CHAPTER SIX.
THE GUIDE BECOMES COMMUNICATIVE, AND TELLS OF TERRIBLE DOINGS.
During the progress of supper, which consisted of cold dried meat andrice, the quartette seated on the ferns in the corner of the cave wereunusually silent. Mark Breezy and Ravonino continued to eat for sometime without speaking a word. Ebony, although earnestly absorbed invictuals, rolled his eyes about as he looked from time to time at hiscompanions with unwonted solemnity, and John Hockins frowned at hisfood, and shook his shaggy head with an air of dissatisfied perplexity.
"Ravonino," at length said the last, looking up, and using his grasspocket-handkerchief, "it seems to me, bein' a plain straight-for'ardsort o' seaman, that there's somethin' not exactly fair an' above-boardin all them proceedin's. Of course it's not for me to say what aindependent man should do or say; but don't you think that w'en a manlike you professes to be honest, an' asks other men to trust him, heshould at least explain _some_ o' the riddles that surround him? I'm aloyal man myself, an' I'll stand up for _my_ Queen an' country, nomatter what may be the circumstances in w'ich I'm placed; so that w'en Isees another man admittin' that he's a outlaw, an' finds the soldiers of_his_ Queen a-huntin' all about the country arter him and his comrades--seems to me there's a screw loose somewheres."
"Dat's _my_ sent'ments zactly," said the negro, with a decisive nod.
Mark took no notice of this speech, but silently continued his supper.For a few moments the guide did not speak or look up. Then, laying downhis knife and clasping his hands over one of his knees, he lookedearnestly into the seaman's face.
"You tell me you are loyal," he said.
Hockins nodded.
"If your queen," continued Ravonino, "were to tell you to give up theservice of God and worship idols, would you do it?"
"Cer'nly not," replied the seaman, promptly, "for she has no right torule over my soul. My duty to the King of Kings stands before my dutyto the Queen of England."
Again the guide was silent for a few minutes. Then he said:--
"Hockins, by God's blessing you have saved the lives of all our partythis day--at least it seemed so, for, another step, and that soldierwould have discovered us if your little pipe had not stopped him. Youare therefore entitled to expect some gratitude, and, from what I haveseen of you and your comrades, I have reason to believe you will notbetray us, even if you get the chance."
"Right you are, friend, I will never betray an honest man; an' I mayspeak for my comrades as well as self, for they're true-blue to theback-bone--"
"Furder nor dat," interposed Ebony, "troo-bloo to de marrow!"
"Don't you shove in your oar till you're ordered, you nigger! Well, asI was a-sayin', we'll never betray honest men, but I give you fairwarnin' if you're _not_ honest, we'll have nothin' to do wi' yoursecrets, an' if our duty to God an' man requires us to go against you,we'll do it without flinchin'."
"So be it. I am satisfied," returned Ravonino, calmly. "I will tellyou as much as I think you are entitled to know. It may have reachedyour ears, perhaps, that there has been terrible persecution in thisisland for many years."
Here Mark Breezy took up the conversation.
"No," said he, with something of a deprecatory air, "we did not know it.For my part I am ashamed to say so; but I will say in excuse that theBritish empire is widely extended in every quarter of the globe, and hermissions are so numerous that average men can scarcely hope to keep upwith the details of all of the persecutions that occur. Rumours,indeed, I have heard of doings in Madagascar that vie with thepersecutions of the Scottish Covenanters; but more than this I know not,though of course there are men connected with our Missionary Societies--and many people, no doubt, interested in missions--who know all aboutthe persecutions in Madagascar. Is it in connection with this that youhave been outlawed?"
"It is. Ranavalona, the blood-stained usurper, our present queen, isfilled with such bitter hatred of Christianity that she has for manyyears persecuted the native Christians who have been taught by whitemissionaries from your land. Hundreds of men and women have beenmurdered by her orders because they refused to forsake Christ; othershave been banished to regions so unhealthy that they have died, and manyhave been sold into slavery."
The eyes of the guide gleamed for a moment, and his stern countenanceflushed as he thus referred to the sorrows of his people, but by astrong effort he controlled his feelings, and his countenance resumedits habitual quietude.
"My mother and my sister and I," he continued, "were sold into slavery.My mother was a native lady, high in station, and a member of the courtof King Radama the First, who was very favourable to Missionaries. Iwas an infant at that time; my little sister was not born. My fatherwas an English trader, skilled in many handicrafts, and a greatfavourite with the king, who fostered the Christian religion and helpedthose who came to teach us. Our teachers learned our language; taughtus the love of God, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, broughtmany of us to the Saviour. But they were persevering and wise as wellas good. Having learned our language--in which my father helped themmuch--they taught us to read; translated many parts of the Word of Godinto our tongue; sent home for presses and types, and had these printed,as well as the _Pilgrim's Progress_ and other books.
