ALLAN AND THE HOLY FLOWER

CHAPTER I

BrotherJohn

I do not suppose that anyone who knows the name of Allan Quatermain would be likely to associate it with flowers, and especially with orchids.  Yet as it happens it was once my lot to take part in an orchid hunt of so remarkable a character that I think its details should not be lost.  At least I will set them down, and if in the after days anyone cares to publish them, well—­he is at liberty to do so.

It was in the year—­oh! never mind the year, it was a long while ago when I was much younger, that I went on a hunting expedition to the north of the Limpopo River which borders the Transvaal.  My companion was a gentleman of the name of Scroope, Charles Scroope.  He had come out to Durban from England in search of sport.  At least, that was one of his reasons.  The other was a lady whom I will call Miss Margaret Manners, though that was not her name.

It seems that these two were engaged to be married, and really attached to each other.  Unfortunately, however, they quarrelled violently about another gentlemen with whom Miss Manners danced four consecutive dances, including two that were promised to her fiancé at a Hunt ball in Essex, where they all lived.  Explanations, or rather argument, followed.  Mr. Scroope said that he would not tolerate such conduct.  Miss Manners replied that she would not be dictated to; she was her own mistress and meant to remain so.  Mr. Scroope exclaimed that she might so far as he was concerned.  She answered that she never wished to see his face again.  He declared with emphasis that she never should and that he was going to Africa to shoot elephants.

What is more, he went, starting from his Essex home the next day without leaving any address.  As it transpired afterwards, long afterwards, had he waited till the post came in he would have received a letter that might have changed his plans.  But they were high-spirited young people, both of them, and played the fool after the fashion of those in love.

Well, Charles Scroope turned up in Durban, which was but a poor place then, and there we met in the bar of the Royal Hotel.

“If you want to kill big game,” I heard some one say, who it was I really forget, “there’s the man to show you how to do it—­Hunter Quatermain; the best shot in Africa and one of the finest fellows, too.”

I sat still, smoking my pipe and pretending to hear nothing.  It is awkward to listen to oneself being praised, and I was always a shy man.

Then after a whispered colloquy Mr. Scroope was brought forward and introduced to me.  I bowed as nicely as I could and ran my eye over him.  He was a tall young man with dark eyes and a rather romantic aspect (that was due to his love affair), but I came to the conclusion that I liked the cut of his jib.  When he spoke, that conclusion was affirmed.  I always think there is a great deal in a voice; personally, I judge by it almost as much as by the face.  This voice was particularly pleasant and sympathetic, though there was nothing very original or striking in the words by which it was, so to speak, introduced to me.  These were: