marie-第49部分

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！



same　document　that　we　had　seen　on　the　previous　day。



At　the　foot　of　it　someoneI　forget　whowrote　in　Dutch；　〃De　merk　van

Koning　Dingaan〃　＇that　is；　The　mark　of　King　Dingaan。＇　　In　the　space　left

between　the　words　〃merk〃　and　〃van〃　Dingaan　made　a　cross　with　a　pen　that

was　given　to　him；　Thomas　Halstead　holding　his　hand　and　showing　him　what

to　do。



After　this；　three　of　his　indunas；　or　great　councillors；　who　were　named

Nwara；　Yuliwana　and　Manondo；　testified　as　witnesses　for　the　Zulus；　and

M。　Oosthuyzen；　A。　C。　Greyling　and　B。　J。　Liebenberg；　who　were　standing

nearest　to　Retief；　as　witnesses　for　the　Boers。



This　done；　Dingaan　ordered　one　of　his　isibongos；　or　praisers；　to　run　to

and　fro　in　front　of　the　regiments　and　others　there　assembled；　and

proclaim　that　he　had　granted　Natal　to　the　Boers　to　be　their　property　for

ever；　information　which　the　Zulus　received　with　shouts。　　Then　Dingaan

asked　Retief　if　he　would　not　eat；　and　large　trenchers　of　boiled　beef

were　brought　out　and　handed　round。　　This；　however；　the　Boers　refused；

saying　they　had　already　breakfasted。　　Thereon　the　king　said　that　at

least　they　must　drink；　and　pots　of　twala；　or　Kaffir　beer；　were　handed

round；　of　which　all　the　Boers　partook。



While　they　were　drinking；　Dingaan　gave　Retief　a　message　to　the　Dutch

farmers；　to　the　effect　that　he　hoped　they　would　soon　come　and　occupy

Natal；　which　henceforth　was　their　country。　　Also；　black…hearted　villain

that　he　was；　that　they　would　have　a　pleasant　journey　home。　　Next　he

ordered　the　two　regiments　to　dance　and　sing　war　songs；　in　order　to　amuse

his　guests。



This　they　began　to　do；　drawing　nearer　as　they　danced。



It　was　at　this　moment　that　a　Zulu　appeared；　pushing　his　way　through　the

captains　who　were　gathered　at　the　gate　of　the　labyrinth；　and　delivered

some　message　to　one　of　the　indunas；　who　in　turn　passed　it　on　to　the

king。




〃Ow！　is　it　so？〃　said　the　king　with　a　troubled　look。　　Then　his　glance

fell　on　me　as　though　by　accident；　and　he　added：　〃Macumazahn；　one　of　my

wives　is　taken　very　ill　suddenly；　and　says　she　must　have　some　of　the

medicine　of　the　white　men　before　they　go　away。　　Now；　you　tell　me　that

you　are　a　new…married　man；　so　I　can　trust　you　with　my　wives。　　I　pray　you

to　go　and　find　out　what　medicine　it　is　that　she　needs；　for　you　can　speak

our　tongue。〃



I　hesitated；　then　translated　what　he　had　said　to　Retief。



〃You　had　best　go；　nephew；〃　said　the　commandant；　〃but　come　back　quickly；

for　we　ride　at　once。〃



Still　I　hesitated；　not　liking　this　business；　whereon　the　king　began　to

grow　angry。



〃What！〃　he　said；　〃do　you　white　men　refuse　me　this　little　favour；　when　I

have　just　given　you　so　muchyou　who　have　wonderful　medicines　that　can

cure　the　sick？〃



〃Go；　Allan；　go；〃　said　Retief；　when　he　understood　his　words；　〃or　he　will

grow　cross　and　everything　may　be　undone。〃



So；　having　no　choice；　I　went　through　the　gateway　into　the　labyrinth。



Next　moment　men　pounced　on　me；　and　before　I　could　utter　a　word　a　cloth

was　thrown　over　my　mouth　and　tied　tight　behind　my　head。



I　was　a　prisoner　and　gagged。







CHAPTER　XIX









DEPART　IN　PEACE











A　tall　Kaffir；　one　of　the　king's　household　guards；　who　carried　an

assegai；　came　up　to　me　and　whispered：



