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「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第20章《最終章》（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 07:57:21 | 日記

CHAPTER XX

FOUND

And now I come to perhaps the strangest adventure that happened to us in all this strange business, and one which shows how wonderfully things are brought about.

I was walking along quietly, some way in front of the other two, down the banks of the stream which runs from the oasis till it is swallowed up in the hungry desert sands, when suddenly I stopped and rubbed my eyes, as well I might. There, not twenty yards in front of me, placed in a charming situation, under the shade of a species of fig-tree, and facing to the stream, was a cosy hut, built more or less on the Kafir principle with grass and withes, but having a full-length door instead of a bee-hole.

"What the dickens," said I to myself, "can a hut be doing here?" Even as I said it the door of the hut opened, and there limped out of it a white man clothed in skins, and with an enormous black beard. I thought that I must have got a touch of the sun. It was impossible. No hunter ever came to such a place as this. Certainly no hunter would ever settle in it. I stared and stared, and so did the other man, and just at that juncture Sir Henry and Good walked up.

"Look here, you fellows," I said, "is that a white man, or am I mad?"

Sir Henry looked, and Good looked, and then all of a sudden the lame white man with a black beard uttered a great cry, and began hobbling towards us. When he was close he fell down in a sort of faint.

With a spring Sir Henry was by his side.

"Great Powers!" he cried, "it is my brother George!"

At the sound of this disturbance, another figure, also clad in skins, emerged from the hut, a gun in his hand, and ran towards us. On seeing me he too gave a cry.

"Macumazahn," he halloed, "don't you know me, Baas? I'm Jim the hunter. I lost the note you gave me to give to the Baas, and we have been here nearly two years." And the fellow fell at my feet, and rolled over and over, weeping for joy.

"You careless scoundrel!" I said; "you ought to be well sjambocked"—that is, hided.

Meanwhile the man with the black beard had recovered and risen, and he and Sir Henry were pump-handling away at each other, apparently without a word to say. But whatever they had quarrelled about in the past—I suspect it was a lady, though I never asked—it was evidently forgotten now.

"My dear old fellow," burst out Sir Henry at last, "I thought you were dead. I have been over Solomon's Mountains to find you. I had given up all hope of ever seeing you again, and now I come across you perched in the desert, like an old assvögel."[1]

"I tried to cross Solomon's Mountains nearly two years ago," was the answer, spoken in the hesitating voice of a man who has had little recent opportunity of using his tongue, "but when I reached here a boulder fell on my leg and crushed it, and I have been able to go neither forward nor back."

Then I came up. "How do you do, Mr. Neville?" I said; "do you remember me?"

"Why," he said, "isn't it Hunter Quatermain, eh, and Good too? Hold on a minute, you fellows, I am getting dizzy again. It is all so very strange, and, when a man has ceased to hope, so very happy!"

That evening, over the camp fire, George Curtis told us his story, which, in its way, was almost as eventful as our own, and, put shortly, amounted to this. A little less than two years before, he had started from Sitanda's Kraal, to try to reach Suliman's Berg. As for the note I had sent him by Jim, that worthy lost it, and he had never heard of it till to-day. But, acting upon information he had received from the natives, he headed not for Sheba's Breasts, but for the ladder-like descent of the mountains down which we had just come, which is clearly a better route than that marked out in old Dom Silvestra's plan. In the desert he and Jim had suffered great hardships, but finally they reached this oasis, where a terrible accident befell George Curtis. On the day of their arrival he was sitting by the stream, and Jim was extracting the honey from the nest of a stingless bee which is to be found in the desert, on the top of a bank immediately above him. In so doing he loosened a great boulder of rock, which fell upon George Curtis's right leg, crushing it frightfully. From that day he had been so lame that he found it impossible to go either forward or back, and had preferred to take the chances of dying in the oasis to the certainty of perishing in the desert.

As for food, however, they got on pretty well, for they had a good supply of ammunition, and the oasis was frequented, especially at night, by large quantities of game, which came thither for water. These they shot, or trapped in pitfalls, using the flesh for food, and, after their clothes wore out, the hides for clothing.

"And so," George Curtis ended, "we have lived for nearly two years, like a second Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday, hoping against hope that some natives might come here to help us away, but none have come. Only last night we settled that Jim should leave me, and try to reach Sitanda's Kraal to get assistance. He was to go to-morrow, but I had little hope of ever seeing him back again. And now you, of all people in the world, you, who, as I fancied, had long ago forgotten all about me, and were living comfortably in old England, turn up in a promiscuous way and find me where you least expected. It is the most wonderful thing that I have ever heard of, and the most merciful too."

Then Sir Henry set to work, and told him the main facts of our adventures, sitting till late into the night to do it.

"By Jove!" said George Curtis, when I showed him some of the diamonds: "well, at least you have got something for your pains, besides my worthless self."

Sir Henry laughed. "They belong to Quatermain and Good. It was a part of the bargain that they should divide any spoils there might be."

This remark set me thinking, and having spoken to Good, I told Sir Henry that it was our joint wish that he should take a third portion of the diamonds, or, if he would not, that his share should be handed to his brother, who had suffered even more than ourselves on the chance of getting them. Finally, we prevailed upon him to consent to this arrangement, but George Curtis did not know of it until some time afterwards.

Here, at this point, I think that I shall end my history. Our journey across the desert back to Sitanda's Kraal was most arduous, especially as we had to support George Curtis, whose right leg was very weak indeed, and continually threw out splinters of bone. But we did accomplish it somehow, and to give its details would only be to reproduce much of what happened to us on the former occasion.

Six months from the date of our re-arrival at Sitanda's, where we found our guns and other goods quite safe, though the old rascal in charge was much disgusted at our surviving to claim them, saw us all once more safe and sound at my little place on the Berea, near Durban, where I am now writing. Thence I bid farewell to all who have accompanied me through the strangest trip I ever made in the course of a long and varied experience.

P.S.—Just as I had written the last word, a Kafir came up my avenue of orange trees, carrying a letter in a cleft stick, which he had brought from the post. It turned out to be from Sir Henry, and as it speaks for itself I give it in full.

October 1, 1884.
Brayley Hall, Yorkshire.

My Dear Quatermain,

I send you a line a few mails back to say that the three of us, George, Good, and myself, fetched up all right in England. We got off the boat at Southampton, and went up to town. You should have seen what a swell Good turned out the very next day, beautifully shaved, frock coat fitting like a glove, brand new eye-glass, etc., etc. I went and walked in the park with him, where I met some people I know, and at once told them the story of his "beautiful white legs."

He is furious, especially as some ill-natured person has printed it in a Society paper.

To come to business, Good and I took the diamonds to Streeter's to be valued, as we arranged, and really I am afraid to tell you what they put them at, it seems so enormous. They say that of course it is more or less guess-work, as such stones have never to their knowledge been put on the market in anything like such quantities. It appears that (with the exception of one or two of the largest) they are of the finest water, and equal in every way to the best Brazilian stones. I asked them if they would buy them, but they said that it was beyond their power to do so, and recommended us to sell by degrees, over a period of years indeed, for fear lest we should flood the market. They offer, however, a hundred and eighty thousand for a very small portion of them.

You must come home, Quatermain, and see about these things, especially if you insist upon making the magnificent present of the third share, which does not belong to me, to my brother George. As for Good, he is no good. His time is too much occupied in shaving, and other matters connected with the vain adorning of the body. But I think he is still down on his luck about Foulata. He told me that since he had been home he hadn't seen a woman to touch her, either as regards her figure or the sweetness of her expression.

I want you to come home, my dear old comrade, and to buy a house near here. You have done your day's work, and have lots of money now, and there is a place for sale quite close which would suit you admirably. Do come; the sooner the better; you can finish writing the story of our adventures on board ship. We have refused to tell the tale till it is written by you, for fear lest we shall not be believed. If you start on receipt of this you will reach here by Christmas, and I book you to stay with me for that. Good is coming, and George; and so, by the way, is your boy Harry (there's a bribe for you). I have had him down for a week's shooting, and like him. He is a cool young hand; he shot me in the leg, cut out the pellets, and then remarked upon the advantages of having a medical student with every shooting party!

Good-bye, old boy; I can't say any more, but I know that you will come, if it is only to oblige

Your sincere friend,
Henry Curtis.

P.S.—The tusks of the great bull that killed poor Khiva have now been put up in the hall here, over the pair of buffalo horns you gave me, and look magnificent; and the axe with which I chopped off Twala's head is fixed above my writing-table. I wish that we could have managed to bring away the coats of chain armour. Don't lose poor Foulata's basket in which you brought away the diamonds.

H.C.

To-day is Tuesday. There is a steamer going on Friday, and I really think that I must take Curtis at his word, and sail by her for England, if it is only to see you, Harry, my boy, and to look after the printing of this history, which is a task that I do not like to trust to anybody else.

ALLAN QUATERMAIN.

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第二十章　邂逅

さてそれから私はこの不思議な旅の中でも最も不思議な話を書くことになつた。この出來事は運命といふものが如何に竒《く》しきものであるかを示すものだ。私は他の二人の者の先にたつてオアシスから流れる小川が、飢ゑた沙漠の中へ呑まれてしまふ處まで岸傳ひに歩いて行つた。その時突然私は眼をこすつた。それも無理ではない。私から二十碼足らず前の無花果の樹蔭の氣持よい場所に、小川に面して、こぢんまりした一軒の小舍が建つてゐたのだ。その小舍は、ケーファー人の小舍と同じやうに、草と細い樹枝とで造つたものではあつたが、入口は丸くくゞり穴ではなくて、普通のたつぷりした扉《ドア》になつてゐた。

「こんなところに何のために小舍を建てたのだらう？」と私は獨り言を云つた。すると恰度その時に小舍の扉《ドア》が開いて、毛皮の服を着て黒い鬚をもぢや〜生やした一人の白人がびつこを引きながら小舍の中から出て來た。私は餘り強く太陽の熱にうたれたので氣が變になつたに相違ないと思つた。こんな筈はない。こんな處へ獵師が來た事は曾てない筈だ。あの小舍の中に獵師などが住んでゐる譯がない。私はぢつと眼を据ゑて見た。すると向うの男もぢつとこちらを見てゐた。恰度その時にサー・ヘンリイとグッドとが私に追ひついた。

「御覽なさい」と私は言つた。「あれは白人ぢやありませんか、それ共私は氣が狂つたのでせうか？

サー・ヘンリイも見た。そしてグッドも見た。その時突然跛をひいて黒い鬚を生やした白人は大きな聲で叫びながら吾々の方へぴよこ〜歩いて來た。彼は吾々の側まで來ると呼吸《いき》を切らしてその場に倒れた。

サー・ヘンリイはその側へ跳んで行つた。

「おや！これは弟のジョオジだ！」と彼が叫んだ。この物音を聞いて、やはり毛皮の服を着たもう一人の男が、鐡砲を持つて小舍から出て來て吾々の方へ駈けつけた。そして私を見るとこの男は叫んだ。

「マクマザンの旦那！」と彼は嗄れ聲を出した。「私が判りませんか、旦那？私は獵師のジムですよ。旦那から戴いた書附を無くしてしまつて、私たちはかれこれ二年も此處にゐたのです。」かう言ひながら彼は私の脚下《あしもと》に轉がつて嬉し泣きに泣いた。

「仕やうのない慌てものだね！」と私は言つた。「大切に藏《しま》つておかないからだ。」

その間に黒い鬚の男は正氣に返つて立ち上り、彼とサー・ヘンリイとは一語《ひとこと》も言はずに顏ｗ見合した。この兄弟の過去の爭ひは何が元であつたかは私は知らぬし、訊ねても見たことはないが、多分女の事でもあつたゞらう。併しその時には屹度《きつと》二人は昔の事はもう忘れて終つてゐたの相違ない。

「ジョオジ！」とサー・ヘンリイがたうとう口をきつた。「おれはお前がもう死んだかと思つてゐた。お前を搜しにソロモン山まで行つて來たのだよ。さうしてこんな沙漠の中にお前が兀鷹《はげたか》のやうに止つてゐるのに遭遇《でくは》したんだ。」

「僕も二年ほど前にソロモン山へ行かうと思つたんです。」と彼は少し不慣れな言葉で答へた。彼は近頃英語を使ふ機會などは全くなかつたのである。「併し此處まで來たときに、石ころに足を挫《くじ》かれて前へも後へも行けなくなつてしまつたのです。」

その時私は前へ進み出た。「御機嫌よう、ネヴァルさん！」と私は言つた。「私を覺えてゐますか？」

「おや、あなたはコオターメンさんぢやありませんか。それからグッドさんも？ちよつと待つて下さい。私は目がまひさうになつて來ました。實にこれは不思議な竒遇《めぐりあは》せですね！」

その晩テントの中の焚火を圍んでジョオジ・カーチスは吾々に彼の物語をした。彼の物語りも吾々のと同じほど數竒を極めたもので、簡單に言つてしまへば次のやうなものであつた。彼は三年足らず前に、スリマン山へ登らうと思つて、シタンダ村を出發したのであつた。私がジムにことづけた書附のことは、彼は今日までちつとも知らなかつたと言つた。それで、いろ〜土人から聞いた話を總合して、シバの乳房の方へは行かないで吾々が今下りて來た、梯子のやうな坂道の方へ向つたのであつた。その方がシルヴェストラの地圖に書いてあつた道よりも良かつたのだ。沙漠の中では彼とジムとは非常な困苦を嘗めたが、たうとうこのオアシスまで辿りつき、そこでジョオジ・カーチスは恐ろしい不慮の災難に遇つたのである。彼等がこのオアシスに着いた日に、彼は小川の流れの側に坐つてゐると、ジムがそのすぐ上の方で沙漠に澤山の針のない蜜蜂の巣から蜜を採つてゐた。その時にジムの足許の大きな石ころが、ジョオジ・カーチスの右脚へ墜ちて來て彼の脚を挫《くじ》いたといふのであつた。それから彼は跛になつて、前へも後へも進めなくなり、沙漠の中へ出て確實に死んでしまふよりは、このオアシスに殘つてゐて、運命を待たうときめて今まで暮してゐたと言ふのであつた。

しかし彼等は食物には困らなかつた。それは彼等は澤山彈藥を持つてゐたし、オアシスへは樣々な鳥獸が夜分《やぶん》に水を飮みに來るものだから、それを射つたり、係蹄《わな》にかけて取つたりして、肉は食ひ皮は剥いで着物に造つたりしてゐたのだ。

「まあかうした譯で」とジョオジ・カーチスは話を終つた。「吾々は二年近くの間第二のロビンソン・クルーソーと彼の召使ひのフライデーとのやうに、いつか土人が此處へ來て吾々を助けてくれはしないかと心細い望みをあてに生きて來たのです。だが誰も來てくれませんでした。やつと昨夜《ゆうべ》吾々は、ジムがシタンダ村へ行つて助けの者を呼んで來ることに話をきめた所なんです。彼は明日發つ筈になつてゐたのですが、私は彼が再びこゝへ歸つて來ることなどは當にしてはゐませんでした。ところが、今、あなたが、人もあらうにあなたが、私のことなんどはとつくに忘れて本國で贅澤に生活《くら》してゐるであらうと思つたあなたが、こんなわかりにくい道を通つて來て、あなた自身も思ひがけない處で私を見附けて下さつたのです。こんな不思議な、こんな涙のこぼれる程有難い話は、私は聞いたこともありません！」

それから今度はサー・ヘンリイが口を開いて吾々の冐險の主な事實を夜の更けるまで話した。

「でもまあ」とジョオジは私が彼にダイヤモンドを出して見せた時に言つた。「あなた方はあなた方の骨折りに對して私の取るにも足らん身體の外に、せめて何物かを手に入れられた譯ですね！」

サー・ヘンリイは笑つた。「あれはコオターメンさんとグッド君とのものなんだよ。獲物があつたら何でも二人で分けるやうに約束してあつたのだ。」

この言葉を聞くと、私は少し考へるところがあつて、グッドと相談した上で、サー・ヘンリイに向つてダイヤモンドの三分の一は受取つて貰ひたい、もし彼が受取らんと言ふなら、このダイヤモンドを搜しに行くために、吾々よりももつと苦しい目にあつた、弟のジョオジさんに渡して貰ひたいと傳へた。そこでサー・ヘンリイはやつとのことで納得したが、ジョオジ・カーチスは少し後までそのことは知らずにゐたのだ。

*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*

ここで私はこの物語りを終らうと思ふ。沙漠を越えてシタンダ村へ歸るまでの吾々の旅はずゐぶん困難なものであつた。特に右脚を痛めてゐるジョオジ・カーチスを助けて行かねばならなかつたので非常に苦しかつた。だがともかく無事にシタンダ村まで着いたのであつた。その間の出來事を詳しく話すと行きがけの話と重複するからそれは省略することにする。

シタンダ村へ着くと、吾々が行きがけに預けて置いた鐡砲やその他の荷物等はすつかり無事であつた。しかしそれを預けて老いた不頼漢《ならずもの》の老人は、吾々が無事に歸つて來たのを見て目算《あて》が外れたやうな嫌な顏をしてゐた。吾々は此の村へ着いてから六ケ月目に一同揃つてダーバンの近くにあるベレアの小さい私の住居《すまひ》へもう一度歸つて來た。私は今そこでこの物語りを書いてゐるのだ。そして此處で私は、私の長い變化の多い生涯のうちでも最も不思議な旅をともにして來た人逹に別れを告げたのであつた。

後記——恰度私が最後の言葉を書いてしまつた時に一人のケーファー人が私の家の蜜柑の竝木の處へやつて來て、郵便局からだといつて一通の手紙を渡した。それはサー・ヘンリイからの手紙で、次のやうに認《したゝ》めてあつた。

一八八四年十月一日
ヨークシャー、ブレーリー・ホールにて

「親愛なるコオターメン

「私は二三便前に、吾々三人、ジョオジとグッドと私とが、無事に英國へ着いたことをお知らせしました。吾々はサヾムプトンで船を降りて町へ上陸しました。その翌日からのグッド君の成金振りをあなたにお目にかけたいやうです。鬚は綺麗に剃る、よく合つたフロックコオトを着込む、新らしい素敵な眼鏡を新調する、などたいへんな景氣です。私は彼と一緒に公園へ行つて散歩しましたが、そこで二三の知り人に遇ふと早速「美しい白い脚」の話をして聞かせました。

「彼はひどく怒つてゐます。特にあの意地の惡い男がそのことを或る社交新聞に掲載したものですからね。

「さて用件に移りますが、グッド君と私とはダイヤモンドを持つて寶石商に値踏みをして貰ひに行きました。彼等がつけた値段は餘りの巨額な値段ですから、あなたにはいま申しあげないことにします。しかし勿論彼等は斯樣な大きな石がこんなに澤山市場に出たことはないから、その値段は幾分あてずつぽうだと言つてゐました。一番大きな一つ二つの石を除くと殘りのものは全部最上等のブラジル石に匹敵するやうな上等な品らしいです。私は彼等にそれを買はないかと言つたところ、彼等の力では到底買へないと答へました。そして市場に恐慌を來すといけないから少し宛《づゝ》賣るがいゝと忠告してくれました。しかし彼等はその中の僅《わづか》の部分に對して十八萬磅《ポンド》の値を附けました。

「あなたも早く歸つて來てかう言ふ樣子を見なければなりません。特にあなたがどうしても三分の一の分け前を下さると言ふのなら尚更です。それは私のものではなくてジョオジのものになるのです。グッド君はもう以前のグッド君ではありません。同君は鬚を剃つたりその他身の周りを飾ることに浮身をやるしてゐます。だが、同君はまだファウラタのことが思ひ切れないやうすです。同君は國に歸つてから、姿の點にかけても、表情の美しい點にかけても彼女に匹敵する女をまだ見ないと私に言つてゐました。

「是非あなたも歸つてお出なさい。そしてこの近くで家を一軒お購《もと》めなさい。あなたはもう生涯の仕事はしてしまはれたのだし、今では金は澤山あるし、それにすぐ近所の恰度あなたに誂へ向きの賣家が出てゐます。是非歸りなさい。早いほどよいです。吾々の冐險の物語りは船の上でも書き終へることが出來ます。吾々はあなたがそれを書いてお終ひになるまでは誰にも話をしないことにしてゐるのです。それは聽く人が信じないと思ふからです。この手紙が着き次第お歸りになればクリスマスまでにはこちらへ着きます。クリスマスには私の名と一緒にあなたの名も記入して申込んでおきます。グッド君もジョオジも來ます。それから序《つい》でゞすが、あなたの息子さんのハリイさんも來ます（これはあなたのための囮ですよ）。私は一週間程、ハリイ君と狩に行きまして同君が好きになりました。ハリイ君は落着いた青年ですね。同君は誤つて私の足を射ちましたがすぐに彈丸《たま》を取り出してくれました。そしてそれからは獵に行く時には、醫學生を連れて行くのが便利だと言ふことを證據だてゝくれました。

「では左樣なら。私はもうこれ以上言ふことが出來ませんが、あなたが是非歸つて來られることを知つて居ます。」　　草々。

ヘンリイ・カーチス

追伸——かはいさうなキヴァを殺した大きな牡象の牙は今この室に、あなたから戴いた一對の水牛の角の上に飾つてあります。なか〜立派なものです、それから私がツワラの首をチョン切つた戰斧《まさかり》は机の上に掛けてあります。私は鎖鎧の上衣《うはぎ》を持つて來られなかつたのを殘念に思ひます。

ヘンリイ生

今日は火曜日だ。金曜日には船が出るはずだ。私は實際カーチスの言葉に從つてその船で英國へ歸らなければならんと思つてゐる。吾が子のハリイよ。お前に遇ふだけのためにでも歸らなくちやならんのだ。それにこの物語りが印刷されるについてもいろ〜面倒を見なくてはならぬ。私は、この仕事は他の誰にもまかせたくないのだ。

アラン・コオターメン

ソロモン王の寶窟　終

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第19章（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 07:47:59 | 日記

CHAPTER XIX

IGNOSI'S FAREWELL

Ten days from that eventful morning found us once more in our old quarters at Loo; and, strange to say, but little the worse for our terrible experience, except that my stubbly hair came out of the treasure cave about three shades greyer than it went in, and that Good never was quite the same after Foulata's death, which seemed to move him very greatly. I am bound to say, looking at the thing from the point of view of an oldish man of the world, that I consider her removal was a fortunate occurrence, since, otherwise, complications would have been sure to ensue. The poor creature was no ordinary native girl, but a person of great, I had almost said stately, beauty, and of considerable refinement of mind. But no amount of beauty or refinement could have made an entanglement between Good and herself a desirable occurrence; for, as she herself put it, "Can the sun mate with the darkness, or the white with the black?"

I need hardly state that we never again penetrated into Solomon's treasure chamber. After we had recovered from our fatigues, a process which took us forty-eight hours, we descended into the great pit in the hope of finding the hole by which we had crept out of the mountain, but with no success. To begin with, rain had fallen, and obliterated our spoor; and what is more, the sides of the vast pit were full of ant-bear and other holes. It was impossible to say to which of these we owed our salvation. Also, on the day before we started back to Loo, we made a further examination of the wonders of the stalactite cave, and, drawn by a kind of restless feeling, even penetrated once more into the Chamber of the Dead. Passing beneath the spear of the White Death we gazed, with sensations which it would be quite impossible for me to describe, at the mass of rock that had shut us off from escape, thinking the while of priceless treasures beyond, of the mysterious old hag whose flattened fragments lay crushed beneath it, and of the fair girl of whose tomb it was the portal. I say gazed at the "rock," for, examine as we could, we could find no traces of the join of the sliding door; nor, indeed, could we hit upon the secret, now utterly lost, that worked it, though we tried for an hour or more. It is certainly a marvellous bit of mechanism, characteristic, in its massive and yet inscrutable simplicity, of the age which produced it; and I doubt if the world has such another to show.

At last we gave it up in disgust; though, if the mass had suddenly risen before our eyes, I doubt if we should have screwed up courage to step over Gagool's mangled remains, and once more enter the treasure chamber, even in the sure and certain hope of unlimited diamonds. And yet I could have cried at the idea of leaving all that treasure, the biggest treasure probably that in the world's history has ever been accumulated in one spot. But there was no help for it. Only dynamite could force its way through five feet of solid rock.

So we left it. Perhaps, in some remote unborn century, a more fortunate explorer may hit upon the "Open Sesame," and flood the world with gems. But, myself, I doubt it. Somehow, I seem to feel that the tens of millions of pounds' worth of jewels which lie in the three stone coffers will never shine round the neck of an earthly beauty. They and Foulata's bones will keep cold company till the end of all things.

With a sigh of disappointment we made our way back, and next day started for Loo. And yet it was really very ungrateful of us to be disappointed; for, as the reader will remember, by a lucky thought, I had taken the precaution to fill the wide pockets of my old shooting coat and trousers with gems before we left our prison-house, also Foulata's basket, which held twice as many more, notwithstanding that the water bottle had occupied some of its space. A good many of these fell out in the course of our roll down the side of the pit, including several of the big ones, which I had crammed in on the top in my coat pockets. But, comparatively speaking, an enormous quantity still remained, including ninety-three large stones ranging from over two hundred to seventy carats in weight. My old shooting coat and the basket still held sufficient treasure to make us all, if not millionaires as the term is understood in America, at least exceedingly wealthy men, and yet to keep enough stones each to make the three finest sets of gems in Europe. So we had not done so badly.

On arriving at Loo we were most cordially received by Ignosi, whom we found well, and busily engaged in consolidating his power, and reorganising the regiments which had suffered most in the great struggle with Twala.

He listened with intense interest to our wonderful story; but when we told him of old Gagool's frightful end he grew thoughtful.

"Come hither," he called, to a very old Induna or councillor, who was sitting with others in a circle round the king, but out of ear-shot. The ancient man rose, approached, saluted, and seated himself.

"Thou art aged," said Ignosi.

"Ay, my lord the king! Thy father's father and I were born on the same day."

"Tell me, when thou wast little, didst thou know Gagaoola the witch doctress?"

"Ay, my lord the king!"

"How was she then—young, like thee?"

"Not so, my lord the king! She was even as she is now and as she was in the days of my great grandfather before me; old and dried, very ugly, and full of wickedness."

"She is no more; she is dead."

"So, O king! then is an ancient curse taken from the land."

"Go!"

"Koom! I go, Black Puppy, who tore out the old dog's throat. Koom!"

"Ye see, my brothers," said Ignosi, "this was a strange woman, and I rejoice that she is dead. She would have let you die in the dark place, and mayhap afterwards she had found a way to slay me, as she found a way to slay my father, and set up Twala, whom her black heart loved, in his place. Now go on with the tale; surely there never was its like!"

After I had narrated all the story of our escape, as we had agreed between ourselves that I should, I took the opportunity to address Ignosi as to our departure from Kukuanaland.

"And now, Ignosi," I said, "the time has come for us to bid thee farewell, and start to see our own land once more. Behold, Ignosi, thou camest with us a servant, and now we leave thee a mighty king. If thou art grateful to us, remember to do even as thou didst promise: to rule justly, to respect the law, and to put none to death without a cause. So shalt thou prosper. To-morrow, at break of day, Ignosi, thou wilt give us an escort who shall lead us across the mountains. Is it not so, O king?"

Ignosi covered his face with his hands for a while before answering.

"My heart is sore," he said at last; "your words split my heart in twain. What have I done to you, Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, that ye should leave me desolate? Ye who stood by me in rebellion and in battle, will ye leave me in the day of peace and victory? What will ye—wives? Choose from among the maidens! A place to live in? Behold, the land is yours as far as ye can see. The white man's houses? Ye shall teach my people how to build them. Cattle for beef and milk? Every married man shall bring you an ox or a cow. Wild game to hunt? Does not the elephant walk through my forests, and the river-horse sleep in the reeds? Would ye make war? My Impis wait your word. If there is anything more which I can give, that will I give you."

"Nay, Ignosi, we want none of these things," I answered; "we would seek our own place."

"Now do I learn," said Ignosi bitterly, and with flashing eyes, "that ye love the bright stones more than me, your friend. Ye have the stones; now ye would go to Natal and across the moving black water and sell them, and be rich, as it is the desire of a white man's heart to be. Cursed for your sake be the white stones, and cursed he who seeks them. Death shall it be to him who sets foot in the place of Death to find them. I have spoken. White men, ye can go."

I laid my hand upon his arm. "Ignosi," I said, "tell us, when thou didst wander in Zululand, and among the white people of Natal, did not thine heart turn to the land thy mother told thee of, thy native place, where thou didst see the light, and play when thou wast little, the land where thy place was?"

"It was even so, Macumazahn."

"In like manner, Ignosi, do our hearts turn to our land and to our own place."

Then came a silence. When Ignosi broke it, it was in a different voice.

"I do perceive that now as ever thy words are wise and full of reason, Macumazahn; that which flies in the air loves not to run along the ground; the white man loves not to live on the level of the black or to house among his kraals. Well, ye must go, and leave my heart sore, because ye will be as dead to me, since from where ye are no tidings can come to me.

"But listen, and let all your brothers know my words. No other white man shall cross the mountains, even if any man live to come so far. I will see no traders with their guns and gin. My people shall fight with the spear, and drink water, like their forefathers before them. I will have no praying-men to put a fear of death into men's hearts, to stir them up against the law of the king, and make a path for the white folk who follow to run on. If a white man comes to my gates I will send him back; if a hundred come I will push them back; if armies come, I will make war on them with all my strength, and they shall not prevail against me. None shall ever seek for the shining stones: no, not an army, for if they come I will send a regiment and fill up the pit, and break down the white columns in the caves and choke them with rocks, so that none can reach even to that door of which ye speak, and whereof the way to move it is lost. But for you three, Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, the path is always open; for, behold, ye are dearer to me than aught that breathes.

"And ye would go. Infadoos, my uncle, and my Induna, shall take you by the hand and guide you with a regiment. There is, as I have learned, another way across the mountains that he shall show you. Farewell, my brothers, brave white men. See me no more, for I have no heart to bear it. Behold! I make a decree, and it shall be published from the mountains to the mountains; your names, Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, shall be "hlonipa" even as the names of dead kings, and he who speaks them shall die.[1] So shall your memory be preserved in the land for ever.

"Go now, ere my eyes rain tears like a woman's. At times as ye look back down the path of life, or when ye are old and gather yourselves together to crouch before the fire, because for you the sun has no more heat, ye will think of how we stood shoulder to shoulder, in that great battle which thy wise words planned, Macumazahn; of how thou wast the point of the horn that galled Twala's flank, Bougwan; whilst thou stood in the ring of the Greys, Incubu, and men went down before thine axe like corn before a sickle; ay, and of how thou didst break that wild bull Twala's strength, and bring his pride to dust. Fare ye well for ever, Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, my lords and my friends."

Ignosi rose and looked earnestly at us for a few seconds. Then he threw the corner of his karross over his head, so as to cover his face from us.

We went in silence.

Next day at dawn we left Loo, escorted by our old friend Infadoos, who was heart-broken at our departure, and by the regiment of Buffaloes. Early as was the hour, all the main street of the town was lined with multitudes of people, who gave us the royal salute as we passed at the head of the regiment, while the women blessed us for having rid the land of Twala, throwing flowers before us as we went. It was really very affecting, and not the sort of thing one is accustomed to meet with from natives.

One ludicrous incident occurred, however, which I rather welcomed, as it gave us something to laugh at.

Just before we reached the confines of the town, a pretty young girl, with some lovely lilies in her hand, ran forward and presented them to Good—somehow they all seemed to like Good; I think his eye-glass and solitary whisker gave him a fictitious value—and then said that she had a boon to ask.

"Speak on," he answered.

"Let my lord show his servant his beautiful white legs, that his servant may look upon them, and remember them all her days, and tell of them to her children; his servant has travelled four days' journey to see them, for the fame of them has gone throughout the land."

"I'll be hanged if I do!" exclaimed Good excitedly.

"Come, come, my dear fellow," said Sir Henry, "you can't refuse to oblige a lady."

"I won't," replied Good obstinately; "it is positively indecent."

However, in the end he consented to draw up his trousers to the knee, amidst notes of rapturous admiration from all the women present, especially the gratified young lady, and in this guise he had to walk till we got clear of the town.

Good's legs, I fear, will never be so greatly admired again. Of his melting teeth, and even of his "transparent eye," the Kukuanas wearied more or less, but of his legs never.

As we travelled, Infadoos told us that there was another pass over the mountains to the north of the one followed by Solomon's Great Road, or rather that there was a place where it was possible to climb down the wall of cliff which separates Kukuanaland from the desert, and is broken by the towering shapes of Sheba's Breasts. It appeared, also, that rather more than two years previously a party of Kukuana hunters had descended this path into the desert in search of ostriches, whose plumes are much prized among them for war head-dresses, and that in the course of their hunt they had been led far from the mountains and were much troubled by thirst. Seeing trees on the horizon, however, they walked towards them, and discovered a large and fertile oasis some miles in extent, and plentifully watered. It was by way of this oasis that Infadoos suggested we should return, and the idea seemed to us a good one, for it appeared that we should thus escape the rigours of the mountain pass. Also some of the hunters were in attendance to guide us to the oasis, from which, they stated, they could perceive other fertile spots far away in the desert.[2]

Travelling easily, on the night of the fourth day's journey we found ourselves once more on the crest of the mountains that separate Kukuanaland from the desert, which rolled away in sandy billows at our feet, and about twenty-five miles to the north of Sheba's Breasts.

At dawn on the following day, we were led to the edge of a very precipitous chasm, by which we were to descend the precipice, and gain the plain two thousand and more feet below.

Here we bade farewell to that true friend and sturdy old warrior, Infadoos, who solemnly wished all good upon us, and nearly wept with grief. "Never, my lords," he said, "shall mine old eyes see the like of you again. Ah! the way that Incubu cut his men down in the battle! Ah! for the sight of that stroke with which he swept off my brother Twala's head! It was beautiful—beautiful! I may never hope to see such another, except perchance in happy dreams."

We were very sorry to part from him; indeed, Good was so moved that he gave him as a souvenir—what do you think?—an eye-glass; afterwards we discovered that it was a spare one. Infadoos was delighted, foreseeing that the possession of such an article would increase his prestige enormously, and after several vain attempts he actually succeeded in screwing it into his own eye. Anything more incongruous than the old warrior looked with an eye-glass I never saw. Eye-glasses do not go well with leopard-skin cloaks and black ostrich plumes.

Then, after seeing that our guides were well laden with water and provisions, and having received a thundering farewell salute from the Buffaloes, we wrung Infadoos by the hand, and began our downward climb. A very arduous business it proved to be, but somehow that evening we found ourselves at the bottom without accident.

"Do you know," said Sir Henry that night, as we sat by our fire and gazed up at the beetling cliffs above us, "I think that there are worse places than Kukuanaland in the world, and that I have known unhappier times than the last month or two, though I have never spent such queer ones. Eh! you fellows?"

"I almost wish I were back," said Good, with a sigh.

As for myself, I reflected that all's well that ends well; but in the course of a long life of shaves, I never had such shaves as those which I had recently experienced. The thought of that battle makes me feel cold all over, and as for our experience in the treasure chamber—!

Next morning we started on a toilsome trudge across the desert, having with us a good supply of water carried by our five guides, and camped that night in the open, marching again at dawn on the morrow.

By noon of the third day's journey we could see the trees of the oasis of which the guides spoke, and within an hour of sundown we were walking once more upon grass and listening to the sound of running water.

[1] This extraordinary and negative way of showing intense respect is by no means unknown among African people, and the result is that if, as is usual, the name in question has a significance, the meaning must be expressed by an idiom or other word. In this way a memory is preserved for generations, or until the new word utterly supplants the old.

[2] It often puzzled all of us to understand how it was possible that Ignosi's mother, bearing the child with her, should have survived the dangers of her journey across the mountains and the desert, dangers which so nearly proved fatal to ourselves. It has since occurred to me, and I give the idea to the reader for what it is worth, that she must have taken this second route, and wandered out like Hagar into the wilderness. If she did so, there is no longer anything inexplicable about the story, since, as Ignosi himself related, she may well have been picked up by some ostrich hunters before she or the child was exhausted, was led by them to the oasis, and thence by stages to the fertile country, and so on by slow degrees southwards to Zululand.—A.Q.

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第十九章　イグノシの別辭

それから十日目に再び吾々はククアナの宮殿へ歸つて來た。私の頭髮があの洞窟へはひる時よりもずつと白くなつたのと、グッドがファウラタに死なれてから、とかく鬱《ふさ》ぎがちになつたのとを除くと、外には大して別條はなかつた。私は舊式な常識家の立場として、ファウラタが死でくれたたことは幸いだつたと言はざるを得ない。あの娘が生きてゐたら、きつと面倒が起つたに相違ない。あの可哀さうな娘は、普通の土人の娘とは違つて殊勝な心掛けの娘であつたらうし、姿も美しく氣だてもやさしかつたが、どんなに美しくたつて、どんなに氣だてがやさしくたつて、結局あの娘が自分で言つたやうに、太陽と闇とはつり合はないし、白と黒とはつり合はないのだから。

言ふまでもなく吾々はソロモンの寶窟へは二度とはひらなかつた。二日休んで疲勞が恢復すると、吾々が匍ひ出して來た豎坑の側壁にある穴が見つかりはしないかと思つて豎坑の中へ下りて搜して見たがたうとう見附らなかつた。第一雨の爲に吾々の足跡は判らなくなつてゐたし、それに色々な穴が澤山あつて、吾々の助かつた穴はどれであるのか到底見判けがつかなかつた。それから宮殿へ歸つて來る前日に吾々は、あの驚くべき鍾乳洞をもう一度檢《しら》べに行き、國王の墓場の中へもはひつて見た。白い死の神の槍の下を通りすぎて吾々は、吾々の逃げ道を塞いでしまつた大きな岩の扉を眺めた。その岩の下には、ガゴオルの屍體が平たくぺちやんこにつぶれてゐた。しかしその岩の扉《ドア》はつぎ目さへ判らず、一時間餘りも搜して見たけれども祕密の仕掛けだどはてんで判らなかつた。あとに殘して來た數限りない寶物の事を考へると殘念でたまらなかつたがどうにも仕樣がなかつた。

吾々はがつかりして、もと來た道へ引返し、その翌日宮殿へ向けて出發したのであつた。しかし眞實《ほんたう》のところを言ふと、吾々ががつかりしたなんていふのは餘り蟲がよすぎるかも知れぬ。といふのは、讀者は記憶してゐるであらうが、私は急に思ひついて寶窟から出がけに古ぼけた獵服の殘らずのポケットへ寶石を一ぱい填《つ》め込んだからだ。その中の少なからぬ部分は豎坑の崖を轉げ落ちる時に落してしまつたが、まだかなり殘つてゐた。中には百カラットから三千カラットまでの大きなのが十八もあつた。私の古ぼけた獵服だけでもまだ吾々みんなが百萬長者にはなれないまでも、少くもずゐぶん裕福な身になるのは十分だつた。その上に三人がめい〜一番立派なのを自分のものとして一組宛《づゝ》、ヨーロッパへ持つて歸ることも出來たのだ。

宮殿へ着くと吾々はイグノシから非常に喜んで迎へられた。彼は大層元氣で、ツワラとの大激戰で損害を蒙むつた聯隊の改造などに忙がしかつた。

彼は非常な興味をもつて吾々の驚くべき物語りを聞いてゐたが、ガゴオルが恐ろしい最後ととげたといふことを聞くと、急に感慨にたへぬやうな樣子になつた。そして國王の周りに列《なら》んでゐた顧問の一人を呼んで訊ねた。

「お前はずゐぶん年を老《と》つてるな。」

「さやうで御座います。國王の祖父樣と同じ日に私は生れたので御座います。」

「お前の子供の自分にお前はガゴオルを知つてゐたか？」

「はい知つておりました、國王」

「その時分にはガゴオルはお前のやうに若かつたか？」

「いゝえ國王！あの女は今と同じやうに年をとつてゐました。そして私の祖父樣のじぶんにもやはり年老つて、干乾びて、醜い、惡い婆でありました。」

「もうあの婆はゐないのだ！あの婆は死んでしまつたのだ！」

「ではこの國から古い災禍《わざはひ》が取り除かれたといふものでございますね。」

「もうよい！」

「はつ！」

「皆さん」とイグノシは言つた。「あの老婆は不思議な奴です。あの女が死だので私は喜んでゐるのです。あの女は暗い處であなたがたを殺さうとしたのです。そしてそのあとで私の父を殺したやうにして私を殺したかも知れないのです。では話をお進め下さい。」

私は吾々の脱出の物語りをすつかり話してしまふと、兼て三人で打合せてあつたので、私は愈々ククアナの國を出發すると言ふことをイグノシに告げた。

「たうとうお前にお別れをして、もう一度吾々の故國《くに》へ歸る時が來た。考へて見ればイグノシ、お前は吾々の從者として來たのだが、今では立派な國王のお前に別れを告げることになつたのだ。吾々の恩を忘れないならお前が約束した通りにやつてくれよ。正しい政事《まつりごと》を布き、法律を尊び、理由もなしに人を殺すやうなことはしてくれるな、さうすれば國は益々榮えてゆくだらう。明日の夜明には吾々に從者をつけて山の向うまで送つて來てもらひたい。そのことは許してくれるだらうな國王？」

イグノシは返事をする前に兩手で顏を掩うた。

「私はこの胸が痛みます」とたうとう彼は言つた。「あなたの言葉を聞くと私は胸が裂けるやうです。皆さん、私がどのやうな事をしたために私を一人殘して皆さんはお歸りになるのですか。謀叛の時には私といつしよに戰つて下すつて、戰に勝つて平和になると、どうして私を殘して行つておしまひになるのですか？私は何をさし上げたらよいでせう？女がお望みなら若い娘の中からお望みのものをお取り下さい！お住居《すまひ》がお入用なら眼の屆くかぎり、どの土地でもさし上げます。白人の住む家がお望みなら、私の人民に教へて建てさせて下さい！牛がお望みなら結婚した男に申附けて下されば誰でも牡牛でも牝牛でも持つて參ります！獵の獲物がお望みなら私の國の林には像が歩いて居ます！葦の間には河馬が眠つて居ります！戰爭がしたければ私の軍隊はあなた方の命令を待つて居ります！その他何でもお望みのものがあればさし上げます！」

「いやイグノシ、さういふものは吾々は少しも慾しくはない」と私は答へた。「吾々は生れた土地へ歸りたいのだ。」

「はゝあ判りました！」とイグノシは眼を光らして不機嫌な顏で言つた。「あなた方は、私より、あなた方の友人の此の私より、光る石が好きなんですね。あなた方はその石を持つてこれからナタルへ行つて、黒い、動く水を越えてそれを賣つて金持になりなさるのだ。白人の性根といふものはみんなそんなもんだ。思へば白い石が憎らしい。それを慾しがる者が憎くらしい。白い石を搜すためにあの墓場へ足を踏み込んだものはみんな死でしまふがいゝ。ではどうぞ勝手に行つて下さい！」

私は彼の腕に手をのせて「イグノシ！」と言つた。「お前はズルの國に彷徨《さまよ》つてゐた時分に、ナタルで白人と一緒に住んでゐた時分に、お母さんから聞いたお前の生れ故郷へ、お前が子供の時分に遊んだところへ、お前の家のあるところへ、歸りたいとは思はなかつたか？」

「そりや歸りたかつたですよ、マクマザンさん。」

「それと同じだよ、イグノシ、吾々の心は吾々の故郷が懷かしいのだ！」

暫らく沈默が續いたあとでイグノシはがらりと聲の調子を變へて言つた。

「よく判りました。あなた方の仰有る通りです。空を飛ぶものは地上を走ることを好みません。白人は黒人と住むことを好まないのでせう。私の胸は痛みますけれど、矢張り、あなた方は行つて下さい。私のところへはあなた方のお便りはないのだから、あなた方は私のとつて死んだも同じなのですが、私はあきらめます。

