marie-第42章

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Dingaan　has　some　message　about　the　treaty　to　send　to　me　through　you。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　I　answered。　　〃What　is　the　use　of　being　afraid　in　a

place　like　this？〃



〃Ask　that　Kaffir　if　the　king　gives　you　safe　conduct；〃　said　Retief。



I　did　so；　and　Kambula　answered：



〃Yes；　for　this　visit。　　Who　am　I　that　I　can　speak　the　king's　unspoken

words？〃　＇which　meant；　guarantee　his　will　in　the　future。＇



〃A　dark　saying；〃　commented　Retief。　　〃But　go；　Allan；　since　you　must；　and

God　bring　you　back　safe　again。　　It　is　clear　that　Dingaan　did　not　ask

that　you　should　come　with　me　for　nothing。　　Now　I　wish　I　had　left　you　at

home　with　that　pretty　wife　of　yours。〃



So　we　parted；　I　going　to　the　king's　private　enclosure　on　foot　and

without　my　rifle；　since　I　was　not　allowed　to　appear　before　him　armed；

and　the　commandant　towards　the　gate　of　the　kraal　accompanied　by　Hans；

who　led　my　horse。　　Ten　minutes　later　I　stood　before　Dingaan；　who　greeted

me　kindly　enough；　and　began　to　ask　a　number　of　questions　about　the

Boers；　especially　if　they　were　not　people　who　had　rebelled　against　their

own　king　and　run　away　from　him。



I　answered；　Yes；　they　had　run　away；　as　they　wanted　more　room　to　live；

but　I　had　told　him　all　about　that　when　I　saw　him　before。　　He　said　he

knew　I　had；　but　he　wished　to　hear　〃whether　the　same　words　came　out　of

the　same　mouth；　or　different　words；〃　so　that　he　might　know　if　I　were　a

true　man　or　not。　　Then；　after　pausing　a　while；　he　looked　at　me　in　his

piercing　fashion　and　asked：



〃Have　you　brought　me　a　present　of　that　tall　white　girl　with　eyes　like

two　stars；　Macumazahn？　　I　mean　the　girl　whom　you　refused　to　me；　and　whom

I　could　not　take　because　you　had　won　your　bet；　which　gave　all　the　white

people　to　you；　she　for　whose　sake　you　make　brothers　of　these　Boers；　who

are　traitors　to　their　king？〃



〃No；　O　Dingaan；〃　I　answered；　〃there　are　no　women　among　us。　　Moreover；

this　maid　is　now　my　wife。〃



〃Your　wife！〃　he　exclaimed　angrily。　　〃By　the　Head　of　the　Black　One；　have

you　dared　to　make　a　wife　of　her　whom　I　desired？　　Now　say；　boy；　you

clever　Watcher　by　Night；　you　little　white　ant；　who　work　in　the　dark　and

only　peep　out　at　the　end　of　your　tunnel　when　it　is　finished；　you　wizard；

who　by　your　magic　can　snatch　his　prey　out　of　the　hand　of　the　greatest

king　in　all　the　worldfor　it　was　magic　that　killed　those　vultures　on

Hloma　Amabutu；　not　your　bullets；　Macumazahnsay；　why　should　I　not　make

an　end　of　you　at　once　for　this　trick？〃



I　folded　my　arms　and　looked　at　him。　　A　strange　contrast　we　must　have

made；　this　huge；　black　tyrant　with　the　royal　air；　for　to　do　him　justice

he　had　that；　at　whose　nod　hundreds　went　the　way　of　death；　and　I；　a　mere

insignificant　white　boy；　for　in　appearance；　at　any　rate；　I　was　nothing

more。



〃O　Dingaan；〃　I　said　coolly；　knowing　that　coolness　was　my　only　chance；　〃I

answer　you　in　the　words　of　the　Commandant　Retief；　the　great　chief。　　Do

you　take　me　for　a　child　that　I　should　give　up　my　own　wife　to　you　who

already　have　so　many？　　Moreover；　you　cannot　kill　me　because　I　have　the

word　of　your　captain；　Kambula；　that　I　am　safe　with　you。〃



This　reply　seemed　to　amuse　him。　　At　any　rate；　with　one　of　those　almost

infantile　changes　of　mood　which　are　common　to　savages　of　every　degree；

he　passed　from　wrath　to　laughter。



〃You　are　quick　as　a　lizard；〃　he　said。　　〃Why　should　I；　who　have　so　many

