If not yet among the martyrs3, it was soon evident that Mamba stood a good chance of being among them before long—and that the mother of whom he was so fond, and for the gratification of whose spiritual longings4 he had risked so much, would probably never receive the Gospel of Peace from his hands.
While in prison under accusation5 of being a believer in the religion of the white man, he had debated much with himself as to what was his duty in the present distress6. Was he bound to confess Christ and take the consequence—which, of course, he knew to be death? To deny Him was out of the question. He at once dismissed that idea as untenable. But was there no other mode of escape? Did not the Word itself advise that when persecuted7 in one city he was not only entitled but advised to escape to another? “But how am I to escape? Oh God, guide me!” he cried, lifting his clasped hands as he converted the question into a prayer.
The rattling8 of his chains seemed to bid him dismiss all hope, but he did not lose faith. He continued to pray and meditate9. And the longer he meditated10 the more anxiously did he long to be back in the cave beside his Reni—his humble-minded loving little mother—and beside—yes, he made no attempt to conceal11 it from himself—beside the beautiful queen-like sister of Laihova. The more he meditated, however, the more hopeless did his case seem to become. To lie he would not—not even to gain Ramatoa. To die he would rather not! To escape he could not!
At last he hit upon an idea. He would refuse to answer. He would take refuge in absolute silence!
As might have been expected, this course of policy did not avail him much. When it was found that he would not say whether he was a Christian12 or not, it was resolved that the matter should be settled by an appeal to the ordeal of the Tangena.
This used to be a common and much-practised ordeal in Madagascar in days but recently past. It consisted in the administration of poison. Other ordeals13 existed in the island—such as passing a red-hot iron over the tongue, or plunging14 the naked arm into a large pot of boiling water and picking out a pebble15 thrown therein for the purpose of trial. Alas16 for both innocent and guilty subjected to either trial! But the ordeal most universally in favour was that of the Tangena.
The Tangena is in fact a poisonous nut about the size of a chestnut17 which derives18 its name from the tree that bears it. If taken in small doses it acts as an emetic19; if in large doses it kills. Many pages would be required to give a full and particular account of all the Malagasy superstitions20 connected with the ordeal. Let it suffice to say, roughly, that previous to the poison being administered the accused person is obliged to swallow whole, or rather bolt, three pieces of the skin of a fowl22, about the size of a dollar. Then the decoction of Tangena in rice-water is administered. If given strong it kills, and the unfortunate is held to have been guilty. If not too strong, and the sufferer be able to bear it, vomiting23 is the result, and the three pieces of skin are eagerly looked for. The finding of the pieces proves the accused to be innocent. The not finding of them proves him guilty, and at once, if he be a free man, he is killed, if a slave he is sold, and got rid of in some distant market. There was a very complex system of combined profit and superstition21 surrounding the whole affair which it is difficult as well as useless thoroughly24 to understand, but which it is easy to see afforded clever scoundrels the means of persecuting25, defrauding26, or killing27 any whom they chanced to dislike, or who stood in their way. Of course it was very easy to make the potion strong enough to kill, or to dilute28 it with rice-water until it became almost harmless.
Now, when Mark Breezy heard that Mamba was condemned to swallow the Tangena he went straight to his friend Rakota.
“Prince Rakota,” he said, earnestly, “if your expressions of gratitude29 to me are sincere you will save the life of this man.”
“I will try,” returned the Prince, “but the Queen is very angry just now!”
When the Prince pleaded for the man’s life Ranavalona asked of what he was accused.
“Of praying to the Christians30’ God.”
“Does he admit the charge?” demanded the Queen sternly.
“No—I believe not.”
“Then, let the Tangena decide. It always speaks the truth. Our ancestors thought so, and I will not change the customs of our ancestors!” said this outrageously31 conservative queen.
Rakota, however, was a determined32 man and not easily foiled. Going privately33 to those who had the management of the matter, he made use of those mysterious arguments with which princes manage to attain34 their ends, and afterwards told Mark the result, which was, according to Hockins, that, “Mamba’s grog was to be well-watered!” As Mark could do nothing more for his friend he went with his companions to see the result.
