prester john-第27节

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I　put　my　ear　to　the　ground；　but　heard　no　sound　of　pursuit。　Laputa；　I　argued；　would　have　enough　to　do　for　a　little；　shepherding　his　flock　over　the　water。　　He　might　surround　and　capture　the　patrol；　or　he　might　evade　it；　the　vow　prevented　him　from　fighting　it。　　On　the　whole　I　was　clear　that　he　would　ignore　it　and　push　on　for　the　rendezvous。　　All　this　would　take　time；　and　the　business　of　the　priest　would　have　to　wait。　　When　Henriques　came　to　he　would　no　doubt　have　a　story　to　tell；　and　the　scouts　would　be　on　my　trail。　　I　wished　I　had　shot　the　Portugoose　while　I　was　at　the　business。　　It　would　have　been　no　murder；　but　a　righteous　execution。

Meanwhile　I　must　get　off　the　road。　　The　sand　had　been　disturbed　by　an　army；　so　there　was　little　fear　of　my　steps　being　traced。　　Still　it　was　only　wise　to　leave　the　track　which　I　would　be　assumed　to　have　taken；　for　Laputa　would　guess　I　had　fled　back　the　way　to　Blaauwildebeestefontein。　　I　turned　into　the　bush；　which　here　was　thin　and　sparse　like　whins　on　a　common。

The　Berg　must　be　my　goal。　　Once　on　the　plateau　I　would　be　inside　the　white　man's　lines。　　Down　here　in　the　plains　I　was　in　the　country　of　my　enemies。　　Arcoll　meant　to　fight　on　the　uplands　when　it　came　to　fighting。　　The　black　man　might　rage　as　he　pleased　in　his　own　flats；　but　we　stood　to　defend　the　gates　of　the　hills。　　Therefore　over　the　Berg　I　must　be　before　morning；　or　there　would　be　a　dead　man　with　no　tales　to　tell。

I　think　that　even　at　the　start　of　that　night's　work　I　realized　the　exceeding　precariousness　of　my　chances。　　Some　twenty　miles　of　bush　and　swamp　separated　me　from　the　foot　of　the　mountains。　　After　that　there　was　the　climbing　of　them；　for　at　the　point　opposite　where　I　now　stood　the　Berg　does　not　descend　sharply　on　the　plain；　but　is　broken　into　foot…hills　around　the　glens　of　the　Klein　Letaba　and　the　Letsitela。　　From　the　spot　where　these　rivers　emerge　on　the　flats　to　the　crown　of　the　plateau　is　ten　miles　at　the　shortest。　　I　had　a　start　of　an　hour　or　so；　but　before　dawn　I　had　to　traverse　thirty　miles　of　unknown　and　difficult　country。　　Behind　me　would　follow　the　best　trackers　in　Africa；　who　knew　every　foot　of　the　wilderness。　It　was　a　wild　hazard；　but　it　was　my　only　hope。　　At　this　time　I　was　feeling　pretty　courageous。　　For　one　thing　I　had　Henriques'　pistol　close　to　my　leg；　and　for　another　I　still　thrilled　with　the　satisfaction　of　having　smitten　his　face。

I　took　the　rubies；　and　stowed　them　below　my　shirt　and　next　my　skin。　　I　remember　taking　stock　of　my　equipment　and　laughing　at　the　humour　of　it。　　One　of　the　heels　was　almost　twisted　off　my　boots；　and　my　shirt　and　breeches　were　old　at　the　best　and　ragged　from　hard　usage。　　The　whole　outfit　would　have　been　dear　at　five　shillings；　or　seven…and…six　with　the　belt　thrown　in。　　Then　there　was　the　Portugoose's　pistol；　costing；　say；　a　guinea；　and　last；　the　Prester's　collar；　worth　several　millions。

