首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第134章
  Therewasapauseintheoutcry,andfromHans’mouthcameanimitationofasnake’shiss,soperfectthatIalmostsprungtomyfeetThesustainedmurderoussoundranalongthedeck,andthewrenchingatthebarsceasedTheorang-outangwasquakinginanecstasyofpureterror。
  “Dotstophim。”saidHans“IlearneddottrickinMogoungTanjongwhenIwascollectingliddlemonkeysforsomepeoplesinBerlinEferyoneinderworldisafraidofdermonkeysexceptdersnakeSoIblaysnakeagainstmonkey,andhekeepquitestill。
  DerewastoomuchEgoinhisCosmosDotisdersoul-customofmonkeysAreyouasleep,orwillyoulisten,andIwilltelladaledotyoushallnotpelief?”
  “There’snotaleinthewideworldthatIcan’tbelieve。”Isaid。
  “IfyouhavelearnedpeliefyouhaflearnedsomedingsNowI
  shalltryyourpeliefGood!WhenIwascollectingdoseliddlemonkeys-itwasin’79or’80,undIwasinderislandsofderArchipelago-overdereinderdark“-hepointedsouthwardtoNewGuineagenerally-“MeinGott!IwouldsoonercollectlifereddevilsthanliddlemonkeysWhendeydonotbiteoffyourthumbsdeyarealwaysdyingfromnostalgia-homesick-fordeyhafderimperfectsoul,whichismidwayarrestedindefelopment-undtoomuchEgoIwasderefornearlyayear,unddereIfoundamandotwascalledBertranHewasaFrenchman,undhewasagootman-naturalisttotheboneDeysaidhewasanescapedconvict,buthewasanaturalist,unddotwasenoughformeHewouldcallallherlifebeastsfromderforests,unddeywouldcomeIsaidhewasStFrancisofAssisiinanewdransmigrationproduced,undhelaughedundsaidhehalneverpreachtoderfishesHesolddemfortripang-beche-de-mer。
  “Unddotman,whowaskingofbeasts-tamermen,hehadinderhouseshushsuchanoderasdotdevil-animalindercage-agreatorang-outangdotthoughthewasamanHehaffoundhimwhenhewasachild-derorang-outang-undhewaschildandbrotherandoperacomiqueallroundtoBertranHehadhisroomindothouse-notacage,butaroom-mitabedandsheets,andhewouldgotobedandgetupindermorningandsmokehiscigarundeathisdinnermitBertran,undwalkmithimhand-in-hand,which。
  wasmosthorribleHerrGott!IhafseendotbeastthrowhimselfbackinhischairandlaughwhenBertranhafmadefunofmeHewasnotabeast;hewasaman,andhetalkedtoBertran,undBertrancomprehended,forIbaveseendemUndhewasalwayspolitefultomeexceptwhenItalktoolongtoBertranundsaynodingsatalltohimDenhewouldpullmeaway-disgreat,darkdevil,mithisenormouspaws~hushasifIwasachildHewasnotabeast,hewasamanDisIsawpeforeIknowhimthreemonths,undBertranhehafsawthesame;andBimi,derorang-outang,bafunderstoodusboth,mithiscigarbetweenhisbig-dogteethundderbluegum。
  “Iwasdereayear,dereundatdereoderislands-somedimesformonkeysandsomedimesforbutterfliesundorchitsOnetimeBertransaystomedothewillbemarried,becauseheha~foundagirldotwasgoot,andheinquireifthismarryingideawasrightI
  wouldnotsay,pecauseitwasnotmedotwasgoingtobemarried。
  Denhegooffcourtingdergirl-shewasahalf-casteFrenchgirl-
  veryprettyHafyougotanewlightformycigar?Oof!VeryprettyOnlyIsay’HafyouthoughtofBimi?IfhepullsmeawaywhenItalktoyou,whatwillhedotoyourwife?HewillpullherinpiecesIfIwasyou,Bertran,IwouldgifmywifeforweddingpresentderstufffigureofBimi。’BydottimeIbadlearnedsomedingsaboutdermonkeypeoples’Shoothim?’saysBertran。
  ’Heisyourbeast,’Isaid;’ifhewasminehewouldbeshotnow。’
  “DenIfeltatderbackofmyneckderfingersofBimiMeinGott!ItellyoudothetalkedthroughdosefingersItwasderdeaf-and-dumbalphabetallgompleteHeslidehishairyarmroundmyneck,andhetiltupmychinandlookintomyface,shusttoseeifIunderstoodhistalksowellasheunderstoodmine。
  “’Seenowdere!’saysBertran,’undyouwouldshoothimwhileheiscuddlingyou?DotisderTeutoningrate!’
