prester john-第25节

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aba；　he　would　have　a　chance　of　getting　off　with　the　necklace　in　the　confusion。　　If　he　succeeded；　he　would　go　over　the　Lebombo　to　Mozambique；　and　whatever　happened　afterwards　in　the　rising　would　be　no　concern　of　Mr　Henriques。　I　determined　that　he　should　fail；　but　how　to　manage　it　I　could　not　see。　　Had　I　had　a　pistol；　I　think　I　would　have　shot　him；　but　I　had　no　weapon　of　any　kind。　　I　could　not　warn　Laputa；　for　that　would　seal　my　own　fate；　even　if　I　were　believed。　　It　was　clear　that　Laputa　must　go　to　Dupree's　Drift；　for　otherwise　I　could　not　escape；　and　it　was　equally　clear　that　I　must　find　the　means　of　spoiling　the　Portugoose's　game。

A　shadow　fell　across　the　sunlight；　and　I　looked　up　to　see　the　man　I　was　thinking　of　standing　before　me。　　He　had　a　cigarette　in　his　mouth；　and　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　riding…　breeches。　　He　stood　eyeing　me　with　a　curious　smile　on　his　face。

'Well；　Mr　Storekeeper；'　he　said；　'you　and　I　have　met　before　under　pleasanter　circumstances。'

I　said　nothing；　my　mind　being　busy　with　what　to　do　at　the　drift。

'We　were　shipmates；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；'　he　said。　　'I　dare　say　you　found　it　nicer　work　smoking　on　the　after…deck　than　lying　here　in　the　sun。'

Still　I　said　nothing。　　If　the　man　had　come　to　mock　me；　he　would　get　no　change　out　of　David　Crawfurd。

'Tut；　tut；　don't　be　sulky。　　You　have　no　quarrel　with　me。　Between　ourselves；'　and　he　dropped　his　voice；　'I　tried　to　save　you；　but　you　had　seen　rather　too　much　to　be　safe。　　What　devil　prompted　you　to　steal　a　horse　and　go　to　the　cave？　　I　don't　blame　you　for　overhearing　us；　but　if　you　had　had　the　sense　of　a　louse　you　would　have　gone　off　to　the　Berg　with　your　news。　　By　the　way；　how　did　you　manage　it？　　A　cellar；　I　suppose。　　Our　friend　Laputa　was　a　fool　not　to　take　better　precautions；　but　I　must　say　you　acted　the　drunkard　pretty　well。'

The　vanity　of　19　is　an　incalculable　thing。　　I　rose　to　the　fly。

'I　know　the　kind　of　precaution　you　wanted　to　take；'　I　muttered。

'You　heard　that　too？　　Well；　I　confess　I　am　in　favour　of　doing　a　job　thoroughly　when　I　take　it　up。'

'In　the　Koodoo　Flats；　for　example；'　I　said。

He　sat　down　beside　me；　and　laughed　softly。　　'You　heard　my　little　story？　　You　are　clever；　Mr　Storekeeper；　but　not　quite　clever　enough。　　What　if　I　can　act　a　part　as　well　as　yourself？'　And　he　thrust　his　yellow　face　close　to　mine。

I　saw　his　meaning；　and　did　not　for　a　second　believe　him；　but　I　had　the　sense　to　temporize。

'Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　did　not　kill　the　Dutchmen；　and　did　not　mean　to　knife　me？'

'I　mean　to　say　that　I　am　not　a　fool；'　he　said；　lighting　another　cigarette。

'I　am　a　white　man；　Mr　Storekeeper；　and　I　play　the　white　man's　game。　　Why　do　you　think　I　am　here？　　Simply　because　I　was　the　only　man　in　Africa　who　had　the　pluck　to　get　to　the　heart　of　this　business。　　I　am　here　to　dish　Laputa；　and　by　God　I　am　going　to　do　it。'

I　was　scarcely　prepared　for　such　incredible　bluff。　　I　knew　every　word　was　a　lie；　but　I　wanted　to　hear　more；　for　the　man　fascinated　me。

