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nervously。
〃Come； Son of George；〃 he said； 〃and let us see the end of these
traitors to your sovereign。〃
Then I was pulled along to an eminence within the labyrinth； whence
there was a view of the surrounding country。 Here we waited a little
while； listening to the tumult that grew more distant； till presently
the dreadful procession of death reappeared； coming round the fence of
the Great Kraal and heading straight for the Hill of Slaughter； Hloma
Amabutu。 Soon its slopes were climbed； and there among the dark…leaved
bushes and the rocks the black soldiers butchered them； every one。
I saw and swooned away。
I believe that I remained senseless for many hours； though towards the
end of that time my swoon grew thin； as it were； and I heard a hollow
voice speaking over me in Zulu。
〃I am glad that the little Son of George has been saved；〃 said the
echoing voice； which I did not know； 〃for he has a great destiny and
will be useful to the black people in time to come。〃 Then the voice
went on：
〃O House of Senzangacona！ now you have mixed your milk with blood； with
white blood。 Of that bowl you shall drink to the dregs； and afterwards
must the bowl be shattered〃； and the speaker laugheda deep； dreadful
laugh that I was not to hear again for years。
I heard him go away； shuffling along like some great reptile； and then；
with an effort； opened my eyes。 I was in a large hut； and the only
light in the hut came from a fire that burned in its centre； for it was
night time。 A Zulu woman； young and good…looking； was bending over a
gourd near the fire； doing something to its contents。 I spoke to her
light…headedly。
〃O woman；〃 I said； 〃is that a man who laughed over me？〃
〃Not altogether； Macumazahn；〃 she answered in a pleasant voice。 〃That
was Zikali； the Mighty Magician； the Counsellor of Kings； the Opener of
Roads； he whose birth our grandfathers do not remember； he whose breath
causes the trees to be torn out by the roots； he whom Dingaan fears and
obeys。〃
〃Did he cause the Boers to be killed？〃 I asked。
〃Mayhap；〃 she answered。 〃Who am I that I should know of such matters？〃
〃Are you the woman who was sick whom I was sent to visit？〃 I asked
again。
〃Yes； Macumazahn； I was sick； but now I am well and you are sick； for so
things go round。 Drink this；〃 and she handed me a gourd of milk。
〃How are you named？〃 I inquired as I took it。
〃Naya is my name；〃 she replied； 〃and I am your jailer。 Don't think that
you can escape me； though； Macumazahn； for there are other jailers
without who carry spears。 Drink。〃
So I drank and bethought me that the draught might be poisoned。 Yet so
thirsty was I that I finished it； every drop。
〃Now am I a dead man？〃 I asked； as I put down the gourd。
〃No； no； Macumazahn；〃 she who called herself Naya replied in a soft
voice； 〃not a dead man； only one who will sleep and forget。〃
Then I lost count of everything and sleptfor how long I know not。
When I awoke again it was broad daylight； in fact； the sun stood high in
the heavens。 Perhaps Naya had put some drug into my milk； or perhaps I
had simply slept。 I do not know。 At any rate； I was grateful for that
sleep； for without it I think that I should have gone mad。 As it was；
when I remembered； which it took me some time to do； for a while I went
near to insanity。
I recollect lying there in that hut and wondering how the Almighty could
have permitted such a deed as I had seen done。 How could it be
reconciled with any theory of a loving and merciful Father？ Those poor
Boers； whatever their faults； and they had many； like the rest of us；
were in the main good and honest men according to their lights。 Yet
they had been doomed to be thus brutally butchered at the nod of a
savage despot； their wives widowed； their children left fatherless； or；
as it proved in the end； in most cases murdered or orphaned！
The mystery was too greatgreat enough to throw off its balance the
mind of a young man who had witnessed such a fearsome scene as I have
described。
For some days really I think that my reason hung just upon the edge of
that mental precipice。 In the end； however； reflection and education；
of which I had a certain amount； thanks to my father； came to my aid。 I
recalled that such massacres； often on an infinitely larger scale； had
happened a thousand times in history； and that still through them；
often； indeed； by means of them； civilisation has marched forward； and
