按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
reminded me of that used to make Panama hats。 But this had rotted
underneath together with all the bottom part of the parchments； many
sheets of them； of which only fragments remained； covered with dry
mould and crumbling。 Therefore the rope was easy to remove and beneath
it； holding the sheets in place； was only some stout and comparatively
modern stringit had a red thread in it that marked it as navy cord
of an old pattern。
I slipped these fastenings off and lifted a blank piece of skin set
upon the top。 Beneath appeared the first sheet of parchment； closely；
very closely covered with small 〃black…letter〃 writing； so faint and
faded that even if I were able to read black…letter； which I cannot；
of it I could have made nothing at all。 The thing was hopeless。
Doubtless in that writing lay the key to the mystery； but it could
never be deciphered by me or any one else。 The lady with the eyes like
a deer had appeared to old Potts in vain； in vain had she bidden him
to hand over this manuscript to me。
So I thought at the time； not knowing the resources of science。
Afterwards； however； I took that huge bundle to a friend； a learned
friend whose business in life it was and is； to deal with and to
decipher old manuscripts。
〃Looks pretty hopeless；〃 he said； after staring at these。 〃Still；
let's have a try； one never knows till one tries。〃
Then he went to a cupboard in his muniment room and produced a bottle
full of some straw…coloured fluid into which he dipped an ordinary
painting brush。 This charged brush he rubbed backwards and forwards
over the first lines of the writing and waited。 Within a minute；
before my astonished eyes； that faint； indistinguishable script turned
coal…black； as black as though it had been written with the best
modern ink yesterday。
〃It's all right；〃 he said triumphantly； 〃it's vegetable ink； and this
stuff has the power to bring it up as it was on the day when it was
used。 It will stay like that for a fortnight and then fade away again。
Your manuscript is pretty ancient； my friend； time of Richard II； I
should say； but I can read it easily enough。 Look； it begins； 'I；
Hubert de Hastings； write this in the land of Tavantinsuyu； far from
England where I was born； whither I shall never more return； being a
wanderer as the rune upon the sword of my ancestor； Thorgrimmer；
foretold that I should be； which sword my mother gave me on the day of
the burning of Hastings by the French；' and so on。〃 Here he stopped。
〃Then for heaven's sake； do read it；〃 I said。
〃My dear friend；〃 he answered； 〃it looks to me as though it would mean
several months' work； and forgive me for saying that I am paid a
salary for my time。 Now I'll tell you what you have to do。 All this
stuff must be treated； sheet by sheet； and when it turns black it must
be photographed before the writing fades once more。 Then a skilled
personso…and…so； or so…and…so； are two names that occur to memust
be employed to decipher it again； sheet by sheet。 It will cost you
money； but I should say that it was worth while。 Where the devil is；
or was； the land of Tavantinsuyu？〃
〃I know；〃 I answered； glad to be able to show myself superior to my
learned friend in one humble instance。 〃Tavantinsuyu was the native
name for the Empire of Peru before the Spanish Invasion。 But how did
this Hubert get there in the time of Richard II？ That is some
centuries earlier than Pizarro set foot upon its shores。〃
〃Go and find out；〃 he answered。 〃It will amuse you for quite a long
while and perhaps the results may meet the expenses of decipherment；
if they are worth publishing。 I expect they are not； but then； I have
read so many old manuscripts and found most of them so jolly dull。〃
Well； that business was accomplished at a cost that I do not like to
record； and here are the results； more or less modernised； since often
Hubert of Hastings expressed himself in a queer and archaic fashion。
Also sometimes he used Indian words as though he had talked the tongue
of these Peruvians； or rather the Chanca variety of it； so long that
he had begun to forget his own language。 Myself I have found his story
very romantic and interesting； and I hope that some others will be of
the same opinion。 Let them judge。
But oh； I do wonder what was the end of it； some of which doubtless
was recorded on the rotted sheets though of course there can have been
no account of the great battle in which he fell； since Quilla could
not write at all； least of all in English； though I suppose she
survived it and him。
The only hint of that end is to be found in old Potts's dream or
vision； and what is the worth of dreams and visions？
BOOK I
CHAPTER I
THE SWORD AND THE RING
I； Hubert of Hastings； write this in the land of Tavantinsuyu； far
from England； where I was born； whither I shall never more return；
being a wanderer as the rune upon the sword of my ancestor；
Thorgrimmer； foretold that I should be； which sword my mother gave me
on the day of the burning of Hastings by the French。 I write it with a
pen that I have shaped from a wing feather of the great eagle of the
mountains； with ink that I have made from the juices of certain herbs
which I discovered； and on parchment that I have split from the skins
of native sheep； with my own hands； but badly I fear； though I have
seen that art practised when I was a merchant of the Cheap in London
Town。
I will begin at the beginning。
I am the son of a fishing…boat owner and was a trader in the ancient
town of Hastings； and my father was drowned while following his trade
at sea。 Afterwards； being the only child left of his； I took on his
business； and on a certain day went out to sea to net fish with two of
my serving men。 I was then a young man of about three and twenty years
of age and not uncomely。 My hair； which I wore long； was fair in
colour and curled。 My eyes； set wide apart； were and still are large
and blue； although they have darkened somewhat and sunk into the head
in this land of heat and sunshine。 My nose was wide…nostrilled and
large； my mouth also was over…large； although my mother and some
others used to think it well…shaped。 In truth； I was large all over
though not so tall； being burly； with a great breadth of chest and
uncommon thickness through the body； and very strong； so strong that
there were few who could throw me when I was young。
For the rest； like King David； I； who am now so tanned and weather
worn that at a little distance were my hair and beard hidden I might
almost be taken for one of the Indian chiefs about me； was of a ruddy
and a pleasant countenance； perhaps because of my wonderful health；
who had never known a day of sickness； and of an easy nature that
often goes with health。 I will add this； for why should I notthat I
was no fool； but one of those who succeed in that upon which they set
their minds。 Had I been a fool I should not to…day be the king of a
great people and the husband of their queen； indeed； I should not be
alive。
But enough of myself and my appearance in those years that seem as