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tell me she would be with me in the battle and that I was to look for
her when death drew near to me and 〃Jana thundered on；〃 for then
perchance I should see her。
Well； no doubt in some lightning flash of thought the memory of these
words occurred to me at this juncture； with the ridiculous result that
my subjective intelligence； if that is the right term； actually
created the scene which they described。 As clearly； or perhaps more
clearly than ever I saw anything else in my life； I appeared to behold
the beautiful Mameena in her fur cloak and her blue beads； standing
between Jana and myself with her arms folded upon her breast and
looking exactly as she did in the tremendous moment of her death
before King Panda。 I even noted how the faint breeze stirred a loose
end of her outspread hair and how the sunlight caught a particular
point of a copper bangle on her upper arm。
So she stood； or rather seemed to stand； quite still； and as it
happened； at that moment the giant Jana； either because something had
frightened him； or perhaps owing to the shock of my bullet striking on
his tusk having jarred the brain； suddenly pulled up； sliding along a
little with all his four feet together； till I thought he was going to
sit down like a performing elephant。 Then it appeared to me as though
Mameena turned round very slowly； bent towards me； whispering
something which I could not hear although her lips moved； looked at me
sweetly with those wonderful eyes of hers and vanished away。
A fraction of a second later all this vision had gone and something
that was no vision took its place。 Jana had recovered himself and was
at me again with open mouth and lifted trunk。 I heard a Dutch curse
and saw a little yellow form； saw Hans； for it was he； thrust the
barrels of my second elephant rifle almost into that red cave of a
mouth； which however they could not reach； and fire； first one barrel；
then the other。
Another moment； and the mighty trunk had wrapped itself about Hans and
hurled him through the air to fall on to his head and arms thirty or
forty feet away。
Jana staggered as though he too were about to fall； recovered himself；
swerved to the right； perhaps to follow Hans； stumbled on a few paces；
missing me altogether； then again came to a standstill。 I wriggled
myself round and； seated on the pavement of the court； watched what
followed； and glad am I that I was able to do so； for never shall I
behold such another scene。
First I saw Ragnall run up with a rifle and fire two barrels at the
brute's head； of which he took no notice whatsoever。 Then I saw his
wife； who in this land was known as the Guardian of the Child； issuing
from the portals of the second court； dressed in her goddess robes；
wearing the cap of bird's feathers； attended by the two priestesses
also dressed as goddesses； as we had seen her on the morning of
sacrifice； and holding in front of her the statue of the Ivory Child。
On she came quite quietly； her wide； empty eyes fixed upon Jana。 As
she advanced the monster seemed to grow uneasy。 Turning his head； he
lifted his trunk and thrust it along his back until it gripped the
ankle of the King Simba； who all this while was seated there in his
chair making no movement。
With a slow； steady pull he dragged Simba from the chair so that he
fell upon the ground near his left foreleg。 Next very composedly he
wound his trunk about the body of the helpless man； whose horrified
eyes I can see to this day； and began to whirl him round and round in
the air； gently at first but with a motion that grew ever more rapid；
until the bright chains on the victim's breast flashed in the sunlight
like a silver wheel。 Then he hurled him to the ground； where the poor
king lay a mere shattered pulp that had been human。
Now the priestess was standing in front of the beast…god； apparently
quite without fear； though her two attendants had fallen back。 Ragnall
sprang forward as though to drag her away； but a dozen men leapt on to
him and held him fast； either to save his life or for some secret
reason of their own which I never learned。
Jana looked down at her and she looked up at Jana。 Then he screamed
furiously and； shooting out his trunk； snatched the Ivory Child from
her hands； whirled it round as he had whirled Simba； and at last
dashed it to the stone pavement as he had dashed Simba； so that its
substance； grown brittle on the passage of the ages； shattered into
ten thousand fragments。
At this sight a great groan went up from the men of the White Kendah；
the women dressed as goddesses shrieked and tore their robes； and
Har？t； who stood near； fell down in a fit or faint。
Once more Jana screamed。 Then slowly he knelt down； beat his trunk and
the clattering metal balls upon the ground thrice； as though he were
making obeisance to the beautiful priestess who stood before him；
shivered throughout his mighty bulk； and rolled overdead！
The fighting ceased。 The Black Kendah； who all this while had been
pressing into the court of the temple； saw and stood stupefied。 It was
as though in the presence of events to them so pregnant and terrible
men could no longer lift their swords in war。
A voice called： 〃The god is dead！ The king is dead！ Jana has slain
Simba and has himself been slain！ Shattered is the Child； spilt is the
blood of Jana！ Fly； People of the Black Kendah； fly； for the gods are
dead and your land is a land of ghosts！〃
From every side was this wail echoed： 〃Fly； People of the Black
Kendah； for the gods are dead！〃
They turned； they sped away like shadows； carrying their wounded with
them； nor did any attempt to stay them。 Thirty minutes later； save for
some desperately hurt or dying men； not one of them was left in the
temple or the pass beyond。 They had all gone； leaving none but the
dead behind them。
The fight was finished！ The fight that had seemed lost was won！
I dragged myself from the ground。 As I gained my tottering feet； for
now that all was over I felt as if I were made of running water； I saw
the men who held Ragnall loose their grip of him。 He sprang to where
his wife was and stood before her as though confused； much as Jana had
stood； Jana against whose head he rested； his left hand holding to the
brute's gigantic tusk； for I think that he also was weak with toil；
terror； loss of blood and emotion。
〃Luna；〃 he gasped； 〃Luna！〃
Leaning on the shoulder of a Kendah man； I drew nearer to see what
passed between them； for my curiosity overcame my faintness。 For quite
a long while she stared at him； till suddenly her eyes began to
change。 It was as though a soul were arising in their emptiness as the
moon arises in the quiet evening sky； giving them light and life。 At
length she spoke in a slow； hesitating voice； the tones of which I
remembered well enough； saying：
〃Oh！ George； that dreadful brute；〃 and she pointed to the dead
ele