prester john-第41节

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as　nothing　for　it　but　to　risk　all　on　a　jump。　　I　drew　the　rope　out　of　the　hitch；　twined　the　slack　round　my　waist；　and　leaped　for　the　spike。

It　was　like　throwing　oneself　on　a　line　of　spears。　　The　solid　wall　of　water　hurled　me　back　and　down；　but　as　I　fell　my　arms　closed　on　the　spike。　　There　I　hung　while　my　feet　were　towed　outwards　by　the　volume　of　the　stream　as　if　they　had　been　dead　leaves。　　I　was　half…stunned　by　the　shock　of　the　drip　on　my　head；　but　I　kept　my　wits；　and　presently　got　my　face　outside　the　falling　sheet　and　breathed。

To　get　to　my　feet　and　stand　on　the　spike　while　all　the　fury　of　water　was　plucking　at　me　was　the　hardest　physical　effort　I　have　ever　made。　　It　had　to　be　done　very　circumspectly；　for　a　slip　would　send　me　into　the　abyss。　　If　I　moved　an　arm　or　leg　an　inch　too　near　the　terrible　dropping　wall　I　knew　I　should　be　plucked　from　my　hold。　　I　got　my　knees　on　the　outer　face　of　the　spike；　so　that　all　my　body　was　removed　as　far　as　possible　from　the　impact　of　the　water。　　Then　I　began　to　pull　myself　slowly　up。

I　could　not　do　it。　　If　I　got　my　feet　on　the　rock　the　effort　would　bring　me　too　far　into　the　water；　and　that　meant　destruction。　　I　saw　this　clearly　in　a　second　while　my　wrists　were　cracking　with　the　strain。　　But　if　I　had　a　wall　behind　me　I　could　reach　back　with　one　hand　and　get　what　we　call　in　Scotland　a　'stelf。'　　I　knew　there　was　a　wall；　but　how　far　I　could　not　judge。　The　perpetual　hammering　of　the　stream　had　confused　my　wits。

It　was　a　horrible　moment；　but　I　had　to　risk　it。　　I　knew　that　if　the　wall　was　too　far　back　I　should　fall；　for　I　had　to　let　my　weight　go　till　my　hand　fell　on　it。　　Delay　would　do　no　good；　so　with　a　prayer　I　flung　my　right　hand　back；　while　my　left　hand　clutched　the　spike。　　

I　found　the　wall　…　it　was　only　a　foot　or　two　beyond　my　reach。　　With　a　heave　I　had　my　foot　on　the　spike；　and　turning；　had　both　hands　on　the　opposite　wall。　　There　I　stood；　straddling　like　a　Colossus　over　a　waste　of　white　waters；　with　the　cave　floor　far　below　me　in　the　gloom；　and　my　discarded　axe　lying　close　to　a　splash　of　Laputa's　blood。

The　spectacle　made　me　giddy；　and　I　had　to　move　on　or　fall。　The　wall　was　not　quite　perpendicular；　but　as　far　as　I　could　see　a　slope　of　about　sixty　degrees。　　It　was　ribbed　and　terraced　pretty　fully；　but　I　could　see　no　ledge　within　reach　which　offered　standing　room。　　Once　more　I　tried　the　moral　support　of　the　rope；　and　as　well　as　I　could　dropped　a　noose　on　the　spike　which　might　hold　me　if　I　fell。　　Then　I　boldly　embarked　on　a　hand　traverse；　pulling　myself　along　a　little　ledge　till　I　was　right　in　the　angle　of　the　fall。　　Here；　happily；　the　water　was　shallower　and　less　violent；　and　with　my　legs　up　to　the　knees　in　foam　I　managed　to　scramble　into　a　kind　of　corner。　　Now　at　last　I　was　on　the　wall　of　the　gully；　and　above　the　cave。　　I　had　achieved　by　amazing　luck　one　of　the　most　difficult　of　all　mountaineering　operations。　　I　had　got　out　of　a　cave　to　the　wall　above。

