首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第11章
  Thewordofascout——amarchbynight——
  Arushthroughthemist——ascatteringfight——
  Avolleyfromcover——acorpseintheclearing——
  Theglimpseofaloin-clothandheavyjadeearring——
  Theflareofavillage——thetallyofslain——
  And。theBohwasabroad“ontheraid“again!
  Theycursedtheirluck,astheIrishwill,Theygavehimcreditforcunningandskill,Theyburiedtheirdead,theyboltedtheirbeef,AndstartedanewonthetrackofthethiefTill,inplaceofthe“KalendsofGreece“,mensaid,“WhenCrookandhisdarlingscomebackwiththehead。”
  TheyhadhuntedtheBohfromthehillstotheplain——
  Hedoubledandbrokeforthehillsagain:
  Theyhadcrippledhispowerforrapineandraid,Theyhadroutedhimoutofhispetstockade,Andatlast,theycame,whentheDayStartired,Toacampdeserted——avillagefired。
  AblackcrossblisteredtheMorning-gold,Andthebodyuponitwasstarkandcold。
  Thewindofthedawnwentmerrilypast,Thehighgrassbowedherplumestotheblast。
  Andoutofthegrass,onasudden,brokeAspirtleoffire,awhorlofsmoke——
  AndCaptainO’NeiloftheBlackTyroneWasblessedwithaslugintheulnar-bone——
  ThegiftofhisenemyBohDaThone。
  Nowaslugthatishammeredfromtelegraph-wireIsathorninthefleshandaranklingfire。。
  Theshot-woundfestered——asshot-woundsmayInasteamingbarrackatMandalay。
  Theleftarmthrobbed,andtheCaptainswore,“I’dliketobeaftertheBohoncemore!”
  Thefeverheldhim——theCaptainsaid,“I’dgiveahundredtolookathishead!”
  TheHospitalpunkahscreakedandwhirred,ButBabuHarendraGomashtaheard。
  Hethoughtofthecane-brake,greenanddank,ThatgirdledhishomebytheDaccatank。
  HethoughtofhiswifeandhisHighSchoolson,Hethought——butabandonedthethought——ofagun。
  HissleepwasbrokenbyvisionsdreadOfashiningBohwithasilverhead。
  Hekepthiscounselandwenthisway,Andswindledthecartmenofhalftheirpay……
  Andthemonthswenton,astheworstmustdo,AndtheBohreturnedtotheraidanew。
  ButtheCaptainhadquittedthelong-drawnstrife,AndinfarSimooriehadtakenawife。
  Andshewasadamselofdelicatemould,Withhairlikethesunshineandheartofgold,AndlittlesheknewthearmsthatembracedHadclovenamanfromthebrowtothewaist:
  AndlittlesheknewthatthelovinglipsHadorderedaquiveringlife’seclipse,AndtheeyethatlitatherlightestbreathHadglaredunawedintheGatesofDeath。
  Forthesebemattersamanwouldhide,Asageneralrule,fromaninnocentBride。
  AndlittletheCaptainthoughtofthepast,And,ofallmen,BabuHarendralast。
  *
  Butslow,inthesludgeoftheKathunroad,TheGovernmentBullockTraintoteditsload。
  Specklessandspotlessandshiningwith-ghee-,IntherearmostcartsattheBabu-jee。
  AndeveraphantombeforehimfledOfascowlingBohwithasilverhead。
  Thenthelead-cartstuck,thoughthecooliesslaved,Andthecartmenfloggedandtheescortraved;
  Andoutofthejungle,withyellsandsqueals,PrancedBohDaThone,andhisgangathisheels!
  ThenbelchingblunderbussansweredbackTheSnider’ssnarlandthecarbine’scrack,AndtheblitherevolverbegantosingTothebladethattwangedonthelocking-ring,Andthebrownfleshbluedwherethebay’netkissed,Asthesteelshotbackwithawrenchandatwist,AndthegreatwhitebullockswithonyxeyesWatchedthesoulsofthedeadarise,AndoverthesmokeofthefusilladeThePeacockBannerstaggeredandswayed。
  Oh,gayestofscrimmagesmanmayseeIsawell-workedrushontheG。B。T。!
