marie-第37章

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Marais；　who　was　a　fatalist；　wished　to　go　on；　saying　that　the　good　Lord

would　protect　us；　as　He　had　done　in　the　past。



〃Allemachte！〃　answered　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo。　　〃Did　He　protect　all　those

who　lie　dead　at　Marais's　camp；　whither　your　folly　led　us；　mynheer？　　The

good　Lord　expects　us　to　look　after　our　own　skins；　and　I　know　that　these

Zulus　are　of　the　same　blood　as　Umsilikazi's　Kaffirs；　who　have　killed　so

many　of　our　people。　　Let　us　try　the　mountains；　say　I。〃



Of　course　her　husband　and　son　agreed　with　her；　for　to　them　the　vrouw's

word　was　law；　but　Marais；　being；　as　usual；　obstinate；　would　not　give

way。　　All　that　afternoon　they　wrangled；　while　I　held　my　tongue；

declaring　that　I　was　willing　to　abide　by　the　decision　of　the　majority。　

In　the　end；　as　I　foresaw　they　would；　they　appealed　to　me　to　act　as

umpire　between　them。



〃Friends；〃　I　answered；　〃if　you　had　asked　me　my　opinion　before；　I　should

have　voted　for　trying　the　mountains；　beyond　which；　perhaps；　we　might

find　some　Boers。　　I　do　not　like　this　story　of　the　Zulu　impi。　　I　think

that　someone　has　told　them　of　our　coming；　and　that　it　is　us　they　mean　to

attack　and　not　the　Tongas；　with　whom　they　are　at　peace。　　My　men　say　that

it　is　not　usual　for　impis　to　visit　this　part　of　the　country。〃



〃Who　could　have　told　them？〃　asked　Marais。



〃I　don't　know；　mynheer。　　Perhaps　the　natives　have　sent　on　word；　or

perhapsHernan　Pereira。〃



〃I　knew　that　you　would　suspect　my　nephew；　Allan；〃　he　exclaimed　angrily。



〃I　suspect　no　one；　I　only　weigh　what　is　probable。　　However；　it　is　too

late　for　us　to　move　to…night　either　south　or　westwards；　so　I　think　I

will　sleep　over　the　business　and　see　what　I　can　find　out　from　my　Zulus。〃



That　night；　or　rather　the　following　morning；　the　question　was　settled

for　us；　for　when　I　woke　up　at　dawn；　it　was　to　see　the　faint　light

glimmering　on　what　I　knew　must　be　spears。　　We　were　surrounded　by　a　great

company　of　Zulus；　as　I　discovered　afterwards；　over　two　hundred　strong。　

Thinking　that　after　their　fashion　they　were　preparing　to　attack　us　at

dawn；　I　called　the　news　to　the　others；　whereon　Marais　rushed　forward；

just　as　he　had　left　his　bed；　cocking　his　roer　as　he　came。



〃For　the　love　of　God；　do　not　shoot！〃　I　said。　　〃How　can　we　resist　so

many？　　Soft　words　are　our　only　chance。〃



Still　he　attempted　to　fire；　and　would　have　done　so　had　I　not　thrown

myself　upon　him　and　literally　torn　the　gun　from　his　hand。　　By　this　time

the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　had　come　up；　a　very　weird　spectacle；　I　recollect；　in

what　she　called　her　〃sleep…garments；〃　that　included　a　night…cap　made　of

a　worn　jackal　skin　and　a　kind　of　otter…pelt　stomacher。



〃Accursed　fool！〃　she　said　to　Marais；　〃would　you　cause　all　our　throats　to

be　cut？　　Go　forward；　you；　Allan；　and　talk　to　those　'swartzels'〃　（that

is；　black　creatures）；　〃gently；　as　you　would　to　a　savage　dog。　　You　have　a

tongue　steeped　in　oil；　and　they　may　listen　to　you。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃that　seems　the　best　thing　to　do。　　If　I　should　not

return；　give　my　love　to　Marie。〃



So　I　beckoned　to　the　headman　of　my　Zulus　whom　I　had　hired　at　Delagoa；　to

accompany　me；　and　marched　forward　boldly　quite　unarmed。　　We　were

encamped　upon　a　rise　of　ground　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　river；　and

