marie- 第51部分

guard　hut；　and　noted　that　it　had　been　well　fed　and　cared　for。　　By

Kambula's　leave　I　saddled　it　and　mounted。　　As　I　did　so；　he　warned　me

that　if　I　tried　to　ride　away　from　the　escort　I　should　certainly　be

killed；　since　even　if　I　escaped　them；　orders　had　been　given　throughout

the　land　to　put　an　end　to　me　should　I　be　seen　alone。



I　replied　that；　unarmed　as　I　was；　I　had　no　idea　of　making　any　such

attempt。　　So　we　went　forward；　Kambula　and　his　soldiers　walking　or

trotting　at　my　side。



For　four　full　days　we　journeyed　thus；　keeping；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；

about　twenty　or　thirty　miles　to　the　east　of　that　road　by　which　I　had

left　Zululand　before　and　re…entered　it　with　Retief　and　his　commission。　

Evidently　I　was　an　object　of　great　interest　to　the　Zulus　of　the　country

through　which　we　passed；　perhaps　because　they　knew　me　to　be　the　sole

survivor　of　all　the　white　men　who　had　gone　up　to　visit　the　king。　　They

would　come　down　in　crowds　from　the　kraals　and　stare　at　me　almost　with

awe；　as　though　I　were　a　spirit　and　not　a　man。　　Only；　not　one　of　them

would　say　anything　to　me；　probably　because　they　had　been　forbidden　to　do

so。　　Indeed；　if　I　spoke　to　any　of　them；　invariably　they　turned　and

walked　or　ran　out　of　hearing。



It　was　on　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day　that　Kambula　and　his　soldiers

