marie-第28章

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captain；　for　to　the　captain　I　would　speak。〃



I　translated　the　question；　and　Marais　answered：



〃I　am。〃



〃No；〃　broke　in　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　〃_I_　am。　　Tell　them；　Allan；　that　these

men　are　all　fools　and　have　given　the　rule　to　me；　a　woman。〃



So　I　told　them。　　Evidently　this　information　surprised　them　a　little；　for

they　discussed　together。　　Then　Kambula　said：



〃So　be　it。　　We　have　heard　that　the　people　of　George　are　now　ruled　by　a

woman；　and　as　you；　Macumazahn；　are　one　of　that　people；　doubtless　it　is

the　same　among　your　party。〃



Here　I　may　add　that　thenceforward　the　Zulus　always　accepted　the　Vrouw

Prinsloo　as　the　〃Inkosikaas〃　or　chieftainess　of　our　little　band；　and

with　the　single　exception　of　myself；　whom　they　looked　upon　as　her

〃mouth；〃　or　induna；　would　only　transact　business　with　or　give　directions

to　her。　　The　other　Boers　they　ignored　completely。



This　point　of　etiquette　settled；　Kambula　bade　me　repeat　what　he　had

already　told　me；　that　we　were　prisoners　whom　he　was　instructed　by

Dingaan　to　convey　to　his　Great　Place；　and　that　if　we　made　no　attempt　to

escape　we　should　not　be　hurt　upon　the　journey。



I　did　so；　whereon　the　vrouw　asked　as　I　had　done；　who　had　informed

Dingaan　that　we　were　coming。



I　repeated　to　her　word　for　word　what　the　Zulus　had　told　me；　that　it　was

Pereira；　whose　object　seems　to　have　been　to　bring　about　my　death　or

capture。



Then　the　vrouw　exploded。



〃Do　you　hear　that；　Henri　Marais？〃　she　screamed。　　〃It　is　your　stinkcat　of

a　nephew　again。　　Oh！　I　thought　I　smelt　him！　　Your　nephew　has　betrayed　us

to　these　Zulus　that　he　may　bring　Allan　to　his　death。　　Ask　them；　Allan；

what　this　Dingaan　has　done　with　the　stinkcat。〃



So　I　asked；　and　was　informed　they　believed　that　the　king　had　let　Pereira

go　on　to　his　own　people　in　payment　of　the　information　that　he　had　given

him。



〃My　God！〃　said　the　vrouw；　〃I　hoped　that　he　had　knocked　him　on　the　head。　

Well；　what　is　to　be　done　now？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered。　　Then　an　idea　occurred　to　me；　and　I　said　to

