trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第10部分

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clearly　in　the　ear；　that　he　may　not　fail　to　hear　it：　　'The　morning　may

break　grey；　and　the　midday　be　dark　and　stormy；　but　the　glory　of　the

evening's　sunset　may　wash　out　for　ever　the　remembrance　of　the　morning's

dullness；　and　the　darkness　of　the　noon。　　So　that　all　men　shall　say；　'Ah；

for　the　beauty　of　that　day！'For　the　stream　that　has　once　descended　there

is　no　path　upwards。It　is　never　too　late　for　the　soul　of　a　man。'



〃And　if　he　should　laugh；　and　say：　　'You　fool；　a　man　may　remake　himself

entirely　before　twenty；　he　may　reshape　himself　before　thirty；　but　after

forty　he　is　fixed。　　Shall　I；　who　for　forty…three　years　have　sought　money

and　power；　seek　for　anything　else　now？　　You　want　me　to　be　Jesus　Christ；　I

suppose！　　How　can　I　be　myself　and　another　man？'　　Then　answer　him：　　'Deep　in

the　heart　of　every　son　of　man　lies　an　angel；　but　some　have　their　wings

folded。　　Wake　yours！　　He　is　larger　and　stronger　than　another　man's；　mount

up　with　him！'



〃But　if　he　curses　you；　and　says；　'I　have　eight　millions　of　money；　and　I

care　neither　for　God　nor　man！'then　make　no　answer；　but　stoop　and　write

before　him。〃　　The　stranger　bent　down　and　wrote　with　his　finger　in　the　white

ashes　of　the　fire。　　Peter　Halket　bent　forward；　and　he　saw　the　two　words　the

stranger　had　written。



The　stranger　said：　　〃Say　to　him：　　'Though　you　should　seek　to　make　that　name

immortal　in　this　land；　and　should　write　it　in　gold　dust；　and　set　it　with

diamonds；　and　cement　it　with　human　blood；　shed　from　the　Zambezi　to　the　sea；

yet。〃　　The　stranger　passed　his　foot　over　the　words；　Peter　Halket　looked

down；　and　he　saw　only　a　bed　of　smooth　white　ashes　where　the　name　had　been。



The　stranger　said：　　〃And　if　he　should　curse　yet　further；　and　say；　'There　is

not　one　man　nor　woman　in　South　Africa　I　cannot　buy　with　my　money！　　When　I

have　the　Transvaal；　I　shall　buy　God　Almighty　Himself；　if　I　care　to！'



〃Then　say　to　him　this　one　thing　only；　'Thy　money　perish　with　thee！'　and

leave　him。〃



There　was　a　dead　silence　for　a　moment。　　Then　the　stranger　stretched　forth

his　hand。　　'Yet　in　that　leaving　him；　remember；It　is　not　the　act；　but　the

will；　which　marks　the　soul　of　the　man。　　He　who　has　crushed　a　nation　sins　no

more　than　he　who　rejoices　in　the　death　throe　of　the　meanest　creature。　　The

stagnant　pool　is　not　less　poisonous　drop　for　drop　than　the　mighty　swamp；

though　its　reach　be　smaller。　　He　who　has　desired　to　be　and　accomplish　what

this　man　has　been　and　accomplished；　is　as　this　man；　though　he　have　lacked

the　power　to　perform。　　Nay；　remember　this　one　thing　more：Certain　sons　of

God　are　born　on　earth；　named　by　men　Children　of　Genius。　　In　early　youth

each　stands　at　the　parting　of　the　way　and　chooses；　he　bears　his　gift　for

others　or　for　himself。　　But　forget　this　never；　whatever　his　choice　may　be；

that　there　is　laid　on　him　a　burden　that　is　laid　not　on　othersall　space　is

open　to　him；　and　his　choice　is　infiniteand　if　he　falls　beneath　it；　let

men　weep　rather　than　curse；　for　he　was　born　a　Son　of　God。〃



There　was　silence　again。　　Then　Peter　Halket　clasped　his　arms　about　the

stranger's　feet。　　〃My　master；〃　he　cried；　〃I　dare　not　take　that　message。　　It

is　not　that　men　may　say；　'Here　is　Trooper　Peter　Halket；　whom　we　all　know；　a

man　who　kept　women　and　shot　niggers；　turned　prophet。'　　But　it　is；　that　it

is　true。　　Have　I　not　wished〃　and　Peter　Halket　would　have　poured　out　all

his　soul；　but　the　stranger　prevented　him。



〃Peter　Simon　Halket；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　the　trumpet　which　gives　forth　the

