England -- Fiction; Fantasy fiction; Science fiction
Just a few days ago my mind had been filled with the anticipation of
the friendly welcome I should find among the cultured Englishmen of
London. Today I should be sitting in the place of honor at the banquet
board of one of Londonl’s most exclusive clubs, feted and lionized.
The actuality! Here I lay, bound hand and foot, doubtless almost upon
the very site of a part of ancient London, yet all about me was a
primeval wilderness, and I was a captive of half-naked wild men.
I wondered what had become of Delcarte and Taylor and Snider. Would
they search for me? They could never find me, I feared, yet if they
did, what could they accomplish against this horde of savage warriors?
Would that I could warn them. I thought of the girl—doubtless she could
get word to them, but how was I to communicate with her? Would she come
to see me before I was killed? It seemed incredible that she should not
make some slight attempt to befriend me; yet, as I recalled, she had
made no effort to speak with me after we had reached the village. She
had hastened to her mother the moment she had been liberated. Though
she had returned with the old queen, she had not spoken to me, even
then. I began to have my doubts.
Finally, I came to the conclusion that I was absolutely friendless
except for the old queen. For some unaccountable reason my rage against
the girl for her ingratitude rose to colossal proportions.
For a long time I waited for some one to come to my prison whom I might
ask to bear word to the queen, but I seemed to have been forgotten. The
strained position in which I lay became unbearable. I wriggled and
twisted until I managed to turn myself partially upon my side, where I
lay half facing the entrance to the dugout.
Presently my attention was attracted by the shadow of something moving
in the trench without, and a moment later the figure of a child
appeared, creeping upon all fours, as, wide-eyed, and prompted by
childish curiosity, a little girl crawled to the entrance of my hut and
peered cautiously and fearfully in.
I did not speak at first for fear of frightening the little one away.
But when I was satisfied that her eyes had become sufficiently
accustomed to the subdued light of the interior, I smiled.
Instantly the expression of fear faded from her eyes to be replaced
with an answering smile.
“Who are you, little girl?” I asked.
“My name is Mary,” she replied. “I am Victoryl’s sister.”
“And who is Victory?”
“You do not know who Victory is?” she asked, in astonishment.
I shook my head in negation.
“You saved her from the elephant country people, and yet you say you do
not know her!” she exclaimed.
“Oh, so she is Victory, and you are her sister! I have not heard her
name before. That is why I did not know whom you meant,” I explained.
Here was just the messenger for me. Fate was becoming more kind.
“Will you do something for me, Mary?” I asked.
“If I can.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account