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！
were need she would know what to do。
The fearful responsibility was more than I could bear。 I fell into a
veritable agony； I trembled and even wept a little。 Then I thought of
my father and what he would do in such circumstances； and began to pray
as I had never prayed before。
I implored the Power above me to give me strength and wisdom； not to let
me fail in this hour of trouble； and thereby bring these poor people to
a bloody death。 I prayed till the perspiration streamed down my face；
then suddenly I fell into sleep or swoon。 I don't know how long I lay
thus； but I think it must have been the best part of an hour。 At last I
woke up all in an instant； and as I woke I distinctly heard a tiny
voice； unlike any other voice in the whole world； speak inside my head；
or so it seemed to me； saying：
_〃Go to the hill Hloma Amabutu； and watch how the vultures fly。 Do what
comes into your mind； and even if you seem to fail； fear nothing。〃_
I sat up on the old vrouw's bed； and felt that some mysterious change
had come over me。 I was no longer the same man。 My doubts and terrors
had gone； my hand was like a rock； my heart was light。 I knew that I
should kill those three vultures。 Of course the story seems absurd； and
easy to be explained by the state of my nerves under the strain which
was being put upon them； and for aught I know that may be its true
meaning。 Yet I am not ashamed to confess that I have always held； and
still hold； otherwise。 I believe that in my extremity some kindly Power
did speak to me in answer to my earnest prayers and to those of others；
giving me guidance and； what I needed still more； judgment and calmness。
At any rate； that this was my conviction at the moment may be seen from
the fact that I hastened to obey the teachings of that tiny； unnatural
voice。
Climbing out of the wagon； I went to Hans； who was seated near by in the
full glare of the hot sun； at which he seemed to stare with unblinking
eyes。
〃Where's the rifle； Hans？〃 I said。
〃Intombi is here； baas； where I have put her to keep her cool； so that
she may not go off before it is wanted；〃 and he pointed to a little
grave…like heap of gathered grass at his side。
The natives； I should explain； named this particular gun 〃Intombi〃；
which means a young girl； because it was so much slimmer and more
graceful than other guns。
〃Is it clean？〃 I asked。
〃Never was she cleaner since she was born out of the fire； baas。 Also；
the powder has been sifted and set to dry in the sun with the caps； and
the bullets have been trued to the barrel； so that there may be no
accidents when it comes to the shooting。 If you miss the aasvogels；
baas； it will not be the fault of Intombi or of the powder and the
bullets； it will be your own fault。〃
〃That's comforting；〃 I answered。 〃Well； come on； I want to go to the
Death…hill yonder。〃
〃Why； baas； before the time？〃 asked the Hottentot； shrinking back a
little。 〃It is no place to visit till one is obliged。 These Zulus say
that ghosts sit there even in the daylight； haunting the rocks where
they were made ghosts。〃
〃Vultures sit or fly there also； Hans； and I would see how they fly；
that I may know when and where to shoot at them。〃
〃That is right； baas；〃 said the clever Hottentot。 〃This is not like
firing at geese in the Groote Kloof。 The geese go straight； like an
assegai to its mark。 But the aasvogels wheel round and round； always on
the turn； it is easy to miss a bird that is turning； baas。〃
〃Very easy。 Come on。〃
Just as we were starting Vrouw Prinsloo appeared from behind the other
wagon； and with her Marie； who； I noticed； was very pale and whose
beautiful eyes were red； as though with weeping。
The vrouw asked me where we were going。 I told her。 After considering
a little； she said that was a good thought of mine； as it was always
well to study the ground before a battle。
I nodded； and led Marie aside behind some thorn trees that grew near。
〃Oh！ Allan； what will be the end of this？〃 she asked piteously。 High as
was her courage it seemed to fail her now。
〃A good end； dearest；〃 I answered。 〃We shall come out of this hole
safely； as we have of many others。〃
〃How do you know that； Allan； which is known to God alone？〃
〃Because God told me； Marie；〃 and I repeated to her the story of the
voice I had heard in my dream； which seemed to comfort her。