「だが聞いて下さい、そして皆の白人に知らせて下さい。今後、他の白人は、たとひ無事にあの山を越える事が出來たとしても、私は決してこの國へ入れません。私は鐡砲を持つたり、ラム酒を持つたりして來る商人はこの國へ入れたくありません。私の國の人民は先祖がして來たやうに槍で戰はせます。水を飮ませます。私は人間の心に死の恐ろしさを吹き込んだり、國王の法律に叛《そむ》かせたりする説教をする人たちもこの國へ入れません。若し一人の白人がこの國へ來たら私は送り歸してやります。もし百人の白人が來たら追ひ返してやります。もし白人の軍隊が來たら私は全力をあげて彼等と戰ひます。光る石はもう誰にも搜させません。若し軍隊がやつて來たら私はこの國の聯隊を派遣してあの豎坑を埋めてしまひ、白い柱を折つてしまつてあなた方が話しなさつた石の扉《ドア》のそばへも寄せつけません。しかしあなた方三人はいつでも來て下さい。喜んでお迎へいたします。あなた方は生とし生ける何物よりも私にとつては尊いのですから。

「あなた方はお歸りになる時には叔父のインファドオスと私の顧問とに一聯隊の軍隊をつけてお供させます。山を越して行くには別の道がもう一つありますからその道を案内させませう。では左樣なら皆さん。もう私を見ないで下さい。私はもうたへられませんから。私は緊急敕令を出して沿道の人民にあなた方の名前を口にすることをかたく禁じ、もし命《めい》に叛《そむ》く者は死刑にするやうに布令して置きます（この風變りな消極的な敬意を表する方法はアフリカ民族の間では珍らしくないのである）。さうすればあなた方の記憶は永久に殘るでありませう！

「ではもう行つて下さい。私の眼に女の眼のやうに涙の流れないうちに行つて下さい。だが時々長い人生の行路の途中で過去を振り返りなさる時、またあなた方がお年齡《とし》をとつて火のそばで蹲《うづくま》つて居なさる時には、吾々がこの國で手に手をとつて戰つたことを思ひ出して下さい。では左樣なら。御機嫌よう。」

イグノシは立ち上つて暫らくの間しげ〜と吾々を眺めてゐた。それから彼は肩衣《かたきぬ》のすみで顏を掩うて吾々の姿が見えないやうにした。吾々は無言のまゝ立ち去つた。

その翌朝、吾々は別れを惜む舊友インファドオスと水牛聯隊とに送られて宮殿を去つた。まだ時刻は早かつたが町の大通りには澤山の人民が列をつくつて吾々に送別の敬意を捧げた。女どもは吾々に花を投げてくれた。それは實に至情のこもつたほろりとする光景であつた。しかも送つてくれる相手は野蠻な土人なのだから益々哀切を極めたものであつた。

ところで途中で滑稽なことが起つた。

恰度吾々がある街へさしかゝつたときに、一人の美しい若い女が綺麗な百合の花を持つて、それをグッドに送つた。どうも女どもはみんなグッドを好いてゐるやうだ。そしてその若い女は彼に一つの願ひを聽きとゞけて貰ひたいと言つた。

「何だつて言つて御覽！」と彼は答へた。

「どうぞ卑しい妾《わたし》たちにあなた樣の美しい白いおみ脚を拜まして下さい。あなた樣のおみ脚のお噂を聞いて、遙々四日もかゝつて田舍から參つたものですから。一目拜まして戴いて孫子の代まで語り傳へやうと思ひますから。」

「そんな馬鹿なことをしてたまるか！」とグッドは昂奮して叫んだ。

「まあまあ君！」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「君は婦人《レデイ》の頼みを斷る譯にはゆかんよ。」

「いいや、どうしても嫌だ。そんな不作法な事が出來るものですか」とグッドは頑固に言ひ張つた。

けれどもたうとう彼は承知してヅボンを膝までめくつた。それを見るとその場にゐる女ども、特に頼みを聞いて貰つたその若い娘は夢中になつて喜んだ。で、たうとう彼は町の外れまでさうして歩いて行かねばならなかつた。

だん〜進んで行くうちに、インファドオスは、ククアナ國からシバの乳房を越えて沙漠へ下りる道が外にもう一つあると言つた。その道を通つてゆけば沙漠の中途に大きなオアシスがあるといふことであつた。そして歸りにはその道を通つた方がよからうと彼は勸めた。

ククアナを出てから四日目の夜、吾々は再びククアナと沙漠とを隔てゝゐる山の頂きに着いた。翌日の夜明けに吾々は嶮しい崖の端まで來た。そこから二千呎ばかり下に横はつてゐる平野に下りて行くのだ。

そこで吾々は老戰士インファドオスに別れを告げた。彼は別れにのぞんで、心から吾々の幸福を祈り、悲しさのために殆んど泣かんばかりであつた。「この老人の眼ではあなた方のやうな方はもう二度と見られますまい。あなた方のことは一生忘れません。わけてもサー・ヘンリイさまが戰爭で勇ましい働きをなされた姿はまだ眼に見えるやうです。兄のツワラの首を切り飛ばされたところなんぞは眞實《まつたく》御立派でした。あんな事はこれからさき、ことによつたら運よく夢にでも見られるかもしれませんが、この眼では到底見られますまい」と彼は言つた。

吾々も彼と別れるのが悲しかつた。ことにグッドは非常に別れを惜んで記念に問題の眼鏡を一つ彼にやつた。それは彼が別に取つておいた眼鏡であることがあとから判つた。インファドオスは大喜びで、かういふものを持つて居れば彼の威信が大いにあがると言つて、何べんも失敗《しくじ》つた後、たうとうそれを彼の眼にはめた。この老戰士が眼鏡を掛けた姿ほど不似合な恰好は私はまたと見た事がない。まつたく豹の皮の外套や、黒い駝鳥の羽根飾りには眼鏡といふものは似合はないものだ。

それからイグノシの好意で吾々を送つてくれる案内人どもは、水や食料品を澤山背負ひ、水牛聯隊から割れるやうな送別の萬歳の叫びを浴びながら、吾々は坂道を下つて行つた。下り道は相當骨が折れたがどうにかその日の夕刻には別に故障もなく麓まで着いた。

その翌日吾々は五人の案内人に水や食料品を持たせて、骨の折れる沙漠の中を歩いて行つて、晩には沙漠の上にテントを張つて夜を明かし、その翌日の曉方《あけがた》になるとまた歩き出した。

三日目の正午までに吾々は案内人の言つたオアシスの樹立《こだち》を見ることが出來た。それから日沒前には再び草原の上を歩いて流れる水音を聞いてゐた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第18章（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 07:29:08 | 日記

CHAPTER XVIII

WE ABANDON HOPE

I can give no adequate description of the horrors of the night which followed. Mercifully they were to some extent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours wearied nature will sometimes assert itself. But I, at any rate, found it impossible to sleep much. Putting aside the terrifying thought of our impending doom—for the bravest man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited us, and I never made any pretensions to be brave—the silence itself was too great to allow of it. Reader, you may have lain awake at night and thought the quiet oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no idea what a vivid, tangible thing is perfect stillness. On the surface of the earth there is always some sound or motion, and though it may in itself be imperceptible, yet it deadens the sharp edge of absolute silence. But here there was none. We were buried in the bowels of a huge snow-clad peak. Thousands of feet above us the fresh air rushed over the white snow, but no sound of it reached us. We were separated by a long tunnel and five feet of rock even from the awful chamber of the Dead; and the dead make no noise. Did we not know it who lay by poor Foulata's side? The crashing of all the artillery of earth and heaven could not have come to our ears in our living tomb. We were cut off from every echo of the world—we were as men already in the grave.

Then the irony of the situation forced itself upon me. There around us lay treasures enough to pay off a moderate national debt, or to build a fleet of ironclads, and yet we would have bartered them all gladly for the faintest chance of escape. Soon, doubtless, we should be rejoiced to exchange them for a bit of food or a cup of water, and, after that, even for the privilege of a speedy close to our sufferings. Truly wealth, which men spend their lives in acquiring, is a valueless thing at the last.

And so the night wore on.

"Good," said Sir Henry's voice at last, and it sounded awful in the intense stillness, "how many matches have you in the box?"

"Eight, Curtis."

"Strike one and let us see the time."

He did so, and in contrast to the dense darkness the flame nearly blinded us. It was five o'clock by my watch. The beautiful dawn was now blushing on the snow-wreaths far over our heads, and the breeze would be stirring the night mists in the hollows.

"We had better eat something and keep up our strength," I suggested.

"What is the good of eating?" answered Good; "the sooner we die and get it over the better."

"While there is life there is hope," said Sir Henry.

Accordingly we ate and sipped some water, and another period of time elapsed. Then Sir Henry suggested that it might be well to get as near the door as possible and halloa, on the faint chance of somebody catching a sound outside. Accordingly Good, who, from long practice at sea, has a fine piercing note, groped his way down the passage and set to work. I must say that he made a most diabolical noise. I never heard such yells; but it might have been a mosquito buzzing for all the effect they produced.

After a while he gave it up and came back very thirsty, and had to drink. Then we stopped yelling, as it encroached on the supply of water.

So we sat down once more against the chests of useless diamonds in that dreadful inaction which was one of the hardest circumstances of our fate; and I am bound to say that, for my part, I gave way in despair. Laying my head against Sir Henry's broad shoulder I burst into tears; and I think that I heard Good gulping away on the other side, and swearing hoarsely at himself for doing so.

Ah, how good and brave that great man was! Had we been two frightened children, and he our nurse, he could not have treated us more tenderly. Forgetting his own share of miseries, he did all he could to soothe our broken nerves, telling stories of men who had been in somewhat similar circumstances, and miraculously escaped; and when these failed to cheer us, pointing out how, after all, it was only anticipating an end which must come to us all, that it would soon be over, and that death from exhaustion was a merciful one (which is not true). Then, in a diffident sort of way, as once before I had heard him do, he suggested that we should throw ourselves on the mercy of a higher Power, which for my part I did with great vigour.

His is a beautiful character, very quiet, but very strong.

And so somehow the day went as the night had gone, if, indeed, one can use these terms where all was densest night, and when I lit a match to see the time it was seven o'clock.

Once more we ate and drank, and as we did so an idea occurred to me.

"How is it," said I, "that the air in this place keeps fresh? It is thick and heavy, but it is perfectly fresh."

"Great heavens!" said Good, starting up, "I never thought of that. It can't come through the stone door, for it's air-tight, if ever a door was. It must come from somewhere. It there were no current of air in the place we should have been stifled or poisoned when we first came in. Let us have a look."

It was wonderful what a change this mere spark of hope wrought in us. In a moment we were all three groping about on our hands and knees, feeling for the slightest indication of a draught. Presently my ardour received a check. I put my hand on something cold. It was dead Foulata's face.

For an hour or more we went on feeling about, till at last Sir Henry and I gave it up in despair, having been considerably hurt by constantly knocking our heads against tusks, chests, and the sides of the chamber. But Good still persevered, saying, with an approach to cheerfulness, that it was better than doing nothing.

"I say, you fellows," he said presently, in a constrained sort of voice, "come here."

Needless to say we scrambled towards him quickly enough.

"Quatermain, put your hand here where mine is. Now, do you feel anything?"

"I think I feel air coming up."

"Now listen." He rose and stamped upon the place, and a flame of hope shot up in our hearts. It rang hollow.

With trembling hands I lit a match. I had only three left, and we saw that we were in the angle of the far corner of the chamber, a fact that accounted for our not having noticed the hollow sound of the place during our former exhaustive examination. As the match burnt we scrutinised the spot. There was a join in the solid rock floor, and, great heavens! there, let in level with the rock, was a stone ring. We said no word, we were too excited, and our hearts beat too wildly with hope to allow us to speak. Good had a knife, at the back of which was one of those hooks that are made to extract stones from horses' hoofs. He opened it, and scratched round the ring with it. Finally he worked it under, and levered away gently for fear of breaking the hook. The ring began to move. Being of stone it had not rusted fast in all the centuries it had lain there, as would have been the case had it been of iron. Presently it was upright. Then he thrust his hands into it and tugged with all his force, but nothing budged.

"Let me try," I said impatiently, for the situation of the stone, right in the angle of the corner, was such that it was impossible for two to pull at once. I took hold and strained away, but no results.

Then Sir Henry tried and failed.

Taking the hook again, Good scratched all round the crack where we felt the air coming up.

"Now, Curtis," he said, "tackle on, and put your back into it; you are as strong as two. Stop," and he took off a stout black silk handkerchief, which, true to his habits of neatness, he still wore, and ran it through the ring. "Quatermain, get Curtis round the middle and pull for dear life when I give the word. Now."

Sir Henry put out all his enormous strength, and Good and I did the same, with such power as nature had given us.

"Heave! heave! it's giving," gasped Sir Henry; and I heard the muscles of his great back cracking. Suddenly there was a grating sound, then a rush of air, and we were all on our backs on the floor with a heavy flag-stone upon the top of us. Sir Henry's strength had done it, and never did muscular power stand a man in better stead.

"Light a match, Quatermain," he said, so soon as we had picked ourselves up and got our breath; "carefully, now."

I did so, and there before us, Heaven be praised! was the first step of a stone stair.

"Now what is to be done?" asked Good.

"Follow the stair, of course, and trust to Providence."

"Stop!" said Sir Henry; "Quatermain, get the bit of biltong and the water that are left; we may want them."

I went, creeping back to our place by the chests for that purpose, and as I was coming away an idea struck me. We had not thought much of the diamonds for the last twenty-four hours or so; indeed, the very idea of diamonds was nauseous, seeing what they had entailed upon us; but, reflected I, I may as well pocket some in case we ever should get out of this ghastly hole. So I just put my fist into the first chest and filled all the available pockets of my old shooting-coat and trousers, topping up—this was a happy thought—with a few handfuls of big ones from the third chest. Also, by an afterthought, I stuffed Foulata's basket, which, except for one water-gourd and a little biltong, was empty now, with great quantities of the stones.

"I say, you fellows," I sang out, "won't you take some diamonds with you? I've filled my pockets and the basket."

"Oh, come on, Quatermain! and hang the diamonds!" said Sir Henry. "I hope that I may never see another."

As for Good, he made no answer. He was, I think, taking his last farewell of all that was left of the poor girl who had loved him so well. And curious as it may seem to you, my reader, sitting at home at ease and reflecting on the vast, indeed the immeasurable, wealth which we were thus abandoning, I can assure you that if you had passed some twenty-eight hours with next to nothing to eat and drink in that place, you would not have cared to cumber yourself with diamonds whilst plunging down into the unknown bowels of the earth, in the wild hope of escape from an agonising death. If from the habits of a lifetime, it had not become a sort of second nature with me never to leave anything worth having behind if there was the slightest chance of my being able to carry it away, I am sure that I should not have bothered to fill my pockets and that basket.

"Come on, Quatermain," repeated Sir Henry, who was already standing on the first step of the stone stair. "Steady, I will go first."

"Mind where you put your feet, there may be some awful hole underneath," I answered.

"Much more likely to be another room," said Sir Henry, while he descended slowly, counting the steps as he went.

When he got to "fifteen" he stopped. "Here's the bottom," he said. "Thank goodness! I think it's a passage. Follow me down."

Good went next, and I came last, carrying the basket, and on reaching the bottom lit one of the two remaining matches. By its light we could just see that we were standing in a narrow tunnel, which ran right and left at right angles to the staircase we had descended. Before we could make out any more, the match burnt my fingers and went out. Then arose the delicate question of which way to go. Of course, it was impossible to know what the tunnel was, or where it led to, and yet to turn one way might lead us to safety, and the other to destruction. We were utterly perplexed, till suddenly it struck Good that when I had lit the match the draught of the passage blew the flame to the left.

"Let us go against the draught," he said; "air draws inwards, not outwards."

We took this suggestion, and feeling along the wall with our hands, whilst trying the ground before us at every step, we departed from that accursed treasure chamber on our terrible quest for life. If ever it should be entered again by living man, which I do not think probable, he will find tokens of our visit in the open chests of jewels, the empty lamp, and the white bones of poor Foulata.

When we had groped our way for about a quarter of an hour along the passage, suddenly it took a sharp turn, or else was bisected by another, which we followed, only in course of time to be led into a third. And so it went on for some hours. We seemed to be in a stone labyrinth that led nowhere. What all these passages are, of course I cannot say, but we thought that they must be the ancient workings of a mine, of which the various shafts and adits travelled hither and thither as the ore led them. This is the only way in which we could account for such a multitude of galleries.

At length we halted, thoroughly worn out with fatigue and with that hope deferred which maketh the heart sick, and ate up our poor remaining piece of biltong and drank our last sup of water, for our throats were like lime-kilns. It seemed to us that we had escaped Death in the darkness of the treasure chamber only to meet him in the darkness of the tunnels.

As we stood, once more utterly depressed, I thought that I caught a sound, to which I called the attention of the others. It was very faint and very far off, but it was a sound, a faint, murmuring sound, for the others heard it too, and no words can describe the blessedness of it after all those hours of utter, awful stillness.

"By heaven! it's running water," said Good. "Come on."

Off we started again in the direction from which the faint murmur seemed to come, groping our way as before along the rocky walls. I remember that I laid down the basket full of diamonds, wishing to be rid of its weight, but on second thoughts took it up again. One might as well die rich as poor, I reflected. As we went the sound became more and more audible, till at last it seemed quite loud in the quiet. On, yet on; now we could distinctly make out the unmistakable swirl of rushing water. And yet how could there be running water in the bowels of the earth? Now we were quite near it, and Good, who was leading, swore that he could smell it.

"Go gently, Good," said Sir Henry, "we must be close." Splash! and a cry from Good.

He had fallen in.

"Good! Good! where are you?" we shouted, in terrified distress. To our intense relief an answer came back in a choky voice.

"All right; I've got hold of a rock. Strike a light to show me where you are."

Hastily I lit the last remaining match. Its faint gleam discovered to us a dark mass of water running at our feet. How wide it was we could not see, but there, some way out, was the dark form of our companion hanging on to a projecting rock.

"Stand clear to catch me," sung out Good. "I must swim for it."

Then we heard a splash, and a great struggle. Another minute and he had grabbed at and caught Sir Henry's outstretched hand, and we had pulled him up high and dry into the tunnel.

"My word!" he said, between his gasps, "that was touch and go. If I hadn't managed to catch that rock, and known how to swim, I should have been done. It runs like a mill-race, and I could feel no bottom."

We dared not follow the banks of the subterranean river for fear lest we should fall into it again in the darkness. So after Good had rested a while, and we had drunk our fill of the water, which was sweet and fresh, and washed our faces, that needed it sadly, as well as we could, we started from the banks of this African Styx, and began to retrace our steps along the tunnel, Good dripping unpleasantly in front of us. At length we came to another gallery leading to our right.

"We may as well take it," said Sir Henry wearily; "all roads are alike here; we can only go on till we drop."

Slowly, for a long, long while, we stumbled, utterly exhausted, along this new tunnel, Sir Henry now leading the way. Again I thought of abandoning that basket, but did not.

Suddenly he stopped, and we bumped up against him.

"Look!" he whispered, "is my brain going, or is that light?"

We stared with all our eyes, and there, yes, there, far ahead of us, was a faint, glimmering spot, no larger than a cottage window pane. It was so faint that I doubt if any eyes, except those which, like ours, had for days seen nothing but blackness, could have perceived it at all.

With a gasp of hope we pushed on. In five minutes there was no longer any doubt; it was a patch of faint light. A minute more and a breath of real live air was fanning us. On we struggled. All at once the tunnel narrowed. Sir Henry went on his knees. Smaller yet it grew, till it was only the size of a large fox's earth—it was earth now, mind you; the rock had ceased.

A squeeze, a struggle, and Sir Henry was out, and so was Good, and so was I, dragging Foulata's basket after me; and there above us were the blessed stars, and in our nostrils was the sweet air. Then suddenly something gave, and we were all rolling over and over and over through grass and bushes and soft, wet soil.

The basket caught in something and I stopped. Sitting up I halloed lustily. An answering shout came from below, where Sir Henry's wild career had been checked by some level ground. I scrambled to him, and found him unhurt, though breathless. Then we looked for Good. A little way off we discovered him also, hammed in a forked root. He was a good deal knocked about, but soon came to himself.

We sat down together, there on the grass, and the revulsion of feeling was so great that really I think we cried with joy. We had escaped from that awful dungeon, which was so near to becoming our grave. Surely some merciful Power guided our footsteps to the jackal hole, for that is what it must have been, at the termination of the tunnel. And see, yonder on the mountains the dawn we had never thought to look upon again was blushing rosy red.

Presently the grey light stole down the slopes, and we saw that we were at the bottom, or rather, nearly at the bottom, of the vast pit in front of the entrance to the cave. Now we could make out the dim forms of the three Colossi who sat upon its verge. Doubtless those awful passages, along which we had wandered the livelong night, had been originally in some way connected with the great diamond mine. As for the subterranean river in the bowels of the mountain, Heaven only knows what it is, or whence it flows, or whither it goes. I, for one, have no anxiety to trace its course.

Lighter it grew, and lighter yet. We could see each other now, and such a spectacle as we presented I have never set eyes on before or since. Gaunt-cheeked, hollow-eyed wretches, smeared all over with dust and mud, bruised, bleeding, the long fear of imminent death yet written on our countenances, we were, indeed, a sight to frighten the daylight. And yet it is a solemn fact that Good's eye-glass was still fixed in Good's eye. I doubt whether he had ever taken it out at all. Neither the darkness, nor the plunge in the subterranean river, nor the roll down the slope, had been able to separate Good and his eye-glass.

Presently we rose, fearing that our limbs would stiffen if we stopped there longer, and commenced with slow and painful steps to struggle up the sloping sides of the great pit. For an hour or more we toiled steadfastly up the blue clay, dragging ourselves on by the help of the roots and grasses with which it was clothed. But now I had no more thought of leaving the basket; indeed, nothing but death should have parted us.

At last it was done, and we stood by the great road, on that side of the pit which is opposite to the Colossi.

At the side of the road, a hundred yards off, a fire was burning in front of some huts, and round the fire were figures. We staggered towards them, supporting one another, and halting every few paces. Presently one of the figures rose, saw us and fell on to the ground, crying out for fear.

"Infadoos, Infadoos! it is we, thy friends."

He rose; he ran to us, staring wildly, and still shaking with fear.

"Oh, my lords, my lords, it is indeed you come back from the dead!—come back from the dead!"

And the old warrior flung himself down before us, and clasping Sir Henry's knees, he wept aloud for joy.

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第十八章　絶望

その晩の恐ろしさは私の筆では十分に描きつくせぬ。だが有難いことにはその恐ろしさも時々眠りのために途切れた。こんあ恐ろしい境遇にあつても疲れきつてゐると時々睡魔が襲つて來るものだ。けれども少くも私は餘り多く眠ることは出來なかつた。世界中の最も勇敢な人間でも吾々の眼前にさし迫つてゐるやうな運命には氣がくじけてしまふに相違ないのに、私は決して勇敢な人間ではないのだ。しかもその事を別としても、その場の餘りの靜けさだけでも、眠ることを許さなかつたのだ。讀者諸君、夜、床の中で眼が醒めて四邊《あたり》の靜けさが妙に恐ろしくなる時があるに相違ない。だが諸君は、完全な靜けさと言ふものがどれ程恐ろしいものかまだ知るまい。地球の表面では常に何かの音、何かの運動があるものだ。ところがこゝではさいふものが絶對にないのだ。吾々は雪を戴いた大きな峰の内臟の中へはひつてゐるのだ。數千尺の上には清らかな風が眞白な雪の上を吹いてゐるだらう。だがそんな音は此處までとゞきはしない。しかも死人は音などさせるものではない、世界中の砲兵隊が一度に大砲を放つたつて、この生きた墓場の中にゐる吾々の耳にはとゞく筈がない。吾々は世界のあらゆる響きら絶縁されてゐるのだ。——既に死んだも同じなのだ。

それに吾々の皮肉極まる立場が妙に強く私の胸を打つた。吾々の周圍にはいゝ加減な國の國債を支拂つたり、艦隊を建造したりするに足る位の富が横はつてるのに、吾々はそんなものはいらないから少しでも逃げ出す機會があればよいと思つてるのだ。今にきつとそんな寶物よりも一片の食物、或は一ぱいの水の方がほしくなつて來るだらう。そして最後には、一思ひに苦しみを縮めて死んでしまふことが出來れば、そんな寶物はいらないといふ氣にもなることだらう。實際人間が一生を費して得ようとする富なんていふものは、最後の時になるとまつたく價値のないものだ！

こんなことを考へてゐるうちに、夜はだん〜更けて行つた。

「グッド君、燐寸《マツチ》は何本殘つてゐるかね？」とたうとうサー・ヘンリイが言つた。その聲は恐ろしい靜寂の中にがん〜響き渡つた。

「八本です。」

「一本擦つて時間を見よう。」

彼が燐寸《マツチ》をすると漆黒の闇に馴れてゐた吾々の眼は、眼がくらむほどまぶしく感じた。私の時計は五時だつた。吾々の遙か頭の上では、今、美しい曙の光りが雪の峰を染めてゐるに相違ない。そして、心地よい微風が、夜の靄を吹き拂つてゐることだらう。

「何か少し食つて元氣をつけることにしよう」と私は言つた。

「物を食つたところで何になるんだ？」とグッドは答へた。「もう早晩死んでしまふんだもの？」

そこで吾々は乾肉《ビルトング》を食ひ、少しばかり水を飮んでまた暫らく休んだ。その時サー・ヘンリイは出來るだけ扉《ドア》の近くへ行つて大聲を出せば誰かゞ外で聲を聞きつけるかもしれないと言ひ出したので、長い間の海上生活で鋭い聲を持つてゐるグッドが、手さぐりで隧道《トンネル》を歩いて行つてわめきはじめた。彼の出した聲は實に大きな聲だつた。しかし外側へは蚊のなく程にも聞えなかつたであらう。

暫らくすると彼は斷念してすご〜歸つて來た。しかもそのために咽喉が渇いて少し水を飮まねばならなかつた。それで吾々は水がなくなつてしまふのをおそれてもうわめくのはやめた。

吾々はまた用もないダイヤモンドの箱に凭れて何もせずにつくねんとしてゐた。この何もせずにゐるといふことが、また吾々にとつては何よりもつらいことの一つであつた。私はもうすつかり絶望してしまつた。サー・ヘンリイの廣い肩の上に頭をもたせて、私は思はず涙をこぼした。片一方の肩では、グッドが涙をのみ込んでゐるのが聞えた。

その時ほど私はサー・ヘンリイのやさしさと勇氣とをしみ〜゛感じたことはない。吾々二人が物に恐れた子供で、サー・ヘンリイが乳母だとしても、彼はこれ以上吾々をやさしくすることは出來なかつただらう。彼は、彼自身も同じみじめな境遇にあることは忘れてしまつて、力のあらん限り吾々を慰めたり勵ましてくれたりした。そして吾々が浮きたゝなくなると遂にはもう苦しむのも暫くの間ですぐに樂になる、疲れきつて死ぬのは樂しいもおのだ（これは[言|虚;#2-88-74]《うそ》だが）等と言つたりして吾々を慰めた。

その中に夜が明けたと同じやうに日が暮れて行つた。こんな暗闇の中では晝と夜との區別はないのだが、燐寸《マツチ》をすつて見ると時計は七時になつてゐた。

吾々はもう一度喰ひ且つ飮んだ。さうしてゐるうちに私の心のうちに一つの考へが浮んで來た。

「この空氣は重苦しいが、それでもいつまでも新鮮なのはどういふ譯だらう？」と私は言つた。

「さうだ。そのことは氣がつかなかつた」とグッドが跳び上つて言つた。あの石の扉《ドア》から空氣がはいつて來る譯はないから、何處か他のところからはひつて來るに相違ない。空氣が通はないとすれば、吾々はこゝにはひつた時に窒息してゐる筈だから、きつとある、搜して見よう。」

このちよつとした希望の火花を認めただけでも吾々の氣持がどれほど變つたかわからない。吾々はすぐに四つ匍ひになつて少しでも風の通つてゐさうな處を搜しまはつた。そのうちに私の手は冷たいものにさはつてぎよつとしたが、それはファウラタの死んだ顏であつた。

一時間餘りの間吾々は搜しまはつたが、たうとうサー・ヘンリイと私とは幾度びも吾々の頭を象牙や、箱や、窟《あな》の壁にぶつつけてかなり負傷したので絶望して諦めてしまつた。しかしグッドは何もしないでゐるよりはましだと言つて、殆んど陽氣な調子で辛抱強く搜してゐた。

「みんなこつちへ來て見なさい！」とやがて彼は壓《おさ》へつけるやうな聲で云つた。

言ふまでもなく吾々は彼の方へ蹌踉《よろ〜》しながらかけつけた。

「コオターメンさんちよつと此處へ手をあてゝ見なさい。私の手のところへ。なにか感じがありますか？」

「風が下からあがつて來るやうな氣がする。」

「よく聽いてゐなさい」と言ひながら彼は起ち上つてそこを足で踏んだ。すると吾々の心中にはさつと希望の焔が燃え上つた。そこは空洞《うつろ》のやうな響きがした。

私は手を顫はしながら燐寸《マツチ》をつけた。もうあとには三本しか燐寸は殘つてゐなかつた。燐寸の光りで見ると吾々の立つてゐる處は窟《いはや》の一番端の隅つこであつた。それだから吾々は、先程あれ程搜してゐても空洞《うつろ》の響きに氣がつかなかつたのだ。燐寸の燃えてゐる間に、よく念入りに檢《しら》べて見ると、堅い岩の床に一つの接ぎ目があつた。そしてその岩に一つの石の環がついてゐた。吾々は昂奮の餘り一語《ひとこと》も言はなかつた。希望のために心臟の鼓動が劇しくなつて物も言へなくなつたのだ。グッドの持つてゐたナイフの背には馬の蹄《ひづめ》から石を拔きとるために鍵がついてゐた。彼はその鍵を開いてそれで環のまはりをほじくり、たうとうそれを環の下へさし込んで鍵が折れないやうに要心しながらそつとこじ上げた。環はやつと動き出した。それは石で出來てゐたものだから何百年も前からそこに横になつてゐたにもかゝはらず、餘り堅く膠着してはゐなかつた。鐡の環なら錆びついてゐて動きはしない處だつたのだ。やがて環は上へもち上つた。そこで彼はその中へ手を入れて力いつぱい引張つた。しかし下の岩はびくともしなかつた。

「私がやつて見よう！」と私は焦々《いら〜》しながら言つた。といふのは、その石の環は、あひにく、ちやうど隅つこにあつたので、二人で一度に引つぱるわけにはゆかなかつたのだ。私はそれを掴んで引つぱつて見たが何の手答へもなかつた。

それからサー・ヘンリイがやつて見たがやはり駄目だつた。そこでグッドは再び環を掴んで、吾々が空氣の通つて來るのを感じた隙き間を、もう一度すつかりほじくつた。

「カーチスさん、これをつけてあなたの背中をその中へ通しなさい。あなたは二人力ありますから」と言ひながら身だしなみのいゝ彼がもつてゐた丈夫な絹のハンケチを取り出し、それを環の中へ通した。「コオターメンさん、あなたはカーチスさんの腰の周りを抱いて私が言葉を掛けたら力一ぱい引きなさい。そら。」

サー・ヘンリイは、滿身の力を振りしぼり、グッドと私とも精一ぱいの力を出した。

「そら、そら、もう一呼吸《いき》だ。少し動き出した」とサー・ヘンリイは喘ぎながら言つた。彼の大きな背中の筋肉がめり〜いふのが聞えた。突然、ぎし〜軋《きし》る音が聞えたかと思ふと颯《さつ》と風が吹きあげて來た。吾々は三人とも重い敷石の下になつて床の上に仰向けに轉んだ。サー・ヘンリイの力が遂に效を奏したのだ。

「燐寸をつけなさい、コオターメンさん」と吾々が起き上るとすぐにサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「今度は氣をつけなさい。」

私はその通りにした。すると有難や！吾々の前に石の階段の第一の踏み段があつたのだ。

「さてこれからどうしよう？」とグッドは訊ねた。

「無論階段を下りて行つてあとは神に任せるのさ！」

「ちよつと待つて」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「コオターメンさん、殘つてゐる乾肉《ビルトング》と水とを持つて行きませう。あとで要るかもしれませんから。」

私はそれを取りに箱の側へ引き返した。そしてそこから行かうとした時にふと考へついた。吾々はこの一晝夜といふものはダイヤモンドのことなどは考へなかつた。實際ダイヤモンドのことなんか考へると、そのためにこんな目に遇つたのだと思つて胸糞が惡くなつたものだ。だが私は思ひ返して、若しこのいま〜しい坑《あな》の中から出られる事もないとも限らぬと思つて、少しダイヤモンドをポケットへ入れて行かうと決めた。そこで私は最初の箱へ手を突込んで、私の古ぼけた獵服のポケットへはひるだけのダイヤモンドを填《つ》め込んだ。そして一番上へ三番目の箱から大きな奴を一掴みか二掴み入れた。これはうまひ考へだつた。

「あんた方もダイヤモンドを持つて行きませんか？」と私は二人の者に言つた。「私はポケットへ一ぱい填《つ》め込むましたよ。」

「ダイヤモンドなんてもう二度と見たくもない」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。

グッドは何とも答へなかつた。彼はその時彼を愛してゐた憐れな娘に最後の別れをしてゐたゞらうと私は思ふ。家の中に安らかに生活してゐる諸君は、吾々がこんな無限の富をうつちやつておくのを不思議に思ふかも知れぬが、二十八時間もの間、地球の内臟の中へ閉ぢ込められて、それから先どうなるかも判らないやうな場合には、誰だつてダイヤモンドに未憐を殘すやうなことはなからうと私は思ふ。私だつて日頃の習慣のために價値《ねうち》のあるものはちよつとそた機會でもあれば持つて行くと言ふことが第二の天性になつてさへ居なかつた、ポケットの中へこんな邪魔者を填《つ》め込むやうな事はしなかつたに相違ない。

「さあコオターメンさん、來なさい。私が一番先きへ行きますよ」とサー・ヘンリイが既に石段の最初の段に足を掛けながら言つた。

「よく氣をつけて行きなさい。下に恐ろしい穴があるかもしれませんから」と私は答へた。

彼は十五段ばかり進んだ時、立ち止つた。「これで石段はお終ひだ。どうやら道があるらしい、早く來なさい」と彼は言つた。

グッドはその次に、私は最後に竝《なら》んで行つた。そして殘つてゐる二本の燐寸のうちの一本をつけた。その光りで見ると吾々の立つてゐる處は狹い隧道《トンネル》で、道が右と左とに直角についてゐた。それ以上の事は判らない中に燐寸は指まで燃えて消えてしまつた。そこでどちらの道を進んだらよからうかといふ厄介な問題が起つて來た。勿論、その道はどんなふうなのか、或はまた何處へ通じてゐるのか判りやうはなかつた。だが一方の道を行けば安全で、一方の道へ行けば破滅かも知れないのだ。吾々は途方に暮れて終つたが、不圖《ふと》私が燐寸を點けた時に風の爲に焔が左の方へ曲つたとグッドが言ひ出した。「風の吹いて來た方へ行けば良い。風は内側へ吹くので、外側へ吹く道理はないから」と彼は言つた。

吾々はこの言葉に從つて、兩側の壁を手探りして、一歩《ひとあし》毎に前の地面を足でさぐりながら、どうにかして命を助からうと思つて、この呪はれた寶窟から出て行つた。そんあことはあるまいと思ふが、若し生きた人間がいつか此處へはひつたら、開け放した寶石の箱や、油のなくなつたランプや、憐れなファウラタの白骨等で吾々が嘗つてこゝへ來たことが判るだらうと思ふ。

手探りをしてかれこれ十五分ばかりも進んで行くと、道は急角度を畫いて曲つて居り、それからまたしばらく行くと同じやうに曲つて何處までも續いてゐた。そんなふうにして吾々は數時間も進んで行つたが、どうやらこの道は出口のない石の迷路らしい、何のための道かは判らないが、確かに太古にこしらへたもので、鑛脈に沿うて縱横に掘つたものらしい。

遂に吾々は疲れきつてがつかりして立ち止つた。そして乾肉《ビルトング》の殘りと最後の水とを飮んでしまつた。咽喉は石灰窯のやうにから〜に乾いてゐた。岩窟の暗闇の中で死ぬことだけはまぬがれたものの、今度は隧道《トンネル》の暗闇の中で死ぬことになるらしい。がつかりしてそこに立ちつくしてゐると、何だか物音が聞えるやうな氣がしたので、他の者にもそのことを注意した。それは、微かな、非常に遠くから聞える音ではあつたが、やつぱり音には違ひなかつた。こんなに寂然《ひつそり》とした處では音が聞えたゞけでもどんなにほつとするか知れたものではない。

「あれは水の流れる音だ。行つて見よう！」とグッドは言つた。

そこで吾々は以前のやうに手探りしながら音の聞える方へ進んで行つた。だん〜進んで行くにつれて音ははつきり聞えるやうになり、遂にはごう〜といふ大きな音になつて來た。確かに水の音だ。だがいつたいどうしてこんな處に水が流れてゐるのだらう？水の音はもうすぐ側に聞えて來た。先頭に立つてゐたグッドは水の匂ひがすると言ひ出した。

「そつと行くんだよ、グッド君」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「もうすぐそばに違ひないから。」と突然、ざぶん！と音がしてそれと同時にグッドの叫び聲が聞えた。

彼は水の中へ墜ちたのだ。

「グッド！グッド！何處にゐるんだ？」と吾々は吃驚して叫んだ。するとむせるやうな聲で返事が聞えたのでほつとした。

「大丈夫です、岩に掴まつてゐるから。燐寸をつけて見せて下さい。」

私は急いで、殘つてゐる最後の一本の燐寸をつけた。その明りで見ると、吾々の脚下《あしもと》には黒い水が流れて居り、少し先の方の突き出た岩につかまつてゐるグッドの黒い姿が見えた。水の幅はどれ位か判らなかつた。

「私をつかまへて下さい。そこまで泳いで行きますから」とグッドはどなつた。

ついでざんぶと水の中へ飛び込む音が聞え、やがて彼はサー・ヘンリイの伸してゐる手につかまつた。吾々は彼を隧道《トンネル》の上へ引き揚げた。

「大へんだつた！」と彼は喘ぎ喘ぎ言つた。「もしあの岩につかまらなかつたら、そしてもし私が泳ぎを知らなかつたら、土左衞門になつたところですよ。流れは速いし、底はないのですからね。」

吾々はまた墜ちはしないかと思つてこの流れの岸傳ひに進むことはやめて、グッドが暫らく休み、吾々も水を飮んだり顏を洗つたりしてから、もと來た道へ引き返した。そして右の方へ曲つてゐる別の道へはひつて行つた。

「どちらへ行つても同じだね。おつこちる處まで行つて見るまでだ」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。

今度はサー・ヘンリイが先頭にたつて、吾々は力なくしほれきつてとぼ〜と後から蹤《つ》いて行つた。

突然彼は立ち止つた。「これや私の頭がどうかしたんだらうか？それともあれは光だらうか？」と彼は囁いた。

吾々は眼を据ゑてぢつと見詰めた。すると成程、ずつと先きの方に微かな小屋の窓位な光るところが見えた。それは吾々のやうに二日間も暗闇の他に何も見なかつた者の眼にでなければ判らないほど微かな光りであつた。

吾々はほつと安心してその方へ進んで行つた。五分間も行くと、その光りは紛れもないものになつて來た。それから暫らくたつと爽かな風が吾々の顏にあたつて來た。吾々はずん〜進んで行つた。隧道《トンネル》はだん〜狹くなり、下はもう岩ではなくて土になつてきた。吾々は四つ匍ひになつて匍ひだし、初めにサー・ヘンリイがやつと外へ脱け出した。グッドも私もそれに續いて隧道《トンネル》から匍ひ出した。外へ出て見ると、空には星が輝いてをり、吾々は爽かな空氣を吸ひこんだ。だがその時突然足をふみはづして吾々は草と軟かい土との上をごろ〜と何處までもころんで行つた。

私は何かにつかまつてとまつた。でその場に坐つて大きな聲でわめくと、下の方でサー・ヘンリイが答へた。彼も勾配の少し平たくなつた處にとまつてゐたのだ。彼はせい〜息をきらしてはゐたが別に怪我はなかつたやうだ。それから吾々はグッドを搜した。グッドも少し離れたところの又のある木の根にひつかゝつてとまつてゐた。彼は方々を打つたらしいがすぐに正氣にかへつた。

吾々は草の上に坐つて泣きたいほど嬉しい氣持になつた。すんでのことで吾々の墓場になるところであつた、あの恐ろしい土穽《つちあな》から、吾々はやつと逃げだすことができたのだ。きつと情け深い神樣の力が、吾々の足を豺《むじな》の穴の方へ導いて下さつたのに相違ない。と言ふのはあの隧道《トンネル》の端にあつたのはたしかに豺《むじな》の穴の相違なかつたと私は思ふ。その時は恰度向うの山は薔薇色に染つてゐるところであつた。吾々は二度と見られまいと思つた曙の光を見たのだ。

やがてほのかな晝の光りが射し込むにつれて、吾々の居る處は洞窟の入口の附近にある大きな豎坑に近い處であると言ふことが判つて來た。上には坑《あな》の縁《へり》に立つてゐる三つの巨像の姿がぼんやり見えた。疑ひもなく吾々が彷徨《さまよ》ひ歩いたあの隧道《トンネル》は、このダイヤモンド坑と何か關係があつたのだ。地下を流れてゐるあの河は何の爲の河で、また何處から流れて何處へ注いでゐるかは判らなかつたが、私はそんな事は知りたいと思はなかつた。

四邊《あたり》はだん〜明るくなつて、吾々はお互ひの顏が見えるやうになつた。吾々は頬はこけ、眼は窪み、顏ぢゆに埃《ほこ》りと泥とがいつぱいついて居り、そこらぢゆうかすり疵《きず》のため血だらけになつてゐた。そして吾々の顏にはさし迫つた死に對する恐怖の色がまだあり〜と殘つてゐた。到底陽の光りで見られるやうな顏ではなかつた。しかもなほグッドの眼鏡が彼の眼にはまつてゐた事は儼然たる事實であつた。恐らく彼は一度もそれを外した事はなかつたのだらう。眞暗な闇も、地下の河への墜落も、豎坑の勾配を轉げ落ちたことも、グッドと彼の眼鏡とを引き離すことはできなかつたのだ！

やがて吾々は起ち上つた。そして餘り長くとまつてゐると手足がなえて來るのを恐れて大きな豎坑の側壁を徐々に上りはじめた。一時間餘りも青い粘土の勾配を木の根や草につかまりながら攀ぢ上つてたうとう巨像の立つてゐる街道へ登りついた。

百碼ばかり離れた道端に焚火が燃えてゐて、火の周りには人影が見えた。吾々が互ひにぐんなりした身體を凭《もた》せ合ひながら、蹌踉《よろ〜》とそちらへ進んで行くと、その中の一人が立ち上つて吾々を見ると地べたに倒れて恐怖の叫びをあげた。

「インファドオス、インファドオス！、吾々だよ！」

彼は起ち上つて吾々の側へ駈け寄り、まだ恐ろしさに慄へながら、しげ〜吾々を見詰めた。

「おゝあなた方でしたか、眞實《ほんと》にあなた方が生返つて來なすつたのですか！眞實《ほんと》に生き返つて！」

かう言ひながら老戰士は吾々の前に身を投げ、サー・ヘンリイの膝につかまりながら嬉し泣きに泣いた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第17章（2）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 07:13:38 | 日記

At that moment there was something so ridiculous to my mind at the idea of eating and drinking diamonds, that I began to laugh outrageously, an example which the others followed, without knowing why. There we stood and shrieked with laughter over the gems that were ours, which had been found for us thousands of years ago by the patient delvers in the great hole yonder, and stored for us by Solomon's long-dead overseer, whose name, perchance, was written in the characters stamped on the faded wax that yet adhered to the lids of the chest. Solomon never got them, nor David, or Da Silvestra, nor anybody else. We had got them: there before us were millions of pounds' worth of diamonds, and thousands of pounds' worth of gold and ivory only waiting to be taken away.

Suddenly the fit passed off, and we stopped laughing.

