In the early darkness of equatorial Africa Kingozi, accompanied by Mali- ya-bwana with a lantern, crossed over to the other camp. Simba and Cazi Moto had come in almost at dusk; but they were very tired, and Kingozi considered it advisable to let them rest. They had covered probably thirty-five miles. Cazi Moto had found no water, and no traces of water. Furthermore, the game had thinned and disappeared. Only old tracks, old trails, old signs indicated that after the Big Rains the country might be habitable for the beasts. But Simba had discovered a concealed1 "tank" in a kopje. He had worked his way to it by "lining2" the straight swift flight of green pigeons, as a bee hunter on the plains used to line the flight of bees. The tank proved to be a deep, hidden recess3 far back under overhanging rocks, at once concealed and protected from the sun and animals. Its water was sweet and abundant.
"No one has used that water. It is an unknown water," concluded Simba.
"How far?"
"Four hours."
"_Vema_." Kingozi bestowed4 on him the word of highest praise.
The stranger woman's camp was not far away; in fact, but just across the little dry stream-bed. Her safari5 was using the same pool with Kingozi's.
At the edge of the camp he paused to take in its disposition6. From one detail to another his eye wandered, and in it dawned a growing approval. Your native, left to his own devices, pitches his little tents haphazard7 here, there, and everywhere, according as his fancy turns to this or that bush, thicket8, or clump9 of grass. Such a camp straggles abominably10. But here was no such confusion. Back from the water-hole a hundred yards, atop a slight rise, and under the thickest of the trees, stood a large green tent with a projecting fly. A huge pile of firewood had been dumped down in front of it, and at that very moment one of the _askaris_, kneeling, was kindling11 a fire. Behind the big tent, and at some remove, gleamed the circle of porters' tents each with its little blaze. Loads were piled neatly12, covered with a tarpaulin13, and the pile guarded by an _askari_.
Kingozi strode across the intervening space.
Before the big tent a table had been placed, and beside the table a reclining canvas chair of the folding variety. On a spread of figured blue cloth stood a bottle of lime juice, a sparklets, and an enamelware bowl containing flowers. The strange woman was stretched luxuriously14 in the chair smoking a cigarette.
She wore a short-sleeved lilac tea gown of thin silk, lilac silk stockings, and high-heeled slippers15. Her hair fell in two long braids over her shoulders and between her breasts, which the thin silk defined. Her figure in the long chair fell into sinuous16, graceful17, relaxed lines. As he approached she looked at him over the glowing cigarette; and her eyes seemed to nicker with a strange restlessness. This contrast--of the restless eyes and the relaxed, graceful body--reminded Kingozi of something. His mind groped for a moment; then he had it.
"_Bibi ya chui!_" he said, half to himself, half to his companion, "The Leopard18 Woman!"
And, parenthetically, from that moment _Bibi-ya-chui_--the Leopard Woman-- was the name by which she was known among the children of the sun.
She did not greet him in any way, but turned her head to address commands.
"Bring a chair for the _bwana_; bring cigarettes; bring _balauri-- lime juice_----"
Kingozi found himself established comfortably.
She moved her whole body slightly sidewise, the better to face him. The soft silk fell in new lines about her, defining new curves. Her red lips smiled softly, and her eyes were dark and inscrutable.
"I was what you call horrid19 to-day," she said. "It was not me: it was the frightenedness from the rhinoceros20. I was very much frightened, so I had the porters beaten. That was horrid, was it not? Do you understand it? I suppose not. Men have no nerves, like women. They are brave always. I have not said what I feel. I have heard of you--the most wonderful shot in Central Africa. I believe it--now."
Kingozi's eyes were lingering on her silk-clad form, the peep of ankles below her robe. She observed him with slanted21 eyes, and a little breath of satisfaction raised her bosom22. Abruptly23 he spoke24.
"Aren't you afraid of fever mosquitoes in that rig?" said he.
Her body stirred convulsively, and her finely pencilled eyebrows25, with their perpetual air of surprise, moved with impatience26; but her voice answered him equably:
"My friend, at the close of the hard day I must have my comfort. There can be no fever here, for there are no people here. When in the fever country I have my 'rig'"--subtly she shaded the word--"just the same. But I have a net--a big net--like a tent beneath which I sit. Does that satisfy you?"
