trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第12部分

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expect　he's　one　of　those　bloody　fellows　we　hit　the　day　we　cleared　the　bush

out　yonder；　but　how　he　got　down　that　bank　with　his　leg　in　the　state　it　must

have　been；　I　don't　know。　　He　didn't　try　to　fight　when　they　caught　him；　just

stared　in　front　of　himfright；　I　suppose。　　He　must　have　been　a　big

strapping　devil　before　he　was　taken　down。



〃Well；　I　tell　you；　we'd　just　got　him　fixed　up；　and　the　Captain　was　just

going　into　his　tent　to　have　a　drink；　and　we　chaps　were　all　standing　round；

when　up　steps　Halket；　right　before　the　Captain；　and　pulls　his　front　lock

you　know　the　way　he　has？　　Oh；　my　God；　my　God；　if　you　could　have　seen　it！　

I'll　never　forget　it　to　my　dying　day！〃　　The　Colonial　seemed　bursting　with

internal　laughter。　　〃He　begins；　'Sir；　may　I　speak　to　you？'　in　a　formal　kind

of　way；　like　a　fellow　introducing　a　deputation；　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　he

starts　offoh；　my　God；　you　never　heard　such　a　thing！　　It　was　like　a　boy　in

Sunday…school　saying　up　a　piece　of　Scripture　he's　learnt　off　by　heart；　and

got　all　ready　beforehand；　and　he's　not　going　to　be　stopped　till　he　gets　to

the　end　of　it。〃



〃What　did　he　say；〃　asked　the　Englishman。



〃Oh；　he　started；　How　did　we　know　this　nigger　was　a　spy　at　all；　it　would　be

a　terrible　thing　to　kill　him　if　we　weren't　quite　sure；　perhaps　he　was

hiding　there　because　he　was　wounded。　　And　then　he　broke　out　that；　after

all；　these　niggers　were　men　fighting　for　their　country；　we　would　fight

against　the　French　if　they　came　and　took　England　from　us；　and　the　niggers

were　brave　men；　'please　sir'（every　five　minutes　he'd　pull　his　forelock；

and　say；　'please　sir！'）'and　if　we　have　to　fight　against　them　we　ought　to

remember　they're　fighting　for　freedom；　we　shouldn't　shoot　wounded　prisoners

when　they　were　black　if　we　wouldn't　shoot　them　if　they　were　white！'　　And

then　he　broke　out　pure　unmitigated　Exeter　Hall！　　You　never　heard　anything

like　it！　　All　men　were　brothers；　and　God　loved　a　black　man　as　well　as　a

white；　Mashonas　and　Matabele　were　poor　ignorant　folk；　and　we　had　to　take

care　of　them。　　And　then　he　started　out；　that　we　ought　to　let　this　man　go；

we　ought　to　give　him　food　for　the　road；　and　tell　him　to　go　back　to　his

people；　and　tell　them　we　hadn't　come　to　take　their　land　but　to　teach　them

and　love　them。　　'It's　hard　to　love　a　nigger；　Captain；　but　we　must　try　it；

we　must　try　it！'And　every　five　minutes　he'd　break　out　with；　'And　I　think

this　is　a　man　I　know；　Captain；　I'm　not　sure；　but　I　think　he　comes　from　up

Lo　Magundis　way！'as　if　any　born　devil　cared　whether　a　bloody　nigger　came

from　Lo　Magundis　or　anywhere　else！　　I'm　sure　he　said　it　fifteen　times。　　And

then　he　broke　out；　'I　don't　mean　that　I'm　better　than　you　or　anybody　else；

Captain；　I'm　as　bad　a　man　as　any　in　camp；　and　I　know　it。'　　And　off　he

started；　telling　us　all　the　sins　he'd　ever　committed；　and　he　kept　on；　'I'm

an　unlearned；　ignorant　man；　Captain；　but　I　must　stand　by　this　nigger；　he's

got　no　one　else！'　　And　then　he　says'If　you　let　me　take　him　up　to　Lo

Magundis；　sir；　I'm　not　afraid；　and　I'll　tell　the　people　there　that　it's　not

their　land　and　their　women　that　we　want；　it's　them　to　be　our　brothers　and

love　us。　　If　you'll　only　let　me　go；　sir；　I'll　go　and　make　peace；　give　the

man　to　me；　sir！'〃　　The　Colonial　shook　with　laughter。



〃What　did　the　Captain　say？〃　asked　the　Englishman。



〃The　Captain；　well；　you　know　the　smallest　thing　sets　him　off　swearing　all

round　the　world；　but　he　just　stood　there　with　his　arms　hanging　down　at　each

side　of　him；　and　his　eyes　staring；　and　his　face　getting　redder　and　redder：　

and　all　he　could　say　was；　'My　Gawd！　my　Gawd！'　　I　thought　he'd　burst。　　And

Halket　stood　there　looking　straight　in　front　of　him；　as　though　he　didn't

see　a　soul　of　us　all　there。〃



〃What　did　the　Captain　do？〃



〃Oh；　as　soon　as　Halket　turned　away　he　started　swearing；　but　he　got　the　tail

of　one　oath　hooked　on　to　the　head　of　another。　　It　was　nearly　as　good　as

Halket　himself。　　And　when　he'd　finished　and　got　sane　a　bit；　he　said　Halket

was　to　walk　up　and　down　there　all　day　and　keep　watch　on　the　nigger。　　And　he

gave　orders　that　if　the　big　troop　didn't　come　up　tonight；　that　he　was　to　be

potted　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　that　Halket　was　to　shoot　him。〃



