　to　let　the　hat　pass　over　him。　　　His
position　could　not　have　been　better　for　my　purpose。　　I　〃swung　on
him；〃　as　we　used　to　say　at　the　gymnasium；　catching　him　under　his
protruded　jaw；　not　far　from　the　region　of　the　carotid　artery。　　The
blow　was　well　placed；　and　desperation　lent　me　phenomenal　strength。
It　raised　him　bodily　off　his　feet；　and　hurled　him　backward　out
of　the　cave；　where　he　lay　motionless。　　He　was　now　in　my　power。　　I
seized　his　knife　and　bent　over　him。　　Words　cannot　express　the　hatred；
the　loathing　I　felt　for　him　then　and　always。　　Between　me　and　the
light　of　my　happiness　he　had　ever　stood；　an　impenetrable　black　mass。
Twice　had　he　sought　my　life；　yet　now；　when　he　was　in　my　power；　I
could　not　plunge　his　weapon　into　his　heart。　　Would　it　not　be　just；
I　thought；　to　drag　him　into　the　cave；　and　hurl　him　down　the　abyss
he　had　intended　for　me？　　Yes；　he　certainly　merited　it；　yet　I　could
not　do　that　either。　　I　wished　the　snake　a　thousand　times　dead；　yet
I　could　not　stamp　it　into　the　earth。

He　was　beginning　to　slightly　move　now；　and　something　must　be　done。
It　was　useless　to　run；　for　the　way　was　long；　and　he　could　easily
overtake　me。　　You　may　wonder　why　I　did　not　take　to　the　thicket；
but　if　you　had　ever　had　any　experience　with　Indian　jungles　you
would　know　that；　without　the　use　of　fire　and　axe；　they　are
practically　impenetrable。　　Professor　Haeckel；　botanising　near　that
same　spot；　spent　an　hour　in　an　endeavour　to　force　his　way　into
one　of　these　jungles；　but　only　succeeded　in　advancing　a　few　steps
into　the　thicket；　when；　stung　by　mosquitoes；　bitten　by　ants；　his
clothing　torn　from　his　bleeding　arms　and　legs；　wounded　by　the
thousands　of　sharp　thorns　of　the　calamus；　hibiscus；　euphorbias；
lantanas；　and　myriad　other　jungle　plants；　he　was　obliged；　utterly
discomfited；　to　desist。　　If　this　were　the　result　of　his　efforts；
made　in　broad　daylight；　and　with　deliberation；　what　might　I　expect
rushing　into　the　thicket　at　night；　as　a　refuge　from　a　pursuer　far
my　superior　in　physical　strength　and　fleetness　of　foot；　and　who；
moreover；　had　known　the　jungle　from　his　boyhood？　　Once　overtaken
by　my　enemy；　the　long　knife　in　my　hands　would　be　of　no　avail
against　a　stick　in　his。　　I　saw　all　this　clearly；　and　realised　that
he　must　be　prevented　from　following　me。

There　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　for　he　was　rapidly　recovering
possession　of　his　powers。　　I　seized　a　large　rock　and　hurled　it　with
all　the　force　I　could　command　upon　his　left　foot　and　ankle。
Notwithstanding　his　immense　strength　his　hands　and　feet　were　scarcely
larger　than　a　woman's；　and　the　small　bones　cracked　like　pipe…stems。
Though　I　had　not　the　will　to　kill　him；　my　own　safety　demanded　that
I　should　maim　him　as　the　only　other　means　of　making　good　my　escape。
As　the　rock　crushed　his　foot　the　pain　seemed　to　bring　him　immediately
into　full　possession　of　his　faculties；　and　he　roared　like　an　enraged
bull。　　I　turned　and　looked　back　as　I　beat　a　hasty　retreat　down　the
hill。　　He　had　seized　one　of　the　air…roots　of　the　banyan　tree；　and
raised　himself　upon　his　right　leg。　　The　expression　of　his　face　as
the　moonlight　fell　upon　it　was　something　never　to　be　forgotten。　　It
riveted　me　to　the　spot　with　the　fascination　of　horror。　　He　shook　his
fist　at　me　fiercely；　as　he　shrieked　from　the　back　of　his　throat：

〃You　infidel　cur！　　You　may