Лучшие романы Томаса Майна Рида / The Best of Thomas Mayne Reid
While performing the wheel, Phelim saw – or fancied he saw – that, which not only astounded him, but caused the blood to run chill through his veins, and his frame to tremble to the very tips of his toes.
It was a head – that of the man on horseback; but, instead of being in its proper place, upon his shoulders, it was held in the rider’s hand, just behind the pommel of the saddle!
As the horse turned side towards him, Phelim saw, or fancied he saw, the face – ghastly and covered with gore – half hidden behind the shaggy hair of the holster!
He saw no more. In another instant his back was turned towards the plain; and, in another, he was rushing down the ravine, as fast as his enfeebled limbs would carry him!
Chapter 44
A Quartette of Comanches
With his flame-coloured curls bristling upward – almost raising the hat from his head – the Galwegian continued his retreat – pausing not – scarce looking back, till he had re-entered the jacalé, closed the skin door behind him, and barricaded it with several large packages that lay near.
Even then he did not feel secure. What protection could there be in a shut door, barred and bolted besides, against that which was not earthly?
And surely what he had seen was not of the earth – not of this world! Who on earth had ever witnessed such a spectacle – a man mounted upon horseback, and carrying his head in his hand? Who had ever heard of a phenomenon so unnatural? Certainly not “Phaylim Onale.”
His horror still continuing, he rushed to and fro across the floor of the hut; now dropping down upon the stool, anon rising up, and gliding to the door; but without daring either to open it, or look out through the chinks.
At intervals he tore the hair out of his head, striking his clenched hand against his temples, and roughly rubbing his eyes – as if to make sure that he was not asleep, but had really seen the shape that was horrifying him.
One thing alone gave him a moiety of comfort; though it was of the slightest. While retreating down the ravine, before his head had sunk below the level of the plain, he had given a glance backward. He had derived some gratification from that glance; as it showed the headless rider afar off on the prairie, and with back turned toward the Alamo, going on at a gallop.
But for the remembrance of this, the Galwegian might have been still more terrified – if that were possible – while striding back and forth upon the floor of the jacalé.
For a long time he was speechless – not knowing what to say – and only giving utterance to such exclamations as came mechanically to his lips.
As the time passed, and he began to feel, not so much a return of confidence, as of the power of ratiocination, his tongue became restored to him; and a continuous fire of questions and exclamations succeeded. They were all addressed to himself. Tara was no longer there, to take part in the conversation.
They were put, moreover, in a low whispered tone, as if in fear that his voice might be heard outside the jacalé.
“Ochone[251]! Ochone! it cyan’t av been him! Sant Pathrick protict me, but fwhat was it thin?
“Thare was iverything av his – the horse – the sthriped blankyet – them spotted wather guards upon his legs – an the head itself – all except the faytures. Thim I saw too, but wasn’t shure about eyedintifycashin; for who kud till a face all covered over wid rid blood?
“Ach! it cudn’t be Masther Maurice at all, at all!
“It’s all a dhrame. I must have been aslape, an dhramin? Or, was it the whisky that did it?
“Shure, I wasn’t dhrunk enough for that. Two goes out av the little cup, an two more from the dimmyjan – not over a kupple av naggins in all! That wudn’t make me dhrunk. I’ve taken twice that, widout as much as thrippin in my spache. Trath have I. Besoides, if I had been the worse for the liquor, why am I not so still?
“Thare’s not half an hour passed since I saw it; an I’m as sober as a judge upon the binch av magistrates.
“Sowl! a dhrap ’ud do me a power av good just now. If I don’t take wan, I’ll not get a wink av slape. I’ll be shure to kape awake all the night long thinkin’ about it. Ochone! ochone! what cyan it be anyhow? An’ where cyan the masther be, if it wasn’t him? Howly Sant Pathrick! look down an watch over a miserable sinner, that’s lift all alone be himself, wid nothin’ but ghosts an goblins[252] around him!”
After this appeal to the Catholic saint, the Connemara man addressed himself with still more zealous devotion to the worship of a very different divinity, known among the ancients as Bacchus.