  TheBabushookatthehorriblesight,Andgirdedhisponderousloinsforflight,ButFatehadordainedthattheBohshouldstartOnalone-handraidoftherearmostcart,Andoutofthatcart,withabellowofwoe,TheBabufell——flatonthetopoftheBoh!
  ForyearshadHarendraservedtheState,Tothegrowthofhispurseandthegirthofhis-p]^et。
  Thereweretwentystone,asthetally-manknows,OnthebroadofthechestofthisbestofBohs。
  AndtwentystonefromaheightdischargedArebadforaBohwithaspleenenlarged。
  Oh,shortwasthestruggle——severewastheshock——
  Hedroppedlikeabullock——helaylikeablock;
  AndtheBabuabovehim,convulsedwithfear,Heardthelabouringlife-breathhissedoutinhisear。
  AndthusinafashionundignifiedTheprincelypestoftheChindwindied……
  TurnnowtoSimooriewhere,lappedinhisease,TheCaptainispettingtheBrideonhisknees,Wherethe-whit-ofthebullet,thewoundedman’sscreamAremixedasthemistofsomedevilishdream——
  Forgotten,forgottenthesweatoftheshamblesWherethehill-daisybloomsandthegraymonkeygambols,Fromthesword-beltsetfreeandreleasedfromthesteel,ThePeaceoftheLordiswithCaptainO’Neil……
  UpthehilltoSimoorie——mostpatientofdrudges——
  Thebagsonhisshoulder,themail-runnertrudges。
  “ForCaptainO’Neil,-Sahib-OnehundredandtenRupeestocollectondelivery。”
  ThenTheirbreakfastwasstoppedwhilethescrew-jackandhammerTorewaxcloth,splitteak-wood,andchippedoutthedammer;
  Open-eyed,open-mouthed,onthenapery’ssnow,Withacrashandathud,rolled——theHeadoftheBoh!
  Andgummedtothescalpwasaletterwhichran:——
  “INFIELDINGFORCESERVICE-
  Encampment-,thJan。
  “DearSir,——Ihavehonourtosend,-asyousaid-,ForfinalapprovalseeunderBoh’sHead;
  “Wastookbymyselfinmostbloodyaffair。
  ByHighEducationbroughtpressuretobear。
  “NowviolateLiberty,timebeingbad,TomailV。P。PrupeeshundredPleaseadd“WhateverYourHonourcanpassPriceofBloodMuchcheapatonehundred,andchildrenwantfood;
  “SotrustingYourHonourwillsomewhatretainTrueloveandaffectionforGovtBullockTrain,“Andshowawfulkindnesstosatisfyme,Iam,GracefulMaster,YourHMUKERJI。”。
  Astherabbitisdrawntotherattlesnake’spower,Asthesmoker’seyefillsattheopiumhour,Asahorsereachesuptothemangerabove,Asthewaitingearyearnsforthewhisperoflove,FromthearmsoftheBride,iron-visagedandslow,TheCaptainbentdowntotheHeadoftheBoh。
  Ande’enashelookedontheThingwhereItlay’Twixtthewinkingnewspoonsandthenapkins’array,Thefreedmindfledbacktothelong-agodays——
  Thehand-to-handscuffle——thesmokeandtheblaze——
  Theforcedmarchatnightandthequickrushatdawn——
  Thebanjoattwilight,theburialeremorn——
  Thestenchofthemarshes——theraw,piercingsmellWhentheoverhandstabbing-cutsilencedtheyell——
  TheoathsofhisIrishthatsurgedwhentheystoodWheretheblackcrosseshungo’ertheKuttamowflood。
  AsaderelictshipdriftsawaywiththetideTheCaptainwentoutonthePastfromhisBride,Back,back,throughthespringstothechilloftheyear,WhenhehuntedtheBohfromMaloontoTsaleer。
  Astheshapeofacorpsedimmersupthroughdeepwater,Inhiseyelitthepassionlesspassionofslaughter,AndmenwhohadfoughtwithO’NeilforthelifeHadgazedonhisfacewithlessdreadthanhiswife。
  Forshewhohadheldhimsolongcouldnotholdhim——
  Thoughafour-monthEternityshouldhavecontrolledhim——
  ButwatchedthetwinTerror——theheadturnedtohead——
  Thescowling,scarredBlack,andtheflushedsavageRed——
  ThespiritthatchangedfromherknowingandflewtoSomegrimhiddenPastshehadneveraclueto。
  ButItknewasItgrinned,forhetoucheditunfearing,Andmutteredaloud,“Soyoukeptthatjadeearring!”