There was another man, accused of stealing, who was to be tested at the same time. He was a strong sturdy pugnacious-looking man.
A good deal of ceremonial of course preceded the ordeal. Among other things the poison had to be tested on two fowls35. It killed them both and was deemed too strong. Being diluted36 it was tried on two other fowls, and killed neither. It was therefore considered rather weak. At last, having been reduced to the exact strength which killed one fowl and only sickened the other, the potion was administered to the reputed thief, after a long prayer or invocation. For two hours there was no result, but at the end of that time the pains began, and increased with much violence, yet the man maintained his innocence37. His agonies were soon extreme. Amidst his torture he solicited38 medicine, but this was refused. His bowels39, he said, were writhing40 as if in knots. His groans42 were awful. His eyes seemed ready to start from their sockets43. His countenance44 assumed a ghastly hue45, and his entire frame was convulsed with torture. Then he vomited46 violently, and, fortunately for him, the three pieces of skin which he had swallowed made their appearance. He was at once pronounced innocent and set free.
Poor Mamba had to witness all this before his own turn came. Once more he was questioned, but continued dumb. Then he was made to swallow his three pieces of skin and to drink the Tangena.
The state of mind of his friends as they watched him after what they had just seen may be conceived but cannot be described. In Mamba’s case the poison acted differently. Being well diluted, its effects, although severe, were not to be compared with those experienced by the first sufferer. Still they were bad enough, and vomiting commenced much sooner. To the great satisfaction of his friends the three pieces of skin were ejected, and Mamba, being pronounced innocent, had his fetters47 removed and was set free.
But when Mark hastened to congratulate him, what was his surprise to see the poor fellow clasp his hands and raise them to Heaven, while an expression of pain—very different from that resulting from physical suffering—convulsed his features.
“Oh! no, no!” he exclaimed, in a tone of agony, “I am not innocent. I am guilty! guilty! very wicked! I have denied Thee, dear Lord, by my looks, though not with my lips! Forgive me, O God!” Then, turning quickly to the officers of justice, “Here—put on the chains again. I am a praying man! I love the Lord Jesus. He will save you as well as me if you will come to Him!”
As this was spoken in the native language our Englishmen did not understand it, but they had little difficulty in guessing the drift of it when they saw the officers replace the chains and lead Mamba back to prison, where the last words the jailor heard as he left him were, “Mother, mother! Ramatoa! I shall never more see your dear faces in this life—never more!”
But in this Mamba was mistaken, as the sequel will show.
Meanwhile Mark hurried back to the palace and told Rakota what had occurred. The Prince was not surprised. He had mingled49 much with the Christians, and knew well the spirit by which they were animated50. He went at once to the Queen, who was enraged51 at first by his persistent52 pleading, vowed53 that Mamba should die, and gave orders to that effect. But on reconsidering the matter she commuted54 the sentence into life-long slavery in long chains.
There is usually but brief delay between a sentence and its execution in Madagascar. The very next day heavy chains were riveted55 on Mamba. These, at one end, were attached to an iron collar round his neck, at the other end to iron rings round his ankles. What sailors would call the slack of these heavy fetters was gathered up in one of the wearer’s hands, and thus carried while he moved about at work.
The poor fellow was first set to work on a piece of road-mending just outside the city gate, with several others—martyrs and criminals—in similar condemnation56. And here Mark and his companions met him unexpectedly before they were aware that the fearful punishment had begun.
At the time poor Mamba was toiling58 with pick and shovel59. His heart was almost broken. Death he could have faced without flinching60, but to be a life-long slave in galling61 chains, with the possibility even of seeing his mother and Ramatoa, without being permitted to go near or speak to them, was almost more than he could bear. A deep groan41 burst from his overcharged breast as he cried, “Oh Lord Jesus, enable me to bear it!”
It was just then that Ebony observed him and uttered a falsetto cry of astonishment62.
The Secretary, who was conducting Mark and Hockins on a visit to one of the suburban63 places of resort, stopped and looked round.
“Dars Mamba, massa!” cried Ebony.
