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who； foolishly enough； took this opportunity to advance from among the
others and speak to me about somethingI forget what。
〃Macumazahn； is that the maiden of whom you spoke to me？〃 asked Dingaan；
〃she whom you are going to marry？〃
I answered； 〃Yes。〃
〃By the head of the Black One；〃 he exclaimed； 〃she is very fair。 Will
you not make a present of her to me； Macumazahn？〃
I answered； 〃No； she is not mine to give away。〃
〃Well； then； Macumazahn； I will pay you a hundred head of cattle for
her； which is the price of a royal wife； and give you ten of the fairest
girls in Zululand in exchange。〃
I answered that it could not be。
Now the king began to grow angry。
〃I will keep her； whether you wish it or no；〃 he said。
〃Then you will keep her dead； O Dingaan；〃 I replied； 〃for there is more
of that magic which slew the vultures。〃
Of course； I meant that Marie would be dead。 But as my knowledge of the
Zulu tongue was imperfect； he understood the words to mean that _he_
would be dead； and I think they frightened him。 At any rate； he said：
〃Well； I promised you all safe…conduct if you won your bet； so hamba
gachle （go in peace）。 I wish to have no quarrel with the white folk；
but； Macumazahn； you are the first of them who has refused a gift to
Dingaan。 Still； I bear you no grudge； and if you choose to come back
again； you will be welcome； for I perceive that； although so small； you
are very clever and have a will of your own； also that you mean what you
say and speak the truth。 Tell the People of George that my heart is
soft towards them。〃 Then he turned and walked away through the gates of
the kraal。
Glad enough was I to see the last of him； for now I knew that we were
safe； except from such accidents as may overtake any travellers through
a wild country。 For the present； at any rate until after he had seen
this embassy； Dingaan wished to stand well with the Boers。 Therefore it
was obvious that he would never make an irreparable quarrel with them by
treacherously putting us to death as we trekked through his country。
Being sure of this； we went on our way with light hearts； thanking
Heaven for the mercies which had been shown to us。
It was on the third day of our trek； when we were drawing near to the
Tugela； that we met the Boer embassy； off…saddled by a little stream
where we proposed to outspan to rest the oxen while we ate our midday
meal。 They were sleeping in the heat of the day and saw nothing of us
till we were right on to them； when； catching sight of our Zulu advance
guard； they sprang up and ran for their rifles。 Then the wagons emerged
from the bush； and they stared astonished； wondering who could be
trekking in that country。
We called to them in Dutch not to be afraid and in another minute we
were among them。 While we were yet some way off my eye fell upon a
burly； white…bearded man whose figure seemed to be familiar to me； and
towards him I went； taking no heed of the others； of whom there may have
been six or seven。 Soon I was sure； and advancing with outstretched
hand； said：
〃Good…day； Mynheer Piet Retief。 Who would have thought that we who
parted so far away and so long ago would live to meet among the Zulus？〃
He stared at me。
〃Who is it？ Who is it？ Allemachte！ I know now。 The little Englishman；
Allan Quatermain； who shot the geese down in the Old Colony。 Well； I
should not be surprised； for the man you beat in that match told me that
you were travelling in these parts。 Only I understood him to say that
the Zulus had killed you。〃
〃If you mean Hernan Pereira；〃 I answered； 〃where did you meet him？〃
〃Why； down by the Tugela there； in a bad way。 However； he can tell you
all about that himself； for I have brought him with me to show us the
path to Dingaan's kraal。 Where is Pereira？ Send Pereira here。 I want
to speak with him。〃
〃Here I am；〃 answered a sleepy voice； the hated voice of Pereira
himself； from the other side of a thick bush； where he had been
slumbering。 〃What is it； commandant？ I come；〃 and he emerged；
stretching himself and yawning； just as the remainder of my party came
up。 He caught sight of Henri Marais first of all； and began to greet
him； saying： 〃Thank God； my uncle； you are safe！〃
Then his eyes fell on me； and I do not think I ever saw a man's face
change more completely。 His jaw dropped； the colour left his cheeks；
