More in a dogged fury of disappointment than with any hope of escape I forced my sore legs up the glen. Ten minutes ago I had been exulting3 in the glories of the morning, and now the sun was not less bright or the colours less fair, but the heart had gone out of the spectator. At first I managed to get some pace out of myself, partly from fear and partly from anger. But I soon found that my body had been tried too far. I could plod4 along, but to save my life I could not have hurried. Any healthy savage5 could have caught me in a hundred yards.
The track, I remember, was overhung with creepers, and often I had to squeeze through thickets6 of tree-ferns. Countless7 little brooks8 ran down from the hillside, threads of silver among the green pastures. Soon I left the stream and climbed up on the shoulder, where the road was not much better than a precipice9. Every step was a weariness. I could hardly drag one foot after the other, and my heart was beating like the fanners of a mill, I had spasms11 of acute sickness, and it took all my resolution to keep me from lying down by the roadside.
At last I was at the top of the shoulder and could look back. There was no sign of anybody on the road so far as I could see. Could I have escaped them? I had been in the shadow of the trees for the first part, and they might have lost sight of me and concluded that I had avoided the glen or tried one of the faces. Before me, I remember, there stretched the upper glen, a green cup-shaped hollow with the sides scarred by ravines. There was a high waterfall in one of them which was white as snow against the red rocks. My wits must have been shaky, for I took the fall for a snowdrift, and wondered sillily why the Berg had grown so Alpine12.
A faint spasm10 of hope took me into that green cup. The bracken was as thick as on the Pentlands, and there was a multitude of small lovely flowers in the grass. It was like a water-meadow at home, such a place as I had often in boyhood searched for moss-cheepers’ and corncrakes’ eggs. Birds were crying round me as I broke this solitude13, and one small buck14 — a klipspringer — rose from my feet and dashed up one of the gullies. Before me was a steep green wall with the sky blue above it. Beyond it was safety, but as my sweat-dimmed eyes looked at it I knew that I could never reach it.
Then I saw my pursuers. High up on the left side, and rounding the rim15 of the cup, were little black figures. They had not followed my trail, but, certain of my purpose, had gone forward to intercept16 me. I remember feeling a puny17 weakling compared with those lusty natives who could make such good going on steep mountains. They were certainly no men of the plains, but hillmen, probably some remnants of old Machudi’s tribe who still squatted18 in the glen. Machudi was a blackguard chief whom the Boers long ago smashed in one of their native wars. He was a fierce old warrior19 and had put up a good fight to the last, till a hired impi of Swazis had surrounded his hiding-place in the forest and destroyed him. A Boer farmer on the plateau had his skull20, and used to drink whisky out of it when he was merry.
The sight of the pursuit was the last straw. I gave up hope, and my intentions were narrowed to one frantic21 desire — to hide the jewels. Patriotism22, which I had almost forgotten, flickered23 up in that crisis. At any rate Laputa should not have the Snake. If he drove out the white man, he should not clasp the Prester’s rubies24 on his great neck.
There was no cover in the green cup, so I turned up the ravine on the right side. The enemy, so far as I could judge, were on the left and in front, and in the gully I might find a pot-hole to bury the necklet in. Only a desperate resolution took me through the tangle25 of juniper bushes into the red screes of the gully. At first I could not find what I sought. The stream in the ravine slid down a long slope like a mill-race, and the sides were bare and stony26. Still I plodded27 on, helping28 myself with a hand on Colin’s back, for my legs were numb29 with fatigue30. By-and-by the gully narrowed, and I came to a flat place with a long pool. Beyond was a little fall, and up this I climbed into a network of tiny cascades31. Over one pool hung a dead tree-fern, and a bay from it ran into a hole of the rock. I slipped the jewels far into the hole, where they lay on the firm sand, showing odd lights through the dim blue water. Then I scrambled32 down again to the flat space and the pool, and looked round to see if any one had reached the edge of the ravine. There was no sign as yet of the pursuit, so I dropped limply on the shingle33 and waited. For I had suddenly conceived a plan.
As my breath came back to me my wits came back from their wandering. These men were not there to kill me, but to capture me. They could know nothing of the jewels, for Laputa would never have dared to make the loss of the sacred Snake public. Therefore they would not suspect what I had done, and would simply lead me to Laputa at Inanda’s Kraal. I began to see the glimmerings of a plan for saving my life, and by God’s grace, for saving my country from the horrors of rebellion. The more I thought the better I liked it. It demanded a bold front, and it might well miscarry, but I had taken such desperate hazards during the past days that I was less afraid of fortune. Anyhow, the choice lay between certain death and a slender chance of life, and it was easy to decide.