Kambula：



〃It　seems　to　be　me；　the　son　of　George；　that　your　king　wants。　　Take　me；

and　let　these　people　go　on　their　road。〃



The　three　Zulus　began　to　discuss　this　point；　withdrawing　themselves　a

little　way　so　that　I　could　not　overhear　them。　　But　when　the　Boers

understood　the　offer　that　I　had　made；　Marie；　who　until　now　had　been

silent；　grew　more　angry　than　ever　I　had　seen　her　before。



〃It　shall　not　be！〃　she　said；　stamping　her　foot。　　〃Father；　I　have　been

obedient　to　you　for　long；　but　if　you　consent　to　this　I　will　be　obedient

no　more。　　Allan　saved　my　cousin　Hernan's　life；　as　he　saved　all　our

lives。　　In　payment　for　that　good　deed　Hernan　tried　to　murder　him　in　the

kloofoh！　be　quiet；　Allan；　I　know　all　the　story。　　Now　he　has　betrayed

him　to　the　Zulus；　telling　them　that　he　is　a　terrible　and　dangerous　man

who　must　be　killed。　　Well；　if　he　is　to　be　killed；　I　will　be　killed　with

him；　and　if　the　Zulus　take　him　and　let　us　free；　I　go　with　him。　　Now　make

up　your　mind。〃



Marais　tugged　at　his　beard；　staring　first　at　his　daughter　and　then　at

me。　　What　he　would　have　answered　I　do　not　know；　for　at　that　moment

Kambula　stepped　forward　and　gave　his　decision。



It　was　to　the　effect　that　although　it　was　the　Son　of　George　whom　Dingaan

wanted；　his　orders　were　that　all　with　him　were　to　be　taken　also。　　Those

orders　could　not　be　disobeyed。　　The　king　would　settle　the　matter　as　to

whether　some　of　us　were　to　be　killed　and　some　let　free；　or　if　all　were

to　be　killed　or　let　free；　when　we　reached　his　House。　　Therefore　he

commanded　that　〃we　should　tie　the　oxen　to　the　moving　huts　and　cross　the

river　at　once。〃



This　was　the　end　of　that　scene。　　Having　no　choice　we　inspanned　and

continued　our　journey；　escorted　by　the　company　of　two　hundred　savages。　

I　am　bound　to　say　that　during　the　four　or　five　days　that　it　took　us　to

reach　Dingaan's　kraal　they　behaved　very　well　to　us。　　With　Kambula　and

his　officers；　all　of　them　good　fellows　in　their　way；　I　had　many

conversations；　and　from　them　learned　much　as　to　the　state　and　customs　of

the　Zulus。　　Also　the　peoples　of　the　districts　through　which　we　passed

flocked　round　us　at　every　outspan；　for　most　of　them　had　never　seen　a

white　man　before；　and　in　return　for　a　few　beads　brought　us　all　the　food

that　we　required。　　Indeed；　the　beads；　or　their　equivalents；　were　nothing

but　a　present；　since；　by　the　king's　command；　they　must　satisfy　our

wants。　　This　they　did　very　thoroughly。　　For　instance；　when　on　the　last

day's　trek；　some　of　our　oxen　gave　out；　numbers　of　Zulus　were　inspanned

in　place　of　them；　and　by　their　help　the　wagons　were　dragged　to　the　great

kraal；　Umgungundhlovu。



Here　an　outspan　place　was　assigned　to　us　near　to　the　house；　or　rather

the　huts；　of　a　certain　missionary　of　the　name　of　Owen；　who　with　great

courage　had　ventured　into　this　country。　　We　were　received　with　the

utmost　kindness　by　him　and　his　wife　and　household；　and　it　is　impossible

for　me　to　say　what　pleasure　I　found；　after　all　my　journeyings；　in

meeting　an　educated　man　of　my　own　race。



Near　to　our　camp　was　a　stone…covered　koppie；　where；　on　the　morning　after

our　arrival；　I　saw　six　or　eight　men　executed　in　a　way　that　I　will　not

describe。　　Their　crime；　according　to　Mr。　Owen；　was　that　they　had

bewitched　some　of　the　king's　oxen。



While　I　was　recovering　from　this　dreadful　spectacle；　which；　fortunately；

Marie　did　not　witness；　the　captain　Kambula　arrived；　saying　that　Dingaan

wished　to　see　me。　　So　taking　with　me　the　Hottentot　Hans　and　two　of　the

Zulus　whom　I　had　hired　at　Delagoa　Bayfor　the　royal　orders　were　that

none　of　the　other　white　people　were　to　come；　I　was　led　through　the　fence

of　the　vast　town　in　which　stood　two　thousand　hutsthe　〃multitude　of

houses〃　as　the　Zulus　called　itand　across　a　vast　open　space　in　the

middle。



On　the　farther　side　of　this　space；　where；　before　long；　I　was　fated　to

witness　a　very　tragic　scene；　I　entered　a　kind　of　labyrinth。　　This　was

called　〃siklohlo〃；　and　had　high　fences　with　numerous　turns；　so　that　it

was　impossible　to　see　where　one　was　going　or　to　find　the　way　in　or　out。　

Ultimately；　however；　I　reached　a　great　hut　named　〃intunkulu〃；　a　word

that　means　the　〃house　of　houses；〃　or　the　abode　of　the　king；　in　front　of

which　I　saw　a　fat　man　seated　on　a　stool；　naked　except　for　the　moocha

about　his　middle　and　necklaces　and　armlets　of　blue　beads。　　Two　warriors

held　their　broad　shields　over　his　head　to　protect　him　from　the　sun。　

Otherwise　he　was　alone；　although　I　felt　sure　that　the　numerous　passages

around　him　were　filled　with　guards；　for　I　could　hear　them　moving。



On　entering　this　place　Kambula　and　his　companions　flung　themselves　upon

their　faces　and　began　to　sing　praises　of　which　the　king　took　no　notice。　

Presently　he　looked　up；　and　appearing　to　observe　me　for　the　first　time

asked：



〃Who　is　that　white　boy？〃



Then　Kambula　rose　and　said：



〃O　king；　this　is　the　Son　of　George；　whom　you　commanded　me　to　capture。　　I

have　taken　him　and　the　Amaboona〃　（that　is；　the　Boers）；　〃his　companions；

and　brought　them　all　to　you；　O　king。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Dingaan。　　〃The　big　Boer　who　was　here；　and　whom

