首页 >出版文学> Love Eternal>第52章

第52章

  AfterthisIsobeltookanighttrainbacktotownand,returningtoHawk’sHall,threwherselfwiththeenergythatwasremarkableinher,intothemanagementofherhospitalandmanyanotherworkandcharityconnectedwiththewar。Foritwasonlyinworkthatshecouldforgetherselfandherachingloneliness。
  Godfreyhadacomfortableandaprosperousvoyage,sinceitwasalmostbeforethedaysofsubmarines,atanyratesofaraspassengersteamerswereconcerned,andtheysawnoenemyships。Therefore,withinlittlemorethanamonthhelandedonthehotshoresofMombasa,andcouldcabletoIsobelthathewassafeandwellandreceiveherlovinganswer。
  Hisnextbusinesswastoreporthimselfintheproperquarter,whichhedid。Thoseoverhimseemedquitebewilderedastowhathehadcomefororwhathewastodo,andcouldonlysuggestthatheshouldtraveltoNairobiandUgandaandputhimselfintouchwiththecivilauthorities。Thishedidalsoand,asaresult,formulatedacertainschemeofaction,towhichhismilitarysuperiorsassented,intimatingthathemightdoasheliked,solongashedidnotinterferewiththem。
  Whathappenedtohimmaybeverybrieflydescribed。IntheendhestartedtovisitagreatchiefonthebordersofGermanEastAfrica,butinBritishterritory,amanwhoseloyaltywasrumouredtobedoubtful。Thischief,Jagabyname,wasaprofessedChristian,andathistowntherelivedamissionaryofthenameofTafelett,whohadbuiltachurchthereandwassaidtohavemuchinfluenceoverhim。SowiththeReverendMr。TafelettGodfreycommunicatedbyrunners,sayingthathewascomingtovisithim。Accordinglyhestartedwithaguardofnativetroops,acolouredinterpreterandsomeservants,butwithoutanywhitecompanion,sincetheattackonGermanterritorywasbeginningandnoonecouldbesparedtogowithhimuponadiplomaticmission。
  Thejourneywaslongandarduous,involvingmanydaysofmarchingacrosstheEastAfricanveldandthroughitsforests,wheregameofallsortswasextraordinarilyplentiful,andatnighttheyweresurroundedbylions。Atlength,however,withtheexceptionofonemanwhoremainedwiththelions,theyarrivedsafelyatthetownofJagaandweremetbyMr。Tafelett,whotookGodfreyintohishouse,aneatthatchedbuildingwithawideverandahthatstoodbythechurch,whichwasakindofwhitewashedshed,alsothatched。
  Mr。Tafelettprovedtobeaclergymanofgoodbirthandstanding,oneofthoseearnest,saint-likesoulswhofollowliterallythescripturalinjunctionandabandonalltoadvancethecauseoftheirMasterinthedarkplacesoftheearth。Atall,thin,nervous-lookingmanofnotmuchoverthirtyyearsofage;one,too,possessedofconsiderableprivatemeans,hehadsomefiveyearsbeforegivenupagoodlivinginEnglandinordertoobeywhatheconsideredtobehis“call。“Beingsenttothisoutlyingpost,hefounditinaconditionofthemostcompletesavagery,andworkedasfewhavedone。Hebuiltthechurchwithnativelabour,furnishingitbeautifullyinside,mostlyathisownexpense。Helearnedthelocallanguages,hestartedaschool,hecombatedthewitch-doctorsandmedicine-men。
  FinallyhemetwithhisrewardintheconversionoftheyoungchiefJaga,whichwasfollowedbythatofaconsiderableportionofhispeople。
  Butherecamethetrouble。Thebulkofthetribe,whichwaslargeandpowerful,didnotsharetheirchief’sviews。Forinstance,hisuncle,Alulu,theheadrain-makerandwitch-doctor,differedfromthemveryemphatically。HewasshrewdenoughtoseethatthetriumphofChristianitymeanthisdestruction,alsotheabandonmentofalltheirancientcustoms。Heharanguedthetribeinsecret,askingthemiftheywishedtobringuponthemselvesthevengeanceoftheirancestralandotherspiritsandtogothroughtheirdaysasthepossessorsofonlyonemiserablewife,questionstowhichtheyansweredthatemphaticallytheydidnot。Sothetribewasrentintwo,andbyfarthesmallerhalfclungtoJaga,towhomthedim,turbulentheathenthousandsbeneathhisrulerenderedbutalipservice。
