按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
yet all the vision was not unrolled。 I looked about me。 If we went to
the left we should either strike the water； or if we followed its
edge； still bearing to the left； must ultimately reach the forest；
where probably we should be lost。 I looked to the right。 The ground
was strewn with boulders； among which grew thorns and rank grass；
impracticable for men on foot at night。 I looked behind me； meditating
retreat； and there； some hundreds of yards away behind low； scrubby
mimosas mixed with aloe…like plants； I saw something brown toss up and
disappear again that might very well have been the trunk of an
elephant。 Then； animated by the courage of despair and a desire to
know the worst； I began to descend the elephant track towards the lake
almost at a run。
Ten minutes or so more brought us to the eastern head of the lake；
where the reeds whispered in the breath of the night wind like things
alive。 As I expected； it proved to be a bare； open space where nothing
seemed to grow。 Yes； and all about me were the decaying remains of
elephants； hundreds of them； some with their bones covered in moss；
that may have lain here for generations； and others more newly dead。
They were all old beasts as I could tell by the tusks； whether male or
female。 Indeed about me within a radius of a quarter of a mile lay
enough ivory to make a man very rich for life； since although
discoloured； much of it seemed to have kept quite sound； like human
teeth in a mummy case。 The sight gave me a new zest for life。 If only
I could manage to survive and carry off that ivory！ I would。 In this
way or in that I swore that I would！ Who could possibly die with so
much ivory to be had for the taking？ Not that old hunter； Allan
Quatermain。
Then I forgot about the ivory； for there in front of me； just where it
should be； just as I had seen it in the dream…picture； was the bull
elephant dying； a thin and ancient brute that had lived its long life
to the last hour。 It searched about as though to find a convenient
resting…place； and when this was discovered； stood over it； swaying to
and fro for a full minute。 Then it lifted its trunk and trumpeted
shrilly thrice； singing its swan…song； after which it sank slowly to
its knees； its trunk outstretched and the points of its worn tusks
resting on the ground。 Evidently it was dead。
I let my eyes travel on； and behold！ about fifty yards beyond the dead
bull was a mound of hard rock。 I watched it with gasping expectation
andyes； on the top of the mound something slowly materialized。
Although I knew what it must be well enough； for a while I could not
see quite clearly because there were certain little clouds about and
one of them had floated over the face of the moon。 It passed； and
before me； perhaps a hundred and forty paces away； outlined clearly
against the sky； I perceived the devilish elephant of my vision。
Oh！ what a brute was that！ In bulk and height it appeared to be half
as big again as any of its tribe which I had known in all my life's
experience。 It was enormous； unearthly； a survivor perhaps of some
ancient species that lived before the Flood； or at least a very giant
of its kind。 Its grey…black sides were scarred as though with
fighting。 One of its huge tusks； much worn at the end； for evidently
it was very old； gleamed white in the moonlight。 The other was broken
off about halfway down its length。 When perfect it had been malformed；
for it curved downwards and not upwards； also rather out to the right。
There stood this mammoth； this leviathan； this /monstrum horrendum；
informe； ingens/； as I remember my old father used to call a certain
gigantic and misshapen bull that we had on the Station； flapping a
pair of ears that looked like the sides of a Kafir hut； and waving a
trunk as big as a weaver's beamwhatever a weaver's beam may bean
appalling and a petrifying sight。
I squatted behind the skeleton of an elephant which happened to be
handy and well covered with moss and ferns and watched the beast；
fascinated； wishing that I had a large…bore rifle in my hand。 What
became of Mar？t I do not exactly know； but I think that he lay down on
the ground。
During the minute or so that followed I reflected a good deal； as we
do in times of emergency； often after a useless sort of a fashion。 For
instance； I wondered why the brute appeared thus upon yonder mound；
and the thought suggested itself to me that it was summoned thither
from some neighbouring lair by the trumpet call of the dying elephant。
It occurred to me even that it was a kind of king of the elephants； to
which they felt bound to report themselves； as it were； in the hour of
their decease。 Certainly what followed gave some credence to my
fantastical notion which； if there were anything in it； might account
for this great graveyard at that particular spot。
After standing for a while in the attitude that I have described；
testing the air with its trunk； Jana； for I will call him so； lumbered
down the mound and advanced straight to where the elephant that I had
thought to be dead was kneeling。 As a matter of fact it was not quite
dead； for when Jana arrived it lifted its trunk and curled it round
that of Jana as though in affectionate greeting； then let it fall to
the ground again。 Thereon Jana did what I had seen it do in my dream
or vision at Ragnall； namely； attacked it； knocking it over on to its
side； where it lay motionless； quite dead this time。
Now I remembered that the vision was not accurate after all； since in
it I had seen Jana destroy a woman and a child； who on the present
occasion were wanting。 Since then I have thought that this was because
Har？t； clairvoyantly or telepathically； had conveyed to me； as indeed
Mar？t declared； a scene which he had witnessed similar to that which I
was witnessing； but not identical in its incidents。 Thus it happened；
perhaps； that while the act of the woman and the child was omitted； in
our case there was another act of the play to follow of which I had
received no inkling in my Ragnall experience。 Indeed； if I had
received it； I should not have been there that night； for no
inducement on earth would have brought me to Kendahland。
This was the act。 Jana； having prodded his dead brother to his
satisfaction； whether from viciousness or to put it out of pain； I
cannot say； stood over the carcass in an attitude of grief or pious
meditation。 At this time； I should mention； the wind； which had been
rustling the hail…stripped reeds at the lake border； had died away
almost； but not completely； that is to say； only a very faint gust
blew now and again； which； with a hunter's instinct； I observed with
satisfaction drew /from/ the direction of Jana towards ourselves。 This
I knew； because it struck on my forehead； which was wet with
perspiration； and cooled the skin。
Presently； however； by a cursed spite of fate； one of these gustsa
very little onecame from some quarter behind us； f