My　troubles　were　by　no　means　over；　for　I　found　the　cliff　most　difficult　to　climb。　　The　great　rush　of　the　stream　dizzied　my　brain；　the　spray　made　the　rock　damp；　and　the　slope　steepened　as　I　advanced。　　At　one　overhang　my　shoulder　was　almost　in　the　water　again。　　All　this　time　I　was　climbing　doggedly；　with　terror　somewhere　in　my　soul；　and　hope　lighting　but　a　feeble　lamp。　　I　was　very　distrustful　of　my　body；　for　I　knew　that　at　any　moment　my　weakness　might　return。　　The　fever　of　three　days　of　peril　and　stress　is　not　allayed　by　one　night's　rest。

By　this　time　I　was　high　enough　to　see　that　the　river　came　out　of　the　ground　about　fifty　feet　short　of　the　lip　of　the　gully；　and　some　ten　feet　beyond　where　I　stood。　　Above　the　hole　whence　the　waters　issued　was　a　loose　slope　of　slabs　and　screes。　It　looked　an　ugly　place；　but　there　I　must　go；　for　the　rock…wall　I　was　on　was　getting　unclimbable。

I　turned　the　corner　a　foot　or　two　above　the　water；　and　stood　on　a　slope　of　about　fifty　degrees；　running　from　the　parapet　of　stone　to　a　line　beyond　which　blue　sky　appeared。　　The　first　step　I　took　the　place　began　to　move。　　A　boulder　crashed　into　the　fall；　and　tore　down　into　the　abyss　with　a　shattering　thunder。　　I　lay　flat　and　clutched　desperately　at　every　hold；　but　I　had　loosened　an　avalanche　of　earth；　and　not　till　my　feet　were　sprayed　by　the　water　did　I　get　a　grip　of　firm　rock　and　check　my　descent。　　All　this　frightened　me　horribly；　with　the　kind　of　despairing　angry　fear　which　I　had　suffered　at　Bruderstroom；　when　I　dreamed　that　the　treasure　was　lost。　　I　could　not　bear　the　notion　of　death　when　I　had　won　so　far。

After　that　I　advanced；　not　by　steps；　but　by　inches。　　I　felt　more　poised　and　pinnacled　in　the　void　than　when　I　had　stood　on　the　spike　of　rock；　for　I　had　a　substantial　hold　neither　for　foot　nor　hand。　　It　seemed　weeks　before　I　made　any　progress　away　from　the　lip　of　the　waterhole。　　I　dared　not　look　down；　but　kept　my　eyes　on　the　slope　before　me；　searching　for　any　patch　of　ground　which　promised　stability。　　Once　I　found　a　scrog　of　juniper　with　firm　roots；　and　this　gave　me　a　great　lift。　　A　little　further；　however；　I　lit　on　a　bank　of　screes　which　slipped　with　me　to　the　right；　and　I　lost　most　of　the　ground　the　bush　had　gained　me。　　My　whole　being；　I　remember；　was　filled　with　a　devouring　passion　to　be　quit　of　this　gully　and　all　that　was　in　it。

Then；　not　suddenly　as　in　romances；　but　after　hard　striving　and　hope　long　deferred；　I　found　myself　on　a　firm　outcrop　of　weathered　stone。　　In　three　strides　I　was　on　the　edge　of　the　plateau。　　Then　I　began　to　run；　and　at　the　same　time　to　lose　the　power　of　running。　　I　cast　one　look　behind　me；　and　saw　a　deep　cleft　of　darkness　out　of　which　I　had　climbed。　　Down　in　the　cave　it　had　seemed　light　enough；　but　in　the　clear　sunshine　of　the　top　the　gorge　looked　a　very　pit　of　shade。　　For　the　first　and　last　time　in　my　life　I　had　vertigo。　　Fear　of　falling　back；　and　a　mad　craze　to　do　it；　made　me　acutely　sick。　　I　managed　to　stumble　a　few　steps　forward　on　the　mountain　turf；　and　then　flung　myself　on　my　face。

