prester john-第34节

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　that　I　had　to　climb　a　waterfall　to　get　to　the　rocky　pool　where　I　had　bestowed　the　rubies。

'You　must　take　off　this　thong；'　I　said。　　'I　must　climb　to　get　the　collar。　　Cover　me　with　a　pistol　if　you　like。　　I　won't　be　out　of　sight。'

Laputa　undid　the　thong　and　set　me　free。　　From　his　belt　he　took　a　pistol；　cocked　it；　and　held　it　over　his　left　hand。　　I　had　seen　this　way　of　shooting　adopted　by　indifferent　shots；　and　it　gave　me　a　wild　hope　that　he　might　not　be　much　of　a　marksman。

It　did　not　take　me　long　to　find　the　pool；　close　against　the　blackened　stump　of　a　tree…fern。　　I　thrust　in　my　hand　and　gathered　up　the　jewels　from　the　cool　sand。　　They　came　out　glowing　like　living　fires；　and　for　a　moment　I　thrilled　with　a　sense　of　reverence。　　Surely　these　were　no　common　stones　which　held　in　them　the　very　heart　of　hell。　　Clutching　them　tightly；　I　climbed　down　to　Laputa。

At　the　sight　of　the　great　Snake　he　gave　a　cry　of　rapture。　Tearing　it　from　me；　he　held　it　at　arm's　length；　his　face　lit　with　a　passionate　joy。　　He　kissed　it；　he　raised　it　to　the　sky；　nay；　he　was　on　his　knees　before　it。　　Once　more　he　was　the　savage　transported　in　the　presence　of　his　fetich。　　He　turned　to　me　with　burning　eyes。

'Down　on　your　knees；'　he　cried；　'and　reverence　the　Ndhlondhlo。　Down；　you　impious　dog；　and　seek　pardon　for　your　sacrilege。'

'I　won't；'　I　said。　　'I　won't　bow　to　any　heathen　idol。'

He　pointed　his　pistol　at　me。

'In　a　second　I　shoot　where　your　head　is　now。　　Down；　you　fool；　or　perish。'

'You　promised　me　my　life；'　I　said　stubbornly；　though　Heaven　knows　why　I　chose　to　act　thus。

He　dropped　the　pistol　and　flung　himself　on　me。　　I　was　helpless　as　a　baby　in　his　hands。　　He　forced　me　to　the　ground　and　rolled　my　face　in　the　sand；　then　he　pulled　me　to　my　feet　and　tossed　me　backward；　till　I　almost　staggered　into　the　pool。　I　saved　myself；　and　staggered　instead　into　the　shallow　at　the　foot　of　it；　close　under　the　ledge　of　the　precipice。

That　morning；　when　Machudi's　men　were　cooking　breakfast；　I　had　figured　out　a　route　up　the　cliff。　　This　route　was　now　my　hope　of　escape。　　Laputa　had　dropped　his　pistol；　and　the　collar　had　plunged　him　in　an　ecstasy　of　worship。　　Now；　if　ever；　was　my　time。　　I　must　get　on　the　shelf　which　ran　sideways　up　the　cliff；　and　then　scramble　for　dear　life。

I　pretended　to　be　dazed　and　terrified。

'You　promised　me　my　life；'　I　whimpered。

'Your　life；'　he　cried。　　'Yes；　you　shall　have　your　life；　and　before　long　you　will　pray　for　death。'

'But　I　saved　the　Collar；'　I　pleaded。　　'Henriques　would　have　stolen　it。　　I　brought　it　safe　here；　and　now　you　have　got　it。'

Meantime　I　was　pulling　myself　up　on　the　shelf；　and　loosening　with　one　hand　a　boulder　which　overhung　the　pool。

'You　have　been　repaid；'　he　said　savagely。　　'You　will　not　die。'

'But　my　life　is　no　use　without　liberty；'　I　said；　working　at　the　boulder　till　it　lay　loose　in　its　niche。

He　did　not　answer；　being　intent　on　examining　the　Collar　to　see　if　it　had　suffered　any　harm。

'I　hope　it　isn't　scratched；'　I　said。　　'Henriques　trod　on　it　when　I　hit　him。'

