marie-第54节

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！



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…drinking

went　on。　　Then　Dingaan　rose　from　his　chair　and　shook　the　hand　of　Retief

warmly；　bidding　him　〃Hamba　gachle；〃　that　is；　Depart　gently；　or　in　peace。

　He　retreated　towards　the　gate　of　the　labyrinth；　and　as　he　went　the

Boers　took　off　their　hats；　waving　them　in　the　air　and　cheering　him。　　He

was　almost　through　it；　and　I　began　to　breathe　again。



Doubtless　I　was　mistaken。　　After　all；　no　treachery　was　intended。



In　the　very　opening　of　the　gate　Dingaan　turned；　however；　and　said　two

words　in　Zulu　which　mean：



〃Seize　them！〃



Instantly　the　warriors；　who　had　now　danced　quite　close　and　were　waiting

for　these　words；　rushed　upon　the　Boers。　　I　heard　Thomas　Halstead　call

out　in　English：



〃We　are　done　for；〃　and　then　add　in　Zulu；　〃Let　me　speak　to　the　king！〃



Dingaan　heard　also；　and　waved　his　hand　to　show　that　he　refused　to

listen；　and　as　he　did　so　shouted　thrice　：



〃Bulala　abatagati！〃　that　is；　Slay　the　wizards！



I　saw　poor　Halstead　draw　his　knife　and　plunge　it　into　a　Zulu　who　was

near　him。　　The　man　fell；　and　again　he　struck　at　another　soldier；　cutting

his　throat。　　The　Boers　also　drew　their　knivesthose　of　them　who　had

timeand　tried　to　defend　themselves　against　these　black　devils；　who

rushed　on　them　in　swarms。　　I　heard　afterwards　that　they　succeeded　in

killing　six　or　eight　of　them　and　wounding　perhaps　a　score。　　But　it　was

soon　over；　for　what　could　men　armed　only　with　pocket…knives　do　against

such　a　multitude？



Presently；　amidst　a　hideous　tumult　of　shouts；　groans；　curses；　prayers

for　mercy；　and　Zulu　battle　cries；　the　Boers　were　all　struck　downyes；

even　the　two　little　lads　and　the　Hottentot　servants。　　Then　they　were

dragged　away；　still　living；　by　the　soldiers；　their　heels　trailing　on　the

ground；　just　as　wounded　worms　or　insects　are　dragged　by　the　black　ants。



Dingaan　was　standing　by　me　now；　laughing；　his　fat　face　working

nervously。



〃Come；　Son　of　George；〃　he　said；　〃and　let　us　see　the　end　of　these

traitors　to　your　sovereign。〃