call　to　battle；　whether　it　be　battered　tin　or　gilded　silver；　which　boots？　

Is　it　not　the　call？　　What　and　if　I　should　send　my　message　by　a　woman　or　a

child：　　shall　truth　be　less　truth　because　the　bearer　is　despised？　　Is　it

the　mouth　that　speaks　or　the　word　that　is　spoken　which　is　eternal？　

Nevertheless；　if　you　will　have　it　so；　go；　and　say；　'I；　Peter　Halket；　sinner

among　you　all；　who　have　desired　women　and　gold；　who　have　loved　myself　and

hated　my　fellow；　I'〃　　The　stranger　looked　down　at　him；　and　placed　his

hand　gently　on　his　head。　　〃Peter　Simon　Halket；〃　he　said；　〃a　harder　task　I

give　you　than　any　which　has　been　laid　upon　you。　　In　that　small　spot　where

alone　on　earth　your　will　rules；　bring　there　into　being　the　kingdom　today。　

Love　your　enemies；　do　good　to　them　that　hate　you。　　Walk　ever　forward；

looking　not　to　the　right　hand　or　the　left。　　Heed　not　what　men　shall　say　of

you。　　Succour　the　oppressed；　deliver　the　captive。　　If　thine　enemy　hunger；

feed　him；　if　he　is　athirst　give　him　drink。〃



A　curious　warmth　and　gladness　stole　over　Peter　Halket　as　he　knelt；　it　was

as；　when　a　little　child；　his　mother　folded　him　to　her：　　he　saw　nothing　more

about　him　but　a　soft　bright　light。　　Yet　in　it　he　heard　a　voice　cry；

〃Because　thou　hast　loved　mercyand　hated　oppression〃



When　Trooper　Peter　Halket　raised　himself；　he　saw　the　figure　of　the　stranger

passing　from　him。　　He　cried；　〃My　Master；　let　me　go　with　you。〃　　But　the

figure　did　not　turn。　　And；　as　it　passed　into　the　darkness；　it　seemed　to

Peter　Halket　that　the　form　grew　larger　and　larger：　　and　as　it　descended　the

further　side　of　the　kopje　it　seemed　that　for　one　instant　he　still　saw　the

head　with　a　pale；　white　light　upon　it：　　then　it　vanished。



And　Trooper　Peter　Halket　sat　alone　upon　the　kopje。





Chapter　II。



It　was　a　hot　day。　　The　sun　poured　down　its　rays　over　the　scattered　trees；

and　stunted　bush；　and　long　grass；　and　over　the　dried　up　river　beds。　　Far　in

the　blue；　so　high　the　eye　could　scarcely　mark　them；　vultures　were　flying

southward；　where　forty　miles　off　kraals　had　been　destroyed　and　two　hundred

black　carcasses　were　lying　in　the　sun。



Under　a　group　of　tall　straggling　trees　among　the　grass　and　low　scrub；　on

the　banks　of　an　almost　dried　up　river　bed；　a　small　camp　had　been　pitched。



The　party　had　lost　their　mules；　and　pending　their　recovery　had　already　been

there　seven　days。　　The　three　cart　loads　of　provisions　they　were　conveying

to　the　large　camp　were　drawn　up　under　the　trees　and　had　a　sail　thrown

across　them　to　form　a　shelter　for　some　of　the　men；　while　on　the　other　side

of　the　cleared　and　open　space　that　formed　the　camp；　a　smaller　sail　was

thrown　across　two　poles　forming　a　rough　tent；　and　away　to　the　left；　a

little　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　camp　by　some　low　bushes；　was　the　bell…

shaped　tent　of　the　captain；　under　a　tall　tree。　　Before　the　bell…shaped　tent

stood　a　short　stunted　tree；　its　thick　white　stem　gnarled　and　knotted；　while

two　stunted　misshapen　branches；　like　arms；　stretched　out　on　either　side。



Before　this　tree；　up　and　down；　with　his　gun　upon　his　arm；　his　head　bent　and

his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　while　the　hot　sun　blazed　on　his　shoulders；