His suit in this quarter proved perfectly successful; for in less than an hour after he had entered upon his genuflexions at the shrine of the pagan god – represented by the demijohn of Monongahela whisky – he was shrived of all his sufferings – if not of his sins – and lay stretched along the floor of the jacalé, not only oblivious of the spectacle that had so late terrified him to the very centre of his soul, but utterly unconscious of his soul’s existence.
There is no sound within the hut of Maurice the mustanger – not even a clock, to tell, by its continuous ticking, that the hours are passing into eternity, and that another midnight is mantling over the earth.
There are sounds outside; but only as usual. The rippling of the stream close by, the whispering of the leaves stirred by the night wind, the chirrup of cicadas, the occasional cry of some wild creature, are but the natural voices of the nocturnal forest.
Midnight has arrived, with a moon that assimilates it to morning. Her light illumines the earth; here and there penetrating through the shadowy trees, and flinging broad silvery lists between them.
Passing through these alternations of light and shadow – apparently avoiding the former, as much as possible – goes a group of mounted men.
Though few in number – as there are only four of them – they are formidable to look upon. The vermilion glaring redly over their naked skins, the striped and spotted tatooing upon their cheeks, the scarlet feathers standing stiffly upright above their heads, and the gleaming of weapons held in their hands, all bespeak strength of a savage and dangerous kind.
Whence come they?
They are in the war costume of the Comanche. Their paint proclaims it. There is the skin fillet around the temples, with the eagle plumes stuck behind it. The bare breasts and arms; the buckskin breech-clouts – everything in the shape of sign by which these Ishmaelites[253] of Texas may be recognised, when out upon the maraud.
They must be Comanches: and, therefore, have come from the west.
Whither go they?
This is a question more easily answered. They are closing in upon the hut, where lies the unconscious inebriate. The jacalé of Maurice Gerald is evidently the butt[254] of their expedition.
That their intentions are hostile, is to be inferred from the fact of their wearing the war costume. It is also apparent from their manner of making approach. Still further, by their dismounting at some distance from the hut, securing their horses in the underwood, and continuing their advance on foot.
Their stealthy tread – taking care to plant the foot lightly upon the fallen leaves – the precaution to keep inside the shadow – the frequent pauses, spent in looking ahead and listening – the silent gestures with which these movements are directed by him who appears to be the leader – all proclaim design, to reach the jacalé unperceived by whoever may chance to be inside it.
In this they are successful – so far as may be judged by appearances. They stand by the stockade walls, without any sign being given to show that they have been seen.
The silence inside is complete, as that they are themselves observing. There is nothing heard – not so much as the screech of a hearth-cricket.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
Примечания
1
Texas – a state in the South West of the USA (678,358 square kilometres); till 1836 Texas belonged to Mexico; after the independence from Mexico had been declared, the territory was included in the USA and became a state in 1845
2
savannah – a plain with grass and no trees
3
prairie – a level treeless land covered with grass
4
the Leona – the river in Texas, USA
5
serape – a bright, coloured Mexican shawl or plaid
6
cicada – a flying insect which produces a shrill sound in hot, dry weather
7
nimbus – a light or golden circle round the saint’s head; a rain cloud
8
azure – (poet.) bright blue (usually about the sky)
9
centaurean – from centaur – in Greek mythology, a strange creature, half man and half horse
10
San Antonio de Bejar – the city in south-central Texas; it was founded by the Spanish expedition from Mexico in 1718
11
Osnaburgh – a linen cloth of a certain trademark
12
Pittsburgh – the city in Pennsylvania on the Monongahela River; the first settlement was founded in 1758
13
Kentucky – the state in the south of the United States (104,664 square kilometres); it was admitted as the 15th state in 1792
14
Jehu – the King of Israel (842–815 BC) who was a great chariot driver
15
Indianola – the city in central Iowa founded in 1849; there used to be a town of the same name in Texas
16