"Open the other chests, white men," croaked Gagool, "there are surely more therein. Take your fill, white lords! Ha! ha! take your fill."

Thus adjured, we set to work to pull up the stone lids on the other two, first—not without a feeling of sacrilege—breaking the seals that fastened them.

Hoorah! they were full too, full to the brim; at least, the second one was; no wretched burglarious Da Silvestra had been filling goat-skins out of that. As for the third chest, it was only about a fourth full, but the stones were all picked ones; none less than twenty carats, and some of them as large as pigeon-eggs. A good many of these bigger ones, however, we could see by holding them up to the light, were a little yellow, "off coloured," as they call it at Kimberley.

What we did not see, however, was the look of fearful malevolence that old Gagool favoured us with as she crept, crept like a snake, out of the treasure chamber and down the passage towards the door of solid rock.

Hark! Cry upon cry comes ringing up the vaulted path. It is Foulata's voice!

"Oh, Bougwan! help! help! the stone falls!"

"Leave go, girl! Then—"

"Help! help! she has stabbed me!"

By now we are running down the passage, and this is what the light from the lamp shows us. The door of the rock is closing down slowly; it is not three feet from the floor. Near it struggle Foulata and Gagool. The red blood of the former runs to her knee, but still the brave girl holds the old witch, who fights like a wild cat. Ah! she is free! Foulata falls, and Gagool throws herself on the ground, to twist like a snake through the crack of the closing stone. She is under—ah! god! too late! too late! The stone nips her, and she yells in agony. Down, down it comes, all the thirty tons of it, slowly pressing her old body against the rock below. Shriek upon shriek, such as we have never heard, then a long sickening crunch, and the door was shut just as, rushing down the passage, we hurled ourselves against it.

It was all done in four seconds.

Then we turned to Foulata. The poor girl was stabbed in the body, and I saw that she could not live long.

"Ah! Bougwan, I die!" gasped the beautiful creature. "She crept out—Gagool; I did not see her, I was faint—and the door began to fall; then she came back, and was looking up the path—I saw her come in through the slowly falling door, and caught her and held her, and she stabbed me, and I die, Bougwan!"

"Poor girl! poor girl!" Good cried in his distress; and then, as he could do nothing else, he fell to kissing her.

"Bougwan," she said, after a pause, "is Macumazahn there? It grows so dark, I cannot see."

"Here I am, Foulata."

"Macumazahn, be my tongue for a moment, I pray thee, for Bougwan cannot understand me, and before I go into the darkness I would speak to him a word."

"Say on, Foulata, I will render it."

"Say to my lord, Bougwan, that—I love him, and that I am glad to die because I know that he cannot cumber his life with such as I am, for the sun may not mate with the darkness, nor the white with the black.

"Say that, since I saw him, at times I have felt as though there were a bird in my bosom, which would one day fly hence and sing elsewhere. Even now, though I cannot lift my hand, and my brain grows cold, I do not feel as though my heart were dying; it is so full of love that it could live ten thousand years, and yet be young. Say that if I live again, mayhap I shall see him in the Stars, and that—I will search them all, though perchance there I should still be black and he would—still be white. Say—nay, Macumazahn, say no more, save that I love—Oh, hold me closer, Bougwan, I cannot feel thine arms—oh! oh!"

"She is dead—she is dead!" muttered Good, rising in grief, the tears running down his honest face.

"You need not let that trouble you, old fellow," said Sir Henry.

"Eh!" exclaimed Good; "what do you mean?"

"I mean that you will soon be in a position to join her. Man, don't you see that we are buried alive?"

Until Sir Henry uttered these words I do not think that the full horror of what had happened had come home to us, preoccupied as we were with the sight of poor Foulata's end. But now we understood. The ponderous mass of rock had closed, probably for ever, for the only brain which knew its secret was crushed to powder beneath its weight. This was a door that none could hope to force with anything short of dynamite in large quantities. And we were on the wrong side!

For a few minutes we stood horrified, there over the corpse of Foulata. All the manhood seemed to have gone out of us. The first shock of this idea of the slow and miserable end that awaited us was overpowering. We saw it all now; that fiend Gagool had planned this snare for us from the first.

It would have been just the jest that her evil mind would have rejoiced in, the idea of the three white men, whom, for some reason of her own, she had always hated, slowly perishing of thirst and hunger in the company of the treasure they had coveted. Now I saw the point of that sneer of hers about eating and drinking the diamonds. Probably somebody had tried to serve the poor old Dom in the same way, when he abandoned the skin full of jewels.

"This will never do," said Sir Henry hoarsely; "the lamp will soon go out. Let us see if we can't find the spring that works the rock."

We sprang forward with desperate energy, and, standing in a bloody ooze, began to feel up and down the door and the sides of the passage. But no knob or spring could we discover.

"Depend on it," I said, "it does not work from the inside; if it did Gagool would not have risked trying to crawl underneath the stone. It was the knowledge of this that made her try to escape at all hazards, curse her."

"At all events," said Sir Henry, with a hard little laugh, "retribution was swift; hers was almost as awful an end as ours is likely to be. We can do nothing with the door; let us go back to the treasure room."

We turned and went, and as we passed it I perceived by the unfinished wall across the passage the basket of food which poor Foulata had carried. I took it up, and brought it with me to the accursed treasure chamber that was to be our grave. Then we returned and reverently bore in Foulata's corpse, laying it on the floor by the boxes of coin.

Next we seated ourselves, leaning our backs against the three stone chests which contained the priceless treasure.

"Let us divide the food," said Sir Henry, "so as to make it last as long as possible." Accordingly we did so. It would, we reckoned, make four infinitesimally small meals for each of us, enough, say, to support life for a couple of days. Besides the "biltong," or dried game-flesh, there were two gourds of water, each of which held not more than a quart.

"Now," said Sir Henry grimly, "let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

We each ate a small portion of the "biltong," and drank a sip of water. Needless to say, we had but little appetite, though we were sadly in need of food, and felt better after swallowing it. Then we got up and made a systematic examination of the walls of our prison-house, in the faint hope of finding some means of exit, sounding them and the floor carefully.

There was none. It was not probable that there would be any to a treasure chamber.

The lamp began to burn dim. The fat was nearly exhausted.

"Quatermain," said Sir Henry, "what is the time—your watch goes?"

I drew it out, and looked at it. It was six o'clock; we had entered the cave at eleven.

"Infadoos will miss us," I suggested. "If we do not return to-night he will search for us in the morning, Curtis."

"He may search in vain. He does not know the secret of the door, nor even where it is. No living person knew it yesterday, except Gagool. To-day no one knows it. Even if he found the door he could not break it down. All the Kukuana army could not break through five feet of living rock. My friends, I see nothing for it but to bow ourselves to the will of the Almighty. The search for treasure has brought many to a bad end; we shall go to swell their number."

The lamp grew dimmer yet.

Presently it flared up and showed the whole scene in strong relief, the great mass of white tusks, the boxes of gold, the corpse of the poor Foulata stretched before them, the goat-skin full of treasure, the dim glimmer of the diamonds, and the wild, wan faces of us three white men seated there awaiting death by starvation.

Then the flame sank and expired.

その時私はダイヤモンドを喰つたり呑んだりすると言ふ考が妙にをかしくてたまらなかつたので大聲をあげて笑つた。他のものも譯が判らずに笑つた。だが暫らくすると急に笑ふのをやめた。「他の箱も開けて見ろ！」とガゴオルが嗄れ聲で言つた。「きつとその中にはもつと澤山はひつてるよ。澤山持つて行くがいゝ。存分に持つて行くがいゝ、は！は！」

かう言はれたので吾々は外の二つの箱の蓋を開けにかゝつた。そして何だか冐涜するやうな氣持で箱の封を切つた。その箱の中にはやはりダイヤモンドがいつぱい填《つま》つてゐた。少くも二番目の箱からは、ダ・シルヴェストラが取り出さなかつたので、箱の縁まで溢れるほどはひつてゐた。三番目には四分の一位しかはひつてゐなかつたが、それはみな色の變つた石だつた。二十カラット以下のものは一つもなく、或るものは鳩の卵位の大きさだつた。この大きなのは燈火《あかり》で透して見ると少し黄味を帶びてゐた。本場のキンバーリーでは、かういふのを「色變り」と言つてゐる。

だが吾々は、その間にガゴオルが殘忍な目附きで吾々の方を睨みながら、蛇のやうにこの寶窟を脱け出して、暗い道を通り拔けて、大きな岩の祕密の扉《ドア》の方へ匍つて行つたのを氣が附かずにゐたのだ。

*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*

忽ち續けざまに泣き叫ぶ聲が暗い道の方から聞えて來た。それはファウラタの聲だ！

「あゝ眼鏡の方《ブウグアン》、皆さん！助けて下さい！助けて！石が落ちて來ます！」

「おやあの娘の聲だ！では——」

「助けて！助けて！婆さんに突き殺されます！」

吾々はすぐに暗い道の中へ駈け下りた。手燭《ランプ》の光りで見ると、大へんだ！大きな岩の扉《ドア》が徐々に下へ下りつゝあるのだ。もう床から三呎しかない。その側でファウラタとガゴオルが掴みあつてゐる。ファウラタの赤い血は彼女の膝までたれてゐたが、勇敢な娘は山猫のやうな老婆に尚もしがみついてゐた。あつ！老婆は逃げた！ファウラタはばつたり仆れた。ガゴオルは地べたに身を投げて蛇のやうに身をねぢつて石の扉の下をすり拔けやうとした。扉はその時に彼女の身體を上から挾んだ。ガゴオルが下になつたのだ！あ！もう駄目だ！もう駄目だ！彼女は石と石とに挾まれて苦悶の叫びをあげた。三十噸《トン》の大石がだん〜下へ下りて來て、彼女の骨だらけの體躯を徐々に下の岩の上へ壓《おさ》へつけた。けたゝましい叫び聲も遂にやんでめり〜と骨の碎ける音が聞え、吾々がそこへ駈けつけた時には扉は下まできちんと接《つ》いてゐた。

それは四秒間位の出來事だつた。

それから吾々は、ファウラタの方へ向き直つた。可哀さうな娘は、胸を突き刺されて仆れてゐた。もう助かる見込のない事が私にはすぐに判つた。

「あゝ！ブウグアンさま（グッドのことを彼女はかう呼んでゐたのだ）妾《わたし》は死にます！」と美しい娘は喘ぎ〜言つた。「あのガゴオルが外へ匍ひ出して行きましたときには、妾はちやうど氣絶してゐたので氣がつきませんでした。——すると扉が少しづゝ下へ落ちて來るのです。その時あの老婆はまた中へ引返して來ました。上の方を見上げると、あの老婆は少しづゝ下へ下りてくる扉をくゞつて、中へはひつて來たものですから、妾はいきなりあの老婆に武者振りついて止めてやりました。するとあの女は妾を刺したのです。この通り！妾はもう死にます、ブウグアンさま！」

「かはいさうに！かはいさうに！」とグッドは叫んで、どうすることも出來なかつたので、下へ身を投げて彼女に接吻した。

「ブウグアンさま」と彼女は暫時《しばらく》してから言つた。「マクマザンさまはそこにいらつしやいますか？妾はもう眼が見えなくなつてしまひました！」

「私はこゝにゐるよ、ファウラタ！」

「マクマザンさま。暫時《しばらく》の間お願ひですから妾に代つてブウグアンさまに申上げて下さい。あの方には妾の言葉は判らないのですが、妾は死ぬ前にたつた一語申上げたいことがあるのです。」

「何でも言ひなさい、ファウラタ。私が通譯してあげる。」

「ブウグアンさまに言つて下さい。——妾があの方を愛してゐると言つて下さい。妾は死んで行くのが嬉しいのです。さうすればあの方は妾のやうな者とは關はりがなくなつてしまひますから、太陽と闇とがつり合はないやうに、白と黒とはつい合ひません。あの方を初めて見た時から、妾は時々まるで胸の中に鳥がゐて、いつかこゝから飛び去つて、何處へか行つて歌ふやうな氣がしました。今では妾は手を擧げることも出來ませんし、妾の頭は冷たくなつてゐますけれど、それでも妾の胸は死ぬやうな氣がしないのです。妾の胸は愛のためにいつぱいで、千年も、若くて生きてゐられるやうな氣がするのです。どうぞ、あの方に言つて下さい、若し妾が生れかはつたら、ことによると星の世界でお目にかゝれるかもしれません、マクマザンさま、どうぞたつた一言、妾が愛してゐるとだけ言つて下さい ——おゝブウグアンさま！もつと強く、強く抱きしめて下さい。妾にはもうあなたのお腕が判りません、あゝ！」

「彼女はたうとう死んでしまつた——死んでしまつた。」とグッドは悲しみの餘り起ち上つて叫んだ。彼の正直な顏には涙が傳つてゐた。

「もうあの女のことを悲しまなくてもいゝよ、グッド君」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。

「え！それはどう言ふ意味です？」とグッドは詰《なじ》つた。

「それはね、君ももうすぐにあの娘といつしよになれるやう[に]なると言ふことさ。判らないかね、吾々は生き埋めにされたんだ！」

サー・ヘンリイがかう言ふまで、吾々はかはいさうなファウラタの最期の光景に氣を取られてゐたので、吾々が現在どう言ふ立場に陷つたかを氣がつかなかつた。しかし彼の言葉を聞いて、その恐ろしさがやつと判つて來た。重い石の扉《ドア》は閉されてしまつたのだ。しかも多分永久に閉されてしまつたのだ、といふのはその祕密を知つてゐるだゞ一人の人間は、その下になつて粉微塵に碎かれてしまつたからだ。このやうな扉は、強力なダイナマイトでも用ゐなければ到底開く望みはない。しかも吾々はその扉の惡い方に閉ぢ込められてゐるのだ。

數分間吾々は恐怖にうたれてファウラタの死骸の側につゝ立つてゐた。元氣の何もすつかりなくなつてしまひ、これから徐々に慘めな最期をとげるのだと思ふと、吾々は呆然としてどうしてよいか判らなくなつた。今になつて吾々はすつかり合點が行つた。これはあのガゴオルの惡魔が最初から仕組んだ事に相違ない。あの老婆はどういふものか吾々をひどく憎んでゐたが、その吾々三人が日頃慾しがつてゐた寶物ともろともに、飢ゑと渇とで徐々に死んで行くのを見て、彼女は樂しまうと考へてゐたのだ。彼女がダイヤモンドを食ふとか呑むとか言つて吾々を嘲つた意味が、今になつて私には判つて來た。恐らくはあの憐れなポルトガル人も、吾々と同じやうな目になひかゝつて、寶石の一ぱいはひつた皮袋を棄てたまゝ、慌てゝ逃げ出したものに相違ない。

「ぐづ〜してゐても仕樣がない」とサー・ヘンリイは嗄れ聲で言つた。「ランプはすぐに消えてしまふから、あの扉《ドア》を動かす仕掛がそこらにあるかどうか搜して見よう。」

吾々は死物狂ひになつて、血の沼の中をあちこと歩き廻りながら、扉《ドア》や、道の兩側の壁を手さぐりして見たが、仕掛けらしいものは何も見つからなかつた。

「駄目だ！」と私は言つた。「仕掛けは内側にある筈はない。もし内側にあるのならガゴオルは慌てゝ匍ひ出さうとしなかつたに相違ない。あの老婆が、大きな石の下に敷かれるのもかまはずに逃げ出さうとしたのは、内側には仕掛けのない事を知つてゐたからに違ひない。」

「とに角、吾々はこの扉《ドア》をどうすることも出來んから、もう一度寶窟《いはや》の中へ引き返さう」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。

そこで吾々は、後へ引返した。行きがけに、中途にある造りかけの壁の側で、憐れなファウラタが持つて來た食物を入れた籠を見附けたので、それを吾々の墓場となるべき寶窟《いはや》の中へ持つて行つた。それから吾々は引返して、ファウラタの屍體を鄭重に寶窟《いはや》の中へ運んで、金貨の箱の側へ置いた。

そして吾々は、寶石のはひつた三つの石の箱に凭れてどつかと坐つた。

「これから食物をなるたけ永く續かせるために今の中に三人で分けておかう！」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。そこで吾々はそれを分配した。少しづつ食べれば一人前四囘分宛《づゝ》位の分量があつた。それから乾肉《ビルトング》の外に、六合づつ位はひる水を入れた瓢箪が二つあつたのである。

「さあ明日は死ぬんだからこれから食つたり飮んだりしよう」とサー・ヘンリイは苦笑しながら言つた。

吾はめい〜少量の乾肉《ビルトング》を食ひ、少しばかりづつ水を飮んだ。いふまでもないことだが、吾々はひどく空腹を感じてはゐたのだが、食慾は餘り無かつたのだ。それでも食事をするといくらか氣分がよくなつて來た。それから吾々は起ち上つて、何處かに出口はないかといふ微かな希望を持つて、この牢獄の壁を系統的に隅から隅まで檢《しら》べて見た。床も同じやうに注意深く檢《しら》べた。

だが出口は何處にもなかつた。考へて見れば寶窟《いはや》などに出口のありさうなわけもないのだ。

ランプはだん〜薄暗くなつて來た。油はもう殆んど盡きてしまつたのだ。

「コオターメンさん」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「今何時ですか？—— あんたの時計は動いてゐますか？」

時計を取り出して見るともう六時であつた。吾々が洞窟の中へはひつたのは十一時だつ[た]から、もう七時間たつたわけだ。

「インファドオスが待ちあぐんでゐるでせう」と私は言つた。「若し吾々が今夜ぢうに歸らなければ朝になつたら彼は吾々を搜しに來るでせう。」

「いくら搜しても判るまい。あの男は扉《ドア》の祕密も知らなければ、扉《ドア》が何處にあるかさへも知らないのだから。昨日までは、生きた人間で、扉《ドア》の祕密を知つてゐるものはガゴオル一人しかなかつたのです。今日は誰も知つてゐるものはないのです。たとひあの男が扉《ドア》を見附けたとしても、あれを壞すことは出來はしない。ククアナの軍隊が總掛りになつたつて厚さ五呎もある岩を壞すことは出來はしない。もうかうなつては神樣にすがるより外はありませんよ。考へて見れば寶物を搜しに來たものは皆非業の最期をとげたが、吾々も矢つ張りその仲間の數を増すだけですよ。」

ランプは益々暗くなつて來た。と思ふと急にぱつと燃え上つて白い象牙の積み重ねたのや、黄金の箱や、その前に横はつてゐる哀れなファウラタの死骸や、寶物の一ぱいはひつてゐる山羊の皮や、ダイヤモンドの鈍い光りや、そこに坐つて餓死を待つてゐる三人の白人のやつれた凄い顏やを、一時に明るく照した。

そして焔は消えてしまつた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第17章（1）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 06:57:26 | 日記

CHAPTER XVII

SOLOMON'S TREASURE CHAMBER

While we were engaged in recovering from our fright, and in examining the grisly wonders of the Place of Death, Gagool had been differently occupied. Somehow or other—for she was marvellously active when she chose—she had scrambled on to the great table, and made her way to where our departed friend Twala was placed, under the drip, to see, suggested Good, how he was "pickling," or for some dark purpose of her own. Then, after bending down to kiss his icy lips as though in affectionate greeting, she hobbled back, stopping now and again to address the remark, the tenor of which I could not catch, to one or other of the shrouded forms, just as you or I might welcome an old acquaintance. Having gone through this mysterious and horrible ceremony, she squatted herself down on the table immediately under the White Death, and began, so far as I could make out, to offer up prayers. The spectacle of this wicked creature pouring out supplications, evil ones no doubt, to the arch enemy of mankind, was so uncanny that it caused us to hasten our inspection.

"Now, Gagool," said I, in a low voice—somehow one did not dare to speak above a whisper in that place—"lead us to the chamber."

The old witch promptly scrambled down from the table.

"My lords are not afraid?" she said, leering up into my face.

"Lead on."

"Good, my lords;" and she hobbled round to the back of the great Death. "Here is the chamber; let my lords light the lamp, and enter," and she placed the gourd full of oil upon the floor, and leaned herself against the side of the cave. I took out a match, of which we had still a few in a box, and lit a rush wick, and then looked for the doorway, but there was nothing before us except the solid rock. Gagool grinned. "The way is there, my lords. Ha! ha! ha!"

"Do not jest with us," I said sternly.

"I jest not, my lords. See!" and she pointed at the rock.

As she did so, on holding up the lamp we perceived that a mass of stone was rising slowly from the floor and vanishing into the rock above, where doubtless there is a cavity prepared to receive it. The mass was of the width of a good-sized door, about ten feet high and not less than five feet thick. It must have weighed at least twenty or thirty tons, and was clearly moved upon some simple balance principle of counter-weights, probably the same as that by which the opening and shutting of an ordinary modern window is arranged. How the principle was set in motion, of course none of us saw; Gagool was careful to avoid this; but I have little doubt that there was some very simple lever, which was moved ever so little by pressure at a secret spot, thereby throwing additional weight on to the hidden counter-balances, and causing the monolith to be lifted from the ground.

Very slowly and gently the great stone raised itself, till at last it had vanished altogether, and a dark hole presented itself to us in the place which the door had filled.

Our excitement was so intense, as we saw the way to Solomon's treasure chamber thrown open at last, that I for one began to tremble and shake. Would it prove a hoax after all, I wondered, or was old Da Silvestra right? Were there vast hoards of wealth hidden in that dark place, hoards which would make us the richest men in the whole world? We should know in a minute or two.

"Enter, white men from the Stars," said Gagool, advancing into the doorway; "but first hear your servant, Gagool the old. The bright stones that ye will see were dug out of the pit over which the Silent Ones are set, and stored here, I know not by whom, for that was done longer ago than even I remember. But once has this place been entered since the time that those who hid the stones departed in haste, leaving them behind. The report of the treasure went down indeed among the people who lived in the country from age to age, but none knew where the chamber was, nor the secret of the door. But it happened that a white man reached this country from over the mountains—perchance he too came 'from the Stars'—and was well received by the king of that day. He it is who sits yonder," and she pointed to the fifth king at the table of the Dead. "And it came to pass that he and a woman of the country who was with him journeyed to this place, and that by chance the woman learnt the secret of the door—a thousand years might ye search, but ye should never find that secret. Then the white man entered with the woman, and found the stones, and filled with stones the skin of a small goat, which the woman had with her to hold food. And as he was going from the chamber he took up one more stone, a large one, and held it in his hand."

Here she paused.

"Well," I asked, breathless with interest as we all were, "what happened to Da Silvestra?"

The old hag started at the mention of the name.

"How knowest thou the dead man's name?" she asked sharply; and then, without waiting for an answer, went on—

"None can tell what happened; but it came about that the white man was frightened, for he flung down the goat-skin, with the stones, and fled out with only the one stone in his hand, and that the king took, and it is the stone which thou, Macumazahn, didst take from Twala's brow."

"Have none entered here since?" I asked, peering again down the dark passage.

"None, my lords. Only the secret of the door has been kept, and every king has opened it, though he has not entered. There is a saying, that those who enter there will die within a moon, even as the white man died in the cave upon the mountain, where ye found him, Macumazahn, and therefore the kings do not enter. Ha! ha! mine are true words."

Our eyes met as she said it, and I turned sick and cold. How did the old hag know all these things?

"Enter, my lords. If I speak truth, the goat-skin with the stones will lie upon the floor; and if there is truth as to whether it is death to enter here, that ye will learn afterwards. Ha! ha! ha!" and she hobbled through the doorway, bearing the light with her; but I confess that once more I hesitated about following.

"Oh, confound it all!" said Good; "here goes. I am not going to be frightened by that old devil;" and followed by Foulata, who, however, evidently did not at all like the business, for she was shivering with fear, he plunged into the passage after Gagool—an example which we quickly followed.

A few yards down the passage, in the narrow way hewn out of the living rock, Gagool had paused, and was waiting for us.

"See, my lords," she said, holding the light before her, "those who stored the treasure here fled in haste, and bethought them to guard against any who should find the secret of the door, but had not the time," and she pointed to large square blocks of stone, which, to the height of two courses (about two feet three), had been placed across the passage with a view to walling it up. Along the side of the passage were similar blocks ready for use, and, most curious of all, a heap of mortar and a couple of trowels, which tools, so far as we had time to examine them, appeared to be of a similar shape and make to those used by workmen to this day.

Here Foulata, who had been in a state of great fear and agitation throughout, said that she felt faint and could go no farther, but would wait there. Accordingly we set her down on the unfinished wall, placing the basket of provisions by her side, and left her to recover.

Following the passage for about fifteen paces farther, we came suddenly to an elaborately painted wooden door. It was standing wide open. Whoever was last there had either not found the time to shut it, or had forgotten to do so.

Across the threshold of this door lay a skin bag, formed of a goat-skin, that appeared to be full of pebbles.

"Hee! hee! white men," sniggered Gagool, as the light from the lamp fell upon it. "What did I tell you, that the white man who came here fled in haste, and dropped the woman's bag—behold it! Look within also and ye will find a water-gourd amongst the stones."

Good stooped down and lifted it. It was heavy and jingled.

"By Jove! I believe it's full of diamonds," he said, in an awed whisper; and, indeed, the idea of a small goat-skin full of diamonds is enough to awe anybody.

"Go on," said Sir Henry impatiently. "Here, old lady, give me the lamp," and taking it from Gagool's hand, he stepped through the doorway and held it high above his head.

We pressed in after him, forgetful for the moment of the bag of diamonds, and found ourselves in King Solomon's treasure chamber.

At first, all that the somewhat faint light given by the lamp revealed was a room hewn out of the living rock, and apparently not more than ten feet square. Next there came into sight, stored one on the other to the arch of the roof, a splendid collection of elephant-tusks. How many of them there were we did not know, for of course we could not see to what depth they went back, but there could not have been less than the ends of four or five hundred tusks of the first quality visible to our eyes. There, alone, was enough ivory to make a man wealthy for life. Perhaps, I thought, it was from this very store that Solomon drew the raw material for his "great throne of ivory," of which "there was not the like made in any kingdom."

On the opposite side of the chamber were about a score of wooden boxes, something like Martini-Henry ammunition boxes, only rather larger, and painted red.

"There are the diamonds," cried I; "bring the light."

Sir Henry did so, holding it close to the top box, of which the lid, rendered rotten by time even in that dry place, appeared to have been smashed in, probably by Da Silvestra himself. Pushing my hand through the hole in the lid I drew it out full, not of diamonds, but of gold pieces, of a shape that none of us had seen before, and with what looked like Hebrew characters stamped upon them.

"Ah!" I said, replacing the coin, "we shan't go back empty-handed, anyhow. There must be a couple of thousand pieces in each box, and there are eighteen boxes. I suppose this was the money to pay the workmen and merchants."

"Well," put in Good, "I think that is the lot; I don't see any diamonds, unless the old Portuguese put them all into his bag."

"Let my lords look yonder where it is darkest, if they would find the stones," said Gagool, interpreting our looks. "There my lords will find a nook, and three stone chests in the nook, two sealed and one open."

Before translating this to Sir Henry, who carried the light, I could not resist asking how she knew these things, if no one had entered the place since the white man, generations ago.

"Ah, Macumazahn, the watcher by night," was the mocking answer, "ye who dwell in the stars, do ye not know that some live long, and that some have eyes which can see through rock? Ha! ha! ha!"

"Look in that corner, Curtis," I said, indicating the spot Gagool had pointed out.

"Hullo, you fellows," he cried, "here's a recess. Great heavens! see here."

We hurried up to where he was standing in a nook, shaped something like a small bow window. Against the wall of this recess were placed three stone chests, each about two feet square. Two were fitted with stone lids, the lid of the third rested against the side of the chest, which was open.

"See!" he repeated hoarsely, holding the lamp over the open chest. We looked, and for a moment could make nothing out, on account of a silvery sheen which dazzled us. When our eyes grew used to it we saw that the chest was three-parts full of uncut diamonds, most of them of considerable size. Stooping, I picked some up. Yes, there was no doubt of it, there was the unmistakable soapy feel about them.

I fairly gasped as I dropped them.

"We are the richest men in the whole world," I said. "Monte Christo was a fool to us."

"We shall flood the market with diamonds," said Good.

"Got to get them there first," suggested Sir Henry.

We stood still with pale faces and stared at each other, the lantern in the middle and the glimmering gems below, as though we were conspirators about to commit a crime, instead of being, as we thought, the most fortunate men on earth.

"Hee! hee! hee!" cackled old Gagool behind us, as she flitted about like a vampire bat. "There are the bright stones ye love, white men, as many as ye will; take them, run them through your fingers, eat of them, hee! hee! drink of them, ha! ha!"

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第十七章　ソロモン王の寶窟

吾々がやつと恐れから鎭まつて、氣味が惡いこの墓場を調べてゐる間に、ガゴオルは別なことをしてゐた。彼女はどうにかかうにかして大きな臺の上は匍ひあがり、ツワラの死骸の坐つてゐる傍まで行つて何か無氣味なことをしてゐた。ことによると、彼の死骸がもうどれだけ石化したかをしらべてゐたのかも知れぬ。それから蹌《よろ》けながら後へ退《さが》つて鍾乳石の屍衣を纒つた白い一つ二つの屍體の前で立ち止つて昔馴染にでも物を言ふやうに、何か判らぬことを喋つてゐた。それがすむと彼女は、死の神の脚下《あしもと》にうずくまつて何か祈りをさゝげてゐるらしかつた。多分、良くない祈願をしてゐたものだらうと思ふ。吾々はそれを見るとぞつとして早くこの場から出て行きたくなつた。

「さあ、ガゴオル、寶窟へ連れて行け！」と私は低聲《こゞゑ》で囁いた。

老婆はすばやく臺の上から匍ひ下りた。

「怖くはないかね？」と彼女は私の顏を見上げながら言つた。

「さあ行け！」

「よし、よし」と言ひながら、彼女は杖にすがつてよち〜と死の神の後の方へ廻つた。「寶窟は此處にあるのだ。ランプに火を點けてはひりな」かう言ひながら彼女は油壺を下において洞窟の壁に凭れた。私は燐寸《マツチ》を取り出して燈芯に火を點け、入口を搜して見たが、前には堅い岩ばかりで入口らしいものはどこにもなかつた。ガゴオルは無氣味に笑つた。「そこが道だよ、は！は！は！」

「お前は吾々をからかつてゐるな！」私はきつとなつて言つた。

「からかつてるんぢやないよ、よく見な！」と言ひながら彼女は岩を指ざした。

ランプを差し上げて見ると、石の塊が徐々に床から上へあがつて、上の岩の中へ消えてしまつた。きつとその石のはひる窪みが上に出來てゐたのだらう。その石は高さ十呎幅五呎もあつてかなり大きな扉《ドア》ぐらゐの大きさのものであつた。重さは少くも二三十噸《トン》はあつたらうと思ふ。それが簡單な仕掛けで、雜作なく動くやうになつてゐたのだ。多分近代の窓を上下するのを同じ仕掛けだつたらうと思ふが、無論吾々にはどういふ仕掛けになつてゐるのか判らなかつた。

この大石がしづ〜とひとりでに上へ上つて、すつかり見えなくなると、その跡に眞暗な坑《あな》が現はれた。

いよ〜ソロモンの寶窟へ來たんだな、と思ふと私は昂奮のために身體がぞく〜して來た。吾々は一ぱいかつがれたのかな、それともダ・シルヴェストラの書いたことに間違ひはなくて、この暗い坑《あな》の中に寶物がどつさりあつて、吾々は世界一の金持になれるのかな？それはもう一二分でわかるのだ。

「そこへはいるんだよ」とガゴオルは入口から中へ進みながら言つた。「だが、その前にこのガゴオルの言ふことを聞いておきな。このさきにある光る石は、無言の神の立つてゐる豎坑の中から掘り出して、こゝへしまつてあるのだ。誰がさうしたのかわからないがね。こゝに寶物がしまつてあるといふ噂は、この國の人民に代々言ひ傳へられてゐるのだが、誰もそのありかを知るものもなく、祕密の入口を知つてゐるものもないのだ。しかしずつと以前に一人の白人が、山を越えて、この國へやつて來て、その當時の國王から大變款待を受けたことがある。——多分その白人も星の國からでも來たのだらう。この白人が、この國の一人の女と一緒にこゝまでやつて來て、その女が偶然その祕密の扉《ドア》を見附けたのだ。お前さんたちが千年かゝつて搜したつて見附かりつこはないのだよ。そこでその白人は女を連れて中へはひつて、光る石を見出し、その女が辨當袋に持つて來た、小さな山羊の皮に石をいつぱい詰めこんだのだ。そして愈々窟《あな》を出ようとするときになつて、もう一つの大きな石を拾い上げて、それを手に持つたのだ」こゝまで言つて彼女は話を切つた。

「ふむ、それでダ・シルヴェストラはどうしたんだね？」と私は深い興味を感じて呼吸《いき》もせずに訊ねた。

老婆は、私がシルヴェストラの名前を言つたのを聞いて吃驚した。

「お前はどうしてその死んだ男の名前を知つてるのだね？」と彼女は鋭くきゝとがめた。そして答も待たずに續けて言つた。

「それからかうなんだよ。その白人は急に怖くなつて、小山羊の皮包を下へ落して、手に持つてゐた石を一つだけ持つて逃げ出してしまつたのだ。その石がツワラの額についてゐた石なのだ。」

「それから誰もはひつたものはないのかね？」と私は暗い道を覗き込みながら訊ねた。

「それからは誰もはひつたものはないのだ。入口の祕密は嚴重に保たれてゐて、國王だけは、それを開けて見るのだが、中へはひつたものはないのだ。この中へはひると一月の間に死んでしまふといふ傳説があるのでね。白人ですらも山の上の洞穴《ほらあな》で死んでしまつたのだからね。それで國王でも中へはひらないのだ。は！は！これはまつたくだよ。眞實《ほんたう》だよ。」

吾々はこれを聞いて互ひに眼と眼を見交した。どうして一體この老婆はこんなことを知つてるのだらうと思ふとぞつと寒氣《さむけ》がして來た。

「さあはひるんだ、わしの言つたことが眞實なら、石を包んだ山羊の皮が、まだ床の上にあるだらう。それからこゝへはひつたものは死ぬと言ふ事が眞實かどうか後になれば思ひあたるだらうて、は！は！は！」かう言ひながら彼女は手燭《ランプ》を持つてよち〜坑《あな》の中へはひつて行つた。白状するが、私はまた彼女の後から蹤《つ》いて行くのを躊躇《しりごみ》した。

「大丈夫だ！あんな婆の言ふことを恐れてたまるものか」と言ひながらグッドは、ガゴオルの後について坑《あな》の中へはひつて行き、吾々も澁々その後に續いた。數碼進んで行くと、ガゴオルは立ち止つて、吾々の來るのを待つた。

「こゝを見い」と彼女は手燭《ランプ》をさし上げながら言つた。「こゝへ寶物を藏《しま》ひ込んだ人たちは、萬一祕密の入口を見附けた者があつても、中へはひれないやうに、こんな設備をしておかうと思つたのだが、間に合はなかつたのだ」かう言ひながら、彼女は、二呎四方もある四角な石が道の上に積み重ねてあるのを指ざした。その傍にもそれと同じ大きさの石がおいてあり、何よりも不思議な事には、漆喰《しつくひ》と、鏝《こて》とが側においてあつたことだ。その鏝は、今日の職人の使ふものと同じやうな形をしてゐた。

こゝまで來ると、ファウラタは、恐ろしくなつてもうこれから先きへは行けないからそこで待つてゐると言つた。そこで吾々は彼女をその造りかけの壁の上に坐らせ、食料品を入れて來た籠を彼女の傍に置いて、後に殘して進んで行つた。

十五歩ばかり行くと、突然、精巧な彫刻をした、木の扉《ドア》に突きあたつた。その扉は開け放してあつた。この前にはひつた者が、それを閉めるひまがなかつたのか、それとも閉めるのを忘れたのかに相違ない。

この扉の閾の上に、山羊の皮で造つた皮袋が落ちて居り、その中に小石が一ぱいはひつてゐるらしかつた。

「ひ！ひ！どうだね？」とガゴオルは笑つた。「わしの言つた通りだらう。こゝへ來た白人が慌てゝ逃げ出して、女の皮袋をあそこへ落して行つたのだよ！」

グッドは身をかゞめてそれを拾ひ上げた。それは重くてざく〜音がしてゐた。

「きつとこの中にダイヤモンドがいつぱいあるんだね」と彼は眞顏になつて言つた。誰だつて、ダイヤモンドのはひつた、山羊の皮袋を見ては眞顏にならざるを得ないだらう。

「さあ行け！」とサー・ヘンリイは焦々《いら〜》しながら言つた。「その手燭《ランプ》を貸せ」と言つてガゴオルの手からランプを取つて、部屋の中へはひり、燈りを高く頭上にさし上げた。

吾々も、ダイヤモンドの袋のことは暫らく忘れて中へはひつた。たうとうソロモンの寶窟へ着いたのだ！

薄暗い燈火《あかり》で見ると、それは天然の岩をくりぬいてこしらへた十呎四角位の部屋であつた。部屋の中には床から天井まで立派な象牙が積み重ねてあつた。吾々の眼に見えただけでも、最上等の象牙が四五百本位あつた。この象牙だけでも吾々は一生裕福に暮してゆくことが出來る。ソロモン王は、こゝにある材料で、世界無比の有名な「象牙の玉座」をこしらへたのであらう。

部屋の反對側には、赤く塗つた二十許りの木の箱があつた。

「そこにダイヤモンドがあるにちがひない。燈りをこちらへちよつと」」と私は叫んだ。

サー・ヘンリイは手燭《ランプ》をさし上げて、一番上の箱の側へ近寄せた。箱の蓋は、こんな乾燥しら場所でも腐蝕して、縁がくだけてゐるやうに見えた。多分、ダ・シルヴェストラが壞したのだらう。蓋の穴の中から手を入れて中味を一掴み取り出して見ると、それはダイヤモンドではなくして、吾々のまだ見たこともない形をした金貨で、その上には、ヘブライ文字らしいスタンプが捺してあつた。

「これでとも角、手ぶらで歸らなくてもいゝ譯だ。」と私は金貨を側へ置きながら言つた。「箱の中には金貨が二千宛《づゝ》位ははひつてゐるの相違ない。そして箱の數は十八ある。これは多分、職人や商人に支拂ふ金だつたのだらう。」

「ダイヤモンドは、あのポルトガル人が皆な袋の中へ入れてしまつたんだな」とグッドは言つた。

「あの一番暗い處を見るがいゝぞよ」とガゴオルが吾々の顏色を讀みながら言つた。「あの隅つこに、石の箱が三つある。二つは封がしてあつて、一つは開いてゐる！」

これをサー・ヘンリイに通譯する前に、私は一人の白人が三百年も前にこゝへはひつてから、其の後誰もはひつた者はないのに、どうしてガゴオルがそんなことを知つてゐるかを訊ねて見ずにはゐられなかつた。

「星の世界の人間は、岩の中を見拔くものがあるつてことを知らないんだね？は！は！は！」と嘲るやうに答へて彼女は笑つた。

「あのすみつこを搜して見なさい、カーチスさん」と私はガゴオルのさし示した場所を指ざして言つた。

「おや、こんな處に押入れのやうなものがある」とサー・ヘンリイは叫んだ。

吾々は急いで彼の立つてゐる處へ走り寄つた。この凹んだ場所の壁際に、二呎立方ばかりの三つの石の箱が置いてあつた。二つの箱には石の蓋がしてあつたが、三番目の箱は蓋が取つたまゝで開いてゐた。初めのうちは、銀色の光りがちら〜して、眼がくらんでよく判らなかつたが、だん〜眼がなれてくると、中には箱の七分目位のところまで、まだ琢きを入れないダイヤモンドがぎつしりはひつてゐた。私は身をかゞめてその中の幾つかを取りあげた。實にそれは紛れもないダイヤモンドだつた！そのことはすべ〜した石鹸のやうな手ざはりで判つた。

「これで吾々は世界一の金持になつた！」と私は言つた。「モンテ・クリストだつて到底吾々にはかなはぬだらう。」

「市場にダイヤモンドの洪水を流してやらう」とグッドは言つた。

「まづ早くそれを取ることだね」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。

吾々は世界中で最大の果報者である筈だのに、何だかまるでこれから罪を犯さうとする謀叛人かなんぞのやうに、眞青な顏をして手燭《ランプ》の燈りで燦々《きら〜》光る寶石の前に立つて、互ひの顏を見合せた。

「ひ！ひ！ひ！」と老婆のガゴオルは、大蝙蝠のやうに飛び廻りながら後の方で笑つた。「お前さんたちの大好きな光る石がそこに慾しいだけある！だがそれを取つても指の間からこぼれてしまふぞ。食つてしまふか？ひ！ひ！それとも呑んでしまつたらどうだ？は！は！」

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「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第16章（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 06:43:43 | 日記

CHAPTER XVI

THE PLACE OF DEATH

It was already dark on the third day after the scene described in the previous chapter when we camped in some huts at the foot of the "Three Witches," as the triangle of mountains is called to which Solomon's Great Road runs. Our party consisted of our three selves and Foulata, who waited on us—especially on Good—Infadoos, Gagool, who was borne along in a litter, inside which she could be heard muttering and cursing all day long, and a party of guards and attendants. The mountains, or rather the three peaks of the mountain, for the mass was evidently the result of a solitary upheaval, were, as I have said, in the form of a triangle, of which the base was towards us, one peak being on our right, one on our left, and one straight in front of us. Never shall I forget the sight afforded by those three towering peaks in the early sunlight of the following morning. High, high above us, up into the blue air, soared their twisted snow-wreaths. Beneath the snow-line the peaks were purple with heaths, and so were the wild moors that ran up the slopes towards them. Straight before us the white ribbon of Solomon's Great Road stretched away uphill to the foot of the centre peak, about five miles from us, and there stopped. It was its terminus.

I had better leave the feelings of intense excitement with which we set out on our march that morning to the imagination of those who read this history. At last we were drawing near to the wonderful mines that had been the cause of the miserable death of the old Portuguese Dom three centuries ago, of my poor friend, his ill-starred descendant, and also, as we feared, of George Curtis, Sir Henry's brother. Were we destined, after all that we had gone through, to fare any better? Evil befell them, as that old fiend Gagool said; would it also befall us? Somehow, as we were marching up that last stretch of beautiful road, I could not help feeling a little superstitious about the matter, and so I think did Good and Sir Henry.

For an hour and a half or more we tramped on up the heather-fringed way, going so fast in our excitement that the bearers of Gagool's hammock could scarcely keep pace with us, and its occupant piped out to us to stop.

"Walk more slowly, white men," she said, projecting her hideous shrivelled countenance between the grass curtains, and fixing her gleaming eyes upon us; "why will ye run to meet the evil that shall befall you, ye seekers after treasure?" and she laughed that horrible laugh which always sent a cold shiver down my back, and for a while quite took the enthusiasm out of us.

However, on we went, till we saw before us, and between ourselves and the peak, a vast circular hole with sloping sides, three hundred feet or more in depth, and quite half a mile round.

"Can't you guess what this is?" I said to Sir Henry and Good, who were staring in astonishment at the awful pit before us.

They shook their heads.

"Then it is clear that you have never seen the diamond diggings at Kimberley. You may depend on it that this is Solomon's Diamond Mine. Look there," I said, pointing to the strata of stiff blue clay which were yet to be seen among the grass and bushes that clothed the sides of the pit, "the formation is the same. I'll be bound that if we went down there we should find 'pipes' of soapy brecciated rock. Look, too," and I pointed to a series of worn flat slabs of stone that were placed on a gentle slope below the level of a watercourse which in some past age had been cut out of the solid rock; "if those are not tables once used to wash the 'stuff,' I'm a Dutchman."

At the edge of this vast hole, which was none other than the pit marked on the old Dom's map, the Great Road branched into two and circumvented it. In many places, by the way, this surrounding road was built entirely out of blocks of stone, apparently with the object of supporting the edges of the pit and preventing falls of reef. Along this path we pressed, driven by curiosity to see what were the three towering objects which we could discern from the hither side of the great gulf. As we drew near we perceived that they were Colossi of some sort or another, and rightly conjectured that before us sat the three "Silent Ones" that are held in such awe by the Kukuana people. But it was not until we were quite close to them that we recognised the full majesty of these "Silent Ones."