The　Englishman　started：　　〃What　did　Halket　say？〃



〃Nothing。　　He's　been　walking　there　with　his　gun　all　day。〃



The　Englishman　watched　with　his　clear　eyes　the　spot　where　Halket's　head

appeared　and　disappeared。



〃Is　the　nigger　hanging　there　now？〃



〃Yes。　　The　Captain　said　no　one　was　to　go　near　him；　or　give　him　anything　to

eat　or　drink　all　day：　　but〃　　The　Colonial　glanced　round　where　the　trooper

lay　under　the　bushes；　and　then　lowering　his　voice　added；　〃This　morning；　a

couple　of　hours　ago；　Halket　sent　the　Captain's　coloured　boy　to　ask　me　for　a

drink　of　water。　　I　thought　it　was　for　Halket　himself；　and　the　poor　devil

must　be　hot　walking　there　in　the　sun；　so　I　sent　him　the　water　out　of　my

canvas　bag。　　I　went　along　afterwards　to　see　what　had　become　of　my　mug；　the

boy　had　gone；　and　there；　straight　in　front　of　the　Captain's　tent；　before

the　very　door；　was　Halket　letting　that　bloody　nigger　drink　out　of　my　mug。　

The　riem　was　so　tight　round　his　neck　he　couldn't　drink　but　slowly；　and

there　was　Halket　holding　it　up　to　him！　　If　the　Captain　had　looked　out！

W…h…e…w！　　I　wouldn't　have　been　Halket！〃



〃Do　you　think　he　will　try　to　make　Halket　do　it？〃　asked　the　Englishman。



〃Of　course　he　will。　　He's　the　Devil　in；　and　Halket　had　better　not　make　a

fuss　about　it；　or　it'll　be　the　worse　for　him。〃



〃His　time's　up　tomorrow　evening！〃



〃Yes；　but　not　tomorrow　morning。　　And　I　wouldn't　make　a　row　about　it　if　I

was　Halket。　　It　doesn't　do　to　fall　out　with　the　authorities　here。　　What's

one　nigger　more　or　less？　　He'll　get　shot　some　other　way；　or　die　of　hunger；

if　we　don't　do　it。〃



〃It's　hardly　sport　to　shoot　a　man　tied　up　neck　and　legs；〃　said　the

Englishman；　his　finely　drawn　eyebrows　contracting　and　expanding　a　little。



〃Oh；　they　don't　feel；　these　niggers；　not　as　we　should；　you　know。　　I've　seen

a　man　going　to　be　shot；　looking　full　at　the　guns；　and　falling　like　that！

without　a　sound。　　They've　no　feeling；　these　niggers；　I　don't　suppose　they

care　much　whether　they　live　or　die；　not　as　we　should；　you　know。〃



The　Englishman's　eyes　were　still　fixed　on　the　bushes；　behind　which　Halket's

head　appeared　and　disappeared。



〃They　have　no　right　to　order　Halket　to　do　itand　he　will　not　do　it！〃　said

the　Englishman　slowly。



〃You're　not　going　to　be　such　a　fool　as　to　step　in；　are　you？〃　said　the

Colonial；　looking　curiously　at　him。　　〃It　doesn't　pay。　　I've　made　up　my　mind

never　to　speak　whatever　happens。　　What's　the　good？　　Suppose　one　were　to

make　a　complaint　now　about　this　affair　with　Halket；　if　he's　made　to　shoot

the　nigger　against　his　will；　what　would　come　of　it？　　There'd　be　half…a…

dozen　fellows　here　squared　to　say　what　headquarters　wantednot　to　speak　of

a　fellow　like　that〃turning　his　thumb　in　the　direction　of　the　sleeping

trooper〃who　are　paid　to　watch。　　I　believe　he　reports　on　the　Captain

himself　to　the　big　headquarters。　　All　one's　wires　are　edited　before　they　go