She spoke with the obvious painstaking27 patience that one uses to instruct a child, but with a veiled irony28 meant for an older intelligence.
Kingozi laughed.
"I do appear to catechize you, don't I? But I am interested. It is difficult to realize that a woman alone can understand this kind of travel."
He had thrown off his guarded abstraction, and smiled across at her as frankly29 as a boy. The gravity of his face broke into wrinkles of laughter; his steady eyes twinkled; his smile showed strong white teeth. In spite of his bushy beard he looked a boy. The woman stared at him, her cigarette suspended.
"You have instructed me about my camp; you have instructed me about my men; you have instructed me about my marching; you have even instructed me about my clothes." She tallied30 the counts on her slender fingers. "Now I must instruct you."
"Guilty, I am afraid," he smiled; "but ready to take punishment."
"Very well." With a sinuous movement she turned on her elbow to face him. "Listen! It is this: you should not wear that beard."
She fell back, and raised the cigarette to her lips.
For a moment Kingozi stared at her speechless with surprise; but immediately recovered.
"I shall give to your advice the same respectful consideration you accord mine," he assured her gravely.
She laughed in genuine amusement.
"Only I have more excuse," continued Kingozi. "A woman--alone--so far away----"
"You said that before," she interrupted. "In other words, what in--what- you-call? Oh, yes! what in hell am I doing up here? Is that it?"
She turned on him a wide-eyed stare. Kingozi chuckled31.
"That's it. What in--in hell _are_ you doing up here?"
"Listen, my friend. In this world I do what I please--always. And when I find that which people tell me cannot be done, that I do--at once. My life is full of those things which could not be done, but which I have done."
"I believe you," said Kingozi, but he said it to himself.
"I have done them at home--where I live. I have done them in the cities and courts. Whatever the people tell me is impossible--'Oh, it cannot be done!'--with the uplifted hand and eye--you understand--that I do. Four years ago I came to Africa, and in Africa I have done what they tell me women have never done. I have travelled in the Kameroons, in Nyassaland, in Somaliland, in Abyssinia. Then they tell me--'yes, that is very well, but you follow a track. It is a dim track; but it is there. You go alone-- yes; but you have us at your back.' And I ask them: 'What then? where is this place where there is no track?' And they wave their hands, and say 'Over yonder'; so I come!"
She recited all this dramatically, using her hands much in gesticulation, her eyes flashing. In proportion as she became animated32 Kingozi withdrew into his customary stolid33 calm.
"Quite so," he commented, "spirit of adventure, and all that sort of thing. Where did you get this lot?"
"What?"
He waved his hand.
"Your men."
She considered him a barely appreciable34 instant.
"Why--the usual way--from the coast."
"They are strange to me--I do not recognize their tribes," Kingozi replied blandly35. "So you are pushing out into the Unknown. How far do you consider going?"
"Until it pleases me to stop."
Kingozi produced his pipe.
"If you do not mind?" he requested. He deliberately36 filled and lighted it. After a few strong puffs37 he resumed:
"The country, you say, is unknown to you."
"Of course."
"I imagined you told me this afternoon that you knew of this water. I must have been mistaken."
He blew a cloud, gazing straight ahead of him in obviously assumed innocence38. She examined him with a narrow, sidelong glance.
"No," she said at last, "you were not mistaken. I did tell you so."
"Well?" Kingozi turned to her.
"I was very angry, so I lied," she replied naively39. "Women always lie when they get very angry."
"Or tell the truth--uncomfortably," grinned Kingozi.
"Brava!" she applauded. "He does know something about women!" With one of her sudden smooth movements she again raised herself on her elbow. "How much?" she challenged.
"Enough," he replied enigmatically.
They both laughed.
Across the accustomed night noises came a long rumbling40 snarl41 ending sharply with a snoring gasp42. It was succeeded by another on a different key. The two took up a kind of antiphony, one against the other, now rising in volume, now dying down to a low grumble43, again suddenly bursting like an explosion.