received　some　news　which　seemed　to　excite　them　a　great　deal。　　A

messenger　in　a　state　of　exhaustion；　who　had　an　injury　to　the　fleshy　part

of　his　left　arm；　which　looked　to　me　as　though　it　had　been　caused　by　a

bullet；　appeared　out　of　the　bush　and　said　something　of　which；　by

straining　my　ears；　I　caught　two　words〃Great　slaughter。〃　　Then　Kambula

laid　his　fingers　on　his　lips　as　a　signal　for　silence　and　led　the　man

away；　nor　did　I　see　or　hear　any　more　of　him。　　Afterwards　I　asked　Kambula

who　had　suffered　this　great　slaughter；　whereon　he　stared　at　me

innocently　and　replied　that　he　did　not　know　of　what　I　was　speaking。



〃What　is　the　use　of　lying　to　me；　Kambula；　seeing　that　I　shall　find　out

the　truth　before　long？〃



〃Then；　Macumazahn；　wait　till　you　do　find　it　out；　And　may　it　please　you；〃

he　replied；　and　went　off　to　speak　with　his　people　at　a　distance。



All　that　night　I　heard　them　talking　off　and　onI；　who　lay　awake　plunged

into　new　miseries。　　I　was　sure　that　some　other　dreadful　thing　had

happened。　　Probably　Dingaan's　armies　had　destroyed　all　the　Boers；　and；

if　so；　oh！　what　had　become　of　Marie？　　Was　she　dead；　or　had　she　perhaps

been　taken　prisoner；　as　Dingaan　had　told　me　would　be　done　for　his　own

vile　purposes？　　For　aught　I　knew　she　might　now　be　travelling　under

escort　to　Umgungundhlovu；　as　I　was　travelling　to　Natal。



The　morning　came　at　last；　and　that　day；　about　noon；　we　reached　a　ford　of

the　Tugela　which　luckily　was　quite　passable。　　Here　Kambula　bade　me

farewell；　saying　that　his　mission　was　finished。　　Also　he　delivered　to　me

a　message　that　I　was　to　give　from　Dingaan　to　the　English　in　Natal。　　It

was　to　this　effect：　That　he；　Dingaan；　had　killed　the　Boers　who　came　to

visit　him　because　he　found　out　that　they　were　traitors　to　their　chief；

and　therefore　not　worthy　to　live。　　But　that　he　loved　the　Sons　of　George；

who　were　true…hearted　people；　and　therefore　had　nothing　to　fear　from

him。　　Indeed；　he　begged　them　to　come　and　see　him　at　his　Great　Place；

where　he　would　talk　matters　over　with　them。



I　said　that　I　would　deliver　the　message　if　I　met　any　English　people；

but；　of　course；　I　could　not　say　whether　they　would　accept　Dingaan's

invitation　to　Umgungundhlovu。　　Indeed；　I　feared　lest　that　town　might

have　acquired　such　a　bad　name　that　they　would　prefer　not　to　come　there

without　an　army。



Then；　before　Kambula　had　time　to　take　any　offence；　I　shook　his

outstretched　hand　and　urged　my　horse　into　the　stream。　　I　never　met

Kambula　again　living；　though　after　the　battle　of　Blood　River　I　saw　him

dead。



Once　over　the　Tugela　I　rode　forward　for　half　a　mile　or　so　till　I　was

clear　of　the　bush　and　reeds　that　grew　down　to　the　water；　fearing　lest

the　Zulus　should　follow　and　take　me　back　to　Dingaan　to　explain　my　rather

imprudent　message。　　Seeing　no　signs　of　them；　I　halted；　a　desolate

creature　in　a　desolate　country　which　I　did　not　know；　wondering　what　I

should　do　and　whither　I　should　ride。　　Then　it　was　that　there　happened

one　of　the　strangest　experiences　of　all　my　adventurous　life。



As　I　sat　dejectedly　upon　my　horse；　which　was　also　dejected；　amidst　some

tumbled　rocks　that　at　a　distant　period　in　the　world's　history　had　formed

the　bank　of　the　great　river；　I　heard　a　voice　which　seemed　familiar　to　me

say：



〃Baas；　is　that　_you_；　baas？〃



I　looked　round　and　could　see　no　one；　so；　thinking　that　I　had　been

deceived　by　my　imagination；　I　held　my　peace。



〃Baas；〃　said　the　voice　again；　〃are　you　dead　or　are　you　alive？　　Because；

if　you　are　dead；　I　don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　spooks　until　I

am　obliged。〃



Now　I　answered；　〃Who　is　it　that　speaks；　and　whence？〃　though；　really；　as

I　could　see　no　one；　I　thought　that　I　must　be　demented。



The　next　moment　my　horse　snorted　and　shied　violently；　and　no　wonder；　for

out　of　a　great　ant…bear　hole　not　five　paces　away　appeared　a　yellow　face

crowned　with　black　wool；　in　which　was　set　a　broken　feather。　　I　looked　at

the　face　and　the　face　looked　at　me。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃is　it　you？　　I　thought　that　_you_　were　killed　with　the