What　was　more　important　than　my　clothing　was　my　bodily　strength。　　I　was　still　very　sore　from　the　bonds　and　the　jog　of　that　accursed　horse；　but　exercise　was　rapidly　suppling　my　joints。　　About　five　hours　ago　I　had　eaten　a　filling；　though　not　very　sustaining；　meal；　and　I　thought　I　could　go　on　very　well　till　morning。　　But　I　was　still　badly　in　arrears　with　my　sleep；　and　there　was　no　chance　of　my　snatching　a　minute　till　I　was　over　the　Berg。　　It　was　going　to　be　a　race　against　time；　and　I　swore　that　I　would　drive　my　body　to　the　last　ounce　of　strength。

Moonrise　was　still　an　hour　or　two　away；　and　the　sky　was　bright　with　myriad　stars。　　I　knew　now　what　starlight　meant；　for　there　was　ample　light　to　pick　my　way　by。　　I　steered　by　the　Southern　Cross；　for　I　was　aware　that　the　Berg　ran　north　and　south；　and　with　that　constellation　on　my　left　hand　I　was　bound　to　reach　it　sooner　or　later。　　The　bush　closed　around　me　with　its　mysterious　dull　green　shades；　and　trees；　which　in　the　daytime　were　thin　scrub；　now　loomed　like　tall　timber。　　It　was　very　eerie　moving；　a　tiny　fragment　of　mortality；　in　that　great　wide　silent　wilderness；　with　the　starry　vault；　like　an　impassive　celestial　audience；　watching　with　many　eyes。　　They　cheered　me；　those　stars。　　In　my　hurry　and　fear　and　passion　they　spoke　of　the　old　calm　dignities　of　man。　　I　felt　less　alone　when　I　turned　my　face　to　the　lights　which　were　slanting　alike　on　this　uncanny　bush　and　on　the　homely　streets　of　Kirkcaple。

The　silence　did　not　last　long。　　First　came　the　howl　of　a　wolf；　to　be　answered　by　others　from　every　quarter　of　the　compass。　This　serenade　went　on　for　a　bit；　till　the　jackals　chimed　in　with　their　harsh　bark。　　I　had　been　caught　by　darkness　before　this　when　hunting　on　the　Berg；　but　I　was　not　afraid　of　wild　beasts。　That　is　one　terror　of　the　bush　which　travellers'　tales　have　put　too　high。　　It　was　true　that　I　might　meet　a　hungry　lion；　but　the　chance　was　remote；　and　I　had　my　pistol。　　Once　indeed　a　huge　animal　bounded　across　the　road　a　little　in　front　of　me。　　For　a　moment　I　took　him　for　a　lion；　but　on　reflection　I　was　inclined　to　think　him　a　very　large　bush…pig。

By　this　time　I　was　out　of　the　thickest　bush　and　into　a　piece　of　parkland　with　long；　waving　tambuki　grass；　which　the　Kaffirs　would　burn　later。　　The　moon　was　coming　up；　and　her　faint　rays　silvered　the　flat　tops　of　the　mimosa　trees。　　I　could　hear　and　feel　around　me　the　rustling　of　animals。　　Once　or　twice　a　big　buck　…　an　eland　or　a　koodoo　…　broke　cover；　and　at　the　sight　of　me　went　off　snorting　down　the　slope。　　Also　there　were　droves　of　smaller　game　…　rhebok　and　springbok　and　duikers　…　which　brushed　past　at　full　gallop　without　even　noticing　me。

The　sight　was　so　novel　that　it　set　me　thinking。　　That　shy　wild　things　should　stampede　like　this　could　only　mean　that　they　had　been　thoroughly　scared。　　Now　obviously　the　thing　that　scared　them　must　be　on　this　side　of　the　Letaba。　　This　must　mean　that　Laputa's　army；　or　a　large　part　of　it；　had　not　crossed　at　Dupree's　Drift；　but　had　gone　up　the　stream　to　some　higher　ford。　　If　that　was　so；　I　must　alter　my　course；　so　I　bore　away　to　the　right　for　a　mile　or　two；　making　a　line　due　north…west。

