marie-第44章

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like　a　man　whom　these　Kaffirs　name　'Two…faces。'　　As　for　you；　friend

Henri　Marais；　I　tell　you　that　you　would　do　well　to　associate　yourself

less　with　one　whose　name　is　under　so　dark　a　cloud；　although　he　may　be

your　own　nephew；　whom　all　know　you　love　blindly。〃



So　far　as　I　recollect　neither　of　them　made　any　answer　to　this　direct

speech。　　They　simply　turned　and　went　away。　　But　on　the　next　morning；

that　of　the　fatal　6th　of　February；　when　I　chanced　to　meet　the　Commandant

Retief　as　he　was　riding　through　the　camp　making　arrangements　for　our

departure　to　Natal；　he　pulled　up　his　horse　and　said：



〃Allan；　Hernan　Pereira　has　gone；　and　Henri　Marais　with　him；　and　for　my

part　I　am　not　sorry；　for　doubtless　we　shall　meet　again；　in　this　world　or

the　next；　and　find　out　all　the　truth。　　Here；　read　this；　and　give　it　back

to　me　afterwards〃；　and　he　threw　me　a　paper　and　rode　on。



I　opened　the　folded　sheet　and　read　as　follows：





〃To　the　Commandant　Retief；　Governor　of　the　Emigrant　Boers；



〃Mynheer　Commandant；





〃I　will　not　stay　here；　where　such　foul　accusations　are　laid　on　me　by

black　Kaffirs　and　the　Englishman；　Allan　Quatermain；　who；　like　all　his

race；　is　an　enemy　of　us　Boers；　and；　although　you　do　not　know　it；　a

traitor　who　is　plotting　great　harm　against　you　with　the　Zulus。　

Therefore　I　leave　you；　but　am　ready　to　meet　every　charge　at　the　right

time　before　a　proper　Court。　　My　uncle；　Henri　Marais；　comes　with　me；　as

he　feels　that　his　honour　is　also　touched。　　Moreover；　he　has　heard　that

his　daughter；　Marie；　is　in　danger　from　the　Zulus；　and　returns　to　protect

her；　which　he　who　is　called　her　husband　neglects　to　do。　　Allan

Quatermain；　the　Englishman；　who　is　the　friend　of　Dingaan；　can　explain

what　I　mean；　for　he　knows　more　about　the　Zulu　plans　than　I　do；　as　you

will　find　out　before　the　end。〃



Then　followed　the　signatures　of　Hernan　Pereira　and　Henri　Marais。



I　put　the　letter　in　my　pocket；　wondering　what　might　be　its　precise

meaning；　and　in　particular　that　of　the　absurd　and　undefined　charge　of

treachery　against　myself。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　Pereira　had　left　us

