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though but by a little。
〃Come；〃 I gasped； and began to walk quickly round the edge of the
depression to a rock； which I saw opposite about a hundred yards away。
My journey took me near the Zulus； who mocked me as I passed； asking
where my magic was； and if I wished to see the white people killed
presently。 Dingaan was now offering odds of fifty cattle to one against
me； but no one would take the bet even with the king。
I made no answer； no； not even when they asked me 〃if I had thrown down
my spear and was running away。〃 Grimly； despairingly； I marched on to
the rock； and took shelter behind it with Hans。 The Boers； I saw； were
still upon their knees； but seemed to have ceased praying。 The children
were weeping； the men stared at each other； Vrouw Prinsloo had her arm
about Marie's waist。 Waiting there behind the rock； my courage returned
to me； as it sometimes does in the last extremity。 I remembered my
dream and took comfort。 Surely God would not be so cruel as to suffer
me to fail and thereby bring all those poor people to their deaths。
Snatching the rifle from Hans； I loaded it myself； nothing must be
trusted to another。 As I put on the cap a vulture made its last circle。
It hung in the air just as the others had done； and oh！ its tail was
towards me。 I lifted； I aimed between the gathered…up legs； I pressed
and shut my eyes； for I did not dare to look。
I heard the bullet strike； or seem to strike； and a few seconds later I
heard something elsethe noise of a heavy thud upon the ground。 I
looked； and there with outstretched wings lay the foul bird dead； stone
dead； eight or ten paces from the bodies。
〃Allemachte！ that's better；〃 said Hans。 〃You threw stones on to _all_
the other heaps； didn't you； baas？〃
The Zulus grew excited； and the odds went down a little。 The Boers
stretched out their white faces and stared at me； I saw them out of the
corner of my eye as I loaded again。 Another vulture came； seeing one of
its companions on the ground； if in a somewhat unnatural attitude；
perhaps it thought that there could be nothing to fear。 I leaned
against my rock； aimed； and fired； almost carelessly； so sure was I of
the result。 This time I did not shut my eyes； but watched to see what
happened。
The bullet struck the bird between its thighs； raked it from end to end；
and down it came like a stone almost upon the top of its fellow。
〃Good； good！〃 said Hans with a guttural chuckle of delight。 〃Now； baas；
make no mistake with the third； and 'als sall recht kommen' （all shall
be well）。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃_if_ I make no mistake with the third。〃
I loaded the rifle again myself； being very careful to ram down the
powder well and to select a bullet that fitted perfectly true to the
bore。 Moreover； I cleared the nipple with a thorn； and shook a little
fine powder into it； so as to obviate any chance of a miss…fire。 Then I
set on the cap and waited。 What was going on among the Boers or the
Zulus I do not know。 In this last crisis of all our fates I never
looked； being too intent upon my own part in the drama。
By now the vultures appeared to have realised that something unusual was
in progress； which threatened danger to them。 At any rate； although by
this time they had collected in hundreds from east； west； north； and
south； and were wheeling the heavens above in their vast； majestic
circles； none of them seemed to care to descend to prey upon the bodies。
I watched； and saw that among their number was that great king bird
which had bitten Hans in the face； it was easy to distinguish him；
because he was so much larger than the others。 Also； he had some white
at the tips of his wings。 I observed that certain of his company drew
near to him in the skies； where they hung together in a knot； as though
in consultation。
They separated out again； and the king began to descend； deputed
probably to spy out the land。 Down he came in ever…narrowing turns；
till he reached the appointed spot for the plunge； and； according to the
immemorial custom of these birds； hung a while before he pounced with
his head to the south and his great； spreading tail towards me。
This was my chance； and； rejoicing in having so large a mark； I got the
sight upon him and pulled。 The bullet thudded； some feathers floated
from his belly； showing that it had gone home； and I looked to see him