mercy and peace have kissed each other over the bloody graves of the
victims。
Therefore even in my youth and inexperience I concluded that some
ineffable purpose was at work through this horror； and that the lives of
those poor men which had been thus sacrificed were necessary to that
purpose。 This may appear a dreadful and fatalistic doctrine； but it is
one that is corroborated in Nature every day； and doubtless the
sufferers meet with their compensations in some other state。 Indeed； if
it be not so； faith and all the religions are vain。
Or； of course； it may chance that such monstrous calamities happen； not
through the will of the merciful Power of which I have spoken； but in
its despite。 Perhaps the devil of Scripture； at whom we are inclined to
smile； is still very real and active in this world of ours。 Perhaps
from time to time some evil principle breaks into eruption； like the
prisoned forces of a volcano； bearing death and misery on its wings；
until in the end it must depart strengthless and overcome。 Who can say？
The question is one that should be referred to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Pope of Rome in conclave； with the Lama of Thibet for
umpire in case they disagreed。 I only try to put down the thoughts that
struck me so long ago as my mind renders them to…day。 But very likely
they are not quite the same thoughts； for a full generation has gone by
me since then； and in that time the intelligence ripens as wine does in
a bottle。
Besides these general matters； I had questions of my own to consider
during those days of imprisonmentfor instance； that of my own safety；
though of this； to be honest； I thought little。 If I were going to be
killed； I was going to be killed； and there was an end。 But my
knowledge of Dingaan told me that he had not massacred Retief and his
companions for nothing。 This would be but the prelude to a larger
slaughter； for I had not forgotten what he said as to the sparing of
Marie and the other hints he gave me。
From all this I concluded； quite rightly as it proved； that some general
onslaught was being made upon the Boers； who probably would be swept out
to the last man。 And to think that here I was； a prisoner in a Kaffir
kraal； with only a young woman as a jailer； and yet utterly unable to
escape to warn them。 For round my hut lay a courtyard； and round it
again ran a reed fence about five feet six inches high。 Whenever I
looked over this fence； by night or by day； I saw soldiers stationed at
intervals of about fifteen yards。 There they stood like statues； their
broad spears in their hands； all looking inwards towards the fence。
There they stoodonly at night their number was doubled。 Clearly it
was not meant that I should escape。
A week went by thusbelieve me； a very terrible week。 During that time
my sole companion was the pretty young woman； Naya。 We became friends
in a way and talked on a variety of subjects。 Only； at the end of our
conversations I always found that I had gained no information whatsoever
about any matter of immediate interest。 On such points as the history
of the Zulu and kindred tribes； or the character of Chaka； the great
king； or anything else that was remote she would discourse by the hour。
But when we came to current events； she dried up like water on a red…hot
brick。 Still； Naya grew； or pretended to grow； quite attached to me。
She even suggested naively that I might do worse than marry her； which
she said Dingaan was quite ready to allow； as he was fond of me and
thought I should be useful in his country。 When I told her that I was
already married； she shrugged her shining shoulders and asked with a
laugh that revealed her beautiful teeth：
〃What does that matter？ Cannot a man have more wives than one？ And；
Macumazahn；〃 she added； leaning forward and looking at me； 〃how do you
know that you have even one？ You may be divorced or a widower by now。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked。
〃I？ I mean nothing； do not look at me so fiercely； Macumazahn。 Surely
such things happen in the world； do they not？〃
〃Naya；〃 I said； 〃you are two bad thingsa bait and a spyand you know
it。〃
〃Perhaps I do； Macumazahn；〃 she answered。 〃Am I to blame for that； if
my life is on it； especially when I really like you for yourself？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃Tell me； when am I going to get out of this
plac