wives；　want　one　more；　who　would　certainly　hate　me？　　Just　because　she　is

white；　and　would　make　the　others；　who　are　black；　jealous；　I　suppose。　

Indeed；　they　would　poison　her；　or　pinch　her　to　death　in　a　month；　and

then　come　to　tell　me　she　had　died　of　fretting。　　Also；　you　are　right；　you

have　my　safe　conduct；　and　must　go　hence　unharmed　this　time。　　But　look

you；　little　lizard；　although　you　escape　me　between　the　stones；　I　will

pull　off　your　tail。　　I　have　said　that　I　want　to　pluck　this　tall　white

flower　of　yours；　and　I　will　pluck　her。　　I　know　where　she　dwells。　　Yes；

just　where　the　wagon　she　sleeps　in　stands　in　the　line；　for　my　spies　have

told　me；　and　I　will　give　orders　that　whoever　is　killed；　she　is　to　be

spared　and　brought　to　me　living。　　So　perhaps　you　will　meet　this　wife　of

yours　here；　Macumazahn。〃



Now；　at　these　ominous　words；　that　might　mean　so　much　or　so　little；　the

sweat　started　to　my　brow；　and　a　shiver　went　down　my　back。



〃Perhaps　I　shall　and　perhaps　I　shall　not；　O　king；〃　I　answered。　　〃The

world　is　as　full　of　chances　to…day　as　it　was　not　long　ago　when　I　shot　at

the　sacred　vultures　on　Hloma　Amabutu。　　Still；　I　think　that　my　wife　will

never　be　yours；　O　king。〃



〃Ow！〃　said　Dingaan；　〃this　little　white　ant　is　making　another　tunnel；

thinking　that　he　will　come　up　at　my　back。　　But　what　if　I　put　down　my

heel　and　crush　you；　little　white　ant？　　Do　you　know；〃　he　added

confidentially；　〃that　the　Boer　who　mends　my　guns　and　whom　here　we　call

'Two…faces；'　because　he　looks　towards　you　Whites　with　one　eye　and

towards　us　Blacks　with　the　other；　is　still　very　anxious　that　I　should

kill　you？　　Indeed；　when　I　told　him　that　my　spies　said　that　you　were　to

ride　with　the　Boers；　as　I　had　requested　that　you　should　be　their　Tongue；

he　answered　that　unless　I　promised　to　give　you　to　the　vultures；　he　would

warn　them　against　coming。　　So；　since　I　wanted　them　to　come　as　I　had

arranged　with　him；　I　promised。〃



〃Is　it　so；　O　king？〃　I　asked。　　〃And　pray　why　does　this　Two…faces；　whom　we

name　Pereira；　desire　that　I　should　be　killed？〃



〃Ow！〃　chuckled　the　obese　old　ruffian；　〃cannot　you　with　all　your

cleverness　guess　that；　O　Macumazahn？　　Perhaps　it　is　he　who　needs　the

tall　white　maiden；　and　not　I。　　Perhaps　if　he　does　certain　things　for　me；

I　have　promised　her　to　him　in　payment。　　And　perhaps；〃　he　added；　laughing

quite　loud；　〃I　shall　trick　him　after　all；　keeping　her　for　myself；　and

paying　him　in　another　way；　for　can　a　cheat　grumble　if　he　is

out…cheated？〃



I　answered　that　I　was　an　honest　man；　and　knew　nothing　about　cheats；　or

at　what　they　could　or　could　not　grumble。



〃Yes；　Macumazahn；〃　replied　Dingaan　quite　genially。　　〃That　is　where　you

and　I　are　alike。　　We　are　both　honest；　quite　honest；　and　therefore

friends；　which　I　can　never　be　with　these　Amaboona；　who；　as　you　and

others　have　told　me；　are　traitors。　　We　play　our　game　in　the　light；　like

men；　and　who　wins；　wins；　and　who　loses；　loses。　　Now　hear　me；　Macumazahn；

and　remember　what　I　say。　　Whatever　happens　to　others；　whatever　you　may

see；　you　are　safe　while　I　live。　　Dingaan　has　spoken。　　Whether　I　get　the

tall　white　girl；　or　do　not　get　her；　still　_you_　are　safe；　it　is　on　my

head；〃　and　he　touched　the　gum…ring　in　his　hair。



〃And　why　should　I　be　safe　if　others　are　unsafe；　O　king？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh！　if　you　would　know　that；　ask　a　certain　ancient　prophet　named　Zikali；