leaving them of the yellow which is common to persons of Portuguese
descent； his outstretched hand fell to his side。
〃Allan Quatermain！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Why； I thought that you were dead。〃
〃As I should have been； Mynheer Pereira； twice over if you could have
had your way；〃 I replied。
〃What do you mean； Allan？〃 broke in Retief。
〃I will tell you what he means；〃 exclaimed the Vrouw Prinsloo； shaking
her fat fist at Pereira。 〃That yellow dog means that twice he has tried
to murder AllanAllan； who saved his life and ours。 Once he shot at
him in a kloof and grazed his cheek； look； there is the scar of it。 And
once he plotted with the Zulus to slaughter him； telling Dingaan that he
was an evildoer and a wizard； who would bring a curse upon his land。〃
Now Retief looked at Pereira。
〃What do you say to this？〃 he asked。
〃What do I say？〃 repeated Pereira； recovering himself。 〃Why； that it is
a lie or a misunderstanding。 I never shot at Heer Allan in any kloof。
Is it likely that I should have done so when he had just nursed me back
to life？ I never plotted with the Zulus for his death； which would have
meant the deaths of my uncle and my cousin and of all their companions。
Am I mad that I should do such a thing？〃
〃Not mad； but bad；〃 screamed the vrouw。 〃I tell you； Heer Retief； it is
no lie。 Ask those with me；〃 she added； appealing to the others； who；
with the exception of Marais； answered as with one voice：
〃No； it is no lie。〃
〃Silence！〃 said the commandant。 〃Now； nephew Allan； tell us your
story。〃
So I told him everything； of course leaving out all details。 Even then
the tale was long； though it did not seem to be one that wearied my
hearers。
〃Allemachte！〃 said Retief when I had finished； 〃this is a strange story；
the strangest that ever I heard。 If it is true； Hernan Pereira； you
deserve to have your back set against a tree and to be shot。〃
〃God in heaven！〃 he answered； 〃am I to be condemned on such a taleI；
an innocent man？ Where is the evidence？ This Englishman tells all this
against me for a simple reasonthat he has robbed me of the love of my
cousin； to whom I was affianced。 Where are his witnesses？〃
〃As to the shooting at me in the kloof； I have none except God who saw
you；〃 I answered。 〃As to the plot that you laid against me among the
Zulus； as it chances； however； there is one； Kambula； the captain who
was sent to take me as you had arranged； and who now commands our
escort。〃
〃A savage！〃 exclaimed Pereira。 〃Is the tale of a savage to be taken
against that of a white man？ Also； who will translate his story？ You；
Mynheer Quatermain； are the only one here who knows his tongue； if you
do know it； and you are my accuser。〃
〃That is true；〃 remarked Retief。 〃Such a witness should not be admitted
without a sworn interpreter。 Now listen； I pass judgment as commandant
in the field。 Hernan Pereira； I have known you to be a rogue in the
past； for I remember that you cheated this very young man； Allan
Quatermain； at a friendly trial of skill at which I was present； but
since then till now I have heard nothing more of you； good or bad。
To…day this Allan Quatermain and a number of my own countrymen bring
grave charges against you； which； however； at present are not capable of
proof or disproof。 Well； I cannot decide those charges； whatever my own
opinion may be。 I think that you had better go back with your uncle；
Henri Marais； to the trek…Boers； where they can be laid before a court
and settled according to law。〃
〃If so； he will go back alone；〃 said the Vrouw Prinsloo。 〃He will not
go back with us； for we will elect a field…cornet and shoot himthe
stinkcat； who left us to starve and afterwards tried to kill little
Allan Quatermain； who saved our lives〃； and the chorus behind her
echoed：
〃Ja； ja； we will shoot him。〃
〃Hernan Pereira；〃 said Retief； rubbing his broad forehead； 〃I don't
quite know why it is； but no one seems to want you as a companion。
Indeed； to speak truth； I don't myself。 Still； I think you would be
safer with me than with these others whom you seem to have offended。
Therefore； I suggest that you come on with us。 But listen here； man；〃
he added sternly； 〃if I find you plotting against us among the Zulus；
that hour you are dead。 Do you understand？〃
〃I understand that I am one slandered；〃 replied Pereira。 〃Still； it is
Christian to submit to injuries； and therefore I will do