child of storm-第50章

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Cetewayo's　men　rushed　up　the　slope；　and　there；　near　the　crest　of　it；
were　met　by　Umbelazi's　regiments　springing　forward　to　repel　the
onslaught　and　shouting　their　battle…cry　of　〃Laba！　Laba！　Laba！　Laba！〃

The　noise　of　their　meeting　shields　came　to　our　ears　like　that　of　the
roll　of　thunder；　and　the　sheen　of　their　stabbing…spears　shone　as　shines
the　broad　summer　lightning。　　They　hung　and　wavered　on　the　slope；　then
from　the　Amawombe　ranks　rose　a　roar　of

_〃Umbelazi　wins！〃_

Watching　intently；　we　saw　the　Usutu　giving　back。　　Down　the　slope　they
went；　leaving　the　ground　in　front　of　them　covered　with　black　spots　which
we　knew　to　be　dead　or　wounded　men。

〃Why　does　not　the　Elephant　charge　home？〃　said　Maputa　in　a　perplexed
voice。　　〃The　Usutu　bull　is　on　his　back！　　Why　does　he　not　trample　him？〃

〃Because　he　is　afraid；　I　suppose；〃　I　answered；　and　went　on　watching。

There　was　plenty　to　see；　as　it　happened。　　Finding　that　they　were　not
pursued；　Cetewayo's　impi　reformed　swiftly　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　in
preparation　for　another　charge。　　Among　that　of　Umbelazi；　above　them；
rapid　movements　took　place　of　which　I　could　not　guess　the　meaning；　which
movements　were　accompanied　by　much　noise　of　angry　shouting。　　Then
suddenly；　from　the　midst　of　the　Isigqosa　army；　emerged　a　great　body　of
men；　thousands　strong；　which　ran　swiftly；　but　in　open　order；　down　the
slope　towards　the　Usutu；　holding　their　spears　reversed。　　At　first　I
thought　that　they　were　charging　independently；　till　I　saw　the　Usutu
ranks　open　to　receive　them　with　a　shout　of　welcome。

〃Treachery！〃　I　said。　　〃Who　is　it？〃

〃Saduko；　with　the　Amakoba　and　Amangwane　soldiers　and　others。　　I　know
them　by　their　head…dresses；〃　answered　Maputa　in　a　cold　voice。

〃Do　you　mean　that　Saduko　has　gone　over　to　Cetewayo　with　all　his
following？〃　I　asked　excitedly。

〃What　else；　Macumazahn？　　Saduko　is　a　traitor：　Umbelazi　is　finished；〃　and
he　passed　his　hand　swiftly　across　his　moutha　gesture　that　has　only　one
meaning　among　the　Zulus。

As　for　me；　I　sat　down　upon　a　stone　and　groaned；　for　now　I　understood
everything。

Presently　the　Usutu　raised　fierce；　triumphant　shouts；　and　once　again
their　impi；　swelled　with　Saduko's　power；　began　to　advance　up　the　slope。　
Umbelazi；　and　those　of　the　Isigqosa　party　who　clung　to　himnow；　I
should　judge；　not　more　than　eight　thousand　mennever　stayed　to　wait　the
onslaught。　　They　broke！　　They　fled　in　a　hideous　rout；　crashing　through
the　thin；　left　horn　of　the　Usutu　by　mere　weight　of　numbers；　and　passing
behind　us　obliquely　on　their　road　to　the　banks　of　the　Tugela。　　A
messenger　rushed　up　to　us；　panting。

〃These　are　the　words　of　Umbelazi；〃　he　gasped。　　〃O　Watcher…by…Night　and　O
Maputa；　Indhlovu…ene…sihlonti　prays　that　you　will　hold　back　the　Usutu；
as　the　King　bade　you　do　in　case　of　need；　and　so　give　to　him　and　those
who　cling　to　him　time　to　escape　with　the　women　and　children　into　Natal。　
His　general；　Saduko；　has　betrayed　him；　and　gone　over　with　three
regiments　to　Cetewayo；　and　therefore　we　can　no　longer　stand　against　the
thousands　of　the　Usutu。〃

〃Go　tell　the　prince　that　Macumazahn；　Maputa；　and　the　Amawombe　regiment
will　do　their　best；〃　answered　Maputa　calmly。　　〃Still；　this　is　our　advice
to　him；　that　he　should　cross　the　Tugela　swiftly　with　the　women　and　the
children；　seeing　that　we　are　few　and　Cetewayo　is　many。〃

The　messenger　leapt　away；　but；　as　I　heard　afterwards；　he　never　found
Umbelazi；　since　the　poor　man　was　killed　within　five　hundred　yards　of
where　we　stood。

Then　Maputa　gave　an　order；　and　the　Amawombe　formed　themselves　into　a
triple　line；　thirteen　hundred　men　in　the　first　line；　thirteen　hundred
men　in　the　second　line；　and　about　a　thousand　in　the　third；　behind　whom
were　the　carrier　boys；　three　or　four　hundred　of　them。　　The　place
assigned　to　me　was　in　the　exact　centre　of　the　second　line；　where；　being
mounted　on　a　horse；　it　was　thought；　as　I　gathered；　that　I　should　serve
as　a　convenient　rallying…point。