down；　only　what　the　Company　wants　to　go；　go　through。　　There　are　many

downright　good　fellows　in　this　lot；　but　how　many　of　us　are　there；　do　you

think；　who　could　throw　away　all　chance　of　ever　making　anything　in

Mashonaland；　for　the　sake　of　standing　by　Halket；　even　if　he　had　a　real　row

with　the　Company？　　I've　a　great　liking　for　Halket　myself；　he's　a　real　good

fellow；　and　he's　done　me　many　a　good　turntook　my　watch　only　last　night；

because　I　was　off　colour；　I'd　do　anything　for　him　in　reason。　　But；　I　say

this　flatly；　I　couldn't　and　wouldn't　fly　in　the　face　of　the　authorities　for

him　or　anyone　else。　　I've　my　own　girl　waiting　for　me　down　in　the　Colony；

and　she's　been　waiting　for　me　these　five　years。　　And　whether　I'm　able　to

marry　her　or　not　depends　on　how　I　stand　with　the　Company：　　and　I　say；

flatly；　I'm　not　going　to　fall　out　with　it。　　I　came　here　to　make　money；　and

I　mean　to　make　it！　　If　other　people　like　to　run　their　heads　against　stone

walls；　let　them：　　but　they　mustn't　expect　me　to　follow　them。　　This　isn't　a

country　where　a　man　can　say　what　he　thinks。〃



The　Englishman　rested　his　elbows　on　the　ground。　　〃And　the　Union　Jack　is

supposed　to　be　flying　over　us。〃



〃Yes；　with　a　black　bar　across　it　for　the　Company；〃　laughed　the　Colonial。



〃Do　you　ever　have　the　nightmare？〃　asked　the　Englishman　suddenly。



〃I？　　Oh　yes；　sometimes〃；　he　looked　curiously　at　his　companion；　〃when　I've

eaten　too　much；　I　get　it。〃



〃I　always　have　it　since　I　came　up　here；〃　said　the　Englishman。　　〃It　is　that

a　vast　world　is　resting　on　mea　whole　globe：　　and　I　am　a　midge　beneath　it。

I　try　to　raise　it；　and　I　cannot。　　So　I　lie　still　under　itand　let　it　crush

me！〃



〃It's　curious　you　should　have　the　nightmare　so　up　here；〃　said　the　Colonial；

〃one　gets　so　little　to　eat。〃



There　was　a　silence：　　he　was　picking　the　little　fine　feathers　from　the

bird；　and　the　Englishman　was　watching　the　ants。



〃Mind　you；〃　the　Colonial　said　at　last；　〃I　don't　say　that　in　this　case　the

Captain　was　to　blame；　Halket　made　an　awful　ass　of　himself。　　He's　never　been

quite　right　since　that　time　he　got　lost　and　spent　the　night　out　on　the

kopje。　　When　we　found　him　in　the　morning　he　was　in　a　kind　of　dead　sleep；　we

couldn't　wake　him；　yet　it　wasn't　cold　enough　for　him　to　have　been　frozen。　

He's　never　been　the　same　man　since；　queer；　you　know；　giving　his　rations

away　to　the　coloured　boys；　and　letting　the　other　fellows　have　his　dot　of

brandy　at　night；　and　keeping　himself　sort　of　apart　to　himself；　you　know。　

The　other　fellows　think　he's　got　a　touch　of　fever　on；　caught　wandering

about　in　the　long　grass　that　day。　　But　I　don't　think　it's　that；　I　think

it's　being　alone　in　the　veld　that's　got　hold　of　him。　　Man；　have　you　ever

been　out　like　that；　alone　in　the　veld；　night　and　day；　and　not　a　soul　to

speak　to？　　I　have；　and　I　tell　you；　if　I'd　been