  “ButIknewdotIhadmadeBimialife’senemy,pecausehisfingershaftalkmurderthroughthebackofmyneckNextdimeI
  seeBimiderewasapistolinmybelt,undhetouchitonce,andI
  opendebreechtoshowhimitwasloadedHehafseenderliddlemonkeyskilledinderwoods,andheunderstood。
  “SoBertranhewasmarried,andheforgotcleanaboutBimidotwasskippin’aloneonthebeachmitderhafofahumansoulinhisbellyIwasseehimskip,undhetookabigboughundthrashdersandtillhehafmadeagreatholelikeagraveSoIsaystoBertran’Foranysakes,killBimiHeismadmitderjealousy。’
  “Bertranhafsaid:’HeisnotmadatallHehafobeyandlovemywife,undifshespeakshewallgetherslippers,’undhelookedathiswifeacrossderroomShewasaveryprettygirl。
  “DenIsaidtohim:’Dostthoupretendtoknowmonkeysunddisbeastdotislashinghimselfmadupondersands,pecauseyoudonottalktohim?Shoothimwhenhecomestoderhouse,forhehafderlightinhiseyesdotmeanskilling-undkilling。’Bimicometoderhouse,butderewasnolightinhiseyesItwasallputaway,cunning-socunning-undhefetchdergirlherslippers,andBertranturntomeundsay:’DostthouknowhiminninemonthsmoredanIhafknownhimntwelveyears?Shallachildstabhisfader?I
  havefedhim,undhewasmychildDonotspeakthisnonsensetomywifeortomeanymore。’
  “DotnextdayBertrancametomyhousetohelpmemakesomewoodcasesforderspecimens,undhetellmedothehaflefthiswifealiddlewhilemitBimiindergardenDenIfinishmycasesquick,undIsay:’Letusgotoyourhouseundgetatrink。’Helaughundsay:’Comealong,drymans。’
  “Hiswifewasnotindergarden,undBimididnotcomewhenBertrancalledUndhiswifedidnotcomewhenhecalled,undheknockedatherbedroomdoorunddotwasshuttight-lockedDenhelookedatme,undhisfacewaswhiteIbrokedownderdoormitmyshoulder,undderthatchofderroofwastornintoagreathole,unddersuncameinuponderfloorHafyoueverseenpaperinderwaste-basket,orcardsatwhistondertablescattered?DerewasnowifedotcouldbeseenItellyouderewasnoddingsindotroomdotmightbeawomanDerewasstuffonderfloor,unddotwasallIlookedatdesethingsundIwasverysick;butBertranlookedalittlelongeratwhatwasuponthefloorundderwalls,undderholeinderthatchDenhepegantolaugh,softandlow,undI
  knowundthankGoddothewasmadHenefercried,heneferprayedHestoodstillinderdoorwayundlaughtohim-selfDenhesaid:’Shehaflockedherselfindisroom,andhehaftornupderthatchFidoncDotissoWewillmendderthatchundwaitforBimiHewillsurelycome。’
  “Itellyouwewaitedtendaysindothouse,afterderroomwasmadeintoaroomagain,andonceortwicewesawBimicomm’aliddlewayfromderwoodsHewasafraidpecausehehafdonewrongBertrancalledhimwhenhewascometolookonthetenthday,undBimicomeskippingalongderbeachundmakingnoises,mitalongpieceofNackhairinhishandsDenBertranlaughandsay,’Fidond’shustasifitwasaglassbrokenupondertable;undBimicomenearer,undBertranwashoney-sweetinhisvoiceandlaughedtohimselfForthreedayshemadelovetoBimi,pecauseBimiwouldnotlethimselfbetouchedDenBimicometodinneratdersametablemitus,undderhaironhishandswasallblackundthickmit-mitwhathaddriedonhishandsBertrangavehimsangareetillBimiwasdrunkandstupid,undden-“
  Hanspausedtopuffathiscigar。
  “Andthen?”saidI。
  “UnddenBertrankillhimwithhishands,undIgoforawalkuponderheachItwasBertran’sownpizinessWhenIcomebackderapehewasdead,undBertranhewasdyingabofehim;butstillhelaughedaliddleundlow,andhewasquitecontentNowyouknowderformulaufderstrengthofderorang-outang-itismoreasseventooneinrelationtomanButBertran,hehafkilledBimimitsoochdingsasGottgifhimDotwasdermericle。”
  Theinfernalclamorinthecagerecommenced“Aba!DotfriendofourshafstilltoomuchEgoinhisCosmos,Bequiet,thou!”
