Part 17 (1/2)

At least I supposed that this was the reason, though another possible explanation did come into my mind I had refused to be duly overcome by her char looked upon that blinding beauty even for a moment? but rather because, after sundry experiences, I had at last attained to soment and learned what it is best to leave alone Perhaps this had annoyed her, especially as no whitewhile and the fabulous Kallikrates had not put in his promised appearance

Also it was unfortunate that in one way or another-how did she do it, I wondered-she had interpreted U her, andreply Not that for one moment, as I saw very clearly, did she wish to ested to ry because I shared her views upon this i was a bore and the sooner I saw the last of that veiled lady and the interesting but wearisome ruins in which she dwelt, the better I should be pleased, although apparently Iwo the bones of her unfortunate father behind me I admitted to myself, however, that there were consolations in the fact that Providence had thus decreed, for Robertson since he gave up drink had not been a cheerful companion, and two e

To return, for these reasons I examined the tounded Zulus with considerable anxiety, only to discover another instance of the chicanery which it amused this Ayesha to play off upon me For what did I find? That they were practically well Their hurts, which had never been serious, had healed wonderfully in that pure air, as those of savages have a way of doing, and they told ain Yet with colossal iest toto work some remarkable cure upon them, ere already cured

Well, it was of a piece with the rest of her conduct and there was nothing to do except go to bed, which I did with ht was not of another sort The last thing I re how on earth Ayesha appeared and disappeared in the course of that battle, a probleh, as in the case of the others, I was sure that one would occur to me in course of time

I slept like a top, so soundly indeed that I think there was some kind of soporific in the pick-me-up which looked like sherry, especially as the others who had drunk of it also passed an excellent night

About ten o'clock on the following h I had been enjoying a week at the seaside instead of my recent adventures, which included an aboht that my number was up upon the board of Destiny

I spent theover the details of the battle with Uot to say that these Arew soh like most Africans, they only used it in the shape of snuff) The truth was that after all s and acute anxieties, also mental and physical exertions, I felt like the houseone to a better land where her a ”for ever and ever” I just wanted to be completely idle and vacuous-minded for at least a month, but as I knew that all I could expect in that line was a single bank holiday, like a City clerk on the spree, of it I determined toI felt very bored indeed I had gone to look at Inez, as still fast asleep, as Ayesha said would be the case, but whose features seeathered froer nurses, was that at certain intervals she had awakened sufficiently to s considerable quantities of milk, or rather cream, which I hoped would not make her ill I had chatted with the wounded Zulus, ere noalking about,maledictions on their ancestral spirits because they had not been well enough to take part in the battle against Rezu

I even took a little stroll to look for Hans, who had vanished in his mysterious fashi+on, but the afternoon was so hot and oppressive with coain and fell into a variety of reflections that I need not detail

While I was thus engaged and , not without uneasiness, upon the ordeal that lay before me after sunset, for I felt sure that it would be an ordeal, Hans appeared and said that the Aathered on that spot where I had been elected to the proud position of their General He added that he believed-how he got this infor to hold a review of theive them the rewards that they had earned in the battle

Hearing this, Uaas and the other Zulus said that they would like to see this review if I would accoo nor indeed desired ever to look at another Aument, on condition that we should do so fro the wounded men, we strolled off and presently came to the crureat moat now dry, that once had encircled it ater

Here on the top of this e sat dohere we could see without being seen, and observed the A the battle, being marshalled by their captains beneath us and about a couple of hundred yards away Also we observed several groups of uard These we took to be prisoners captured in the fight with Rezu, who, as Hans re sacrifice

I said I hoped not and yawned, for really the afternoon was intensely hot and the weather most peculiar The sun had vanished behind clouds, and vapours filled the still air, so dense that at tirew almost dark; also when these cleared for brief intervals, the landscape in the grey, unholy light looked distorted and unnatural, as it does during an eclipse of the sun

Goroko, the witch-doctor, stared round him, sniffed the air and then remarked ocularly that it izard's weather” and that there were ree with his were very uncoed if he, as a professional, would be good enough to keep thees were about, which accounted for my sensations, and wished that I had never left the calooround At least, when it lifted, there she was in her white gared apparently in h I could not hear a word, I could see by the

Had she been the central figure in sohts could have set her off to better advantage, than did those of the heavens above her Suddenly, through the blanket of cloud, flowing from a hole in it that looked like an eye, came a blood-red ray which fell full upon her, so that she alone was fiercely visible whilst all around was glooe and even terrifying in that red ray which stained her robe till I who had but just coan to think of ”the garments rolled in blood” of which I often read in my favourite Old Testament For crimson was she from head to foot; a tall shape of terror and of wrath

The eye in heaven shut and the ray went out Then caht and in it I saw roups of prisoners, under guard, and, to the number of a dozen orwhile, because blackness seemed to flow in from every quarter of the heavens and to block out the scene beneath At least after a pause of perhaps fivewhich the stillness was intense, the storm broke