"Peace, joy, and prosperity were spreading in our land. Idol-worshipand cruel customs were being uprooted, and everything was going wellwhen the king died--whether a Christian or not, who can tell? for,although favourable to, he never professed, Christianity. `The Lordknoweth them that are His!' The rightful heir to the throne, accordingto our customs, was Rakotobe--a good young man who had been taught bythe missionaries, and was nephew to the king; but Ranavalona, one of theking's wives, resolved to seize the opportunity. A bold bad woman, witha powerful will and no principle, she carried her point by recklessbloodshed. There were men at court as bad as herself who agreed to aidher. When she boldly claimed the throne, four loyal nobles asserted theclaim of Rakotobe. They were instantly speared in the palace. Therightful heir was not present. Soldiers were sent to his residence toseize and kill him, before he should hear of what was going on.
"Not content with shedding blood, the cruel monsters dug the pooryouth's grave before his eyes. When they were thus engaged Rakotobekneeled down to pray, and while he was in this position they speared himand cast him into his grave. Soon after the father and mother ofRakotobe were murdered--the last being starved to death. The brother ofRadama was destroyed in like manner. He lingered eight days in agonybefore death came to his relief. Then Rakotobe's grandmother and otherrelations were slain by Ranavalona's orders, and thus the murderesswaded through blood to the throne of Madagascar!
"Think you," continued the guide, with a passing gleam of the angerwhich he strove to restrain, "think you that I owe allegiance to _such_a queen?"
"Truly ye do not," answered the seaman, stoutly. "My only wonder isthat the people suffer her to reign."
Scarce heeding the reply the guide continued, with suppressedexcitement, "but she did not rest content. It was in the year 1829 thatshe usurped the throne. Since then she has persecuted the Christiansfor more than a quarter of a century, and at times blood has flowed likewater in our land. Bad as she is, however, she would have been worsebut for her love to her son. Ay, the woman whose heart is a stone tomost people is soft towards the young prince Rakota, in spite of thefact that this youth is favourable to the Christians and has often stoodbetween them and his mother.
"About nine years after the queen's coronation my little sister wasborn, and was secretly baptised--the name of Ruth being given to her.It is our custom to prefix Ra to many names--so she is Ra-Ruth. Look ather!" He pointed to a group not far-off, where the delicate andgraceful girl was busily assisting an elderly woman in her packingarrangements. "See you the lady beside her, with the grey hair and thesad worn face? That is my mother. I have said she was high at theCourt of Radama the First. She was young then. I was born the yearthat Radama died.
Ranavalona was fond of her, though she loved not herChristianity, so she continued at the palace. The Queen also becamevery fond of my little sister when she began to grow to womanhood, butRa-Ruth could not return the affection of one whose hands were stainedso deeply with Christian blood. I was an officer in the palace at thetime, but would gladly have left, only my doing so might have roused thequeen's wrath against my father and mother.
"At last the missionaries were ordered to quit the capital. In 1849 agreat persecution took place. The queen became furious because herpeople would not cease to love and serve Jesus. She ordered many menand women to be speared and burned and tossed over precipices, but allwithout avail, because `greater is He who is for us than all who can beagainst us.'
"My father was away on a trading expedition at this time. One day inattempting to cross a lake he was drowned." The guide's voice deepenedas he went on, "He was a good loving father to me. He taught me nearlyall I know, and he was no mean scholar. He also sent me to themissionary schools. After his death the Queen hardened her heartagainst us; and as we refused to give up praying to God and singing Hispraise, we were cast out of the palace--my mother and sister and I, withseveral others, among whom were Laihova and his sister Ramatoa. We weresold into slavery in the public market.
"Our purchaser was cruel. He put us to the hardest menial work. Weremained for several years with him. The health of my poor mother andsister began to give way. Then he sold me to another man, and we wereseparated. This was too much, I suppose, for the English blood in me toendure quietly. I made my escape. I went back to my old owner, and, inthe night, induced my mother and sister to fly. Many persecutedChristians have fled since then and are now hiding in dens and caveslike hunted beasts. We soon found some of these in the depths of theforests, and agreed to band together. They made me their leader, and Ibrought them here, where we have lived and worshipped God in peace; but,as you have seen, we are liable to be captured at any moment."
"And if captured," said Mark, "would the Queen really put you to death?"
"I fear she would; nay, I am certain of it, because one who recentlyescaped from Antananarivo has just brought the news that the Queen hasbeen visited with a fresh burst of anger against the Christians, hasthrown many into prison and sent out troops to scour the country insearch of those who have fled."
