按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a branch with his hands and they had to shoot 'em loose。 He didn't like
hanging。 I don't know if it's true； of course； I wasn't there myself； but
a fellow who was told me。 Another fellow who was at Bulawayo； but who
wasn't there when they were hung； said they fired at them just after they
jumped； to kill 'em。 I〃
〃I was there；〃 said the stranger。
〃Oh； you were？〃 said Peter。 〃I saw a photograph of the niggers hanging；
and our fellows standing round smoking； but I didn't see you in it。 I
suppose you'd just gone away？〃
〃I was beside the men when they were hung；〃 said the stranger。
〃Oh； you were； were you？〃 said Peter。 〃I don't much care about seeing that
sort of thing myself。 Some fellows think it's the best fun out to see the
niggers kick； but I can't stand it： it turns my stomach。 It's not liver…
heartedness；〃 said Peter； quickly； anxious to remove any adverse impression
as to his courage which the stranger might form； 〃if it's shooting or
fighting； I'm there。 I've potted as many niggers as any man in our troop；
I bet。 It's floggings and hangings I'm off。 It's the way one's brought
up； you know。 My mother never even would kill our ducks； she let them die
of old age； and we had the feathers and the eggs： and she was always
drumming into me；don't hit a fellow smaller than yourself； don't hit a
fellow weaker than yourself； don't hit a fellow unless he can hit you back
as good again。 When you've always had that sort of thing drummed into you；
you can't get rid of it； somehow。 Now there was that other nigger they
shot。 They say he sat as still as if he was cut out of stone； with his
arms round his legs； and some of the fellows gave him blows about the head
and face before they took him off to shoot him。 Now； that's the sort of
thing I can't do。 It makes me sick here； somehow。〃 Peter put his hand
rather low down over the pit of his stomach。 〃I'll shoot as many as you
like if they'll run； but they mustn't be tied up。〃
〃I was there when that man was shot；〃 said the stranger。
〃Why； you seem to have been everywhere；〃 said Peter。 〃Have you seen Cecil
Rhodes？〃
〃Yes； I have seen him；〃 said the stranger。
〃Now he's death on niggers；〃 said Peter Halket； warming his hands by the
fire； 〃they say when he was Prime Minister down in the Colony he tried to
pass a law that would give their masters and mistresses the right to have
their servants flogged whenever they did anything they didn't like； but the
other Englishmen wouldn't let him pass it。 But here he can do what he
likes。 That's the reason some fellows don't want him to be sent away。
They say； 'If we get the British Government here； they'll be giving the
niggers land to live on； and let them have the vote； and get civilised and
educated； and all that sort of thing； but Cecil Rhodes； he'll keep their
noses to the grindstone。' 'I prefer land to niggers；' he says。 They say
he's going to parcel them out； and make them work on our lands whether they
like it or notjust as good as having slaves； you know： and you haven't
the bother of looking after them when they're old。 Now； there I'm with
Rhodes； I think it's an awfully good move。 We don't come out here to work；
it's all very well in England； but we've come here to make money； and how
are we to make it； unless you get niggers to work for you； or start a
syndicate？ He's death on niggers； is Rhodes！〃 said Peter； meditating；
〃they say if we had the British Government here and you were thrashing a
nigger and something happened； there'd be an investigation； and all that
sort of thing。 But； with Cecil； it's all right； you can do what you like
with the niggers； provided you don't get HIM into trouble。〃
The stranger watched the clear flame as it burnt up high in the still night
air； then suddenly he started。
〃What is it？〃 said Peter； 〃do you hear anything？〃
〃I hear far off；〃 said the stranger； 〃the sound of weeping； and the sound
of blows。 And I hear the voices of men and women calling to me。〃
Peter listened intently。 〃I don't hear anything！〃 he said。 〃It must be in
your head。 I sometimes get a noise in mine。〃 He listened intently。 〃No；
there's nothing。 It's all so deadly still。〃
They sat silent for a while。
〃Peter Simon Halket；〃 said the stranger suddenlyPeter started； he had not
told him his second name〃if it should come to pass that you should obtain
those lands you have desired； and you should obtain black men to labour on
them and make to yourself great wealth； or should you create that company〃…
…Peter started〃and fools should buy from you； so that you became the
richest man in the land； and if you should take to yourself wide lands； and
raise to yourself great palaces； so that princes and great men of earth
crept up to you and laid their hands against yours； so that you might slip
gold into themwhat would it profit you？〃
〃Profit！〃 Peter Halket stared： 〃Why； it would profit everything。 What
makes Beit and Rhodes and Barnato so great？ If you've got eight
millions〃
〃Peter Simon Halket； which of those souls you have seen on earth is to you
greatest？〃 said the stranger； 〃Which soul is to you fairest？〃
〃Ah；〃 said Peter； 〃but we weren't talking of souls at all； we were talking
of money。 Of course if it comes to souls； my mother's the best person I've
ever seen。 But what does it help her？ She's got to stand washing clothes
for those stuck…up nincompoops of fine ladies！ Wait till I've got money！
It'll be somebody else then； who〃
〃Peter Halket；〃 said the stranger； 〃who is the greatest； he who serves or
he who is served？〃 Peter looked at the stranger： then it flashed on him
that he was mad。
〃Oh；〃 he said； 〃if it comes to that； what's anything！ You might as well
say； sitting there in your old linen shirt； that you were as great as
Rhodes or Beit or Barnato； or a king。 Of course a man's just the same
whatever he's got on or whatever he has； but he isn't the same to other
people。〃
〃There have kings been born in stables；〃 said the stranger。
Then Peter saw that he was joking； and laughed。 〃It must have been a long
time ago； they don't get born there now；〃 he said。 〃Why； if God Almighty
came to this country； and hadn't half…a…million in shares； they wouldn't
think much of Him。〃
Peter built up his fire。 Suddenly he felt the stranger's eyes were fixed
on him。
〃Who gave you your land？〃 the stranger asked。
〃Mine！ Why； the Chartered Company；〃 said Peter。
The stranger looked back into the fire。 〃And who gave it to them？〃 he
asked softly。
〃Why； England； of course。 She gave them the land to far beyond the Zambezi
to do what they liked with； and make as much money out of as they could；
and she'd back 'em。〃
〃Who gave the land to the men and women of England？〃 asked the stranger
softly。
〃Why； the devil！ They said it was theirs； and of course it was；〃 said
Peter。
〃And the people of the land