It was a very curious storm; in all my experience of African tean with the usual cold and wailing wind This died away, and suddenly the whole arch of heaven was alive with little lightnings that seemed to strike horizontally, not doards to the earth, weaving a web of fire upon the surface of the sky

By the illus which, but for the swiftness of their flashi+ng and greater intensity, so stars, I perceived that Ayesha was addressing the ht before her, who stood dejectedly in a long line with their heads bent, quite unattended, since their guards had fallen back

”If I were going to receive a reward of cattle or wives, I should look happier than those moon-worshi+ppers, Baas,” remarked Hans reflectively

”Perhaps it would depend,” I answered, ”upon what the cattle and wives were like If the cattle had red-water and would bring disease into your herd, or wild bulls that would gore you, and the wives were skinny old ith evil tongues, then I think you would look as do those men, Hans”

I don't quite knohatdeath or disaster, suggested, probably, by the o provided by Nature to the curious draht of that, Baas,” coood, especially witches' gifts”

As he spoke the little net-like lightnings died away, leaving behind theh which, far above us, the ailed again

Then suddenly all the heaven was turned into one blaze of light, and by it I saw Ayesha standing tall and rigid with her hand pointed towards the line of men in front of her The blaze went out, to be followed by blackness, and to return almost instantly in a yet fiercer blaze which seemed to fall earthwards in a torrent of fire that concentrated itself in a kind of flah that flame or rather in the heart of it, I saw Ayesha and the file ofsaw the prophets in the midst of the furnace that had been heated sevenfold Only these men did not walk about in the fire; no, they fell backwards, while Ayesha alone remained upon her feet with outstretched hand

Next came more blackness and crash upon crash of such thunder that the earth shook as it reverberated from the mountain cliffs Never in htened the Zulus so much, that they fell upon their faces, except Goroko and Uaas, whose pride kept them upon their feet, the former because he had a reputation to preserve as a ”Heaven-herd,” or Master of tempests

I confess that I should have liked to follow their exa should strike me But there-I did not

At last the thunder died away and in the most mysterious fashi+on that violent tee No rain fell, which in itself was surprising enough and arrees, too, the darkness passed and the westering sun reappeared Its rays fell upon the place where the Aer companies had stood, but now not one of theone and Ayesha with them So coht that we suffered from illusions, were it not for the line of deadvery small and lonesome on the veld; mere dots indeed at that distance

We stared at each other and at them, and then Goroko said that he would like to inspect the bodies to learn whether lightning killed at Kor as it did elsewhere, also whether it had sether or leapt from man to man This, as a professional ”Heaven-herd,” he declared he could tell from the marks upon these unfortunates

As I was curious also and wanted to make a few observations, I consented So with the exception of the wounded ht should avoid the exertion, we scrambled down the debris of the tu the scene of the tragedy withoutanyone

There lay the dead, eleven of them, in an exact line as they had stood They were all upon their backs idely-opened eyes and an expression of great fear frozen upon their faces Soaas and Hans They were soldiers or captains who had h until this an to descend the ridge where the battle took place

”Baas,” said Hans, ”I believe that these were the traitors who slipped away and told Rezu of our plans so that he attacked us on the ridge, instead of our attacking hied so nicely At least they were none of the of so had discriminated very well in this instance

Meanwhile Goroko was exa the bodies one by one, and presently called out, ”These doo but by witchcraft There is not a burn upon one of thearments scorched”

I went to look and found that it was perfectly true; to all outward appearance the eleven were quite unht have died a natural death in their sleep

”Does lightning always scorch?” I asked Goroko

”Always, Macumazahn,” he answered, ”that is, if he who has been struck is killed, as these are, and not only stunned Moreover, most of yonder dead wear knives which should have melted or shattered with the sheaths burnt off theh they had just left the smith's hammer and the whet-stone,” and he drew soain it was quite true and here I may remark that my experience tallied with that of Goroko, since I have never seen anyone killed by lightning on who there was not soaas, ”this is witchcraft, not Heaven-wrath The place is enchanted Let us get away lest we be smitten also who have not earned doom like those traitors”

”No need to fear,” said Hans, ”since with us is the Great Medicine of Zikali which can tie up the lightning as an old woman does a bundle of sticks”

Still I observed that for all his confidence, Hans himself was the first to depart and with considerable speed So ent back to our camp without more conversation, since the Zulus were scared and I confess that h no doubt it admitted of soht be, this Kor was a queer place with its legends, its sullen Aer and its mysterious queen, to whom at times, in spite of my inner conviction to the contrary, I was still inclined to attribute powers beyond those that are co very beautiful and able women

This reflection reminded me that she had promised us a further exhibition of those powers and within an hour or two Reret that I had ever asked for any such ht not involve?