The Hot Swamp Part 22

He was not indeed altogether unsuccessful, for so intimate is the mysterious connection between spirit and matter that he felt comparative relief--even to the extent of cheerfulness--when the muscles were in violent action and the perspiration was streaming down his brow; but when the second hut, or larder, was completed his depression returned in greater power than before.

Then he took to hunting with tremendous energy, a plan which was highly approved of by his canine companion. He also devoted himself to his specific duties as swine-herd; collected the animals from all quarters into several large herds, counted them as well as he could, and drove them to suitable feeding-grounds. On retiring each day from this work, into which he threw all his power, he felt so fatigued as to be quite ready for supper and bed.

Gradually he became accustomed to the life, and at length, after a considerable time of it, a feeling of resignation to his fate began to tell upon him.

The effect of prolonged solitude also began even to numb the powers of his mind. He was fully aware of this, and tried to shake it off, for he shuddered more at the thought of mental than of physical decay. Among other things, he took to talking more frequently to Brownie, but although the pup was, in many respects, a most valuable and sympathetic companion, he could not prevent the conversation from being rather one-sided.

By degrees the summer merged into autumn; the foliage a.s.sumed the tints of green and gold. Then it became russet, and finally the cold bleak winds of a northern winter shrieked through the valley and swept the leaves away.

During all this time no human being had gone near that region, or paid the forlorn prince a visit, except once when the hunter of the Hot Swamp made his appearance.

The rebellious tribes retained too vivid a recollection of the slaughter that had taken place during and after the fight with King Hudibras, to risk a second encounter with that monarch, so that the place was at that time absolutely deserted by human beings--though it was sufficiently peopled by the lower animals. On the occasion when the hunter unexpectedly appeared, he demanded of Bladud an account of his stewardship. The report was so satisfactory that the hunter became, for him, quite amiable; commended his swine-herd and drove off a number of the pigs to market. On his return, laden with the few household goods for which he had bartered them, he paid the prince another visit, and even condescended to accept an invitation to enter his hut and partake of a roast of venison which was at the time being prepared for the mid-day meal. He was still, however, very brusque and taciturn.

"No one has been near me during the whole summer or autumn but yourself," observed Bladud with an involuntary sigh.

"You must be pleased at that," returned the hunter, sharply; "you said you came here for solitude."

"Truly I did; but I had not thought it would be so hard to bear."

"Why do you seek it, then, if you don't like it?" asked the hunter in the same brusque, impatient manner which characterised all his words and actions.

"I am forced to seek it by a Power which may not be resisted with impunity."

"There is no such power!" exclaimed the hunter with a wild, demoniac laugh. "I can resist any power--all powers. There is nothing that I cannot resist and overcome."

The gigantic man, with his dishevelled locks and s.h.a.ggy beard, looked so fierce and powerful, as he sat on the opposite side of the fire glaring at his host, that Bladud became impressed with a hope that the maniac-- for such he evidently was--would not attempt to prove his resistless power there and then. In order to avert such a catastrophe, he a.s.sumed an air of the most perfect ease and indifference to the boast, and asked him with a bland smile if he would have another slice of venison.

The hunter seemed to be disconcerted by the question, but, being a hungry man and a ravenous eater, he accepted the offer and began to eat the slice in moody silence.

"Your good pup has been a real blessing to me," resumed the prince a few minutes later, during which time he had devoted himself to his own portion of food, "not only in the way of helping me to hunt and drive the pigs, but as a companion who can do all but speak."

"He could speak if you would let him," returned the hunter. "I speak to my dogs continually, and they always answer--not with their tongues, for that is not dog-language, but with their eyes--and I know every word they speak. You would wonder how clever they are, and what droll things they say sometimes."

He burst into a wild hilarious laugh at this point, as if the thought of the canine pleasantries were too much for him; then suddenly became grave, and scowled furtively at his host, as if he felt that he had committed himself.

"You are right," replied Bladud, affecting not to observe the scowl.

"My pup often speaks to me with his eyes, but I am not so good at understanding the language as you appear to be. No doubt I shall acquire it in time."

"Then you don't like being alone?" said the hunter, after a pause, during which Bladud saw that he was eyeing him keenly, though he pretended not to observe this.

"No, I don't like it at all, but it can't be helped."

"Well, it might have been helped, for I could have sent them to you."

"Sent whom?"

"A man and a boy. They were not together, but came to my hut at different times inquiring for you, but, knowing your desire for solitude, I turned them away on the wrong scent."

"I'm glad you did," returned the prince, "for I want to be troubled by neither man nor boy. Yet I wonder who they could be. Did they say why they wanted to find me?"

