Генри Хаггард - The People of the Mist

Leonard turned aside moodily and lit his pipe. How was he to find money to take even a third–class passage on the British India mail? But Juanna, obeying the instinct that prompts a woman to keep up appearances at all hazards, took one of the papers and opened it, although the tears which swam in her eyes would scarcely suffer her to see the print. Thus things went on for ten minutes or more, as she idly turned the pages of two or three issues of the weekly "Times," trying to collect her thoughts and pick up the thread of current events.

But it is wonderful how uninteresting and far–away those events appear after the reader has been living a life to herself for a year or so, and Juanna, preoccupied as she was with her own thoughts, was about to give up the attempt as a failure, when the name of Outram started to her eyes.

A minute later her two companions heard a sharp exclamation and turned round.

"What is the matter, Mrs. Outram?" said Wallace. "Has France declared war against Germany, or is Mr. Gladstone dead?"

"Oh! no, something much more important than that. Listen to this advertisement, Leonard:—

"'If Leonard Outram, second son of Sir Thomas Outram, Bart., late of Outram Hall, who was last heard of in the territory to the north of Delagoa Bay, Eastern Africa, or, in the event of his death, his lawful heirs, will communicate with the undersigned, he or they will hear of something very greatly to his or their advantage. Thomson & Turner, 2 Albert Court, London, E.C.'"

"Are you joking, Juanna?" said Leonard after a pause.

"Look for yourself," she answered.

He took the paper, and read and reread the notice.

"Well, there is one thing certain," he said, "that no one ever stood in greater need of hearing something to his advantage than I do at this moment, for excepting the ruby, which may not be a true stone, we haven't a stiver to bless ourselves with in the world. Indeed, I don't know how I am to avail myself of Messrs. Thomson & Turner's kind invitation, unless I write them a letter and go to live in a Kaffir hut till the answer comes."

"Don't let that trouble you, my dear fellow," said Wallace; "I can get plenty of cash here, and it is very much at your service."

"I am ashamed to take further advantage of your kindness," answered Leonard, flushing. "This advertisement may mean nothing, or perhaps a legacy of fifty pounds, though I am sure I don't know who would leave me even that sum. And then, how should I repay you?"

"Stuff!" said Wallace.

"Well," replied Leonard, "beggars must put their pride in their pockets. If you will lend me a couple of hundred pounds and take the ruby in pledge, I shall be even more grateful to you than I am at present, and that is saying a good deal."

On this business basis the matter was ultimately arranged, though within half an hour Wallace handed back the great stone into Juanna's keeping, bidding her "keep it dark"; an injunction which she obeyed in every sense of the word, for she hid the ruby where once the poison had lain—in her hair.

Two busy days went by, and on the third morning a messenger came running from the town to announce that the northward mail was in sight. Then it was that Otter, who all this while had said nothing, advanced solemnly towards Leonard and Juanna, holding his hand outstretched.

"What is the matter, Otter?" asked Leonard, who was engaged in helping Wallace to pack his hunting trophies.

"Nothing, Baas; I have come to say good–bye to you and the Shepherdess, that is all. I wish to go now before I see the Steam–fish carry you away."

"Go!" said Leonard; "you wish to go?"

Somehow Otter had become so much a part of their lives, that, even in their preparations to leave for England, neither of them had ever thought of parting from him.

"Why do you wish to go?" he added.

"Because I am an ugly old black dog, Baas, and can be of no further use to you out yonder," and he nodded towards the sea.

"I suppose you mean that you do not want to leave Africa, even for a while," said Leonard, with ill–concealed grief and vexation. "Well, it is hard to part with you like this. Also," he added with a little laugh, "it is awkward, for I owe you more than a year's wages, and have not the money to spare to pay you. Moreover, I had taken your passage on the ship."

"What does the Baas say?" asked Otter slowly; "that he has bought me a place in the Steam–fish?"

Leonard nodded.

"Then I beg your pardon, Baas. I thought that you had done with me and were going to throw me away like a worn–out spear."

"So you wish to come, Otter?" said Leonard.

"Wish to come!" he answered wonderingly. "Are you not my father and my mother, and is not the place where you may be my place? Do you know what I was going to do just now, Baas? I was going to climb to the top of a tree and watch the Steam–fish till it vanished over the edge of the world; then I would have taken this rope, which already has served me well among the People of the Mist, and set it about my throat and hanged myself there in the tree, for that is the best end for old dogs, Baas."

Leonard turned away to hide the tears which started to his eyes, for the dwarf's fidelity touched him more than he cared to show. Seeing his trouble, Juanna took up the talk to cover his confusion.

"I fear that you will find it cold over yonder, Otter," she said. "It is a land of fog, they tell me, and there are none of your own people, no wives or Kaffir beer. Also, we may be poor and have to live hardly."

"Of fog I have seen something lately, Shepherdess," answered the dwarf; "and yet I was happy in the fog, because I was near the Baas. Of hard living I have seen something also, and still I was happy, because I was near the Baas. Once I had a wife and beer in plenty, more than a man could want, and then I was unhappy, because they estranged me from the Baas, and he knew that I had ceased to be Otter, his servant whom he trusted, and had become a beast. Therefore, Shepherdess, I would see no more of wives and beer."

"Otter, you idiot," broke in Leonard brusquely, "you had better stop talking and get something to eat, for it will be the last meal that you will wish to see for many a day."

"The Baas is right," replied the dwarf; "moreover, I am hungry, for sorrow has kept me from food for these two days. Now I will fill myself full, that I may have something to offer to the Black Water when he shakes me in his anger."

Six weeks or so had passed when a four–wheeled cab drew up at the door of 2 Albert Court, London, E.C.

The progress of this vehicle had excited some remark among the more youthful and lighter–minded denizens of the City, for on its box, arrayed in an ill–fitting suit of dittoes and a brown hat some sizes to small for him, sat a most strange object, whose coal–black countenance, dwarfed frame, and enormous nose and shoulders attracted their ribald observance.

"Look at him, Bill," said one youth to an acquaintance; "he's escaped from Madame Tussaud's, he has. Painted hisself over with Day & Martin's best, and bought a secondhand Guy Fawkes nose."

Just then his remarks were cut short, for Otter, having been made to understand by the driver that they had arrived at their destination, descended from the box in a manner so original, that it is probably peculiar to the aborigines of Central Africa, and frightened that boy away.

From the cab emerged Leonard and Juanna, looking very much the better for their sea journey. Indeed, having recovered her health and spirits, and being very neatly dressed in a grey frock, with a wide black hat trimmed with ostrich feathers, Juanna looked what she was, a very lovely woman. Entering an outer office Leonard asked if Messrs. Thomson & Turner were to be seen.