Playing football, I used to notice how towards the end of a game I might be sore and weary, without a kick in my body; but when I had a straight job of tackling a man my strength miraculously34 returned. It was even so now. I lay on my side, luxuriating in being still, and slowly a sort of vigour35 crept back into my limbs. Perhaps a half-hour of rest was given me before, on the lip of the gully, I saw figures appear. Looking down I saw several men who had come across from the opposite side of the valley, scrambling36 up the stream. I got to my feet, with Colin bristling37 beside me, and awaited them with the stiffest face I could muster38.
As I expected, they were Machudi’s men. I recognized them by the red ochre in their hair and their copper-wire necklets. Big fellows they were, long-legged and deep in the chest, the true breed of mountaineers. I admired their light tread on the slippery rock. It was hopeless to think of evading39 such men in their own hills.
The men from the side joined the men in front, and they stood looking at me from about twelve yards off. They were armed only with knobkerries, and very clearly were no part of Laputa’s army. This made their errand plain to me.
‘Halt!’ I said in Kaffir, as one of them made a hesitating step to advance. ‘Who are you and what do you seek?’
There was no answer, but they looked at me curiously40. Then one made a motion with his stick. Colin gave a growl41, and would have been on him if I had not kept a hand on his collar. The rash man drew back, and all stood stiff and perplexed42.
‘Keep your hands by your side,’ I said, ‘or the dog, who has a devil, will devour43 you. One of you speak for the rest and tell me your purpose.’
For a moment I had a wild notion that they might be friends, some of Arcoll’s scouts44, and out to help me. But the first words shattered the fancy.
‘We are sent by Inkulu,’ the biggest of them said. ‘He bade us bring you to him.’
‘And what if I refuse to go?’
‘Then, Baas, we must take you to him. We are under the vow45 of the Snake.’
‘Vow of fiddlestick!’ I cried. ‘Who do you think is the bigger chief, the Inkulu or Ratitswan? I tell you Ratitswan is now driving Inkulu before him as a wind drives rotten leaves. It will be well for you, men of Machudi, to make peace with Ratitswan and take me to him on the Berg. If you bring me to him, I and he will reward you; but if you do Inkulu’s bidding you will soon be hunted like buck out of your hills.’
They grinned at one another, but I could see that my words had no effect. Laputa had done his business too well.
The spokesman shrugged46 his shoulders in the way the Kaffirs have. ‘We wish you no ill, Baas, but we have been bidden to take you to Inkulu. We cannot disobey the command of the Snake.’
My weakness was coming on me again, and I could talk no more. I sat down plump on the ground, almost falling into the pool. ‘Take me to Inkulu,’ I stammered47 with a dry throat, ‘I do not fear him;’ and I rolled half-fainting on my back.
These clansmen of Machudi were decent fellows. One of them had some Kaffir beer in a calabash, which he gave me to drink. The stuff was thin and sickly, but the fermentation in it did me good. I had the sense to remember my need of sleep. ‘The day is young,’ I said, ‘and I have come far. I ask to be allowed to sleep for an hour.’
The men made no difficulty, and with my head between Colin’s paws I slipped into dreamless slumber48.
When they wakened me the sun was beginning to climb the sky, I judged it to be about eight o’clock. They had made a little fire and roasted mealies. Some of the food they gave me, and I ate it thankfully. I was feeling better, and I think a pipe would have almost completed my cure.
But when I stood up I found that I was worse than I had thought. The truth is, I was leg-weary, which you often see in horses, but rarely in men. What the proper explanation is I do not know, but the muscles simply refuse to answer the direction of the will. I found my legs sprawling49 like a child’s who is learning to walk.
‘If you want me to go to the Inkulu, you must carry me,’ I said, as I dropped once more on the ground.
