第22章

Hewenthome，andwashedhimself，andtoldBulteelhehadhadgoodnews，andshouldleavethediggingsatonce。Hegavehimuptheclaim，andtoldhimtosellitbyauction。Itwasworthtwohundredpoundsstill。Thegoodpeoplesympathizedwithhim，andhestartedwithinanhour。Helefthispickaxeandshovel，andtookonlyhisdoublerifle，anadmirableone，someammunition，includingconicalbulletsandprojectileshellsgivenhimbyFalcon，abagfullofcarbunclesandgarnetshehadcollectedforUcatella，afewsmalldiamonds，andonehundredpounds，——allthatremainedtohim，sincehehadbeenpayingwagesandotherthingsformonths，andhadgivenFalcontwentyforhisjourney。

Herodeawayandsoonputtwentymilesbetweenhimandthediggings。

Hecametoalittlestorethatboughtdiamondsandsoldgroceriesandtobacco。Hehalteredhishorsetoahook，andwentin。Heofferedasmalldiamondforsale。Themasterwasout，andtheassistantsaidtherewasaglutofthesesmallstones，hedidnotcaretogivemoneyforit。

"Well，givemethreedozencigars。"

Whiletheywerechaffering，inwalkedaHottentot，andsaid，"Willyoubuythis?"andlaidaclear，glitteringstoneonthecounter，aslargeasawalnut。

"Yes，"saidtheyoungman。"Howmuch?"

"Twohundredpounds。"

"Twohundredpounds!Letuslookatit；"heexaminedit，andsaidhethoughtitwasadiamond，buttheselargestonesweresodeceitful，hedarednotgivetwohundredpounds。"Comeagaininanhour，"saidhe，"thenthemasterwillbein。"

"No，"saidtheHottentotquietly，andwalkedout。

Staines，whohadbeenliterallyperspiringatthesightofthisstone，mountedhishorseandfollowedtheman。Whenhecameuptohim，heaskedleavetoexaminethegem。TheHottentotquietlyassented。

Staineslookedatitallover。Ithadaroughsideandapolishedside，andthelatterwasofamazingsoftnessandlustre。Itmadehimtremble。Hesaid，"Lookhere，Ihaveonlyonehundredpoundsinmypocket。"

TheHottentotshookhishead。

"ButifyouwillgobackwithmetoBulteel\'sfarm，I\'llborrowtheotherhundred。"

TheHottentotdeclined，andtoldhimhecouldgetfourhundredpoundsforitbygoingbacktoPniel。"But，"saidhe，"myfaceisturnedso；andwhenSquatturnhisfaceso，hegoinghome。Notcanbeargotheotherwaythen，"andheheldouthishandforthediamond。

Stainesgaveithim，andwasindespairatseeingsuchaprizesonear，yetleavinghim。

Hemadeonemoreeffort。"Well，but，"saidhe，"howfarareyougoingthisway?"

"Tendays。"

"Why，soamI。ComewithmetoDale\'sKloof，andIwillgivetheotherhundred。See，Iaminearnest，forhereisonehundred，atallevents。"

Stainesmadethisproposal，tremblingwithexcitement。Tohissurpriseandjoy，theHottentotassented，thoughwithanairofindifference；andonthesetermstheybecamefellow-travellers，andStainesgavehimacigar。Theywentonsidebyside，andhaltedforthenightfortymilesfromBulteel\'sfarm。

TheysleptinaBoer\'sout-house，andthevrowwascivil，andlentStainesajackal\'sskin。Inthemorningheboughtitforadiamond，acarbuncle，andascoreofgarnets；forahorriblethoughthadoccurredtohim，iftheystoppedatanyplacewhereminerswere，somebodymightbuythegreatdiamondoverhishead。

Thisfear，andothers，grewonhim，andwithallhisphilosophyhewentonthorns，andwastheslaveofthediamond。

HeresolvedtokeephisHottentotalltohimselfifpossible。Heshotaspringbokthatcrossedtheroad，andtheyroastedaportionoftheanimal，andtheHottentotcarriedsomeonwithhim。