There, upon huge pedestals of dark rock, sculptured with rude emblems of the Phallic worship, separated from each other by a distance of forty paces, and looking down the road which crossed some sixty miles of plain to Loo, were three colossal seated forms—two male and one female—each measuring about thirty feet from the crown of its head to the pedestal.

The female form, which was nude, was of great though severe beauty, but unfortunately the features had been injured by centuries of exposure to the weather. Rising from either side of her head were the points of a crescent. The two male Colossi, on the contrary, were draped, and presented a terrifying cast of features, especially the one to our right, which had the face of a devil. That to our left was serene in countenance, but the calm upon it seemed dreadful. It was the calm of that inhuman cruelty, Sir Henry remarked, which the ancients attributed to beings potent for good, who could yet watch the sufferings of humanity, if not without rejoicing, at least without sorrow. These three statues form a most awe-inspiring trinity, as they sit there in their solitude, and gaze out across the plain for ever.

Contemplating these "Silent Ones," as the Kukuanas call them, an intense curiosity again seized us to know whose were the hands which had shaped them, who it was that had dug the pit and made the road. Whilst I was gazing and wondering, suddenly it occurred to me—being familiar with the Old Testament—that Solomon went astray after strange gods, the names of three of whom I remembered—"Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, and Milcom, the god of the children of Ammon"—and I suggested to my companions that the figures before us might represent these false and exploded divinities.

"Hum," said Sir Henry, who is a scholar, having taken a high degree in classics at college, "there may be something in that; Ashtoreth of the Hebrews was the Astarte of the Phoenicians, who were the great traders of Solomon's time. Astarte, who afterwards became the Aphrodite of the Greeks, was represented with horns like the half-moon, and there on the brow of the female figure are distinct horns. Perhaps these Colossi were designed by some Phoenician official who managed the mines. Who can say?"[1]

Before we had finished examining these extraordinary relics of remote antiquity, Infadoos came up, and having saluted the "Silent Ones" by lifting his spear, asked us if we intended entering the "Place of Death" at once, or if we would wait till after we had taken food at mid-day. If we were ready to go at once, Gagool had announced her willingness to guide us. As it was not later than eleven o'clock—driven to it by a burning curiosity—we announced our intention of proceeding instantly, and I suggested that, in case we should be detained in the cave, we should take some food with us. Accordingly Gagool's litter was brought up, and that lady herself assisted out of it. Meanwhile Foulata, at my request, stored some "biltong," or dried game-flesh, together with a couple of gourds of water, in a reed basket with a hinged cover. Straight in front of us, at a distance of some fifty paces from the backs of the Colossi, rose a sheer wall of rock, eighty feet or more in height, that gradually sloped upwards till it formed the base of the lofty snow-wreathed peak, which soared into the air three thousand feet above us. As soon as she was clear of her hammock, Gagool cast one evil grin upon us, and then, leaning on a stick, hobbled off towards the face of this wall. We followed her till we came to a narrow portal solidly arched that looked like the opening of a gallery of a mine.

Here Gagool was waiting for us, still with that evil grin upon her horrid face.

"Now, white men from the Stars," she piped; "great warriors, Incubu, Bougwan, and Macumazahn the wise, are ye ready? Behold, I am here to do the bidding of my lord the king, and to show you the store of bright stones. Ha! ha! ha!"

"We are ready," I said.

"Good, good! Make strong your hearts to bear what ye shall see. Comest thou too, Infadoos, thou who didst betray thy master?"

Infadoos frowned as he answered—

"Nay, I come not; it is not for me to enter there. But thou, Gagool, curb thy tongue, and beware how thou dealest with my lords. At thy hands will I require them, and if a hair of them be hurt, Gagool, be'st thou fifty times a witch, thou shalt die. Hearest thou?"

"I hear Infadoos; I know thee, thou didst ever love big words; when thou wast a babe I remember thou didst threaten thine own mother. That was but the other day. But, fear not, fear not, I live only to do the bidding of the king. I have done the bidding of many kings, Infadoos, till in the end they did mine. Ha! ha! I go to look upon their faces once more, and Twala's also! Come on, come on, here is the lamp," and she drew a large gourd full of oil, and fitted with a rush wick, from under her fur cloak.

"Art thou coming, Foulata?" asked Good in his villainous Kitchen Kukuana, in which he had been improving himself under that young lady's tuition.

"I fear, my lord," the girl answered timidly.

"Then give me the basket."

"Nay, my lord, whither thou goest there I go also."

"The deuce you will!" thought I to myself; "that may be rather awkward if we ever get out of this."

Without further ado Gagool plunged into the passage, which was wide enough to admit of two walking abreast, and quite dark. We followed the sound of her voice as she piped to us to come on, in some fear and trembling, which was not allayed by the flutter of a sudden rush of wings.

"Hullo! what's that?" halloed Good; "somebody hit me in the face."

"Bats," said I; "on you go."

When, so far as we could judge, we had gone some fifty paces, we perceived that the passage was growing faintly light. Another minute, and we were in perhaps the most wonderful place that the eyes of living man have beheld.

Let the reader picture to himself the hall of the vastest cathedral he ever stood in, windowless indeed, but dimly lighted from above, presumably by shafts connected with the outer air and driven in the roof, which arched away a hundred feet above our heads, and he will get some idea of the size of the enormous cave in which we found ourselves, with the difference that this cathedral designed by nature was loftier and wider than any built by man. But its stupendous size was the least of the wonders of the place, for running in rows adown its length were gigantic pillars of what looked like ice, but were, in reality, huge stalactites. It is impossible for me to convey any idea of the overpowering beauty and grandeur of these pillars of white spar, some of which were not less than twenty feet in diameter at the base, and sprang up in lofty and yet delicate beauty sheer to the distant roof. Others again were in process of formation. On the rock floor there was in these cases what looked, Sir Henry said, exactly like a broken column in an old Grecian temple, whilst high above, depending from the roof, the point of a huge icicle could be dimly seen.

Even as we gazed we could hear the process going on, for presently with a tiny splash a drop of water would fall from the far-off icicle on to the column below. On some columns the drops only fell once in two or three minutes, and in these cases it would be an interesting calculation to discover how long, at that rate of dripping, it would take to form a pillar, say eighty feet by ten in diameter. That the process, in at least one instance, was incalculably slow, the following example will suffice to show. Cut on one of these pillars we discovered the crude likeness of a mummy, by the head of which sat what appeared to be the figure of an Egyptian god, doubtless the handiwork of some old-world labourer in the mine. This work of art was executed at the natural height at which an idle fellow, be he Phoenician workman or British cad, is in the habit of trying to immortalise himself at the expense of nature's masterpieces, namely, about five feet from the ground. Yet at the time that we saw it, which must have been nearly three thousand years after the date of the execution of the carving, the column was only eight feet high, and was still in process of formation, which gives a rate of growth of a foot to a thousand years, or an inch and a fraction to a century. This we knew because, as we were standing by it, we heard a drop of water fall.

Sometimes the stalagmites took strange forms, presumably where the dropping of the water had not always been on the same spot. Thus, one huge mass, which must have weighed a hundred tons or so, was in the shape of a pulpit, beautifully fretted over outside with a design that looked like lace. Others resembled strange beasts, and on the sides of the cave were fanlike ivory tracings, such as the frost leaves upon a pane.

Out of the vast main aisle there opened here and there smaller caves, exactly, Sir Henry said, as chapels open out of great cathedrals. Some were large, but one or two—and this is a wonderful instance of how nature carries out her handiwork by the same unvarying laws, utterly irrespective of size—were tiny. One little nook, for instance, was no larger than an unusually big doll's house, and yet it might have been a model for the whole place, for the water dropped, tiny icicles hung, and spar columns were forming in just the same way.

We had not, however, enough time to examine this beautiful cavern so thoroughly as we should have liked to do, since unfortunately, Gagool seemed to be indifferent as to stalactites, and only anxious to get her business over. This annoyed me the more, as I was particularly anxious to discover, if possible, by what system the light was admitted into the cave, and whether it was by the hand of man or by that of nature that this was done; also if the place had been used in any way in ancient times, as seemed probable. However, we consoled ourselves with the idea that we would investigate it thoroughly on our way back, and followed on at the heels of our uncanny guide.

On she led us, straight to the top of the vast and silent cave, where we found another doorway, not arched as the first was, but square at the top, something like the doorways of Egyptian temples.

"Are ye prepared to enter the Place of Death, white men?" asked Gagool, evidently with a view to making us feel uncomfortable.

"Lead on, Macduff," said Good solemnly, trying to look as though he was not at all alarmed, as indeed we all did except Foulata, who caught Good by the arm for protection.

"This is getting rather ghastly," said Sir Henry, peeping into the dark passageway. "Come on, Quatermain—seniores priores. We mustn't keep the old lady waiting!" and he politely made way for me to lead the van, for which inwardly I did not bless him.

Tap, tap, went old Gagool's stick down the passage, as she trotted along, chuckling hideously; and still overcome by some unaccountable presentiment of evil, I hung back.

"Come, get on, old fellow," said Good, "or we shall lose our fair guide."

Thus adjured, I started down the passage, and after about twenty paces found myself in a gloomy apartment some forty feet long, by thirty broad, and thirty high, which in some past age evidently had been hollowed, by hand-labour, out of the mountain. This apartment was not nearly so well lighted as the vast stalactite ante-cave, and at the first glance all I could discern was a massive stone table running down its length, with a colossal white figure at its head, and life-sized white figures all round it. Next I discovered a brown thing, seated on the table in the centre, and in another moment my eyes grew accustomed to the light, and I saw what all these things were, and was tailing out of the place as hard as my legs could carry me.

I am not a nervous man in a general way, and very little troubled with superstitions, of which I have lived to see the folly; but I am free to own that this sight quite upset me, and had it not been that Sir Henry caught me by the collar and held me, I do honestly believe that in another five minutes I should have been outside the stalactite cave, and that a promise of all the diamonds in Kimberley would not have induced me to enter it again. But he held me tight, so I stopped because I could not help myself. Next second, however, his eyes became accustomed to the light, and he let go of me, and began to mop the perspiration off his forehead. As for Good, he swore feebly, while Foulata threw her arms round his neck and shrieked.

Only Gagool chuckled loud and long.

It was a ghastly sight. There at the end of the long stone table, holding in his skeleton fingers a great white spear, sat Death himself, shaped in the form of a colossal human skeleton, fifteen feet or more in height. High above his head he held the spear, as though in the act to strike; one bony hand rested on the stone table before him, in the position a man assumes on rising from his seat, whilst his frame was bent forward so that the vertebræ of the neck and the grinning, gleaming skull projected towards us, and fixed its hollow eye-places upon us, the jaws a little open, as though it were about to speak.

"Great heavens!" said I faintly, at last, "what can it be?"

"And what are those things?" asked Good, pointing to the white company round the table.

"And what on earth is that thing?" said Sir Henry, pointing to the brown creature seated on the table.

"Hee! hee! hee!" laughed Gagool. "To those who enter the Hall of the Dead, evil comes. Hee! hee! hee! ha! ha!"

"Come, Incubu, brave in battle, come and see him thou slewest;" and the old creature caught Curtis' coat in her skinny fingers, and led him away towards the table. We followed.

Presently she stopped and pointed at the brown object seated on the table. Sir Henry looked, and started back with an exclamation; and no wonder, for there, quite naked, the head which Curtis' battle-axe had shorn from the body resting on its knees, was the gaunt corpse of Twala, the last king of the Kukuanas. Yes, there, the head perched upon the knees, it sat in all its ugliness, the vertebræ projecting a full inch above the level of the shrunken flesh of the neck, for all the world like a black double of Hamilton Tighe.[2] Over the surface of the corpse there was gathered a thin glassy film, that made its appearance yet more appalling, for which we were, at the moment, quite unable to account, till presently we observed that from the roof of the chamber the water fell steadily, drip! drop! drip! on to the neck of the corpse, whence it ran down over the entire surface, and finally escaped into the rock through a tiny hole in the table. Then I guessed what the film was—Twala's body was being transformed into a stalactite.

A look at the white forms seated on the stone bench which ran round that ghastly board confirmed this view. They were human bodies indeed, or rather they had been human; now they were stalactites. This was the way in which the Kukuana people had from time immemorial preserved their royal dead. They petrified them. What the exact system might be, if there was any, beyond the placing of them for a long period of years under the drip, I never discovered, but there they sat, iced over and preserved for ever by the siliceous fluid.

Anything more awe-inspiring than the spectacle of this long line of departed royalties (there were twenty-seven of them, the last being Ignosi's father), wrapped, each of them, in a shroud of ice-like spar, through which the features could be dimly discovered, and seated round that inhospitable board, with Death himself for a host, it is impossible to imagine. That the practice of thus preserving their kings must have been an ancient one is evident from the number, which, allowing for an average reign of fifteen years, supposing that every king who reigned was placed here—an improbable thing, as some are sure to have perished in battle far from home—would fix the date of its commencement at four and a quarter centuries back.

But the colossal Death, who sits at the head of the board, is far older than that, and, unless I am much mistaken, owes his origin to the same artist who designed the three Colossi. He is hewn out of a single stalactite, and, looked at as a work of art, is most admirably conceived and executed. Good, who understands such things, declared that, so far as he could see, the anatomical design of the skeleton is perfect down to the smallest bones.

My own idea is, that this terrific object was a freak of fancy on the part of some old-world sculptor, and that its presence had suggested to the Kukuanas the idea of placing their royal dead under its awful presidency. Or perhaps it was set there to frighten away any marauders who might have designs upon the treasure chamber beyond. I cannot say. All I can do is to describe it as it is, and the reader must form his own conclusion.

Such, at any rate, was the White Death and such were the White Dead!

[1] Compare Milton, "Paradise Lost," Book i.:—

"With these in troop
Came Ashtoreth, whom the Phoenicians called
Astarté, Queen of Heaven, with crescent horns;
To whose bright image nightly by the moon
Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs."

[2] "Now haste ye, my handmaidens, haste and see How he sits there and glowers with his head on his knee."

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第十六章　國王の墓場

それから三日目の日が暮れたときには、吾々は既に『三人の魔女』の麓の小舍に停まつてゐた。ソロモン街道は、そこまで來てゐるのだ。一行は吾々三人と吾々——特にグッド—— の世話をしてゐたファウラタと、インファドオスとガゴオルとであつた。ガゴオルは駕籠に乘せられて、ぶつ〜呟いたり罵つたりしてゐた。その外に護衞兵と若干の從者とが蹤《つ》いて來た。三つの山、といふよりもむしろ一つの山にある三つの峰——は前にも云つたやうに三角形を形造つてゐて、その基點になる峰々が吾々の方を向いて聳えてゐた。左右に一つ宛《づゝ》の峰があつて、中央の峰が吾々の眞正面にあるのだ。その翌朝、朝日を浴びて高く聳えてゐる三つの峰を見たとこの光景は、忘れられないものであつた。雪を冠つた山頂は高く〜青空に聳え、雪線の下はヒースのやうに紫色に染つてゐた。吾々の前には、ソロモン街道が、白いリボンのやうに、眞直ぐに約五哩ほど先きにある中央の峰の麓まで、爪先き上りに走つて、そこで終つてゐた。

だがさうしたことは諸君の想像に任せることにする。たうとう吾々は、三世紀以前にポルトガルの老人の慘めな死の原因となり、その何代目かの後裔であつた私の知つてゐる不運な男の死の原因ともなり、ことによるとサー・ヘンリイ・カーチスの弟のヂョーヂ・カーチスの死の原因ともなつたかも知れない不思議な坑山に近づいた。吾々は果してそこから無事に歸つて來られるだらうか？老婆のガゴオルは彼等に災《わざはひ》が降りかゝつたのだと言つた。吾々にもその災《わざはひ》が降りかゝるのだらうか？私は歩きながらも幾らか氣がかりになつて來た。グッドも、サー・ヘンリイも同じだつたと思ふ。

一時間半ばかりも、路傍にヒースの生えた道を歩いて行くと、少し遲れて蹤《つ》いて來たガゴオルが嗄れ聲を出して吾々に止れと叫んだ。

「もつと悠《ゆ》つくり歩くんだよ。」と彼女は草を編んで拵へた籠の間から顏を突き出して言つた。「寶物を搜しに行くものには、皆が皆災《わざはひ》が降りかゝるのだぜ。そんなに走つてまで、わざ〜災を背負ひ込みに行かなくたつていゝだらう！」そして彼女は恐ろしい聲で笑つた。彼女の笑ひ聲を聞くといつでも私は背筋が寒くなつた。

だが吾々は尚も進んで行くと、遂に吾々の前に大きな四角い坑《あな》が見えた。坑の周圍《まはり》は勾配になつてゐて、深さ三百呎、周圍はたつぷり半哩もあつた。

「これは何だか判りますか？」と私は、この大きな豎坑を呆氣にとられて見てゐたサー・ヘンリイとグッドに訊ねた。

彼等は首を振つた。

「ではあんた方はまだダイヤモンドの本場のキンバアリイでダイヤモンドを採掘する所を見たことがないのですね。これはきつとソロモンのダイヤモンド坑に相違ありませんよ。御覽なさい」と私は坑の四邊を蔽ふてゐる草の中にまだ見える硬い青土の層を指しながら言つた。「全然《すつかり》同じですよ。」

ポルトガルの老人の地圖に記してある豎坑に相違ない。この坑の周邊《まはり》で街道は二つに岐れて、その坑をぐるりとかこんでゐた。この周圍の道の處々はすつかり石で出來てゐた。それは坑のふちが崩れるのを防ぐためらしかつた。坑の反對《むかう》側に立つてゐる三つの塔のやうなものが見えるが、あれは何だらうと好竒心に驅られながら、吾々は道を急いだ。だん〜近づくにつれて、それは三人三樣の形をした三つの巨像であることが判つた。それこそククアナの人民が非常に畏れてゐる『無言の神』であらうと吾々は推測したが、果してその通りであつた。しかし、この三つの巨像の壯嚴さはその側へ行くまではつきり判らなかつた。

生殖噐崇拜教の粗笨《そほん》な象徴《しるし》を彫り附けた大きな石の臺の上に、約二十歩づゝの間隔をおいて、三つの巨像が坐つてゐた。二つは男で、一つは女で、何れも頭の上から臺の上のところまで十八呎ほどあつた。女の像は裸體できりつとひきしまつた中々の美人であつたが、長い年月の間風雨にさらされてゐたために、顏は大分破損してをり、額には角髮のあとがあつた。これに反して二つの男の像は身に布を纒ひ、恐ろしい形相をしてゐた。わけても右の方の像は惡魔のやうな顏をしてゐた。左に方のは靜かな顏つきをしてゐたが、その靜かさは身顫ひするやうな靜かさだつた。

この『無言の神』を見てゐるうちに、誰がこんなものをこしらへたのだらう、それからこの豎坑を掘り、あの街道を造つたのは誰だらうと言ふ疑念が吾々の心に起つて來た。ふと私は舊約聖書にソロモンが異國の神を追うて彷徨《さまよ》ひ歩くところを思ひ出した。その三人の神の名前を私は覺えてゐたシドニヤ人の女神アシトレトとモアビタ人の神ケモシと、アンモンの子供等の神ミルコムとだ。そこで私はこの巨像はその三人の神をかたどつたものではなからうかと連れの者に言つた。

吾々がこの古代の遺物をすつかりしらべ終らない中に、インファドオスがやつて來て、無言の神に槍を擧げて敬禮した。そして吾々に向つて、これから直ぐに國王の墓場に行くか、それとも晝の食事を濟ますまで待つかと尋ねた。若し直ぐ行くならガゴオルが案内するからといふことであつた。まだ十一時前ではあるし、吾々は早く目的地が見たくてたまらなかつたので、直ぐにこれから行きたいと言つた。そして私は、もし遲れた場合の要心に少し食物を持つて行くことにした。やがてガゴオルの駕籠がその場へ運ばれ、ファウラタは私の頼みで若干の乾肉《ビルトング》と、水を入れた瓢箪とを葦で造つた籠の中へ入れて持つた。ガゴオルは駕籠の中から出ると、じろりと吾々を見て杖にすがつて巨像の五十歩ばかり後に立つてゐる八十呎もある嶮しい岩の斷崖の處まで蹌踉《よろ〜》しながら行つた。吾々も彼女の後からついて行つた。そこには坑道の入口らしいアーチ形の狹い門があつた。

ガゴオルは氣味の惡い笑を浮べながらそこで吾々を待つてゐた。

「さあ、さあ！」と彼女は嗄れ聲で言つた。「皆用意はよいかな。どれ、それではこれから國王の命令通り光る石のところへ案内することにしよう！は！は！は！」

「用意は良い」」と私は言つた。

「よしきた！氣をたしかに持つて何を見ても吃驚せんやうにするがいゝぜ。さあインファドオス、國王を裏切つたお前さんも道づれになるかね？」

インファドオスは眉をひそめて答へた。

「いや、わしは行かん、わしには用がない！だがガゴオルよく氣をつけろ！お客樣がたの髮の毛一本でも傷つけたら、お前の命はないのだぞ、いゝか？」

「判つたよ、インファドオス、わしはお前を知つとる。お前はいつも大きなことを言ふのが好きだつた。お前はまだほんの赤ん坊の時に、お前の母親《おふくろ》をおどかしたのを覺えてゐるよ。それはまだほんの此間のことだつたからな。だが心配せんでもいゝ。わしは國王の命令をはたすだけのために生きてゐるのだからな。わしはこれまでにも澤山の國王の命令通りに働いて來たが、しまひにはどの國王も皆わしの命令を聞くやうになる、は！は！どれ、これから昔の國王の顏でも見て來ようか！ツワラの顏もな！さあお出で、こゝにランプがある」と言ひながら彼女は大きな油壺を取り出し、外套の下からあやしげな燈芯を出して火を點けた。

「お前も行かないかね、ファウラタ？」とグッドはこの娘のお蔭で大分上手になつたククアナ語で訊ねた。

「怖いわね」と娘はおづ〜と答へた。

「では僕がその籠を持つて行かう。」

「いゝえ、あなたの行きなさる處なら、どこへでも一緒に行きますわ！」

「これや愈々困つたことになつたわい」と私は心の中で思つた。

ガゴオルはさつさと道の中へはひつて行つた。道は二人でたつぷり竝《なら》んで歩けるほど廣かつた。そして眞つ暗だつた。吾々はこは〜゛老婆の嗄れ聲のする方へついて行つた。すると、不意にばた〜と羽搏きの音がした。

「おや、あれや何だらう？」とグッドは叫んだ。「何か僕の顏にあたつたぜ。」

「蝙蝠だよ」と私は言つた。

かれこれ五十歩ばかりも來たと思ふ頃、吾々は道が少し明るくなつて來たのに氣がついた。それから暫くたつと、吾々は實に驚くべき場所へ來てゐた。

讀者諸君は諸君がこれまで見たことのある一番大きい伽藍を想像して慾しい。だがその伽藍には窓はなくて、上の方に、恐らく外へ通ずる豎坑があつて、そこから微かな明りが通つてるのだ。そしてアーチ形の屋根は、床の地面から百呎も上にあるのだ。かういふ伽藍を想像すれば、略《ほゞ》、吾々のはひつて行つた洞窟の大體の見當がつくだらうが、たゞ異つてゐる點は、この自然にできた伽藍は人間のこしらへたどの伽藍よりも高くて廣いといふ點だ。しかしこの場所の不思議さは、たゞ大きいといふばかりでなくて、その中には一見氷のやうな、大きな柱が澤山竝《なら》んで建つてゐたのだ。それは鍾乳石の柱なのだ。この白い柱のすくすくと竝《なら》んで立つてゐる光景は到底筆紙でつくしがたい雄大なものであつた。中には起本部の直徑《さしわたし》が二十呎もあつて天井まで續いてゐる柱もあつたし、中にはいま現に形成されつゝある柱もあつた。岩の床からできかゝつて[る]のは古代ギリシャの寺院の壞れた柱そのまゝで、上の屋根から下つてるのは大きな氷柱《つらゝ》そのまゝであつた。

吾々が見てゐる中にもこの柱は刻々に出來つゝあつた。といふのは上の方の氷柱から下の柱の上へ時々小さい水滴がぽたり、ぽたりと落ちてゐた。中には二三分に一滴位しか落ちないものもあつた。こんな割合で高さ八十呎直徑十呎もある大きな柱が出來るには何年かゝるか計算して見るのも興味のあることだらう。

鍾乳石といふものは時々妙な形になることがある。それは水の雫が同じところへ落ちないためにさうなるのであらう。或るものは大きな説教臺のやうな形をしてゐた。

この大きな洞窟の側壁には、ところどころに道が通じて、小さい洞窟がその先きに開いてゐた。だが吾々はこんな美しい洞窟もゆつくりしらべてゐるひまはなかつた。といふのは、ガゴオルは鍾乳洞などには無頓着で、早く自分の仕事を濟ましてしまはうとしてゐたからだ。特に私はどうして洞窟の中へ明りがはひるのか、それは自然にさうなつてゐるのか、或はまた人間の手でさういふふうに造つたのかを調べて見られなかつたのを殘念に思つた。だが吾々は歸りにゆつくり見て行かうと思つて、それで諦めて不愛想な案内者の後を蹤《つ》いて行つた。

ガゴオルのあとへついて眞直にこの洞窟の突き當りまで行くと、そこはまた入口があつた。この入口は初めの入口と違つて、上がアーチ形でなく、四角で、ちよつと埃及の寺院の入口に似たところがあつた。

「さあこれからいよ〜國王の墓場へはひるんだぜ、用意は良いかね？」とガゴオルは訊ねた。明かに吾々をわざと氣味惡がらせるつもりらしかつた。

「いゝから行け！」とグッドはちつとも恐くなんかないといふことを見せやうとしながら嚴かに言つた。實際吾々はみなさういふふうを裝つてゐたのだ。たゞファウラタは別で、彼女はグッドの腕につかまつてかばつて貰つてゐた。

「少し氣味が惡くなつてきたねえ」とサー・ヘンリイは暗い道を覗きこみながら言つた。「さあ行きませう、コオターメンさん、あの婆が待つてゐるから。」

ことり〜とガゴオルは杖の音をさせて無氣味な聲で笑ひながら歩いて行つた。だが私はまだ何となく薄氣味が惡いのでもぢ〜してゐた。

「早く來なさい」とグッドは言つた。「でないとあの綺麗な案内者を見失ひますよ。」

こんなふうに言はれたので、私も仕方なく道を降りて行つた。かれこれ二十歩ばかりも行くと、陰氣な暗い部屋の中へ着いた。その部屋は長さ四十呎、幅三十呎、高さ三十呎位あつて、明かに人間の手で岩を掘り拔いて造つたものであつた。この部屋は前の大きな鍾乳洞のやうに明るくはなかつたので、初めて見た時には、部屋の中に大きな石の臺があつて、その上に巨大な白い像が立つて居り、その周圍に人間位の大きさの白い姿が立つてゐるのが見えただけであつた。その次に私は鳶色のものが一つ中央の臺の上に坐つてゐるのを發見した。それからだん〜眼が光りになれてくるにつれて、そこにあるのが何であるかゞ判つて來た。

私は元來あまり神經質な人間ではない。それにあまり迷信などは信じない方だ。だがこの光景を見た時ばかりは私は仰天してしまつた。そしてサー・ヘンリイが私の素首《そつくび》を掴んで止めなかつたら、私はこの鍾乳洞の外へ飛び出してしまひ、キンバーリーのダイヤモンドを殘らずこれると言つても二度とその中へはひる氣にならなかつたゞらうと思ふ。だが、サー・ヘンリイがしつかり掴んでゐてどうにもできなかつたので、私はその場に止つてゐた。しかし暫らくすると彼の眼も暗《やみ》になれてきたと見えて、サー・ヘンリイは私を掴んでゐた手を放して額の汗を拭きはじめた。グッドは微かな聲で神を祈り、ファウラタは彼の頸に抱きついてけたゝましく泣き叫んだ。

たゞガゴオルだけは大きな聲を出して長く笑つただけだつた。

それは實に氣味の惡い光景であつた。長い石の臺の端に、骨だけの指で大きな白い槍を持ちながら死の神が坐つてゐた。それは高さ十五呎もある大きな人間の骸骨の形をしてゐた。この骸骨は頭の上へ槍を振りあげて、今にも突かうとするやうな身構へをして居り、片手は石の臺の上へ載せて、今にも起ち上るやうな樣子をしてゐた。上體は前こゞみになつて頭蓋骨を前に突き出し、空洞《うつろ》の眼でぢつと吾々を凝視《みつ》め、頤を少し開いて、今にも物を言はうとするやうな風をしてゐた。

「一體あれは何だらう？」とたうとう私は微かな聲で言つた。

「それから、あの周りにあるものは何だらう？」とグッドは臺の周りに竝《なら》んでゐる多くの白いものを指ざしながら訊ねた。

「それからあれはなんだね？」とサー・ヘンリイは臺の上に坐つてゐる鳶色のものを指ざしながら言つた。

「ひ！ひ！ひ！」とガゴオルは笑つた。「國王の墓へはひるものには災《わざはひ》が降りかゝつて來るのぢや。ひ！ひ！ひ！ひ！」

「さあお出で、戰爭では勇しかつたヘンリイとやら、こちらへ來てお前が殺した相手を見るんだ」と老婆は干乾びた指でカーチスの上衣《うはぎ》を引つぱつて臺のところへ連れて行つた。吾々はそのあとから蹤《つ》いて行つた。

やがて彼女は立止つて、臺の上に坐つてゐる鳶色のものを指ざした。サー・ヘンリイはそれを見ると呀《あ》つと叫んで後へ跳び退つた。それも無理ではない、といふのは、臺の上には、カーチスが戰斧で首と胴とを切り放した、ククアナの前王ツワラのやつれた死骸が裸のまゝで坐つてゐるではないか。しかも首は膝の上へのせてあつて、切られたあとの頸の肉は縮んで、脊柱が一吋ばかり上へ突き出てゐたのだ。おまけに死骸の表面には薄い透明な膜が出來てゐるので、益々薄氣味が惡かつた。なぜそんなものが出來たのか初めの中は良く判らなかつたが、よく見ると天井からポタリ〜と水滴が死骸の頸の處へ落ち、それが體躯の表面を傳はつて、臺の小さな穴から岩の中へ流れてゐるのであつた。それで薄い膜の出來てゐる譯が判つた。ツワラの死骸は刻々鍾乳石になりつゝあつたのだ。

この氣味の惡い臺の周りを取り圍んで坐つてゐた眞白な人間の姿を見た時に、この見解は益々確實なものとなつた。そこに竝んでゐるのはみな人間の身體なのだ、といふよりも嘗て人間だつたのが、今では鍾乳石になつてしまつてゐるのだ。こんなふうにしてククアナの人民は太古の昔から、國王の屍體を保存してゐたのである。

この國王たちの屍體の長い列は實にこの上なく物凄い見物であつた。二十七の屍體が悉く氷のやうな屍衣を纒うて、死の神を主人としてその無氣味な臺の周りに列んで坐つて居り、透明な屍衣を透して、微かに顏の輪廓を見ることが出來た。この屍體の數から推して考へても、この習慣は餘程昔から行はれてゐたの相違ない。國王の平均在位年限を十五年としても、四百五十年は經つてゐるのだ。

しかし死の神の巨像の方は、それよりもずつと古いものに相違ない。これは例の三つの巨像をこしらへたのと同じ藝術家の手になつたものであらう。この像は天然の鍾乳石を切つて造つたもので、解剖學の心得のあるグッドの説によると、この骸骨は小さな骨の形や配置にいたるまで、解剖學的に完全なものだとのことであつた。

私の考へによるとそれは多分古代の彫刻家が氣紛れに造つたのを、ククアナ人が見て、その周圍へ國王の死骸を安置しようと考へついたものであらう。それともことによるとその先にある寶窟へ闖入しようとするものを恐れさすために造られたものかも知れぬ。

それは何れにしてもこれが白い死の神の白い屍體との正體であつたのだ。

機械翻訳のみ　「ソロモン王の洞窟」第15章 GOOD FALLS SICK （2）【平林初之輔訳なし】

2014-04-04 05:41:52 | 日記

機械翻訳のみ　「ソロモン王の洞窟」第15章 GOOD FALLS SICK （2）【平林初之輔訳なし】

"Hush—h—h!" came from the patch of dark shadow behind Good's head.

Then, creeping closer, I saw that he was not dead, but sleeping soundly, with Foulata's taper fingers clasped tightly in his poor white hand. The crisis had passed, and he would live. He slept like that for eighteen hours; and I scarcely like to say it, for fear I should not be believed, but during the entire period did this devoted girl sit by him, fearing that if she moved and drew away her hand it would wake him. What she must have suffered from cramp and weariness, to say nothing of want of food, nobody will ever know; but it is the fact that, when at last he woke, she had to be carried away—her limbs were so stiff that she could not move them.

After the turn had once been taken, Good's recovery was rapid and complete. It was not till he was nearly well that Sir Henry told him of all he owed to Foulata; and when he came to the story of how she sat by his side for eighteen hours, fearing lest by moving she should wake him, the honest sailor's eyes filled with tears. He turned and went straight to the hut where Foulata was preparing the mid-day meal, for we were back in our old quarters now, taking me with him to interpret in case he could not make his meaning clear to her, though I am bound to say that she understood him marvellously as a rule, considering how extremely limited was his foreign vocabulary.

"Tell her," said Good, "that I owe her my life, and that I will never forget her kindness to my dying day."

I interpreted, and under her dark skin she actually seemed to blush.

Turning to him with one of those swift and graceful motions that in her always reminded me of the flight of a wild bird, Foulata answered softly, glancing at him with her large brown eyes—

"Nay, my lord; my lord forgets! Did he not save my life, and am I not my lord's handmaiden?"

It will be observed that the young lady appeared entirely to have forgotten the share which Sir Henry and myself had taken in her preservation from Twala's clutches. But that is the way of women! I remember my dear wife was just the same. Well, I retired from that little interview sad at heart. I did not like Miss Foulata's soft glances, for I knew the fatal amorous propensities of sailors in general, and of Good in particular.

There are two things in the world, as I have found out, which cannot be prevented: you cannot keep a Zulu from fighting, or a sailor from falling in love upon the slightest provocation!

It was a few days after this last occurrence that Ignosi held his great "indaba," or council, and was formally recognised as king by the "indunas," or head men, of Kukuanaland. The spectacle was a most imposing one, including as it did a grand review of troops. On this day the remaining fragments of the Greys were formally paraded, and in the face of the army thanked for their splendid conduct in the battle. To each man the king made a large present of cattle, promoting them one and all to the rank of officers in the new corps of Greys which was in process of formation. An order was also promulgated throughout the length and breadth of Kukuanaland that, whilst we honoured the country by our presence, we three were to be greeted with the royal salute, and to be treated with the same ceremony and respect that was by custom accorded to the king. Also the power of life and death was publicly conferred upon us. Ignosi, too, in the presence of his people, reaffirmed the promises which he had made, to the effect that no man's blood should be shed without trial, and that witch-hunting should cease in the land.

When the ceremony was over we waited upon Ignosi, and informed him that we were now anxious to investigate the mystery of the mines to which Solomon's Road ran, asking him if he had discovered anything about them.

"My friends," he answered, "I have discovered this. It is there that the three great figures sit, who here are called the 'Silent Ones,' and to whom Twala would have offered the girl Foulata as a sacrifice. It is there, too, in a great cave deep in the mountain, that the kings of the land are buried; there ye shall find Twala's body, sitting with those who went before him. There, also, is a deep pit, which, at some time, long-dead men dug out, mayhap for the stones ye speak of, such as I have heard men in Natal tell of at Kimberley. There, too, in the Place of Death is a secret chamber, known to none but the king and Gagool. But Twala, who knew it, is dead, and I know it not, nor know I what is in it. Yet there is a legend in the land that once, many generations gone, a white man crossed the mountains, and was led by a woman to the secret chamber and shown the wealth hidden in it. But before he could take it she betrayed him, and he was driven by the king of that day back to the mountains, and since then no man has entered the place."

"The story is surely true, Ignosi, for on the mountains we found the white man," I said.

"Yes, we found him. And now I have promised you that if ye can come to that chamber, and the stones are there—"

"The gem upon thy forehead proves that they are there," I put in, pointing to the great diamond I had taken from Twala's dead brows.

"Mayhap; if they are there," he said, "ye shall have as many as ye can take hence—if indeed ye would leave me, my brothers."

"First we must find the chamber," said I.

"There is but one who can show it to thee—Gagool."

"And if she will not?"

"Then she must die," said Ignosi sternly. "I have saved her alive but for this. Stay, she shall choose," and calling to a messenger he ordered Gagool to be brought before him.

In a few minutes she came, hurried along by two guards, whom she was cursing as she walked.

"Leave her," said the king to the guards.

So soon as their support was withdrawn, the withered old bundle—for she looked more like a bundle than anything else, out of which her two bright and wicked eyes gleamed like those of a snake—sank in a heap on to the floor.

"What will ye with me, Ignosi?" she piped. "Ye dare not touch me. If ye touch me I will slay you as ye sit. Beware of my magic."

"Thy magic could not save Twala, old she-wolf, and it cannot hurt me," was the answer. "Listen; I will this of thee, that thou reveal to us the chamber where are the shining stones."

"Ha! ha!" she piped, "none know its secret but I, and I will never tell thee. The white devils shall go hence empty-handed."

"Thou shalt tell me. I will make thee tell me."

"How, O king? Thou art great, but can thy power wring the truth from a woman?"

"It is difficult, yet will I do so."

"How, O king?"

"Nay, thus; if thou tellest not thou shalt slowly die."

"Die!" she shrieked in terror and fury; "ye dare not touch me—man, ye know not who I am. How old think ye am I? I knew your fathers, and your fathers' fathers' fathers. When the country was young I was here; when the country grows old I shall still be here. I cannot die unless I be killed by chance, for none dare slay me."

"Yet will I slay thee. See, Gagool, mother of evil, thou art so old that thou canst no longer love thy life. What can life be to such a hag as thou, who hast no shape, nor form, nor hair, nor teeth—hast naught, save wickedness and evil eyes? It will be mercy to make an end of thee, Gagool."

"Thou fool," shrieked the old fiend, "thou accursed fool, deemest thou that life is sweet only to the young? It is not so, and naught thou knowest of the heart of man to think it. To the young, indeed, death is sometimes welcome, for the young can feel. They love and suffer, and it wrings them to see their beloved pass to the land of shadows. But the old feel not, they love not, and, ha! ha! they laugh to see another go out into the dark; ha! ha! they laugh to see the evil that is done under the stars. All they love is life, the warm, warm sun, and the sweet, sweet air. They are afraid of the cold, afraid of the cold and the dark, ha! ha! ha!" and the old hag writhed in ghastly merriment on the ground.

"Cease thine evil talk and answer me," said Ignosi angrily. "Wilt thou show the place where the stones are, or wilt thou not? If thou wilt not thou diest, even now," and he seized a spear and held it over her.

"I will not show it; thou darest not kill me, darest not! He who slays me will be accursed for ever."

Slowly Ignosi brought down the spear till it pricked the prostrate heap of rags.

With a wild yell Gagool sprang to her feet, then fell again and rolled upon the floor.

"Nay, I will show thee. Only let me live, let me sit in the sun and have a bit of meat to suck, and I will show thee."

"It is well. I thought that I should find a way to reason with thee. To-morrow shalt thou go with Infadoos and my white brothers to the place, and beware how thou failest, for if thou showest it not, then thou shalt slowly die. I have spoken."

"I will not fail, Ignosi. I always keep my word—ha! ha! ha! Once before a woman showed the chamber to a white man, and behold! evil befell him," and here her wicked eyes glinted. "Her name was Gagool also. Perchance I was that woman."

"Thou liest," I said, "that was ten generations gone."

"Mayhap, mayhap; when one lives long one forgets. Perhaps it was my mother's mother who told me; surely her name was Gagool also. But mark, ye will find in the place where the bright things are a bag of hide full of stones. The man filled that bag, but he never took it away. Evil befell him, I say, evil befell him! Perhaps it was my mother's mother who told me. It will be a merry journey—we can see the bodies of those who died in the battle as we go. Their eyes will be gone by now, and their ribs will be hollow. Ha! ha! ha!"