because　he　was　afraid　of　somethingeither　that　he　might　be　placed　upon

his　trial　or　of　some　ultimate　catastrophe　in　which　he　would　be　involved。

　Marais　probably　had　gone　with　him　for　the　same　reason　that　a　bit　of

iron　follows　a　magnet；　because　he　never　could　resist　the　attraction　of

this　evil　man；　his　relative　by　birth。　　Or　perhaps　he　had　learned　from

him　the　story　of　his　daughter's　danger；　upon　which　I　had　already　acted；

and　really　was　anxious　about　her　safety。　　For　it　must　always　be

remembered　that　Marais　loved　Marie　passionately；　however　ill　the　reader

of　this　history　may　think　that　he　behaved　to　her。　　She　was　his　darling；

the　apple　of　his　eye；　and　her　great　offence　in　his　sight　was　that　she

cared　for　me　more　than　she　did　for　him。　　That　is　one　of　the　reasons　why

he　hated　me　as　much　as　he　loved　her。



Almost　before　I　had　finished　reading　this　letter；　the　order　came　that　we

were　to　go　in　a　body　to　bid　farewell　to　Dingaan；　leaving　our　arms　piled

beneath　the　two　milk　trees　at　the　gate　of　the　town。　　Most　of　our

after…riders　were　commanded　to　accompany　usI　think　because　Retief

wished　to　make　as　big　a　show　as　possible　to　impress　the　Zulus。　　A　few　of

these　Hottentots；　however；　were　told　to　stay　behind　that　they　might

collect　the　horses；　that　were　knee…haltered　and　grazing　at　a　distance；

and　saddle　them　up。　　Among　these　was　Hans；　for；　as　it　chanced；　I　saw　and

sent　him　with　the　others；　so　that　I　might　be　sure　that　my　own　horses

would　be　found　and　made　ready　for　the　journey。



Just　as　we　were　starting；　I　met　the　lad　William　Wood；　who　had　come　down

from　the　Mission　huts；　where　he　lived　with　Mr。　Owen；　and　was　wandering

about　with　an　anxious　face。



〃How　are　you；　William？〃　I　asked。



〃Not　very　well；　Mr。　Quatermain；〃　he　answered。　　〃The　fact　is；〃　he　added

with　a　burst　of　confidence；　〃I　feel　queerly　about　you　all。　　The　Kaffirs

have　told　me　that　something　is　going　to　happen　to　you；　and　I　think　you

ought　to　know　it。　　I　daren't　say　any　more；〃　and　he　vanished　into　the

crowd。



At　that　moment　I　caught　sight　of　Retief　riding　to　and　fro　and　shouting

out　orders。　　Going　to　him；　I　caught　him　by　the　sleeve；　saying：



〃Commandant；　listen　to　me。〃



〃Well；　what　is　it　now；　nephew？　〃　he　asked　absently。



I　told　him　what　Wood　had　said；　adding　that　I　also　was　uneasy；　I　did　not

know　why。



〃Oh！〃　he　answered　with　impatience；　〃this　is　all　hailstones　and　burnt

grass〃　（meaning　that　the　one　would　melt　and　the　other　blow　away；　or　in

our　English　idiom；　stuff　and　rubbish）。　　〃Why　are　you　always　trying　to

scare　me　with　your　fancies；　Allan？　　Dingaan　is　our　friend；　not　our

enemy。　　So　let　us　take　the　gifts　that　fortune　gives　us　and　be　thankful。　

Come；　march。〃



This　he　said　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。



We　strolled　through　the　gates　of　the　Great　Kraal；　most　of　the　Boers；

who；　as　usual；　had　piled　their　arms　under　the　two　milk　trees；　lounging

along　in　knots　of　four　or　five；　laughing　and　chatting　as　they　went。　　I

have　often　thought　since；　that　although　every　one　of　them　there；　except

myself；　was　doomed　within　an　hour　to　have　taken　the　dreadful　step　from

time　into　eternity；　it　seems　strange　that　advancing　fate　should　have

thrown　no　shadow　on　their　hearts。　　On　the　contrary；　they　were　quite　gay；

being　extremely　pleased　at　the　successful　issue　of　their　mission　and　the

prospect　of　an　immediate　return　to　their　wives　and　children。　　Even

Retief　was　gay；　for　I　heard　him　joking　with　his　companions　about　myself

and　my　〃white…bread…week；〃　or　honeymoon；　which；　he　said；　was　drawing

very　near。



As　we　went；　I　noticed　that　most　of　the　regiments　who　had　performed　the

great　military　dances　before　us　on　the　previous　day　were　gone。　　Two；

however；　remainedthe　Ischlangu　Inhlope；　that　is　the　〃White　Shields；〃

who　were　a　corps　of　veterans　wearing　the　ring　on　their　heads；　and　the

Ischlangu　Umnyama；　that　is　the　〃Black　Shields；〃　who　were　all　of　them

young　men　without　rings。　　The　〃White　Shields〃　were　ranged　along　the

fence　of　the　great　open　place　to　our　left；　and　the　〃Black　Shields〃　were

similarly　placed　to　our　right；　each　regiment　numbering　about　fifteen

hundred　men。　　Except　for　their　kerries　and　dancing…sticks　they　were

unarmed。



Presently　we　reached　the　head　of　the　dancing　ground；　and　found　Dingaan

seated　in　his　chair　with　two　of　his　great　indunas；　Umhlela　and　Tambusa；

squatting　on　either　side　of　him。　　Behind　him；　standing　in　and　about　the

entrance　to　the　labyrinth　through　which　the　king　had　come；　were　other

indunas　and　captains。　　On　arriving　in　front　of　Dingaan　we　saluted　him；

and　he　acknowledged　the　salutation　with　pleasant　words　and　smiles。　　Then

Retief；　two　or　three　of　the　other　Boers；　Thomas　Halstead　and　I　went

forward；　whereon　the　treaty　was　produced　again　and　identified　as　the

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…