09-rikki-tikki-tavi- 第3部分

pieces；　as　he　fancied。



When　morning　came　he　was　very　stiff；　but　well　pleased　with　his

doings。　　〃Now　I　have　Nagaina　to　settle　with；　and　she　will　be　worse

than　five　Nags；　and　there's　no　knowing　when　the　eggs　she　spoke　of

will　hatch。　　Goodness！　　I　must　go　and　see　Darzee；〃　he　said。



Without　waiting　for　breakfast；　Rikki…tikki　ran　to　the

thornbush　where　Darzee　was　singing　a　song　of　triumph　at　the　top　of

his　voice。　　The　news　of　Nag's　death　was　all　over　the　garden；　for

the　sweeper　had　thrown　the　body　on　the　rubbish…heap。



〃Oh；　you　stupid　tuft　of　feathers！〃　said　Rikki…tikki　angrily。

〃Is　this　the　time　to　sing？〃



〃Nag　is　deadis　deadis　dead！〃　sang　Darzee。　　〃The

valiant　Rikki…tikki　caught　him　by　the　head　and　held　fast。　　The　big

man　brought　the　bang…stick；　and　Nag　fell　in　two　pieces！　　He　will

never　eat　my　babies　again。〃



〃All　that's　true　enough。　　But　where's　Nagaina？〃　said

Rikki…tikki；　looking　carefully　round　him。



〃Nagaina　came　to　the　bathroom　sluice　and　called　for　Nag；〃

Darzee　went　on；　〃and　Nag　came　out　on　the　end　of　a　stickthe

sweeper　picked　him　up　on　the　end　of　a　stick　and　threw　him　upon　the

rubbish　heap。　　Let　us　sing　about　the　great；　the　red…eyed

Rikki…tikki！〃　　And　Darzee　filled　his　throat　and　sang。



〃If　I　could　get　up　to　your　nest；　I'd　roll　your　babies　out！〃

said　Rikki…tikki。　　〃You　don't　know　when　to　do　the　right　thing　at

the　right　time。　　You're　safe　enough　in　your　nest　there；　but　it's

war　for　me　down　here。　　Stop　singing　a　minute；　Darzee。〃



〃For　the　great；　the　beautiful　Rikki…tikki's　sake　I　will　stop；〃

said　Darzee。　　〃What　is　it；　O　Killer　of　the　terrible　Nag？〃



〃Where　is　Nagaina；　for　the　third　time？〃



〃On　the　rubbish　heap　by　the　stables；　mourning　for　Nag。　　Great

is　Rikki…tikki　with　the　white　teeth。〃



〃Bother　my　white　teeth！　　Have　you　ever　heard　where　she　keeps

her　eggs？〃



〃In　the　melon　bed；　on　the　end　nearest　the　wall；　where　the　sun

strikes　nearly　all　day。　　She　hid　them　there　weeks　ago。〃



〃And　you　never　thought　it　worth　while　to　tell　me？　　The　end

nearest　the　wall；　you　said？〃



〃Rikki…tikki；　you　are　not　going　to　eat　her　eggs？〃



〃Not　eat　exactly；　no。　　Darzee；　if　you　have　a　grain　of　sense

you　will　fly　off　to　the　stables　and　pretend　that　your　wing　is

broken；　and　let　Nagaina　chase　you　away　to　this　bush。　　I　must　get

to　the　melon…bed；　and　if　I　went　there　now　she'd　see　me。〃



Darzee　was　a　feather…brained　little　fellow　who　could　never

hold　more　than　one　idea　at　a　time　in　his　head。　　And　just　because

he　knew　that　Nagaina's　children　were　born　in　eggs　like　his　own；　he

didn't　think　at　first　that　it　was　fair　to　kill　them。　　But　his　wife

was　a　sensible　bird；　and　she　knew　that　cobra's　eggs　meant　young

cobras　later　on。　　So　she　flew　off　from　the　nest；　and　left　Darzee

to　keep　the　babies　warm；　and　continue　his　song　about　the　death　of

