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。
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