"The lions have found that rhino," remarked Kingozi indifferently.
For a moment or so they listened to the distant thunders.
"I have not sufficiently44 thanked you even yet for this afternoon," she said. "You saved my life--you know that."
"Happened to be there; and let off a rifle."
"I know shooting. It was a wonderful shot at that distance and in those circumstances."
"Chancy shot. Had good luck," replied Kingozi shortly.
Undeterred by his tone, she persisted.
"But you are said by many to be the best shot in Africa."
He glanced at her.
"Indeed! I think that a mistake. For whom do you take me?"
"You are Culbertson," she told him. She pronounced the name slowly, syllable45 by syllable, as though English proper names were difficult to her.
He laughed.
"Whoever he may be. I am known as Kingozi hereabouts."
"You are not Cul-bert-son?"
"I am anything it pleases you to have me. And who are you?"
She had become the spoiled darling, pouting46 at him in half-pretended vexation.
"You are playing with me. For that I shall not tell you who I am."
"It does not matter; I know."
"You know! But how?"
"I know many things."
"What is it then? Tell me!"
He hesitated, smiling at her inscrutably. The flames from the fire were leaping high now, throwing the lantern-light into eclipse. An _askari_, wearing on his head an individual fancy in marabout feathers, leaned on his musket47, his strong bronze face cast into the wistful lines of the savage48 countenance49 in repose50. The lions had evidently compounded their quarrel. Only an occasional rasping cough testified to their presence. But in the direction of the dead rhinoceros the air was hideous51 with the plaints of the waiting hyenas53. Their peculiarly weird54 moans came in chorus; and every once in a while arose the shrill55, prolonged titter that has earned them the name of "laughing hyena52."
"_Bibi-ya-chui_," he told her at length.
She considered this, her red lower lip caught between her teeth.
"The Leopard Woman," she repeated, "and it is thus that I am known! You, Kingozi--the Bearded One; I, Bibi-ya-chui--the Leopard Woman!" She laughed. "I think I like it," she decided56.
"Now we know all about each other," he mocked.
"But no: you have asked many questions, which is your habit, but I have asked few. What do you do in this strange land? Is it--what-you-call-- 'spirit of adventure' also?"
"Not I! I am an ivory hunter."
"You expect to find the elephant here?"
"Who knows--or ivory to trade."
"And then you get your ivory and make the magic pass, and presto57! it is in Mombasa," she said, with a faint sarcasm58.
"You mean I have not men enough to carry out ivory. Well, that is true. But you see my habit is to get my ivory first and then to get _shenzis_ from the people roundabout to act as porters," he explained to her gravely.
Apparently59 she hesitated, in two minds as to what next to say. Kingozi perceived a dancing temptation sternly repressed, and smiled beneath his beard.
"I see," she said finally in a meek60 voice.
But Kingozi knew of what she was thinking. "She is a keen one," he reflected admiringly. "Caught the weak point in that yarn61 straight off!"
He arose to his feet, knocking the ashes from his pipe.
"You travel to-morrow?" he asked politely.
"That I have not decided."
"This is a dry country," Kingozi suggested blandly. "Of course you will not risk a blind push with so many men. You will probably send out scouts62 to find the next water."
"That is possible," she replied gravely; but Kingozi thought to catch a twinkle in her eye.
He raised his voice:
"Boy!"
Mali-ya-bwana glided63 from one of the small porters' tents.
"_Qua heri_." Kingozi abruptly wished her farewell in Swahili.
"_Qua heri_," she replied without moving.
He turned into the darkness. The tropical stars blazed above him like candles. Kingozi lapsed64 into half-forgotten slang.
"Downy bird!" he reflected, which was probably not exactly the impression the Leopard Woman either intended or thought she had made.
收听单词发音 |
1
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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safari
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| n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队 | |
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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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haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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abominably
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| adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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tarpaulin
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| n.涂油防水布，防水衣，防水帽 | |
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luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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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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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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painstaking
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| adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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tallied
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| v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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naively
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| adv. 天真地 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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pouting
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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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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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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hyenas
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| n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 ) | |
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54
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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presto
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| adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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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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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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lapsed
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| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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