who　was　in　this　land　in　the　days　of　Senzangacona；　my　father；　and　before

thenthat　is；　if　you　can　find　him。　　Also；　I　like　you；　who　are　not　a

flat…faced　fool　like　these　Amaboona；　but　have　a　brain　that　turns　in　and

out　through　difficulties；　as　a　snake　does　through　reeds；　and　it　would　be

a　pity　to　kill　one　who　can　shoot　birds　wheeling　high　above　him　in　the

air；　which　no　one　else　can　do。　　So　whatever　you　see　and　whatever　you

hear；　remember　that　you　are　safe；　and　shall　go　safely　from　this　land；　or

stay　safely　in　it　if　you　will；　to　be　my　voice　to　speak　with　the　Sons　of

George。



〃Now　return　to　the　commandant；　and　say　to　him　that　my　heart　is　his

heart；　and　that　I　am　very　pleased　to　see　him　here。　　To…morrow；　and

perhaps　the　next　day；　I　will　show　him　some　of　the　dances　of　my　people；

and　after　that　I　will　sign　the　writing；　giving　him　all　the　land　he　asks

and　everything　else　he　may　desire；　more　than　he　can　wish；　indeed。　　Hamba

gachle；　Macumazahn；〃　and；　rising　with　surprising　quickness　from　his

chair；　which　was　cut　out　of　a　single　block　of　wood；　he　turned　and

vanished　through　the　little　opening　in　the　reed　fence　behind　him　that

led　to　his　private　huts。



As　I　was　being　conducted　back　to　the　Boer　camp　by　Kambula；　who　was

waiting　for　me　outside　the　gate　of　the　labyrinth　which　is　called

isiklohlo；　I　met　Thomas　Halstead；　who　was　lounging　about；　I　think　in

order　to　speak　with　me。　　Halting；　I　asked　him　straight　out　what　the

king's　intentions　were　towards　the　Boers。



〃Don't　know；〃　he　answered；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃but　he　seems　so

sweet　on　them　that　I　think　he　must　be　up　to　mischief。　　He　is　wonderfully

fond　of　you；　too；　for　I　heard　him　give　orders　that　the　word　was　to　be

passed　through　all　the　regiments　that　if　anyone　so　much　as　hurt　you；　he

should　be　killed　at　once。　　Also；　you　were　pointed　out　to　the　soldiers

when　you　rode　in　with　the　rest；　that　they　might　all　of　them　know　you。〃



〃That's　good　for　me　as　far　as　it　goes；〃　I　replied。　　〃But　I　don't　know

why　I　should　need　special　protection　above　others；　unless　there　is

someone　who　wants　to　harm　me。〃



〃There　is　that；　Allan　Quatermain。　　The　indunas　tell　me　that　the

good…looking　Portugee；　whom　they　call　'Two…faces；'　asks　the　king　to　kill

you　every　time　he　sees　him。　　Indeed；　I've　heard　him　myself。〃



〃That's　kind　of　him；〃　I　answered；　〃but；　then；　Hernan　Pereira　and　I　never

got　on。　　Tell　me　what　is　he　talking　about　to　the　king　when　he　isn't

asking　him　to　kill　me。〃



〃Don't　know；〃　he　said　again。　　〃Something　dirty；　I'll　be　bound。　　One　may

be　sure　of　that　by　the　native　name　they　have　given　him。　　I　think；

however；〃　he　added　in　a　whisper；　〃that　he　has　had　a　lot　to　do　with　the

Boers　being　allowed　to　come　here　at　all　in　order　to　get　their　treaty

signed。　　At　least；　one　day　when　I　was　interpreting　and　Dingaan　swore

that　he　would　not　give　them　more　land　than　was　enough　to　bury　them　in；

Pereira　told　him　that　it　didn't　matter　what　he　signed；　as　'what　was

written　with　the　pen　could　be　scratched　out　with　the　spear。'〃



〃Indeed！　　And　what　did　the　king　say　to　that？〃



〃Oh！　he　laughed　and　said　it　was　true；　and　that　he　would　give　the　Boer

commission　all　their　people　wanted　and　something　over　for　themselves。　

But　don't　you　repeat　that；　Quatermain；　for　if　you　do；　and　it　gets　to　the

ear　of　Dingaan；　I　shall　certainly　be　killed。　　And；　I　say；　you're　a　good

fellow；　and　I　won　a　big　bet　on　you　over　that　vulture　shooting；　so　I　will

give　you　a　bit　of　advice；　which　you　will　be　wise　to　take。　　You　get　out

of　this　country　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　go　to　look　after　that　pretty

Miss　Marais；　whom　you　are　sweet　on。　　Dingaan　wants　her；　and　what　Dingaan

wants　he　gets　in　this　part　of　the　world。〃



Then；　without　waiting　to　be　thanked；　he　turned　and　disappeared　among　a

crowd　of　Zulus；　who　were　following　us　from　curiosity；　leaving　me

wondering　whether　or　no　Dingaan　was　right　when　he　called　this　young　man

a　liar。　　His　story　seemed　to　tally　so　well　with　that　told　by　the　king

himself；　that　on　the　whole　I　thought　he　was　not。



Just　after　I　had　passed　the　main　gateway　of　the　great　town；　where；　his

office　done；　Kambula　saluted　and　left　me；　I　saw　two　white　men　engaged　in

earnest　conversation　beneath　one　of　the