Tambusa〃he　was　one　of　Dingaan's　captains〃let　go　against　my　will；

said　that　be　was　a　terrible　man　who　should　be　killed　before　he　worked

great　harm　to　my　people。　　Why　did　you　not　kill　him；　Kambula；　although　it

is　true　he　does　not　look　very　terrible？〃



〃Because　the　king's　word　was　that　I　should　bring　him　to　the　king

living；〃　answered　Kambula。　　Then　he　added　cheerfully：　〃Still；　if　the

king　wishes　it；　I　can　kill　him　at　once。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Dingaan　doubtfully；　〃perhaps　he　can　mend　guns。〃　

Next；　after　reflecting　a　while；　he　bade　a　shield…holder　to　fetch

someone；　I　could　not　hear　whom。



〃Doubtless；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃it　is　the　executioner；〃　and　at　that

thought　a　kind　of　mad　rage　seized　me。　　Why　should　my　life　be　ended　thus

in　youth　to　satisfy　the　whim　of　a　savage？　　And　if　it　must　be　so；　why

should　I　go　alone？



In　the　inside　pocket　of　my　ragged　coat　I　had　a　small　loaded　pistol　with

two　barrels。　　One　of　those　barrels　would　kill　Dingaanat　five　paces　I

could　not　miss　that　bulkand　the　other　would　blow　out　my　brains；　for　I

was　not　minded　to　have　my　neck　twisted　or　to　be　beaten　to　death　with

sticks。　　Well；　if　it　was　to　be　done；　I　had　better　do　it　at　once。　

Already　my　hand　was　creeping　towards　the　pocket　when　a　new　idea；　or

rather　two　ideas；　struck　me。



The　first　was　that　if　I　shot　Dingaan　the　Zulus　would　probably　massacre

Marie　and　the　othersMarie；　whose　sweet　face　I　should　never　see　again。　

The　second　was　that　while　there　is　life　there　is　hope。　　Perhaps；　after

all；　he　had　not　sent　for　an　executioner；　but　for　someone　else。　　I　would

wait。　　A　few　minutes　more　of　existence　were　worth　the　having。



The　shield…bearer　returned；　emerging　from　one　of　the　narrow；　reed…hedged

passages；　and　after　him　came　no　executioner；　but　a　young　white　man；　who；

as　I　knew　from　the　look　of　him；　was　English。　　He　saluted　the　king　by

taking　off　his　hat；　which　I　remember　was　stuck　round　with　black　ostrich

feathers；　then　stared　at　me。



〃O　Tho…maas〃　（that　is　how　he　pronounced　〃Thomas〃）；　said　Dingaan；　〃tell

me　if　this　boy　is　one　of　your　brothers；　or　is　he　a　Boer？〃



〃The　king　wants　to　know　if　you　are　Dutch　or　British；〃　said　the　white

lad；　speaking　in　English。



〃As　British　as　you　are；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　was　born　in　England；　and　come

from　the　Cape。〃



〃That　may　be　lucky　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃because　the　old　witch…doctor；

Zikali；　has　told　him　that　he　must　not　kill　any　English。　　What　is　your

name？　　Mine　is　Thomas　Halstead。　　I　am　interpreter　here。〃



〃Allan　Quatermain。　　Tell　Zikali；　whoever　he　may　be；　that　if　he　sticks　to

his　advice　I　will　give　him　a　good　present。〃



〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Dingaan　suspiciously。



〃He　says　he　is　English；　no　Boer；　O　king；　that　he　was　born　across　the

Black　Water；　and　that　he　comes　from　the　country　out　of　which　all　the

Boers　have　trekked。〃



At　this　intelligence　Dingaan　pricked　up　his　ears。



〃Then　he　can　tell　me　about　these　Boers；〃　he　said；　〃and　what　they　are

after；　or　could　if　he　were　able　to　speak　my　tongue。　　I　do　not　trust　you

to　interpret；　you　Tho…maas；　whom　I　know　to　be　a　liar；〃　and　he　glowered

at　Halstead。



〃I　can　speak　your　tongue；　though　not　very　well；　O　king；〃　I　interrupted；

〃and　I　can　tell　you　all　about　the　Boers；　for　I　have　lived　among　them。〃



〃Ow！〃　said　Dingaan；　intensely　interested。　　〃But　perhaps　you　are　also　a

liar。　　Or　are　you　a　praying　man；　like　that　fool　yonder；　who　is　named

Oweena？〃he　meant　the　missionary　Mr。　Owen〃　whom　I　spare　because　it　is

not　lucky　to　kill　one　who　is　mad；　although　he　tries　to　frighten　my

soldiers　with　tales　of　a　fire　into　which　they　will　go　after　they　are

dead。　　As　though　it　matters　what　happens　to　them　after　they　are　dead！〃

he　added　reflectively；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff。



〃I　am　no　liar；〃　I　answe