the ivory child-第6节
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instructed not to fire at birds going forward; so I let these be。 Van
Koop; however; did not interpret the order in the same spirit; for he
loosed at several; killing one or two and missing others。
〃That fellow is no sportsman;〃 I heard Lord Ragnall remark。 〃I suppose
it is the bet。〃
Then he sent Charles to ask him to desist。
Shortly after this the gale worked round to the north and settled
there; blowing with ever…increasing violence。 The pheasants; however;
still flew forward in the shelter of the trees; for they were making
for the covert on the hill; where they had been bred。 But when they
got into the open and felt the full force of the wind; quite four out
of six of them turned and came back at a most fearful pace; many so
high as to be almost out of shot。
For the next three…quarters of an hour or moreas I think I have
explained; the beat was a very long oneI had such covert shooting as
I suppose I shall never see again。 High above those shrieking trees;
or over the lake to my left; flashed the wind…driven pheasants in an
endless procession。 Oddly enough; I found that this wild work suited
me; for as time went on and the pheasants grew more and more
impossible; I shot better and better。 One after another down they came
far behind me with a crash in the brushwood or a splash in the lake;
till the guns grew almost too hot to hold。 There were so many of them
that I discovered I could pick my shots; also that nine out of ten
were caught by the wind and curved at a certain angle; and that the
time to fire was just before they took the curve。 The excitement was
great and the sport splendid; as anyone will testify who has shot
December pheasants breaking back over the covert and in a tearing
gale。 Van Koop also was doing very well; but the guns in front got
comparatively little shooting。 They were forced to stand there; poor
fellows; and watch our performance from afar。
As the thing drew towards an end the birds came thicker and thicker;
and I shot; as I have said; better and better。 This may be judged from
the fact that; notwithstanding their height and tremendous pace; I
killed my last thirty pheasants with thirty…five cartridges。 The final
bird of all; a splendid cock; appeared by himself out of nothingness
when we thought that all was done。 I think it must have been flushed
from the covert on the hill; or been turned back just as it reached it
by the resistless strength of the storm。 Over it came; so high above
us that it looked quite small in the dark snow…scud。
〃Too farno use!〃 said Lord Ragnall; as I lifted the gun。
Still; I fired; holding I know not how much in front; and lo! that
pheasant died in mid air; falling with a mighty splash near the bank
of the lake; but at a great distance behind us。 The shot was so
remarkable that everyone who saw it; including most of the beaters;
who had passed us by now; uttered a cheer; and the red…waistcoated old
Jenkins; who had stopped by us; remarked: 〃Well; bust me if that
bain't a master one!〃
Scroope made me angry by slapping me so hard upon the back that it
hurt; and nearly caused me to let off the other barrel of the gun。
Charles seemed to become one great grin; and Lord Ragnall; with a
brief congratulatory 〃Never enjoyed a shoot so much in my life;〃
called to the men who were posted behind us to pick up all the dead
pheasants; being careful to keep mine apart from those of Sir Junius
Fortescue。
〃You should have a hundred and forty…three at this stand;〃 he said;
〃allowing for every possible runner。 Charles and I make the same
total。〃
I remarked that I did not think there were many runners; as the No。 3
shot had served me very well; and getting into the boat was rowed to
the other side; where I received more congratulations。 Then; as all
further shooting was out of the question because of the weather; we
walked back to the castle to tea。
As I emptied my cup Lord Ragnall; who had left the room; returned and
asked us to come and see the game。 So we went; to find it laid out in
endless lines upon the snow…powdered grass in the quadrangle of the
castle; arranged in one main and two separate lots。
〃Those are yours and Sir Junius's;〃 said Scroope。 〃I wonder which of
you has won。 I'll put a sovereign on you; old fellow。〃
〃Then you're a donkey for your pains;〃 I answered; feeling vexed; for
