trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第4部分

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him　one　cartridge　in　the　back　of　his　head　more　than　ever　he　reckoned　for！〃　

Peter　looked　triumphantly　at　the　stranger。　　This　was　his　only　story；　and　he

had　told　it　a　score　of　times　round　the　camp　fire　for　the　benefit　of　some

new…comer。　　When　this　point　was　reached；　a　low　murmur　of　applause　and

sympathy　always　ran　round　the　group：　　tonight　there　was　quiet；　the

stranger's　large　dark　eyes　watched　the　fire　almost　as　though　he　heard

nothing。



〃I　shouldn't　have　minded　so　much；〃　said　Peter　after　a　while；　〃though　no　man

likes　to　have　his　woman　taken　away　from　him；　but　she　was　going　to　have　a

kid　in　a　month　or　twoand　so　was　the　little　one　for　anything　I　know；　she

looked　like　it！　　I　expect　they　did　away　with　it　before　it　came；　they've　no

hearts；　these　niggers；　they'd　think　nothing　of　doing　that　with　a　white

man's　child。　　They've　no　hearts；　they'd　rather　go　back　to　a　black　man；

however　well　you've　treated　them。　　It's　all　right　if　you　get　them　quite

young　and　keep　them　away　from　their　own　people；　but　if　once　a　nigger

woman's　had　a　nigger　man　and　had　children　by　him；　you　might　as　well　try　to

hold　a　she…devil！　they'll　always　go　back。　　If　ever　I'm　shot；　it's　as　likely

as　not　it'll　be　by　my　own　gun；　with　my　own　cartridges。　　And　she'd　stand　by

and　watch　it；　and　cheer　them　on；　though　I　never　gave　her　a　blow　all　the

time　she　was　with　me。　　But　I　tell　you　whatif　ever　I　come　across　that

bloody　nigger；　I'll　take　it　out　of　him。　　He　won't　count　many　days　to　his

year；　after　I've　spotted　him！〃　　Peter　Halket　paused。　　It　seemed　to　him　that

the　eyes　under　their　heavy；　curled　lashes；　were　looking　at　something　beyond

him　with　an　infinite　sadness；　almost　as　of　eyes　that　wept。



〃You　look　awfully　tired；〃　said　Peter；　〃wouldn't　you　like　to　lie　down　and

sleep？　　You　could　put　your　head　down　on　that　stone；　and　I'd　keep　watch。〃



〃I　have　no　need　of　sleep；〃　the　stranger　said；　〃I　will　watch　with　you。〃



〃You've　been　in　the　wars；　too；　I　see；〃　said　Peter；　bending　forward　a

little；　and　looking　at　the　stranger's　feet。　　〃By　God！　　Both　of　them！And

right　through！　　You　must　have　had　a　bad　time　of　it？〃



〃It　was　very　long　ago；〃　said　the　stranger。



Peter　Halket　threw　two　more　logs　on　the　fire。　　〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said；

