Old Alvez had also retired5 to the seclusion6 of his own residence; having been warned by Negoro that he would probably be held responsible for the occurrence, he deemed it prudent7 to keep in retirement8. Meanwhile Negoro industriously9 circulated the report that the king's death had been brought about by supernatural means reserved by the great Manitoo solely10 for his elect, and that it was sacred fire that had proceeded from his body. The superstitious11 natives readily received this version of the affair, and at once proceeded to honour Moené Loonga with funeral rites12 worthy13 of one thus conspicuously14 elevated to the rank of the gods. The ceremony (which entailed15 an expenditure16 of human blood incredible except that it is authenticated17 by Cameron and other African travellers) was just the opportunity that Negoro required for carrying out his designs against Dick, whom he intended to take a prominent part in it.
The natural successor to the king was the queen Moena. By inaugurating the funeral without delay and thus assuming the semblance18 of authority, she forestalled19 the king of Ukusu or any other rival who might venture to dispute her sovereignty; and moreover, by taking the reins20 of government into her hands she avoided the fate reserved for the other wives who, had they been allowed to live, might prove somewhat troublesome to the shrew. Accordingly, with the sound of coodoo horns and marimbas, she caused a proclamation to be made in the various quarters of the town, that the obsequies of the deceased monarch would be celebrated21 on the next evening with all due solemnity.
The announcement met with no opposition22 either from the officials about the court or from the public at large. Alvez and the traders generally were quite satisfied with Moena's assumption of the supremacy23, knowing that by a few presents and a little flattery they could make her sufficiently24 considerate for their own interests.
Preparations began at once. At the end of the chief thoroughfare flowed a deep and rapid brook25, an affluent26 of the Coango, in the dry bed of which the royal grave was to be formed. Natives were immediately set to work to construct a dam by means of which the water should be diverted, until the burial was over, into a temporary channel across the plain; the last act in the ceremonial being to undam the stream and allow it to resume its proper course.
Negoro had formed the resolution that Dick Sands should be one of the victims to be sacrificed upon the king's tomb. Thoroughly28 aware as he was that the indignation which had caused the death of Harris extended in at least an equal degree to himself, the cowardly rascal29 would not have ventured to approach Dick under similar circumstances at the risk of meeting a similar fate; but knowing him to be a prisoner bound hand and foot, from whom there could be nothing to fear, he resolved to go to him in his dungeon30-*
Not only did he delight in torturing his victims, but he derived31 an especial gratification from witnessing the torture.
About the middle of the day, accordingly, he made his way to the cell where Dick was detained under the strict watch of a havildar. There, bound with fetters32 that penetrated33 his very flesh, lay the poor boy; for the last four and twenty hours he had not been allowed a morsel34 of food, and would gladly have faced the most painful death as a welcome relief to his miseries35.
But at the sight of Negoro all his energy revived; instinctively36 he made an effort to burst his bonds, and to get a hold upon his persecutor37; but the strength of a giant would have been utterly unavailing for such a design. Dick felt that the struggle he had to make was of another kind, and forcing himself to an apparent composure, he determined38 to look Negoro straight in the face, but to vouchsafe39 no reply to anything he might say.
"I felt bound," Negoro began, "to come and pay my respects to my young captain, and to tell him how sorry I am that he has not the same authority here that he had on board the 'Pilgrim.' "
Finding that Dick returned no answer, he continued,-
"You remember your old cook, captain: I have come to know what you would like to order for your breakfast."
"I have also another question to ask you, captain; can you tell me how it was that you landed here in Angola instead of upon the coast of America?"
The way in which the question was put more than ever confirmed Dick's impression that the "Pilgrim's" course had been altered by Negoro, but he persevered41 in maintaining a contemptuous silence.
"It was a lucky thing for you, captain," resumed the vindictive42 Portuguese43, "that you had a good seaman44 on board, otherwise the ship would have run aground on some reef in the tempest, instead of coming ashore45 here in a friendly port."
[Illustration: "Your life is in my hands!"]
Whilst he was speaking, Negoro had gradually drawn46 nearer to the prisoner, until their faces were almost in contact. Exasperated47 by Dick's calmness, his countenance48 assumed an expression of the utmost ferocity, and at last he burst forth49 in a paroxysm of rage.
"It is my turn now! I am master now! I am captain here! You are in my power now! Your life is in my hands!"
"Take it, then," said Dick quietly; "death has no terrors for me, and your wickedness will soon be avenged50."