walked　a　man。



Three　or　four　fires　were　burning　about　the　camp　in　different　parts；　three

cooking　the　mealies　and　rice　which　formed　the　diet　of　the　men；　their　stock

of　tinned　meats　having　been　exhausted；　while　the　fourth；　which　was　watched

by　a　native　boy；　contained　the　more　appetising　meal　of　the　Captain。



Most　of　the　men　were　out　of　camp；　the　coloured　boys　having　gone　to　fetch

the　mules；　which　had　been　discovered　in　the　hills　a　few　miles　off；　and　were

expected　to　arrive　in　the　evening；　and　the　white　men　had　gone　out　to　see

what　game　they　could　bring　down　with　their　guns　to　flavour　the　mealie　pots；

or　to　reconnoitre　the　country；　though　all　native　habitations　had　been

destroyed　within　a　radius　of　thirty　miles；　and　the　land　was　as　bare　of

black　men　as　a　child's　hand　of　hair；　and　even　the　beasts　seemed　to　have

vanished。



In　the　shade　of　the　tent；　formed　of　the　canvas　across　two　posts；　lay　three

white　men；　whose　work　it　was　to　watch　the　pots　and　guard　the　camp。　　They

were　all　three　Colonial　Englishmen；　and　lay　on　the　ground　on　their

stomachs；　passing　the　time　by　carrying　on　a　desultory　conversation；　or

taking　a　few　whiffs；　slowly；　and　with　care；　from　their　pipes；　for　tobacco

was　precious　in　the　camp。



Under　some　bushes　a　few　yards　off　lay　a　huge　trooper；　whose　nationality　was

uncertain；　but　who　was　held　to　hail　from　some　part　of　the　British　Isles；

and　who　had　travelled　round　the　world。　　He　was　currently　reported　to　have

done　three　years'　labour　for　attempted　rape　in　Australia；　but　nothing

certain　was　known　regarding　his　antecedents。　　He　had　been　up　on　guard　half

the　night；　and　was　now　taking　his　rest　lying　on　his　back　with　his　arm

thrown　over　his　face；　but　a　slight　movement　could　be　noted　in　his　jaw　as　he

slowly　chewed　a　piece　of　tobacco；　and　occasionally　when　he　turned　it　round

the　mouth　opened；　and　disclosed　two　rows　of　broken　yellow　stumps　set　in

very　red　gums。



The　three　Colonial　Englishmen　took　no　notice　of　him。　　Two；　who　were　slowly

smoking；　were　of　the　large　and　powerful　build；　and　somewhat　loose　set　about

the　shoulders；　which　is　common　among　Colonial　Europeans　of　the　third

generation；　whether　Dutch　or　English；　and　had　the　placidity　and　general

good　temper　of　expression　which　commonly　marks　the　Colonial　European　who

grows　up　beyond　the　range　of　the　cities。　　The　third　was　smaller　and　more

wiry　and　of　an　unusually　nervous　type；　with　aquiline　nose；　and　sallow

hatchet　face；　with　a　somewhat　discontented　expression。　　He　was　holding

forth；　while　his　companions　smoked　and　listened。



〃Now　what　I　say　is　this；〃　he　brought　his　hand　down　on　the　red　sand；　〃here

we　are　with　about　one　half　teaspoon　of　Dop　given　us　at　night；　while　he　has

ten　empty　champagne　bottles　lying　behind　his　tent。　　And　we　have　to　live　on

the　mealies　we're　convoying　for　the　horses；　while　he　has　pati　and　beef；　and

lives　like　a　lord！　　It's　all　very　well　for　the　regulars；　they　know　what

they're　in　for；　and　they've　got　gentlemen　over　them　anyhow；　and　one　can

stomach　anything　if　you　know　what　kind　of　a　fellow　you've　got　over　you。　

English　officers　are　gentlemen；　anyhow；　or　if　one　was　under　Selous　now〃



〃Oh；　Selous's　a　MAN！〃　broke　out　the　other　two；　taking　their　pipes　from

their　mouths。



〃Yes；　well；　that's　what　I　say。　　But　these　fellows；　who