機械翻訳

-H- H ！ "グッドの頭の後ろの暗い影のパッチから来ました。

すると、近い忍び寄る、私は彼が死んでいたのを見たが、彼の貧しい白人の手にしっかりと握り締めFoulataのテーパー指で、ぐっすり眠って。危機は過ぎていたし、彼は生きるだろう。彼は、 18時間そのような眠った。と私はほとんど恐れて、私は信じてされるべきではなく、全期間中にこの献身的な女の子は、彼女は彼女の手を離れて移動して描いた場合、それは彼を覚ますことを恐れ、彼が座ったのは、それを言いたいん。彼女は誰も知らないので、食品の欠乏はもちろんする、けいれんや疲れから何を受けている必要があります。それはついに、彼が目を覚ましたとき、彼女は手足、彼女はそれらを移動できないほど堅いた、彼女が離れて運ばれた、という事実である。

一度撮影していたターンの後、グッド回復は迅速で完了した。彼はほぼ順調だったまでそれはサー·ヘンリーは、彼がFoulataに支払うべきすべての彼に言ったことはなかった。そしてときに彼は彼女が彼を覚ますべき動かすことでないように、正直な船乗りの目は涙でいっぱい恐れ、 18時間のために彼のそばに座っていたかの話になりました。私はバウンドしていますが、彼は、彼は彼女に彼の意味を明確にすることができなかった場合に解釈するために彼と一緒に私を取って、私たちはすぐに戻って私たちの旧市街にあったため、 Foulataは昼の食事を準備していた小屋にまっすぐになって行きました彼女は見事にルールとして彼を理解していることを言って、非常に限られてどのように考えると、彼の外国人の語彙だった。

、良いと述べ、「彼女に言う""私は彼女に私の人生を借りて、私は自分の死ぬ日に彼女の親切を決して忘れないだろうということを。 "

私が解釈され、彼女の浅黒い肌の下に彼女が実際に顔を赤らめるように見えた。

彼女は常に野鳥の飛行を思い出し、それらの迅速かつ優雅な動きの1をもって彼に目を向けると、 Foulataは彼女の大規模な茶色で彼をちらっと見、そっと答えた目 -

「いや、私の主は、！私の主は忘れて、彼は私の人生を保存していない、と私はしません、私の主の侍女のですか？ "

それは、若い女性はサー·ヘンリーと私はTwalaのクラッチからの彼女の保全に撮影していたシェアを忘れてしまったために、完全に見えたことが観察される。しかし、それは女性の方法です！私は私の愛する妻がちょうど同じだった覚えています。まあ、私は心で悲しいことはほとんどインタビューを引退。私は特に、一般的には、グッドの船員の致命的な色目性向を知っていたため、ミスFoulataのソフト色目好きではありませんでした。

防止することができない私が発見したように、世界で2のものは、あります：あなたはわずかな挑発すると恋に落ちるのに戦ってからズールーを維持するか、船乗りができない！

それはIgnosiは彼の偉大な「ダバ」、または協議会を開催していることを数日、この最後の発生後で、正式にKukuanalandの「 indunas 」、またはヘッドの男性によって王として認識された。光景は、それが軍の壮大なレビューを行ったように含む、最も印象的だった。この日にグレイの残りのフラグメントを正式パレードし、軍隊に直面して戦闘で彼らの素晴らしい行動のために感謝した。それぞれの人に、王は彼らに形成の過程にあったグレイの新しい隊における役員のランクに1とすべてを推進し、牛の大プレゼントを作りました。順序はまた、我々は我々の存在によって国を光栄ながら、私たち3はロイヤルサルートを迎えられるようにあったことをKukuanalandの長さと幅全体に公布された、カスタムにaccordedでいたのと同じ式と敬意を持って扱われるべき王。また、生と死のパワーが公に私たちに授与された。 Ignosiは、あまりにも、彼の人々の存在下では、ノーマンズ血が裁判なし流されるべきであり、その魔女狩りが土地に中止すべきである旨を、彼が作った約束を再確認した。

式典が終わったとき、我々はIgnosiすると待っていた、と我々は彼がそれらについては何も発見していた場合、彼を尋ね、今ソロモンの道を走ったために鉱山の謎を調査することを切望していたことを彼に伝えた。

「私の友人は、「彼は私がこれを発見した」と答えた。それはここ'、サイレントワンズ」と呼ばれ、誰にTwala犠牲として女の子をFoulataを提供していただろう。それが誰であるか、 3偉大な人物が座っていることがあるそこに、あまりにも、土地の王が埋葬されていることを山の深い大きな洞窟で、そこにあなたがたは彼の前に行った人で座って、 Twalaの体を発見するものがあり、また、深い穴であり、その一部で。時間は、ずっと前に死んだ男性は掘っ、 mayhapの石あなたがたは話すために、私はナタールの男性がキンバリー、ATの言う聞いたことがあるような。そこでは、あまりにも、死の代わりに王が、どれに知られている秘密の部屋で、そしてそれを知っていたGagool 。しかしTwalaは、死んでいる、と私はそれを知らない、また私はそれで何を知っている。しかし、一度、多くの世代がなくなって、白人の男が山を越えた地で伝説があり、秘密の部屋に女性を中心に、それに隠された富を示した。しかし、彼はそれを取ることができる前に、彼女は彼を裏切って、彼は戻って山にその日の王によるもので、それ以来だれが入力されていないた場所。 "

「山に我々は白人男性を発見したため話は、 Ignosi確かに真実である」と私は言った。

「はい、私たちは彼を見つけた。そして今、私はあなたがたは、その室に来ることができる場合は、そのことを約束した、と石があり、ある"

「汝の額に宝石が、彼らが存在することを証明し、「私はTwalaの死者眉から撮影していた大きなダイヤモンドを指し、中に入れた。

「 Mayhapは、彼らが存在する場合、 "と彼は言った、「あなたがたはあなたがたは、私の兄弟は私を残しだろう確かにあなたがたがあれば、したがって、取ることができますできるだけ多くのを持っているものとします。 "

「まず我々は、チャンバを見つけなければならない、「 I.は言った

」がありますが、なた- Gagoolにそれを表示することができます1 。 "

「彼女はない場合？ "

「それから彼女は死ななければならない、「 Ignosiは厳しく言った。「私は、彼女が選択するものとし、ご滞在ください。彼女の生きているが、これのために保存している」と彼は彼の前にもたらされるようにGagoolを命じMessengerに呼び出す。

数分後に彼女は、彼女が歩いて、彼女がのろいた2警備員によって一緒に急いで来た。

「彼女のままにし、「警備員の王は言った。

だから、すぐに彼らのサポートが撤回されたように、彼女は何よりも、バンドルのように見えた枯れた古いバンドルのため、そのうち彼女の2明るく邪悪な目は床に、ヒープ内に沈んだ蛇のもののようgleamed 。

「何がIgnosi 、私と一緒にあなたがたのだろうか？ "彼女が配管さ。「あなたがたは私に触れないであえて。あなたがたが座るようにあなたがたは私に触れるなら、私はあなたを殺すでしょう。私の魔法に注意してください。 "

「汝の魔法がTwala 、古い彼女は、狼を救うことができなかった、それは私を傷つけることはできない」との答えだった。「音を確認します。私はこれはあなたの意志、輝く石がどこにあなたは私たちに、チャンバを明らかにしていることを。 "

「ハ！ハ！ "彼女は、「誰もその秘密を知っているんだけど、私はあなたを教えすることはありません。白い悪魔手ぶらしたがって行こう。 " 、パイプ処理

「汝は私に言う。私はあなたが私に教えていきます。 "

「どのように、王？汝は偉大な芸術が、あなたの力が女性から真実を絞ることができますか？ "

「それは困難であり、まだ私はそうするでしょう。 "

「どのように、王よ？ "

「いや、このように、あなたがいないtellestた場合あなたはゆっくり死ぬべし。 "

「ダイ！ "彼女は恐怖と怒りに金切り声; 。？ "あなたがたの国は若い頃、私はここにいた私はあなたの父親を知っていたあなたがたは、私だと思う何歳あなたがたは私が誰知らない、私人で手を触れないであえて、そしてあなたの父親の父親の父親、国が老いたとき私はまだここになければならない。私はどれもが私を殺すためにあえて、偶然殺される限り、私は死ぬことはできません。 "

「しかし、私はあなたを殺すでしょう。参照、 Gagool 、悪の母親は、あなたがあなたがあなたの人生を愛し、もはやcanの二人称単数ほど古い芸術。人生は全く形をなたないあなた、、また、フォーム、また髪のようなババアに何をすることができ、も歯HAST水泡、邪悪と悪の目を保存しますか？それはあなたの終わりを作るために慈悲、 Gagoolになります。 "

「汝の馬鹿は、「古い悪魔を金切り声、「あなたはバカ呪わ、人生あなたdeemestはそれを考えて人の心のご存じそれはそうではない？若者だけに甘く、そして無なた。若手には、確かに、死は時々若いが感じることができるため、歓迎されている。彼らは、 HA、愛と苦しみ、それは影の地に彼らの最愛のパスを見て、それらをwrings 。が、古いではないと感じ、彼らがいない愛し、！ハ！それらはに笑う！別の暗いに出て行くのを見、。。ハハ、彼らは星の下で行われて悪を見て笑う彼らが愛するすべての人生がある、暖かい、暖かい太陽、甘い、甘い空気が彼らは寒さを恐れている、寒さと暗闇を恐れて、 HA ！ HA ！ HA ！ "古いHAGは地面に凄惨な陽気にwrithed 。

「汝の邪悪な話を停止し、私に答え、「 Ignosiは怒って言った。「あなたは石がある場所を示して萎凋病、またはあなたがいない萎凋？あなたはあなたが、今でも、 Diestのではないしおれた場合」と、彼は槍を押収したと彼女の上に開催された。

「私はそれを表示されません。あなたは私を殺す、 darestていませんdarest私を殺し、彼は永遠に呪われる！ "

それはぼろの前立腺ヒープを刺しまでゆっくりIgnosiは槍を倒さ。

野生でGagoolが再び落ち、床の上に圧延した後、彼女の足に跳び叫ぶ。

「いや、私は私が太陽の下で座って吸うように肉の少しを持っている、と私はあなたが表示されてみましょう、ライブさせて頂いております。あなたが表示されます。 "

「これはよくある。私は、あなたが場所にInfadoos 、私の白い兄弟と一緒に行く、そしてどのようにあなたfailest注意する明日なた。私はあなたと推論する方法を見つけるべきだと思った、のためにあなたがそれをしないショーウェスト場合は、なたゆっくりと死んで私が話した。 "

「私は、 Ignosiを失敗しません。私はいつも女性が白人にチャンバーを示した前に一度！ハ！ハ！私の言葉-HAを維持し、見よ！悪は、彼に起こっ」とここで彼女の邪悪な目はglinted 。「彼女の名前は恐らく私が女性だった。またGagoolだった。」

「汝liest 、「I」は10代が消えていたこと」と言った。

mayhap 「 Mayhap ; 1は、長い1が忘れて生きて、おそらくそれは私に言った私の母の母だった。確かに彼女の名前もGagoolだったが、マーク、あなたがたは明るいものが石の完全な非表示の袋である場所にあります。。男はその袋を埋めたが、彼はすぐにそれを取ったことはありません。おそらく、それは私に言った私の母の母だった！悪は、私が言う、彼に起こった悪が彼を起こった。これは、人々の陽気な旅 - 私たちが見ることができる体になります我々は彼らの目は今では消えてしまいます。行き、そのリブが中空であるように、戦闘で死亡した。ハ！ハ！ HA ！ "

機械翻訳のみ　「ソロモン王の洞窟」第15章 GOOD FALLS SICK （1）【平林初之輔訳なし】

2014-04-04 05:39:30 | 日記

「ソロモン王の洞窟」第15章（1）機械翻訳のみ

【平林初之輔訳なし】

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CHAPTER XV

GOOD FALLS SICK

After the fight was ended, Sir Henry and Good were carried into Twala's hut, where I joined them. They were both utterly exhausted by exertion and loss of blood, and, indeed, my own condition was little better. I am very wiry, and can stand more fatigue than most men, probably on account of my light weight and long training; but that night I was quite done up, and, as is always the case with me when exhausted, that old wound which the lion gave me began to pain. Also my head was aching violently from the blow I had received in the morning, when I was knocked senseless. Altogether, a more miserable trio than we were that evening it would have been difficult to discover; and our only comfort lay in the reflection that we were exceedingly fortunate to be there to feel miserable, instead of being stretched dead upon the plain, as so many thousands of brave men were that night, who had risen well and strong in the morning.

Somehow, with the assistance of the beautiful Foulata, who, since we had been the means of saving her life, had constituted herself our handmaiden, and especially Good's, we managed to get off the chain shirts, which had certainly saved the lives of two of us that day. As I expected, we found that the flesh underneath was terribly contused, for though the steel links had kept the weapons from entering, they had not prevented them from bruising. Both Sir Henry and Good were a mass of contusions, and I was by no means free. As a remedy Foulata brought us some pounded green leaves, with an aromatic odour, which, when applied as a plaster, gave us considerable relief.

But though the bruises were painful, they did not give us such anxiety as Sir Henry's and Good's wounds. Good had a hole right through the fleshy part of his "beautiful white leg," from which he had lost a great deal of blood; and Sir Henry, with other hurts, had a deep cut over the jaw, inflicted by Twala's battle-axe. Luckily Good is a very decent surgeon, and so soon as his small box of medicines was forthcoming, having thoroughly cleansed the wounds, he managed to stitch up first Sir Henry's and then his own pretty satisfactorily, considering the imperfect light given by the primitive Kukuana lamp in the hut. Afterwards he plentifully smeared the injured places with some antiseptic ointment, of which there was a pot in the little box, and we covered them with the remains of a pocket-handkerchief which we possessed.

Meanwhile Foulata had prepared us some strong broth, for we were too weary to eat. This we swallowed, and then threw ourselves down on the piles of magnificent karrosses, or fur rugs, which were scattered about the dead king's great hut. By a very strange instance of the irony of fate, it was on Twala's own couch, and wrapped in Twala's own particular karross, that Sir Henry, the man who had slain him, slept that night.

I say slept; but after that day's work, sleep was indeed difficult. To begin with, in very truth the air was full

"Of farewells to the dying
And mournings for the dead."

From every direction came the sound of the wailing of women whose husbands, sons, and brothers had perished in the battle. No wonder that they wailed, for over twelve thousand men, or nearly a fifth of the Kukuana army, had been destroyed in that awful struggle. It was heart-rending to lie and listen to their cries for those who never would return; and it made me understand the full horror of the work done that day to further man's ambition. Towards midnight, however, the ceaseless crying of the women grew less frequent, till at length the silence was only broken at intervals of a few minutes by a long piercing howl that came from a hut in our immediate rear, which, as I afterwards discovered, proceeded from Gagool "keening" over the dead king Twala.

After that I got a little fitful sleep, only to wake from time to time with a start, thinking that I was once more an actor in the terrible events of the last twenty-four hours. Now I seemed to see that warrior whom my hand had sent to his last account charging at me on the mountain-top; now I was once more in that glorious ring of Greys, which made its immortal stand against all Twala's regiments upon the little mound; and now again I saw Twala's plumed and gory head roll past my feet with gnashing teeth and glaring eye.

At last, somehow or other, the night passed away; but when dawn broke I found that my companions had slept no better than myself. Good, indeed, was in a high fever, and very soon afterwards began to grow light-headed, and also, to my alarm, to spit blood, the result, no doubt, of some internal injury, inflicted during the desperate efforts made by the Kukuana warrior on the previous day to force his big spear through the chain armour. Sir Henry, however, seemed pretty fresh, notwithstanding his wound on the face, which made eating difficult and laughter an impossibility, though he was so sore and stiff that he could scarcely stir.

About eight o'clock we had a visit from Infadoos, who appeared but little the worse—tough old warrior that he was—for his exertions in the battle, although he informed us that he had been up all night. He was delighted to see us, but much grieved at Good's condition, and shook our hands cordially. I noticed, however, that he addressed Sir Henry with a kind of reverence, as though he were something more than man; and, indeed, as we afterwards found out, the great Englishman was looked on throughout Kukuanaland as a supernatural being. No man, the soldiers said, could have fought as he fought or, at the end of a day of such toil and bloodshed, could have slain Twala, who, in addition to being the king, was supposed to be the strongest warrior in the country, in single combat, shearing through his bull-neck at a stroke. Indeed, that stroke became proverbial in Kukuanaland, and any extraordinary blow or feat of strength was henceforth known as "Incubu's blow."

Infadoos told us also that all Twala's regiments had submitted to Ignosi, and that like submissions were beginning to arrive from chiefs in the outlying country. Twala's death at the hands of Sir Henry had put an end to all further chance of disturbance; for Scragga had been his only legitimate son, so there was no rival claimant to the throne left alive.

I remarked that Ignosi had swum to power through blood. The old chief shrugged his shoulders. "Yes," he answered; "but the Kukuana people can only be kept cool by letting their blood flow sometimes. Many are killed, indeed, but the women are left, and others must soon grow up to take the places of the fallen. After this the land would be quiet for a while."

Afterwards, in the course of the morning, we had a short visit from Ignosi, on whose brows the royal diadem was now bound. As I contemplated him advancing with kingly dignity, an obsequious guard following his steps, I could not help recalling to my mind the tall Zulu who had presented himself to us at Durban some few months back, asking to be taken into our service, and reflecting on the strange revolutions of the wheel of fortune.

"Hail, O king!" I said, rising.

"Yes, Macumazahn. King at last, by the might of your three right hands," was the ready answer.

All was, he said, going well; and he hoped to arrange a great feast in two weeks' time in order to show himself to the people.

I asked him what he had settled to do with Gagool.

"She is the evil genius of the land," he answered, "and I shall kill her, and all the witch doctors with her! She has lived so long that none can remember when she was not very old, and she it is who has always trained the witch-hunters, and made the land wicked in the sight of the heavens above."

"Yet she knows much," I replied; "it is easier to destroy knowledge, Ignosi, than to gather it."

"That is so," he said thoughtfully. "She, and she only, knows the secret of the 'Three Witches,' yonder, whither the great road runs, where the kings are buried, and the Silent Ones sit."

"Yes, and the diamonds are. Forget not thy promise, Ignosi; thou must lead us to the mines, even if thou hast to spare Gagool alive to show the way."

"I will not forget, Macumazahn, and I will think on what thou sayest."

After Ignosi's visit I went to see Good, and found him quite delirious. The fever set up by his wound seemed to have taken a firm hold of his system, and to be complicated with an internal injury. For four or five days his condition was most critical; indeed, I believe firmly that had it not been for Foulata's indefatigable nursing he must have died.

Women are women, all the world over, whatever their colour. Yet somehow it seemed curious to watch this dusky beauty bending night and day over the fevered man's couch, and performing all the merciful errands of a sick-room swiftly, gently, and with as fine an instinct as that of a trained hospital nurse. For the first night or two I tried to help her, and so did Sir Henry as soon as his stiffness allowed him to move, but Foulata bore our interference with impatience, and finally insisted upon our leaving him to her, saying that our movements made him restless, which I think was true. Day and night she watched him and tended him, giving him his only medicine, a native cooling drink made of milk, in which was infused juice from the bulb of a species of tulip, and keeping the flies from settling on him. I can see the whole picture now as it appeared night after night by the light of our primitive lamp; Good tossing to and fro, his features emaciated, his eyes shining large and luminous, and jabbering nonsense by the yard; and seated on the ground by his side, her back resting against the wall of the hut, the soft-eyed, shapely Kukuana beauty, her face, weary as it was with her long vigil, animated by a look of infinite compassion—or was it something more than compassion?

For two days we thought that he must die, and crept about with heavy hearts.

Only Foulata would not believe it.

"He will live," she said.

For three hundred yards or more around Twala's chief hut, where the sufferer lay, there was silence; for by the king's order all who lived in the habitations behind it, except Sir Henry and myself, had been removed, lest any noise should come to the sick man's ears. One night, it was the fifth of Good's illness, as was my habit, I went across to see how he was doing before turning in for a few hours.

I entered the hut carefully. The lamp placed upon the floor showed the figure of Good tossing no more, but lying quite still.

So it had come at last! In the bitterness of my heart I gave something like a sob.

機械翻訳のみ

戦いが終わった後、サー·ヘンリー·グッドは、私がそれらに参加しましたTwalaの小屋へと運ばれた。これらは両方とも全く労作、血液の喪失によって排気、および、実際のところ、私自身の状態が少し良くだった。私は非常に針金午前、おそらく私の軽量で、長い訓練のために、ほとんどの男性よりも疲労を立つことができる。しかし、その夜は、私はかなり消耗したときに私と一緒に常にそうであるように、最大行われ、た、ライオンがくれた古い傷が痛み始めた。また、私の頭は、私は無意味なノックアウトされたとき、私は午前中に受けた打撃から激しく痛むした。全体として、我々はその夜だったよりも多くの悲惨なトリオは、それを発見することは困難だっただろう。そして私たちの唯一の慰めは、勇敢な男性のように多くの何千もの朝によく、強い上昇していたその夜、あったように我々は、代わりにプレーンな時に死んで伸ばされるので、惨めな感じにそこに非常に幸運だったことを反映に横たわっていた。

どういうわけか、私たちは彼女の人生を保存する手段であったことから、彼女達の侍女を構成していた、美しいFoulataの案内、特に良いのは、我々は確かに2の命を救っていたチェーンのシャツをオフに得ることができたその日、私たちの。私が予想したように、我々は肉が下にひどくスチールリンクが入るの武器を保管していましたけれども、彼らはあざからそれらを妨げていなかったため、挫傷したことがわかった。サー·ヘンリーグッド両方が挫傷の質量だった、と私は決してなかった。救済策としてFoulataは石膏として適用された場合、私たちにかなりの救済を与え、芳香臭、と、私たちにいくつかの砲撃緑の葉を持って来た。

あざが苦痛であるかのしかし、彼らは私たちにサー·ヘンリーの、グッド傷のような不安を与えていない。良い、右、彼は大量の血液を失っていた、そこから彼の「美しい白い脚、 "の肉質部分に穴を持っていた。そしてサー·ヘンリーは、他のが痛いと、 Twalaの戦い-AXによって与えあごの上に深いカットを、持っていた。幸いにもグッドは非常にまともな外科医であり、そうすぐに薬の彼の小さなボックスが徹底的に傷を清めた、今後のあったように、彼は原始Kukuanaによって与えられた不完全な光を考慮して、かなり満足のいく最初のサー·ヘンリーの、その後彼自身をステッチするために管理小屋ランプ。その後彼は、多々鍋小箱にあったそのうちのいくつかの消毒軟膏で負傷した場所を、塗りつけ、そして我々は我々が保有するポケットハンカチの遺跡でそれらをカバーした。

一方Foulataは、私たちが食べるにはあまりにも疲れたために、私たちにいくつかの強力なスープを準備していた。この私たちは飲み込まれ、その後死んだ王の偉大な小屋が点在し、壮大karrosses 、または毛皮の敷物の山に身を投げた。サー·ヘンリー、彼を殺した男が、その夜寝ていることを、運命の皮肉の非常に奇妙なインスタンスによって、それがTwala自身のソファの上で、 Twala自身特にkarrossに包まれた。

私は眠っていたと言う。しかし、その日の仕事の後、睡眠は確かに困難であった。まず、非常に真実に空気が満ちていた

「死への別れの
死者のためとmournings 。 "

あらゆる方向からの夫、息子、兄弟の戦いで死んた女性の嘆きの音が来た。彼らは、 12000以上の男性、またはKukuana軍のほぼ五のために、泣き叫んだことも不思議ではその恐ろしい闘争で破壊されていなかった。それは戻らないだろうことは人のために横になって彼らの叫びに耳を傾ける悲痛だった。そしてそれは私がさらに男の野望にその日行った作業の完全な恐怖を理解した。沈黙だけ私がその後発見したように、我々の直接後方の小屋から来た長い突き刺し遠吠え、で数分おきに壊れていた長さになるまで、深夜に向けて、しかし、女性の泣いて不断には、それほど頻繁に成長した、死んだ王TwalaかけGagool 「キーンという」から進んだ。

その後私は私が最後の二十四時間の恐ろしいイベントで再び俳優だったと思って、開始に時々目を覚ますために、少し断続的な睡眠を得ました。今、私は私の手が彼の最後のアカウントに送信されていたことな戦士が山の上に私を充電見ることだった。今私は少しマウンド上にすべてTwalaの連隊に対してその不滅のスタンドを作っている、グレイの栄光のリングに一度以上であった。そして今、再び私は歯ぎしり歯とまぶしい目で私の足の過去Twalaの羽飾りと血みどろのヘッドロールを見ました。

最後に、どうやら、夜は亡くなった。夜明けが壊れたとき、私は私の仲間は自分よりも良いが寝ていなかったことがわかった。良い、確かに、高熱にいた、と非常にすぐにその後、血を吐くように、私のアラームに、また、その結果を光頭成長し始めた、間違いなく、いくつかの内部の損傷のため、によって行われた必死の努力の間に与えたチェーン防具を通して彼の大きな槍を強制的に前日のKukuanaの戦士。彼は彼がほとんどかき混ぜることができなかったほどの痛みや硬直したのにヘンリーは、しかし、困難と笑い不可能を食べた顔で彼の傷、にもかかわらず、かなり新鮮に見えた。

約8時は、我々は彼がいた - のための彼の努力の戦いで、彼は彼は徹夜していたことを知らせてくれましたが、もっと悪い - タフな古の戦士が登場しますが、少しInfadoosからの訪問があった。彼は私たちを見て喜んでいたが、はるかに良いの条件で悲しみ、そして真心を込めて手を振った。私は彼が人間以上の何かであるかのように彼は、畏敬の念のようなものでヘンリーを扱っていること、しかし、気づいた;我々はその後分かったように、実際、偉大な英国人は、超自然的存在としてKukuanaland全体に見えた。だれも、兵士が言った、彼が戦ったように戦っていないかもしれない、または、そのような労苦と流血の日の終わりに、王であることに加えて、最強の戦士になるはずだった、 Twalaを、殺害された可能性国は、単一の戦闘で、一気に彼の雄牛ネックを通じてせん断。確かに、そのストロークがKukuanalandにことわざとなり、強度のいずれかの異常な打撃や偉業を今後と呼ばれていました」 Incubuの一撃。 "

InfadoosはすべてTwalaの連隊がIgnosiに提出していたし、そのような提出物は辺境国の首長から到着し始めていたことも私たちに語った。サー·ヘンリーの手でTwalaの死は、外乱のすべての更なる可能性に終止符を入れていた。 Scraggaのための彼の唯一の合法的な息子であったので、王位へのライバル請求者が生きて残ってありませんでした。

私はIgnosiは血液を介して電源に泳いしたと述べた。古いチーフは彼の肩をすくめた。「はい」と彼は答えた。「しかしKukuanaの人々は実際、多くが殺される。時には彼らの血を流すことで、クールに保つことができますが、女性は残し、他の人はすぐに落ちたの場所を取るために成長しなければなりません。この後の土地は静かになりますしばらくの間。 "

その後、朝の過程で、我々は、その眉王室の王冠が今結合させた上で、 Ignosiから短期訪問がありました。私は王の威厳、彼の手順に従って、こびへつらうガードとともに進む、彼を意図したように、私は、私の心にいくつかの数ヶ月前ダーバンで私たちに自分自身を提示していた背の高いズールーをリコール私たちのサービスに入れなければ尋ねると、反射助けることができなかった運命の輪の奇妙な回転に。

「あられ、王よ！ "私は上昇し、言った。

「はい、 Macumazahn 。王が、最終的にあなたの3右手のマイトによって、「即答だった。

すべてがうまくいって、彼によると、あった。彼は人々に自分自身を示すために、 2週間後に大きなごちそうを手配することを望んだ。

私は彼がGagoolをどうする定住していたものを彼に尋ねた。

「彼女は土地の悪の天才である」と彼は答えた、「私は彼女を殺すものとし、彼女とのすべての魔女の医師が！彼女は、彼女は非常に古いではなかったとき何も覚えていないということであれ生きてきた、彼女はそれが誰であるか常に魔女ハンターを訓練して、上記の天の目の前で土地が邪悪になりました。 "

私は答えた"しかし、彼女は多くを知っている"; 「それは、それを収集するよりも、知識、 Ignosiを破壊する方が簡単です。 "

「それはそうです」と彼は思慮深く言った。「彼女と彼女は、王が埋葬され、サイレントワンズが座っている偉大な道路が実行されると、どこへ、「三魔女、「あそこの秘密を知っている。 "

「はい、ダイヤモンドがあるではないあなたの約束、 Ignosiを忘れ、。あなたはあなたが道を示すために生きているGagoolを余裕なたとしても、鉱山に私たちを導く必要があります。 "

「私は、 Macumazahnを忘れてはいけませんし、私はあなたがsayの二人称単数現在形かに思うだろう。 "

Ignosiの訪問後、私は良い見に行って、彼は非常にせん妄が見つかりました。彼の傷が設定した熱が彼のシステムをしっかりホールドをとっているため、内部の損傷を合併しているように見えた。 4または5日間、彼の状態は、最も重要だった。確かに、私はそれが、彼が死亡している必要がありますFoulataの不屈の介護のためにされていないことをしっかりと考えています。

女性は女性、以上のすべての世界では、何でも自分の色である。しかし、どういうわけかそれが不自然なほどの男のソファの上で夜と昼、曲げ、ゆっくり、迅速病気部屋のすべての慈悲深い用事を行い、微細で訓練病院の看護師と本能この薄暗い美しさを見て好奇心旺盛だった。最初の夜または2のために私は彼女を助けようとした、と彼の剛性は彼が移動することができるようにサー·ヘンリーは、すぐでしたが、 Foulataは焦りと私たちの干渉を産み、最終的に我々は彼女に彼を出ると主張し、私たちの運動が行われていることを言って私は本当だったと思う、これは彼は満足。昼と夜、彼女は彼を見て、彼にチューリップの種の球根からジュースを注入したここで彼の唯一の薬、牛乳で作られたネイティブの冷却ドリンクを、与えて、彼の上に沈殿するのハエを維持し、彼に傾向があった。それが私たちの原始的なランプの光で夜の後の夜に現れたように私は今、全体像を見ることができます。良い投げに行ったり来たり、彼の特徴は衰弱、彼の目は庭で大きくて明るい、とジャバーナンセンス輝く。そして彼の側で地面に座って、無限の慈悲またはの外観によるアニメーション小屋、ソフト目、形の良いKukuanaの美しさ、彼女の顔、それは彼女の長い徹夜であったように疲れた、の壁に休んで、彼女の背中だったそれ同情以上の何か？

2日間、我々は彼が死ななければならないと思った、と重い心で約こっそり。

唯一Foulataはそれを信じないだろう。

「彼は生きるだろう "と彼女は言った。

Twalaのチーフ小屋、苦しんでいる人の信徒の周りに300ヤード以上、沈黙があった。ノイズが病気の人の耳に来るといけない王の政令でサー·ヘンリーと私を除いて、その背後にあるすまいに住んでいたすべての人は、除去された。ある夜、私は彼が数時間内の電源を入れる前にやっていた方法を見て渡って行きました、私の習慣があったように、グッドの病気の五だった。

私は慎重に小屋に入った。床の上に置かれ、ランプは、より良い投げの姿は見られなかったが、非常にまだ嘘。

だから、最後に来ていた！私の心の苦味で、私はすすり泣きのようなものを与えた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第14章（2）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 03:28:07 | 日記

But suddenly there rose a cry of "Twala, y' Twala," and out of the press sprang forward none other than the gigantic one-eyed king himself, also armed with battle-axe and shield, and clad in chain armour.

"Where art thou, Incubu, thou white man, who slewest Scragga my son—see if thou canst slay me!" he shouted, and at the same time hurled a tolla straight at Sir Henry, who fortunately saw it coming, and caught it on his shield, which it transfixed, remaining wedged in the iron plate behind the hide.

Then, with a cry, Twala sprang forward straight at him, and with his battle-axe struck him such a blow upon the shield that the mere force and shock of it brought Sir Henry, strong man as he is, down upon his knees.

But at this time the matter went no further, for that instant there rose from the regiments pressing round us something like a shout of dismay, and on looking up I saw the cause.

To the right and to the left the plain was alive with the plumes of charging warriors. The outflanking squadrons had come to our relief. The time could not have been better chosen. All Twala's army, as Ignosi predicted would be the case, had fixed their attention on the bloody struggle which was raging round the remnant of the Greys and that of the Buffaloes, who were now carrying on a battle of their own at a little distance, which two regiments had formed the chest of our army. It was not until our horns were about to close upon them that they had dreamed of their approach, for they believed these forces to be hidden in reserve upon the crest of the moon-shaped hill. And now, before they could even assume a proper formation for defence, the outflanking Impis had leapt, like greyhounds, on their flanks.

In five minutes the fate of the battle was decided. Taken on both flanks, and dismayed at the awful slaughter inflicted upon them by the Greys and Buffaloes, Twala's regiments broke into flight, and soon the whole plain between us and Loo was scattered with groups of running soldiers making good their retreat. As for the hosts that had so recently surrounded us and the Buffaloes, they melted away as though by magic, and presently we were left standing there like a rock from which the sea has retreated. But what a sight it was! Around us the dead and dying lay in heaped-up masses, and of the gallant Greys there remained but ninety-five men upon their feet. More than three thousand four hundred had fallen in this one regiment, most of them never to rise again.

"Men," said Infadoos calmly, as between the intervals of binding a wound on his arm he surveyed what remained to him of his corps, "ye have kept up the reputation of your regiment, and this day's fighting will be well spoken of by your children's children." Then he turned round and shook Sir Henry Curtis by the hand. "Thou art a great captain, Incubu," he said simply; "I have lived a long life among warriors, and have known many a brave one, yet have I never seen a man like unto thee."

At this moment the Buffaloes began to march past our position on the road to Loo, and as they went a message was brought to us from Ignosi requesting Infadoos, Sir Henry, and myself to join them. Accordingly, orders having been issued to the remaining ninety men of the Greys to employ themselves in collecting the wounded, we joined Ignosi, who informed us that he was pressing on to Loo to complete the victory by capturing Twala, if that should be possible. Before we had gone far, suddenly we discovered the figure of Good sitting on an ant-heap about one hundred paces from us. Close beside him was the body of a Kukuana.

"He must be wounded," said Sir Henry anxiously. As he made the remark, an untoward thing happened. The dead body of the Kukuana soldier, or rather what had appeared to be his dead body, suddenly sprang up, knocked Good head over heels off the ant-heap, and began to spear him. We rushed forward in terror, and as we drew near we saw the brawny warrior making dig after dig at the prostrate Good, who at each prod jerked all his limbs into the air. Seeing us coming, the Kukuana gave one final and most vicious dig, and with a shout of "Take that, wizard!" bolted away. Good did not move, and we concluded that our poor comrade was done for. Sadly we came towards him, and were astonished to find him pale and faint indeed, but with a serene smile upon his face, and his eyeglass still fixed in his eye.

"Capital armour this," he murmured, on catching sight of our faces bending over him. "How sold that beggar must have been," and then he fainted. On examination we discovered that he had been seriously wounded in the leg by a tolla in the course of the pursuit, but that the chain armour had prevented his last assailant's spear from doing anything more than bruise him badly. It was a merciful escape. As nothing could be done for him at the moment, he was placed on one of the wicker shields used for the wounded, and carried along with us.

On arriving before the nearest gate of Loo we found one of our regiments watching it in obedience to orders received from Ignosi. The other regiments were in the same way guarding the different exits to the town. The officer in command of this regiment saluted Ignosi as king, and informed him that Twala's army had taken refuge in the town, whither Twala himself had also escaped, but he thought that they were thoroughly demoralised, and would surrender. Thereupon Ignosi, after taking counsel with us, sent forward heralds to each gate ordering the defenders to open, and promising on his royal word life and forgiveness to every soldier who laid down his arms, but saying that if they did not do so before nightfall he would certainly burn the town and all within its gates. This message was not without its effect. Half an hour later, amid the shouts and cheers of the Buffaloes, the bridge was dropped across the fosse, and the gates upon the further side were flung open.

Taking due precautions against treachery, we marched on into the town. All along the roadways stood thousands of dejected warriors, their heads drooping, and their shields and spears at their feet, who, headed by their officers, saluted Ignosi as king as he passed. On we marched, straight to Twala's kraal. When we reached the great space, where a day or two previously we had seen the review and the witch hunt, we found it deserted. No, not quite deserted, for there, on the further side, in front of his hut, sat Twala himself, with but one attendant—Gagool.

It was a melancholy sight to see him seated, his battle-axe and shield by his side, his chin upon his mailed breast, with but one old crone for companion, and notwithstanding his crimes and misdeeds, a pang of compassion shot through me as I looked upon Twala thus "fallen from his high estate." Not a soldier of all his armies, not a courtier out of the hundreds who had cringed round him, not even a solitary wife, remained to share his fate or halve the bitterness of his fall. Poor savage! he was learning the lesson which Fate teaches to most of us who live long enough, that the eyes of mankind are blind to the discredited, and that he who is defenceless and fallen finds few friends and little mercy. Nor, indeed, in this case did he deserve any.

Filing through the kraal gate, we marched across the open space to where the ex-king sat. When within about fifty yards of him the regiment was halted, and accompanied only by a small guard we advanced towards him, Gagool reviling us bitterly as we came. As we drew near, Twala, for the first time, lifted his plumed head, and fixed his one eye, which seemed to flash with suppressed fury almost as brightly as the great diamond bound round his forehead, upon his successful rival—Ignosi.

"Hail, O king!" he said, with bitter mockery; "thou who hast eaten of my bread, and now by the aid of the white man's magic hast seduced my regiments and defeated mine army, hail! What fate hast thou in store for me, O king?"

"The fate thou gavest to my father, whose throne thou hast sat on these many years!" was the stern answer.

"It is good. I will show thee how to die, that thou mayest remember it against thine own time. See, the sun sinks in blood," and he pointed with his battle-axe towards the setting orb; "it is well that my sun should go down in its company. And now, O king! I am ready to die, but I crave the boon of the Kukuana royal House[1] to die fighting. Thou canst not refuse it, or even those cowards who fled to-day will hold thee shamed."

"It is granted. Choose—with whom wilt thou fight? Myself I cannot fight with thee, for the king fights not except in war."

Twala's sombre eye ran up and down our ranks, and I felt, as for a moment it rested on myself, that the position had developed a new horror. What if he chose to begin by fighting me? What chance should I have against a desperate savage six feet five high, and broad in proportion? I might as well commit suicide at once. Hastily I made up my mind to decline the combat, even if I were hooted out of Kukuanaland as a consequence. It is, I think, better to be hooted than to be quartered with a battle-axe.

Presently Twala spoke.

"Incubu, what sayest thou, shall we end what we began to-day, or shall I call thee coward, white—even to the liver?"

"Nay," interposed Ignosi hastily; "thou shalt not fight with Incubu."

"Not if he is afraid," said Twala.

Unfortunately Sir Henry understood this remark, and the blood flamed up into his cheeks.

"I will fight him," he said; "he shall see if I am afraid."

"For Heaven's sake," I entreated, "don't risk your life against that of a desperate man. Anybody who saw you to-day will know that you are brave enough."

"I will fight him," was the sullen answer. "No living man shall call me a coward. I am ready now!" and he stepped forward and lifted his axe.

I wrung my hands over this absurd piece of Quixotism; but if he was determined on this deed, of course I could not stop him.

"Fight not, my white brother," said Ignosi, laying his hand affectionately on Sir Henry's arm; "thou hast fought enough, and if aught befell thee at his hands it would cut my heart in twain."

"I will fight, Ignosi," was Sir Henry's answer.

"It is well, Incubu; thou art a brave man. It will be a good fray. Behold, Twala, the Elephant is ready for thee."

The ex-king laughed savagely, and stepping forward faced Curtis. For a moment they stood thus, and the light of the sinking sun caught their stalwart frames and clothed them both in fire. They were a well-matched pair.

Then they began to circle round each other, their battle-axes raised.

Suddenly Sir Henry sprang forward and struck a fearful blow at Twala, who stepped to one side. So heavy was the stroke that the striker half overbalanced himself, a circumstance of which his antagonist took a prompt advantage. Circling his massive battle-axe round his head, he brought it down with tremendous force. My heart jumped into my mouth; I thought that the affair was already finished. But no; with a quick upward movement of the left arm Sir Henry interposed his shield between himself and the axe, with the result that its outer edge was shorn away, the axe falling on his left shoulder, but not heavily enough to do any serious damage. In another moment Sir Henry got in a second blow, which was also received by Twala upon his shield.

Then followed blow upon blow, that were, in turn, either received upon the shields or avoided. The excitement grew intense; the regiment which was watching the encounter forgot its discipline, and, drawing near, shouted and groaned at every stroke. Just at this time, too, Good, who had been laid upon the ground by me, recovered from his faint, and, sitting up, perceived what was going on. In an instant he was up, and catching hold of my arm, hopped about from place to place on one leg, dragging me after him, and yelling encouragements to Sir Henry—

"Go it, old fellow!" he hallooed. "That was a good one! Give it him amidships," and so on.

Presently Sir Henry, having caught a fresh stroke upon his shield, hit out with all his force. The blow cut through Twala's shield and through the tough chain armour behind it, gashing him in the shoulder. With a yell of pain and fury Twala returned the blow with interest, and, such was his strength, shore right through the rhinoceros' horn handle of his antagonists battle-axe, strengthened as it was with bands of steel, wounding Curtis in the face.

A cry of dismay rose from the Buffaloes as our hero's broad axe-head fell to the ground; and Twala, again raising his weapon, flew at him with a shout. I shut my eyes. When I opened them again it was to see Sir Henry's shield lying on the ground, and Sir Henry himself with his great arms twined round Twala's middle. To and fro they swung, hugging each other like bears, straining with all their mighty muscles for dear life, and dearer honour. With a supreme effort Twala swung the Englishman clean off his feet, and down they came together, rolling over and over on the lime paving, Twala striking out at Curtis' head with the battle-axe, and Sir Henry trying to drive the tolla he had drawn from his belt through Twala's armour.

It was a mighty struggle, and an awful thing to see.

"Get his axe!" yelled Good; and perhaps our champion heard him.

At any rate, dropping the tolla, he snatched at the axe, which was fastened to Twala's wrist by a strip of buffalo hide, and still rolling over and over, they fought for it like wild cats, drawing their breath in heavy gasps. Suddenly the hide string burst, and then, with a great effort, Sir Henry freed himself, the weapon remaining in his hand. Another second and he was upon his feet, the red blood streaming from the wound in his face, and so was Twala. Drawing the heavy tolla from his belt, he reeled straight at Curtis and struck him in the breast. The stab came home true and strong, but whoever it was who made that chain armour, he understood his art, for it withstood the steel. Again Twala struck out with a savage yell, and again the sharp knife rebounded, and Sir Henry went staggering back. Once more Twala came on, and as he came our great Englishman gathered himself together, and swinging the big axe round his head with both hands, hit at him with all his force.

There was a shriek of excitement from a thousand throats, and, behold! Twala's head seemed to spring from his shoulders: then it fell and came rolling and bounding along the ground towards Ignosi, stopping just at his feet. For a second the corpse stood upright; then with a dull crash it came to the earth, and the gold torque from its neck rolled away across the pavement. As it did so Sir Henry, overpowered by faintness and loss of blood, fell heavily across the body of the dead king.

In a second he was lifted up, and eager hands were pouring water on his face. Another minute, and the grey eyes opened wide.

He was not dead.

Then I, just as the sun sank, stepping to where Twala's head lay in the dust, unloosed the diamond from the dead brows, and handed it to Ignosi.

"Take it," I said, "lawful king of the Kukuanas—king by birth and victory."

Ignosi bound the diadem upon his brows. Then advancing, he placed his foot upon the broad chest of his headless foe and broke out into a chant, or rather a pæan of triumph, so beautiful, and yet so utterly savage, that I despair of being able to give an adequate version of his words. Once I heard a scholar with a fine voice read aloud from the Greek poet Homer, and I remember that the sound of the rolling lines seemed to make my blood stand still. Ignosi's chant, uttered as it was in a language as beautiful and sonorous as the old Greek, produced exactly the same effect on me, although I was exhausted with toil and many emotions.

"Now," he began, "now our rebellion is swallowed up in victory, and our evil-doing is justified by strength.

"In the morning the oppressors arose and stretched themselves; they bound on their harness and made them ready to war.

"They rose up and tossed their spears: the soldiers called to the captains, 'Come, lead us'—and the captains cried to the king, 'Direct thou the battle.'

"They laughed in their pride, twenty thousand men, and yet a twenty thousand.

"Their plumes covered the valleys as the plumes of a bird cover her nest; they shook their shields and shouted, yea, they shook their shields in the sunlight; they lusted for battle and were glad.

"They came up against me; their strong ones ran swiftly to slay me; they cried, 'Ha! ha! he is as one already dead.'

"Then breathed I on them, and my breath was as the breath of a wind, and lo! they were not.

"My lightnings pierced them; I licked up their strength with the lightning of my spears; I shook them to the ground with the thunder of my shoutings.

"They broke—they scattered—they were gone as the mists of the morning.

"They are food for the kites and the foxes, and the place of battle is fat with their blood.

"Where are the mighty ones who rose up in the morning?

"Where are the proud ones who tossed their spears and cried, 'He is as a man already dead'?

"They bow their heads, but not in sleep; they are stretched out, but not in sleep.

"They are forgotten; they have gone into the blackness; they dwell in the dead moons; yea, others shall lead away their wives, and their children shall remember them no more.

"And I—! the king—like an eagle I have found my eyrie.

"Behold! far have I flown in the night season, yet have I returned to my young at the daybreak.

"Shelter ye under the shadow of my wings, O people, and I will comfort you, and ye shall not be dismayed.

"Now is the good time, the time of spoil.

"Mine are the cattle on the mountains, mine are the virgins in the kraals.

"The winter is overpast with storms, the summer is come with flowers.

"Now Evil shall cover up her face, now Mercy and Gladness shall dwell in the land.

"Rejoice, rejoice, my people!

"Let all the stars rejoice in that this tyranny is trodden down, in that I am the king."

Ignosi ceased his song, and out of the gathering gloom came back the deep reply—

"Thou art the king!"

Thus was my prophecy to the herald fulfilled, and within the forty-eight hours Twala's headless corpse was stiffening at Twala's gate.

[1] It is a law amongst the Kukuanas that no man of the direct royal blood can be put to death, unless by his own consent, which is, however, never refused. He is allowed to choose a succession of antagonists, to be approved by the king, with whom he fights, till one of them kills him.—A.Q.