"Avenged!" roared Negoro; "do you suppose there is a single soul to care about you? Avenged! who will concern himself with what befalls you? except Alvez and me, there is no one with a shadow of authority here; if you think you are going to get any help from old Tom or any of those niggers, let me tell you that they are every one of them sold and have been sent off to Zanzibar."
"Hercules is free," said Dick.
"Hercules!" sneered51 Negoro; "he has been food for lions and panthers long ago, I am only sorry that I did not get the chance of disposing of him myself."
"And there is Dingo," calmly persisted Dick; "sure as fate, he will find you out some day."
"Dingo is dead!" retorted Negoro with malicious52 glee: "I shot the brute53 myself, and I should be glad if every survivor54 of the 'Pilgrim' had shared his fate."
"But remember," said Dick, "you have to follow them all yourself;" and he fixed55 a sharp gaze upon his persecutor's eye.
The Portuguese villain56 was stung to the quick; he made a dash towards the youth, and would have strangled him upon the spot, but remembering that any such sudden action would be to liberate57 him from the torture he was determined he should undergo, he controlled his rage, and after giving strict orders to the havildar, who had been a passive spectator of the scene, to keep a careful watch upon his charge, he left the dungeon.
So far from depressing Dick's spirits, the interview had altogether a contrary effect; his feelings had undergone a reaction, so that all his energies were restored. Possibly Negoro in his sudden assault had unintentionally loosened his fetters, for he certainly seemed to have greater play for his limbs, and fancied that by a slight effort he might succeed in disengaging his arms. Even that amount of freedom, however, he knew could be of no real avail to him; he was a closely-guarded prisoner, without hope of succour from without; and now he had no other wish than cheerfully to meet the death that should unite him to the friends who had gone before.
The hours passed on. The gleams of daylight that penetrated the thatched roof of the prison gradually faded into darkness; the few sounds on the chitoka, a great contrast to the hubbub58 of the day, became hushed into silence, and night fell upon the town of Kazonndé.
Dick Sands slept soundly for about a couple of hours, and woke up considerably59 refreshed. One of his arms, which was somewhat less swollen60 than the other, he was able to withdraw from its bonds; it was at any rate a relief to stretch it at his pleasure.
The havildar, grasping the neck of a brandy-bottle which he had just drained, had sunk into a heavy slumber61, and Dick Sands was contemplating62 the possibility of getting posssession of his gaoler's weapons when his attention was arrested by a scratching at the bottom of the door. By the help of his liberated63 arm he contrived64 to crawl noiselessly to the threshold, where the scratching increased in violence. For a moment he was in doubt whether the noise proceeded from the movements of a man or an animal. He gave a glance at the havildar, who was sound asleep, and placing his lips against the door murmured "Hercules!"
"It must be Dingo," muttered Dick to himself; "Negoro may have told me a lie; perhaps, after all, the dog is not dead."
As though in answer to his thoughts, a dog's paw was pushed below the door. Dick seized it eagerly; he had no doubt it was Dingo's; but if the dog brought a message, it was sure to be tied to his neck, and there seemed to be no
[Illustration: All his energies were restored.]
means of getting at it, except the hole underneath66 could be made large enough to admit the animal's head. Dick determined to try and scrape away the soil at the threshold, and commenced digging with his nails. But he had scarcely set himself to his task when loud barkings, other than Dingo's, were heard in the distance. The faithful creature had been scented67 out by the native dogs, and instinct dictated68 an immediate27 flight. Alarm had evidently been taken, as several gun-shots were fired; the havildar half roused himself from his slumber, and Dick was fain to roll himself once more into his corner, there to await the dawn of the day which was intended to be his last.
Throughout that day, the grave-digging was carried on with unremitted activity. A large number of the natives, under the superintendence of the queen's prime minister, were set to work, and according to the decree of Moena, who seemed resolved to continue the rigorous sway of her departed husband, were bound, under penalty of mutilation, to accomplish their task within the proscribed69 time.
As soon as the stream had been diverted into its temporary channel, there was hollowed out in the dry river bed a pit, fifty feet long, ten feet wide, and ten feet deep. This, towards the close of the day, was lined throughout with living women, selected from Moené Loonga's slaves; in ordinary cases it would have been their fate to be buried alive beside their master; but in recognition of his miraculous70 death it was ordained71 that they should be drowned beside his remains72. [Footnote: The horrible hecatombs that commemorate73 the death of any powerful chief in Central Africa defy all description. Cameron relates that more than a hundred victims were sacrificed at the obsequies of the father of the King of Kassongo.]
Generally, the royal corpse74 is arrayed in its richest vestments before being consigned75 to the tomb, but in this case, when the remains consisted only of a few charred76 bones, another plan was adopted. An image of the king, perhaps rather flattering to the original, was made of wicker-work; inside this were placed the fragments of bones and skin, and the effigy77 itself was then arrayed in the robes of state, which, as already mentioned, were not of a very costly78 description.
