prester john-第28节

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I　saw　that　it　was　a　big　wart…hog；　and　began　to　think。　　Pig；　unlike　other　beasts；　drink　not　at　night；　but　in　the　daytime。　The　hog　had；　therefore；　not　come　to　drink；　but　to　swim　across。　Now；　I　argued；　he　would　choose　a　safe　place；　for　the　wart…hog；　hideous　though　he　is；　is　a　wise　beast。　　What　was　safe　for　him　would；　therefore；　in　all　likelihood　be　safe　for　me。

With　this　hope　to　comfort　me　I　prepared　to　enter。　　My　first　care　was　the　jewels；　so；　feeling　them　precarious　in　my　shirt；　I　twined　the　collar　round　my　neck　and　clasped　it。　　The　snake…　clasp　was　no　flimsy　device　of　modern　jewellery；　and　I　had　no　fear　but　that　it　would　hold。　　I　held　the　pistol　between　my　teeth；　and　with　a　prayer　to　God　slipped　into　the　muddy　waters。

I　swam　in　the　wild　way　of　a　beginner　who　fears　cramp。　　The　current　was　light　and　the　water　moderately　warm；　but　I　seemed　to　go　very　slowly；　and　I　was　cold　with　apprehension。　　In　the　middle　it　suddenly　shallowed；　and　my　breast　came　against　a　mudshoal。　　I　thought　it　was　a　crocodile；　and　in　my　confusion　the　pistol　dropped　from　my　mouth　and　disappeared。

I　waded　a　few　steps　and　then　plunged　into　deep　water　again。　Almost　before　I　knew；　I　was　among　the　bulrushes；　with　my　feet　in　the　slime　of　the　bank。　　With　feverish　haste　I　scrambled　through　the　reeds　and　up　through　roots　and　undergrowth　to　the　hard　soil。　　I　was　across；　but；　alas；　I　had　lost　my　only　weapon。

The　swim　and　the　anxiety　had　tired　me　considerably；　and　though　it　meant　delay；　I　did　not　dare　to　continue　with　the　weight　of　water…logged　clothes　to　impede　me。　　I　found　a　dry　sheltered　place　in　the　bush　and　stripped　to　the　skin。　　I　emptied　my　boots　and　wrung　out　my　shirt　and　breeches；　while　the　Prester's　jewels　were　blazing　on　my　neck。　　Here　was　a　queer　counterpart　to　Laputa　in　the　cave！

The　change　revived　me；　and　I　continued　my　way　in　better　form。　　So　far　there　had　been　no　sign　of　pursuit。　　Before　me　the　Letsitela　was　the　only　other　stream；　and　from　what　I　remembered　of　its　character　near　the　Berg　I　thought　I　should　have　little　trouble。　　It　was　smaller　than　the　Klein　Letaba；　and　a　rushing　torrent　where　shallows　must　be　common。

I　kept　running　till　I　felt　my　shirt　getting　dry　on　my　back。　Then　I　restored　the　jewels　to　their　old　home；　and　found　their　cool　touch　on　my　breast　very　comforting。　　The　country　was　getting　more　broken　as　I　advanced。　　Little　kopjes　with　thickets　of　wild　bananas　took　the　place　of　the　dead　levels。　　Long　before　I　reached　the　Letsitela；　I　saw　that　I　was　right　in　my　guess。　　It　ran；　a　brawling　mountain　stream；　in　a　narrow　rift　in　the　bush。　I　crossed　it　almost　dry…shod　on　the　boulders　above　a　little　fall；　stopping　for　a　moment　to　drink　and　lave　my　brow。

After　that　the　country　changed　again。　　The　wood　was　now　getting　like　that　which　clothed　the　sides　of　the　Berg。　　There　were　tall　timber…trees　…　yellowwood；　sneezewood；　essenwood；　stinkwood　…　and　the　ground　was　carpeted　with　thick　grass　and　ferns。　　The　sight　gave　me　my　first　earnest　of　safety。　　I　was　approaching　my　own　country。　　Behind　me　was　heathendom　and　the　black　fever　flats。　　In　front　were　the　cool　mountains　and　bright　streams；　and　the　guns　of　my　own　folk。