〃Yet； yet；〃 she exclaimed doubtfully； 〃it was but a dream； Allan； and
dreams are such uncertain things。 You may fail； after all。〃
〃Do I look like one who will fail； Marie？〃
She studied me from head to foot； then answered：
〃No； you do not； although you did when you came back from the king's
huts。 Now you are quite changed。 Still； Allan； you may fail； and
thenwhat？ Some of those dreadful Zulus have been here while you were
sleeping； bidding us all make ready to go to the Hill of Death。 They
say that Dingaan is in earnest。 If you do not kill the vultures； he
will kill us。 It seems that they are sacred birds； and if they escape
he will think he has nothing to fear from the white men and their magic；
and so will make a beginning by butchering us。 I mean the rest of us；
for I am to be kept alive； and oh！ what shall I do； Allan？〃
I looked at her； and she looked at me。 Then I took the double…barrelled
pistol out of my pocket and gave it to her。
〃It is loaded and on the half…cock；〃 I said。
She nodded； and hid it in her dress beneath her apron。 Then without
more words we kissed and parted； for both of us feared to prolong that
scene。
The hill Hloma Amabutu was quite close to our encampment and the huts of
the Reverend Mr。 Owen； scarcely a quarter of a mile off； I should say；
rising from the flat veld on the further side of a little depression
that hardly amounted to a valley。 As we approached it I noticed its
peculiar and blasted appearance； for whereas all around the grass was
vivid with the green of spring； on this place none seemed to grow。 An
eminence strewn with tumbled heaps of blackish rock； and among them a
few struggling； dark…leaved bushes； that was its appearance。 Moreover；
many of these boulders looked as though they had been splashed and lined
with whitewash； showing that they were the resting…place of hundreds of
gorged vultures。
I believe it is the Chinese who declare that particular localities have
good or evil influences attached to them； some kind of spirit of their
own； and really Hloma Amabutu and a few other spots that I am acquainted
with in Africa give colour to the fancy。 Certainly as I set foot upon
that accursed ground； that Golgotha； that Place of Skulls； a shiver went
through me。 It may have been caused by the atmosphere； moral and
actual； of the mount； or it may have been a prescience of a certain
dreadful scene which within a few months I was doomed to witness there。
Or perhaps the place itself and the knowledge of the trial before me
sent a sudden chill through my healthy blood。 I cannot say which it
was； but the fact remains as I have stated； although a minute or two
later； when I saw what kind of sleepers lay upon that mount； it would
not have been necessary for me to seek any far…fetched explanation of my
fear。
Across this hill； winding in and out between the rough rocks that lay
here； there and everywhere like hailstones after a winter storm； ran
sundry paths。 It seems that the shortest road to various places in the
neighbourhood of the Great Kraal ran over it； and although no Zulu ever
dared to set foot there between sun…set and rise； in the daytime they
used these paths freely enough。 But I suppose that they also held that
this evil…omened field of death had some spirit of its own； some
invisible but imminent fiend； who needed to be propitiated； lest soon he
should claim them also。
This was their method of propitiation； a common one enough； I believe；
in many lands； though what may be its meaning I cannot tell。 As the
traveller came to those spots where the paths cut across each other； he
took a stone and threw it on to a heap that had been accumulated there
by the hands of other travellers。 There were many such heaps upon the
hill； over a dozen； I think； and the size of them was great。 I should
say that the biggest contained quite fifty loads of stones； and the
smallest not fewer than twenty or thirty。
Now； Hans； although he had never set foot there before； seemed to have
learned all the traditions of the place； and what rites were necessary
to avert its curse。 At any rate； when we came to the first heap； he
cast a stone upon it； and begged me to do the same。 I laughed and
refused； but when we reached the second heap the same thing happened。
Again I refused； whereon； before we came to a third and larger pile；
Hans sat down upon the ground and began to groan； swearing that he would
no