  Thencamethewar,andAluluandhisgreatfollowingsawtheiropportunity。WhyshouldtheynotberidofJagaandtheChristianteacherwithhisnew-fanglednotions?Ifitcouldbedoneinnootherway,whyshouldtheynotmoveacrosstheborderwhichwascloseby,intoGermanterritory?TheGermans,atanyrate,wouldnotbotherthemaboutsuchmatters;undertheirruletheymightliveastheirforefathershaddonefromthebeginning,andhaveasmanywivesastheychosewithoutbeingcalledallsortsofuglynames。
  ThiswasthepositionwhenGodfreyarrived。Hiscomingmadeagreatsensation。Hewasreportedtobeaverybiglordindeed,asbig,orbiggerthantheKing’sgovernorhimself。Aluluputitaboutthathehadcometomakeasoldierofeveryfitmanandtoenslavethewomenandtheelderstoworkontheroadsorindraggingguns。Theplaceseethedwithsecretferment。
  Mr。TafelettknewsomethingofallthisthroughJaga,whowasgenuinelyfrightened,andcommunicatedittoGodfrey。Intheresultameetingofalltheheadmenwasheld,whichwasattendedbythousandsofthepeople。Godfreyspokethroughhisinterpreter,sayingthatinthisgreatwartheKingofEnglandrequiredtheirhelp,andgenerallysetouttheobjectsofhismission,remarksthatwerereceivedinrespectfulsilence。ThenAluluspoke,devotinghimselfchieflytoanattackupontheChristianfaithandontheinterferenceofthewhiteteacherwiththeircustoms,that,heobserved,hadresultedintheirancestralspiritscursingthemwiththeworstdroughttheyhadexperiencedforyears,whichinthecircumstanceshe,Alulu,couldandwoulddonothingtoalleviate。HowcouldtheyfightandworkfortheGreatKingwhentheirstomachswerepinchedwithhungerowingtothewitchcraftandmagicalriteswhichthewhiteteachercelebratedinthechurch?
  “How,indeed?“shoutedtheheathensection,althoughinfacttheirseasonhadbeenverygood;whiletheChristians,feelingthemselvesinaminority,weresilent。
  ThentheChief,Jaga,spoke。HetraversedalltheargumentsofAlulu,whomhedenouncedinnomeasuredterms,sayingthathewasplottingagainsthim。FinallyhecamedownheavilyonthesideoftheBritish,remarkingthatheknewwhowerethewould-betraitorsandthattheyshouldsufferinduecourse。
  “Ithasbeenwhisperedinmyears,“heconcluded,“thatthereisaplotafootagainstmyfriend,thewhiteTeacher,whohasdoneusallsomuchgood。Ithasevenbeenwhisperedthattherearethose,“herehelookedhardatAlulu,“whohavedeclaredthatitwouldbewelltokillthisgreatwhiteLordwhoisourguest,“andhepointedtoGodfreywithhislittlechief’sstaff,“sothathemaynotreturntotellwhoarethetruetraitorsamongthepeopleofJaga。Isaytoyouwhohavethoughtsuchthings,thatthisLordisthegreatestofalllords,andaswellmightyoulayhandsonourfather,themightyKingofEnglandhimself,asuponthishisfriendandcounsellor。Ifadropofhisbloodisshed,thensurelytheKing’sarmieswillcome,andweshalldie,everyoneofus,theinnocentandtheguiltytogether。ForterriblewillbethevengeanceoftheKing。“
  Thisoutburstmadeagreatimpression,forallthemultitudecried:
  “Itisso!Weknowthatitisso,“andAluluinterposedthathewouldassoonthinkofmurderinghisownmotherwho,Mr。TafelettwhisperedtoGodfrey,hadbeendeadthesemanyyearsasoftouchingahairofthegreatwhitechief’shead。Onthecontrary,itwastheirdesiretodoeverythingthatheorderedthem。Butconcerningthematterofthenewcustomofhavingonewifeonly,etc。