As　I　struggled　on　…　for　I　was　getting　very　footsore　and　weary　…　I　became　aware　of　an　odd　sound　in　my　rear。　　It　was　as　if　something　were　following　me。　　I　stopped　and　listened　with　a　sudden　dread。　　Could　Laputa's　trackers　have　got　up　with　me　already？　　But　the　sound　was　not　of　human　feet。　　It　was　as　if　some　heavy　animal　were　plunging　through　the　undergrowth。　At　intervals　came　the　soft　pad　of　its　feet　on　the　grass。

It　must　be　the　hungry　lion　of　my　nightmare；　and　Henriques'　pistol　was　in　the　mud　of　the　Klein　Letaba！　　The　only　thing　was　a　tree；　and　I　had　sprung　for　one　and　scrambled　wearily　into　the　first　branches　when　a　great　yellow　animal　came　into　the　moonlight。

Providence　had　done　kindly　in　robbing　me　of　my　pistol。　　The　next　minute　I　was　on　the　ground　with　Colin　leaping　on　me　and　baying　with　joy。　　I　hugged　that　blessed　hound　and　buried　my　head　in　his　shaggy　neck；　sobbing　like　a　child。　　How　he　had　traced　me　I　can　never　tell。　　The　secret　belongs　only　to　the　Maker　of　good　and　faithful　dogs。

With　him　by　my　side　I　was　a　new　man。　　The　awesome　loneliness　had　gone。　　I　felt　as　if　he　were　a　message　from　my　own　people　to　take　me　safely　home。　　He　clearly　knew　the　business　afoot；　for　he　padded　beside　me　with　never　a　glance　to　right　or　left。　　Another　time　he　would　have　been　snowking　in　every　thicket；　but　now　he　was　on　duty；　a　serious；　conscientious　dog　with　no　eye　but　for　business。

The　moon　went　down；　and　the　starry　sky　was　our　only　light。　The　thick　gloom　which　brooded　over　the　landscape　pointed　to　the　night　being　far　gone。　　I　thought　I　saw　a　deeper　blackness　ahead　which　might　be　the　line　of　the　Berg。　　Then　came　that　period　of　utter　stillness　when　every　bush　sound　is　hushed　and　the　world　seems　to　swoon。　　I　felt　almost　impious　hurrying　through　that　profound　silence；　when　not　even　the　leaves　stirred　or　a　frog　croaked。

Suddenly　as　we　came　over　a　rise　a　little　wind　blew　on　the　back　of　my　head；　and　a　bitter　chill　came　into　the　air。　　I　knew　from　nights　spent　in　the　open　that　it　was　the　precursor　of　dawn。　　Sure　enough；　as　I　glanced　back；　far　over　the　plain　a　pale　glow　was　stealing　upwards　into　the　sky。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　pall　melted　into　an　airy　haze；　and　above　me　I　saw　the　heavens　shot　with　tremors　of　blue　light。　　Then　the　foreground　began　to　clear；　and　there　before　me；　with　their　heads　still　muffled　in　vapour；　were　the　mountains。

Xenophon's　Ten　Thousand　did　not　hail　the　sea　more　gladly　than　I　welcomed　those　frowning　ramparts　of　the　Berg。

Once　again　my　weariness　was　eased。　　I　cried　to　Colin；　and　together　we　ran　down　into　the　wide；　shallow　trough　which　lies　at　the　foot　of　the　hills。　　As　the　sun　rose　above　the　horizon；　the　black　masses　changed　to　emerald　and　rich　umber；　and　the　fleecy　mists　of　the　summits　opened　and　revealed　beyond　shining　spaces　of　green。　　Some　lines　of　Shakespeare　ran　in　my　head；　which　I　have　always　thought　the　most　beautiful　of　all　poetry：

　　　　　'Night's　candles　are　burned　out；　and　jocund　day　　　　　　Walks　tiptoe　on　the　misty　mountain　tops。'

Up　there　among　the　clouds　was　my　salvation。　　Like　the　Psalmist；　I　lifted　my　eyes　to　the　hills　from　whence　came　my　aid。

