按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
before her； advanced upon him； waving her umbrella。 Catching hold of
Halstead； who understood Dutch； she forced him to translate an harangue；
which she addressed to Dingaan。
Had he rendered it exactly as it came from her lips； we should all have
been dead in five minutes； but； luckily； that unfortunate young man had
learnt some of the guile of the serpent during his sojourn among the
Zulus； and varied her vigorous phrases。 The gist of her discourse was
that he； Dingaan； was a black…hearted and bloody…minded villain； with
whom the Almighty would come even sooner or later （as； indeed； He did）；
and that if he dared to touch one hair of her or of her companions'
heads； the Boers； her countrymen； would prove themselves to be the
ministers of the Almighty in that matter （as； indeed； they did）。 As
translated by Halstead into Zulu； what she said was that Dingaan was the
greatest king in the whole world； in fact； that there was not； and never
had been； any such a king either in power； wisdom； or personal beauty；
and that if she and her companions had to die； the sight of his glory
consoled them for their deaths。
〃Indeed；〃 said Dingaan suspiciously； 〃if that is what this man…woman
says； her eyes tell one story and her lips another。 Oh！ Tho…maas； lie
no more。 Speak the true words of the white chieftainess； lest I should
find them out otherwise； and give you to the slayers。〃
Thus adjured； Halstead explained that he had not yet told all the words。
The 〃man…woman；〃 who was； as he； Dingaan； supposed； a great
chieftainess among the Dutch； added that if he； the mighty and glorious
king； the earth…shaker； the world…eater； killed her or any of her
subjects； her people would avenge her by killing him and his people。
〃Does she say that？〃 said Dingaan。 〃Then； as I thought； these Boers are
dangerous； and not the peaceful folk they make themselves out to be；〃
and he brooded for a while； staring at the ground。 Presently he lifted
his head and went on： 〃Well； a bet is a bet； and therefore I will not
wipe out this handful； as otherwise I would have done at once。 Tell the
old cow of a chieftainess that； notwithstanding her threats； I stick to
my promise。 If the little Son of George； Macumazahn； can shoot three
vultures out of five by help of his magic； then she and her servants
shall go free。 If not； the vultures which he has missed shall feed on
them； and afterwards I will talk with her people when they come to
avenge her。 Now； enough of this indaba。 Bring those evildoers here
that they may thank and praise me； who give them so merciful an end。〃
So the grandfather； the father； and the son were hustled before Dingaan
by the soldiers； and greeted him with the royal salute of 〃bayete。〃
〃O king；〃 said the old man； 〃I and my children are innocent。 Yet if it
pleases you； O king； I am ready to die； and so is my son。 Yet we pray
you to spare the little one。 He is but a boy； who may grow up to do you
good service； as I have done to you and your House for many years。〃
〃Be silent； you white…headed dog！〃 answered Dingaan fiercely。 〃This lad
is a wizard； like the rest of you； and would grow up to bewitch me and
to plot with my enemies。 Know that I have stamped out all your family；
and shall I then leave him to breed another that would hate me？ Begone
to the World of Spirits； and tell them how Dingaan deals with
sorcerers。〃
The old man tried to speak again； for evidently he loved this grandchild
of his； but a soldier struck him in the face； and Dingaan shouted：
〃What！ Are you not satisfied？ I tell you that if you say more I will
force you to kill the boy with your own hand。 Take them away。〃
Then I turned and hid my face； as did all the white folk。 Presently I
heard the old man； whom they had saved to the last that he might witness
the deaths of his descendants； cry in a loud voice：
〃On the night of the thirtieth full moon from this day I； the
far…sighted； I； the prophet； summon thee； Dingaan； to meet me and mine
in the Land of Ghosts； and there to pay〃
Then with a roar of horror the executioners fell on him and he died。
When there was silence I looked up； and saw that the king； who had
turned a dirty yellow hue with fright； for he was very superstitious；
was trembling and wiping the sweat from his brow。
〃You should have kept the wizard alive；〃 he said in a shaky voice to the
head slayer； who was engaged in cutting three more nicks on the handle
of his dreadful kerry。 〃Fool； I would have heard the rest of his lying
message。〃
The man answered humbly that he thought it best it should remain
unspoken； and got himself out of sight as soon as possible。 Here I may
remark that by an odd coincidence Dingaan actually was killed about
thirty moons from that time。 Mopo； his general； who slew his brother
Chaka； slew him also with the help of Umslopogaas； the son of Chaka。 In
after years Umslopogaas told me the story of the dreadful ghost…haunted
death of this tyrant； but； of course； he could not tell me exactly upon
what day it happened。 Therefore I do not know whether the prophecy was
strictly accurate。*
＇*For the history of the death of Dingaan； see the Author's 〃Nada the
Lily。〃＇
The three victims lay dead in the hollow of the Hill of Death。
Presently the king； recovering himself； gave orders that the spectators
should be moved back to places where they could see what happened
without frightening the vultures。 So the Boers； attended by their band
of soldiers； who were commanded to slay them at once if they attempted
to escape； went one way； and Dingaan and his Zulus went the other；
leaving Hans and myself alone behind our bush。 As the white people
passed me； Vrouw Prinsloo wished me good luck in a cheerful voice；
although I could see that her poor old hand was shaking； and she was
wiping her eyes with the vatdoek。 Henri Marais； also in broken tones；
implored me to shoot straight for his daughter's sake。 Then came Marie；
pale but resolute； who said nothing； but only looked me in the eyes； and
touched the pocket of her dress； in which I knew the pistol lay hid。 Of
the rest of them I took no notice。
The moment； that dreadful moment of trial； had come at last； and oh！ the
suspense and the waiting were hard to bear。 It seemed an age before the
first speck； that I knew to be a vulture； appeared thousands of feet
above me and began to descend in wide circles。
〃Oh； baas；〃 said poor Hans； 〃this is worse than shooting at the geese in
the Groote Kloof。 Then you could only lose your horse； but now〃
〃Be silent；〃 I hissed； 〃and give me the rifle。〃
The vulture wheeled and sank； sank and wheeled。 I glanced towards the
Boers； and saw that they were all of them on their knees。 I glanced
towards the Zulus； and saw that they were watching as； I think； they had
never watched anything before； for to them this was a new excitement。
Then I fixed my eyes upon the bird。
Its