the Gulf of Matagorda – the Bay of Matagorda, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas
17
en route – on the way to/from (French)
18
cortège – a procession (French)
19
nankin – a kind of rich cloth
20
A Leghorn hat is a hat made of straw imported from Livorno, a town in Italy
21
A Panama hat is a light hat made of plaited palm leaves; the name comes from Panama, a Spanish-speaking republic in Central America
22
entourage – people accompanying a respected or high-ranking person
23
carriole – a light, covered carriage drawn by one horse
24
a Jersey wagon – a light two-wheeled carriage
25
a barouche – a four-wheeled carriage for four passengers and the driver, with two seats facing each other
26
the Mississippi – the largest river in North America; it flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. Together with its tributary, the Missouri River, the Mississippi is the longest river in the world
27
Louisiana – the US state (123,366 square kilometres) admitted to the union in 1812 as the 18th member; it borders Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas
28
a Creole – in the old French or Spanish states in the south of the USA, a person of pure European or mixed European origin; descendants of the French and Spanish settlers
29
penates – home, household; in Roman mythology, Penates were household gods who protected the house
30
Erebus – in Greek mythology, Erebus (Darkness) is the offspring of Chaos (the Greek for Abyss)
31
gramineae – grass
32
algarobias – a kind of wood species
33
mezquites – a name of a bush with thorns
34
Fort Inge – a settlement built in 1849 on the eastern bank of the Leona River, 135 kilometres south-west of San Antonio
35
lazo – lasso – a long rope used for catching horses and cattle
36
ranchero – rancher (Spanish)
37
calzoneros – trousers (Spanish)
38
calzoncillos – men’s underwear (Spanish)
39
botas – boots (Spanish)
40
Moorish – related to the Moors, a population of medieval Spain and Portugal of Moroccan, Algerian or Berber origin; the Moorish style is typical for architecture and decorative art of medieval Spain
41
the Conquistadores – participants of the Spanish conquest of America in the 16th century
42
cavallero – a nobleman; originally: a cavalry man, a military man on horseback
43
mustangs – North American wild horses; they descended from Spanish horses brought to America in the 16th century. Tamed mustangs are known for their speed and strength
44
a Jack – a common man, a plebeian
45
a tête-à-tête – a private meeting of two persons
46
piccaninny – (US) a small child; an African baby
47
Lucifer – in Greek and Roman mythology, the Lightbearer – the morning star, symbol of dawn; in Christianity, the name of Satan before his fall
48
Tartarus – in Greek mythology, the deepest part of the underworld
49
Pluto – in Greek mythology and religion, the son of Cronus, and brother of Zeus; he ruled the underworld, the dark land of the dead
50
Proserpine or Persephone – in Greek mythology and religion, the wife of Pluto, king of the underworld
51
hullabalooing – making a lot of noise about smth; expressing excitement
52
ambuscade = ambush – an unexpected attack from a hidden place
53
lorgnette = binoculars, field-glasses (French)
54
ghouls – in Arabic folklore, demonic spirits who inhabit cemeteries and deserted places
55
ogres – in fairy-tales, giants eating human beings
56
Titans – in Greek mythology, the children of Uranius (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth)
57
Bacchus – in Greek mythology and religion, the god of vegetation, better known as the god of wine and ecstasy; in Roman mythology this god is known as Dionysus
58
musketry – from musket – a firearm of the 16th–18th centuries; in the 19th century it was replaced by a rifle
59
crape – black silk or cotton material
60
sombrero – a broad-brimmed Spanish or Mexican hat made of straw or felt
61
Cimmerian – related to the Cimmerians, the ancient people of unknown origin who lived north of the Caucasus till the 8th century BC; later they were driven by the Scythians to Anatolia
62
Aeolus – in Greek mythology, the god of wind
63
the Rio Grande – the river in North America; it forms the border between Texas and Mexico. The river starts in the Rocky Mountains and flows to the Gulf of Mexico
64
mustanger – a man who catches, tames and sells mustangs
65
Satan – the prince of evil forces, the enemy of God; he is also identified with the devil
66
Mon Dieu! = My God! (French)
67
the Rio de Nueces – the Nueces River in Texas and Mexico
68
Fouquiera splendens – ocotillo, or wine cactus, a flowering shrub which grows in Texas, California and Mexico
69
