the ivory child-第44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！



again；　since　it　was　more　afraid　of　elephants　than　it　was　of　water。



In　we　went　and　were　presently　floundering　among　the　loose　stones　at

the　bottom　of　the　river；　which　was　nowhere　over　four　feet　deep；　with

Jana　splashing　after　us　not　more　than　five　yards　behind。　I　twisted

myself　round　and　fired　at　him　with　the　rifle。　Whether　I　hit　him　or　no

I　could　not　say；　but　he　stopped　for　a　few　seconds；　perhaps　because　he

remembered　the　effect　of　a　similar　explosion　upon　his　eye；　which　gave

us　a　trifling　start。　Then　he　came　on　again　in　his　steam…engine

fashion。



When　we　were　about　in　the　middle　of　the　river　the　inevitable　happened。

The　camel　fell；　pitching　us　over　its　head　into　the　stream。　Still

clinging　to　the　rifle　I　picked　myself　up　and　began　half　to　swim　half

to　wade　towards　the　farther　shore；　catching　hold　of　Hans　with　my　free

hand。　In　a　moment　Jana　was　on　to　that　camel。　He　gored　it　with　his

tusks；　he　trampled　it　with　his　feet；　he　got　it　round　the　neck　with　his

trunk；　dragging　nearly　the　whole　bulk　of　it　out　of　the　water。　Then　he

set　to　work　to　pound　it　down　into　the　mud　and　stones　at　the　bottom　of

the　river　with　such　a　persistent　thoroughness；　that　he　gave　us　time　to

reach　the　other　bank　and　climb　up　a　stout　tree　which　grew　there；　a

sloping；　flat…topped　kind　of　tree　that　was　fortunately　easy　to　ascend；

at　least　for　a　man。　Here　we　sat　gasping；　perhaps　about　thirty　feet

above　the　ground　level；　and　waited。



Presently　Jana；　having　finished　with　the　camel；　followed　us；　and

without　any　difficulty　located　us　in　that　tree。　He　walked　all　round　it

considering　the　situation。　Then　he　wound　his　huge　trunk　about　the　bole

of　the　tree　and；　putting　out　his　strength；　tried　to　pull　it　over。　It

was　an　anxious　moment；　but　this　particular　child　of　the　forest　had　not

grown　there　for　some　hundreds　of　years；　withstanding　all　the　shocks　of

wind；　weather　and　water；　in　order　to　be　laid　low　by　an　elephant；

however　enormous。　It　shook　a　littleno　more。　Abandoning　this　attempt

as　futile；　Jana　next　began　to　try　to　dig　it　up　by　driving　his　tusk

under　its　roots。　Here；　too；　he　failed　because　they　grew　among　stones

which　evidently　jarred　him。



Ceasing　from　these　agricultural　efforts　with　a　deep　rumble　of　rage；　he

adopted　yet　a　third　expedient。　Rearing　his　huge　bulk　into　the　air　he

brought　down　his　forefeet　with　all　the　tremendous　weight　of　his　great

body　behind　them　on　to　the　sloping　trunk　of　the　tree　just　below　where

the　branches　sprang；　perhaps　twelve　or　thirteen　feet　above　the　ground。

The　shock　was　so　heavy　that　for　a　moment　I　thought　the　tree　would　be

uprooted　or　snapped　in　two。　Thank　Heaven！　it　held；　but　the　vibration

was　such　that　Hans　and　I　were　nearly　shaken　out　of　the　upper　branches；

like　autumn　apples　from　a　bough。　Indeed；　I　think　I　should　have　gone

had　not　the　monkey…like　Hans；　who　had　toes　to　cling　with　as　well　as

fingers；　gripped　me　by　the　collar。



Thrice　did　Jana　repeat　this　man？uvre；　and　at　the　third　onslaught　I　saw

to　my　horror　that　the　roots　were　loosening。　I　heard　some　of　them　snap；

and　a　crack　appeared　in　the　ground　not　far　from　the　bole。　Fortunately

Jana　never　noted　these　symptoms；　for　abandoning　a　plan　which　he

considered　unavailing；　he　stood　for　a　while　swaying　his　trunk　and　lost

in　gentle　thought。



〃Hans；〃　I　whispered；　〃load　the　rifle　quick！　I　can　get　him　in　the　spine

or　the　other　eye。〃



〃Wet　powder　won't　go　off；　Baas；〃　groaned　Hans。　〃The　water　got　to　it　in

the　river。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃and　it　is　all　your　fault　for　making　me　shoot　at　him

