"Smith, Wilbur - Elephant Song" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Wilbur)

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.


ISBN 0-330-32326-1

Photoset by Doux International Limited

Printed in England by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc

For my wife and cherished companion, Danielle Antoinette This book is
sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or
otherwise, be lent, re-sold hired out, or otherwise circulated without
the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than
that in which it is published and without a similar condition including
this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

Elephant Song by Wilbur Smith


It was a windowless thatched building of dressed sandstone blocks, that
Daniel Armstrong had built with his own hands almost ten years ago. At
the time he had been a junior game ranger in the National Parks
administration. Since then the building had been converted into a
veritable treasure house.

Johnny Nzou slipped his key into the heavy padlock, and swung open the
double doors of hewn native teak. Johnny was chief warden of Chiwewe
National Park. Back in the old days, he had been Daniel's tracker and
gunbearer, a bright young Matabele whom Daniel had taught to read, write
and speak fluent English by the light of a thousand campfires.

Daniel had lent Johnny the money to pay for his first correspondence
course from the University of South Africa which had led much later to
his degree of Bachelor of Science.

The two youngsters, one black and one white, had patrolled the vast
reaches of the National Park together, often on foot or bicycle. In the
wilderness they had forged a friendship which the subsequent years of
separation had left undimmed.

Now Daniel peered into the gloomy interior of the go down, and whistled
softly. Hell, Johnny boy, you have been busy since I've been away. The
treasure was stacked to the roof beams, hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of it.

Johnny Nzou glanced at Daniel's face, his eyes narrowed as he looked for
criticism in his friend's expression. The reaction was reflex, for he
knew Daniel was an ally who understood the problem even better than he
did. Nevertheless, the subject was so emotionally charged that it had
become second nature to expect revulsion and antagonism.