Nag。　　Darzee　was　very　like　a　man　in　some　ways。



She　fluttered　in　front　of　Nagaina　by　the　rubbish　heap　and

cried　out；　〃Oh；　my　wing　is　broken！　　The　boy　in　the　house　threw　a

stone　at　me　and　broke　it。〃　　Then　she　fluttered　more　desperately

than　ever。



Nagaina　lifted　up　her　head　and　hissed；　〃You　warned　Rikki…tikki

when　I　would　have　killed　him。　　Indeed　and　truly；　you've　chosen　a

bad　place　to　be　lame　in。〃　　And　she　moved　toward　Darzee's　wife；

slipping　along　over　the　dust。



〃The　boy　broke　it　with　a　stone！〃　shrieked　Darzee's　wife。



〃Well！　　It　may　be　some　consolation　to　you　when　you're　dead　to

know　that　I　shall　settle　accounts　with　the　boy。　　My　husband　lies

on　the　rubbish　heap　this　morning；　but　before　night　the　boy　in　the

house　will　lie　very　still。　　What　is　the　use　of　running　away？　　I　am

sure　to　catch　you。　　Little　fool；　look　at　me！〃



Darzee's　wife　knew　better　than　to　do　that；　for　a　bird　who

looks　at　a　snake's　eyes　gets　so　frightened　that　she　cannot　move。

Darzee's　wife　fluttered　on；　piping　sorrowfully；　and　never　leaving

the　ground；　and　Nagaina　quickened　her　pace。



Rikki…tikki　heard　them　going　up　the　path　from　the　stables；　and

he　raced　for　the　end　of　the　melon　patch　near　the　wall。　　There；　in

the　warm　litter　above　the　melons；　very　cunningly　hidden；　he　found

twenty…five　eggs；　about　the　size　of　a　bantam's　eggs；　but　with

whitish　skin　instead　of　shell。



〃I　was　not　a　day　too　soon；〃　he　said；　for　he　could　see　the　baby

cobras　curled　up　inside　the　skin；　and　he　knew　that　the　minute　they

were　hatched　they　could　each　kill　a　man　or　a　mongoose。　　He　bit　off

the　tops　of　the　eggs　as　fast　as　he　could；　taking　care　to　crush　the

young　cobras；　and　turned　over　the　litter　from　time　to　time　to　see

whether　he　had　missed　any。　　At　last　there　were　only　three　eggs

left；　and　Rikki…tikki　began　to　chuckle　to　himself；　when　he　heard

Darzee's　wife　screaming：



〃Rikki…tikki；　I　led　Nagaina　toward　the　house；　and　she　has　gone

into　the　veranda；　andoh；　come　quicklyshe　means　killing！〃



Rikki…tikki　smashed　two　eggs；　and　tumbled　backward　down　the

melon…bed　with　the　third　egg　in　his　mouth；　and　scuttled　to　the

veranda　as　hard　as　he　could　put　foot　to　the　ground。　　Teddy　and　his

mother　and　father　were　there　at　early　breakfast；　but　Rikki…tikki

saw　that　they　were　not　eating　anything。　　They　sat　stone…still；　and

their　faces　were　white。　　Nagaina　was　coiled　up　on　the　matting　by

Teddy's　chair；　within　easy　striking　distance　of　Teddy's　bare　leg；

and　she　was　swaying　to　and　fro；　singing　a　song　of　triumph。



〃Son　of　the　big　man　that　killed　Nag；〃　she　hissed；　〃stay　still。

I　am　not　ready　yet。　　Wait　a　little。　　Keep　very　still；　all　you

three！　　If　you　move　I　strike；　and　if　you　do　not　move　I　strike。

Oh；　foolish　people；　who　killed　my　Nag！〃



Teddy's　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　father；　and　all　his　father

