trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第13部分

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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　left　there　three　days　longer

I'd　have　gone　mad　or　turned　religious。　　Man；　it's　the　nights；　with　the

stars　up　above　you；　and　the　dead　still　all　around。　　And　you　think；　and

think；　and　think！　　You　remember　all　kinds　of　things　you've　never　thought　of

for　years　and　years。　　I　used　to　talk　to　myself　at　last；　and　make　believe　it

was　another　man。　　I　was　out　seven　days：　　and　he　was　only　out　one　night。　

But　I　think　it's　the　loneliness　that　got　hold　of　him。　　Man；　those　stars　are

awful；　and　that　stillness　that　comes　toward　morning！〃　　He　stood　up。　　〃It's

a　great　pity；　because　he's　as　good　a　fellow　as　ever　was。　　But　perhaps　he'll

come　all　right。〃



He　walked　away　towards　the　pot　with　the　bird　in　his　hand。　　When　he　had　gone

the　Englishman　turned　round　on　to　his　back；　and　lay　with　his　arm　across　his

forehead。



High；　high　up；　between　the　straggling　branches　of　the　tree；　in　the　clear；

blue　African　sky　above　him；　he　could　see　the　vultures　flying　southward。



。。。



That　evening　the　men　sat　eating　their　suppers　round　the　fires。　　The　large

troop　had　not　come　up；　and　the　mules　had　been　brought　in；　and　they　were　to

make　a　start　early　the　next　morning。



Halket　was　released　from　his　duty；　and　had　come　up；　and　lain　down　a　little

in　the　background　of　the　group　who　gathered　round　their　fire。



The　Colonial　and　the　Englishman　had　given　orders　to　all　the　men　of　their

mess　that　Halket　was　to　be　left　in　quiet；　and　no　questions　were　to　be　asked

him；　and　the　men；　fearing　the　Colonial's　size　and　the　Englishman's　nerve；

left　him　in　peace。　　The　men　laughed　and　chatted　round　the　fire；　while　the

big　Colonial　ladled　out　the　mealies　and　rice　into　tin　plates；　and　passed

them　round　to　the　men。　　Presently　he　passed　one　to　Halket；　who　lay　half

behind　him　leaning　on　his　elbow。　　For　a　while　Halket　ate　nothing；　then　he

took　a　few　mouthfuls；　and　again　lay　on　his　elbow。



〃You　are　eating　nothing；　Halket；〃　said　the　Englishman；　cheerily；　looking

back。



〃I　am　not　hungry　now；〃　he　said。　　After　a　while　he　took　out　his　red

handkerchief；　and　emptied　carefully　into　it　the　contents　of　the　plate；　and

tied　it　up　into　a　bundle。　　He　set　it　beside　him　on　the　ground；　and　again

lay　on　his　elbow。



〃You　won't　come　nearer　to　the　fire；　Halket？'　asked　the　Englishman。



〃No；　thank　you；　the　night　is　warm。〃



After　a　while　Peter　Halket　took　out　from　his　belt　a　small　hunting　knife

with　a　rough　wooden　handle。　　A　small　flat　stone　lay　near　him；　and　he　passed

the　blade　slowly　up　and　down　on　it；　now　and　then　taking　it　up；　and　feeling

the　edge　with　his　finger。　　After　a　while　he　put　it　back　in　his　belt；　and

rose　slowly；　taking　up　his　small　bundle　and　walked　away　to　the　tent。



〃He's　had　a　pretty　stiff　day；〃　said　the　Colonial。　　〃I　expect　he's　glad

enough　to　turn　in。〃



Then　all　the　men　round　the　fire　chatted　freely　over　his　concerns。　　Would

the　Captain　stick　to　his　word　tomorrow？　　Was　Halket　going　to　do　it？　　Had

the　Captain　any　right　to　tell　one　man　off　for　the　work；　instead　of　letting

them　fire　a　volley？　　One　man　said　he　would　do　it　gladly　in　Halket's　place；

if　told　off；　why　had　he　made　such　a　fool　of　himself？　　So　they　chatted　till