Hope　is　a　wonderful　restorative。　　To　be　near　the　hills；　to　smell　their　odours；　to　see　at　the　head　of　the　glens　the　lines　of　the　plateau　where　were　white　men　and　civilization　…　all　gave　me　new　life　and　courage。　　Colin　saw　my　mood；　and　spared　a　moment　now　and　then　to　inspect　a　hole　or　a　covert。　　Down　in　the　shallow　trough　I　saw　the　links　of　a　burn；　the　Machudi；　which　flowed　down　the　glen　it　was　my　purpose　to　ascend。　Away　to　the　north　in　the　direction　of　Majinje's　were　patches　of　Kaffir　tillage；　and　I　thought　I　discerned　the　smoke　from　fires。　Majinje's　womankind　would　be　cooking　their　morning　meal。　To　the　south　ran　a　thick　patch　of　forest；　but　I　saw　beyond　it　the　spur　of　the　mountain　over　which　runs　the　highroad　to　Wesselsburg。　　The　clear　air　of　dawn　was　like　wine　in　my　blood。　I　was　not　free；　but　I　was　on　the　threshold　of　freedom。　　If　I　could　only　reach　my　friends　with　the　Prester's　collar　in　my　shirt；　I　would　have　performed　a　feat　which　would　never　be　forgotten。　　I　would　have　made　history　by　my　glorious　folly。　Breakfastless　and　footsore；　I　was　yet　a　proud　man　as　I　crossed　the　hollow　to　the　mouth　of　Machudi's　glen。

My　chickens　had　been　counted　too　soon；　and　there　was　to　be　no　hatching。　　Colin　grew　uneasy；　and　began　to　sniff　up　wind。　　I　was　maybe　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　glen　foot；　plodding　through　the　long　grass　of　the　hollow；　when　the　behaviour　of　the　dog　made　me　stop　and　listen。　　In　that　still　air　sounds　carry　far；　and　I　seemed　to　hear　the　noise　of　feet　brushing　through　cover。　　The　noise　came　both　from　north　and　south；　from　the　forest　and　from　the　lower　course　of　the　Machudi。

I　dropped　into　shelter；　and　running　with　bent　back　got　to　the　summit　of　a　little　bush…clad　knoll。　　It　was　Colin　who　first　caught　sight　of　my　pursuers。　　He　was　staring　at　a　rift　in　the　trees；　and　suddenly　gave　a　short　bark。　　I　looked　and　saw　two　men；　running　hard；　cross　the　grass　and　dip　into　the　bed　of　the　stream。　　A　moment　later　I　had　a　glimpse　of　figures　on　the　edge　of　the　forest；　moving　fast　to　the　mouth　of　the　glen。　　The　pursuit　had　not　followed　me；　it　had　waited　to　cut　me　off。　　Fool　that　I　was；　I　had　forgotten　the　wonders　of　Kaffir　telegraphy。　　It　had　been　easy　for　Laputa　to　send　word　thirty　miles　ahead　to　stop　any　white　man　who　tried　to　cross　the　Berg。

And　then　I　knew　that　I　was　very　weary。


CHAPTER　XV　MORNING　IN　THE　BERG


I　was　perhaps　half　a　mile　the　nearer　to　the　glen；　and　was　likely　to　get　there　first。　　And　after　that？　　I　could　see　the　track　winding　by　the　waterside　and　then　crossing　a　hill…shoulder　which　diverted　the　stream。　　It　was　a　road　a　man　could　scarcely　ride；　and　a　tired　man　would　have　a　hard　job　to　climb。　　I　do　not　think　that　I　had　any　hope。　　My　exhilaration　had　died　as　suddenly　as　it　had　been　born。　　I　saw　myself　caught　and　carried　off　to　Laputa；　who　must　now　be　close　on　the　rendezvous　at　Inanda's　Kraal。　　I　had　no　weapon　to　make　a　fight　for　it。　　My　foemen　were　many　and　untired。　　It　must　be　only　a　matter　of　minutes　till　I　was　in　their　hands。

Mo