  Thennodded,andkindly,asfriendnodstofriend,“Oldman,youfoughtwell,butyoulostintheend。”。
  Thevisionsdeparted,andShamefollowedPassion:——
  “HetookwhatIsaidinthishorriblefashion,“-I’ll-writetoHarendra!”WithlanguageunsaintedTheCaptaincamebacktotheBride。whohadfainted……
  Andthisisafiction?NoGotoSimoorieAndlookattheirbaby,atwelve-montholdHouri,Apertlittle,Irish-eyedKathleenMavournin——
  She’salwaysaboutontheMallofamornin’——
  Andyou’llsee,ifherrightshoulder-strapisdisplaced,This:-Gules-upon-argent-,aBoh’sHead,-erased!-
  THELAMENTOFTHEBORDERCATTLETHIEF
  OwoeismeforthemerrylifeIledbeyondtheBar,AndatreblewoeformywinsomewifeThatweepsatShalimar。
  Theyhavetakenawaymylongjezail,Myshieldandsabrefine,AndheavedmeintotheCentraljailForliftingofthekine。
  Thesteermaylowwithinthebyre,TheJatmaytendhisgrain,Butthere’llbeneitherlootnorfireTillIcomebackagain。
  AndGodhavemercyontheJatWhenoncemyfettersfall,AndHeavendefendthefarmer’shutWhenIamloosedfromthrall。
  It’swoetobendthestubbornbackAbovethegrinchingquern,It’swoetoheartheleg-barclackAndjinglewhenIturn!
  Butforthesorrowandtheshame,Thebrandonmeandmine,I’llpayyoubackinleapingflameAndlossofthebutcheredkine。
  ForeverycowIsparedbeforeIncharitysetfree,IfImayreachmyholdoncemoreI’llreiveanhonestthree。
  ForeverytimeIraisedthelowThatscaredthedustyplain,Byswordandcord,bytorchandtowI’lllightthelandwithtwain!
  Ridehard,ridehardtoAbazai,Young-Sahib-withtheyellowhair——
  Lieclose,liecloseaskhuttuckslie,FatherdsbelowBonair!
  TheoneI’llshootattwilight-tide,AtdawnI’lldrivetheother;
  Theblackshallmournforhoofandhide,Thewhitemanforhisbrother。
  ’Tiswar,redwar,I’llgiveyouthen,Wartillmysinewsfail;
  Forthewrongyouhavedonetoachiefofmen,AndathiefoftheZukkaKheyl。
  AndifIfalltoyourhandafreshIgiveyouleaveforthesin,Thatyoucrammythroatwiththefoulpig’sflesh,Andswingmeintheskin!
  THERHYMEOFTHETHREECAPTAINS
  ThisballadappearstorefertooneoftheexploitsofthenotoriousPaulJones,theAmericanpirateItisfoundedonfact。
  Atthecloseofawinterday,Theiranchorsdown,byLondontown,theThreeGreatCaptainslay;
  AndonewasAdmiraloftheNorthfromSolwayFirthtoSkye,AndonewasLordoftheWessexcoastandallthelandsthereby,AndonewasMasteroftheThamesfromLimehousetoBlackwall,AndhewasCaptainoftheFleet——thebravestofthemall。