Lipano – the Lipan people – the Indian nomad tribe of western Texas
70
Comanche – North American Indian tribe of the Great Plains; they were skilled horsemen and led a nomadic life
71
Rangers – in the USA, soldiers, trained to make rapid attacks on the enemy territory; in Texas, Rangers were formed into regiments and used in federal service as law-enforcement forces
72
moccasin – a shoe of soft leather worn by North American Indians, hunters and traders; also a common name of Agkistrodon vipers
73
tarantula – a poisonous spider
74
centipede – a long, many-segmented insect; each segment has one pair of legs
75
the Alamo – one of the tributaries of the Nueces River; also the old chapel of the Franciscan mission, founded in 1716–1718, the place of the historic resistance of fighters for the independence of Texas from Mexico
76
papeterie – a set of writing materials (French)
77
portmanteau – a suitcase consisting of two parts that fold together
78
demijohn – a large glass wine bottle
79
corduroy – a durable fabric, used for breeches, coats, jackets and trousers
80
calico – a cotton fabric with simple designs; it first appeared in the 11th century in Calicut, India
81
brogues – strong leather shoes with stitches
82
Milesian – related to Milesians, the ancestors of the Celtic population of Ireland
83
Galway – a county in western Ireland, the largest Gaelic-speaking region of the country; a seaport and the county town of County Galway
84
Connemara – a region in County Galway, a lowland with bogs, lakes and uplands
85
manada – herd of horses (Spanish)
86
ci-devant – 1. former; 2. before (French)
87
Howly Vargin – Holy Virgin, Mother of Jesus
88
Saint Patrick – bishop and patron saint of Ireland, national apostle who brought Christianity to the country in the 5th century
89
Yankees – citizens of the USA, or more precisely of the six New England states; the origin of the word is unknown; it came into use during the Civil War in 1861–1865
90
Galwegian – inhabitant of Galway
91
grog – an alcoholic drink mixed with water
92
Nothing in his tout ensemble means nothing in his cloths
93
métier – profession, occupation, business (French)
94
Orleens – New Orleans – the largest city and port on the Mississippi River, founded in 1718 by the French settlers; in 1763 New Orleans was given to the Spanish government, but in 1803 it was returned to France. In the same year Napoleon sold it to the United States
95
Saint Looey – St. Louis – the largest city in Missouri, located on the bank of the Mississippi River; it used to be the Gateway of the West at the time of the first settlers. The Missouri River joins the Mississippi to the north of St. Louis
96
Loozeyanner – Louisiana
97
cabriesto – a kind of rope
98
the garden of Eden – in the Bible, an earthly paradise where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived
99
fracas – noise; noisy quarrel
100
Alacran – Alacran tartarus, a kind of poisonous insects
101
revanche – compensation, satisfaction (French)
102
cantata penserosa – a short musical work for a choir and a soloist
103
hydrophoby – fear of water
104
cavallada – a mare (female horse) (Spanish)
105
mise-en-scène – a scene; view (French)
106
jacalés – a hut with walls covered with clay
107
faro, monté – the names of card games
108
hacienda – an estate and an estate house in Texas, Mexico and South America (Spanish)
109
the Guadalupe mountains – the mountains in western Texas and New Mexico
110
the Llano Estacado – a region in the USA on the border of Texas and New Mexico
111
Ethiopia – the country in eastern Africa (1,063,652 square km)
112
the Mexican war – the war between Mexico and the United States in 1846–1848; after the victory, the USA acquired over 1,300,000 square km of Mexican territory
113
Scott’s campaign – a military campaign in the course of Mexican war
114
monté-table – here: a table used for gambling (French)
115
Colt – Samuel Colt (1814–1868), American firearms manufacturer who perfected and patented a revolver
116
corps-d’armée – army corps (French)
117
Morisco – Moorish (Spanish)
118
Andalusia – a historic region in the south of Spain (87,590 square km); the capital is Seville; Andalusian culture was greatly influenced by many centuries of Moorish rule
119
Teutonic tongue – a Germanic language; Germanic languages belong to the Indo-European family
120
peons – workmen hired by the day, who worked in the fields
121
vaquero – a shepherd (Spanish)
122
Azteca – the historical land of the Aztec in the northwest of Mexico; in the 15th–16th centuries the Aztec ruled a large empire; their origin is uncertain; after the Spanish conquest the Aztec empire came to an end