nine　o'clock；　when　the　Englishman　and　Colonial　left　to　turn　in。　　They　found

Halket　asleep；　close　to　the　side　of　the　tent；　with　his　face　turned　to　the

canvas。　　And　they　lay　down　quietly　that　they　might　not　disturb　him。



At　ten　o'clock　all　the　camp　was　asleep；　excepting　the　two　men　told　off　to

keep　guard；　who　paced　from　one　end　of　the　camp　to　the　other　to　keep

themselves　awake；　or　stood　chatting　by　the　large　fire；　which　still　burnt　at

one　end。



In　the　Captain's　tent　a　light　was　kept　burning　all　night；　which　shone

through　the　thin　canvas　sides；　and　shed　light　on　the　ground　about；　but；　for

the　rest；　the　camp　was　dead　and　still。



By　half…past　one　the　moon　had　gone　down；　and　there　was　left　only　a　blaze　of

stars　in　the　great　African　sky。



Then　Peter　Halket　rose　up；　softly　he　lifted　the　canvas　and　crept　out。　　On

the　side　furthest　from　the　camp　he　stood　upright。　　On　his　arm　was　tied　his

red　handkerchief　with　its　contents。　　For　a　moment　he　glanced　up　at　the

galaxy　of　stars　over　him；　then　he　stepped　into　the　long　grass；　and　made　his

way　in　a　direction　opposite　to　that　in　which　the　camp　lay。　　But　after　a

short　while　he　turned；　and　made　his　way　down　into　the　river　bed。　　He　walked

in　it　for　a　while。　　Then　after　a　time　he　sat　down　upon　the　bank　and　took

off　his　heavy　boots　and　threw　them　into　the　grass　at　the　side。　　Then

softly；　on　tip…toe；　he　followed　the　little　footpath　that　the　men　had

trodden　going　down　to　the　river　for　water。　　It　led　straight　up　to　the

Captain's　tent；　and　the　little　flat…topped　tree；　with　its　white　stem；　and

its　two　gnarled　branches　spread　out　on　either　side。　　When　he　was　within

forty　paces　of　it；　he　paused。　　Far　over　the　other　side　of　the　camp　the　two

men　who　were　on　guard　stood　chatting　by　the　fire。　　A　dead　stillness　was

over　the　rest　of　the　camp。　　The　light　through　the　walls　of　the　Captain's

tent　made　all　clear　at　the　stem　of　the　little　tree；　but　there　was　no　sound

of　movement　within。



For　a　moment　Peter　Halket　stood　motionless；　then　he　walked　up　to　the　tree。

The　black　man　hung　against　the　white　stem；　so　closely　bound　to　it　that　they

seemed　one。　　His　hands　were　tied　to　his　sides；　and　his　head　drooped　on　his

breast。　　His　eyes　were　closed；　and　his　limbs；　which　had　once　been　those　of

a　powerful　man；　had　fallen　away；　making　the　joints　stand　out。　　The　wool　on

his　head　was　wild　and　thick　with　neglect；　and　stood　out　roughly　in　long

strands；　and　his　skin　was　rough　with　want　and　exposure。



The　riems　had　cut　a　little　into　his　ankles；　and　a　small　flow　of　blood　had

made　the　ground　below　his　feet　dark。



Peter　Halket　looked　up　at　him；　the　man　seemed　dead。　　He　touched　him　softly

on　the　arm；　then　shook　it　slightly。



The　man　opened　his　eyes　slowly；　without　raising　his　head；　and　looked　at

Peter　from　under　his　weary　eyebrows。　　Except　that　they　moved　they　might

have　been　the　eyes　of　a　dead　thing。



Peter　put　up　his　fingers　to　his　own　lips〃Hus…h！　hus…h！〃　he　said。



The　man　hung　torpid；　still　looking　at　Peter。



Quickly　Peter　Halket　knelt　down　and　took　the　knife　from　his　belt。　　In　an

instant　the　riems　that　bound　the　feet　were　cut　through；　in　another　he　had

cut　the　riems　from　the　waist　and　neck：　　the　riems　dropped　to　the　ground

from　the　arms；　and　the　man　stood　free。　　Like　a　dazed　dumb　creature；　he

stood；　with　his　head　still　down；　eyeing　Peter。