〃I've　been　wondering　ever　since　you　came；　who　it　was　you　reminded　me　of。　

It's　my　mother！　　You're　not　like　her　in　the　face；　but　when　your　eyes　look

at　me　it　seems　to　me　as　if　it　was　she　looking　at　me。　　Curious；　isn't　it？　　I

don't　know　you　from　Adam；　and　you've　hardly　spoken　a　word　since　you　came；

and　yet　I　seem　as　if　I'd　known　you　all　my　life。〃　　Peter　moved　a　little

nearer　him。　　〃I　was　awfully　afraid　of　you　when　you　first　came；　even　when　I

first　saw　you；you　aren't　dressed　as　most　of　us　dress；　you　know。　　But　the

minute　the　fire　shone　on　your　face　I　said；　'It's　all　right。'　　Curious；

isn't　it？〃　said　Peter。　　〃I　don't　know　you　from　Adam；　but　if　you　were　to

take　up　my　gun　and　point　it　at　me；　I　wouldn't　move！　　I'd　lie　down　here　and

go　to　sleep　with　my　head　at　your　feet；　curious；　isn't　it；　when　I　don't　know

you　from　Adam？　　My　name's　Peter　Halket。　　What's　yours？〃



But　the　stranger　was　arranging　the　logs　on　the　fire。　　The　flames　shot　up

bright　and　high；　and　almost　hid　him　from　Peter　Halket's　view。



〃By　gad！　how　they　burn　when　you　arrange　them！〃　said　Peter。



They　sat　quiet　in　the　blaze　for　a　while。



Then　Peter　said；　〃Did　you　see　any　niggers　about　yesterday？　　I　haven't　come

across　any　in　this　part。〃



〃There　is；〃　said　the　stranger；　raising　himself；　〃an　old　woman　in　a　cave

over　yonder；　and　there　is　one　man　in　the　bush；　ten　miles　from　this　spot。　

He　has　lived　there　six　weeks；　since　you　destroyed　the　kraal；　living　on

roots　or　herbs。　　He　was　wounded　in　the　thigh；　and　left　for　dead。　　He　is

waiting　till　you　have　all　left　this　part　of　the　country　that　he　may　set　out

to　follow　his　own　people。　　His　leg　is　not　yet　so　strong　that　he　may　walk

fast。〃



〃Did　you　speak　to　him？〃　said　Peter。



〃I　took　him　down　to　the　water　where　a　large　pool　was。　　The　bank　was　too

high　for　the　man　to　descend　alone。〃



〃It's　a　lucky　thing　for　you　our　fellows　didn't　catch　you；〃　said　Peter。　

〃Our　captain's　a　regular　little　martinet。　　He'd　shoot　you　as　soon　as　look

at　you；　if　he　saw　you　fooling　round　with　a　wounded　nigger。　　It's　lucky　you

kept　out　of　his　way。〃



〃The　young　ravens　have　meat　given　to　them；〃　said　the　stranger；　lifting

himself　up；　〃and　the　lions　go　down　to　the　streams　to　drink。〃



〃Ahyes〃　said　Peter；　〃but　that's　because　we　can't　help　it！〃



They　were　silent　again　for　a　little　while。　　Then　Peter；　seeing　that　the

stranger　showed　no　inclination　to　speak；　said；　〃Did　you　hear　of　the　spree

they　had　up　Bulawayo　way；　hanging　those　three　niggers　for　spies？　　I　wasn't

there　myself；　but　a　fellow　who　was　told　me　they　made　the　niggers　jump　down

from　the　tree　and　hang　themselves；　one　fellow　wouldn't　bally　jump；　till

they　gave　him　a　charge　of　buckshot　in　the　back：　　and　then　he　caught　hold　of

a　branch　with　his　hands　and　they　had　to　shoot　'em　loose。　　He　didn't　like

hanging。　　I　don't　know　if　it's　true；　of　course；　I　wasn't　there　myself；　but

a　fellow　who　was　told　me。　　Another　fellow　who　was　at　Bulawayo；　but　who

wasn't　there　when　they　were　hung；　said　they　fired　at　them　just　after　they

jumped；　to　kill　'em。　　I〃



〃I　was　there；〃　said　the　stranger。



〃Oh；　you　were？〃　said　Peter。　　〃I　saw　a　photograph　of　the　niggers　hanging；

and　our　fellows　standing　round　smoking；　but　I　didn't　see　you　in　it。　　I

suppose　you'd　just　gone　away？〃



〃I　was　beside　the　men　when　they　were　hung；〃　said　the　stranger。



〃Oh；　you　were；　were　you？〃　said　Peter。　　〃I　don't　much　care　about　seeing　that

sort　of　thing　myself。　　Some　fellows　think　it's　the　best　fun　out　to　see　the

niggers　kick；　but　I　can't　stand　it：　　it　turns　my　stomach。　　It's　not　liver…

heartedness；〃　said　Peter；　quickly；　anxious　to　remove　any　adverse　impression

as　to　his　courage　which　the　stranger　might　form；　〃if　it's　shooting　or

fighting；　I'm　there。　　I've　potted　as　many　niggers　as　any　man　in　our　troop；

I　bet。　　It's　floggings　and　hangings　I'm　off。　　It's　the　way　one's　brought

up；　you　know。　　My　mother　never　even　would　kill　our　ducks；　she　let　them　die

of　old　age；　and　we　had　the　feathers　and　the　eggs：　　and　she　was　always

drumming　into　me；don't　hit　a　fellow　smaller　than　yourself；　don't　hit　a

fellow　weaker　than　yourself；　don't　hit　a　fellow　unless　he　can　hit　you　back

as　good　again。　　When　you've　always　had　that　sort　of　thing　drummed　into　you；

you　can't　get　rid　of　it；　somehow。　　Now　there　was　that　other　nigger　they

shot。　　They　say　he　sat　as　still　as　if　he　was　cut　out　of　stone；　with　his

arms　round　his　legs；　and　some　of　the　fellows　gave　him　blows　about　the　head

and　face　before　they　took　him　off　to　shoot　him。　　Now；　that's　the　sort　of

thing　I　can't　do。　　It　makes　me　sick　here；　somehow。〃　　Peter　put　his　hand

rather　low　down　over　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　　〃I'll　shoot　as　many　as　you