  HanshissedlongandvenomouslyWecouldhearthegreatbeastquakinginhiscage。
  “Butwhyintheworlddidn’tyouhelpBertraninsteadoflettinghimbekilled?”Iasked。
  “Myfriend。”saidHans,composedlystretchinghimselftoslumber,“itwasnotniceeventomineselfdotIshouldlifafterIhadseendotroomwitderholeinderthatchUndBertran,hewasherhusbandGood-night,undsleepwell。”
  NAMGAYDOOLA
  ONCEuponatimetherewasakingwholivedontheroadtoThibet,verymanymilesintheHimalayaMountainsHiskingdomwas11,000feetabovethesea,andexactlyfourmilessquare,butmostofthemilesstoodonend,owingtothenatureofthecountry。
  Hisrevenueswereratherlessthan400poundsyearly,andtheywereexpendedonthemaintenanceofoneelephantandastandingarmyoffivemenHewastributarytotheIndiangovernment,whoallowedhimcertainsumsforkeepingasectionoftheHimalaya-
  ThibetroadinrepairHefurtherincreasedhisrevenuesbysellingtimbertotherailwaycompanies,forhewouldcutthegreatdeodartreesinhisownforestaridtheyfellthunderingintotheSutlejRiverandweresweptdowntothePlains,300milesaway,andbecamerailwaytiesNowandagainthisking,whosenamedoesnotmatter,wouldmountaring-streakedhorseandridescoresofmilestoSimlatowntoconferwiththelieutenant-governoronmattersofstate,orassuretheviceroythathisswordwasattheserviceofthequeen-empressThentheviceroywouldcausearuffleofdrumstobesoundedandthering-streakedhorseandthecavalryofthestate-twomenintatters-andtheheraldwhoboretheSilverStickbeforethekingwouldtrotbacktotheirownplace,whichwasbetweenthetailofaheaven-climbingglacierandadarkbirchforest。
  Now,fromsuchaking,alwaysrememberingthathepossessedoneveritableelephantandcouldcounthisdescentfor1,200years,I
  expected,whenitwasmyfatetowanderthroughhisdominions,nomorethanmerelicensetolive。
  Thenighthadclosedinrain,androllingcloudsblottedoutthelightsofthevillagesinthevalleyFortymilesaway,untouchedbycloudorstorm,thewhiteshoulderofDongoPa-theMountainoftheCounciloftheGods-upheldtheeveningstarThemonkeyssungsorrowfullytoeachotherastheyhuntedfordryrootsinthefern-drapedtrees,andthelastpuffoftheday-windbroughtfromtheunseenvillagesthescentofdampwoodsmoke,hotcakes,drippingundergrowth,androttingpine-conesThatsmellisthetruesmelloftheHimalayas,andifitoncegetsintothebloodofamanhewill,atthelast,forgettingeverythingelse,returntotheHillstodieThecloudsclosedandthesmellwentaway,andthereremainednothinginalltheworldexceptchillingwhitemistsandtheboomoftheSutlejRiver。
  Afat-tailedsheep,whodidnotwanttodie,bleatedlamentablyatmytent-doorHewasscufflingwiththeprimeministerandthedirector-generalofpubliceducation,andhewasaroyalgifttomeandmycampservantsIexpressedmythankssuitablyandinquiredifImighthaveaudienceofthekingTheprimeministerreadjustedhisturban-ithadfallenoffinthestruggle-andassuredmethatthekingwouldbeverypleasedtoseemeThereforeI
  dispatchedtwobottlesasaforetaste,andwhenthesheephadentereduponanotherincarnation,climbeduptotheking’spalacethroughthewetHehadsenthisarmytoescortme,butitstayedtotalkwithmycookSoldiersareverymuchalikealltheworldover。
  Thepalacewasafour-roomed,white-washedmud-and-timberhouse,thefinestinalltheHillsforaday’sjourneyThekingwasdressedinapurplevelvetjacket,whitemuslintrousers,andasaffron-yellowturbanofpriceHegavemeaudienceinalittlecarpetedroomopeningoffthepalacecourt-yard,whichwasoccupiedbytheelephantofstateThegreatbeastwassheetedandanchoredfromtrunktotail,andthecurveofhisbackstoodoutagainsttheskyline。
  Theprimeministerandthedirector-generalofpublicinstructionwerepresenttointroduceme;butallthecourthadbeendismissedlestthetwobottlesaforesaidshouldcorrupttheirmoralsThekingcastawreathofheavy,scentedflowersroundmyneckasIbowed,andinquiredhowmyhonoredpresencehadthefelicitytobeI
  saidthatthroughseeinghisauspiciouscountenancethemistsofthenighthadturnedintosunshine,andthatbyreasonofhisbeneficentsheephisgooddeedswouldberememberedbythegodsHesaidthatsinceIhadsetmymagnificentfootinhiskingdomthecropswouldprobablyyieldseventypercentmorethantheaverageIsaidthatthefameofthekinghadreachedtothefourcornersoftheearth,andthatthenationsgnashedtheirteethwhentheyhearddailyofthegloryofhisrealmandthewisdomofhismoon-likeprimeministerandlotus-eyeddirector-