"No, they did not say, and I would not ask; what cared I about their reasons?"

"Yet you care enough for me, it appears, to say you would have sent them to me if you knew I had been lonely. What was the appearance of the man?"

"He was old, but very strong, though not so big as me--or you. His hair was long and white; so was his beard. He wore a long dark robe, and carried a very big staff."

Bladud had no difficulty in recognising the description of his friend the Hebrew.

"And the boy; what was he like?"

"Like all boys, active and impudent."

"I am afraid," returned the prince with a slight smile, "that your acquaintance with boys cannot have been extensive--they are not all active and impudent."

"Most of those that have crossed my path are so. At all events, this one was, for when I pointed out the direction you had gone--which was just the opposite way from here--he said, `I don't believe you!' and when I leaped on him to give him his deserts, he dodged me, and fled into the woods like a squirrel. It was as well, for I should have killed him."

"I am not sorry he escaped you, then," said Bladud, with a laugh, "though I scarcely think you would have killed the poor lad even if you had caught him."

"Oh yes, I would. And I'll kill _you_ if you venture to doubt my word."

As he said this the hunter sprang to his feet, and, drawing his knife, seemed about to leap upon his host, who, however, sat perfectly still.

"I should be sorry that you should die," said Bladud in a calm voice, while he kept his eyes steadily fixed on those of the maniac. "_You_ have heard, have you not, of that terrible disease of the East, called leprosy?"

"Yes--the ship-captains have often spoken of it," said the madman, whose mind, like that of a child, could be easily turned into new channels.

"Look! I have got that disease. The Power which you profess to despise has sent it to me. If you so much as touch me, your doom is fixed."

He uncovered his shoulder as he spoke and displayed the white spot.

Bladud felt quite uncertain how this would be received by the madman, but he was scarcely prepared for what followed. No sooner did the hunter see the spot and realise what it meant, than without a word he turned, caught up his bundle, uttered a yell of terror, and fled from the spot, closely followed by his dogs, which howled as if in sympathy.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

A STRANGE ENCOUNTER AND A FRIEND IN NEED.

About a week after the events narrated in the last chapter, an incident occurred which, trifling in itself, was nevertheless the cause of momentous issues in the life of our hero.

He was returning one evening from a long ramble with his dog, when the screams of a pig in evident distress attracted his attention. Hastening to the place he found that a small member of his charge had fallen over a cliff into a crevice in the rock, where it stuck fast and was unable to extricate itself. The violent nature of the porcine family is well known. Although very little hurt, this little pig felt its position so unbearable that it immediately filled the woods with agonising shrieks until Bladud dragged it out of the cleft, and carried it in his arms to the foot of the precipice, where he set it free. Then the whirlwind of its outcry came to a sudden stop, thereby proving beyond a doubt that pa.s.sion, not pain, was the cause of its demonstrations.

From that date many of the pigs became affected by a cutaneous disease, which gradually spread among all the herds. It was some time before Bladud observed this; but when he did notice it, he jumped at once to the conclusion that he must have communicated leprosy to his unfortunate herds while rescuing the little pig. Whether or not he was right in this conjecture, we cannot say; but the probability of his mere touch being so contaminating was sufficient to increase greatly the depression of spirits which had been stealing over him--a condition which was not a little aggravated by the fact that the white spot on his arm was slowly but surely spreading. Still the disease had not, so far, affected his general health or strength in any serious degree.

About that time there set in a long period of fine sunny weather, during which Bladud busied himself in hunting and drying meat, as well as fish, which he stored in his larder for future use. He also cut a large quant.i.ty of firewood, and built another booth in which to protect it from the weather, and otherwise made preparation for the winter when it should arrive.

One day he had wandered a considerable way into the forest, and was about to turn to retrace his steps homeward, when he was surprised to hear some creature crashing through the woods towards him. It could not have been startled by himself, else it would have run away from him.

Stepping behind a tree, he strung his bow, called Brownie close to his heel, and waited. A few seconds later a deer dashed close past him, but, as his belt was already hung round with game, and home was still far distant, he did not shoot. Besides, he was curious to know what had startled the deer. A few minutes revealed that, for suddenly the sound of footsteps was heard; then the bushes opposite were parted, and a boy, or youth just emerging from boyhood, ran past him at full speed, with an arrow sticking through his left sleeve. He was unarmed, and gasped like one who runs for his life. Catching sight of the prince as he pa.s.sed the tree that had concealed him, the boy doubled like a hare, ran up to Bladud, and, grasping one of his hands, cried--"O! save me!--save me!-- from robbers!" in the most agonising tones.

"That will I, poor lad, if I can."