trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第14部分

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were。　　But　there　was　nothing　in　the　pockets　except　an　empty　flask；　and　a

leathern　purse　with　two　shillings　in；　and　a　little　hand…made　two…pointed

cap。



So　they　wrapped　Peter　Halket　up　in　his　great…coat；　and　put　the　little　cap

on　his　head。



And；　one　hour　after　Peter　Halket　had　stood　outside　the　tent　looking　up；　he

was　lying　under　the　little　tree；　with　the　red　sand　trodden　down　over　him；

in　which　a　black　man　and　a　white　man's　blood　were　mingled。



All　the　rest　of　the　night　the　men　sat　up　round　the　fires；　discussing　what

had　happened；　dreading　an　attack。



But　the　Englishman　and　the　Colonial　went　to　their　tent；　to　lie　down。



〃Do　you　think　they　will　make　any　inquiries？〃　asked　the　Colonial。



〃Why　should　they？　　His　time　will　be　up　tomorrow。〃



〃Are　you　going　to　say　anything？〃



〃What　is　the　use？〃



They　lay　in　the　dark　for　an　hour；　and　heard　the　men　chatting　outside。



〃Do　you　believe　in　a　God？〃　said　the　Englishman；　suddenly。



The　Colonial　started：　　〃Of　course　I　do！〃



〃I　used　to；〃　said　the　Englishman；　〃I　do　not　believe　in　your　God；　but　I

believed　in　something　greater　than　I　could　understand；　which　moved　in　this

earth；　as　your　soul　moves　in　your　body。　　And　I　thought　this　worked　in　such

wise；　that　the　law　of　cause　and　effect；　which　holds　in　the　physical　world；

held　also　in　the　moral：　　so；　that　the　thing　we　call　justice；　ruled。　　I　do

not　believe　it　any　more。　　There　is　no　God　in　Mashonaland。〃



〃Oh；　don't　say　that！〃　cried　the　Colonial；　much　distressed。　　〃Are　you　going

off　your　head；　like　poor　Halket？〃



〃No；　but　there　is　no　God；〃　said　the　Englishman。　　He　turned　round　on　his

shoulder；　and　said　no　more：　　and　afterwards　the　Colonial　went　to　sleep。



Before　dawn　the　next　morning　the　men　had　packed　up　the　goods；　and　started。



By　five　o'clock　the　carts　had　filed　away；　the　men　rode　or　walked　before　and

behind　them；　and　the　space　where　the　camp　had　been　was　an　empty　circle；

save　for　a　few　broken　bottles　and　empty　tins；　and　the　stones　about　which

the　fires　had　been　made；　round　which　warm　ashes　yet　lay。



Only　under　the　little　stunted　tree；　the　Colonial　and　the　Englishman　were

piling　up　stones。　　Their　horses　stood　saddled　close　by。



Presently　the　large　trooper　came　riding　back。　　He　had　been　sent　by　the

Captain　to　ask　what　they　were　fooling　behind　for；　and　to　tell　them　to　come

on。



The　men　mounted　their　horses　to　follow　him；　but　the　Englishman　turned　in

his　saddle　and　looked　back。　　The　morning　sun　was　lighting　up　the　straggling

branches　of　the　tall　trees　that　had　overshadowed　the　camp；　and　fell　on　the

little　stunted　tree；　with　its　white　stem　and　outstretched　arms；　and　on　the

stones　beneath　it。



〃It's　all　that　night　on　the　kopje！〃　said　the　Colonial；　sadly。



But　the　Englishman　looked　back。　　〃I　hardly　know；〃　he　said；　〃whether　it　is

not　better　for　him　now；　than　for　us。〃



Then　they　rode　on　after　the　troop。











End