'I　suppose　you　know　what　will　happen　to　you；'　he　said；　flicking　the　ashes　from　his　cigarette。　　'To…morrow　at　Inanda's　Kraal；　when　the　vow　is　over；　they　will　give　you　a　taste　of　Kaffir　habits。　　Not　death；　my　friend　…　that　would　be　simple　enough　…　but　a　slow　death　with　every　refinement　of　horror。　　You　have　broken　into　their　sacred　places；　and　you　will　be　sacrificed　to　Laputa's　god。　　I　have　seen　native　torture　before；　and　his　own　mother　would　run　away　shrieking　from　a　man　who　had　endured　it。'

I　said　nothing；　but　the　thought　made　my　flesh　creep。

'Well；'　he　went　on；　'you're　in　an　awkward　plight；　but　I　think　I　can　help　you。　　What　if　I　can　save　your　life；　Mr　Storekeeper？　You　are　trussed　up　like　a　fowl；　and　can　do　nothing。　　I　am　the　only　man　alive　who　can　help　you。　　I　am　willing　to　do　it；　too　…　on　my　own　terms。'

I　did　not　wait　to　hear　those　terms；　for　I　had　a　shrewd　guess　what　they　would　be。　　My　hatred　of　Henriques　rose　and　choked　me。　　I　saw　murder　and　trickery　in　his　mean　eyes　and　cruel　mouth。　　I　could　not；　to　be　saved　from　the　uttermost　horror；　have　made　myself　his　ally。

'Now　listen；　Mr　Portugoose；'　I　cried。　　'You　tell　me　you　are　a　spy。　　What　if　I　shout　that　through　the　camp？　　There　will　be　short　shrift　for　you　if　Laputa　hears　it。'

He　laughed　loudly。　　'You　are　a　bigger　fool　than　I　took　you　for。　　Who　would　believe　you；　my　friend。　　Not　Laputa。　　Not　any　man　in　this　army。　　It　would　only　mean　tighter　bonds　for　these　long　legs　of　yours。'

By　this　time　I　had　given　up　all　thought　of　diplomacy。　　'Very　well；　you　yellow…faced　devil；　you　will　hear　my　answer。　　I　would　not　take　my　freedom　from　you；　though　I　were　to　be　boiled　alive。　　I　know　you　for　a　traitor　to　the　white　man's　cause；　a　dirty　I。D。B。　swindler；　whose　name　is　a　byword　among　honest　men。　By　your　own　confession　you　are　a　traitor　to　this　idiot　rising。　You　murdered　the　Dutchmen　and　God　knows　how　many　more；　and　you　would　fain　have　murdered　me。　　I　pray　to　Heaven　that　the　men　whose　cause　you　have　betrayed　and　the　men　whose　cause　you　would　betray　may　join　to　stamp　the　life　out　of　you　and　send　your　soul　to　hell。　I　know　the　game　you　would　have　me　join　in；　and　I　fling　your　offer　in　your　face。　　But　I　tell　you　one　thing　…　you　are　damned　yourself。　The　white　men　are　out；　and　you　will　never　get　over　the　Lebombo。　From　black　or　white　you　will　get　justice　before　many　hours；　and　your　carcass　will　be　left　to　rot　in　the　bush。　　Get　out　of　my　sight；　you　swine。'

In　that　moment　I　was　so　borne　up　in　my　passion　that　I　forgot　my　bonds　and　my　grave　danger。　　I　was　inspired　like　a　prophet　with　a　sense　of　approaching　retribution。　　Henriques　heard　me　out；　but　his　smile　changed　to　a　scowl；　and　a　flush　rose　on　his　sallow　cheek。

'Stew　in　your　own　juice；'　he　said；　and　spat　in　my　face。　　Then　he　shouted　in　Kaffir　that　I　had　insulted　him；　and　demanded　that　I　should　be　bound　tighter　and　gagged。

It　was　Arcoll's　messenger　who　answered　his　summons。　　That　admirable　fellow　rushed　at　me　with　a　great　appearance　of　savagery。　　He　made　a　pretence　of　swathing　me　up　in　fresh　rawhide　ropes；　but　his　knots　were　loose　and　the　thing　was　a　farce。　He　gagged　me　with　what　looked　like　a　piece　of　wood；　but　was　in　reality　a　chunk　of　dry　banana。　　And　all　the　while；　till　Henriques　was　out　of　hearing；　he　cursed　me　with　a　noble　gift　of　tongues。