The men nodded, and set to work to make a kind of litter out of their knobkerries and some old ropes they carried. As they worked and chattered50 I looked idly at the left bank of the ravine — that is, the left as you ascend51 it. Some of Machudi’s men had come down there, and, though the place looked sheer and perilous52, I saw how they had managed it. I followed out bit by bit the track upwards53, not with any thought of escape, but merely to keep my mind under control. The right road was from the foot of the pool up a long shelf to a clump54 of juniper. Then there was an easy chimney; then a piece of good hand-and-foot climbing; and last, another ledge55 which led by an easy gradient to the top. I figured all this out as I have heard a condemned56 man will count the windows of the houses on his way to the scaffold.
Presently the litter was ready, and the men made signs to me to get into it. They carried me down the ravine and up the Machudi burn to the green walls at its head. I admired their bodily fitness, for they bore me up those steep slopes with never a halt, zigzagging57 in the proper style of mountain transport. In less than an hour we had topped the ridge58, and the plateau was before me.
It looked very homelike and gracious, rolling in gentle undulations to the western horizon, with clumps59 of wood in its hollows. Far away I saw smoke rising from what should be the village of the Iron Kranz. It was the country of my own people, and my captors behoved to go cautiously. They were old hands at veld-craft, and it was wonderful the way in which they kept out of sight even on the bare ridges60. Arcoll could have taught them nothing in the art of scouting61. At an incredible pace they hurried me along, now in a meadow by a stream side, now through a patch of forest, and now skirting a green shoulder of hill.
Once they clapped down suddenly, and crawled into the lee of some thick bracken. Then very quietly they tied my hands and feet, and, not urgently, wound a dirty length of cotton over my mouth. Colin was meantime held tight and muzzled62 with a kind of bag strapped63 over his head. To get this over his snapping jaws64 took the whole strength of the party. I guessed that we were nearing the highroad which runs from the plateau down the Great Letaba valley to the mining township of Wesselsburg, away out on the plain. The police patrols must be on this road, and there was risk in crossing. Sure enough I seemed to catch a jingle65 of bridles66 as if from some company of men riding in haste.
We lay still for a little till the scouts came back and reported the coast clear. Then we made a dart67 for the road, crossed it, and got into cover on the other side, where the ground sloped down to the Letaba glen. I noticed in crossing that the dust of the highway was thick with the marks of shod horses. I was very near and yet very far from my own people.
Once in the rocky gorge68 of the Letaba we advanced with less care. We scrambled up a steep side gorge and came on to the small plateau from which the Cloud Mountains rise. After that I was so tired that I drowsed away, heedless of the bumping of the litter. We went up and up, and when I next opened my eyes we had gone through a pass into a hollow of the hills. There was a flat space a mile or two square, and all round it stern black ramparts of rock. This must be Inanda’s Kraal, a strong place if ever one existed, for a few men could defend all the approaches. Considering that I had warned Arcoll of this rendezvous, I marvelled69 that no attempt had been made to hold the entrance. The place was impregnable unless guns were brought up to the heights. I remember thinking of a story I had heard — how in the war Beyers took his guns into the Wolkberg, and thereby70 saved them from our troops. Could Arcoll be meditating71 the same exploit?
Suddenly I heard the sound of loud voices, and my litter was dropped roughly on the ground. I woke to clear consciousness in the midst of pandemonium72.
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1
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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2
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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3
exulting
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| vi. 欢欣鼓舞，狂喜 | |
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4
plod
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| v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作 | |
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5
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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6
thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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7
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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8
brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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9
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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10
spasm
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| n.痉挛，抽搐；一阵发作 | |
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11
spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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12
alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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13
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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14
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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15
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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16
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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17
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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18
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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19
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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21
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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22
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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23
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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25
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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26
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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27
plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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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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numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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30
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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31
cascades
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| 倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西 | |
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32
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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33
shingle
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| n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短 | |
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34
miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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36
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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37
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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38
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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39
evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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40
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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41
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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42
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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43
devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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44
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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45
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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46
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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47
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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49
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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50
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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51
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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52
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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53
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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54
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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55
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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56
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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57
zigzagging
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| v.弯弯曲曲地走路，曲折地前进( zigzag的现在分词 )；盘陀 | |
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58
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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59
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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60
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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61
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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62
muzzled
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| 给（狗等）戴口套( muzzle的过去式和过去分词 )； 使缄默，钳制…言论 | |
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63
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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64
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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65
jingle
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| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
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66
bridles
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| 约束( bridle的名词复数 )； 限动器； 马笼头； 系带 | |
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67
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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68
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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69
marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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71
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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72
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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