could　do　was　to　whisper；　〃Sit　still；　Teddy。　　You　mustn't　move。

Teddy；　keep　still。〃



Then　Rikki…tikki　came　up　and　cried；　〃Turn　round；　Nagaina。

Turn　and　fight！〃



〃All　in　good　time；〃　said　she；　without　moving　her　eyes。　　〃I

will　settle　my　account　with　you　presently。　　Look　at　your　friends；

Rikki…tikki。　　They　are　still　and　white。　　They　are　afraid。　　They

dare　not　move；　and　if　you　come　a　step　nearer　I　strike。〃



〃Look　at　your　eggs；〃　said　Rikki…tikki；　〃in　the　melon　bed　near

the　wall。　　Go　and　look；　Nagaina！〃



The　big　snake　turned　half　around；　and　saw　the　egg　on　the

veranda。　　〃Ah…h！　　Give　it　to　me；〃　she　said。



Rikki…tikki　put　his　paws　one　on　each　side　of　the　egg；　and　his

eyes　were　blood…red。　　〃What　price　for　a　snake's　egg？　　For　a　young

cobra？　　For　a　young　king　cobra？　　For　the　lastthe　very　last　of

the　brood？　　The　ants　are　eating　all　the　others　down　by　the　melon

bed。〃



Nagaina　spun　clear　round；　forgetting　everything　for　the　sake

of　the　one　egg。　　Rikki…tikki　saw　Teddy's　father　shoot　out　a　big

hand；　catch　Teddy　by　the　shoulder；　and　drag　him　across　the　little

table　with　the　tea…cups；　safe　and　out　of　reach　of　Nagaina。



〃Tricked！　　Tricked！　　Tricked！　　Rikk…tck…tck！〃　chuckled

Rikki…tikki。　　〃The　boy　is　safe；　and　it　was　III　that　caught

Nag　by　the　hood　last　night　in　the　bathroom。〃　　Then　he　began　to

jump　up　and　down；　all　four　feet　together；　his　head　close　to　the

floor。　　〃He　threw　me　to　and　fro；　but　he　could　not　shake　me　off。

He　was　dead　before　the　big　man　blew　him　in　two。　　I　did　it！

Rikki…tikki…tck…tck！　　Come　then；　Nagaina。　　Come　and　fight　with　me。

You　shall　not　be　a　widow　long。〃



Nagaina　saw　that　she　had　lost　her　chance　of　killing　Teddy；　and

the　egg　lay　between　Rikki…tikki's　paws。　　〃Give　me　the　egg；

Rikki…tikki。　　Give　me　the　last　of　my　eggs；　and　I　will　go　away　and

never　come　back；〃　she　said；　lowering　her　hood。



〃Yes；　you　will　go　away；　and　you　will　never　come　back。　　For　you

will　go　to　the　rubbish　heap　with　Nag。　　Fight；　widow！　　The　big　man

has　gone　for　his　gun！　　Fight！〃



Rikki…tikki　was　bounding　all　round　Nagaina；　keeping　just　out

of　reach　of　her　stroke；　his　little　eyes　like　hot　coals。　　Nagaina

gathered　herself　together　and　flung　out　at　him。　　Rikki…tikki

jumped　up　and　backward。　　Again　and　again　and　again　she　struck；　and

each　time　her　head　came　with　a　whack　on　the　matting　of　the　veranda

and　she　gathered　herself　together　like　a　watch　spring。　　Then

Rikki…tikki　danced　in　a　circle　to　get　behind　her；　and　Nagaina　spun

round　to　keep　her　head　to　his　head；　so　that　the　rustle　of　her　tail

on　the　matting　sounded　like　dry　leaves　blown　along　by　the　wind。



He　had　forgotten　the　egg。　　It　still　lay　on　the　veranda；　and

Nagaina　came　nearer　and　nearer　to　it；　till　at　last；　while

Rikki…tikki　was　drawing　breath；　she　caught　it　in　her　mouth；　turned

to　the　veranda　steps；　and　flew　like　an　arrow　down　the　path；　with

Rikki…tikki　behind　her。　　When　the　cobra　runs　for　her　life；　she

goes　like　a　whip…lash　flicked　across　a　horse's　neck。



Rikki…tikki　knew　that　he　must　catch　her；　or　all　the　trouble

would　begin　again。　　She　headed　straight　for　the　long　grass　by　the

thorn…bush；　and　as　he　was　running　Rikki…tikki　heard　Darzee　still

singing　his　foolish　little　song　of　triumph。　　But　Darzee's　wife　was

wiser。　　She　flew　off　her　nest　as　Nagaina　came　along；　and　flapped

her　wings　about　Nagaina's　head。　　If　Darzee　had　helped　they　might

have　turned　her；　but　Nagaina　only　lowered　her　hood　and　went　on。

Still；　the　instant's　delay　brought　Rikki…tikki　up　to　her；　and　as

she　plunged　into　the　rat…hole　where　she　and　Nag　used　to　live；　his

little　white　teeth　were　clenched　on　her　tail；　and　he　went　down

with　herand　very　few　mongooses；　however　wise　and　old　they　may

be；　care　to　follow　a　cobra　into　its　hole。　　It　was　dark　in　the

hole；　and　Rikki…tikki　never　knew　when　it　might　open　out　and　give

Nagaina　room　to　turn　and　strike　at　him。　　He　held　on　savagely；　and

stuck　out　his　feet　to　act　as　brakes　on　the　dark　slope　of　the　hot；

moist　earth。



Then　the　grass　by　the　mouth　of　the　hole　stopped　waving；　and

Darzee　said；　〃It　is　all　over　with　Rikki…tikki！　　We　must　sing　his

death　song。　　Valiant　Rikki…tikki　is　dead！　　For　Nagaina　will　surely

kill　him　underground。〃



So　he　sang　a　very　mournful　song　that　he　made　up　on　the　spur　of

the　minute