第109章

OVER THE MOUNTAIN.

THE next thing I recollect is a feeling of the most dreadful stiffness, and a sort of vague idea passing through my half-awakened brain that I was a carpet that had just been beaten.I opened my eyes, and the first thing they fell on was the venerable countenance of our old friend Billali, who was seated by the side of the improvised bed upon which I was sleeping, and thoughtfully stroking his long beard.The sight of him at once brought back to my mind a recollection of all that we had recently passed through, which was accentuated by the vision of poor Leo lying opposite to me, his face knocked almost to a jelly, and his beautiful crown of curls turned from yellow to white, and I shut my eyes again and groaned.

"Thou hast slept long, my Baboon," said old Billali.

"How long, my father?" I asked.

"A round of the sun and a round of the moon, a day and a night hast thou slept, and the Lion also.See, he sleepeth yet.""Blessed is sleep," I answered, "for it swallows up recollection.""Tell me," he said, "what hath befallen ye, and what is this strange story of the death of her who dieth not.Bethink thee, my son: if this be true, then is thy danger and the danger of the Lion very greatnay, almost is the pot red wherewith ye shall be potted, and the stomachs of those who shall eat ye are already hungry for the feast.Knowest thou not that these Amahagger, my children, these dwellers in the caves, hate ye? They hate ye as strangers, they hate ye more because of their brethren whom _i_ She _i_ put to the torment for your sake.Assuredly, if once they learn that there is naught to fear from Hiya, from the terrible _i_ One-who-must-be-obeyed _i_ , they will slay ye by the pot.But let me hear thy tale, my poor Baboon."Thus adjured, I set to work and told himnot everything, indeed, for I did not think it desirable to do so, but sufficient for my purpose, which was to make him understand that _i_ She _i_ was really no more, having fallen into some fire, and, as I put itfor the real thing would have been incomprehensible to himbeen burned up.I also told him some of the horrors we had undergone in effecting our escape, and these produced a great impression on him.But Iclearly saw that he did not believe in the report of Ayesha's death.He believed, indeed, that we thought that she was dead, but his explanation was that it had suited her to disappear for a while.Once, he said, in his father's time, she had done so for twelve years, and there was a tradition in the country that many centuries back no one had seen her for a whole generation, when she suddenly reappeared, and destroyed a woman who had assumed the position of queen.I said nothing to this, but only shook my head sadly.Alas! I knew too well that Ayesha would appear no more, or, at any rate, that Billali would see her again.

"And now," concluded Billali, "what wouldst thou do, my Baboon?""Nay," I said, "I know not, my father.Can we not escape from this country?"He shook his head."It is very difficult.By Ko^r ye cannot pass, for ye would be seen, and as soon as those fierce ones found that ye were alone, well," and he smiled significantly, and made a movement as though he were placing a hat on his head."But there is a way over the cliff whereof I once spake to thee, where they drive the cattle out to pasture.Then beyond the pastures are three days journey through the marshes, and after that I know not, but I have heard that seven days' journey from thence is a mighty river, which floweth to the black water.If ye could come thither, perchance ye might escape, but how can ye come thither?""Billali," I said, "once, thou knowest, I did save thy life.Now pay back the debt, my father, and save me mine and my friend's, the Lion's.It shall be a pleasant thing for thee to think of when thine hour comes, and something to set in the scale against the evil doing of thy days, if perchance thou hast done any evil.Also, if thou be right, and if _i_ She _i_doth but hide herself, surely when she comes again she shall reward thee.""My son the Baboon," answered the old man, "think not that I have an ungrateful heart.Well do I remember how thou didst rescue me when those dogs stood by to see me drown.Measure for measure will I give thee, and if thou canst be saved, surely I will save thee.

listen: by dawn to-morrow be prepared, for litters shall be here to bear ye away across the mountains, and through the marshes beyond.This will I do, saying that it is the word of _i_ She _i_ that it be done, and he who obeyeth not the word of _i_ She _i_ food is he for the hyenas.Then when ye have crossed the marshes, ye must strike with your own hands, so that perchance, if good fortune go with you, ye may live to come to that black water whereof ye told me.And now, see, the Lion wakes, and ye must eat the food I have made ready for you."Leo's condition, when once he was fairly aroused, proved not to be so bad as might have been expected from his appearance, and we both of us managed to eat a hearty meal, which, indeed, we needed sadly enough.

After this we limped down to the spring and bathed, and then came back and slept again till evening, when we once more ate enough for five.Billali was away all that day, no doubt making arrangements about litters and bearers, for we were awakened in the middle of the night by the arrival of a considerable number of men in the little camp.