Mark ran to him at once, but was stopped by the guard. A few words from the Secretary, however, sufficed, and Mark was allowed to speak to the slave, which he did through the Secretary.
Despair was in Mamba’s every tone and look, for the crushing calamity64 was too recent and too tremendous to be borne with equanimity65 at first. Yet through it all there ran, as it were, a tiny silver thread of hope.
“For is it not true,” he said, “that ‘with God all things are possible?’”
“My friend,” said Mark in reply, and with a burst of enthusiasm, “I will save you somehow! Keep a good heart.”
Mamba smiled faintly, yet gratefully, as he shook his head, gathered up the superfluous66 links of his chain, and resumed his toil57.
“How will you save him?” asked the Secretary, with a peculiar67 half-amused look, as they walked away.
“I know not,” answered Mark. “But we have a proverb, ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way,’ and I have a determined will to save my poor friend from this slavery. I will not cease to try—as we say in England, ‘I will leave no stone unturned,’—till I have accomplished68 this thing. Moreover I will not cease to pray for this end. Mamba’s trust in God puts me to shame. Up to this time I have only recognised by name that Saviour69 whom this man worships. God helping70 me, I will henceforth follow the Lord!”
To the surprise of the young man the Secretary turned suddenly on him and grasped his hand, and said in a low voice, as he looked cautiously round—“It gives me joy to hear you speak so. I too am a follower71 of Jesus. I tell you this because I know, now, that you will not betray me. There are many of us in the palace besides Prince Rakota, but we dare not speak out, for the Queen is very angry, as you know. Hush72! Tell it not even to our companions. Little birds have ears. If the Queen suspects any of us, in her present state of mind, she will either ruin or kill us.”
“I have heard something of this,” said Mark, “from the friend who guided us to the capital—”
“I know,” interrupted the Secretary, with an intelligent nod. “It was Ravoninohitriniony. He is well-known to us. He loves Rafaravavy, and is now in the neighbourhood of the capital, hoping to induce her to fly with him to the forests. You are surprised, but you would not be so if you knew the number of spies that Ranavalona has out everywhere.”
“Has my friend Ravonino,” (we call him so for brevity), “been seen in—in—I mean near the city lately?” asked Mark, anxiously.
“Not in the city, certainly,” returned the Secretary. “Bold and daring though he is, he would scarcely venture that; but he has been seen and heard of more than once lately.”
Mark felt relieved. It was evident the Secretary neither knew of nor suspected the fact that Ravonino had actually attended the garden party and met Rafaravavy almost under the Queen’s eyes! Remembering, however, that the Prime Minister had sent Soa to pretend to be a Christian, in order that he might discover the secrets of the Christians, and not having yet had much experience of the Secretary’s character, he resolved to be very cautious in his reference to Ravonino,—indeed to any one with whom he had to do. Acting73 on this resolve he changed the subject by asking questions about the extensive rice-grounds around the capital.
The Secretary was of a communicative disposition74, and evidently fond of airing his English. He willingly followed in conversation wherever the young doctor chose to lead, and gave him and his friends a great deal of interesting information as to the manners and customs of the Malagasy people—their habits, beliefs, and laws.
Among the latter he spoke48 of a curious fact in regard to criminals which gave Mark a sudden inspiration! Hockins afterwards styled it a “wrinkle.” Ebony called it a “dodge.” But, whatever might be said on that head, it had the effect of very materially altering the conditions of some of the personages of this tale, as the following chapters will show.
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1
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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3
martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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ordeals
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| n.严峻的考验，苦难的经历( ordeal的名词复数 ) | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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pebble
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| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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derives
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| v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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emetic
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| n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的 | |
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superstitions
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| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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vomiting
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| 吐 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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persecuting
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的现在分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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defrauding
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| v.诈取，骗取( defraud的现在分词 ) | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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dilute
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| vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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diluted
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| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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solicited
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| v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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41
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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42
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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43
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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44
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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46
vomited
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fetters
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| n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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49
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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commuted
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| 通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿 | |
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riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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condemnation
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| n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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galling
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| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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