when　I　could　take　no　aim。〃



〃It　would　have　been　just　the　same；　Baas；　for　the　rifle　went　under

water　also　when　we　fell　from　the　camel；　and　the　cap　would　have　been

damp；　and　perhaps　the　powder　too。　Also　the　shot　made　Jana　stop　for　a

moment。〃



This　was　true；　but　it　was　maddening　to　be　obliged　to　sit　there　with　an

empty　gun；　when　if　I　had　but　one　charge；　or　even　my　pistol；　I　was　sure

that　I　could　have　blinded　or　crippled　this　satanic　pachyderm。



A　few　minutes　later　Jana　played　his　last　card。　Coming　quite　close　to

the　trunk　of　the　tree　he　reared　himself　up　as　before；　but　this　time

stretched　out　his　forelegs　so　that　these　and　his　body　were　supported

on　the　broad　bole。　Then　he　elongated　his　trunk　and　with　it　began　to

break　off　boughs　which　grew　between　us　and　him。



〃I　don't　think　he　can　reach　us；〃　I　said　doubtfully　to　Hans；　〃that　is；

unless　he　brings　a　stone　to　stand　on。〃



〃Oh！　Baas；　pray　be　silent；〃　answered　Hans；　〃or　he　will　understand　and

fetch　one。〃



Although　the　idea　seemed　absurd；　on　the　whole　I　thought　it　well　to

take　the　hint；　for　who　knew　how　much　this　experienced　beast　did　or　did

not　understand？　Then；　as　we　could　go　no　higher；　we　wriggled　as　far　as

we　dared　along　our　boughs　and　waited。



Presently　Jana；　having　finished　his　clearing　operations；　began　to

lengthen　his　trunk　to　its　full　measure。　Literally；　it　seemed　to　expand

like　a　telescope　or　an　indiarubber　ring。　Out　it　came；　foot　after　foot；

till　its　snapping　tip　was　waving　within　a　few　inches　of　us；　just　short

of　my　foot　and　Han's　head；　or　rather　felt　hat。　One　final　stretch　and

he　reached　the　hat；　which　he　removed　with　a　flourish　and　thrust　into

the　red　cavern　of　his　mouth。　As　it　appeared　no　more　I　suppose　he　ate

it。　This　loss　of　his　hat　moved　Hans　to　fury。　Hurling　horrible　curses

at　Jana　he　drew　his　butcher's　knife　and　made　ready。



Once　more　the　sinuous　brown　trunk　elongated　itself。　Evidently　Jana　had

got　a　better　hold　with　his　hind　legs　this　time；　or　perhaps　had

actually　wriggled　himself　a　few　inches　up　the　tree。　At　any　rate　I　saw

to　my　dismay　that　there　was　every　prospect　of　my　making　a　second

acquaintance　with　that　snapping　tip。　The　end　of　the　trunk　was　lying

along　my　bough　like　a　huge　brown　snake　and　creeping　up；　up；　up。



〃He'll　get　us；〃　I　muttered。



Hans　said　nothing　but　leaned　forward　a　little；　holding　on　with　his

left　hand。　Next　instant　in　the　light　of　the　rising　sun　I　saw　a　knife

flash；　saw　also　that　the　point　of　it　had　been　driven　through　the　lower

lip　of　Jana's　trunk；　pinning　it　to　the　bough　like　a　butterfly　to　a

board。



My　word！　what　a　commotion　ensued！　Up　the　trunk　came　a　scream　which

nearly　blew　me　away。　Then　Jana；　with　a　wriggling　motion；　tried　to

unnail　himself　as　gently　as　possible；　for　it　was　clear　that　the　knife

point　hurt　him；　but　could　not　do　so　because　Hans　still　held　the　handle

and　had　driven　the　blade　deep　into　the　wood。　Lastly　he　dragged　himself

downwards　with　such　energy　that　something　had　to　go；　that　something

being　the　skin　and　muscle　of　the　lower　lip；　which　was　cut　clean

through；　leaving　the　knife　erect　in　the　bough。



Over　he　went　backwards；　a　most　imperial　cropper。　Then　he　picked

himself　up；　thrust　the　tip　of　his　trunk　into　his　mouth；　sucked　it　as

one　does　a　cut　finger；　and　finally；　roaring　in　defeated　rage；　fled

into　the　river；　which　he　waded；　and　back　upon　his　tracks　towards　his

own　home。　Yes；　off　he　went；　Hans　screaming　curses　and　demands　that　he

should　restore　his　hat　to　him；　and　very　seldom　in　all　my　life　have　I

seen　a　sight　that　I　thought　more　beautiful　than　that　of　his　whisking

tail。



〃Now；　Baas；〃　chuckled　Hans；　〃the　old　devil　has　got　a　sore　nose　as　well

as　a　sore　eye　by　which　to　remember　us。　And；　Baas；　I　think　we　had

better　be　going　before　he　has　time　to　think　and　comes　back　with　a　long

stick　to　knock　us　out　of　this　tree。〃



So　we　went；　in　double…quick　time　I　can　assure　you；　or　at　any　rate　as

fast　as　my　stiff　limbs　and　general　condition　would　allow。　Fortunately

we　had　now　no　doubt　as　to　our　direction；　since　standing　up　through　the

mists　of　dawn　with　the　sunbeams　resting　on　its　forest…clad　crest；　we

could　clearly　see　the　strange；　tumulus…shaped　hill　which　the　White

Kendah　called　the　Holy　Mount；　the　Home　of　the　Child。　It　appeared　to　be

about　twenty　miles　away；　but　in　reality　was　a　good　deal　farther；　for

when　we　had　walked　for　several　hours　it　seemed　almost　as　distant　as

ever。



In　truth　that　was　a　dreadful　trudge。　Not　only　was　I　exhausted　with　all

the　terrors　I　had　passed　and　our　long　midnight　flight；　but　the　wound

where　Jana　had　pinched　out　a　portion　of　my　frame；　inflamed　by　the

riding；　had　now　grown　stiff　and　intolerably　sore；　so　that　every　step

gave　me　pain　which　sometimes　culminated　in　agony。　Moreover；　it　was　no

use　giving　in；　foodless　as　we　were；　for　Mar？t　had　carried　the

provisions；　and　with　the　chance　of　Jana　returning　to　look　us　up。　So　I

stuck　to　it　and　said　nothing。



For　the　first　ten　miles　the　country　seemed　uninhabited；　doubtless　it

was　too　near　the　borders　of　the　Black　Kendah　to　be　popular　as　a　place

of　residence。　After　this　we　saw　herds　of　cattle　and　a　few　camels；

apparently　untended；　perhaps　their　guards　were　hidden　away　in　the　long

grass。　Then　we　came　to　some　fields　of　mealies　that　were；　I　noticed；

quite　untouched　by　the　hailstorm；　which；　it　would　seem；　had　confined

its　attentions　to　the　land　of　the　Black　Kendah。　Of　these　we　ate

thankful