In　this　formation　we　advanced　a　few　hundred　yards　to　our　left；　evidently
with　the　object　of　interposing　ourselves　between　the　routed　impi　and　the
pursuing　Usutu；　or；　if　the　latter　should　elect　to　go　round　us；　with　that
of　threatening　their　flank。　　Cetewayo's　generals　did　not　leave　us　long
in　doubt　as　to　what　they　would　do。　　The　main　body　of　their　army　bore
away　to　the　right　in　pursuit　of　the　flying　foe；　but　three　regiments；
each　of　about　two　thousand　five　hundred　spears；　halted。　　Five　minutes
passed　perhaps　while　they　marshalled；　with　a　distance　of　some　six
hundred　yards　between　them。　　Each　regiment　was　in　a　triple　line　like　our
own。

To　me　that　seemed　a　very　long　five　minutes；　but；　reflecting　that　it　was
probably　my　last　on　earth；　I　tried　to　make　the　best　of　it　in　a　fashion
that　can　be　guessed。　　Strange　to　say；　however；　I　found　it　impossible　to
keep　my　mind　fixed　upon　those　matters　with　which　it　ought　to　have　been
filled。　　My　eyes　and　thoughts　would　roam。　　I　looked　at　the　ranks　of　the
veteran　Amawombe；　and　noted　that　they　were　still　and　solemn　as　men　about
to　die　should　be；　although　they　showed　no　sign　of　fear。　　Indeed；　I　saw
some　of　those　near　me　passing　their　snuffboxes　to　each　other。　　Two
grey…haired　men　also；　who　evidently　were　old　friends；　shook　hands　as
people　do　who　are　parting　before　a　journey；　while　two　others　discussed
in　a　low　voice　the　possibility　of　our　wiping　out　most　of　the　Usutu
before　we　were　wiped　out　ourselves。

〃It　depends；〃　said　one　of　them；　〃whether　they　attack　us　regiment　by
regiment　or　all　together；　as　they　will　do　if　they　are　wise。〃

Then　an　officer　bade　them　be　silent；　and　conversation　ceased。　　Maputa
passed　through　the　ranks　giving　orders　to　the　captains。　　From　a　distance
his　withered　old　body；　with　a　fighting　shield　held　in　front　of　it；
looked　like　that　of　a　huge　black　ant　carrying　something　in　its　mouth。　
He　came　to　where　Scowl　and　I　sat　upon　our　horses。

〃Ah！　I　see　that　you　are　ready；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said　in　a　cheerful　voice。
　〃I　told　you　that　you　should　not　go　away　hungry；　did　I　not？〃

〃Maputa；〃　I　said　in　remonstrance；　〃what　is　the　use　of　this？　　Umbelazi　is
defeated；　you　are　not　of　his　impi；　why　send　all　these〃and　I　waved　my
hand〃down　into　the　darkness？　　Why　not　go　to　the　river　and　try　to　save
the　women　and　children？〃

〃Because　we　shall　take　many　of　those　down　into　the　darkness　with　us；
Macumazahn；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　dense　masses　of　the　Usutu。　　〃Yet；〃　he
added；　with　a　touch　of　compunction；　〃this　is　not　your　quarrel。　　You　and
your　servant　have　horses。　　Slip　out；　if　you　will；　and　gallop　hard　to　the
lower　drift。　　You　may　get　away　with　your　lives。〃

Then　my　white　man's　pride　came　to　my　aid。

〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃I　will　not　run　while　others　stay　to　fight。〃

〃I　never　thought　you　would；　Macumazahn；　who；　I　am　sure；　do　not　wish　to
earn　a　new　and　ugly　name。　　Well；　neither　will　the　Amawombe　run　to　become
a　mock　among　their　people。　　The　King's　orders　were　that　we　should　try　to
help　Umbelazi；　if　the　battle　went　against　him。　　We　obey　the　King's
orders　by　dying　where　we　stand。　　Macumazahn；　do　you　think　that　you　could
hit　that　big　fellow　who　is　shouting　insults　at　us　there？　　If　so；　I
should　be　obliged　to　you；　as　I　dislike　him　very　much；〃　and　he　showed　me
a　captain　who　was　swaggering　about　in　front　of　the　lines　of　the　first　of
the　Usutu　regiments；　about　six　hundred　yards　away。

〃I　will　try；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it's　a　long　shot。〃　　Dismounting；　I
climbed　a　pile　of　stones　and；　resting　my　rifle　on　the　topmost　of　them；
took　a　very　full　sight；　aimed；　held　my　breath；　and　pressed　the　trigger。　
A　second　afterwards　the　shouter　of　insults　threw　his　arms　wide；　letting
fall　his　spear；　and　pitched　forward　on　to　his　face。

A　roar　of　delight　rose　from　the　watching　Amawombe；　while　old　Maputa
clapped　his　thin　brown　hands　and　grinned　from　ear　to　ear。

〃Thank　you；　Macumazahn。　　A　very　good　omen！　　Now　I　am　sure　that；　whatever
those　Isigqosa　dogs　of　Umbelazi's　may　do；　we　King's　men　shall　make　an
excellent　end；　which　is　all　that　we　can　hope。　　Oh；　what　a　beautiful
shot！　　It　will　be　something　to　think　of　when　I　am　an　idhlozi；　a
spirit…snake；　crawling　about　my　own　kraal。　　Farewell；　Macumazahn；〃　and
he　took　my　hand　and　pressed　it。　　〃The　time　has　come。　　I　go　to　l