Seeingheadmiredtherifle，Stainesofferedithimfortheoddhundredpounds；butthoughSquat\'seyeglitteredamoment，hedeclined。

Findingthattheymettoomanydiggersandcarts，StainesaskedhisHottentotwastherenonearerwaytoreachthatstar，pointingtooneheknewwasjustoverDale\'sKloof。

Oh，yes，heknewanearerway，wherethereweretrees，andshade，andgrass，andmanybeaststoshoot。

"Letustakethatway，"saidStaines。

TheHottentot，ductileaswax，exceptaboutthepriceofthediamond，assentedcalmly；andnextdaytheydiverged，andgotintoforestscenery，andtheireyesweresoothedwithgreengladeshereandthere，wherevertheclumpsoftreesshelteredthegrassfromthepantingsun。Animalsabounded，andweretame。Staines，anexcellentmarksman，shottheHottentothissupperwithoutanytrouble。

Sleepinginthewood，withnotacreaturenearbutSquat，asombrethoughtstruckStaines。SupposethisHottentotshouldassassinatehimforhismoney，whowouldeverknow?Thethoughtwashorrible，andheawokewithastarttentimesthatnight。TheHottentotsleptlikeastone，andneverfearedforhisownlifeandpreciousbooty。Staineswascompelledtoowntohimselfhehadlessfaithinhumangoodnessthanthesavagehad。Hesaidtohimself，"Heismysuperior。Heisthemasterofthisdreadfuldiamond，andIamitsslave。"

Nextdaytheywentontillnoon，andthentheyhaltedatareallydelightfulspot；asilverkloofranalongabottom，andtherewasalittleclumpofthreeacacia-treesthatloweredtheirlongtresses，piningforthestream，andsometimesgettingacoolgratefulkissfromitwhenthewaterwashigh。

Theyhaltedthehorse，bathedinthestream，andlayluxuriousundertheacacias。Allwasdeliciouslanguorandenjoymentoflife。

TheHottentotmadeafire，andburnttheremainsofalittlesortofkangarooStaineshadshothimtheeveningbefore；butitdidnotsufficehismaw，andlookingabouthim，hesawthreeelandsleisurelyfeedingaboutthreehundredyardsoff。Theywerecroppingtherichherbageclosetotheshelterofawood。

TheHottentotsuggestedthatthiswasanexcellentopportunity。HewouldborrowStaines\'srifle，stealintothewood，crawlonhisbellycloseuptothem，andsendabulletthroughone。

Stainesdidnotrelishtheproposal。Hehadseenthesavage\'seyerepeatedlygloatontherifle，andwasnotwithouthopeshemightevenyetrelent，andgivethegreatdiamondforthehundredpoundsandthisrifle；andhewassodemoralizedbythediamond，andfilledwithsuspicion，thathefearedthesavage，ifheoncehadtherifleinhispossession，mightlevant，andbeseennomore，inwhichcasehe，Staines，stilltheslaveofthediamond，mighthanghimselfonthenearesttree，andsosecurehisRosatheinsurancemoney，atallevents。Inshort，hehadreallydiamondonthebrain。

Hehem\'dandhaw\'dalittleatSquat\'sproposal，andthengotoutofitbysaying，"Thatisnotnecessary。Icanshootitfromhere。"

"Itistoofar，"objectedBlacky。

"Toofar!ThisisanEnfieldrifle。Icouldkillthepoorbeastatthreetimesthatdistance。"

Blackywasamazed。"AnEnfieldrifle，"saidhe，inthesoftmusicalmurmurofhistribe，whichistheonecharmofthepoorHottentot；"andshootthreetimesSOfar。"

"Yes，"saidChristopher。Then，seeinghiscompanion\'shesitation，heconceivedahope。"IfIkillthatelandfromhere，willyougivemethediamondformyhorseandthewonderfulrifle?——noHottentothassucharifle。"

Squatbecamecolddirectly。"Thepriceofthediamondistwohundredpounds。"

Stainesgroanedwithdisappointment，andthoughttohimselfwithrage，"Anybodybutmewouldclubtherifle，givetheobstinateblackbruteastunner，andtakethediamond——Godforgiveme!"