  ThisbroughtMr。Tafeletttohisfeet,foronmonogamyhewasespeciallystrong,andthemeetingendedonatheologicaldiscussionwhichnearlyresultedinblowsbetweenthefactions。Finallyitwasadjournedforaweek,whenitwasarrangedthatananswershouldbegiventoGodfrey’sdemands。
  Threenightslaterananswerwasgivenandoneofaterriblesort。
  ShortlyaftersundownGodfreywassittinginthemissionary’shousewritingareport。Mr。Tafelett,itbeingSunday,washoldinganeveningserviceinthechurch,atwhichJagaandmostoftheChristianswerepresent。Suddenlyatumultarose,andtheairwasrentwithsavageshoutsandshrieks。Godfreysprangupandsnatchedhisrevolverjustassomeofhisservantsarrivedandannouncedthatthepeopleinthechurchwerebeingkilled。Actingonhisfirstimpulse,herantotheplace,callingtohisguardtofollowhim,whichtheydidsotardilythatheentereditalone。Hereasightofhorrormethiseyes。
  Thebuildingwasfullofdeadanddyingpeople。Bythealtar,dressedinhissavagewitch-doctor’sgear,stoodAlulu,alampinhishand,withwhichevidentlyhehadbeenfiringthechurch,fortonguesofflameranupthewalls。Onthealtaritselfwassomethingthathadawhitecloththrownoverit,asdothesacredvessels。CatchingsightofGodfrey,withayellthebrutetoreawaythenapkin,revealingtheseveredheadofMr。Tafelett,whosesurplice-drapedbodyGodfreynowdistinguishedlyingintheshadowsononesideofthealtar!
  “Hereisthewhitemedicine-man’smagicwine,“hescreamed,pointingtothebloodthatrandownthebroideredfrontal。“Come,drink!come,drink!“
  Godfreyranforwardupthechurch,hispistolinhishand。Whenhereachedthechancelhestoppedandfiredatthemouthing,bedizeneddevilwhowasdancinghideouslyinfrontofthealtar。Theheavyservice-revolverbulletstruckhiminsomemortalplace,forheleaptintotheair,grabbedatthealtarclothandfelltotheground。Therehelaystill,coveredbythecloth,withthemassivebrasscrucifixrestingfacedownwardsonhisbreastandthemurderedman’sheadlyingathisside——asthoughitwerelookingathim。
  ThiswasthelastsightthatGodfreysawformanyaday,forjustthenaspearpiercedhisbreast,alsosomethingstruckhimonthetemple。A
  curiousrecollectionroseinhismindoftheheadofamummyafterthePasteurhadbrokenitoff,rollingalongthefloorintheflatatLucerne。ThenhethoughtheheardMadameRienneslaughing,afterwhichherememberednomore;itmighthavebeenathousandyears,oritmighthavebeenaminute,forhehadpassedintoastatethattakesnoreckoftime。
  Godfreybegantodream。Hedreamedthathewastravelling;thathewasinahouse,andthen,alongwhileafterwards,thathewasmakingajourneybysea。
  Anothervacuumofnothingnessandhedreamedagain,thistimeveryvividly。NowhisdreamwasthathehadcometoEgyptandwasstretchedonabedinaroom,throughthewindowsofwhichhecouldseethePyramidsquitecloseathand。More,heseemedtobecomeacquaintedwithalltheirhistory。Hesawtheminthebuilding;multitudesofbrownmendragginghugeblocksofstoneupaslopeofsand。Hesawthemfinishedonebyone,andalltheceremoniesoftheworshipwithwhichtheywereconnected。DeadPharaohswerelaidtoresttherebeneathhiseyes,livingPharaohsprayedwithintheirchapelsandmadeoblationtothespiritsofthosewhohadgonebeforethem,whileeverthewhite-robed,shavenpriestschantedinhisears。
  Thenallpassed,andhesawthemmightyasever,butdeserted,standingthereinthedesert,themonumentsofaforgottengreatness,tillatlengthanewpeoplecameandstrippedofftheirmarblecoverings。
  Thesethingsherememberedafterwards,butthereweremanymorethatheforgot。