at that moment I had forgotten all about the bet。
I do not remember how many pheasants were killed altogether; but the
total was much smaller than had been hoped for; because of the gale。
〃Jenkins;〃 said Lord Ragnall presently to Red Waistcoat; 〃how many
have you to the credit of Sir Junius Fortescue?〃
〃Two hundred and seventy…seven; my lord; twelve hares; two woodcocks;
and three pigeons。〃
〃And how many to that of Mr。 Quatermain?〃 adding: 〃I must remind you
both; gentlemen; that the birds have been picked as carefully as
possible and kept unmixed; and therefore that the figures given by
Jenkins must be considered as final。〃
〃Quite so;〃 I answered; but Van Koop said nothing。 Then; while we all
waited anxiously; came the amazing answer:
〃Two hundred and seventy…seven pheasants; my lord; same number as
those of Sir Junius; Bart。; fifteen hares; three pigeons; four
partridges; one duck; and a beakI mean a woodcock。〃
〃Then it seems you have won your £5; Mr。 Quatermain; upon which I
congratulate you;〃 said Lord Ragnall。
〃Stop a minute;〃 broke in Van Koop。 〃The bet was as to pheasants; the
other things don't count。〃
〃I think the term used was 'birds;'〃 I remarked。 〃But to be frank;
when I made it I was thinking of pheasants; as no doubt Sir Junius was
also。 Therefore; if the counting is correct; there is a dead heat and
the wager falls through。〃
〃I am sure we all appreciate the view you take of the matter;〃 said
Lord Ragnall; 〃for it might be argued another way。 In these
circumstances Sir Junius keeps his £5 in his pocket。 It is unlucky for
you; Quatermain;〃 he added; dropping the 〃mister;〃 〃that the last high
pheasant you shot can't be found。 It fell into the lake; you remember;
and; I suppose; swam ashore and ran。〃
〃Yes;〃 I replied; 〃especially as I could have sworn that it was quite
dead。〃
〃So could I; Quatermain; but the fact remains that it isn't there。〃
〃If we had all the pheasants that we think fall dead our bags would be
much bigger than they are;〃 remarked Van Koop; with a look of great
relief upon his face; adding in his horrid; patronizing way: 〃Still;
you shot uncommonly well; Quatermain。 I'd no idea you would run me so
close。〃
I felt inclined to answer; but didn't。 Only Lord Ragnall said:
〃Mr。 Quatermain shot more than well。 His performance in the Lake
covert was the most brilliant that I have ever seen。 When you went in
there together; Sir Junius; you were thirty ahead of him; and you
fired seventeen more cartridges at the stand。〃
Then; just as we turned to go; something happened。 The round…eyed
Charles ran puffing into the quadrangle; followed by another man with
a dog; who had been specially set to pick my birds; and carrying in
his hand a much…bedraggled cock pheasant without a tail。
〃I've got him; my lord;〃 he gasped; for he had run very fast; 〃the
little gent'sI mean that which he killed in the clouds with the last
shot he fired。 It had gone right down into the mud and stuck there。
Tom and me fished him up with a pole。〃
Lord Ragnall took the bird and looked at it。 It was almost cold; but
evidently freshly killed; for the limbs were quite flexible。
〃That turns the scale in favour of Mr。 Quatermain;〃 he said; 〃so; Sir
Junius; you had better pay your money and congratulate him; as I do。〃
〃I protest;〃 exclaimed Van Koop; looking very angry and meaner than
usual。 〃How am I to know that this was Mr。 Quatermain's pheasant? The
sum involved is more than £5 and I feel it is my duty to protest。〃
〃Because my men say so; Sir Junius; moreover; seeing the height from
which the bird fell; their story is obviously true。〃
Then he examined the pheasant further; pointing out that it appeared
to have only one wounda shot through the throat almost exactly at
the root of the beak; of which shot there was no mark of exit。 〃What
sized shot were you using; Sir Junius?〃 he asked。
〃No。 4 at the last stand。〃
〃And you were using No。 3; Mr。 Quatermain。 Now; was any other gun
using No。 3?〃
All shook their heads。
〃Jenkins; open that bird's head。 I think the shot that killed it will
be found in the brain。〃
Jenkins obeyed; using a penknife cleverly enough。 Pressed against the
bone of the skull he found the shot。
〃No。 3 it is; sure enough; my lord;〃 he said。
〃You will agree that settles the matter; Sir Junius;〃 said Lord
Ragnall。 〃And now; as a bet has been made here it had better be paid。〃
〃I have not enough money on me;〃 said Van Koop