Instantly　Peter　slipped　the　red　bundle　from　his　arm　into　the　man's　passive

hand。



〃Ari…tsemaia！　　Hamba！　　Loop！　　Go！〃　whispered　Peter　Halket；　using　a　word

from　each　African　language　he　knew。　　But　the　black　man　still　stood

motionless；　looking　at　him　as　one　paralysed。



〃Hamba！　　Sucka！　　Go！〃　he　whispered；　motioning　his　hand。



In　an　instant　a　gleam　of　intelligence　shot　across　the　face；　then　a　wild

transport。　　Without　a　word；　without　a　sound；　as　the　tiger　leaps　when　the

wild　dogs　are　on　it；　with　one　long；　smooth　spring；　as　though　unwounded　and

unhurt；　he　turned　and　disappeared　into　the　grass。　　It　closed　behind　him；

but　as　he　went　the　twigs　and　leaves　cracked　under　his　tread。



The　Captain　threw　back　the　door　of　his　tent。　　〃Who　is　there？〃　he　cried。



Peter　Halket　stood　below　the　tree　with　the　knife　in　his　hand。



The　noise　roused　the　whole　camp：　　the　men　on　guard　came　running；　guns　were

fired：　　and　the　half…sleeping　men　came　rushing；　grasping　their　weapons。　

There　was　a　sound　of　firing　at　the　little　tree；　and　the　cry　went　round　the

camp；　〃The　Mashonas　are　releasing　the　spy！〃



When　the　men　got　to　the　Captain's　tent；　they　saw　that　the　nigger　was　gone；

and　Peter　Halket　was　lying　on　his　face　at　the　foot　of　the　tree；　with　his

head　turned　towards　the　Captain's　door。



There　was　a　wild　confusion　of　voices。　　〃How　many　were　there？〃　　〃Where　have

they　gone　to　now？〃　　〃They've　shot　Peter　Halket！〃〃The　Captain　saw　them　do

it〃〃Stand　ready；　they　may　come　back　any　time！〃



When　the　Englishman　came；　the　other　men；　who　knew　he　had　been　a　medical

student；　made　way　for　him。　　He　knelt　down　by　Peter　Halket。



〃He's　dead；〃　he　said；　quietly。



When　they　had　turned　him　over；　the　Colonial　knelt　down　on　the　other　side；

with　a　little　hand…lamp　in　his　hand。



〃What　are　you　fellows　fooling　about　here　for？〃　cried　the　Captain。　　〃Do　you

suppose　it's　any　use　looking　for　foot　marks　after　all　this　tramping！　　Go；

guard　the　camp　on　all　sides！〃



〃I　will　send　four　coloured　boys；〃　he　said　to　the　Englishman　and　the

Colonial；　〃to　dig　the　grave。　　You'd　better　bury　him　at　once；　there's　no　use

waiting。　　We　start　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃



When　they　were　alone；　the　Englishman　uncovered　Peter　Halket's　breast。　

There　was　one　small　wound　just　under　the　left　bosom；　and　one　on　the　crown

of　the　head；　which　must　have　been　made　after　he　had　fallen　down。



〃Strange；　isn't　it；　what　he　can　have　been　doing　here？〃　said　the　Colonial；

〃a　small　wound；　isn't　it？〃



〃A　pistol　shot；〃　said　the　Englishman；　closing　the　bosom。



〃A　pistol〃



The　Englishman　looked　up　at　him　with　a　keen　light　in　his　eye。



〃I　told　you　he　would　not　kill　that　nigger。Seehere〃　　He　took　up　the

knife　which　had　fallen　from　Peter　Halket's　grasp；　and　fitted　it　into　a

piece　of　the　cut　leather　that　lay　on　the　earth。



〃But　you　don't　think〃　　The　Colonial　stared　at　him　with　wide　open　eyes；

then　he　glanced　round　at　the　Captain's　tent。



〃Yes；　I　think　that　　Go　and　fetch　his　great…coat；　we'll　put　him　in　it。　　If

it　is　no　use　talking　while　a　man　is　alive；　it　is　no　use　talking　when　he　is

dead！〃



They　brought　his　great…coat；　and　they　looked　in　the　pockets　to　see　if　there

was　anything　which　might　show　where　he　had　come　from　or　who　his　friends

were。　　But　there　was　nothing　in　the　pockets　except　an　empty　flask