Part 34 (1/2)
”How goes the war?” I asked as he shuffled to his feet
”As it o, very ill for the Zulus They have driven back the white th from over the Black Water and will come on presently and wipe them out Umnyamana would have had Cetewayo invade Natal and sweep it clean, as of course he should have done But I sent him word that if he did so Nomkubulwana, yes, she and no other, had told ainst him, and he hearkened When next you think me wicked, remember that, Macumazahn Now it is but a matter of time, and here you ood for you who need rest, though the other two find it wearisoood also to watch the fruit ripen on their tree of love It will be the sweeter when they eat it, Macuether Oho! Oho-ho!” and he shambled off
CHAPTER XX
HEDA'S TALE
That evening when I was lying on my bed outside the cave, I heard the tale of Ansob and Heda Up to a certain point he told it, then she went on with the story
”On theafter our arrival at this place, Allan,” said Ansob, ”I woke up to find you gone from the hut As you did not come back I concluded that you ith Zikali, and walked about looking for you Then food was brought to us and Heda and I breakfasted together, after which ent to where we heard the horses neighing and found that yours was gone Returning, ave , and we inquired of her why this had been done and as to become of us She smiled and answered that we had better ask the first question of the king and the second of her master Zikali, and in the meanwhile be at peace since ere quite safe
”I tried to see Zikali but could not Then I went to inspan the horses with the idea of following you, only to find that they were gone Indeed I have not seen the on foot, for ere quite desperate But Nombe intervened and told us that if we ventured out of the Black Kloof we should be killed In short ere prisoners
”This went on for so which ell treated but could not succeed in seeing Zikali At length onehe sent for us and ere taken to the enclosure in front of his hut, Kaatje co very grim and terrible Then he said-
”'White Chief and Lady, you think ill of one and you are kept prisoners here, and before all is done you will think worse Yet I counsel you to trust ood'
”At this point Heda, who, as you know, talked Zulu fairly well, though not so well as she does now, broke in, and said sos to him”
”Yes,” interrupted Heda ”I told him that he was a liar and I believed that he had murdered you and meant to murder us”
”He listened stonily,” continued Ansob, ”and answered, 'I perceive, Lady Heddana, that you understand enough of our tongue to enable me to talk to you; therefore I will send away this half-breed woman, since what I have to say is secret'
”Then he called servants by clapping his hands and ordered them to remove Kaatje, which was done
”'Now, Lady Heddana,' he said, speaking very slowly so that Hedahis words whenever she did not understand, 'I have a proposal to make to you For my own ends it is necessary that you should play a part and appear before the king and the Council as the Goddess of this land who is called the Chieftainess of Heaven, which Goddess is always seen as a white woman Therefore you s which I shall tell you'
”'And if I refuse to play this trick,' said Heda, 'what then?'
”'Then, Lady Heddana, this white lord whom you love and who is to be your husband will-die-and after he is dead you must still do what I desire of you, or-die also'
”'Would he come with me to Ulundi?' asked Heda
”'Not so, Lady He would stay here under guard, but quite safe, and you will be brought back to him, safe Choose noith death on the one hand and safety on the other I would sleep a little Talk the ue and when it is settled awaken o to sleep
”So we discussed the situation, if you can call it discussion ere both nearly ed her to let me be killed rather than trust herself into the hands of this old villain She pointed out that even if I were killed, which she adht not happen, she would still be in his hands whence she could only escape by her own death, whereas if she went there was a chance that we ht both continue to live, and that after all death was easy to find So in the end I gave way and oke up Zikali and told hi, 'I was sure that wisdoain I promise you that neither you nor the lord your lover shall come to any harm Also that in payment I and my child, Nombe, will protect you even with our lives, and further, that I will bring back your friend, Macuether Nombe will tell the lady Heddana when she is to start Of all this say nothing on your peril to the woman Kaatje, since if you do, it will be necessary that she should be , to-morrow I shall send her on to await you at Ulundi, therefore be not surprised if you see her go, and take no heed of aught sheNombe, my child, will fill her place as servant to the lady Heddana and sleep with her at night that she may not be lonely or afraid'
”Then he clapped his hands again and servants came and conducted us back to the huts And now, Allan, Heda will go on with the story”
”Well, Mr Quaterhearts Kaatje did not question us as to what the witch-doctor had said after she was sent away Indeed I noticed that she was growing very stupid and drowsy, like a person who has been drugged, as I daresay she was, and would insist upon beginning to pack up the things in a foolish kind of way,day The night passed as usual, Kaatje sleeping very heavily by roaned syet little rest On the next ested that we should sit under the shadow of the overhanging rock, just where we are now Accordingly ent, and being tired out with all our troubles and bad nights, I fell into a doze, and so, I think, did Maurice, No all the while, a very queer kind of song
”Presently, throughNo her hand, led her to the cart, where they seemed to talk to the horses, which surprised ht her round the cart and pointed to us, still singing Now Kaatje began to weep and throw her hands about, while Nombe patted her on the shoulder I tried to speak to her but could not My tongue was tied, why I don't know, but I suppose because I was really asleep, and Maurice also was asleep and did not wake at all”