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！
dead； but while we are alive it is always possible that we may escape
from Jana。 If the worst comes to the worst I have a pistol with two
bullets in it； one for you and one for me。〃
〃The wisdom of the Child is in you；〃 he replied。 〃I shall surrender
with you； Macumazana； and take my chance。〃
Then he turned and explained things to his followers； who spoke
together for a moment。 In the end these took a strange and； to my
mind； a very heroic decision。 Waiting till the attacking Kendah were
quite close to us； with the exception of three men； who either because
they lacked courage or for some other reason； stayed with us； they
advanced humbly as though to make submission。 A number of the Black
Kendah dismounted and ran up； I suppose to take them prisoners。 The
men waited till these were all round them。 Then with a yell of 〃The
Child！〃 they sprang forward； taking the enemy unawares and fighting
like demons； inflicted great loss upon them before they fell
themselves covered with wounds。
〃Brave men indeed！〃 said Mar？t approvingly。 〃Well； now they are all at
peace with the Child； where doubtless we shall find them ere long。〃
I nodded but answered nothing。 To tell the truth； I was too much
engaged in nursing the remains of my own courage to enter into
conversation about that of other people。
This fierce and cunning stratagem of desperate men which had cost
their enemies so dear； seemed to infuriate the Black Kendah。
At us came the whole mob of themwe were but six nowroaring 〃Jana！
Jana！〃 and led by a grey…beard who； to judge from the number of silver
chains upon his breast and his other trappings； seemed to be a great
man among them。 When they were about fifty yards away and I was
preparing for the worst； a shot rang out from above and behind me。 At
the same instant Greybeard threw his arms wide and letting fall the
spear he held； pitched from his horse； evidently stone dead。 I glanced
back and saw Hans； the corn…cob pipe still in his mouth and the little
rifle； 〃Intombi；〃 still at his shoulder。 He had fired from the back of
the camel； I think for the first time that day； and whether by chance
or through good marksmanship； I do not know； had killed this man。
His sudden and unexpected end seemed to fill the Black Kendah with
grief and dismay。 Halting in their charge they gathered round him；
while a fierce…looking middle…aged man； also adorned with much
barbaric finery； dismounted to examine him。
〃That is Simba the King；〃 said Mar？t； 〃and the slain one is his uncle；
Goru； the great general who brought him up from a babe。〃
〃Then I wish I had another cartridge left for the nephew；〃 I began and
stopped； for Hans was speaking to me。
〃Good…bye； Baas；〃 he said； 〃I must go； for I cannot load 'Intombi' on
the back of this beast。 If you meet your reverend father the Predikant
before I do； tell him to make a nice place ready for me among the
fires。〃
Then before I could get out an answer； Hans dragged his camel round；
as I have said； it was quite uninjured。 Urging it to a shambling
gallop with blows of the rifle stock； he departed at a great rate； not
towards the home of the Child but up the hill into a brake of giant
grass mingled with thorn trees that grew quite close at hand。 Here
with startling suddenness both he and the camel vanished away。
If the Black Kendah saw him go； of which I am doubtful； for they all
seemed to be lost in consultation round their king and the dead
general； Goru； they made no attempt to follow him。 Another possibility
is that they thought he was trying to lead them into some snare or
ambush。
I do not know what they thought because I never heard them mention
Hans or the matter of his disappearance； if indeed they ever realized
that there was such a person。 Curiously enough in the case of men who
had just shown themselves so brave； this last accident of the decease
of Goru coming on the top of all their other casualties； seemed to
take the courage out of them。 It was as though they had come to the
conclusion that we with our guns were something more than mortal。
For several minutes they debated in evident hesitation。 At last
from out of their array rode a single man； in whom I recognized one of
the envoys who had met us in the morning； carrying in his hand a white
flag as he had done before。 Thereon I laid down my rifle in token that
I would not fire at him； which indeed I could not do having nothing to
fire。 Seeing this he came to within a few yards and halting； addressed
Mar？t。
〃O second Prophet of the Child；〃 he said； 〃these are the words of
Simba the King： Your god has been too strong for us to…day； though in
a day to come it may be otherwise。 I thought I had you in a pit； that
you were the bucks and I the hunter。 But； though with loss； you have
escaped out of the pit；〃 and the speaker glanced towards our
retreating force which was now but a cloud of dust in the far
distance； 〃while I the hunter have been gored by your horns；〃 and
again he glanced at the dead that were scattered about the plain。 〃The
noblest of the buck； the white bull of the herd；〃 and he looked at me；
who in any other circumstances would have felt complimented； 〃and you；
O Prophet Mar？t； and one or two others； besides those that I have
slain； are however still in the pit and your horn is a magic horn；〃
here he pointed to my rifle； 〃which pierces from afar and kills dead
all by whom it is touched。〃
〃So I caught those gentry well in the middle；〃 thought I to myself；
〃and with soft…nosed bullets！〃
〃Therefore I； Simba the King； make you an offer。 Yield yourselves and
I swear that no spear shall be driven through your hearts and no knife
come near your throats。 You shall only be taken to my town and there
be fed on the best and kept as prisoners； till once more there is
peace between the Black Kendah and the White。 If you refuse； then I
will ring you round and perhaps in the dark rush on you and kill you
all。 Or perhaps I will watch you from day to day till you； who have no
water； die of thirst in the heat of the sun。 These are my words to
which nothing may be added and from which nothing shall be taken
away。〃
Having finished this speech he rode back a few yards out of earshot；
and waited。
〃What will you answer； Lord Macumazana？〃 asked Mar？t。
I replied by another question。 〃Is there any chance of our being
rescued by your people？〃
He shook his head。 〃None。 What we have seen to…day is but a small part
of the army of the Black Kendah； one regiment of foot and one of
horse； that are always ready。 By to…morrow thousands will be gathered；
many more than we can hope to deal with in the open and still less in
their strongholds； also Har？t will believe that we are dead。 Unless
the Child saves us we shall be left to our fate。〃
〃Then it seems that we are indeed in a pit； as that black brute of a
king puts it； Mar？t； and if he does what he says and rushes us at