The　drums　beat　for　the　advance；　and　once　more　I　was　hoisted　on　my　horse；　while　Arcoll's　Kaffir　tied　my　bridle　to　his　own。　　A　Kaffir　cannot　wink；　but　he　has　a　way　of　slanting　his　eyes　which　does　as　well；　and　as　we　moved　on　he　would　turn　his　head　to　me　with　this　strange　grimace。

Henriques　wanted　me　to　help　him　to　get　the　rubies　…　that　I　presumed　was　the　offer　he　had　meant　to　make。　　Well；　thought　I；　I　will　perish　before　the　jewel　reaches　the　Portuguese's　hands。　He　hoped　for　a　stampede　when　Arcoll　opposed　the　crossing　of　the　river；　and　in　the　confusion　intended　to　steal　the　casket。　　My　plan　must　be　to　get　as　near　the　old　priest　as　possible　before　we　reached　the　ford。　　I　spoke　to　my　warder　and　told　him　what　I　wanted。　　He　nodded；　and　in　the　first　mile　we　managed　to　edge　a　good　way　forward。　　Several　things　came　to　aid　us。　　As　I　have　said；　we　of　the　centre　were　not　marching　in　close　ranks；　but　in　a　loose　column；　and　often　it　was　possible　by　taking　a　short　cut　on　rough　ground　to　join　the　column　some　distance　ahead。　There　was　a　vlei；　too；　which　many　circumvented；　but　we　swam；　and　this　helped　our　lead。　　In　a　couple　of　hours　we　were　so　near　the　priest's　litter　that　I　could　have　easily　tossed　a　cricket　ball　on　the　head　of　Henriques　who　rode　beside　it。

Very　soon　the　twilight　of　the　winter　day　began　to　fall。　　The　far　hills　grew　pink　and　mulberry　in　the　sunset；　and　strange　shadows　stole　over　the　bush。　　Still　creeping　forward；　we　found　ourselves　not　twenty　yards　behind　the　litter；　while　far　ahead　I　saw　a　broad；　glimmering　space　of　water　with　a　high　woody　bank　beyond。

'Dupree's　Drift；'　whispered　my　warder。　　'Courage；　Inkoos；*　in　an　hour's　time　you　will　be　free。'　　　　　　　　　　　*Great　chief。



CHAPTER　XIII　THE　DRIFT　OF　THE　LETABA


The　dusk　was　gathering　fast　as　we　neared　the　stream。　　From　the　stagnant　reaches　above　and　below　a　fine　white　mist　was　rising；　but　the　long　shallows　of　the　ford　were　clear。　　My　heart　was　beginning　to　flutter　wildly；　but　I　kept　a　tight　grip　on　myself　and　prayed　for　patience。　　As　I　stared　into　the　evening　my　hopes　sank。　　I　had　expected；　foolishly　enough；　to　see　on　the　far　bank　some　sign　of　my　friends；　but　the　tall　bush　was　dead　and　silent。

The　drift　slants　across　the　river　at　an　acute　angle；　roughly　S。S。W。　　I　did　not　know　this　at　the　time；　and　was　amazed　to　see　the　van　of　the　march　turn　apparently　up　stream。　　Laputa's　great　voice　rang　out　in　some　order　which　was　repeated　down　the　column；　and　the　wide　flanks　of　the　force　converged　on　the　narrow　cart…track　which　entered　the　water。　　We　had　come　to　a　standstill　while　the　front　ranks　began　the　passage。

I　sat　shaking　with　excitement；　my　eyes　straining　into　the　gloom。　　Water　holds　the　evening　light　for　long；　and　I　could　make　out　pretty　clearly　what　was　happening。　　The　leading　horsemen　rode　into　the　stream　with　Laputa　in　front。　　The　ford　is　not　the　best　going；　so　they　had　to　pick　their　way；　but　in　five　or　ten　minutes　they　were　over。　　Then　came　some　of　the　infantry　of　the　f