In　about　an　hour's　time　the　ground　descended　steeply；　and　I　saw　before　me　the　shining　reaches　of　a　river。　　I　had　the　chief　features　of　the　countryside　clear　in　my　mind；　both　from　old　porings　over　maps；　and　from　Arcoll's　instructions。　　This　stream　must　be　the　Little　Letaba；　and　I　must　cross　it　if　I　would　get　to　the　mountains。　　I　remembered　that　Majinje's　kraal　stood　on　its　left　bank；　and　higher　up　in　its　valley　in　the　Berg　'Mpefu　lived。　At　all　costs　the　kraals　must　be　avoided。　　Once　across　it　I　must　make　for　the　Letsitela；　another　tributary　of　the　Great　Letaba；　and　by　keeping　the　far　bank　of　that　stream　I　should　cross　the　mountains　to　the　place　on　the　plateau　of　the　Wood　Bush　which　Arcoll　had　told　me　would　be　his　headquarters。

It　is　easy　to　talk　about　crossing　a　river；　and　looking　to…day　at　the　slender　streak　on　the　map　I　am　amazed　that　so　small　a　thing　should　have　given　me　such　ugly　tremors。　　Yet　I　have　rarely　faced　a　job　I　liked　so　little。　　The　stream　ran　yellow　and　sluggish　under　the　clear　moon。　　On　the　near　side　a　thick　growth　of　bush　clothed　the　bank；　but　on　the　far　side　I　made　out　a　swamp　with　tall　bulrushes。　　The　distance　across　was　no　more　than　fifty　yards；　but　I　would　have　swum　a　mile　more　readily　in　deep　water。　　The　place　stank　of　crocodiles。　　There　was　no　ripple　to　break　the　oily　flow　except　where　a　derelict　branch　swayed　with　the　current。　　Something　in　the　stillness；　the　eerie　light　on　the　water；　and　the　rotting　smell　of　the　swamp　made　that　stream　seem　unhallowed　and　deadly。

I　sat　down　and　considered　the　matter。　　Crocodiles　had　always　terrified　me　more　than　any　created　thing；　and　to　be　dragged　by　iron　jaws　to　death　in　that　hideous　stream　seemed　to　me　the　most　awful　of　endings。　　Yet　cross　it　I　must　if　I　were　to　get　rid　of　my　human　enemies。　　I　remembered　a　story　of　an　escaped　prisoner　during　the　war　who　had　only　the　Komati　River　between　him　and　safety。　　But　he　dared　not　enter　it；　and　was　recaptured　by　a　Boer　commando。　　I　was　determined　that　such　cowardice　should　not　be　laid　to　my　charge。　　If　I　was　to　die；　I　would　at　least　have　given　myself　every　chance　of　life。　So　I　braced　myself　as　best　I　could；　and　looked　for　a　place　to　enter。

The　veld…craft　I　had　mastered　had　taught　me　a　few　things。　One　was　that　wild　animals　drink　at　night；　and　that　they　have　regular　drinking　places。　　I　thought　that　the　likeliest　place　for　crocodiles　was　at　or　around　such　spots；　and；　therefore；　I　resolved　to　take　the　water　away　from　a　drinking　place。　　I　went　up　the　bank；　noting　where　the　narrow　bush…paths　emerged　on　the　water…side。　　I　scared　away　several　little　buck；　and　once　the　violent　commotion　in　the　bush　showed　that　I　had　frightened　some　bigger　animal；　perhaps　a　hartebeest。　　Still　following　the　bank　I　came　to　a　reach　where　the　undergrowth　was　unbroken　and　the　water　looked　deeper。

Suddenly　…　I　fear　I　must　use　this　adverb　often；　for　all　the　happenings　on　that　night　were　sudden　…　I　saw　a　biggish　animal　break　through　the　reeds　on　the　far　side。　　It　entered　the　water　and；　whether　wading　or　swimming　I　could　not　see；　came　out　a　little　distance。　　Then　some　sense　must　have　told　it　of　my　presence；　for　it　turned　and　with　a　grunt　made　its　way　back。

I　saw　that　it　was　a　big　wart…hog；　and　began　to　think。　　Pig