others。〃



〃And　I　thought　that　_you_　were　killed　with　the　others；　baas。　　Are　you

sure　that　you　are　alive？〃



〃What　are　you　doing　there；　you　old　fool？〃　I　asked。



〃Hiding　from　the　Zulus；　baas。　　I　heard　them　on　the　other　bank；　and　then

saw　a　man　on　a　horse　crossing　the　river；　and　went　to　ground　like　a

jackal。　　I　have　had　enough　of　Zulus。〃



〃Come　out；〃　I　said；　〃and　tell　me　your　story。〃



He　emerged；　a　thin　and　bedraggled　creature；　with　nothing　left　on　him　but

the　upper　part　of　a　pair　of　old　trousers；　but　still　Hans；　undoubtedly

Hans。　　He　ran　to　me；　and　seizing　my　foot；　kissed　it　again　and　again；

weeping　tears　of　joy　and　stuttering：



〃Oh；　baas；　to　think　that　I　should　find　you　who　were　dead；　alive；　and

find　myself　alive；　too。　　Oh！　baas；　never　again　will　I　doubt　about　the

Big　Man　in　the　sky　of　whom　your　reverend　father　is　so　fond。　　For　after　I

had　tried　all　our　own　spirits；　and　even　those　of　my　ancestors；　and　met

with　nothing　but　trouble；　I　said　the　prayer　that　the　reverend　taught　us；

asking　for　my　daily　bread　because　I　am　so　very　hungry。　　Then　I　looked

out　of　the　hole　and　there　you　were。　　Have　you　anything　to　eat　about　you；

baas？〃



As　it　chanced；　in　my　saddle…bags　I　had　some　biltong　that　I　had　saved

against　emergencies。　　I　gave　it　to　him；　and　he　devoured　it　as　a　famished

hyena　might　do；　tearing　off　the　tough　meat　in　lumps　and　bolting　them

whole。　　When　it　was　all　gone　he　licked　his　fingers　and　his　lips　and

stood　still　staring　at　me。



〃Tell　me　your　story；〃　I　repeated。



〃Baas；　I　went　to　fetch　the　horses　with　the　others；　and　ours　had　strayed。

　I　got　up　a　tree　to　look　for　them。　　Then　I　heard　a　noise；　and　saw　that

the　Zulus　were　killing　the　Boers；　so　knowing　that　presently　they　would

kill　us；　too；　I　stopped　in　that　tree；　hiding　myself　as　well　as　I　could

in　a　stork's　nest。　　Well；　they　came　and　assegaied　all　the　other　Totties；

and　stood　under　my　tree　cleaning　their　spears　and　getting　their　breath；

for　one　of　my　brothers　had　given　them　a　good　run。　　But　they　never　saw

me；　although　I　was　nearly　sick　from　fear　on　the　top　of　them。　　Indeed；　I

was　sick；　but　into　the　nest。



〃Well；　I　sat　in　that　nest　all　day；　though　the　sun　cooked　me　like　beef　on

a　stick；　and　when　night　came　I　got　down　and　ran；　for　I　knew　it　was　no

good　to　stop　to　look　for　you；　and　'every　man　for　himself　when　a　black

devil　is　behind　you；'　as　your　reverend　father　says。　　All　night　I　ran；

and　in　the　morning　hid　up　in　a　hole。　　Then　when　night　came　again　I　went

on　running。　　Oh！　they　nearly　caught　me　once　or　twice；　but　never　quite；

for　I　know　how　to　hide；　and　I　kept　where　men　do　not　go。　　Only　I　was

hungry；　hungry；　yes；　I　lived　on　snails　and　worms；　and　grass　like　an　ox；

till　my　middle　ached。　　Still；　at　last　I　got　across　the　river　and　near　to

the　camp。



〃Then　just　before　the　day　broke　and　I　was　saying；　'Now；　Hans；　although

your　heart　is　sad；　your　stomach　will　rejoice　and　sing；'　what　did　I　see

but　those　Zulu　devils；　thousands　of　them；　rush　down　on　the　camp　and　kill

all　the　poor　Boers。　　Men　and　women　and　the　little　children；　they　killed

them　by　the　hundred；　till　at　last　other　Boers　came　and　drove　them　away；

although　they　took　all　the　cattle　with　them。　　Well；　as　I　was　sure　that

they　would　come　back；　I　did　not　stop　there。　　I　ran　down　to　the　side　of

the　river；　and　have　been　crawling　about　in　the　reeds　for　days；　living　on

the　eggs　of　water…birds　and　a　few　small　fish　that　I　caught　in　the　pools；

till　this　morning；　when　I　heard　the　Zulus　again　and　slipped　up　here　into

this　hole。　　Then　you　came　and　stood　over　the　hole；　and　for　a　long　while

I　thought　you　were　a　ghost。



〃But　now　we　are　together　once　more　and　all　is　right；　just　as　what　your

reverend　father　always　said　it　would　be　with　those　who　go　to　church　on

Sunday；　like　me　when　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。〃　　And　again　he　fell

to　kissing　my　foot。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃you　saw　the　camp。　　Was　the　Missie　Marie　there？〃



〃Baas；　how　can　I　tell；　who　never　went　into　it？　　But　the　wagon　she　slept

in　was　not　there；　no；　nor　that　of　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　or　of　the　Heer

Meyer。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　I　gasped；　then　added：　〃Where　were　you　trying　to　get　to；

Hans；　when　you　ran　away　from　the　camp？〃



〃Baas；　I　thought　perhaps　that　the　Missie　and　the　Prinsloos　and　the

Meyers　had　gone　to　that　fine　farm　which　you　pegged　out；　and　that　I　would

go　and　see　if　they　were　there。　　Because　if　so；　I　was　sure　that　they

would　be　glad　to　know　that　you　were　really　dead；　and　give　me　some　food

in　payment　for　my　news。　　But　I　was　afraid　to　walk　across　the　open　veld

for　fear　lest　the　Zulus　should　see　me　and　kill　me。　　T