Laputa　peered　at　the　gems　like　a　mother　at　a　child　who　has　had　a　fall。　　I　saw　my　chance　and　took　it。　　With　a　great　heave　I　pulled　the　boulder　down　into　the　pool。　　It　made　a　prodigious　splash；　sending　a　shower　of　spray　over　Laputa　and　the　Collar。　In　cover　of　it　I　raced　up　the　shelf；　straining　for　the　shelter　of　the　juniper　tree。

A　shot　rang　out　and　struck　the　rock　above　me。　　A　second　later　I　had　reached　the　tree　and　was　scrambling　up　the　crack　beyond　it。

Laputa　did　not　fire　again。　　He　may　have　distrusted　his　shooting；　or　seen　a　better　way　of　it。　　He　dashed　through　the　stream　and　ran　up　the　shelf　like　a　klipspringer　after　me。　　I　felt　rather　than　saw　what　was　happening；　and　with　my　heart　in　my　mouth　I　gathered　my　dregs　of　energy　for　the　last　struggle。

You　know　the　nightmare　when　you　are　pursued　by　some　awful　terror；　and；　though　sick　with　fear；　your　legs　have　a　strange　numbness；　and　you　cannot　drag　them　in　obedience　to　the　will。　　Such　was　my　feeling　in　the　crack　above　the　juniper　tree。　　In　truth；　I　had　passed　the　bounds　of　my　endurance。　　Last　night　I　had　walked　fifty　miles；　and　all　day　I　had　borne　the　torments　of　a　dreadful　suspense。　　I　had　been　bound　and　gagged　and　beaten　till　the　force　was　out　of　my　limbs。　　Also；　and　above　all；　I　had　had　little　food；　and　I　was　dizzy　with　want　of　sleep。　My　feet　seemed　leaden；　my　hands　had　no　more　grip　than　putty。　　I　do　not　know　how　I　escaped　falling　into　the　pool；　for　my　head　was　singing　and　my　heart　thumping　in　my　throat。　　I　seemed　to　feel　Laputa's　great　hand　every　second　clawing　at　my　heels。

I　had　reason　for　my　fears。　　He　had　entered　the　crack　long　before　I　had　reached　the　top；　and　his　progress　was　twice　as　fast　as　mine。　　When　I　emerged　on　the　topmost　shelf　he　was　scarcely　a　yard　behind　me。　　But　an　overhang　checked　his　bulky　figure　and　gave　me　a　few　seconds'　grace。　　I　needed　it　all；　for　these　last　steps　on　the　shelf　were　the　totterings　of　an　old　man。　　Only　a　desperate　resolution　and　an　extreme　terror　made　me　drag　one　foot　after　the　other。　　Blindly　I　staggered　on　to　the　top　of　the　ravine；　and　saw　before　me　the　Schimmel　grazing　in　the　light　of　the　westering　sun。

I　forced　myself　into　a　sort　of　drunken　run；　and　crawled　into　the　saddle。　　Behind　me；　as　I　turned；　I　could　see　Laputa's　shoulders　rising　over　the　edge。　　I　had　no　knife　to　cut　the　knee…　halter；　and　the　horse　could　not　stir。

Then　the　miracle　happened。　　When　the　rope　had　gagged　me；　my　teeth　must　have　nearly　severed　it　at　one　place；　and　this　Laputa　had　not　noticed　when　he　used　it　as　a　knee…halter。　　The　shock　of　my　entering　the　saddle　made　the　Schimmel　fling　up　his　head　violently；　and　the　rope　snapped。　　I　could　not　find　the　stirrups；　but　I　dug　my　heels　into　his　sides；　and　he　leaped　forward。