この時、不意に「ツワラだ！ツワラだ！」と叫ぶ聲が聞えた。すると一眼の巨人、ツワラ王が鎖鎧を身に纒ひ、戰斧《まさかり》と楯とを持つて、群集の中から躍り出した。

「そこにゐるのは息子のスクラッガを殺した白人だらう。どうだ、おれが殺せるか？」と叫ぶと同時に彼はサー・ヘンリイを目がけて投げ槍を投げつけた。しかし幸にも彼はそれを見て楯で受け止めたので、投げ槍はさつと楯に突き刺さつた。

ツワラはまつ直ぐに彼に躍りかゝつて、戰斧《まさかり》を振り上げて楯の上に打ち下した。その力の彈みをくつただけで、さすがのサー・ヘンリイも蹌踉《よろ〜》として膝をついた。

ちやうどその時に、攻め寄せて來た敵の聯隊の中から、困つたやうな叫び聲が起つて來た。上を見上げるとその原因が判つた。

凹地《くぼち》の左右にある原つぱから一時に無數の戰士の羽根飾りが見えて來たのだ！側面軍が吾々の救援に來たのだ！それは絶妙な好機會であつた。ツワラの軍勢はイグノシが豫言したやうに白髮聯隊と水牛聯隊との殘軍を攻撃するのに夢中になつてゐて、側面軍が押し寄せて來るのを、すぐ側に近寄るまで知らずにゐたのだ。そこで彼等が陣形を立て直すひまもなく、側面軍の士卒は獵犬のやうに彼等の横つ腹に襲ひかゝつて來たのだ。そのために、ツワラとサー・ヘンリイとの一騎打ちはそれきりお終ひになつた。

五分間のうちに戰の運命は決せられた。ツワラの軍勢は、正面から白髮聯隊と水牛聯隊との猛撃を受け、今また左右の兩側から新手の軍勢の攻撃を受けて、算を亂して退却し、吾々に對《むか》つてゐた敵の部隊はまるで魔法にでもかゝつたやうに潰滅してしまつて、やがて大浪の引いた後の岩のやうに味方の軍隊だけが跡に殘つた。しかしそれは何と言ふ光景だつたであらう！吾々の周圍には累々たり死屍が横はり、白髮聯隊の生存者は僅《わづ》か九十五人になつてゐた。この一戰で、白髮聯隊だけで三千五百の兵士が仆れたのだ。

「諸君」とインファドオスは腕に受けた傷に繃帶を卷きながら、落着き拂つて言つた。「諸君は、諸君の聯隊の名譽を傷つけなかつた。今日の戰ひは諸君の孫子の代までも語り傳へられるであらう。」それから彼は、サー・ヘンリイ・カーチスの手を握りしめて「あなたは偉大なお方だ」と卒直に云つた。「私は長い軍人生活の間に、ずゐ分勇しい人を澤山見たが、あなたのやうな勇ましい方をつひぞ見たことがありません。」

この時に水牛聯隊は、吾々の陣地のそばを通り過ぎて、宮殿へ通ずる道の方へ進軍を初めた。その時一人の軍使がイグノシの命令を傳へて來た。それはインファドオスとサー・ヘンリイと私とに、水牛聯隊と一しよに來て貰ひたいと言ふ命令であつた。そこで白髮聯隊の九十人の殘軍には負傷者の收容方を命じておいて、吾々はイグノシと共にツワラの宮殿へ攻め寄せて、勝利を完全にし、できるならツワラを俘虜にしようといふ意氣ごみで進軍した。吾々がまだ幾程《いくら》も進まないうちに、私は突然グッドが百碼ばかり離れた岡の上に坐つてゐるのを發見した。彼の側には一人のククアナ人の死骸が横はつてゐた。

「グッド君は負傷したに相違ない」とサー・ヘンリイは心配さうに言つた。彼がさう言つた時に、大變な出來事が起つた。死骸だとばかり思つてゐたククアナ人が急に立ち上つて、グッドを打ち下し彼の身體を槍で突き始めた。吾々が呀《あ》つと言つてそばに駈けつけて見ると、鳶色の兵卒が地べたに仆れてゐるグッドを何べんも突いてゐるのが見えた。グッドは突かれる度に手足を宙に上げて苦しんでゐた。ククアナ人は吾々が來たのを見ると最後に一突き猛烈に突いておいて、一目散に逃げ出した。グッドは身動きもしなかつたので、吾々は彼はもうてつきり殺されてしまつたものと詮《あき》らめた。悄然として彼の側へ寄つて見ると、驚いたことには、彼はまつ蒼な顏をして、ひどく弱つてはゐたが、まだ眼鏡を掛けたまゝで、晴れやかな微笑を浮べてさへゐた。

「實にすばらしい鎧ですよ。」と彼は吾々の顏を見て言つた。そして、それきり氣絶してしまつた。しらべて見ると彼は追撃の時に投げ槍で脚に重症を負うてはゐたが、鎖鎧のお蔭で槍に突かれた傷はほんの擦過傷《かすりきず》位しかついてゐなかつた。だが此の際彼の看護をしてゐる譯にも行かないので、吾々は彼を楯に乘せて一緒に連れて行くことにした。

宮殿の門前まで行くと、イグノシの軍に歸服した一聯隊の兵が宮殿の警護にあたつてゐた。町の他の入口も、それ〜゛別の聯隊が敬語してゐた。そして聯隊長等はイグノシを國王として迎へ、ツワラの軍隊はすつかり城内に逃げ込み、ツワラ自身もこの中へ逃げてしまつたが、軍隊の士氣はすつかり沮喪してゐるから多分降伏するだらうと言つた。そこで、イグノシは吾々と協議した結果、各城門へ傳令を派遣して、開城するやうに命じ、武裝を解除すれば全部生命は許してやると約束した。その效果は忽ち現はれて、やがて水牛軍歡呼の中に濠に橋が下され、城門はぎいつと開かれた。

吾々は萬一裏切り者のあるのを十分警戒しながら町の中を進んで行つた。道の兩側には意氣阻喪した戰士等が、首を下げ、楯と槍とを脚下《あしもと》に投げ出して、イグノシの通るのを見て國王の萬歳を叫んでゐた。吾々はまつ直にツワラの宮殿に進んだ。一兩日前に、觀兵式や魔法狩りの行はれた廣場に着くと、そこには人つ子の影も見えなかつた。いや全く見えなかつたのではない、とふのは、ずつと彼方《むかう》の國王の小舍の前に、ツワラ自身が、たゞ一人の從者ガゴオルと二人で坐つてゐたからだ。

彼が戰斧《まさかり》と楯とを側において、頤《あご》を胸につけ、老婆一人を友として坐つてゐるのを見ると、憎い奴ではあるにもかゝはらず、私はそゞろに惻隱の念を催した。彼の率ゐる全軍の中で、一人の兵卒も、數百の宮臣の中でたゞ一人の宮臣も、たゞ一人の后《きさき》も、今では彼と運命を共にしようとするものがないのだ！憐むべき蠻王よ！彼はその時人心の頼みなさをしみ〜゛と感じたのに相違ない。人間と言ふものは信用を失つたものには見向きもしないものだ。沒落せんとするものには友もなければ慈悲もないのだといふことを、彼はつく〜゛と感じたの相違ない。しかもこの場合には彼にとつてはそれが當然だつたのだが。

吾々は宮殿の門をくゞつて前國王の坐つてゐる廣場へ進んだ。國王から五千碼ばかりの處まで來ると聯隊は止まり、吾々は少しばかりの護衞兵を連れて、彼の側へ進んで行つた。ガゴオルは吾々を見ると何か口ぎたなく罵つてゐた。吾々が側へ寄ると、ツワラは初めて頭を上げ、ぢつと押さへてゐた怒りのために、額に着けてゐるダイヤモンドと同じやうに光る一つの眼で、イグノシをぢつとにらみつけた。

「國王、お目出度う！」と彼は苦々しい嘲るやうな口調で言つた。「おれの稷《しよく》を食《は》みながら、白人の魔法の援《たす》けをかりて、おれの軍隊を唆《そゝの》かした國王、お目出度う。これから一體おれをどうするつもりだ？」

「汝がわが父に與へたと同じ運命を汝に與へるのだ！」とイグノシは儼然と言ひ放つた。

「宜しい！おれが死に方を教へてやるから後學のためによく覺えておけ！この次にはお前の番がくるのだぞ！見よ！太陽は地の下へ沈んで行く！」と言ひながら彼は戰斧《まさかり》を取り上げて沈む夕陽を指ざした。「おれの太陽はもうこれがお終ひだ。ところで國王、おれはこれから死ぬんだから、ククアナの法律に從つて最後の恩典を許してもらひたい。おれは戰つて死にたいのだ！それを拒絶する譯には行くまい。それを斷つたら今日はお前の軍隊に追はれて逃げて來た卑怯な奴等にすらお前は合せる顏がないのだぞ！」

ククアナでは國王が死刑を處せられる時には、誰か相手を一人選んで、どちらかゞ死ぬまで果し合ひをすることが許されてゐたのだ。

「承知した！誰を相手に選ぶか？わしは遺憾ながらお前と鬪ふ譯には行かん。國王は戰場以外では鬪ふ事ができない事になつてゐるのだから。」

ツワラの物凄い眼は吾々の隊伍の中をぎろ〜搜し廻つた。時々彼の眼は私の上にも落ちた。若し彼が最初に私を相手に選んだらどうしよう？六呎五吋もある死物狂ひのあの蠻人と鬪つて私に勝味は絶對にない。いつそ一思ひに自殺する方が餘程ましな位だ！私は慌たゞしく、心の中で、たとひククアナ人からどんなに嘲られても彼の挑戰には應じまいと決心してゐた。戰斧《まさかり》で頭を割られるよりも笑はれた方がましだと私は思ふのだ。

やがてツワラは言つた。

「おい、そこにゐる白人！晝間に始めた格鬪の結末をつけようぢやないか？」

「いけない！」とイグノシが慌てゝ言葉を挾んだ。「この人と鬪ふ譯には行かん！」

「恐ろしいのか？」とツワラは言つた。

運惡くも、サー・ヘンリイはその言葉の意味が判つたも見えて、滿面に朱をそゝいで言つた。

「わしはあいつと鬪ふ。わしが恐れてゐるかどうかを見せてやる！」

「どうぞあんな命知らずと鬪ふことはよして下さい。今日のあなたの働きを見た人は誰だつてあなたを臆病者だ等と思ひはしませんから」と私は頼んだ。

「わしは鬪ふ！」と彼は不機嫌に答へた。「生きてゐる人間に誰だつてわしを臆病者だとは言はせん」と言ひながら彼は戰斧《まさかり》を取つて前に進み出た。

「そんなことをしてはいけません！」とイグノシはサー・ヘンリイの腕を輕く叩いて言つた。「あなたはもう十分戰つて來られたのですから、あなたの身に萬一の事があつたら、私のこの胸が裂けてしまひます！」

「いやどうしても鬪ふよ、イグノシ！」とサー・ヘンリイは答へた。

「では仕方がありません。鬪ひなさい！あなたは勇ましい方です。きつと立派に鬪ひなさるでせう。おい、ツワラ、この方が望み通りお前の相手をなさるさうだ！」

前國王は獰猛に笑つて前に進み出で、カーチスと面を向き合せた。暫らくの間彼等は眞赤な夕陽を浴びて棒のやうにそこにつゝ立つてゐた。實にそれは好箇の取り組であつた。

暫らくすると彼等は、互ひに戰斧《まさかり》を振り上げて、相手のすきをうかゞひながら、ぢり〜と詰め寄つた。

突然サー・ヘンリイは、ツワラに躍りかゝつて恐ろしい一撃を加へた。ツワラは一歩横へ身をかはした。餘りに猛烈な打撃であつたので、打つた方が却つて力のはずみで少し蹌《よろ》けた。するとツワラはすかさずこの好機に乘じて、大きな戰斧《まさかり》を眞向に振りかざして打ち込んで來た。私は心臟が口から飛び出すやうな氣がした。もう駄目だと思つた。ところが豈圖らんや、サー・ヘンリイは素速く左の腕を擧げて戰斧と自分の體との間に楯を挾んで防いだ。楯の縁は少し毀《か》けて戰斧は彼の左の肩を辷り落ちた。その次にはサー・ヘンリイが二度目の打撃を加へ、ツワラはそれを楯でがつしと受けとめた。かくして交《かは》る〜゛打撃が交《かは》されたが、雙方共に巧みに身をかはしたり、楯で受け留めたりした。昂奮は益々高まり、固唾をのんでこれを見てゐた聯隊の者どもは軍紀を忘れて思はず前へのじり寄つた。そして打撃が交《かは》されるごとに、叫んだり呻いたりしてゐた。ちやうどその時、私の側に寢てゐたグッドは、正氣に返つて、その場の出來事を知ると忽ち起き上つて、片足でピョン〜跳びながら私の手を引いて、サー・ヘンリイに盛んに聲援を浴せた。

「そこだ。うまいぞ、あぶない。」等と彼は叫びたてた。

やがてサー・ヘンリイは渾身の力を振つてツワラに打つてかゝつた。さしもの楯も鎖鎧も通つて彼は肩に深傷《ふかで》を受けた。彼は傷を受けると益々猛り狂つて、又もや骨も碎けよと許り打つてかゝつた。その力で犀の角で造つたサー・ヘンリイの戰斧は、眞つ二つに割れてしまひ、彼は顏に傷を負うた。

吾々の勇士の戰斧の頭がぼろりと地上に落ち、ツワラが再び武噐を振りかざして叫びながら打ちかゝつて來た時、水牛聯隊の勇士たちは呀《あ》つと叫んだ。私は眼を閉ぢた。目を開いて見ると、サー・ヘンリイは楯を地上に捨てゝしまひ、たくましい腕でツワラに組みついてゐた、二人の巨漢は熊のやうに、右に左に巨幹を搖ぶつてゐた。その内にツワラは金剛力を出して、サー・ヘンリイを倒し、二人は地上に上になり下になり轉げ廻つた。ツワラは戰斧でカーチスの頭を打たうとし、サー・ヘンリイは腰から投槍を拔いて敵の鎧を突き刺さうとしてゐた。

「戰斧を取つてやれ」とグッドが叫ぶと、その聲はサー・ヘンリイにも聞えたと見えて、彼は投げ槍を棄てゝツワラの手首に水牛の革で結びつけてあつた戰斧に手をかけ、尚も喘ぎながら猫のやうに轉げ廻つた。突然水牛の革はびり〜破れて、戰斧はサー・ヘンリイの手にはひつた。と思ふと次の瞬間に彼はすつくと起ち上つた。顏からは血が瀧のやうに流れてゐた。ツワラの顏も同樣であつた。彼は腰から大きな投げ槍を拔いてカーチスに向つて跳びかゝり、それを彼の胸に突き刺した。的は外れなかつたが、投げ槍は鎖鎧のために跳ね返されて終つた。ツワラは再び恐ろしい聲で呻きながら鋭利な投げ槍を突き刺したが、やはりまた跳ね返された。そしてサー・ヘンリイは後へ蹌踉《よろ〜》とよろめいた。ツワラはまたもや彼に飛びかゝつて行つた。するとサー・ヘンリイは滿身の力をこめて大戰斧を振り上げ、敵の腦天を目がけて發矢《はつし》と打ちおろした。數千の見物人はけたゝましい叫び聲をあげた。と、どうだらう！ツワラの頭はまるで肩から彈かれたやうに飛んで行つて、地上に落ち、ごろ〜轉げて行つて、ちやうどイグノシの脚下《あしもと》で止つた。死體は暫らくの間直立してゐたが、やがてどさりと地面に仆れ、首にかけてゐた黄金の頸鎖は首から拔けてあたりに散亂した。それと同時にサー・ヘンリイも力が盡きてしまつて、ツワラの死骸の上にどしんと重なつて仆れた。

人々は彼を抱き起して顏に水を注ぎかけた。すると彼の灰色の眼はパッチリ開いた。彼は死んではゐなかつたのだ。

陽は今しがた沈んだところであつた。私は薄暗がりの中にころがつてゐる、ツワラの頭の側へ行つて、死者の額からダイヤモンドを外してそれをイグノシに渡した。

「これがククアナの正當な王のしるしだ！」と私は言つた。

イグノシはこれを額に結《ゆ》ひつけ、前へ進み出て首のない敵の死骸の胸のあたりを足で踏まへて、勝ち誇つた聲を張り上げて、朗かに凱歌を歌つた。それは實に勇ましい歌であつた。私は嘗て或る學者が、立派な聲でギリシャの詩人ホオマーの歌を原文で朗讀したのを聞いたことがある。それを聞いた時には歌の意味は判らなかつたが呼吸塞《いきづま》るやうな氣がしたものだ。今歌つたイグノシの歌も、意味はよく解らなかつた、このホオマーの詩を聞いた時と同じやうな氣がした。ククアナの言葉も、古代ギリシャ語に劣らず美しい言語《ことば》だと私は思ふ。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第14章（1）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-04 03:27:21 | 日記

CHAPTER XIV　THE LAST STAND OF THE GREYS

In a few more minutes the regiments destined to carry out the flanking movements had tramped off in silence, keeping carefully to the lee of the rising ground in order to conceal their advance from the keen eyes of Twala's scouts.

Half an hour or more was allowed to elapse between the setting out of the horns or wings of the army before any stir was made by the Greys and their supporting regiment, known as the Buffaloes, which formed its chest, and were destined to bear the brunt of the battle.

Both of these regiments were almost perfectly fresh, and of full strength, the Greys having been in reserve in the morning, and having lost but a small number of men in sweeping back that part of the attack which had proved successful in breaking the line of defence, on the occasion when I charged with them and was stunned for my pains. As for the Buffaloes, they had formed the third line of defence on the left, and since the attacking force at that point had not succeeded in breaking through the second, they had scarcely come into action at all.

Infadoos, who was a wary old general, and knew the absolute importance of keeping up the spirits of his men on the eve of such a desperate encounter, employed the pause in addressing his own regiment, the Greys, in poetical language: explaining to them the honour that they were receiving in being put thus in the forefront of the battle, and in having the great white warrior from the Stars to fight with them in their ranks; and promising large rewards of cattle and promotion to all who survived in the event of Ignosi's arms being successful.

I looked down the long lines of waving black plumes and stern faces beneath them, and sighed to think that within one short hour most, if not all, of those magnificent veteran warriors, not a man of whom was under forty years of age, would be laid dead or dying in the dust. It could not be otherwise; they were being condemned, with that wise recklessness of human life which marks the great general, and often saves his forces and attains his ends, to certain slaughter, in order to give their cause and the remainder of the army a chance of success. They were foredoomed to die, and they knew the truth. It was to be their task to engage regiment after regiment of Twala's army on the narrow strip of green beneath us, till they were exterminated or till the wings found a favourable opportunity for their onslaught. And yet they never hesitated, nor could I detect a sign of fear upon the face of a single warrior. There they were—going to certain death, about to quit the blessed light of day for ever, and yet able to contemplate their doom without a tremor. Even at that moment I could not help contrasting their state of mind with my own, which was far from comfortable, and breathing a sigh of envy and admiration. Never before had I seen such an absolute devotion to the idea of duty, and such a complete indifference to its bitter fruits.

"Behold your king!" ended old Infadoos, pointing to Ignosi; "go fight and fall for him, as is the duty of brave men, and cursed and shameful for ever be the name of him who shrinks from death for his king, or who turns his back to the foe. Behold your king, chiefs, captains, and soldiers! Now do your homage to the sacred Snake, and then follow on, that Incubu and I may show you a road to the heart of Twala's host."

There was a moment's pause, then suddenly a murmur arose from the serried phalanxes before us, a sound like the distant whisper of the sea, caused by the gentle tapping of the handles of six thousand spears against their holders' shields. Slowly it swelled, till its growing volume deepened and widened into a roar of rolling noise, that echoed like thunder against the mountains, and filled the air with heavy waves of sound. Then it decreased, and by faint degrees died away into nothing, and suddenly out crashed the royal salute.

Ignosi, I thought to myself, might well be a proud man that day, for no Roman emperor ever had such a salutation from gladiators "about to die."

Ignosi acknowledged this magnificent act of homage by lifting his battle-axe, and then the Greys filed off in a triple-line formation, each line containing about one thousand fighting men, exclusive of officers. When the last companies had advanced some five hundred yards, Ignosi put himself at the head of the Buffaloes, which regiment was drawn up in a similar three-fold formation, and gave the word to march, and off we went, I, needless to say, uttering the most heartfelt prayers that I might emerge from that entertainment with a whole skin. Many a queer position have I found myself in, but never before in one quite so unpleasant as the present, or one in which my chance of coming off safe was smaller.

By the time that we reached the edge of the plateau the Greys were already half-way down the slope ending in the tongue of grass land that ran up into the bend of the mountain, something as the frog of a horse's foot runs up into the shoe. The excitement in Twala's camp on the plain beyond was very great, and regiment after regiment was starting forward at a long swinging trot in order to reach the root of the tongue of land before the attacking force could emerge into the plain of Loo.

This tongue, which was some four hundred yards in depth, even at its root or widest part was not more than six hundred and fifty paces across, while at its tip it scarcely measured ninety. The Greys, who, in passing down the side of the hill and on to the tip of the tongue, had formed into a column, on reaching the spot where it broadened out again, reassumed their triple-line formation, and halted dead.

Then we—that is, the Buffaloes—moved down the tip of the tongue and took our stand in reserve, about one hundred yards behind the last line of the Greys, and on slightly higher ground. Meanwhile we had leisure to observe Twala's entire force, which evidently had been reinforced since the morning attack, and could not now, notwithstanding their losses, number less than forty thousand, moving swiftly up towards us. But as they drew near the root of the tongue they hesitated, having discovered that only one regiment could advance into the gorge at a time, and that there, some seventy yards from the mouth of it, unassailable except in front, on account of the high walls of boulder-strewn ground on each side, stood the famous regiment of Greys, the pride and glory of the Kukuana army, ready to hold the way against their power as the three Romans once held the bridge against thousands.

They hesitated, and finally stopped their advance; there was no eagerness to cross spears with these three grim ranks of warriors who stood so firm and ready. Presently, however, a tall general, wearing the customary head-dress of nodding ostrich plumes, appeared, attended by a group of chiefs and orderlies, being, I thought, none other than Twala himself. He gave an order, and the first regiment, raising a shout, charged up towards the Greys, who remained perfectly still and silent till the attacking troops were within forty yards, and a volley of tollas, or throwing-knives, came rattling among their ranks.

Then suddenly with a bound and a roar, they sprang forward with uplifted spears, and the regiment met in deadly strife. Next second the roll of the meeting shields came to our ears like the sound of thunder, and the plain seemed to be alive with flashes of light reflected from the shimmering spears. To and fro swung the surging mass of struggling, stabbing humanity, but not for long. Suddenly the attacking lines began to grow thinner, and then with a slow, long heave the Greys passed over them, just as a great wave heaves up its bulk and passes over a sunken ridge. It was done; that regiment was completely destroyed, but the Greys had but two lines left now; a third of their number were dead.

Closing up shoulder to shoulder, once more they halted in silence and awaited attack; and I was rejoiced to catch sight of Sir Henry's yellow beard as he moved to and fro arranging the ranks. So he was yet alive!

Meanwhile we moved on to the ground of the encounter, which was cumbered by about four thousand prostrate human beings, dead, dying, and wounded, and literally stained red with blood. Ignosi issued an order, which was rapidly passed down the ranks, to the effect that none of the enemy's wounded were to be killed, and so far as we could see this command was scrupulously carried out. It would have been a shocking sight, if we had found time to think of such things.

But now a second regiment, distinguished by white plumes, kilts, and shields, was moving to the attack of the two thousand remaining Greys, who stood waiting in the same ominous silence as before, till the foe was within forty yards or so, when they hurled themselves with irresistible force upon them. Again there came the awful roll of the meeting shields, and as we watched the tragedy repeated itself.

But this time the issue was left longer in doubt; indeed, it seemed for awhile almost impossible that the Greys should again prevail. The attacking regiment, which was formed of young men, fought with the utmost fury, and at first seemed by sheer weight to be driving the veterans back. The slaughter was truly awful, hundreds falling every minute; and from among the shouts of the warriors and the groans of the dying, set to the music of clashing spears, came a continuous hissing undertone of "S'gee, s'gee," the note of triumph of each victor as he passed his assegai through and through the body of his fallen foe.

But perfect discipline and steady and unchanging valour can do wonders, and one veteran soldier is worth two young ones, as soon became apparent in the present case. For just when we thought that it was all over with the Greys, and were preparing to take their place so soon as they made room by being destroyed, I heard Sir Henry's deep voice ringing out through the din, and caught a glimpse of his circling battle-axe as he waved it high above his plumes. Then came a change; the Greys ceased to give; they stood still as a rock, against which the furious waves of spearmen broke again and again, only to recoil. Presently they began to move once more—forward this time; as they had no firearms there was no smoke, so we could see it all. Another minute and the onslaught grew fainter.

"Ah, these are men, indeed; they will conquer again," called out Ignosi, who was grinding his teeth with excitement at my side. "See, it is done!"

Suddenly, like puffs of smoke from the mouth of a cannon, the attacking regiment broke away in flying groups, their white head-dresses streaming behind them in the wind, and left their opponents victors, indeed, but, alas! no more a regiment. Of the gallant triple line, which forty minutes before had gone into action three thousand strong, there remained at most some six hundred blood-spattered men; the rest were under foot. And yet they cheered and waved their spears in triumph, and then, instead of falling back upon us as we expected, they ran forward, for a hundred yards or so, after the flying groups of foemen, took possession of a rising knoll of ground, and, resuming their triple formation, formed a threefold ring around its base. And there, thanks be to Heaven, standing on the top of the mound for a minute, I saw Sir Henry, apparently unharmed, and with him our old friend Infadoos. Then Twala's regiments rolled down upon the doomed band, and once more the battle closed in.

As those who read this history will probably long ago have gathered, I am, to be honest, a bit of a coward, and certainly in no way given to fighting, though somehow it has often been my lot to get into unpleasant positions, and to be obliged to shed man's blood. But I have always hated it, and kept my own blood as undiminished in quantity as possible, sometimes by a judicious use of my heels. At this moment, however, for the first time in my life, I felt my bosom burn with martial ardour. Warlike fragments from the "Ingoldsby Legends," together with numbers of sanguinary verses in the Old Testament, sprang up in my brain like mushrooms in the dark; my blood, which hitherto had been half-frozen with horror, went beating through my veins, and there came upon me a savage desire to kill and spare not. I glanced round at the serried ranks of warriors behind us, and somehow, all in an instant, I began to wonder if my face looked like theirs. There they stood, the hands twitching, the lips apart, the fierce features instinct with the hungry lust of battle, and in the eyes a look like the glare of a bloodhound when after long pursuit he sights his quarry.

Only Ignosi's heart, to judge from his comparative self-possession, seemed, to all appearances, to beat as calmly as ever beneath his leopard-skin cloak, though even he still ground his teeth. I could bear it no longer.

"Are we to stand here till we put out roots, Umbopa—Ignosi, I mean—while Twala swallows our brothers yonder?" I asked.

"Nay, Macumazahn," was the answer; "see, now is the ripe moment: let us pluck it."

As he spoke a fresh regiment rushed past the ring upon the little mound, and wheeling round, attacked it from the hither side.

Then, lifting his battle-axe, Ignosi gave the signal to advance, and, screaming the wild Kukuana war-cry, the Buffaloes charged home with a rush like the rush of the sea.

What followed immediately on this it is out of my power to tell. All I can remember is an irregular yet ordered advance, that seemed to shake the ground; a sudden change of front and forming up on the part of the regiment against which the charge was directed; then an awful shock, a dull roar of voices, and a continuous flashing of spears, seen through a red mist of blood.

When my mind cleared I found myself standing inside the remnant of the Greys near the top of the mound, and just behind no less a person than Sir Henry himself. How I got there I had at the moment no idea, but Sir Henry afterwards told me that I was borne up by the first furious charge of the Buffaloes almost to his feet, and then left, as they in turn were pressed back. Thereon he dashed out of the circle and dragged me into shelter.

As for the fight that followed, who can describe it? Again and again the multitudes surged against our momentarily lessening circle, and again and again we beat them back.

"The stubborn spearmen still made good
The dark impenetrable wood,
Each stepping where his comrade stood
The instant that he fell,"

as someone or other beautifully says.

It was a splendid thing to see those brave battalions come on time after time over the barriers of their dead, sometimes lifting corpses before them to receive our spear-thrusts, only to leave their own corpses to swell the rising piles. It was a gallant sight to see that old warrior, Infadoos, as cool as though he were on parade, shouting out orders, taunts, and even jests, to keep up the spirit of his few remaining men, and then, as each charge rolled on, stepping forward to wherever the fighting was thickest, to bear his share in its repulse. And yet more gallant was the vision of Sir Henry, whose ostrich plumes had been shorn off by a spear thrust, so that his long yellow hair streamed out in the breeze behind him. There he stood, the great Dane, for he was nothing else, his hands, his axe, and his armour all red with blood, and none could live before his stroke. Time after time I saw it sweeping down, as some great warrior ventured to give him battle, and as he struck he shouted "O-hoy! O-hoy!" like his Berserkir forefathers, and the blow went crashing through shield and spear, through head-dress, hair, and skull, till at last none would of their own will come near the great white "umtagati," the wizard, who killed and failed not.

數分間經つと、側面攻撃の任に當つた諸聯隊は、ツワラの斥候の鋭い眼を避けるために、小山の蔭に沿うてひそかに進んで行つた。側面軍が一時間半許りもかゝつて指定の場所へ着くのを待つて、白髮聯隊と、それを援助する聯隊とが進軍を始めた。この第二の聯隊は水牛聯隊と呼ばれてゐた。

この二つの聯隊は、その日まだ殆んど敵と戰を交へなかつたので、損害も極めて少なく、士氣は甚だ旺盛であつた。といふのは白髮聯隊は、朝の戰爭には豫備軍として小山の上に殘つてゐて、そこまで登つて來た敵とほんの少しばかり戰を交へたばかりだつたし、水牛聯隊の方は左翼軍の第三防御線を受け持つてゐたので、殆んど敵の攻撃を蒙つてゐなかつたのである。

老練な名將インファドオスは、この樣な決死の戰鬪の前には、十分軍隊の士氣を鼓舞しておく必要があることをよく知つてゐたので、側面軍が進行してゐる間に、部下の軍隊に向つて、白髮聯隊が正面の戰線を引受けて星の世界の偉大なる白人の戰士と共に戰ふのは非常な名譽であるといふことを莊重な口調で説明し、勝利の曉には生き殘つた者は陞進《しようしん》して、その上國王から澤山な牛の[注：牛を？]襃美に貰へると約束した。

私は羽根飾りの長い列を見ながら、これ等の勇敢な人々が、一時間も經たぬ中に死んでしまふのかと思つて吐息をした。彼等は死ぬにきまつてゐるのだ。そして彼等自身もその事を知つてゐるのだ。彼等の任務は、ツワラの大軍を引き受けて全滅するまで、或は側面軍が有利な攻撃の時機を見出すまで戰ふことにあつたのだから九分九厘までは既に死んだと同じである。けれども彼等は少しも躊躇しなかつた。また誰一人として恐怖を抱いてゐるものはなかつた。彼等は、確實な死に向つて、日の光りに永久の別れを告げようとしてゐるのだ！しかも彼等は泰然として彼等の運命を見ることが出來るのだ。私はこんな時にもかゝはらず、彼等の氣持と、私自身の氣持とを比べて見ずにはゐられなかつた。そして何とも言へないいやな私の氣持に引き比べて、彼等の勇敢さを讚美し、羨望した。義務の爲に是程忠實で、而もその苦しい結果に對して是程無頓着な人逹は私は曾て見たことがない。

「諸君の國王を見よ」と老將インファドオスはイグノシを指ざしながら激勵の演説を終つた。「國王の爲に仆れるまで戰ふのが勇敢な軍人の任務だ。國王の爲に死を恐れたり、敵に後を見せたりする人間は、永久に呪はれた奴等だ。士卒諸君、諸君の國王を見よ。さあ聖蛇に萬歳を唱へて、後に續け！吾とヘンリイ樣とは先頭に立つて進む。」

すると暫らく間をおいて、軍隊の間から、遠くの海鳴のやうな響きが起つた。それは六千の槍で、靜かに楯をたゝいた響きであつた。響きは次第に高まつて、遂には百雷の一時に落つるやうに鳴り響いたが、やがてそれも靜まつたときに、突然、國王に對する萬歳の聲が起つた。

イグノシは其日どんなに得意だつただらうと私は思つた。羅馬の皇帝だつて『まさに死なんとする』戰士からこんなに心からの萬歳をさゝげられたことはないであらう。

イグノシは彼の戰斧《まさかり》を上げてこの萬歳に答へた。すると白髮聯隊は、約一千人宛《づゝ》の戰鬪員からなる三列に別れて進軍を始めた。白髮聯隊の最後の中隊から五百碼程離れて、イグノシは水牛聯隊の先頭に立ち、進軍の命令を下した。この聯隊も白髮聯隊と同じ樣に三列になつて進んだ。言ふまでもない事だが、私は無事に歸つて來られる樣に心から神に祈つた。私は是迄にも隨分妙な境遇に陷入つた事はあるが、この時ほど不愉快な、この時程安全に歸れる見込みの少なかつた事はないやうに思ふ。

吾々が小山の縁端《ふち》まで着いた時には、白髮聯隊は、既に小山の中腹まで進んでゐた。これを見るとツワラ軍の陣營は急にどよめいて、吾々が凹地《くぼち》の端まで行きつかぬ中に防ぎ止めるために、急に進軍を始めた。小山の下は、前にも言つたやうに細長い草原の凹地になつてゐて、一番廣い處で、幅四百歩しかなく、狹い處は九十歩位しかなかつたのだ。

白髮聯隊が、この草原の一番廣い處まで着いて進軍をやめたとき、吾々の水牛聯隊は、小山のすぐ麓の、草原の狹い部分まで進んで、灰色聯隊の最後の列から百碼程後方に、豫備軍として控へてゐた。その間に吾々は、ツワラの全軍を見渡すことが出來た。ツワラ軍には援軍が加はつたと見えて、朝の戰鬪でひどい損害を受けたにもかゝはらず、總數四萬を下らないやうに見えた。しかし草原の向う側の端まで來ると、一聯隊宛《づゝ》しか進めないので、暫らく躊躇してゐた。勇敢な白髮聯隊はこの大軍を向うにまはして、曾て三人の羅馬の勇士が數千の敵を向うにまはして橋を守つたやうに、敵の進軍を阻止しようとしてゐたのだ。

敵は暫らく躊躇してゐたが、やがて凹地《くぼち》にさしかゝる處で進軍を止めてしまつた。三列に竝《なら》んで身構へてゐる勇敢な白髮聯隊と槍を交へるのは餘り氣が進まぬらしかつた。しかし、忽ち頭に駝鳥の羽根飾りをつけた、長身の士官が大勢の首長を從卒とを從へて前に進み出た。それは外ならぬツワラ自身であると私は思つた。彼が聲を勵して命令を下すと、第一聯隊は白髮聯隊に向つて突撃して來た。白髮聯隊は默々として動かなかつたが、敵が四十碼の處まで進んで來ると、兩軍の間に風を切つて無數の投げ槍が往來し始めた。

ついで突然喊聲をあげて、勇躍しながら、彼等は槍を振つて肉薄して來た。二つの聯隊の間に猛烈な白兵戰が開始された。楯と楯との觸れ合ふ音は雷のやうに吾々の處まで聞え、草原はギラ〜燦《きら》めく槍の光りでまるで生きてゐるやうに見えた。兩軍は一進一退して戰を交へてゐたが、戰はそんなに長くは續かなかつた。攻撃軍は見る〜人影が疎《まば》らになつて、やがて完全に撃滅された。しかし白髮聯隊ももはや二列しか殘つてゐなかつた。三分の一は戰死してしまつたのだ。

白髮聯隊の殘軍は、再び默々として次の攻撃を待つてゐた。サー・ヘンリイの黄色い髯が味方の軍勢の間からちら〜隱顯してゐたので私はやれ嬉しと思つた。まだ彼は生きてゐたのだ！

その間に吾々の聯隊も戰場の方へ近く進んで行つた。戰場には死んだり、死にかけたり、負傷したりした、約四千人の人間の體が文字通り朱《あけ》に染つて倒れてゐた。イグノシは、敵の負傷者を殺してはならぬといふ命令を發し、その命令は忽ち全軍に傳へらてた。しかも吾々の見た限りでは、この命令は嚴守されてゐたやうであつた。それは實に人の心をうつ情味にあふれた光景であつたが、その時はそんなことを考へてゐるひまなどはなかつた。その中に白い羽根飾り附けた、第二の聯隊が、白髮聯隊の二千の殘軍に對して進軍して來た。白髮聯隊は、再び敵が四十碼の處まで近づくのを待つて、敵軍に向つて突撃し、前と同じやうな悲劇が繰り返された。併し今度は勝敗は容易に判らなかつた。暫らくの間は白髮聯隊の方に勝味が無いやうに見えた。白髮聯隊の戰鬪員は、四十歳以上の古兵ばかりで、攻撃軍は皆血氣の青年であつたが、初めのうちは古兵の方がじり〜押されて行つた。戰は猛烈を極め、一分毎に數百人位の割合でばた〜倒れて行つた。

しかし完全な訓練と不撓不屈の勇氣とは、竒蹟を現出する事ができるものだ。一人の古兵は、良く二人の若兵に當る事が出來た事が間もなく判つて來た。ちやうど吾々が白髮聯隊はもう駄目だと思つて、代つて進撃しようと準備してゐたときに、喧《やかま》しい叫喚の中からサー・ヘンリイのどつしりした聲が聞え、彼が羽根飾りの上へ振り上げた戰斧《まさかり》のひらめきがチラリと見えた。形勢はもち直して、白髮聯隊は荒れ狂ふ敵に對して、まだ磐石《ばんじやく》のやうに抵抗してゐたのであつた。やがて白髮軍は今度は逆襲に轉じた。火噐が使はれてゐないので戰場には煙が少しも上つてゐなかつたから、戰鬪の模樣は吾々の處からでも手に取るやうによく見えた。暫らくすると戰鬪はだん〜靜まつて來た。「あゝ實に勇ましい軍隊だ。きつとまた勝つだらう！」と私の側に昂奮して齒噛みをしてゐたイグノシが叫んだ。

突然、攻撃軍は白い羽根飾りを風に靡《なび》かせながら算を亂して退却し、後には白髮聯隊の勇士たちが殘つた。それはもう聯隊ではかなつた。戰鬪の初まる時には三千人もあつたこの聯隊の中でほんの四十分程しか經たない今では、せい〜゛六百人位の者が血に塗《まみ》れて殘つてゐるに過ぎなかつた。殘りの者は凡て地上に倒れてゐたのだ。けれども彼等は槍を振《ふる》つて萬歳を唱へ、それから吾々の方へ引き返して來るかと思ふとさうではなくて、返つて逃げて行く敵を追うて百碼ばかり前進し、小高い丘を占領してその圍りを三十に圍んで環状の陣形をつくつた。有難いことには、その丘の頂きにサー・ヘンリイと吾々の老友インファドオスとの姿があつた。だが、そのうちにツワラの聯隊は三度盛り返して來て、又もや戰ひが始まつた。

この物語りを讀まれる諸君はかねて承知の筈だが、私は正直なところ少々臆病者で、しば〜不愉快な立場にたつて人間の血を流さねばならぬ事はあつたが、元來戰爭などは嫌ひで、自分の血の分量も出來るだけ耗《へ》らさないやうに心掛け、時としては、三十六計の奧の手にたよつて、敵に後を見せて逃げ出したこともあるのだが、この時ばかりは私の一生で初めて胸の中に鬪志がむら〜と起つて來るのを覺えた。これまで恐怖の爲に半ば凍つてゐた私の血は活溌に脈管を流れだし、むやみに人を殺したい野蠻な慾望が湧き起つて來た。私はちらりと振り返つて後に列《なら》んでゐる士卒の顏を見ると、皆も私と同じやうに、手を握りしめ、眼をぎら〜輝かして勃々たる戰志に燃えてゐた。たゞイグノシだけはいつも通りの冷靜な容子をしてゐたが、さすがの彼すらも齒軋《はぎし》りをしてゐた。

「吾々はツワラが吾々の兄弟を向うで鏖殺《みなごろ》しにしてしまつてゐるのに、こゝに根の生えるまで立つてゐるのかね、ウムボバ——いやイグノシ？」と私は訊ねた。

「いやマクマザンさん」と彼は答へた。「今こそ好機逸すべからずです！」彼が語り終らぬ中に敵の新手の聯隊は例の丘の側面を通り過ぎて、こちらへ迂回し、丘をかこんで周圍から白髮聯隊の殘り少ない殘軍を攻撃し始めた。

この時、イグノシは戰斧《まさかり》を振り上げて進軍の合圖をすると、水牛聯隊は、ククアナ軍特有の鬨《とき》の聲をあげながら怒濤の如く突撃した。

その次に起つた光景は、私の筆では到底書き盡せぬ。私の記憶してゐる事は大地を搖がすやうな、すさまじい、しかも秩序ある前進と、急に眞正面から敵に衝突《ぶつゝ》かつて恐ろしい衝突が初まり、鈍い呻き聲がきこゑ、血煙りの中に閃めく槍の光りが見えただけであつた。

私がはつきりと吾に返つた時には、私は白髮聯隊の殘軍に混つて、丘の頂きの近くにゐた。そして私のすぐ後にゐたのはほかならぬサー・ヘンリイであつた。私はどうしてこんな處まで行つたのか少しも覺えてゐないが、あとでサー・ヘンリイに聞くと、水牛軍の最初の猛烈な攻撃の時に、殆んど彼の足許まで進んで、また敵の逆襲によつて追ひ返されたのを、彼が圍みの外へ脱け出して私をそこまで曵きずり上げてくれたのだと言ふことであつた。

その次に起つた戰の模樣は到底筆紙で現はすことの出來るやうなものではなかつた。刻々に頭數の減つて行く、白髮聯隊の殘軍に對して、勇敢な敵は味方の死骸を乘り越えて、或る時は吾々の槍を避ける爲に死骸を前にかざしながら進んで來た。しかし彼等は結局死骸の山を堆高《うづたか》くするだけであつた。老將インファドオスはこの激戰の中にあつて、まるで觀兵式でもやつてゐるやうに、落着き拂つて命令を下したり、敵を罵つたり、冗談を言つたりさへして、殘り少なくなつた味方の士氣を勵まし、敵が攻撃して來る度に一番戰鬪の猛烈な處へ進んで行つて敵に應酬してゐた。けれどもサー・ヘンリイの武者振りはそれよりももつと勇ましかつた。彼の駝鳥の羽根飾りは槍の爲めに折れてしまひ、黄色い長髮は後へ振り亂れ、手も槍も戰斧《まさかり》もすつかり血に塗《まみ》れて、巨人の如く、當るを幸ひ敵を薙ぎ倒してゐた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第13章（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-03 20:43:28 | 日記

CHAPTER XIII

THE ATTACK

Slowly, and without the slightest appearance of haste or excitement, the three columns crept on. When within about five hundred yards of us, the main or centre column halted at the root of a tongue of open plain which ran up into the hill, to give time to the other divisions to circumvent our position, which was shaped more or less in the form of a horse-shoe, with its two points facing towards the town of Loo. The object of this manoeuvre was that the threefold assault should be delivered simultaneously.

"Oh, for a gatling!" groaned Good, as he contemplated the serried phalanxes beneath us. "I would clear that plain in twenty minutes."

"We have not got one, so it is no use yearning for it; but suppose you try a shot, Quatermain," said Sir Henry. "See how near you can go to that tall fellow who appears to be in command. Two to one you miss him, and an even sovereign, to be honestly paid if ever we get out of this, that you don't drop the bullet within five yards."

This piqued me, so, loading the express with solid ball, I waited till my friend walked some ten yards out from his force, in order to get a better view of our position, accompanied only by an orderly; then, lying down and resting the express on a rock, I covered him. The rifle, like all expresses, was only sighted to three hundred and fifty yards, so to allow for the drop in trajectory I took him half-way down the neck, which ought, I calculated, to find him in the chest. He stood quite still and gave me every opportunity, but whether it was the excitement or the wind, or the fact of the man being a long shot, I don't know, but this was what happened. Getting dead on, as I thought, a fine sight, I pressed, and when the puff of smoke had cleared away, to my disgust, I saw my man standing there unharmed, whilst his orderly, who was at least three paces to the left, was stretched upon the ground apparently dead. Turning swiftly, the officer I had aimed at began to run towards his men in evident alarm.

"Bravo, Quatermain!" sang out Good; "you've frightened him."

This made me very angry, for, if possible to avoid it, I hate to miss in public. When a man is master of only one art he likes to keep up his reputation in that art. Moved quite out of myself at my failure, I did a rash thing. Rapidly covering the general as he ran, I let drive with the second barrel. Instantly the poor man threw up his arms, and fell forward on to his face. This time I had made no mistake; and—I say it as a proof of how little we think of others when our own safety, pride, or reputation is in question—I was brute enough to feel delighted at the sight.