the　impi；　or　those　of　them　whom　we　could　see；　were　at　the　foot　of　this

rise　about　a　hundred　and　sixty　yards　away。　　The　light　was　growing　now；

and　when　I　was　within　fifty　paces　of　them　they　saw　me。　　At　some　word　of

command　a　number　of　men　rushed　toward　me；　their　fighting　shields　held

over　their　bodies　and　their　spears　up。



〃We　are　dead！〃　exclaimed　my　Kaffir　in　a　resigned　voice。　　I　shared　his

opinion；　but　thought　I　might　as　well　die　standing　as　running　away。



Now　I　should　explain　that　though　as　yet　I　had　never　mixed　with　these

Zulus；　I　could　talk　several　native　dialects　kindred　to　that　which　they

used　very　well　indeed。　　Moreover；　ever　since　I　had　hired　men　of　their

race　at　Delagoa；　I　had　spent　all　my　spare　time　in　conversing　with　them

and　acquiring　a　knowledge　of　their　language；　history　and　customs。　　So　by

this　time　I　knew　their　tongue　fairly；　although　occasionally　I　may　have

used　terms　which　were　unfamiliar　to　them。



Thus　it　came　about　that　I　was　able　to　shout　to　them；　asking　what　was

their　business　with　us。　　Hearing　themselves　addressed　in　words　which

they　understood；　the　men　halted；　and　seeing　that　I　was　unarmed；　three　of

them　approached　me。



〃We　come　to　take　you　prisoners；　white　people；　or　to　kill　you　if　you

resist；〃　said　their　captain。



〃By　whose　order？〃　I　asked。



〃By　the　order　of　Dingaan　our　king。〃



〃Is　it　so？　　And　who　told　Dingaan　that　we　were　here？〃



〃The　Boer　who　came　in　front　of　you。〃



〃Is　it　so？〃　I　said　again。　　〃And　now　what　do　you　need　of　us？〃



〃That　you　should　accompany　us　to　the　kraal　of　Dingaan。〃



〃I　understand。　　We　are　quite　willing；　since　it　lies　upon　our　road。　　But

then　why　do　you　come　against　us；　who　are　peaceful　travellers；　with　your

spears　lifted？〃



〃For　this　reason。　　The　Boer　told　us　that　there　is　among　you　a　'child　of

George'〃　（an　Englishman）；　〃a　terrible　man　who　would　kill　us　unless　we

killed　or　bound　him　first。　　Show　us　this　child　of　George　that　we　may

make　him　fast；　or　slay　him；　and　we　will　not　hurt　the　rest　of　you。〃



〃I　am　the　child　of　George；〃　I　answered；　〃and　if　you　think　it　necessary

to　make　me　fast；　do　so。〃



Now　the　Zulus　burst　out　laughing。



〃You！　　Why；　you　are　but　a　boy　who　weighs　no　more　than　a　fat　girl；〃

exclaimed　their　captain；　a　great；　bony　fellow　who　was　named　Kambula。



〃That　may　be　so；〃　I　answered；　〃but　sometimes　the　wisdom　of　their　fathers

dwells　in　the　young。　　I　am　the　son　of　George　who　saved　these　Boers　from

death　far　away；　and　I　am　taking　them　back　to　their　own　people。　　We

desire　to　see　Dingaan；　your　king。　　Be　pleased　therefore　to　lead　us　to

him　as　he　has　commanded　you　to　do。　　If　you　do　not　believe　what　I　tell

you；　ask　this　man　who　is　with　me；　and　his　companions　who　are　of　your　own

race。　　They　will　tell　you　everything。〃



Then　the　captain　Kambula　called　my　servant　apart　and　talked　with　him　for

a　long　while。



When　the　interview　was　finished　he　advanced　to　me　and　said：



〃Now　I　have　heard　all　about　you。　　I　have　heard　that　although　young　you

are　very　clever；　so　clever　that　you　do　not　sleep；　but　watch　by　night　as

well　as　by　day。　　Therefore；　that　I；　Kambula；　name　you　Macumazahn；

Watcher…by…night；　and　by　that　name　you　shall　henceforth　be　known　among

us。　　Now；　Macumazahn；　son　of　George；　bring　out　these　Boers　whom　you　are

guiding　that　I　may　lead　them　in　their　moving　huts　to　the　Great　Place；

Umgungundhlovu；　where　dwells　Dingaan　the　king。　　See；　we　lay　down　our

spears　and　will　come　to　meet　them　unarmed；　trusting　to　you　to　protect

us；　O　Macumazahn；　Son　of　George；〃　and　he　cast　his　assegai　to　the　ground。



〃Come；〃　I　said；　and　led　them　to　the　wagons。







CHAPTER　XII









DINGAAN'S　BET











As　I　advanced　to　the　wagons　accompanied　by　Kambula　and　his　two

companions；　I　saw　that　Marais；　in　a　state　of　great　excitement；　was

engaged　in　haranguing　the　two　Prinsloo　men　and　Meyer；　while　the　Vrouw

Prinsloo　and　Marie　appeared　to　be　attempting　to　calm　him。



〃They　are　unarmed；〃　I　heard　him　shout。　　〃Let　us　seize　the　black　devils

and　hold　them　as　hostages。〃



Thereon；　led　by　Marais；　the　three　Boer　men　came　towards　us　doubtfully；

their　guns　in　their　hands。



〃Be　careful　what　you　are　doing；〃　I　called　to　them。　　〃These　are　envoys；〃

and　they　hung　back　a　little　while　Marais　went　on　with　his　haranguing。



The　Zulus　looked　at　them　and　at　me；　then　Kambula　said：



〃Are　you　leading　us　into　a　trap；　Son　of　George？〃



〃Not　so；〃　I　answered；　〃but　the　Boers　are　afraid　of　you　and　think　to　take

you　prisoners。〃



〃Tell　them；〃　said　Kambula　quietly；　〃that　if　they　kill　us　or　lay　a　hand

on　us；　as　no　doubt　they　can　do；　very　soon　every　one　of　them　will　be　dead

and　their　women　with　them。〃



I　repeated　this　ultimatum　energ