SaystheHottentotcunningly，"Ican\'tthinksofaraswhiteman。

Letmeseetheelanddead，andthenIshallknowhowfartherifleshoot。"

"Verywell，"saidStaines。Buthefeltsurethesavageonlywantedhismeal，andwouldneverpartwiththediamond，exceptfortheoddmoney。

However，heloadedhisleftbarrelwithoneoftheexplosiveprojectilesFalconhadgivenhim；itwasalittlefulminatingshellwithasteelpoint。Itwaswiththisbarrelhehadshotthemurcatovernight，andhehadfoundheshotbetterwiththisbarrelthantheother。Heloadedhisleftbarrelthen，sawthepowderwellup，cappeditandcutawayastripoftheacaciawithhisknifetoseeclear，andlyingdowninvolunteerfashion，elbowonground，drewhisbeadsteadilyonanelandwhopresentedhimherbroadside，herbackbeingturnedtothewood。Thesunshoneonhersoftcoat，andneverwasafairermark，thesportsman\'sdeadlyeyebeinginthecoolshade，theanimalinthesun。

Heaimedlongandsteadily。Butjustashewasabouttopullthetrigger，Mindinterposed，andheloweredthedeadlyweapon。"Poorcreature!"hesaid，"Iamgoingtotakeherlife——forwhat?forasinglemeal。Sheisasbigasapony；andIamtolayhercarcassontheplain，thatwemayeattwopoundsofit。Thisishowtheweaselkillstherabbit；sucksanounceofbloodforhisfood，andwastestherest。Sothedemoralizedsheep-dogtearsoutthepoorcreature\'skidneys，andwastestherest。Man，armedbysciencewithsuchpowersofslaying，shouldbelessegotisticalthanweaselsandpervertedsheep-dogs。Iwillnotkillher。Iwillnotlaythatbeautifulbodyofherslow，andglazethosetender，lovingeyesthatnevergleamedwithhateorrageatman，andfixthoseinnocentjawsthatneverbitthelifeoutofanything，notevenofthegrassshefeedson，anddoesitmoregoodthanharm。Feedon，poorinnocent。Andyoubeblanked；youandyourdiamond，thatI

begintowishIhadneverseen；foritwouldcorruptanangel。"

Squatunderstoodonewordinten，buthemanagedtoreply。"Thisisnonsense-talk，"saidhe，gravely。"Thelifeisnobiggerinthatthaninthemurcatyoushotlastshoot。"

"Nomoreitis，"saidStaines。"Iamafool。Itiscometothis，then；Kafirsteachustheology，andHottentotsmorality。Ibowtomyintellectualsuperior。I\'llshoottheeland。"Heraisedhisrifleagain。

"No，no，no，no，no，no，"murmuredtheHottentot，inasweetvoicescarcelyaudible，yetsokeeninitsentreaty，thatStainesturnedhastilyroundtolookathim。Hisfacewasashy，histeethchattering，hislimbsshaking。BeforeStainescouldaskhimwhatwasthematter，hepointedthroughanapertureoftheacaciasintothewoodhardbytheelands。Staineslooked，andsawwhatseemedtohimlikeaverylongdog，orsomesuchanimal，crawlingfromtreetotree。Hedidnotatallsharetheterrorofhiscompanion，norunderstandit。Butaterribleexplanationfollowed。Thiscreature，havinggottotheskirtofthewood，expanded，bysomestrangemagic，toanincrediblesize，andsprangintotheopen，withagrowl，amightylion；heseemedtoricochetfromtheground，soimmensewashissecondbound，thatcarriedhimtotheeland，andhestruckheroneblowontheheadwithhisterriblepaw，andfelledherasifwithathunderbolt:downwentherbody，withallthelegsdoubled，andherpoorheadturnedover，andthenosekissedtheground。Thelionstoodmotionless。Presentlytheeland，whowasnotdead，butstunned，begantorecoverandstrugglefeeblyup。Thenthelionsprangonherwitharoar，androlledherover，andwithtwotremendousbitesandashake，toreherentrailsoutandlaidherdying。Hesatcomposedlydown，andcontemplatedherlastconvulsions，withouttouchin