Cousin Benedict's spectacles were not forgotten, but were firmly affixed79 to the countenance of the image. The masquerade had its ludicrous as well as its terrible side.
When the evening arrived, a long procession was seen wending its way to the place of interment; the uproar80 was perfectly81 deafening82; shouts, yells, the boisterous83 incantations of the musicians, the clang of musical instruments, and the reports of many old muskets84, mingled85 in wild confusion.
The ceremony was to take place by torch-light, and the whole population of Kazonndé, native and otherwise, was bound to be present. Alvez, Coïmbra, Negoro, the Arab dealers86 and their havildars all helped to swell87 the numbers, the queen having given express orders that no one who had been at the lakoni should leave the town, and it was not deemed prudent to disobey her commands.
The remains of the king were carried in a palanquin in the rear of the cortége, surrounded by the wives of the second class, some of whom were doomed88 to follow their master beyond the tomb. Queen Moena, in state array, marched behind the catafalque.
Night was well advanced when the entire procession reached the banks of the brook, but the resin-torches, waved on high by their bearers, shed a ruddy glare upon the teeming89 crowd. The grave, with its lining90 of living women, bound to its side by chains, was plainly visible; fifty slaves, some resigned and mute, others uttering loud and piteous cries, were there awaiting the moment when the rushing torrent91 should be opened upon them.
The wives who were destined92 to perish had been selected by the queen herself and were all in holiday-attire. One of the victims, who bore the title of second wife, was forced down upon her hands and knees in the grave, in order to form a resting-place for the effigy, as she had been accustomed to do for the living sovereign; the third wife had to sustain the image in an upright position, and the fourth lay down at its feet to make a footstool.
In front of the effigy, at the end of the grave, a huge stake, painted red, was planted firmly in the earth. Bound to this stake, his body half naked, exhibiting marks of the
[Illustration: Friendless and hopeless.]
tortures which by Negoro's orders he had already undergone, friendless and hopeless, was Dick Sands!
The time, however, for opening the flood-gate had not yet arrived. First of all, at a sign from the queen, the fourth wife, forming the royal footstool had her throat cut by an executioner, her blood streaming into the grave. This barbarous deed was the commencement of a most frightful93 butchery. One after another, fifty slaves fell beneath the slaughterous94 knife, until the river-bed was a very cataract95 of blood. For half an hour the shrieks96 of the victims mingled with the imprecations of their murderers, without evoking97 one single expression of horror or sympathy from the gazing crowd around.
At a second signal from the queen, the barrier, which retained the water above, was opened. By a refinement98 of cruelty the torrent was not admitted suddenly to the grave, but allowed to trickle99 gradually in.
The first to be drowned were the slaves that carpeted the bottom of the trench100, their frightful struggles bearing witness to the slow death that was overpowering them. Dick was immersed to his knees, but he could be seen making what might seem one last frantic101 effort to burst his bonds.
Steadily102 rose the water; the stream resumed its proper course; the last head disappeared beneath its surface, and soon there remained nothing to indicate that in the depth below there was a tomb where a hundred victims had been sacrificed to the memory 0f the King of Kazonndé.
Painful as they are to describe, it is impossible to ignore the reality of such scenes.
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1
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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cremation
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| n.火葬，火化 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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extraneous
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| adj.体外的；外来的；外部的 | |
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5
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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7
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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8
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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9
industriously
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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13
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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15
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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17
authenticated
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| v.证明是真实的、可靠的或有效的( authenticate的过去式和过去分词 )；鉴定，使生效 | |
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18
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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forestalled
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| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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26
affluent
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| adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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30
dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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31
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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32
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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33
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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34
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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36
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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persecutor
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| n. 迫害者 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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vouchsafe
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| v.惠予，准许 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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41
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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43
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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45
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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46
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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48
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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49
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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50
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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51
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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53
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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55
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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56
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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57
liberate
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| v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由 | |
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58
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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59
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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60
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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61
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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62
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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liberated
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| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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66
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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68
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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69
proscribed
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| v.正式宣布（某事物）有危险或被禁止( proscribe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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71
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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72
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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73
commemorate
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| vt.纪念，庆祝 | |
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74
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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charred
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| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
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77
effigy
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| n.肖像 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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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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dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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slaughterous
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| adj.好杀戮的 | |
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cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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evoking
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| 产生，引起，唤起( evoke的现在分词 ) | |
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refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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trickle
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| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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