At　the　same　moment　Laputa　began　to　shoot。　　It　was　a　foolish　move；　for　he　might　have　caught　me　by　running；　since　I　had　neither　spurs　nor　whip；　and　the　horse　was　hampered　by　the　loose　end　of　rope　at　his　knee。　　In　any　case；　being　an　indifferent　shot；　he　should　have　aimed　at　the　Schimmel；　not　at　me；　but　I　suppose　he　wished　to　save　his　charger。　　One　bullet　sang　past　my　head；　a　second　did　my　business　for　me。　　It　passed　over　my　shoulder；　as　I　lay　low　in　the　saddle；　and　grazed　the　beast's　right　ear。　　The　pain　maddened　him；　and；　rope…end　and　all；　he　plunged　into　a　wild　gallop。　　Other　shots　came；　but　they　fell　far　short。　　I　saw　dimly　a　native　or　two　…　the　men　who　had　followed　us　…　rush　to　intercept　me；　and　I　think　a　spear　was　flung。　　But　in　a　flash　we　were　past　them；　and　their　cries　faded　behind　me。　I　found　the　bridle；　reached　for　the　stirrups；　and　galloped　straight　for　the　sunset　and　for　freedom。




CHAPTER　XVIII　HOW　A　MAN　MAY　SOMETIMES　PUT　HIS　TRUST　IN　A　HORSE


I　had　long　passed　the　limit　of　my　strength。　　Only　constant　fear　and　wild　alternations　of　hope　had　kept　me　going　so　long；　and　now　that　I　was　safe　I　became　light…headed　in　earnest。　　The　wonder　is　that　I　did　not　fall　off。　　Happily　the　horse　was　good　and　the　ground　easy；　for　I　was　powerless　to　do　any　guiding。　　I　simply　sat　on　his　back　in　a　silly　glow　of　comfort；　keeping　a　line　for　the　dying　sun；　which　I　saw　in　a　nick　of　the　Iron　Crown　Mountain。　　A　sort　of　childish　happiness　possessed　me。　　After　three　days　of　imminent　peril；　to　be　free　was　to　be　in　fairyland。　To　be　swishing　through　the　long　bracken　or　plunging　among　the　breast…high　flowers　of　the　meadowlands　in　a　world　of　essential　lights　and　fragrances；　seemed　scarcely　part　of　mortal　experience。　　Remember　that　I　was　little　more　than　a　lad；　and　that　I　had　faced　death　so　often　of　late　that　my　mind　was　all　adrift。　　To　be　able　to　hope　once　more；　nay；　to　be　allowed　to　cease　both　from　hope　and　fear；　was　like　a　deep　and　happy　opiate　to　my　senses。　　Spent　and　frail　as　I　was；　my　soul　swam　in　blessed　waters　of　ease。

The　mood　did　not　last　long。　　I　came　back　to　earth　with　a　shock；　as　the　schimmel　stumbled　at　the　crossing　of　a　stream。　　I　saw　that　the　darkness　was　fast　falling；　and　with　the　sight　panic　returned　to　me。　　Behind　me　I　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　pursuit。　　The　noise　was　in　my　ears；　but　when　I　turned　it　ceased；　and　I　saw　only　the　dusky　shoulders　of　hills。

I　tried　to　remember　what　Arcoll　had　told　me　about　his　headquarters；　but　my　memory　was　wiped　clean。　　I　thought　they　were　on　or　near　the　highway；　but　I　could　not　remember　where　the　highway　was。　　Besides；　he　was　close　to　the　enemy；　and　I　wanted　to　get　back　into　the　towns；　far　away　from　the　battle…　line。　　If　I　rode　west　I　must　come　in　time　to　villages；　where　I　could　hide　myself。　　These　were　unworthy　thoughts；　but　my　excuse　must　be　my　tattered　nerves。　　When　a　man　comes　out　of　great　danger；　he　is　apt　to　be　a　little　deaf　to　the　call　of　duty。

Suddenly　I　became　ashamed。　　God　had　preserved　me　from　deadly　perils；　but　not　that　I　might　cower　in　some　shelter。　　I　had　a　mission　as　clear　as　Laputa's。　　For　the　first　time　I　became　conscious　to　what　a　little　thing　I　owed　my　salvation。　　That　matter　of　the　broken　halter　was　like　the　finger　of　Divine　Providence。　　I　had　been　saved　for　a　purpose；　and　unless　I　fulfilled　that　purpose　I　should　again　be　lost。　　I　was　always　a　fatalist；　and　in　that　hour　of　strained　body　and　soul　I　became　something　of　a　mystic。　　My　panic　ceased；　my　lethargy　departed；　and　a　more　ma