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Allan Quatermain-Part9_H.Rider Haggard(1856-1925)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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'Stand still,' I shouted; 'do not move as you value your life

-- he will not hurt you;' but I doubt if Alphonse heard me, being,



fortunately for himself, almost petrified with horror.

Then followed the most extraordinary display of sword, or rather



of axemanship, that I ever saw. First of all the axe went flying

round and round over the top of Alphonse's head, with an angry



whirl and such extraordinaryswiftness that it looked like a

continuous band of steel, ever getting nearer and yet nearer



to that unhappy individual's skull, till at last it grazed it

as it flew. Then suddenly the motion was changed, and it seemed



to literally flow up and down his body and limbs, never more

than an eighth of an inch from them, and yet never striking them.



It was a wonderful sight to see the little man fixed there,

having apparently realized that to move would be to run the risk



of sudden death, while his black tormentor towered over him,

and wrapped him round with the quick flashes of the axe. For



a minute or more this went on, till suddenly I saw the moving

brightness travel down the side of Alphonse's face, and then



outwards and stop. As it did so a tuft of something black fell

to the ground; it was the tip of one of the little Frenchman's



curling mustachios.

Umslopogaas leant upon the handle of Inkosi-kaas, and broke into



a long, low laugh; and Alphonse, overcome with fear, sank into

a sitting posture on the ground, while we stood astonished at



this exhibition of almost superhuman skill and mastery of a weapon.

'Inkosi-kaas is sharp enough,' he shouted; 'the blow that clipped



the "buffalo-heifer's" horn would have split a man from the crown

to the chin. Few could have struck it but I; none could have



struck it and not taken off the shoulder too. Look, thou little

heifer! Am I a good man to laugh at, thinkest thou? For a space



hast thou stood within a hair's-breadth of death. Laugh not

again, lest the hair's-breadth be wanting. I have spoken.'



'What meanest thou by such mad tricks?' I asked of Umslopogaas,

indignantly. 'Surely thou art mad. Twenty times didst thou



go near to slaying the man.'

'And yet, Macumazahn, I slew not. Thrice as Inkosi-kaas flew



the spirit entered into me to end him, and send her crashing

through his skull; but I did not. Nay, it was but a jest; but



tell the "heifer" that it is not well to mock at such as I.

Now I go to make a shield, for I smell blood, Macumazahn -- of



a truth I smell blood. Before the battle hast thou not seen

the vulture grow of a sudden in the sky? They smell the blood,



Macumazahn, and my scent is more keen than theirs. There is

a dry ox-hide down yonder; I go to make a shield.'



'That is an uncomfortable retainer of yours,' said Mr Mackenzie,

who had witnessed this extraordinary scene. 'He has frightened



Alphonse out of his wits; look!' and he pointed to the Frenchman,

who, with a scared white face and trembling limbs, was making



his way into the house. 'I don't think that he will ever laugh

at "le monsieur noir" again.'



'Yes,' answered I, 'it is ill jesting with such as he. When

he is roused he is like a fiend, and yet he has a kind heart



in his own fierce way. I remember years ago seeing him nurse

a sick child for a week. He is a strange character, but true



as steel, and a strong stick to rest on in danger.'

'He says he smells blood,' said Mr Mackenzie. 'I only trust



he is not right. I am getting very fearful about my little girl.

She must have gone far, or she would be home by now. It is



half-past three o'clock.'

I pointed out that she had taken food with her, and very likely



would not in the ordinary course of events return till nightfall;

but I myself felt very anxious, and fear that my anxiety betrayed



itself.

Shortly after this, the people whom Mr Mackenzie had sent out



to search for Flossie returned, stating that they had followed

the spoor of the donkey for a couple of miles and had then lost



it on some stony ground, nor could they discover it again. They

had, however, scoured the country far and wide, but without success.



After this the afternoon wore drearily on, and towards evening,

there still being no signs of Flossie, our anxiety grew very



keen. As for the poor mother, she was quite prostrated by her

fears, and no wonder, but the father kept his head wonderfully



well. Everything that could be done was done: people were sent

out in all directions, shots were fired, and a continuous outlook



kept from the great tree, but without avail.

And then it grew dark, and still no sign of fair-haired little



Flossie.

At eight o'clock we had supper. It was but a sorrowful meal,






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