〃Hearken；　little　Son　of　George。　　The　king　would　save　you；　if　he　can；

because　you　are　not　Dutch；　but　English。　　Yet；　know　that　if　you　try　to

cry　out；　if　you　even　struggle；　you　die；〃　and　he　lifted　the　assegai　so　as

to　be　ready　to　plunge　it　through　my　heart。



Now　I　understood；　and　a　cold　sweat　broke　out　all　over　me。　　My　companions

were　to　be　murdered；　every　one！　　Oh！　gladly　would　I　have　given　my　life

to　warn　them。　　But　alas！　I　could　not；　for　the　cloth　upon　my　mouth　was　so

thick　that　no　sound　could　pass　it。



One　of　the　Zulus　inserted　a　stick　between　the　reeds　of　the　fence。　

Working　it　to　and　fro　sideways；　he　made　an　opening　just　in　a　line　with

my　eyesout　of　cruelty；　I　suppose；　for　now　I　must　see　everything。



For　some　timeten　minutes；　I　dare　saythe　dancing　and　beer…drinking

went　on。　　Then　Dingaan　rose　from　his　chair　and　shook　the　hand　of　Retief

warmly；　bidding　him　〃Hamba　gachle；〃　that　is；　Depart　gently；　or　in　peace。

　He　retreated　towards　the　gate　of　the　labyrinth；　and　as　he　went　the

Boers　took　off　their　hats；　waving　them　in　the　air　and　cheering　him。　　He

was　almost　through　it；　and　I　began　to　breathe　again。



Doubtless　I　was　mistaken。　　After　all；　no　treachery　was　intended。



In　the　very　opening　of　the　gate　Dingaan　turned；　however；　and　said　two

words　in　Zulu　which　mean：



〃Seize　them！〃



Instantly　the　warriors；　who　had　now　danced　quite　close　and　were　waiting

for　these　words；　rushed　upon　the　Boers。　　I　heard　Thomas　Halstead　call

out　in　English：



〃We　are　done　for；〃　and　then　add　in　Zulu；　〃Let　me　speak　to　the　king！〃



Dingaan　heard　also；　and　waved　his　hand　to　show　that　he　refused　to

listen；　and　as　he　did　so　shouted　thrice　：



〃Bulala　abatagati！〃　that　is；　Slay　the　wizards！



I　saw　poor　Halstead　draw　his　knife　and　plunge　it　into　a　Zulu　who　was

near　him。　　The　man　fell；　and　again　he　struck　at　another　soldier；　cutting

his　throat。　　The　Boers　also　drew　their　knivesthose　of　them　who　had

timeand　tried　to　defend　themselves　against　these　black　devils；　who

rushed　on　them　in　swarms。　　I　heard　afterwards　that　they　succeeded　in

killing　six　or　eight　of　them　and　wounding　perhaps　a　score。　　But　it　was

soon　over；　for　what　could　men　armed　only　with　pocket…knives　do　against

such　a　multitude？



Presently；　amidst　a　hideous　tumult　of　shouts；　groans；　curses；　prayers

for　mercy；　and　Zulu　battle　cries；　the　Boers　were　all　struck　downyes；

even　the　two　little　lads　and　the　Hottentot　servants。　　Then　they　were

dragged　away；　still　living；　by　the　soldiers；　their　heels　trailing　on　the

ground；　just　as　wounded　worms　or　insects　are　dragged　by　the　black　ants。



Dingaan　was　standing　by　me　now；　laughing；　his　fat　face　working

nervously。



〃Come；　Son　of　George；〃　he　said；　〃and　let　us　see　the　end　of　these

traitors　to　your　sovereign。〃



Then　I　was　pulled　along　to　an　eminence　within　the　labyrinth；　whence

there　was　a　view　of　the　surrounding　country。　　Here　we　waited　a　little

while；　listening　to　the　tumult　that　grew　more　distant；　till　presently

the　dreadful　procession　of　death　reappeared；　coming　round　the　fence　of

the　Great　Kraal　and　heading　straight　for　the　Hill　of　Slaughter；　Hloma

Amabutu。　　Soon　its　slopes　were　climbed；　and　there　among　the　dark…leaved

bushes　and　the　rocks　the　black　soldiers　butchered　them；　every　one。



I　saw　and　swooned　away。