The regiments who had seen the feat cheered wildly at this exhibition of the white man's magic, which they took as an omen of success, while the force the general had belonged to—which, indeed, as we ascertained afterwards, he had commanded—fell back in confusion. Sir Henry and Good now took up their rifles and began to fire, the latter industriously "browning" the dense mass before him with another Winchester repeater, and I also had another shot or two, with the result, so far as we could judge, that we put some six or eight men hors de combat before they were out of range.

Just as we stopped firing there came an ominous roar from our far right, then a similar roar rose on our left. The two other divisions were engaging us.

At the sound, the mass of men before us opened out a little, and advanced towards the hill and up the spit of bare grass land at a slow trot, singing a deep-throated song as they ran. We kept up a steady fire from our rifles as they came, Ignosi joining in occasionally, and accounted for several men, but of course we produced no more effect upon that mighty rush of armed humanity than he who throws pebbles does on the breaking wave.

On they came, with a shout and the clashing of spears; now they were driving in the pickets we had placed among the rocks at the foot of the hill. After that the advance was a little slower, for though as yet we had offered no serious opposition, the attacking forces must climb up hill, and they came slowly to save their breath. Our first line of defence was about half-way down the side of the slope, our second fifty yards further back, while our third occupied the edge of the plateau.

On they stormed, shouting their war-cry, "Twala! Twala! Chiele! Chiele!" (Twala! Twala! Smite! Smite!) "Ignosi! Ignosi! Chiele! Chiele!" answered our people. They were quite close now, and the tollas, or throwing-knives, began to flash backwards and forwards, and now with an awful yell the battle closed in.

To and fro swayed the mass of struggling warriors, men falling fast as leaves in an autumn wind; but before long the superior weight of the attacking force began to tell, and our first line of defence was slowly pressed back till it merged into the second. Here the struggle was very fierce, but again our people were driven back and up, till at length, within twenty minutes of the commencement of the fight, our third line came into action.

But by this time the assailants were much exhausted, and besides had lost many men killed and wounded, and to break through that third impenetrable hedge of spears proved beyond their powers. For a while the seething lines of savages swung backwards and forwards, in the fierce ebb and flow of battle, and the issue was doubtful. Sir Henry watched the desperate struggle with a kindling eye, and then without a word he rushed off, followed by Good, and flung himself into the hottest of the fray. As for myself, I stopped where I was.

The soldiers caught sight of his tall form as he plunged into battle, and there rose a cry of—

"Nanzia Incubu! Nanzia Unkungunklovo!" (Here is the Elephant!) "Chiele! Chiele!"

From that moment the end was no longer in doubt. Inch by inch, fighting with splendid gallantry, the attacking force was pressed back down the hillside, till at last it retreated upon its reserves in something like confusion. At that instant, too, a messenger arrived to say that the left attack had been repulsed; and I was just beginning to congratulate myself, believing that the affair was over for the present, when, to our horror, we perceived our men who had been engaged in the right defence being driven towards us across the plain, followed by swarms of the enemy, who had evidently succeeded at this point.

Ignosi, who was standing by me, took in the situation at a glance, and issued a rapid order. Instantly the reserve regiment around us, the Greys, extended itself.

Again Ignosi gave a word of command, which was taken up and repeated by the captains, and in another second, to my intense disgust, I found myself involved in a furious onslaught upon the advancing foe. Getting as much as I could behind Ignosi's huge frame, I made the best of a bad job, and toddled along to be killed as though I liked it. In a minute or two—we were plunging through the flying groups of our men, who at once began to re-form behind us, and then I am sure I do not know what happened. All I can remember is a dreadful rolling noise of the meeting of shields, and the sudden apparition of a huge ruffian, whose eyes seemed literally to be starting out of his head, making straight at me with a bloody spear. But—I say it with pride—I rose—or rather sank—to the occasion. It was one before which most people would have collapsed once and for all. Seeing that if I stood where I was I must be killed, as the horrid apparition came I flung myself down in front of him so cleverly that, being unable to stop himself, he took a header right over my prostrate form. Before he could rise again, I had risen and settled the matter from behind with my revolver.

Shortly after this somebody knocked me down, and I remember no more of that charge.

When I came to I found myself back at the koppie, with Good bending over me holding some water in a gourd.

"How do you feel, old fellow?" he asked anxiously.

I got up and shook myself before replying.

"Pretty well, thank you," I answered.

"Thank Heaven! When I saw them carry you in, I felt quite sick; I thought you were done for."

"Not this time, my boy. I fancy I only got a rap on the head, which knocked me stupid. How has it ended?"

"They are repulsed at every point for a while. The loss is dreadfully heavy; we have quite two thousand killed and wounded, and they must have lost three. Look, there's a sight!" and he pointed to long lines of men advancing by fours.

In the centre of every group of four, and being borne by it, was a kind of hide tray, of which a Kukuana force always carries a quantity, with a loop for a handle at each corner. On these trays—and their number seemed endless—lay wounded men, who as they arrived were hastily examined by the medicine men, of whom ten were attached to a regiment. If the wound was not of a fatal character the sufferer was taken away and attended to as carefully as circumstances would allow. But if, on the other hand, the injured man's condition proved hopeless, what followed was very dreadful, though doubtless it may have been the truest mercy. One of the doctors, under pretence of carrying out an examination, swiftly opened an artery with a sharp knife, and in a minute or two the sufferer expired painlessly. There were many cases that day in which this was done. In fact, it was done in the majority of cases when the wound was in the body, for the gash made by the entry of the enormously broad spears used by the Kukuanas generally rendered recovery impossible. In most instances the poor sufferers were already unconscious, and in others the fatal "nick" of the artery was inflicted so swiftly and painlessly that they did not seem to notice it. Still it was a ghastly sight, and one from which we were glad to escape; indeed, I never remember anything of the kind that affected me more than seeing those gallant soldiers thus put out of pain by the red-handed medicine men, except, indeed, on one occasion when, after an attack, I saw a force of Swazis burying their hopelessly wounded alive.

Hurrying from this dreadful scene to the further side of the koppie, we found Sir Henry, who still held a battle-axe in his hand, Ignosi, Infadoos, and one or two of the chiefs in deep consultation.

"Thank Heaven, here you are, Quatermain! I can't quite make out what Ignosi wants to do. It seems that though we have beaten off the attack, Twala is now receiving large reinforcements, and is showing a disposition to invest us, with the view of starving us out."

"That's awkward."

"Yes; especially as Infadoos says that the water supply has given out."

"My lord, that is so," said Infadoos; "the spring cannot supply the wants of so great a multitude, and it is failing rapidly. Before night we shall all be thirsty. Listen, Macumazahn. Thou art wise, and hast doubtless seen many wars in the lands from whence thou camest—that is if indeed they make wars in the Stars. Now tell us, what shall we do? Twala has brought up many fresh men to take the place of those who have fallen. Yet Twala has learnt his lesson; the hawk did not think to find the heron ready; but our beak has pierced his breast; he fears to strike at us again. We too are wounded, and he will wait for us to die; he will wind himself round us like a snake round a buck, and fight the fight of 'sit down.'"

"I hear thee," I said.

"So, Macumazahn, thou seest we have no water here, and but a little food, and we must choose between these three things—to languish like a starving lion in his den, or to strive to break away towards the north, or"—and here he rose and pointed towards the dense mass of our foes—"to launch ourselves straight at Twala's throat. Incubu, the great warrior—for to-day he fought like a buffalo in a net, and Twala's soldiers went down before his axe like young corn before the hail; with these eyes I saw it—Incubu says 'Charge'; but the Elephant is ever prone to charge. Now what says Macumazahn, the wily old fox, who has seen much, and loves to bite his enemy from behind? The last word is in Ignosi the king, for it is a king's right to speak of war; but let us hear thy voice, O Macumazahn, who watchest by night, and the voice too of him of the transparent eye."

"What sayest thou, Ignosi," I asked.

"Nay, my father," answered our quondam servant, who now, clad as he was in the full panoply of savage war, looked every inch a warrior king, "do thou speak, and let me, who am but a child in wisdom beside thee, hearken to thy words."

Thus adjured, after taking hasty counsel with Good and Sir Henry, I delivered my opinion briefly to the effect that, being trapped, our best chance, especially in view of the failure of our water supply, was to initiate an attack upon Twala's forces. Then I recommended that the attack should be delivered at once, "before our wounds grew stiff," and also before the sight of Twala's overpowering force caused the hearts of our soldiers "to wax small like fat before a fire." Otherwise, I pointed out, some of the captains might change their minds, and, making peace with Twala, desert to him, or even betray us into his hands.

This expression of opinion seemed, on the whole, to be favourably received; indeed, among the Kukuanas my utterances met with a respect which has never been accorded to them before or since. But the real decision as to our plans lay with Ignosi, who, since he had been recognised as rightful king, could exercise the almost unbounded rights of sovereignty, including, of course, the final decision on matters of generalship, and it was to him that all eyes were now turned.

At length, after a pause, during which he appeared to be thinking deeply, he spoke.

"Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, brave white men, and my friends; Infadoos, my uncle, and chiefs; my heart is fixed. I will strike at Twala this day, and set my fortunes on the blow, ay, and my life—my life and your lives also. Listen; thus will I strike. Ye see how the hill curves round like the half-moon, and how the plain runs like a green tongue towards us within the curve?"

"We see," I answered.

"Good; it is now mid-day, and the men eat and rest after the toil of battle. When the sun has turned and travelled a little way towards the darkness, let thy regiment, my uncle, advance with one other down to the green tongue, and it shall be that when Twala sees it he will hurl his force at it to crush it. But the spot is narrow, and the regiments can come against thee one at a time only; so may they be destroyed one by one, and the eyes of all Twala's army shall be fixed upon a struggle the like of which has not been seen by living man. And with thee, my uncle, shall go Incubu my friend, that when Twala sees his battle-axe flashing in the first rank of the Greys his heart may grow faint. And I will come with the second regiment, that which follows thee, so that if ye are destroyed, as it might happen, there may yet be a king left to fight for; and with me shall come Macumazahn the wise."

"It is well, O king," said Infadoos, apparently contemplating the certainty of the complete annihilation of his regiment with perfect calmness. Truly, these Kukuanas are a wonderful people. Death has no terrors for them when it is incurred in the course of duty.

"And whilst the eyes of the multitude of Twala's soldiers are thus fixed upon the fight," went on Ignosi, "behold, one-third of the men who are left alive to us (i.e. about 6,000) shall creep along the right horn of the hill and fall upon the left flank of Twala's force, and one-third shall creep along the left horn and fall upon Twala's right flank. And when I see that the horns are ready to toss Twala, then will I, with the men who remain to me, charge home in Twala's face, and if fortune goes with us the day will be ours, and before Night drives her black oxen from the mountains to the mountains we shall sit in peace at Loo. And now let us eat and make ready; and, Infadoos, do thou prepare, that the plan be carried out without fail; and stay, let my white father Bougwan go with the right horn, that his shining eye may give courage to the captains."

The arrangements for attack thus briefly indicated were set in motion with a rapidity that spoke well for the perfection of the Kukuana military system. Within little more than an hour rations had been served out and devoured, the divisions were formed, the scheme of onslaught was explained to the leaders, and the whole force, numbering about 18,000 men, was ready to move, with the exception of a guard left in charge of the wounded.

Presently Good came up to Sir Henry and myself.

"Good-bye, you fellows," he said; "I am off with the right wing according to orders; and so I have come to shake hands, in case we should not meet again, you know," he added significantly.

We shook hands in silence, and not without the exhibition of as much emotion as Anglo-Saxons are wont to show.

"It is a queer business," said Sir Henry, his deep voice shaking a little, "and I confess I never expect to see to-morrow's sun. So far as I can make out, the Greys, with whom I am to go, are to fight until they are wiped out in order to enable the wings to slip round unawares and outflank Twala. Well, so be it; at any rate, it will be a man's death. Good-bye, old fellow. God bless you! I hope you will pull through and live to collar the diamonds; but if you do, take my advice and don't have anything more to do with Pretenders!"

In another second Good had wrung us both by the hand and gone; and then Infadoos came up and led off Sir Henry to his place in the forefront of the Greys, whilst, with many misgivings, I departed with Ignosi to my station in the second attacking regiment.

三つの聯隊は急がず騷がず徐々に進んで來た。中央の縱隊は、吾々から約五百碼《ヤード》の地點迄來ると、一まづそこに停止して、友軍が同じ位の距離まで逹するのを待つてゐた。この作戰の目的は三軍が同時に攻撃するために相違なかつた。

「あゝ機關銃が一つあつたらなあ！」とグッドは眼下に迫つて來る敵軍を見ながら唸つた。「さうすれば二十分の間にあの野原を綺麗にしてやるんだがなあ！」

「ないものは仕方がないさ、だがコオターメンさん、あんた一つ鐡砲を射つて見ませんか」とサー・ヘンリイは言つた。「向うに指揮官らしい男が立つてゐるでせう。あの男から五碼以内の處へ彈丸《たま》が落ちたら見物《みもの》ですがなあ。」

これを聞いて私は憤然《むつ》とした。そこでエキスプレス銃に彈丸を込めて、件《くだん》の指揮官が吾々の陣地を良く見るために、一人の從卒を連れて本隊から十碼ばかり前へ進み出るのを待ち、私は銃を岩の上に載せて照準《ねらひ》を定めた。この小銃は三百五十碼までしか照準《ねらひ》がきかないのであるから私は首の邊りをねらへばちやうど胸に當るだらうと計算した。指揮官はぢつと立つてゐたのでねらひを定めるには非常に都合がよかつたのだが、風の工合か、それとも昂奮してゐたせゐか、彈丸は指揮官には當らないで、三歩ばかり左の方にゐた從卒が地べたに仆れた。私のねらつた士官はひどく慌てゝ從卒のそばへかけ寄つた。

「うまい！コオターメンさん！あんたはあの士官を吃驚さしたよ。」とグッドは叫んだ。私はそれを聞くと癪にさはつた。といふのは私は皆の見てゐる前で鐡砲を射ち損なふなんてことは實にいま〜しかつたからだ。人間が或る一藝の長じてゐる場合には、その一藝だけでは評判を落したくないものだ。一生鐡砲で渡世して來た私が、鐡砲を射ち損じたとあつては弓矢八幡に申譯けがない[。] 私は今の失敗にやつ氣になつて、亂暴にも、その士官が走つてゐる處を狙つて第二彈を放つた。すると哀れな士官は忽ち兩腕を伸して前へのめつた。

この白人の魔法を見て、聯隊の者どもは夢中になつて喜び、勝利のさいさきよしと言つてはやしたてた。それと同時に私のために射ち殺された指揮官の部下の聯隊は混亂して後へ下つた。サー・ヘンリイとグッドとも彼等の銃を取り出して射ち出し、私もそれから一二發射つて、何でも都合七八人の敵を仆した。

恰度吾々が銃を射つのをやめたとき、遙か右手の方から氣味の惡い喊聲が聞え、續いて左の方からも同じやうな喊聲が起つて來た。

この物音を聞くと、正面の凹地《くぼち》を進んで來た敵軍も、深い咽喉から出る聲で歌を歌ひながら、駈足で吾々の方へ迫つて來た。吾々は銃を取つて續けざまに發砲し、イグノシも時々吾々に混つて射つたが、勿論この大軍に對しては大浪に向つて小石を投げるほどの效果しかなかつた。

彼等は喊聲をあげ、かち〜槍の觸れ合ふ音をさせながら、吾々が小山の麓の岩蔭に伏せて置いた前哨隊の處まで肉薄して來た。そこまで來ると彼等の進み方が少し遲くなつた。それは吾々の方ではまだまじめな抵抗もしなかつたけれども、敵は小山の崖を攀ぢ上らなければならなかつたからだ。吾々防御軍の第一線は小山の中腹に陣取り、第二線はそれから五十碼ほど後方に陣取り、第三線は小山の上の平地の縁端《ふち》に陣取つた。

敵は鬨《とき》の聲をあげてだん〜肉薄し、味方もそれに應じて鬨《とき》の聲をあげた。兩軍が接近するにつれて投げ槍がぎら〜光りながら前に後に飛び交ふのが見えはじめ、戰の火蓋は遂に切られた。

兩軍は一進一退した。そして彼等の躯は秋の木の葉のやうにバタ〜仆れた。けれども暫くのうちに敵軍の優勢なことが判りはじめ、味方の第一線はヂリ〜壓迫されてあとに退《さが》り、遂に第二線と一緒になつた。第二線では最も猛烈な激戰が行はれたが、又もや味方は押し返されて戰が初まつてから二十分も經たぬ中に敵は第三線まで殺到して來た。

しかしこの時までには攻撃軍もひどく疲れて、その上に夥《おびたゞ》しい死傷者を出してゐたので、堅固な第三線を突破することは容易でないことが判つた。暫らくの間、兩軍は一進一退、どちらが勝つとも判らなかつた。サー・ヘンリイは燃えるやうな眼で死物狂ひの爭鬪を見てゐたが、やがて物も言はずにグッドを連れて一番戰鬪の劇しい場所へ飛び込んで行つた。

そのうちに勝敗の數は漸く明かになつて來た。攻撃軍は勇敢に戰ひながらも寸一寸と山を下へ押し返され、やがて混亂して、後方に控へてゐる豫備軍の方へ退却して行つた。その時に傳令が來て左翼の敵も撃退したと告げた。私はこれで戰は一段落を告げたものと思つてやれ〜と喜んでゐると、右翼の防備に當つてゐた味方の軍隊は、敵に壓迫されて、山頂の原の上をだん〜と吾々の方へ退却して來るのが見えた。右翼では明かに敵が勝つたのだ。

私の側に立つてゐたイグノシはこの形勢をチラリと見てすばやく命令を發した。すると吾々の周圍にゐた豫備聯隊は忽ち陣形を整へた。

イグノシが再び命令を發すると、隊長等は直ちにこれを部下に復誦した。すると南無三！私自身も荒れ狂ふ敵の攻撃の中に卷き込まれてゐたのだ。私はイグノシの大きな躯の後に身を隱して、ぶきつちよに防戰し、まるでわざ〜殺されるためのやうに蹌踉《よろ〜》と前へ飛び出したとした。一二分もたつと味方の軍勢がどつと私のうしろのはうへ退却して陣形を立て直した。それから後のことは私はよくおぼえてゐないが、たゞ楯の衝突するのがガチャ〜きこえたのを覺えてゐる。それから突然、眼の球が飛び出した大きな男が血槍を揮《ふる》つてまつ直に私に突きかゝつて來た。しかし私は起ち上つた。と言ふよりもこの場合身をかゞめたと云つたはうがよいかも知れぬ。その場に立つてゐれば殺されるにきまつてゐたので、私は巧みに身をかゞめたのだ。するとこの大男ははずみを喰つて私の上へのしかゝつて仆れた。彼が起ち上らない先に私の方が立ち上つて背中から骨もとほれと短銃《ピストル》を射ち込んだ。

それから間もなく私は誰かに打ちのめされたやうな氣がする。そしてそれきり私は何もおぼえてゐない。

氣が附いた時は、私は物見櫓に凭れてゐた。そしてグッドが私の前に身をかゞめて、水を入れた瓢箪を持つて立つてゐた。

「どうです？」と彼は心配さうに訊ねた。

私は返事をする前に起ち上つて躯を振つた。

「有難う！もう大丈夫！」と私は答へた。

「やれ〜、あんたがこゝへ連れ込まれた時には、もうてつきり駄目だとおもつていやな氣がしましたよ。」

「今の所は大丈夫だ！何でも頭を一つがんとやられて、それきり氣が遠くなつてしまつたやうだ。で戰爭はどうなりましたね？」

「敵は今の所、すつかり撃退されました。大變な死傷者です。味方の死傷は二千で、敵の死傷は三千はあるでせう。どうですこれは！」と言ひながら彼は夥《おびたゞ》しい死傷者を指ざした。各聯隊には十人宛《づゝ》の軍醫が居て、負傷者の中で恢復の見込のあるものは後方へ移して看護を加へてゐたが、恢復の見込のないものは一人の醫師が診察するのだと言ふ名目のもとに動脈を鋭利なナイフで切つて一二分間のうちに何の苦痛もなしに殺してゐた。ずゐ分亂暴な話だが、どうせ助からぬとすれば結局それが本人にとつては情けであるのかもしれぬ。

「この恐ろしい光景から眼を轉じて、物見櫓の向う側を見ると、まだ戰斧《まさかり》を手に持つた、サー・ヘンリイと、イグノシとインファドオスと、一二名の首長とが額を集めて協議中であつた。

「やれ〜コオターメンさん、あなたはそこにゐたのですか、重大なことになつて來ましたわい。吾々は敵を撃退するには撃退したが、ツワラは多數の援軍を得て、こん度は吾々を包圍して兵糧攻めにするらしいです！」

「それは困つたですな。」

「困つたものです。それになにより困るのはインファドオスが言ふやうに、水を供給する道がないのです。」

「さうですよ」とインファドオスは言つた。「泉の水ではこんな大部隊の人間を支へるには足りないし、それに泉ももう涸れかゝつてゐるのです。日が暮れるまでに吾々は渇を覺えて來るに相違ありません。一體どうしたもんでせう。ツワラは新手の軍隊をどん〜連れて來て補充してゐますが、彼は前の戰爭に懲りて、今度は容易に攻めて來ないらしいです。恰度蛇が羚羊を卷き殺すやうに、吾々を卷き殺さうとしてゐるらしいのです。居ながら戰ふと言ふ戰法を取るらしいです。」

「さうですなあ」と私は言つた。

「そこでマクマザンさん、吾々の取るべき道は三つしかないのです。飢ゑたライオンのやうに、こゝに待つてゐてのたれ死にするか、圍みを破つて北の方へ脱出を計るか、それとも」と言ひながら彼は立ち上つて敵の密集部隊を指さしながら云つた。「吾々の方からまつ直ぐにツワラの咽喉笛を突くか、この三つしかないのです。サー・ヘンリイさんは最後の説を主張なさるのですが、マクマザンさん、あなたはどうお考へですか。最後の決斷權は勿論國王イグノシにあるのですが、あなたのお考へも、透き通つた眼をしたお方の御意見も伺ひたいのです。」

「イグノシ、お前はどう思ふ？」と私は訊ねた。

「私は智慧にかけちやまだ子供ですから、まづ先にあなたの御意見を聞かして下さい」とイグノシは答へた。

そこで私は暫らくグッドとサー・ヘンリイと三人で相談した後で、大體次のやうな意見を述べた。

「こんな風に敵に圍まれてしまつた以上は、そして特に水の供給の道がない以上は、ツワラの軍勢に向つて攻撃をしかけるより外にみちがない。しかも攻撃は直ぐに始めるがよい。でないと首長の中に變心して、吾々を裏切つてツワラの許へ走るものが出來ないとも限らぬ」と私は言つた。

この意見には大體皆の者が贊成したやうであつた。しかし最後の決定權はイグノシにあるので、一同の者は今度はぢつと彼の方へ眼を注いだ。

イグノシは、その間ぢゆう深く思案してゐるやうであつたが、暫らく間をおいてから語り出した。

「勇敢なる白人の方々、叔父のインファドオス、それから首長諸君、私の心は決りました。今日これからツワラの陣地に突入して勝敗を一擧に決しようと思ふ。勿論、私の命も諸君の命もこの一戰にかゝつてゐるのです！」

「判つた」と私は答へた。

「今は恰度正午で兵卒は食事をしたり、休息をしたりしてゐるが、陽が少し西に傾いたら、叔父さん、あなたはあなたの聯隊と外にもう一聯隊を率ゐて、まつすぐにツワラの宮殿に向つて進軍して下さい。ツワラがそれを見たら彼はきつとそれを粉碎しようと思つて部下の軍隊を差し向けるに相違ありません。けれどもこの正面は兩方の原から落ちこんで細長い凹地《くぼち》になつてゐますから、一度に一聯隊づつしかかゝつて來られません。だから一聯隊づつ各箇に破つて行けば良い譯です。それからヘンリイさんはあなたの聯隊に附いて行つていたゞきます。ツワラはヘンリイさんの今日の武者振りをよく知つてゐますから、あの方が戰斧《まさかり》を振りかざして白髮聯隊の先頭に立つて進んで下されば、きつと度膽《どぎも》を拔かれてしまふでせう。私は第二の聯隊に加はつて行きます。さうすれば萬一あなたの聯隊が破れても、まだ國王があとに殘つて戰ふことが出來るからです。それからマクマザンさんは私と一緒に行つていたゞきます。」

「承知しました國王」とインファドオスは彼の聯隊が全滅するにきまつてゐるのを知りながら平然として答へた。實際ククアナの人民は驚くべき人民で義務のためになら、死を少しも恐れてゐないやうだつた。

「そしてツワラの軍隊の大部分がこの戰ひを見てゐる間に、生き殘つた味方の軍勢の三分の一は小山の右側から降りて、敵の左側を襲ひ、他の三分の一は小山の左側から降りて行つて、ツワラ軍の右側を襲撃するのです。そして兩翼からの攻撃が始まるのを見て私は眞正面からツワラの本據を衝きます。そして運よく行けば夕方までの吾々はツワラ軍を山へ撃退して平和に國王の宮殿に入城することが出來ます。グッドさんは右翼軍に附いて行つて、光る眼で味方の隊長どもに元氣をつけてやつて下さい！」

攻撃の準備はすぐに開始され、一時間餘りの内に全軍は凡て食事を終つて、三箇師團に編成され、首長等にそれ〜゛作戰計畫が説明された。かうして負傷兵の收容のために殘された小部隊の守備兵を除く外は、約一萬八千の全軍が今や遲しと出動の用意をしてゐた。

暫らくするとグッドがサー・ヘンリイと私との處へやつて來た。

「左樣なら皆さん！」と彼は言つた。「私は軍令によつて右翼軍に加はる事になりました。もうお目にかゝれんかも知れませんから、お別れの握手に來ました」と彼は意味ありげにつけ足した。

吾々は默つて握手をした。だが英國人としては餘りにはしたない、とり亂した、女々しい樣子はしなかつた。

「妙な因縁ですなあ」サー・ヘンリイは少し顫へを帶びた、どつしりした聲で言つた。「實を言ふと私も明日の太陽が見られるとは思ひませんよ。私について行く白髮聯隊は兩翼の軍勢を敵に氣附かれないやうに側面へ迂廻させるために、最後の一兵まで戰はなくちやならんのです。だがそれは仕方がない男らしい死に方だと思つて諦めませう。さよならコオターメンさん。あなたの無事を祈ります。あなたは生きのびて、ダイヤモンドにありつきなさることを望みます。だがもし生きのびなさつても、今後は決して吾々のやうな山師の相手にはならぬやうにしなさいよ！」

それから數秒たつと、グッドは吾々の手を握つて向うへ行つてしまつた。そこへインファドオスが來て、サー・ヘンリイを白髮聯隊の先頭へ連れて行つた。私はあれやこれやと樣々な不安を抱きながら、イグノシに附いて第二の攻撃聯隊の中へ加はつた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第12章（全）　原文と平林初之輔訳

2014-04-03 20:11:15 | 日記

BEFORE THE BATTLE

Luckily for us, Infadoos and the chiefs knew all the paths of the great town perfectly, so that we passed by side-ways unmolested, and notwithstanding the gloom we made fair progress.

For an hour or more we journeyed on, till at length the eclipse began to pass, and that edge of the moon which had disappeared the first became again visible. Suddenly, as we watched, there burst from it a silver streak of light, accompanied by a wondrous ruddy glow, which hung upon the blackness of the sky like a celestial lamp, and a wild and lovely sight it was. In another five minutes the stars began to fade, and there was sufficient light to see our whereabouts. We then discovered that we were clear of the town of Loo, and approaching a large flat-topped hill, measuring some two miles in circumference. This hill, which is of a formation common in South Africa, is not very high; indeed, its greatest elevation is scarcely more than 200 feet, but it is shaped like a horseshoe, and its sides are rather precipitous and strewn with boulders. On the grass table-land at its summit is ample camping-ground, which had been utilised as a military cantonment of no mean strength. Its ordinary garrison was one regiment of three thousand men, but as we toiled up the steep side of the mountain in the returning moonlight we perceived that there were several of such regiments encamped there.

Reaching the table-land at last, we found crowds of men roused from their sleep, shivering with fear and huddled up together in the utmost consternation at the natural phenomenon which they were witnessing. Passing through these without a word, we gained a hut in the centre of the ground, where we were astonished to find two men waiting, laden with our few goods and chattels, which of course we had been obliged to leave behind in our hasty flight.

"I sent for them," explained Infadoos; "and also for these," and he lifted up Good's long-lost trousers.

With an exclamation of rapturous delight Good sprang at them, and instantly proceeded to put them on.

"Surely my lord will not hide his beautiful white legs!" exclaimed Infadoos regretfully.

But Good persisted, and once only did the Kukuana people get the chance of seeing his beautiful legs again. Good is a very modest man. Henceforward they had to satisfy their æsthetic longings with his one whisker, his transparent eye, and his movable teeth.

Still gazing with fond remembrance at Good's trousers, Infadoos next informed us that he had commanded the regiments to muster so soon as the day broke, in order to explain to them fully the origin and circumstances of the rebellion which was decided on by the chiefs, and to introduce to them the rightful heir to the throne, Ignosi.

Accordingly, when the sun was up, the troops—in all some twenty thousand men, and the flower of the Kukuana army—were mustered on a large open space, to which we went. The men were drawn up in three sides of a dense square, and presented a magnificent spectacle. We took our station on the open side of the square, and were speedily surrounded by all the principal chiefs and officers.

These, after silence had been proclaimed, Infadoos proceeded to address. He narrated to them in vigorous and graceful language—for, like most Kukuanas of high rank, he was a born orator—the history of Ignosi's father, and of how he had been basely murdered by Twala the king, and his wife and child driven out to starve. Then he pointed out that the people suffered and groaned under Twala's cruel rule, instancing the proceedings of the previous night, when, under pretence of their being evil-doers, many of the noblest in the land had been dragged forth and wickedly done to death. Next he went on to say that the white lords from the Stars, looking down upon their country, had perceived its trouble, and determined, at great personal inconvenience, to alleviate its lot: That they had accordingly taken the real king of the Kukuanas, Ignosi, who was languishing in exile, by the hand, and led him over the mountains: That they had seen the wickedness of Twala's doings, and for a sign to the wavering, and to save the life of the girl Foulata, actually, by the exercise of their high magic, had put out the moon and slain the young fiend Scragga; and that they were prepared to stand by them, and assist them to overthrow Twala, and set up the rightful king, Ignosi, in his place.

He finished his discourse amidst a murmur of approbation. Then Ignosi stepped forward and began to speak. Having reiterated all that Infadoos his uncle had said, he concluded a powerful speech in these words:—

"O chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people, ye have heard my words. Now must ye make choice between me and him who sits upon my throne, the uncle who killed his brother, and hunted his brother's child forth to die in the cold and the night. That I am indeed the king these"—pointing to the chiefs—"can tell you, for they have seen the snake about my middle. If I were not the king, would these white men be on my side with all their magic? Tremble, chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people! Is not the darkness they have brought upon the land to confound Twala and cover our flight, darkness even in the hour of the full moon, yet before your eyes?"

"It is," answered the soldiers.

"I am the king; I say to you, I am the king," went on Ignosi, drawing up his great stature to its full, and lifting his broad-bladed battle-axe above his head. "If there be any man among you who says that it is not so, let him stand forth and I will fight him now, and his blood shall be a red token that I tell you true. Let him stand forth, I say;" and he shook the great axe till it flashed in the sunlight.

As nobody seemed inclined to respond to this heroic version of "Dilly, Dilly, come and be killed," our late henchman proceeded with his address.

"I am indeed the king, and should ye stand by my side in the battle, if I win the day ye shall go with me to victory and honour. I will give you oxen and wives, and ye shall take place of all the regiments; and if ye fall, I will fall with you.

"And behold, I give you this promise, that when I sit upon the seat of my fathers, bloodshed shall cease in the land. No longer shall ye cry for justice to find slaughter, no longer shall the witch-finder hunt you out so that ye may be slain without a cause. No man shall die save he who offends against the laws. The 'eating up' of your kraals shall cease; each one of you shall sleep secure in his own hut and fear naught, and justice shall walk blindfold throughout the land. Have ye chosen, chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people?"

"We have chosen, O king," came back the answer.

"It is well. Turn your heads and see how Twala's messengers go forth from the great town, east and west, and north and south, to gather a mighty army to slay me and you, and these my friends and protectors. To-morrow, or perchance the next day, he will come against us with all who are faithful to him. Then I shall see the man who is indeed my man, the man who fears not to die for his cause; and I tell you that he shall not be forgotten in the time of spoil. I have spoken, O chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people. Now go to your huts and make you ready for war."

There was a pause, till presently one of the chiefs lifted his hand, and out rolled the royal salute, "Koom." It was a sign that the soldiers accepted Ignosi as their king. Then they marched off in battalions.

Half an hour afterwards we held a council of war, at which all the commanders of regiments were present. It was evident to us that before very long we should be attacked in overwhelming force. Indeed, from our point of vantage on the hill we could see troops mustering, and runners going forth from Loo in every direction, doubtless to summon soldiers to the king's assistance. We had on our side about twenty thousand men, composed of seven of the best regiments in the country. Twala, so Infadoos and the chiefs calculated, had at least thirty to thirty-five thousand on whom he could rely at present assembled in Loo, and they thought that by midday on the morrow he would be able to gather another five thousand or more to his aid. It was, of course, possible that some of his troops would desert and come over to us, but it was not a contingency which could be reckoned on. Meanwhile, it was clear that active preparations were being made by Twala to subdue us. Already strong bodies of armed men were patrolling round and round the foot of the hill, and there were other signs also of coming assault.

Infadoos and the chiefs, however, were of opinion that no attack would take place that day, which would be devoted to preparation and to the removal of every available means of the moral effect produced upon the minds of the soldiery by the supposed magical darkening of the moon. The onslaught would be on the morrow, they said, and they proved to be right.

Meanwhile, we set to work to strengthen the position in all ways possible. Almost every man was turned out, and in the course of the day, which seemed far too short, much was done. The paths up the hill—that was rather a sanatorium than a fortress, being used generally as the camping place of regiments suffering from recent service in unhealthy portions of the country—were carefully blocked with masses of stones, and every other approach was made as impregnable as time would allow. Piles of boulders were collected at various spots to be rolled down upon an advancing enemy, stations were appointed to the different regiments, and all preparation was made which our joint ingenuity could suggest.

Just before sundown, as we rested after our toil, we perceived a small company of men advancing towards us from the direction of Loo, one of whom bore a palm leaf in his hand for a sign that he came as a herald.

As he drew near, Ignosi, Infadoos, one or two chiefs and ourselves, went down to the foot of the mountain to meet him. He was a gallant-looking fellow, wearing the regulation leopard-skin cloak.

"Greeting!" he cried, as he came; "the king's greeting to those who make unholy war against the king; the lion's greeting to the jackals that snarl around his heels."

"Speak," I said.

"These are the king's words. Surrender to the king's mercy ere a worse thing befall you. Already the shoulder has been torn from the black bull, and the king drives him bleeding about the camp."[1]

"What are Twala's terms?" I asked from curiosity.

"His terms are merciful, worthy of a great king. These are the words of Twala, the one-eyed, the mighty, the husband of a thousand wives, lord of the Kukuanas, keeper of the Great Road (Solomon's Road), beloved of the Strange Ones who sit in silence at the mountains yonder (the Three Witches), Calf of the Black Cow, Elephant whose tread shakes the earth, Terror of the evil-doer, Ostrich whose feet devour the desert, huge One, black One, wise One, king from generation to generation! these are the words of Twala: 'I will have mercy and be satisfied with a little blood. One in every ten shall die, the rest shall go free; but the white man Incubu, who slew Scragga my son, and the black man his servant, who pretends to my throne, and Infadoos my brother, who brews rebellion against me, these shall die by torture as an offering to the Silent Ones.' Such are the merciful words of Twala."

After consulting with the others a little, I answered him in a loud voice, so that the soldiers might hear, thus—

"Go back, thou dog, to Twala, who sent thee, and say that we, Ignosi, veritable king of the Kukuanas, Incubu, Bougwan, and Macumazahn, the wise ones from the Stars, who make dark the moon, Infadoos, of the royal house, and the chiefs, captains, and people here gathered, make answer and say, 'That we will not surrender; that before the sun has gone down twice, Twala's corpse shall stiffen at Twala's gate, and Ignosi, whose father Twala slew, shall reign in his stead.' Now go, ere we whip thee away, and beware how thou dost lift a hand against such as we are."

The herald laughed loudly. "Ye frighten not men with such swelling words," he cried out. "Show yourselves as bold to-morrow, O ye who darken the moon. Be bold, fight, and be merry, before the crows pick your bones till they are whiter than your faces. Farewell; perhaps we may meet in the fight; fly not to the Stars, but wait for me, I pray, white men." With this shaft of sarcasm he retired, and almost immediately the sun sank.

That night was a busy one, for weary as we were, so far as was possible by the moonlight all preparations for the morrow's fight were continued, and messengers were constantly coming and going from the place where we sat in council. At last, about an hour after midnight, everything that could be done was done, and the camp, save for the occasional challenge of a sentry, sank into silence. Sir Henry and I, accompanied by Ignosi and one of the chiefs, descended the hill and made a round of the pickets. As we went, suddenly, from all sorts of unexpected places, spears gleamed out in the moonlight, only to vanish again when we uttered the password. It was clear to us that none were sleeping at their posts. Then we returned, picking our way warily through thousands of sleeping warriors, many of whom were taking their last earthly rest.

The moonlight flickering along their spears, played upon their features and made them ghastly; the chilly night wind tossed their tall and hearse-like plumes. There they lay in wild confusion, with arms outstretched and twisted limbs; their stern, stalwart forms looking weird and unhuman in the moonlight.

"How many of these do you suppose will be alive at this time to-morrow?" asked Sir Henry.

I shook my head and looked again at the sleeping men, and to my tired and yet excited imagination it seemed as though Death had already touched them. My mind's eye singled out those who were sealed to slaughter, and there rushed in upon my heart a great sense of the mystery of human life, and an overwhelming sorrow at its futility and sadness. To-night these thousands slept their healthy sleep, to-morrow they, and many others with them, ourselves perhaps among them, would be stiffening in the cold; their wives would be widows, their children fatherless, and their place know them no more for ever. Only the old moon would shine on serenely, the night wind would stir the grasses, and the wide earth would take its rest, even as it did æons before we were, and will do æons after we have been forgotten.

Yet man dies not whilst the world, at once his mother and his monument, remains. His name is lost, indeed, but the breath he breathed still stirs the pine-tops on the mountains, the sound of the words he spoke yet echoes on through space; the thoughts his brain gave birth to we have inherited to-day; his passions are our cause of life; the joys and sorrows that he knew are our familiar friends—the end from which he fled aghast will surely overtake us also!

Truly the universe is full of ghosts, not sheeted churchyard spectres, but the inextinguishable elements of individual life, which having once been, can never die, though they blend and change, and change again for ever.

All sorts of reflections of this nature passed through my mind—for as I grow older I regret to say that a detestable habit of thinking seems to be getting a hold of me—while I stood and stared at those grim yet fantastic lines of warriors, sleeping, as their saying goes, "upon their spears."

"Curtis," I said, "I am in a condition of pitiable fear."

Sir Henry stroked his yellow beard and laughed, as he answered—

"I have heard you make that sort of remark before, Quatermain."

"Well, I mean it now. Do you know, I very much doubt if one of us will be alive to-morrow night. We shall be attacked in overwhelming force, and it is quite a chance if we can hold this place."

"We'll give a good account of some of them, at any rate. Look here, Quatermain, this business is nasty, and one with which, properly speaking, we ought not to be mixed up, but we are in for it, so we must make the best of our job. Speaking personally, I had rather be killed fighting than any other way, and now that there seems little chance of our finding my poor brother, it makes the idea easier to me. But fortune favours the brave, and we may succeed. Anyway, the battle will be awful, and having a reputation to keep up, we shall need to be in the thick of the thing."

He made this last remark in a mournful voice, but there was a gleam in his eye which belied its melancholy. I have an idea Sir Henry Curtis actually likes fighting.

After this we went to sleep for a couple of hours or so.

Just about dawn we were awakened by Infadoos, who came to say that great activity was to be observed in Loo, and that parties of the king's skirmishers were driving in our outposts.

We rose and dressed ourselves for the fray, each putting on his chain armour shirt, for which garments at the present juncture we felt exceedingly thankful. Sir Henry went the whole length about the matter, and dressed himself like a native warrior. "When you are in Kukuanaland, do as the Kukuanas do," he remarked, as he drew the shining steel over his broad breast, which it fitted like a glove. Nor did he stop there. At his request Infadoos had provided him with a complete set of native war uniform. Round his throat he fastened the leopard-skin cloak of a commanding officer, on his brows he bound the plume of black ostrich feathers worn only by generals of high rank, and about his middle a magnificent moocha of white ox-tails. A pair of sandals, a leglet of goat's hair, a heavy battle-axe with a rhinoceros-horn handle, a round iron shield covered with white ox-hide, and the regulation number of tollas, or throwing-knives, made up his equipment, to which, however, he added his revolver. The dress was, no doubt, a savage one, but I am bound to say that I seldom saw a finer sight than Sir Henry Curtis presented in this guise. It showed off his magnificent physique to the greatest advantage, and when Ignosi arrived presently, arrayed in a similar costume, I thought to myself that I had never before seen two such splendid men.

As for Good and myself, the armour did not suit us nearly so well. To begin with, Good insisted upon keeping on his new-found trousers, and a stout, short gentleman with an eye-glass, and one half of his face shaved, arrayed in a mail shirt, carefully tucked into a very seedy pair of corduroys, looks more remarkable than imposing. In my case, the chain shirt being too big for me, I put it on over all my clothes, which caused it to bulge in a somewhat ungainly fashion. I discarded my trousers, however, retaining only my veldtschoons, having determined to go into battle with bare legs, in order to be the lighter for running, in case it became necessary to retire quickly. The mail coat, a spear, a shield, that I did not know how to use, a couple of tollas, a revolver, and a huge plume, which I pinned into the top of my shooting hat, in order to give a bloodthirsty finish to my appearance, completed my modest equipment. In addition to all these articles, of course we had our rifles, but as ammunition was scarce, and as they would be useless in case of a charge, we arranged that they should be carried behind us by bearers.

When at length we had equipped ourselves, we swallowed some food hastily, and then started out to see how things were going on. At one point in the table-land of the mountain, there was a little koppie of brown stone, which served the double purpose of head-quarters and of a conning tower. Here we found Infadoos surrounded by his own regiment, the Greys, which was undoubtedly the finest in the Kukuana army, and the same that we had first seen at the outlying kraal. This regiment, now three thousand five hundred strong, was being held in reserve, and the men were lying down on the grass in companies, and watching the king's forces creep out of Loo in long ant-like columns. There seemed to be no end to the length of these columns—three in all, and each of them numbering, as we judged, at least eleven or twelve thousand men.

As soon as they were clear of the town the regiments formed up. Then one body marched off to the right, one to the left, and the third came on slowly towards us.

"Ah," said Infadoos, "they are going to attack us on three sides at once."

This seemed rather serious news, for our position on the top of the mountain, which measured a mile and a half in circumference, being an extended one, it was important to us to concentrate our comparatively small defending force as much as possible. But since it was impossible for us to dictate in what way we should be assailed, we had to make the best of it, and accordingly sent orders to the various regiments to prepare to receive the separate onslaughts.

[1] This cruel custom is not confined to the Kukuanas, but is by no means uncommon amongst African tribes on the occasion of the outbreak of war or any other important public event.—A.Q.