fall as the others had done。 But alas！ he did not fall。 For a few
seconds he rocked to and fro upon his great wings； then commenced to
travel upwards in vast circles； which grew gradually more narrow； till
he appeared to be flying almost straight into the empyrean。 I stared
and stared。 Everybody stared； till that enormous bird became； first a
mere blot upon the blue； and at length but a speck。 Then it vanished
altogether into regions far beyond the sight of man。
〃Now there is an end；〃 I said to Hans。
〃Ja； baas；〃 answered the Hottentot between his chattering teeth； 〃there
is an end。 You did not put in enough powder。 Presently we shall all be
dead。〃
〃Not quite；〃 I said with a bitter laugh。 〃Hans； load the rifle； load it
quick。 Before they die there shall be another king in Zululand。〃
〃Good； good！〃 he exclaimed as he loaded desperately。 〃Let us take that
fat pig of a Dingaan with us。 Shoot him in the stomach； baas； shoot him
in the stomach； so that he too may learn what it is to die slowly。 Then
cut my throat； here is my big knife； and afterwards cut your own； if you
have not time to load the gun again and shoot yourself； which is
easier。〃
I nodded； for it was in my mind to do these things。 Never could I stand
still and see those poor Boers killed； and I knew that Marie would look
after herself。
Meanwhile； the Zulus were coming towards me； and the soldiers who had
charge of them were driving up Marais's people； making pretence to
thrust them through with their assegais； and shouting at them as men do
at cattle。 Both parties arrived in the depression at about the same
time； but remained separated by a little space。 In this space lay the
corpses of the murdered men and the two dead aasvogels； with Hans and
myself standing opposite to them。
〃Well； little Son of George；〃 puffed Dingaan； 〃you have lost your bet；
for you did but kill two vultures out of five with your magic； which was
good as far as it went； but not good enough。 Now you must pay； as I
would have paid had you won。〃
Then he stretched out his hand； and issued the dreadful order of 〃Bulala
amalongu！〃 （Kill the white people）。 〃Kill them one by one； that I may
see whether they know how to die； all except Macumazahn and the tall
girl； whom I keep。〃
Some of the soldiers made a dash and seized the Vrouw Prinsloo； who was
standing in front of the party。
〃Wait a little； King；〃 she called out as the assegais were lifted over
her。 〃How do you know that the bet is lost？ He whom you call
Macumazahn hit that last vulture。 It should be searched for before you
kill us。〃
〃What does the old woman say？〃 asked Dingaan； and Halstead translated
slowly。
〃True；〃 said Dingaan。 〃Well； now I will send her to search for the
vulture in the sky。 Come back thence； Fat One； and tell us if you find
it。〃
The soldiers lifted their assegais； waiting the king's word。 I
pretended to look at the ground； and cocked my rifle； being determined
that if he spoke it； it should be his last。 Hans stared upwardsI
suppose to avoid the sight of deaththen suddenly uttered a wild yell；
which caused everyone； even the doomed people； to turn their eyes to
him。 He was pointing to the heavens； and they looked to see at what he
pointed。
This was what they saw。 Far； far above in that infinite sea of blue
there appeared a tiny speck； which his sharp sight had already
discerned； a speck that grew larger and larger as it descended with
terrific and ever…growing speed。
_It was the king vulture falling from the heavensdead！_
Down it came between the Vrouw Prinsloo and the slayers； smashing the
lifted assegai of one of them and hurling him to the earth。 Down it
came； and lay there a mere mass of pulp and feathers。
〃O Dingaan；〃 I said in the midst of the intense silence that followed；
〃it seems that it is I who have won the bet； not you。 I killed this
king of birds； but being a king it chose to die high up and alone； that
is all。〃
Dingaan hesitated； for he did not wish to spare the Boers； and I； noting
his hesitation； lifted my rifle a little。 Perhaps he saw it； or perhaps
his sense of honour； as he understood the word； overcame his wish for
their blood。 At any rate； he said to one of his councillors：
〃Search the carcase of that vulture and see if there is a bullet hole in
it。〃
The man obeyed； feeling at the mass of broken bones and flesh。 By good
fortune he found； not the hole； for that was lost in the g