Part 35 (1/2)
I had made my last round of the little corps that I facetiously na they were anything but sharp, and seen that each man was in his place behind a ith a reserveto take his rifle if either of these should fall Also I had made sure that all of them had twenty rounds of ammunition in their skin pouches More I would not serve out, fearing lest in excitee uselessly, as before now even disciplined white troops have been known to do Therefore I had arranged that certain oldwho could be trusted should wait in a place of co all our reserve a for what had been expended in practice, to nearly sixty rounds per rifle This they were instructed to deliver fro line in small lots when they saw that it was necessary and not before
It was, I adement apt to miscarry in the heat of desperate battle, but I could think of none better, since it was absolutely necessary that no shot should be wasted
After a feords of exhortation and caution to the natives who acted as sergeants to the corps, I returned to a bough shelter that had been built for us behind a rock to get a few hours' sleep, if that were possible, before the fight began
Here I found Ragnall, who had just come in from his inspection This was of a oing round soh walls and trenches that he had prepared with sothat the various companies of the White Kendah were ready to play their part in the defence of them
He was tired and rather excited, too much so to sleep at once So we talked a little while, first about the prospects of the morrow's battle, as to which ere, to say the least of it, dubious, and afterwards of other things I asked hi his stay in this place, while I was below at the town or later, he had heard or seen anything of his wife
”Nothing,” he answered ”These priests never speak of her, and if they did Hart is the only one of them that I can really understand
Moreover, I have kept my word strictly and, even when I had occasion to see to the blocking of the western road, hbourhood of that house where I suppose she lives Oh! Quatermain, my friend, my case is a hard one, as you would think if the woman you loved with your whole heart were shut up within a few hundred yards of you and no communication with her possible after all this tiathered from what Hart said the other day, that she is still out of her mind”
”That has some consolations,” I replied, ”since the mindless do not suffer But if such is the case, how do you account for what you and poor Savage saw that night in the Town of the Child? It was not altogether a phantasy, for the dress you described was the sa at the Feast of the First-fruits”
”I don't knohat to s happen in the world which we ence because we cannot understand them” (Very soon I was to have another proof of this re back”
”Only this, Ragnall If your ere utterly mad I cannot conceive how it came about that she searched you out and spoke to you even in a vision--for the thing was not an individual dreae saw her Nor did she actually visit you in the flesh, as the door never opened and the spider's web across it was not broken So it comes to this: either some part of her is not mad but can still exercise sufficient will to project itself upon your senses, or she is dead and her dise Noe know that she is not dead, for we have seen her and Hart has confessed as much Therefore I maintain that, whatever may be her temporary state, she must still be fundamentally of a reasonable mind, as she is of a natural body For instance, she may only be hypnotized, in which case the spell will break one day”
”Thank you for that thought, old fellow It never occurred to rief in this business, which is very likely, and you should survive, you will do your best to get her home; will you not? Here is a codicil to ht of dreae and Hans
It leaves to you whatever su over for yourself Take it, it is best in your keeping, especially as if you should be killed it has no value”
”Of course I will do my best,” I answered as I put away the paper in ht of being killed, whichthe sleep ant I don't ars, the Black Kendah, such a doing as they never had before, and then start for the coast with you and Lady Ragnall, as, God willing, we shall do Good night”
After this I slept like a top for sonall did also When I awoke, which happened suddenly and co that I saas Hans seated at the entrance tothe single-barrelled rifle, Intombi, on his knee I asked him what the time was, to which he replied that it lacked two hours to dawn Then I asked hi He replied that he had been asleep and dreah I inquired what dreae one, Baas, for a o into battle I dreae place that was full of quiet It was light there, but I could not see any sun or moon, and the air was very soft and tasted like food and drink, so much so, Baas, that if anyone had offered me a cup quite full of the best 'Cape smoke' I should have told him to take it away Then, Baas, suddenly I saw your reverend father, the Predikant, standing beside er and stronger and very happy, and so of course knew at once that I was dead and in hell Only I wondered where the fire that does not go out ht be, for I could not see it Presently your reverend father said to me: 'Good day, Hans So you have coone with my son, the Baas Allan? Have you looked after him as I told you to do?'
”I answered: 'I have looked after hih have I done; still, not once or twice or three times only have I offered up my life for hiht be sure he heard the best ofa big story out of sh all the while I could see that he knew exactly just where I began to lie and just where I stopped fro Still he did not scold me, Baas; indeed, when I had finished, he said:
”'Well done, O good and faithful servant,' words that I think I have heard him use before when he was alive, Baas, and used to preach to us for such a long tioes it with Baas Allan, my son, now, Hans?' to which I replied:
”'The Baas Allan is going to fight a very great battle in which he may well fall, and if I could feel sorry here, which I can't, I should weep, O reverend sir, because I have died before that battle began and therefore cannot stand at his side in the battle and be killed for him as a servant should for his master!'
”'You will stand at his side in the battle,' said your reverend father, 'and those things which you desire you will do, as it is fitting that you should And afterwards, Hans, you will make report to me of how the battle went and of what honour h while you live in the world you sees, they are but drea, and its nah, the stars the of every one of theht under many names for ever and for ever, Amen'
”What hethat I have never thought much of women, at least not for many years sincein her sleep on the baby which I loved much better than I did her, Baas
”Well, before I could ask hione like a whiff of s wind”
Hans paused, puffed at his pipe, spat upon the ground in his usual reflective way and asked:
”Is the Baas tired of the dream or would he like to hear the rest?”
”I should like to hear the rest,” I said in a low voice, for I was strangelyin that place which was so full of quiet, turningork they would settowards me two very beautiful women, Baas, who had their arms round each other's necks They were dressed in white, with the little hard things that are found in shells hanging about theht stones in their hair