ソロモン王の寶窟 : 第十二章　戰鬪の前

幸にもインファドオスと首長等とはこの大きな町の道をすつかり知つてゐたので、闇にもかゝはらず吾々はずん〜進んで行くことができた。

一時間餘りも歩き續けてゐるうちに、漸く月蝕は過ぎさつて、はじめに消えて行つた周縁《ぐるり》の方が再び見えるやうになつて來た。五分間も經つと星の光りはだん〜褪せて行つて、どうにか四邊《あたり》が見える程明るくなつた。吾々はもう町の外へ出て、大きな頂きの平らな小山の方へ近づいてゐた。この小山は南アフリカにはよくあるもので、餘り高くはなく、一番高い處でせい〜゛二百呎《フイート》位なものであつたが、馬蹄形をしてゐて、周圍は相當に嶮しく、それに石だらけだつた。頂上の草原は廣々とした練兵場で少なからぬ軍隊がそこに駐屯することが出來た。平時はこの小山にゐる守備隊は三千人の兵員からなる一聯隊であつたのだが、吾々が嶮しい坂道を攀ぢ登つて、微かな月光で見ると、その晩には數個聯隊の兵がそこに駐屯してゐた。

やがて小山の頂きに着くと眠りから醒めた人々の群が、今しがた目撃した自然現象を恐ろしがつて一處に集つて慄へてゐた。吾々は物を言はずにその中を通りすぎて、小山の中央にある小舍に着いた。そこには、驚いたことには、二人の男が吾々が慌てゝ國王の小舍の中に殘しておいて來た荷物を持つて來てくれてゐた。

「私がこれを取りにやつたのです」とインファドオスが説明した。「それからこれも持つて來ました」と言ひながら、彼は、長い間なくなつてゐたグッドのヅボンを取り上げた。

「まさかあの方は『美しい白い脚』をかくしておしまひにならんでせうな？」とインファドオスは殘念さうに叫んだ。

しかしグッドはどうしても承知しなかつたので、それきりククアナ人は彼の美しい脚を見ることは出來なくなつたのだ。それから以後は彼等はグッドの片頬の髯と彼の透き通つた眼と、動く齒とだけで、彼等の審美的憧憬を滿足させねばならなかつた。

インファドオスはなほもグッドのヅボンを飽かずに眺めてゐたが、やがて吾々に向つて、夜が明けるとすぐに首長等が叛逆をするに至つた顛末を説明し、正當な王位の繼承者イグノシを紹介するために各聯隊に整列するやうに命令しておいたと告げた。

そこで朝日が昇るとククアナ人の精華とも云ふべき約二萬の軍隊が召集された。軍隊は方形の三邊に厚い列を作つて整列し、吾々はその空いてゐる一邊に席を占めた。吾々の周圍には忽ち、主だつた首長と將校とが集つて來た。

インファドオスはこれ等の軍隊を靜めて、一同に向つて力強い巧みな辯説をふるつてイグノシの父の物語り、彼がツワラ王のために卑怯な手段で殺されたこと、彼の妻子は追放されて飢ゑてゐたことなぞを話した。それから彼は人民がツワラ王の暴政の下に塗炭の苦しみを嘗めてゐることを指摘し、前夜の例をひいて多くの貴族たちが謀反人の名によつて虐殺されたことを指摘した。次で彼は星の世界の白人逹がこの國を見下して人民の苦しみを眺め、長い道中をいとはずに遙々やつて來られたといふ次第を語つた。そして、彼等は追放されて困苦を嘗めてゐたククアナの眞の王イグノシを連れて、山を越えてこの國へお出になり、ツワラの暴虐を見かねて、娘のファウラタの命を救ひ、魔法をもつて月の光りを消し、惡魔の子スクラッガを殺して、これから吾々を助けてツワラを亡ぼし正當な王イグノシを王位につかせて下さるやうになつたのであると語つた。

彼が賞讚の囁きの中にこの演説を終ると、今度はイグノシが出て演説を初めた。彼は叔父のインファドオスが言つた話を繰り返し、最後に雄辯をふるつて次のやうに言つた。「おゝククアナの將卒、竝《なら》びに人民諸君、諸君は吾が言葉を聞かれた。諸君は吾と、吾が王座に坐つてゐる彼、兄を殺し兄の子を追放して殺さうとした叔父のツワラと何《いづ》れかを選ばねばならぬ。吾が眞の國王であることはこの首長等が説明することになつてゐる。彼等は吾の腰の圍りにある蛇の姿を見たのである。若し吾が國王でなかつたならこの白人たちが魔法をもつて吾を助けて下さる筈はない。諸君、この白人たちはツワラを困らせ、吾々を無事に逃がして下さるために月の光りを消して下さつたのだ！」

「然り！」と軍人等は答へた。

「吾は國王である！汝等に告げる、吾は國王である！」とイグノシは威大なる體躯をぐつと伸し、廣身の戰斧《まさかり》を頭上高くさし上げながら續けて言つた。「もし諸君の中にさうでないと言ふものがあるならば前へ進み出よ、吾はこの場でその男と雌雄を決し、戰ひの血祭とする」と言ひながら彼は大きな戰斧《まさかり》を振つた。斧の刄はギラ〜と日光を受けて輝いた。誰もこれに應ずるものがなかつたので、イグノシは更に言葉を續けた。

「吾とともに戰ふものはもし我軍に利あらば勝利と光榮をわれと共にするであらう。吾は諸君に牛と女とを與へるであらう。もし戰ひ利あらずばわれは諸君と共に仆れるであらう。

「吾は戰ひに先だつて諸君に約束する。もし吾が父祖の王座についたならば、流血の慘事はかたく禁ずる。諸君はもはや虐殺者を恨まなくてもよくなる。魔法婆に嗅ぎ出されて理由もなしに殺されることもなくなる。國法に觸れたもの以外は殺されことはなくなる。諸君は枕を高くして眠ることが出來るやうになる。ククアナの將卒及び人民諸君、決心はつきましたか？」

「吾々は決心しました、おゝ國王」と一同は答へた。

「よし、見よ、ツワラの傳令どもは首都の中を右往左往して吾と諸君とそれからこゝに居られるわが保護者とを仆すために大軍を集めてゐる。明日か明後日には彼は彼を奉ずる部下の大軍を率ゐて攻め寄せるであらう。ククアナの將卒及び人民諸君、これで話は終つた。めい〜小舍に歸つて戰の用意をせられよ！」

暫くすると一人の首長が手を擧げて「萬歳」と叫んだ。それは軍人等がイグノシが國王であることを承認したしるしだつたのだ。それから彼等は隊伍をつくつて進み出した。

半時間の後、吾々は軍事會議を開いた。その時には聯隊の首長は全部出席してゐた。遠からぬうちに敵の大軍が吾々を攻撃して來ることは明白であつた。小山の上から見ると軍隊が續々と召集され、傳令が櫛の齒を引くやうに市中を往來してゐるのが手にとるやうに見えた。疑ひもなく、國王は軍隊を召集してゐるのだ。吾々の味方には國内の粹をすぐつた七箇聯隊の兵が約二萬人居た。インファドオスと首長等との計算によると、國王の部下には現在少くも三萬から三萬五千の兵が集つて居り、明日の正午までには外に五千以上の援軍が集まるであらうとの事であつた。勿論その中には國王を見棄てゝ吾々の軍の投ずるものもあるかもしれないが、それは當にならないことであつた。その間にも吾々を鎭壓するための準備は着々と進んでゐた。既に小山の麓には武裝した強力な部隊が、吾々の動靜を偵察に來て居り、その外にも將《まさ》に來らんとする攻撃の兆候は隨所に見えた。

しかしインファドオスと首長等との意見によると、その日の攻撃はないだらうといふことであつた。といふのは、いろ〜準備もあることだし、昨夜の月蝕によつて沮喪した軍隊の士氣を鼓舞する必要があつたからだ。彼等の意見によると攻撃は明日だらうと言ふことであつた。

吾々の方でも陣地を固めるために百方手段を講じた。男子は殆んど總出でその日の中にいろんなことをした。小山の上へ登る道には石を積んで通れない樣にし、その他いろ〜な方法で上へ登つて來られないやうにした。山上の處々には石ころを積み重ねて敵が登つて來るときにそれをころがすやうに準備を整へ、各聯隊の受持場所をきめて、萬端の手筈を整へた。

丁度夕刻前に、吾々が憇《やす》んでゐると、國王の宮殿の方から小部隊の軍隊がこちらへ進んで來るのが見えた。その中の一人は軍使のしるしとして棕櫚の葉を手に持つてゐた。

彼が近づいて來るとイグノシとインファドオスと一二の首長と吾々とは山の麓まで下りて彼に會見した。彼は瀟洒たる風采の男で、豹の皮の正服を着けてゐた。

「國王に對して不屆きな謀叛を計るものどもへ國王から使に參つた。ライオンの踵《くびす》につきまとふ豺《むじな》どもへライオンから使に參つた。」

「用事を言へ！」と私は言つた。

「國王のお言葉だ！もはや宣戰のしるしに黒牛の肩を引き裂いて、國王自から、この血に塗《まみ》れた牛を陣地へ追ひ出された。大事に至らぬうちに國王に降伏したらどうだ？」

「ツワラはどう言ふ條件を出してゐるのだ？」と私は物好きに聞いて見た。

「國王の條件は大王にふさはしい極めて寛大なものだ。國王はかう仰せられた「わしは少しばかりの血で我慢する。十人につき一人づゝ殺して、殘りの者は許してつかはす。だがスクラッガを殺した白人と、わが王位を僭奪《せんだつ》せんとする彼の從者の黒人と、吾に謀叛を扇動するわが弟のインファドオスとは無言の神の冐涜者としてなぶり殺しにする。』これがツワラ王の慈悲深いお言葉だ。」

暫らく相談したあとで、私は一緒についてきた兵卒等にも聞えるやうに大聲で答へた。

「汝を使に寄越したツワラの許へとつとと歸つて言へ！王族のインファドオスと將卒及び人民とは、この小山の上に集合してゐると告げい！そして吾々は降伏等はせん、これから二度目の太陽が沈むまでに、ツワラの死骸はツワラの門前で硬くなり、ツワラのために父を殺されたイグノシが彼に代つてこの國を統御するのだと答へろ！鞭で追ひ歸されん中にさつさと歸つて行け！あとで貴樣の方から手を擧げて降伏しないやうに氣をつけろ！」

すると軍使は大聲で笑つた。「そんな大言壯語に恐れると思ふか」と彼は叫んだ。「明日もその元氣でお目にかゝらうぜ。鳥に骨を啄《つゝ》かれるまではまあさんざんはしやいでゐるがよい。事によると明日は戰場でお目に懸るかもしれん。その時には星の世界へ遁げ歸らないでわしを待つてゐてくれ！頼むぞ！」かうした毒言を吐いて彼が走つて行くとすぐに陽は沈んだ。

その夜は忙しい夜であつた。吾々は疲れてはゐたけれども、月の光りを便りに明日の戰の準備を續けて行つた。吾々の會議をしてゐた處から傳令は織るが如くに行つたり來たりした。そのうちに眞夜半《まよなか》から一時間ばかり過ぎると、準備はすつかり出來上つて陣中はひつそりと靜まり返り、時々歩哨の誰何《すゐか》の聲が聞えるばかりとなつた。サー・ヘンリイと私とは、イグノシと一人の首長とに伴はれて小山を下りて前哨陣地を視察した。吾々が進んで行くと、時々思ひ懸ない場所から月の光でギラ〜光る槍の穗先が出たが、吾々が合言葉を言ふと又消えてしまつた。見張の者は誰一人として眠つてゐるものはない事がそれで判つた。それから吾々は澤山の眠つてゐる戰士の間を通つて歸つて來た。

恰度夜明け頃、私はインファドオスに起された。彼は國王の宮殿では既に大活動が始まつて、國王方の斥候は吾々の前哨線に出沒してゐると告げた。吾々は起ち上つてめい〜鎖鎧を着けた。これがあつたので吾々は非常に有難かつた。サー・ヘンリイは「郷に入れば郷に從へぢや」と言ひながら、インファドオスに頼んで土人の軍服を用意してもらつてそれを着た。士官の着る豹の皮の外套を首の圍りに結びつけ、額には高級將校だけのつけてゐる黒い駝鳥の羽根飾りをつけ、腰には白い牛の尾の腰帶を卷きつけた。足には革靴を穿き、犀の角の柄のついた重い戰斧《まさかり》を持ち、白牛の皮の裏打ちをした丸い鐡の楯を持ち、所定の投げ槍を携へ、その外に一挺の短銃《ピストル》をつけ加へた。野蠻な服裝ではあつたが、私はサー・ヘンリイ・カーチスのこの時の姿位立派な姿は餘り見たことがないと言はざるを得ない。實際彼がイグノシと二人で同じ服裝をして列《なら》んでゐる姿は實に堂々たるものだつた。グッドと私ともほぼ同じやうな服裝をして、鎖鎧を着け、槍と、楯と、二挺の投げ槍と、その外に銃を持つことにしたが、銃は彈藥も乏しくなつてゐたし、それに接戰の場合には間に合はんので、吾々の後から人足に持つて來てもらふことにした。

吾々は支度がすつかり終ると、大急ぎで食事を濟まし、それから動靜を見に出懸けた。小山の上の平地の一點に褐色の石で拵へた小さな塔のやうなものがあつた。それは司令部にもなり、物見櫓にもなるやうに造つたものであつた。インファドオスはそこで部下の聯隊に取り卷かれてゐた。この聯隊は白髮聯隊と云つて、ククアナ軍の中でも最も精鋭な軍隊であつたのだ。この聯隊は豫備軍として控へてゐたので、兵卒等は草原の上に隊を作つて横はりながら、國王の軍勢が長い蟻の行列のやうな縱隊を作つて宮殿から匍ひ出してくるのを見てゐた。果しなく長い三つの縱隊にはそれ〜゛一萬一二千の兵卒が屬してゐるらしかつた。

これ等の軍勢は町を出ると聯隊に編成され、三隊に分れて第一の隊は右の方に進み、第二の隊は左の方に進み、第三の隊は徐々に吾々の正面に迫つて來た。

「敵は三方から吾々を攻め寄せるんだな！」とインファドオスは言つた。

これは甚だ重大な、情報であつた。といふのは、小山の上の吾々の陣地は、周圍が一半も哩あるので[注：一哩半もあるので？]比較的劣勢な防御軍は出來るだけ兵力を集中することが必要だつたからだ。しかし吾々には敵がどの方向から攻めて來るか判らなかつたので、臨機應變の處置をすることにし、各聯隊はそれ〜゛部署を定めて別々の攻撃に對抗する準備をするやうに命令しておいた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第11章（3）　原文と平林初之輔訳、および機械翻訳

2014-04-03 19:18:12 | 日記

45."Now's your time," whispered Sir Henry to me; "what are you waiting for?"

"I am waiting for that eclipse," I answered; "I have had my eye on the moon for the last half-hour, and I never saw it look healthier."

"Well, you must risk it now, or the girl will be killed. Twala is losing patience."

Recognising the force of the argument, and having cast one more despairing look at the bright face of the moon, for never did the most ardent astronomer with a theory to prove await a celestial event with such anxiety, I stepped with all the dignity that I could command between the prostrate girl and the advancing spear of Scragga.

"King," I said, "it shall not be; we will not endure this thing; let the girl go in safety."

Twala rose from his seat in wrath and astonishment, and from the chiefs and serried ranks of maidens who had closed in slowly upon us in anticipation of the tragedy came a murmur of amazement.

"Shall not be! thou white dog, that yappest at the lion in his cave; shall not be! art thou mad? Be careful, lest this chicken's fate overtake thee, and those with thee. How canst thou save her or thyself? Who art thou that thou settest thyself between me and my will? Back, I say. Scragga, kill her! Ho, guards! seize these men."

At his cry armed men ran swiftly from behind the hut, where they had evidently been placed beforehand.

Sir Henry, Good, and Umbopa ranged themselves alongside of me, and lifted their rifles.

"Stop!" I shouted boldly, though at the moment my heart was in my boots. "Stop! we, the white men from the Stars, say that it shall not be. Come but one pace nearer, and we will put out the moon like a wind-blown lamp, as we who dwell in her House can do, and plunge the land in darkness. Dare to disobey, and ye shall taste of our magic."

My threat produced an effect; the men halted, and Scragga stood still before us, his spear lifted.

"Hear him! hear him!" piped Gagool; "hear the liar who says that he will put out the moon like a lamp. Let him do it, and the girl shall be speared. Yes, let him do it, or die by the girl, he and those with him."

I glanced up at the moon despairingly, and now to my intense joy and relief saw that we—or rather the almanack—had made no mistake. On the edge of the great orb lay a faint rim of shadow, while a smoky hue grew and gathered upon its bright surface. Never shall I forget that supreme, that superb moment of relief.

Then I lifted my hand solemnly towards the sky, an example which Sir Henry and Good followed, and quoted a line or two from the "Ingoldsby Legends" at it in the most impressive tones that I could command. Sir Henry followed suit with a verse out of the Old Testament, and something about Balbus building a wall, in Latin, whilst Good addressed the Queen of Night in a volume of the most classical bad language which he could think of.

Slowly the penumbra, the shadow of a shadow, crept on over the bright surface, and as it crept I heard deep gasps of fear rising from the multitude around.

"Look, O king!" I cried; "look, Gagool! Look, chiefs and people and women, and see if the white men from the Stars keep their word, or if they be but empty liars!

"The moon grows black before your eyes; soon there will be darkness—ay, darkness in the hour of the full moon. Ye have asked for a sign; it is given to you. Grow dark, O Moon! withdraw thy light, thou pure and holy One; bring the proud heart of usurping murderers to the dust, and eat up the world with shadows."

A groan of terror burst from the onlookers. Some stood petrified with dread, others threw themselves upon their knees and cried aloud. As for the king, he sat still and turned pale beneath his dusky skin. Only Gagool kept her courage.

"It will pass," she cried; "I have often seen the like before; no man can put out the moon; lose not heart; sit still—the shadow will pass."

"Wait, and ye shall see," I replied, hopping with excitement. "O Moon! Moon! Moon! wherefore art thou so cold and fickle?" This appropriate quotation was from the pages of a popular romance that I chanced to have read recently, though now I come to think of it, it was ungrateful of me to abuse the Lady of the Heavens, who was showing herself to be the truest of friends to us, however she may have behaved to the impassioned lover in the novel. Then I added: "Keep it up, Good, I can't remember any more poetry. Curse away, there's a good fellow."

Good responded nobly to this tax upon his inventive faculties. Never before had I the faintest conception of the breadth and depth and height of a naval officer's objurgatory powers. For ten minutes he went on in several languages without stopping, and he scarcely ever repeated himself.

Meanwhile the dark ring crept on, while all that great assembly fixed their eyes upon the sky and stared and stared in fascinated silence. Strange and unholy shadows encroached upon the moonlight, an ominous quiet filled the place. Everything grew still as death. Slowly and in the midst of this most solemn silence the minutes sped away, and while they sped the full moon passed deeper and deeper into the shadow of the earth, as the inky segment of its circle slid in awful majesty across the lunar craters. The great pale orb seemed to draw near and to grow in size. She turned a coppery hue, then that portion of her surface which was unobscured as yet grew grey and ashen, and at length, as totality approached, her mountains and her plains were to be seen glowing luridly through a crimson gloom.

On, yet on, crept the ring of darkness; it was now more than half across the blood-red orb. The air grew thick, and still more deeply tinged with dusky crimson. On, yet on, till we could scarcely see the fierce faces of the group before us. No sound rose now from the spectators, and at last Good stopped swearing.

"The moon is dying—the white wizards have killed the moon," yelled the prince Scragga at last. "We shall all perish in the dark," and animated by fear or fury, or by both, he lifted his spear and drove it with all his force at Sir Henry's breast. But he forgot the mail shirts that the king had given us, and which we wore beneath our clothing. The steel rebounded harmless, and before he could repeat the blow Curtis had snatched the spear from his hand and sent it straight through him.

56.Scragga dropped dead.

57.At the sight, and driven mad with fear of the gathering darkness, and of the unholy shadow which, as they believed, was swallowing the moon, the companies of girls broke up in wild confusion, and ran screeching for the gateways. Nor did the panic stop there. The king himself, followed by his guards, some of the chiefs, and Gagool, who hobbled away after them with marvellous alacrity, fled for the huts, so that in another minute we ourselves, the would-be victim Foulata, Infadoos, and most of the chiefs who had interviewed us on the previous night, were left alone upon the scene, together with the dead body of Scragga, Twala's son.

58."Chiefs," I said, "we have given you the sign. If ye are satisfied, let us fly swiftly to the place of which ye spoke. The charm cannot now be stopped. It will work for an hour and the half of an hour. Let us cover ourselves in the darkness."

59."Come," said Infadoos, turning to go, an example which was followed by the awed captains, ourselves, and the girl Foulata, whom Good took by the arm.

Before we reached the gate of the kraal the moon went out utterly, and from every quarter of the firmament the stars rushed forth into the inky sky.

Holding each other by the hand we stumbled on through the darkness.

45.「さあ今度はあなたの番だ。何をぐづぐづしてゐるのです？」とサー・ヘンリイは私に囁いた。

「月蝕を待つてゐるんですがねえ、もう半時間もぢつと月を見てゐるんだが、まだちつとも變りがないのです」と私は答へた。

「だが今やらなければあの娘は殺されてしまふ。ツワラはもう癇癪玉を破裂さしてゐますよ。」

それも尤もだと思ひながら私は念のためにもう一度月を仰いで見た。どんな熱心な天文學者が自分の學説を證明するために天體に起る出來事を待つてゐるときだつて、その時ほどの熱心をもつて天體を見つめてはゐなかつたゞらう。しかし結果はやはり駄目だつたので、私は精一ぱいの威嚴を保つて、ひれ伏してゐる娘とスクラッガの突き出した槍の穗尖《ほさき》との間へ進んで行つた。

「國王、そんなことをしてはいけない！吾々は默つて見てゐる譯にいかん。この娘は許してやりなさい！」と私は言つた。

ツワラは驚いて烈火の如く怒りながら起ち上つた。その場にゐならぶ首長連や悲劇を見ようとしてだん〜吾々の方へすり寄つて來てゐた娘等から驚きの囁きが洩れた。

「そんなことをしてはいけないつて、この白犬奴！ライオンの洞穴《ほらあな》の前で吠えてゐる白犬奴、してはいけないだつて！貴樣たちは氣が違つたのか？よく氣をつけて物を言はぬと貴樣たちも捲きぞへを喰はすぞ、一たい貴樣たちは何者ぢや？わしの邪魔をするなんて。下れ！さあ、スクラッガあの娘つ子を殺してしまへ！護衞の者ども此奴等をふん縛つてしまへ！」

この聲に應じて武裝した者どもが小舍の後から出て來た。前もつて用意してゐたものらしい。

サー・ヘンリイと、グッドと、ウムボバとは私の兩側に竝んで銃をとり上げた。

「やめろ！」と私は大膽に叫んだ。しかし心の中ではびく〜ものだつたのだ。「やめろ！吾々の星の國の人間の命令だ。その娘を殺してはならぬ。一歩でもこちらへ寄つたら、月の光りを消して下界をまつ暗にしてやる！」

私の脅しはきゝめがあつたと見えて、者どもはたぢ〜とした。スクラッガは槍を持つたまゝ吾々の前に立つてゐた。

「は！は！は！」とガゴオルは金切り聲で笑つた。

「この[言|虚;#2-88-74]《うそ》つきは月の光をランプのやうに消すなんて、さあ消して見ろ！消えたら娘は助けてやる。消えなかつたら娘もろとも殺してしまへ！」

私は絶望の眼で空を見上げた。すると嬉しや！吾々は——いや吾々ぢやない暦《こよみ》は—— 間違つてゐなかつた。おほきな天體の周縁《ぐるり》にかすかな影がさしはじめ、煙のやうな色が明るい月の面を蔽ひはじめた。まつ黒な影はだん〜と明るい月の面に浸蝕してゐつた。群集の間から深い恐怖の喘ぎが起つた。

「見よ！國王！」と私は叫んだ。「見よ！ガゴオル！首長たちも、人民も、女どもも見よ。星の世界の白人の言ふことが[言|虚;#2-88-74]《うそ》か眞實《ほんたう》か見よ！

「月は汝等の前で暗くなつて行く。今にまつ暗になるだらう。滿月の夜に月がまつ暗になるのだ。お前たちは驗《しる》しを求めた。今それを見せてやる。おゝ月よ！暗くなれ！清らかなる聖なる月よ！お前の光りを隱してしまへ！奢れる人の見せしめにこの下界をまつ暗にしてしまへ！」

恐怖の呻きが見物人の中から起つた。恐ろしさに茫然としてしまつたものもあれば、地べたに跪いて高い聲で叫んだものもあつた。國王はうす穢《きたな》い皮膚の下でまつ青になつてぢつと坐つてゐた。ただガゴオルだけはびくともしなかつた。

「今にやんでしまふ！」と彼女は叫んだ。「わしはかういふことは前にも見たことがある。誰にだつて月の光りは消せはしない、元氣を出すんだ！影は今に通りすぎてしまふ！」

黒い環はだん〜月の面に廣がり、群集は物も言はずにうつとりとして空を眺めてゐた。不思議な、呪はしい影が月の面を蔽ふてゆくにつれて、四邊《あたり》はしんと靜まり、森羅萬象は死の如く靜かになつた。この嚴肅な沈默の中に時は刻々と過ぎて行き、滿月はだん〜深く地球の影に沒して行つた。

影はます〜月の面に匍ひよつて、もはや月の面を半分以上も浸蝕して行つた。四邊《あたり》は薄暗くなつて群集の兇猛な顏も殆んど見えなくなつた。群集の間からはごとりといふ音もしなかつた。

「あゝ月が死んで行く！白い魔法使が月を殺してしまつた！」とたうとうスクラッガがわめいた。そして恐怖と怒りとの餘り槍を振つて力ぱいサー・ヘンリイの胸を目がけて突いた。だが彼は吾々が國王から貰つた鎖鎧を着物の下に着てゐることを知らなかつたのだ。鋼鐵の鎧は槍を彈ね返した。そしてスクラッガが二度目に突きかゝつて來るまでに、サー・ヘンリイはスクラッガの手から槍を奪つてそれを彼の體に突き刺してしまつた。スクラッガはごろりと仆れて死んだ。

これを見て恐怖にうたれた娘等はきやあ〜わめき聲をたてながら門の方へ逃げ出した。國王も護衞兵や首長等の一部分とガゴオルを連れて小舍の中へ逃げこんでしまつた。あとには吾々と殺されかゝつたファウラタと、インファドオスと、前の晩に會つた首長等の大部分とがスクラッガの死體と共に殘された。

「皆さん！」と私は首長等に向つて言つた。「吾々はしるしを見せました。これで滿足されたなら一刻もはやく昨日《きのふ》の話の處へ行かう。闇は一時間半ばかりも續く筈だから、その間に逃げて行くことにしよう。」

「こちらへ」とインファドオスは先に立つて行つた。首長等も吾々もその後に續いた。グッドは、ファウラタの手を取つて行つた。

吾々が宮殿の入口まで着かぬうちに月はすつかり見えなくなり、まつ暗な空から星の光りが輝き出した。

てんでに手をつなぎ合せて吾々は躓きながら闇の中を進んで行つた。

「ソロモン王の洞窟」　第11章（2）　原文と平林初之輔訳、および機械翻訳

2014-04-03 19:13:16 | 日記

24.Returning to the hut we ate some dinner, and passed the rest of the day in receiving visits of ceremony and curiosity. At length the sun set, and we enjoyed a couple of hours of such quiet as our melancholy forebodings would allow to us. Finally, about half-past eight, a messenger came from Twala to bid us to the great annual "dance of girls" which was about to be celebrated.

Hastily we put on the chain shirts that the king had sent us, and taking our rifles and ammunition with us, so as to have them handy in case we had to fly, as suggested by Infadoos, we started boldly enough, though with inward fear and trembling. The great space in front of the king's kraal bore a very different appearance from that which it had presented on the previous evening. In place of the grim ranks of serried warriors were company after company of Kukuana girls, not over-dressed, so far as clothing went, but each crowned with a wreath of flowers, and holding a palm leaf in one hand and a white arum lily in the other. In the centre of the open moonlit space sat Twala the king, with old Gagool at his feet, attended by Infadoos, the boy Scragga, and twelve guards. There were also present about a score of chiefs, amongst whom I recognised most of our friends of the night before.

Twala greeted us with much apparent cordiality, though I saw him fix his one eye viciously on Umbopa.

"Welcome, white men from the Stars," he said; "this is another sight from that which your eyes gazed on by the light of last night's moon, but it is not so good a sight. Girls are pleasant, and were it not for such as these," and he pointed round him, "we should none of us be here this day; but men are better. Kisses and the tender words of women are sweet, but the sound of the clashing of the spears of warriors, and the smell of men's blood, are sweeter far! Would ye have wives from among our people, white men? If so, choose the fairest here, and ye shall have them, as many as ye will," and he paused for an answer.

As the prospect did not seem to be without attractions for Good, who, like most sailors, is of a susceptible nature,—being elderly and wise, foreseeing the endless complications that anything of the sort would involve, for women bring trouble so surely as the night follows the day, I put in a hasty answer—

"Thanks to thee, O king, but we white men wed only with white women like ourselves. Your maidens are fair, but they are not for us!"

The king laughed. "It is well. In our land there is a proverb which runs, 'Women's eyes are always bright, whatever the colour,' and another that says, 'Love her who is present, for be sure she who is absent is false to thee;' but perhaps these things are not so in the Stars. In a land where men are white all things are possible. So be it, white men; the girls will not go begging! Welcome again; and welcome, too, thou black one; if Gagool here had won her way, thou wouldst have been stiff and cold by now. It is lucky for thee that thou too camest from the Stars; ha! ha!"

"I can kill thee before thou killest me, O king," was Ignosi's calm answer, "and thou shalt be stiff before my limbs cease to bend."

Twala started. "Thou speakest boldly, boy," he replied angrily; "presume not too far."

"He may well be bold in whose lips are truth. The truth is a sharp spear which flies home and misses not. It is a message from 'the Stars,' O king."

Twala scowled, and his one eye gleamed fiercely, but he said nothing more.

"Let the dance begin," he cried, and then the flower-crowned girls sprang forward in companies, singing a sweet song and waving the delicate palms and white lilies. On they danced, looking faint and spiritual in the soft, sad light of the risen moon; now whirling round and round, now meeting in mimic warfare, swaying, eddying here and there, coming forward, falling back in an ordered confusion delightful to witness. At last they paused, and a beautiful young woman sprang out of the ranks and began to pirouette in front of us with a grace and vigour which would have put most ballet girls to shame. At length she retired exhausted, and another took her place, then another and another, but none of them, either in grace, skill, or personal attractions, came up to the first.

When the chosen girls had all danced, the king lifted his hand.

"Which deem ye the fairest, white men?" he asked.

"The first," said I unthinkingly. Next second I regretted it, for I remembered that Infadoos had told us that the fairest woman must be offered up as a sacrifice.

"Then is my mind as your minds, and my eyes as your eyes. She is the fairest! and a sorry thing it is for her, for she must die!"

"Ay, must die!" piped out Gagool, casting a glance of her quick eyes in the direction of the poor girl, who, as yet ignorant of the awful fate in store for her, was standing some ten yards off in front of a company of maidens, engaged in nervously picking a flower from her wreath to pieces, petal by petal.

"Why, O king?" said I, restraining my indignation with difficulty; "the girl has danced well, and pleased us; she is fair too; it would be hard to reward her with death."

Twala laughed as he answered—

"It is our custom, and the figures who sit in stone yonder," and he pointed towards the three distant peaks, "must have their due. Did I fail to put the fairest girl to death to-day, misfortune would fall upon me and my house. Thus runs the prophecy of my people: 'If the king offer not a sacrifice of a fair girl, on the day of the dance of maidens, to the Old Ones who sit and watch on the mountains, then shall he fall, and his house.' Look ye, white men, my brother who reigned before me offered not the sacrifice, because of the tears of the woman, and he fell, and his house, and I reign in his stead. It is finished; she must die!" Then turning to the guards—"Bring her hither; Scragga, make sharp thy spear."

Two of the men stepped forward, and as they advanced, the girl, for the first time realising her impending fate, screamed aloud and turned to fly. But the strong hands caught her fast, and brought her, struggling and weeping, before us.

"What is thy name, girl?" piped Gagool. "What! wilt thou not answer? Shall the king's son do his work at once?"

At this hint, Scragga, looking more evil than ever, advanced a step and lifted his great spear, and at that moment I saw Good's hand creep to his revolver. The poor girl caught the faint glint of steel through her tears, and it sobered her anguish. She ceased struggling, and clasping her hands convulsively, stood shuddering from head to foot.

"See," cried Scragga in high glee, "she shrinks from the sight of my little plaything even before she has tasted it," and he tapped the broad blade of his spear.

"If ever I get the chance you shall pay for that, you young hound!" I heard Good mutter beneath his breath.

"Now that thou art quiet, give us thy name, my dear. Come, speak out, and fear not," said Gagool in mockery.

"Oh, mother," answered the girl, in trembling accents, "my name is Foulata, of the house of Suko. Oh, mother, why must I die? I have done no wrong!"

"Be comforted," went on the old woman in her hateful tone of mockery. "Thou must die, indeed, as a sacrifice to the Old Ones who sit yonder," and she pointed to the peaks; "but it is better to sleep in the night than to toil in the daytime; it is better to die than to live, and thou shalt die by the royal hand of the king's own son."

The girl Foulata wrung her hands in anguish, and cried out aloud, "Oh, cruel! and I so young! What have I done that I should never again see the sun rise out of the night, or the stars come following on his track in the evening, that I may no more gather the flowers when the dew is heavy, or listen to the laughing of the waters? Woe is me, that I shall never see my father's hut again, nor feel my mother's kiss, nor tend the lamb that is sick! Woe is me, that no lover shall put his arm around me and look into my eyes, nor shall men children be born of me! Oh, cruel, cruel!"

And again she wrung her hands and turned her tear-stained flower-crowned face to Heaven, looking so lovely in her despair—for she was indeed a beautiful woman—that assuredly the sight of her would have melted the hearts of any less cruel than were the three fiends before us. Prince Arthur's appeal to the ruffians who came to blind him was not more touching than that of this savage girl.

But it did not move Gagool or Gagool's master, though I saw signs of pity among the guards behind, and on the faces of the chiefs; and as for Good, he gave a fierce snort of indignation, and made a motion as though to go to her assistance. With all a woman's quickness, the doomed girl interpreted what was passing in his mind, and by a sudden movement flung herself before him, and clasped his "beautiful white legs" with her hands.

"Oh, white father from the Stars!" she cried, "throw over me the mantle of thy protection; let me creep into the shadow of thy strength, that I may be saved. Oh, keep me from these cruel men and from the mercies of Gagool!"

"All right, my hearty, I'll look after you," sang out Good in nervous Saxon. "Come, get up, there's a good girl," and he stooped and caught her hand.

44.Twala turned and motioned to his son, who advanced with his spear lifted.

24.そのうちに陽が沈んで、一二時間も經つと、八時半頃になつてツワラの使がやつて來た。そして、これから愈々娘どもの踊りが初まると告げた。

吾々は急いで鎖鎧をつけ、鐡砲と彈藥《たま》とを持つて大膽に出懸けて行つた。しかし私は心の中では恐ろしさに慄へてゐたのである。宮殿の前の廣場は昨夜《ゆふべ》とはがらりと樣子が變つてゐた。今日は兵隊の代りにククアナの娘どもが澤山隊をなして集つてゐた。着物はあまり着飾つてゐなかつたが、頭に花冠をかむり、左手に棕櫚の葉をもち、片手には高い白百合の花を持つてゐた。ツワラ王はそのまん中に座を占め、その脚下《あしもと》にはガゴオルが蹲《うづくま》つて居り、インファドオスと、スクラッガ少年と、外に十二人の護衞兵とがそばに立つてゐた。その外に二十人許りの首長らしい士官も列席してゐたが、その中には昨夜會つた連中も大部分まじつてゐた。

ツワラは、吾々に見かけだけは丁寧に挨拶したが、一つの眼で意地惡さうにウムボバを睨んでゐた。

「ようこそ、星の國のお客さん！」と彼は言つた。「今夜の見ものは昨夜《ゆうべ》のとはまた違つたものです。昨夜のやうに面白いものぢやありません。女の接吻ややさしい言葉も良いが、軍人の槍の音や血の匂ひとは比べものになりませんからな。どうですこの中にお氣にいつた娘はありませんか。あれば遠慮なく幾人でも連れて行きなさい。」

「有難う國王、だが吾々白人は吾々のやうな白人としか結婚しないのです。あんたの國の娘さん逹も綺麗だが、吾々の女房には出來ないのですよ！」

國王は笑つた。「はゝゝ、さうですか。この國にはかういふ俚言《ことわざ》がありますがな。『色は變つても女の眼に變りはない』てね。それから『そばに居る女と浮氣しろ。居ない女は當《あて》にならん』といふ俚言《ことわざ》もあります。しかし星の國では譯が違ふでせうな。白い色の人間の住む國ではどんなことだつてありますからね。だがまあそれはさうとようこそお出でなすつた。それからそこにゐる黒いのもよう來た。ガゴオルが強情を張れば今頃はお前の體は冷たくしやつちこばつてゐたところだ。お前も星の國から來て果報ものだな、はゝゝゝ」

「僕が死ぬよりさきにあんたを殺して見せる。僕の手足が曲らなくなるよりも前にあんたの體が硬くなつてしまふよ」とイグノシは落ちついて答へた。

ツワラはぎよつとした。「お前はなか〜大膽なことを言ふな。餘り高言を吐かぬがよいぞ！」と彼はがみ〜答へた。

「眞實《まこと》を語るものは皆な大膽だ。眞實《まこと》は的を外れつこのない鋭い槍だ。」

ツワラは顏をしかめ面をして一つの眼をぎろりとさせたがそれきり何も言はなかつた。

「さあ踊りをはじめろ！」と彼は叫んだ。すると花冠を冠つた娘等は、隊を作つてやさしい唄を歌ひながら、棕櫚の葉と白百合の花とをてんでに振りかざして前へ飛び出した。娘等は月の光を浴びて踊りを續けてゐたが、遂に踊りをやめて一人の美しい娘が列から飛び出し、吾々の前で爪先立ちになつてぐる〜舞ひはじめた。その踊りは大抵のバレットの踊り子もかなはぬほど巧みであつた。やがて彼女が力が盡きて後へ退くと、別の女が現はれて次々に同じやうな踊りを踊つた。しかし美しさから言つても、踊りのうまさから言つても、第一の娘にかなふものはなかつた。

「どれが一番綺麗だと思ひますかね。色の白い客人？」と彼は訊ねた。

「一番はじめのが美しい」と私は何の氣なしに言つた。がすぐにそれを後悔した。といふのは、インファドオスが一番美しい娘が犧牲《いけにえ》にあげられるのだと言ふたのを思ひ出したからだ。

「では、あんたの心と私の心とは同じだな。あんたの眼と私の眼とは同じだな。なる程あの娘が一番美しい。だがそれはあの娘にとつちや氣の毒だな、そのために死ななくちやならんのだから。」

「さうだ、死なねばならぬ！」とガゴオルが、まだ怖ろしい自分の運命も知らずに、他の娘の群から十碼ばかり離れた處に立つて、自分の花冠から神經質に花瓣《はなびら》をむしつてゐた憐れな娘の方をチラリと見ながら、金切り聲で叫んだ。

「それはどうしてだね、國王？」と私はやつとの事で怒りを抑へながら言つた。「あの娘は上手に踊つて吾々を喜ばしてくれたし、其上にあの娘は美しいのに、それだから殺すといふのは酷いぢやないか。」

ツワラは笑ひながら答へた。

「それはこの國の習慣ですからな」と言ひながら彼は遠くに聳えてゐる三つのみねを指ざして「向うに默つて坐つてゐる神樣は、取るべきものを取らなくちやならんのだ。わしが今日一番美しい娘を殺さなければわしの一家に禍《わざはひ》が來る。この國ではかう云ふ豫言が信じられてゐるんですわい『國王が娘踊りの當日に山の神に一番美しい娘の犧牲を供へなければその國王の一門は亡びてしまふ。』つてね。前の代にこの國を治めてゐたわしの、兄は娘の涙にほだされて、その犧牲《いけにえ》を供へなかつたものだから、一家は沒落してしまつて、その代りにわしが王位についたわけだ。どうしてもあの娘は殺さなくちやならん」それから彼は護衞兵へ向いて「あの娘を此處へ連れて來い！スクラッガ、槍の用意はようか？」

二人の壯漢が前へ進んで行くと、娘ははじめて自分の身にさし迫つた運命を知つて、けたゝましい泣き聲をあげながら逃げようとした。しかし壯漢は彼女をしつかりつかまへて、泣きながらもがいてゐる娘を吾々の前へ連れて來た。

「お前の名は何と言ふのぢやな？」とガゴオルが言つた。「返事をしなければ國王の王子に仕事をはじめて貰はうか？」この言葉を聞くと殘忍な顏をしたスクラッガは一歩前へ進み出て、大きな槍を取り上げた。その時、グッドの手が短銃《ピストル》の方へそつと下りて行くのを私は見た。哀れな娘は涙に曇つた瞳でぎら〜光る刄物を見て、もう逃げようともがくのをやめ、兩手を痙攣的に握り締めながら、頭の頂きから足の爪先まで慄へて立つてゐた。

「見ろ！この娘はわしの小さなおもちやを見たゞけで、まだその味もわからぬうちから慄へてゐる！」とスクラッガは有頂天になつて叫びながら槍の身をたゝいた。

「今に見てゐろ！どんな目に遇ふか、この子犬奴！」私はグッドがかう囁いてゐるのを聞いた。

「さあもう靜まつたからお前の名を言ふのだよ、良い子だ、恐い事はないからさあ名前を言ひな！」とガゴオルは憎々しげに言つた。

「おゝお母さん！」と娘は慄へながら答へた。「妾《わたし》はファウラタと申しまして、スコ家の者で御座います。おゝお母さん、どうして妾は殺されねばならんのです？何も惡い事はしないのに？」

「泣くな！泣くな！」と老婆は毒々しい口調で續けた。「お前は向うの山に坐つていらつしやる神樣の犧牲《いけにえ》として死なねばならんのだ。しかし晝間苦しんで働くよりも、夜眠る方がよい。生きてゐるより死ぬ方がよいのだよ。それにお前は國王の王子に手づから殺されるのだぞ！」

娘のファウラタは苦悶のために兩手をねぢまげて大きな聲で叫んだ。「それは餘りです、妾のやうな若い者を、妾は何のとがで明日の朝日も、明日の晩の星も見られんやうになるのです？露に濡れた花を摘むことも、水の笑ひ聲を聞くことも出來なくなるのですか？あゝもうお父さんの小羊も見られなくなり、お母さんに接吻をしても貰へなくなり、病氣の山羊を世話することも出來なくなるのです。戀人に抱かれて眼を見て貰ふことも出來なくなり、男の子を生むことも出來なくなるのです。あんまりです！あんまりです！」

かう言ひながら彼女は再び兩手をねぢまげて涙に濡れた、美しい、絶望に沈んだ顏を空に向けた。この姿を見たら、こゝにゐる三人の惡魔以外の人間なら、誰でもほろりとして許してやる氣になつたであらう。

護衞兵やその場に列席してゐた首長等の顏には憐愍の色が見えたが、ガゴオルと國王父子とはそんなことでは少しも動かされなかつた。グッドはひどく憤慨して今にも援《たす》けに行きかねまじきそぶりをしてゐた。女といふものは眼敏《めざと》いもので、この哀れな娘はグッドの心の中を讀んだのか、すばやく身を動かして彼のそばへ駈けつけ、彼の「美しい白い脚」を兩手で掴んだ。

「おゝ星の國の旦那樣、どうか妾をかばつて下さい！あなたのお力で妾をお助け下さい！あの殘酷な人々とガゴオルとから妾を守つて下さい！」

「よし來た、娘さん、わしが引き受ける」とグッドは昂奮したサクソンなまりで言つた。「さあ立ちなさい、良い娘さんだね」と言ひながら彼は腰をかゞめて彼女の手をとつた。

ツワラは横を向いて息子のスクラッガに合圖をした。すると彼は槍をとつて前へ進み出た。

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