第 23 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-18 21:55      字数:9322
  had been wandering for days or years she could not tell。
  The one bright spot in that eternity of fear and suffering was the
  little child whose tiny hands had long since fastened their
  softly groping fingers firmly about her heart。
  In a way the little thing took the place and filled the aching
  void that the theft of her own baby had left。  It could never be
  the same; of course; but yet; day by day; she found her
  mother…love; enveloping the waif more closely until she
  sometimes sat with closed eyes lost in the sweet imagining
  that the little bundle of humanity at her breast was truly her own。
  For some time their progress inland was extremely slow。
  Word came to them from time to time through natives passing
  from the coast on hunting excursions that Rokoff had not
  yet guessed the direction of their flight。  This; and the desire
  to make the journey as light as possible for the gently bred
  woman; kept Anderssen to a slow advance of short and easy
  marches with many rests。
  The Swede insisted upon carrying the child while they
  travelled; and in countless other ways did what he could to
  help Jane Clayton conserve her strength。  He had been terribly
  chagrined on discovering the mistake he had made in the
  identity of the baby; but once the young woman became
  convinced that his motives were truly chivalrous she would not
  permit him longer to upbraid himself for the error that he
  could not by any means have avoided。
  At the close of each day's march Anderssen saw to the
  erection of a comfortable shelter for Jane and the child。
  Her tent was always pitched in the most favourable location。
  The thorn boma round it was the strongest and most
  impregnable that the Mosula could construct。
  Her food was the best that their limited stores and the rifle
  of the Swede could provide; but the thing that touched her
  heart the closest was the gentle consideration and courtesy
  which the man always accorded her。
  That such nobility of character could lie beneath so repulsive
  an exterior never ceased to be a source of wonder and
  amazement to her; until at last the innate chivalry of the man;
  and his unfailing kindliness and sympathy transformed his
  appearance in so far as Jane was concerned until she saw
  only the sweetness of his character mirrored in his countenance。
  They had commenced to make a little better progress when
  word reached them that Rokoff was but a few marches behind
  them; and that he had at last discovered the direction of
  their flight。  It was then that Anderssen took to the river;
  purchasing a canoe from a chief whose village lay a short
  distance from the Ugambi upon the bank of a tributary。
  Thereafter the little party of fugitives fled up the broad
  Ugambi; and so rapid had their flight become that they no
  longer received word of their pursuers。  At the end of canoe
  navigation upon the river; they abandoned their canoe and
  took to the jungle。  Here progress became at once arduous;
  slow; and dangerous。
  The second day after leaving the Ugambi the baby fell ill
  with fever。  Anderssen knew what the outcome must be; but
  he had not the heart to tell Jane Clayton the truth; for he had
  seen that the young woman had come to love the child almost
  as passionately as though it had been her own flesh and blood。
  As the baby's condition precluded farther advance; Anderssen
  withdrew a little from the main trail he had been following
  and built a camp in a natural clearing on the bank
  of a little river。
  Here Jane devoted her every moment to caring for the tiny
  sufferer; and as though her sorrow and anxiety were not all
  that she could bear; a further blow came with the sudden
  announcement of one of the Mosula porters who had been foraging
  in the jungle adjacent that Rokoff and his party were camped
  quite close to them; and were evidently upon their trail to this
  little nook which all had thought so excellent a hiding…place。
  This information could mean but one thing; and that they must
  break camp and fly onward regardless of the baby's condition。
  Jane Clayton knew the traits of the Russian well enough
  to be positive that he would separate her from the child
  the moment that he recaptured them; and she knew that
  separation would mean the immediate death of the baby。
  As they stumbled forward through the tangled vegetation
  along an old and almost overgrown game trail the Mosula