"But if that is so," said Hockins, earnestly, "what's the use o' youriskin' your life by goin' with us to Ant--Ant--all-alive-O! (I'llnever git that name into my head!) Why not just sketch us out a roughchart o' the island on a bit o' bark, give us the bearin's o' thecapital, an' let us steer a straight course for it. I'll be bound thatwe'll make our port easy enough."
"Yes, Hockins speaks wisely," added Mark. "It is very kind of you totake so much trouble for us, but there is no need to run such great riskon our account."
"You do not consider," replied Ravonino, "that it is more difficult forsailors to cross the wild forest than to find their way on the tracklesssea, and you forget also that the way is long, that Madagascar is largerthan Great Britain and Ireland put together. There are many tribes,too, some of which are not so hospitable as others. You could not avoidthe dangers of this wilderness easily without a guide. Besides, I donot mean to enter the capital. I will merely guide you to within sightof it and then leave you. Fortunately you require no assistance fromnatives, not being encumbered with this world's goods."
"Das troo; ha, ha-a!" cried Ebony, opening his portentous mouth andshutting his eyes, "we've got no luggidge."
"Well, we shall only be too glad of your company," said Mark, with somefeeling, "and we thank you most heartily for your disinterestedkindness."
"My conduct is not altogether disinterested," returned the guide. "Thetruth is, I had no intention at first of doing more than guiding you tothe right pass in the mountains, but since I have been with you myfeelings have been modified, and the news which we have just receivedhas--has filled me with anxiety, and raised in my mind the idea that--that I may even make use of you!"
"That's right," exclaimed Mark, heartily, "I'm glad if there is thesmallest chance of our serving you in any way. In what way can we doso?"
For some moments the guide displayed a degree of hesitancy which hisfriends had not before noticed in him. Then he spoke, slowly--
"Well, the truth is, that I have a friend in the palace who is, I havebeen told, in great danger, owing to the wrath of Ranavalona. I thoughtthat somehow, perhaps, you might give warning to this friend, and saythat Samuel Ravoninohitriniony is in the neighbouring forest, and--"
Here the guide stopped short, and seemed to be in some perplexity. MarkBreezy, whose young and romantic spirit was deeply stirred by theprospect of adventure which his words had opened up, assured him withenthusiasm that whatever was possible for man to accomplish he mightdepend upon being at least vigorously attempted. To which assuranceJohn Hockins begged to "putt the word ditto," and the negro ferventlyadded, "Das so--me too!"
"But how are we to find your friend," asked Mark, "seeing that we don'tknow him, and have never seen him?"
"My friend is not a man, but a--a woman, a young girl," said Ravonino,with the slightest possible symptom of confusion, which opened the eyesof Mark instantly, and still further stirred his sympathies.
"Ravonino," he exclaimed, suddenly grasping the guide's hand, "treat meas a friend and trust me. You love this young girl! Is it not so?Nay, man, don't be angry with me. I can't help sympathising. Why, Iknow something of your--your--a--condition myself. The morning I leftEngland, the very last person I said good-bye to was a fair young girl,with golden hair, and a rosebud mouth, and such lovely blue--"
"Das right, Massa," burst in Ebony, with a crow of admiration. "It doosmy bery heart good to see a man as is proud ob his sweet'art. I's gotone too, bress you! but _she_ ain't fair! No, she's black as de kitchenchimbly, wid a bootiful flat nose, a mout' like a coal-scuttle, an'_such_ eyes--oh!"
"Hold your tongue, Ebony! Now, am I not right, Ravonino?"
"You are right," answered the guide, gravely, yet without displeasure."My Rafaravavy is in danger, and I must save her from this murderess atall hazards. It is right, however, to tell you that if you attempt toaid me you will encounter both difficulty and danger."
"Don't mention that, friend. No true man would shrink from either in agood cause," said Mark. "But when must we set out on this expedition?"
"By day-break to-morrow. Our new hiding-place is on our way, so thechange will not delay us; and from what the fugitives have told us, Ihope--indeed I feel sure--that the Queen will do no further mischief forsome weeks to come. But now, comrades," said the guide, rising, "wemust rest if we would work to-morrow. Follow me."
He led them into one of the side caves, when the whole of the peoplefollowed, as if by preconcerted arrangement. Here a much-soiled book ina leathern cover was produced. It was a portion of the Bible in theMalagasy language. A few verses were reverently read by the guide; abrief earnest prayer was offered by a very old man; a hymn was sung, andthen the people dispersed to their several sections of the cave.Finally the lights were extinguished, and the place was left in silenceand darkness profound.