like　if　they'll　run；　but　they　mustn't　be　tied　up。〃



〃I　was　there　when　that　man　was　shot；〃　said　the　stranger。



〃Why；　you　seem　to　have　been　everywhere；〃　said　Peter。　　〃Have　you　seen　Cecil

Rhodes？〃



〃Yes；　I　have　seen　him；〃　said　the　stranger。



〃Now　he's　death　on　niggers；〃　said　Peter　Halket；　warming　his　hands　by　the

fire；　〃they　say　when　he　was　Prime　Minister　down　in　the　Colony　he　tried　to

pass　a　law　that　would　give　their　masters　and　mistresses　the　right　to　have

their　servants　flogged　whenever　they　did　anything　they　didn't　like；　but　the

other　Englishmen　wouldn't　let　him　pass　it。　　But　here　he　can　do　what　he

likes。　　That's　the　reason　some　fellows　don't　want　him　to　be　sent　away。　

They　say；　'If　we　get　the　British　Government　here；　they'll　be　giving　the

niggers　land　to　live　on；　and　let　them　have　the　vote；　and　get　civilised　and

educated；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　Cecil　Rhodes；　he'll　keep　their

noses　to　the　grindstone。'　　'I　prefer　land　to　niggers；'　he　says。　　They　say

he's　going　to　parcel　them　out；　and　make　them　work　on　our　lands　whether　they

like　it　or　notjust　as　good　as　having　slaves；　you　know：　　and　you　haven't

the　bother　of　looking　after　them　when　they're　old。　　Now；　there　I'm　with

Rhodes；　I　think　it's　an　awfully　good　move。　　We　don't　come　out　here　to　work；

it's　all　very　well　in　England；　but　we've　come　here　to　make　money；　and　how

are　we　to　make　it；　unless　you　get　niggers　to　work　for　you；　or　start　a

syndicate？　　He's　death　on　niggers；　is　Rhodes！〃　said　Peter；　meditating；

〃they　say　if　we　had　the　British　Government　here　and　you　were　thrashing　a

nigger　and　something　happened；　there'd　be　an　investigation；　and　all　that

sort　of　thing。　　But；　with　Cecil；　it's　all　right；　you　can　do　what　you　like

with　the　niggers；　provided　you　don't　get　HIM　into　trouble。〃



The　stranger　watched　the　clear　flame　as　it　burnt　up　high　in　the　still　night

air；　then　suddenly　he　started。



〃What　is　it？〃　said　Peter；　〃do　you　hear　anything？〃



〃I　hear　far　off；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃the　sound　of　weeping；　and　the　sound

of　blows。　　And　I　hear　the　voices　of　men　and　women　calling　to　me。〃



Peter　listened　intently。　　〃I　don't　hear　anything！〃　he　said。　　〃It　must　be　in

your　head。　　I　sometimes　get　a　noise　in　mine。〃　　He　listened　intently。　　〃No；

there's　nothing。　　It's　all　so　deadly　still。〃



They　sat　silent　for　a　while。



〃Peter　Simon　Halket；〃　said　the　stranger　suddenlyPeter　started；　he　had　not

told　him　his　second　name〃if　it　should　come　to　pass　that　you　should　obtain

those　lands　you　have　desired；　and　you　should　obtain　black　men　to　labour　on

them　and　make　to　yourself　great　wealth；　or　should　you　create　that　company〃…

…Peter　started〃and　fools　should　buy　from　you；　so　that　you　became　the

richest　man　in　the　land；　and　if　you　should　take　to　yourself　wide　lands；　and

raise　to　yourself　great　palaces；　so　that　princes　and　great　men　of　earth

crept　up　to　you　and　laid　their　hands　against　yours；　so　that　you　might　slip

gold　into　themwhat　would　it　profit　you？〃



〃Profit！〃　Peter　Halket　stared：　　〃Why；　it　would　profit　everything。　　What

makes