  porters deserted them one by one。
  The men had been staunch enough in their devotion and loyalty
  as long as they were in no danger of being overtaken by the
  Russian and his party。  They had heard; however; so much of
  the atrocious disposition of Rokoff that they had grown to
  hold him in mortal terror; and now that they knew he was close
  upon them their timid hearts would fortify them no longer;
  and as quickly as possible they deserted the three whites。
  Yet on and on went Anderssen and the girl。  The Swede
  went ahead; to hew a way through the brush where the path
  was entirely overgrown; so that on this march it was
  necessary that the young woman carry the child。
  All day they marched。  Late in the afternoon they realized
  that they had failed。  Close behind them they heard the noise
  of a large safari advancing along the trail which they had
  cleared for their pursuers。
  When it became quite evident that they must be overtaken
  in a short time Anderssen hid Jane behind a large tree;
  covering her and the child with brush。
  〃There is a village about a mile farther on;〃 he said to her。
  〃The Mosula told me its location before they deserted us。
  Ay try to lead the Russian off your trail; then you go on
  to the village。  Ay tank the chief ban friendly to white men
  the Mosula tal me he ban。  Anyhow; that was all we can do。
  〃After while you get chief to tak you down by the Mosula
  village at the sea again; an' after a while a ship is sure to put
  into the mouth of the Ugambi。  Then you be all right。  Gude…by an'
  gude luck to you; lady!〃
  〃But where are you going; Sven?〃 asked Jane。  〃Why can't
  you hide here and go back to the sea with me?〃
  〃Ay gotta tal the Russian you ban dead; so that he don't
  luke for you no more;〃 and Anderssen grinned。
  〃Why can't you join me then after you have told him that?〃
  insisted the girl。
  Anderssen shook his head。
  〃Ay don't tank Ay join anybody any more after Ay tal the
  Russian you ban dead;〃 he said。
  〃You don't mean that you think he will kill you?〃 asked Jane;
  and yet in her heart she knew that that was exactly what the
  great scoundrel would do in revenge for his having been
  thwarted by the Swede。  Anderssen did not reply; other than
  to warn her to silence and point toward the path along which
  they had just come。
  〃I don't care;〃 whispered Jane Clayton。  〃I shall not let
  you die to save me if I can prevent it in any way。  Give me
  your revolver。  I can use that; and together we may be able
  to hold them off until we can find some means of escape。〃
  〃It won't work; lady;〃 replied Anderssen。  〃They would
  only get us both; and then Ay couldn't do you no good at all。
  Think of the kid; lady; and what it would be for you both to
  fall into Rokoff's hands again。  For his sake you must do what
  Ay say。  Here; take my rifle and ammunition; you may need them。〃
  He shoved the gun and bandoleer into the shelter beside Jane。
  Then he was gone。
  She watched him as he returned along the path to meet the
  oncoming safari of the Russian。  Soon a turn in the trail hid
  him from view。
  Her first impulse was to follow。  With the rifle she might
  be of assistance to him; and; further; she could not bear the
  terrible thought of being left alone at the mercy of the fearful
  jungle without a single friend to aid her。
  She started to crawl from her shelter with the intention of
  running after Anderssen as fast as she could。  As she drew
  the baby close to her she glanced down into its little face。
  How red it was!  How unnatural the little thing looked。
  She raised the cheek to hers。  It was fiery hot with fever!
  With a little gasp of terror Jane Clayton rose to her feet
  in the jungle path。  The rifle and bandoleer lay forgotten in
  the shelter beside her。  Anderssen was forgotten; and Rokoff;
  and her great peril。
  All that rioted through her fear…mad brain was the fearful
  fact that this little; helpless child was stricken with the
  terrible jungle…fever; and that she was helpless to do aught to
  allay its sufferingssufferings that were sure to coming during
  ensuing intervals of partial consciousness。
  Her one thought was to find some one who could help hersome woman
  who had had children of her ownand with the thought came recollection
  of the friendly village of which Anderssen had spoken。  If she could
  but reach itin time!
  There was no time to be lost。  Like a startled antelope she
  turned and fled up the trail in the direct