登陆注册
40904000000082

第82章 FOUND(2)

"And so,"he ended,"we have lived for nearly two years,like a second Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday,hoping against hope that some natives might come here and help us away,but none have come.Only last night we settled that Jim should leave me and try to reach Sitanda's Kraal and get assistance.He was to go to-morrow,but I had little hope of ever seeing him back again.And now you,of all the people in the world,you who I fancied had long ago forgotten all about me,and were living comfortably in old England,turn up in a promiscuous way and find me where you least expected.It is the most wonderful thing I ever heard of,and the most merciful,too."Then Sir Henry set to work and told him the main facts of our adventures,sitting till late into the night to do it.

"By Jove!"he said,when I showed him some of the diamonds;"well,at least you have got something for your pains,besides my worthless self."Sir Henry laughed."They belong to Quatermain and Good.It was part of the bargain that they should share any spoils there might be."This remark set me thinking,and,having spoken to Good,I told Sir Henry that it was our unanimous wish that he should take a third share of the diamonds,or,if he would not,that his share should be handed to his brother,who had suffered even more than ourselves on the chance of getting them.Finally,we prevailed upon him to consent to this arrangement,but George Curtis did not know of it till some time afterwards.

And here,at this point,I think I shall end this history.Our journey across the desert back to Sitanda's Kraal was most arduous,especially as we had to support George Curtis,whose right leg was very weak indeed,and continually throwing out splinters of bone;but we did accomplish it,somehow,and to give its details would only be to reproduce much of what happened to us on the former occasion.

Six months from the date of our rearrival at Sitanda's,where we found our guns and other goods quite safe,though the old scoundrel in charge was much disgusted at our surviving to claim them,saw us all once more safe and sound at my little place on the Berea,near Durban,where I am now writing,and whence I bid farewell to all who have accompanied me throughout the strangest trip I ever made in the course of a long and varied experience.

Just as I had written the last word a Kaffir came up my avenue of orange trees,with a letter in a cleft stick,which he had brought from the post.

It turned out to be from Sir Henry,and,as it speaks for itself,I give it in full.

"BRAYLEY HALL,YORKSHIRE."MY DEAR QUATERMAIN,-I sent you a line a few mails back to say that the three of us,George,Good,and myself,fetched up all right in England.We got off the boat at Southampton,and went up to town.You should have seen what a swell Good turned out the very next day,beautifully shaved,frock coat fitting like a glove,brand-new eyeglass,etc.,etc.I went and walked in the park with him,where I met some people I know,and at once told them the story of his `beautiful white legs.'

"He is furious,especially as some ill-natured person has printed it in a society paper.

"To come to business,Good and I took the diamonds to Streeter's to be valued,as we arranged,and I am really afraid to tell you what they put them at,it seems so enormous.They say that of course it is more or less guess-work,as such stones have never to their knowledge been put on the market in anything like such quantities.It appears that they are (with the exception of one or two of the largest)of the finest water,and equal in every way to the best Brazilian stones.I asked them if they would buy them,but they said that it was beyond their power to do so,and recommended us to sell by degrees,for fear we should flood the market.

They offer,however,a hundred and eighty thousand for a small portion of them.

"You must come home,Quatermain,and see about these things,especially if you insist upon ****** the magnificent present of the third share,which does not belong to me,to my brother George.As for Good,he is no good .His time is too much occupied in shaving,and other matters connected with the vain adorning of his body.But I think he is still down on his luck about Foulata.He told me that since he had been home he hadn't seen a woman to touch her,either as regards her figure or the sweetness of her expression.

"I want you to come home,my dear old comrade,and buy a place near here.You have done your day's work,and have lots of money now,and there is a place for sale quite close which would suit you admirably.Do come;the sooner the better;you can finish writing the story of our adventures on board ship.We have refused to tell the story till it is written by you,for fear that we shall not be believed.If you start on receipt of this you will reach here by Christmas,and I book you to stay with me for that.Good is coming,and George,and so,by the way,is your boy Harry (there's a bribe for you).I have had him down for a week's shooting and like him.He is a cool young hand;he shot me in the leg,cut out the pellets,and then remarked upon the advantage of having a medical student in every shooting-party.

"Good-bye,old boy;I can't say any more,but I know that you will come,if it is only to oblige your sincere friend,HENRY CURTIS."P.S.-The tusks of the great bull that killed poor Khiva have now been put up in the hall here,over the pair of buffalo-horns you gave me,and look magnificent;and the axe with which I chopped off Twala's head is stuck up over my writing-table.I wish we could have managed to bring away the coats of chain armor.H.C."To-day is Tuesday.There is a steamer going on Friday,and I really think I must take Curtis at his word,and sail by her for England,if it is only to see my boy Harry and see about the printing of this history,which is a task I do not like to trust to anybody else.

ALLAN QUATERMAIN

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 那时年少吾仍狂妄

    那时年少吾仍狂妄

    我欲修仙法力无边噗哈哈哈哈哈哈那时中二那时宅腐那时肆无忌惮无拘无束
  • 在明日方舟里苟且偷生

    在明日方舟里苟且偷生

    当一个普通人到了明日方舟的世界之后,能干什么?能的只是在这个世界中勉强活下去亦或者是死在那个角落罢了。可是如果是一个死不掉的人呢?那就不一样了,因为这样就可以有尊严地活下去了。
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 莫汐莫汐

    莫汐莫汐

    一切不是结束,而是,开始!本故事纯属虚构
  • 第一王牌:绝姬火凤凰

    第一王牌:绝姬火凤凰

    第一王牌:绝姬火凤凰www.chuangshi.com
  • 诸天行之我是个好人

    诸天行之我是个好人

    陆辞锦,一个因为酒精上头,英雄救美而死去的人。或许上苍垂怜,得以借体重生,并获得一个助人为乐的系统。陆辞锦在‘水月洞天’里做过好事,也在‘倩女幽魂’里与人喝过酒……他救过人,也杀过人……有人觉得他高风亮节,有人觉得他厚颜无耻……他与许多女主有过故事,也与许多男主有过争端……没有人知道,他穿越一个又一个位面,留下一个又一个的故事,只为找到一条回家的路……
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • tfboys之狗狗带来的缘分

    tfboys之狗狗带来的缘分

    三位女主们的宠物生病了!在宠物医院巧遇三只,好心的三只安慰女主们,这便让女主们对三只一见钟情,三只也是。之后的一系列,同居,误会,转学,婚约。。。
  • 隐婚总裁太凶猛

    隐婚总裁太凶猛

    她被妹妹算计丢了亲情,爱情,狼狈入狱。在监狱里受尽折磨,为报仇不惜改头换面,嫁给商业大佬。只是再见前男友,前男友却叫舅妈?嫁了可以帮她报仇的老公,还涨了辈分?蒋冉表示一切很ok。“给我生个孩子?”大佬老公突然不按套路出牌。就在蒋冉觉得自己要沦陷的时候,却突然出现了个前女友……
  • 永庆升平前传

    永庆升平前传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。