I　believe　that　I　remained　senseless　for　many　hours；　though　towards　the

end　of　that　time　my　swoon　grew　thin；　as　it　were；　and　I　heard　a　hollow

voice　speaking　over　me　in　Zulu。



〃I　am　glad　that　the　little　Son　of　George　has　been　saved；〃　said　the

echoing　voice；　which　I　did　not　know；　〃for　he　has　a　great　destiny　and

will　be　useful　to　the　black　people　in　time　to　come。〃　　Then　the　voice

went　on：



〃O　House　of　Senzangacona！　now　you　have　mixed　your　milk　with　blood；　with

white　blood。　　Of　that　bowl　you　shall　drink　to　the　dregs；　and　afterwards

must　the　bowl　be　shattered〃；　and　the　speaker　laugheda　deep；　dreadful

laugh　that　I　was　not　to　hear　again　for　years。



I　heard　him　go　away；　shuffling　along　like　some　great　reptile；　and　then；

with　an　effort；　opened　my　eyes。　　I　was　in　a　large　hut；　and　the　only

light　in　the　hut　came　from　a　fire　that　burned　in　its　centre；　for　it　was

night　time。　　A　Zulu　woman；　young　and　good…looking；　was　bending　over　a

gourd　near　the　fire；　doing　something　to　its　contents。　　I　spoke　to　her

light…headedly。



〃O　woman；〃　I　said；　〃is　that　a　man　who　laughed　over　me？〃



〃Not　altogether；　Macumazahn；〃　she　answered　in　a　pleasant　voice。　　〃That

was　Zikali；　the　Mighty　Magician；　the　Counsellor　of　Kings；　the　Opener　of

Roads；　he　whose　birth　our　grandfathers　do　not　remember；　he　whose　breath

causes　the　trees　to　be　torn　out　by　the　roots；　he　whom　Dingaan　fears　and

obeys。〃



〃Did　he　cause　the　Boers　to　be　killed？〃　I　asked。



〃Mayhap；〃　she　answered。　　〃Who　am　I　that　I　should　know　of　such　matters？〃



〃Are　you　the　woman　who　was　sick　whom　I　was　sent　to　visit？〃　I　asked

again。



〃Yes；　Macumazahn；　I　was　sick；　but　now　I　am　well　and　you　are　sick；　for　so

things　go　round。　　Drink　this；〃　and　she　handed　me　a　gourd　of　milk。



〃How　are　you　named？〃　I　inquired　as　I　took　it。



〃Naya　is　my　name；〃　she　replied；　〃and　I　am　your　jailer。　　Don't　think　that

you　can　escape　me；　though；　Macumazahn；　for　there　are　other　jailers

without　who　carry　spears。　　Drink。〃



So　I　drank　and　bethought　me　that　the　draught　might　be　poisoned。　　Yet　so

thirsty　was　I　that　I　finished　it；　every　drop。



〃Now　am　I　a　dead　man？〃　I　asked；　as　I　put　down　the　gourd。



〃No；　no；　Macumazahn；〃　she　who　called　herself　Naya　replied　in　a　soft

voice；　〃not　a　dead　man；　only　one　who　will　sleep　and　forget。〃



Then　I　lost　count　of　everything　and　sleptfor　how　long　I　know　not。



When　I　awoke　again　it　was　broad　daylight；　in　fact；　the　sun　stood　high　in

the　heavens。　　Perhaps　Naya　had　put　some　drug　into　my　milk；　or　perhaps　I

had　simply　slept。　　I　do　not　know。　　At　any　rate；　I　was　grateful　for　that

sleep；　for　without　it　I　think　that　I　should　have　gone　mad。　　As　it　was；

when　I　remembered；　which　it　took　me　some　time　to　do；　for　a　while　I　went

near　to　insanity。



I　recollect　lying　there　in　that　hut　and　wondering　how　the　Almighty　could

have　permitted　such　a　deed　as　I　had　seen　done。　　How　could　it　be

reconciled　with　any　theory　of　a　loving　and　merciful　Father？　　Those　poor

Boers；　whatever　their　faults；　and　they　had　many；　like　the　rest　of　us；

were　in　the　main　good　and　honest　men　according　to　their　lights。　　Yet

they　had　been　doomed　to　be　thus　brutally　butchered　at　the　nod　of　a

savage　despot；　their　wives　widowed；　their　children　left　fatherless；　or；

as　it　proved　in　the　end；　in　most　cases　murdered　or　orphaned！



The　mystery　was　too　greatgreat　enough　to　t