When　I　raised　my　head　I　was　amazed　to　find　it　still　early　morning。　　The　dew　was　yet　on　the　grass；　and　the　sun　was　not　far　up　the　sky。　　I　had　thought　that　my　entry　into　the　cave；　my　time　in　it；　and　my　escape　had　taken　many　hours；　whereas　at　the　most　they　had　occupied　two。　　It　was　little　more　than　dawn；　such　a　dawn　as　walks　only　on　the　hilltops。　　Before　me　was　the　shallow　vale　with　its　bracken　and　sweet　grass；　and　farther　on　the　shining　links　of　the　stream；　and　the　loch　still　grey　in　the　shadow　of　the　beleaguering　hills。　　Here　was　a　fresh；　clean　land；　a　land　for　homesteads　and　orchards　and　children。　　All　of　a　sudden　I　realized　that　at　last　I　had　come　out　of　savagery。　The　burden　of　the　past　days　slipped　from　my　shoulders。　　I　felt　young　again；　and　cheerful　and　brave。　　Behind　me　was　the　black　night；　and　the　horrid　secrets　of　darkness。　　Before　me　was　my　own　country；　for　that　loch　and　that　bracken　might　have　been　on　a　Scotch　moor。　　The　fresh　scent　of　the　air　and　the　whole　morning　mystery　put　song　into　my　blood。　　I　remembered　that　I　was　not　yet　twenty。　My　first　care　was　to　kneel　there　among　the　bracken　and　give　thanks　to　my　Maker；　who　in　very　truth　had　shown　me　'His　goodness　in　the　land　of　the　living。'

After　a　little　I　went　back　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　　There　where　the　road　came　out　of　the　bush　was　the　body　of　Henriques；　lying　sprawled　on　the　sand；　with　two　dismounted　riders　looking　hard　at　it。　　I　gave　a　great　shout；　for　in　the　men　I　recognized　Aitken　and　the　schoolmaster　Wardlaw。



CHAPTER　XXII　A　GREAT　PERIL　AND　A　GREAT　SALVATION


I　must　now　take　up　some　of　the　ragged　ends　which　I　have　left　behind　me。　　It　is　not　my　task；　as　I　have　said；　to　write　the　history　of　the　great　Rising。　　That　has　been　done　by　abler　men；　who　were　at　the　centre　of　the　business；　and　had　some　knowledge　of　strategy　and　tactics；　whereas　I　was　only　a　raw　lad　who　was　privileged　by　fate　to　see　the　start。　　If　I　could；　I　would　fain　make　an　epic　of　it；　and　show　how　the　Plains　found　at　all　points　the　Plateau　guarded；　how　wits　overcame　numbers；　and　at　every　pass　which　the　natives　tried　the　great　guns　spoke　and　the　tide　rolled　back。　　Yet　I　fear　it　would　be　an　epic　without　a　hero。　There　was　no　leader　left　when　Laputa　had　gone。　　There　were　months　of　guerrilla　fighting；　and　then　months　of　reprisals；　when　chief　after　chief　was　hunted　down　and　brought　to　trial。　Then　the　amnesty　came　and　a　clean　sheet；　and　white　Africa　drew　breath　again　with　certain　grave　reflections　left　in　her　head。　　On　the　whole　I　am　not　sorry　that　the　history　is　no　business　of　mine。　　Romance　died　with　'the　heir　of　John；'　and　the　crusade　became　a　sorry　mutiny。　　I　can　fancy　how　differently　Laputa　would　have　managed　it　all　had　he　lived；　how　swift　and　sudden　his　plans　would　have　been；　how　under　him　the　fighting　would　not　have　been　in　the　mountain　glens；　but　far　in　the　high…veld　among　the　dorps　and　townships。　　With　the　Inkulu　alive　we　warred　against　odds；　with　the　Inkulu　dead　the　balance　sank　heavily　in　our　favour。　　I　leave　to　others　the　marches　and　strategy　of　the　thing；　and　hasten　to　clear　up　the　obscure　parts　in　my　own　fortunes。

Arcoll　received　my　message　from　Umvelos'　by　Colin；　or　rather　Wardlaw　received　it　and　sent　it　on　to　the　post　on　the　Berg　where　the　leader　had　gone。　　Close　on　its　heels　came　the　message　f