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That evening also Harût called and, after salutations, asked where Bena was as he did not see him. Then my indignation broke out: "Oh! white-bearded father of liars," I said, "you know well that he is in the belly of the serpent which lives in the cave of the mountain." "What, Lord!" exclaimed Harût addressing Ragnall in his peculiar English, "have you been for walk up to hole in hill?
Their countenances were full of war, even the twins looked like angry lambs, but something written on them informed me that they had suffered defeat recent and grievous. So they vanished up the stairway and out of my ken for ever. When they had gone I started again and ran straight into Lady Ragnall.
"Despite the denial of these men of any complicity in your wife's fate?" I asked. "If their words are true, what have you to gain by this journey, Ragnall?" "An interesting experience while it lasts; that is all. Like Hans there, if what they say is true, my future is a matter of complete indifference to me. But I do not believe a word of what they say.
I wriggled myself round and, seated on the pavement of the court, watched what followed, and glad am I that I was able to do so, for never shall I behold such another scene. First I saw Ragnall run up with a rifle and fire two barrels at the brute's head, of which he took no notice whatsoever.
So Savage was called in and, while Lord Ragnall dressed himself hurriedly, told the outline of his story under pain of instant dismissal if he breathed a word. Really to watch his face was as good as a play. So astonished was he that all he could ejaculate was "The black-hearted villains! Well, they ain't friendly with snakes for nothing."
In a book or a record which I have written down and put away with others under the title of "The Ivory Child," I have told the tale of a certain expedition I made in company with Lord Ragnall.
Lord Ragnall asked me for both my English and my African addresses, which he noted in his pocket-book. Then he said, "Really, Quatermain, I feel as though I had known you for years instead of three days; if you will allow me I will add that I should like to know a great deal more of you."
"A week later perhaps you would not have found me, Lord Ragnall," I answered, "but as it happens misfortune has kept me here." "And misfortune has brought me here, Quatermain." Then before I had time to answer Savage came up and we went into the house. "You are just in time for lunch," I said, "and as luck will have it there is a good rock cod and a leg of oribé buck for you to eat.
Quatermain, these are the first words we have really had since that party at Ragnall before I was married, when, as you may have forgotten, you took me in to dinner." I replied that there was nothing I recollected much more clearly, which was both true and the right thing to say, or so I supposed.
As it happened, Lord Ragnall and I walked together ahead of the others, to the first covert, which was half a mile or more away. "You have met Sir Junius before?" he said to me interrogatively. "I have met Mr. van Koop before," I answered, "about twelve years since, shortly after which he vanished from South Africa, where he was a well-known and very successful speculator." "To reappear here.
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