black heart and white heart-第10部分

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white　man　for　his　part　was　filled　with　a　fiery　indignation　against

Maputa。



〃You　wicked　villain；〃　he　gasped；　whereat　the　chief　smiled　in　a　sickly

fashion；　and　turned　away。



Then　they　were　marched　along　the　banks　of　the　stream　till　they　reached

the　waterfall　that　fell　into　the　Pool　of　Doom。



Hadden　was　a　brave　man　after　his　fashion；　but　his　heart　quailed　as　he

gazed　into　that　abyss。



〃Are　you　going　to　throw　me　in　there？〃　he　asked　of　the　Zulu　captain　in

a　thick　voice。



〃You；　White　Man？〃　replied　the　soldier　unconcernedly。　〃No；　our　orders

are　to　take　you　to　the　king；　but　what　he　will　do　with　you　I　do　not

know。　There　is　to　be　war　between　your　people　and　ours；　so　perhaps　he

means　to　pound　you　into　medicine　for　the　use　of　the　witch…doctors；　or

to　peg　you　over　an　ant…heap　as　a　warning　to　other　white　men。〃



Hadden　received　this　information　in　silence；　but　its　effect　upon　his

brain　was　bracing；　for　instantly　he　began　to　search　out　some　means　of

escape。



By　now　the　party　had　halted　near　the　two　thorn　trees　that　hung　over

the　waters　of　the　pool。



〃Who　dives　first；〃　asked　the　captain　of　the　Chief　Maputa。



〃The　old　wizard；〃　he　replied；　nodding　at　Umgona；　〃then　his　daughter

after　him；　and　last　of　all　this　fellow；〃　and　he　struck　Nahoon　in　the

face　with　his　open　hand。



〃Come　on；　Wizard；〃　said　the　captain；　grasping　Umgona　by　the　arm；　〃and

let　us　see　how　you　can　swim。〃



At　the　words　of　doom　Umgona　seemed　to　recover　his　self…command；　after

the　fashion　of　his　race。



〃No　need　to　lead　me；　soldier；〃　he　said；　shaking　himself　loose；　〃who　am

old　and　ready　to　die。〃　Then　he　kissed　his　daughter　at　his　side；　wrung

Nahoon　by　the　hand；　and　turning　from　Hadden　with　a　gesture　of　contempt

walked　out　upon　the　platform　that　joined　the　two　thorn　trunks。　Here　he

stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　the　setting　sun；　then　suddenly；　and

without　a　sound；　he　hurled　himself　into　the　abyss　below　and　vanished。



〃That　was　a　brave　one；〃　said　the　captain　with　admiration。　〃Can　you

spring　too；　girl；　or　must　we　throw　you？〃



〃I　can　walk　my　father's　path；〃　Nanea　answered　faintly；　〃but　first　I

crave　leave　to　say　one　word。　It　is　true　that　we　were　escaping　from　the

king；　and　therefore　by　the　law　we　must　die；　but　it　was　Black　Heart

here　who　made　the　plot；　and　he　who　has　betrayed　us。　Would　you　know　why

he　has　betrayed　us？　Because　he　sought　my　favour；　and　I　refused　him；

and　this　is　the　vengeance　that　he　takesa　white　man's　vengeance。〃



〃/Wow！/〃　broke　in　the　chief　Maputa；　〃this　pretty　one　speaks　truth；　for

the　white　man　would　have　made　a　bargain　with　me　under　which　Umgona；

the　wizard；　and　Nahoon；　the　soldier；　were　to　be　killed　at　the

Crocodile　Drift；　and　he　himself　suffered　to　escape　with　the　girl。　I

spoke　him　softly　and　said　'yes；'　and　then　like　a　loyal　man　I　reported

to　the　king。〃



〃You　hear；〃　sighed　Nanea。　〃Nahoon；　fare　you　well；　though　presently

perhaps　we　shall　be　together　again。　It　was　I　who　tempted　you　from　your

duty。　For　my　sake　you　forgot　your　honour；　and　I　am　repaid。　Farewell；

my　husband；　it　is　better　to　die　with　you　than　to　enter　the　house　of

the　king's　women；〃　and　Nanea　stepped　on　to　the　platform。



Here；　holding　to　a　bough　of　one　of　the　thorn　trees；　she　turned　and

addressed　Hadden；　saying：



〃Black　Heart；　you　seem　to　have　won　the　day；　but　me　at　least　you　lose

andthe　sun　is　not　yet　set。　After　sunset　comes　the　night；　Black

Heart；　and　in　that　night　I　pray　that　you　may　wander　eternally；　and　be

given　to　drink　of　my　blood　and　the　blood　of　Umgona　my　father；　and　the

blood　of　Nahoon　my　husband；　who　saved　your　life；　and　whom　you　have

murdered。　Perchance；　Black　Heart；　we　may　yet　meet　yonderin　the　House

of　the　Dead。〃



Then　uttering　a　low　cry　Nanea　clasped　her　hands　and　sprang　upwards　and

outwards　from　the　platform。　The　watchers　bent　their　heads　forward　to

look。　They　saw　her　rush　headlong　down　the　face　of　the　fall　to　strike

the　water　fifty　feet　below。　A　few　seconds；　and　for　the　last　time；　they

caught　sight　of　her　white　garment　glimmering　on　the　surface　of　the

gloomy　pool。　Then　the　shadows　and　mist…wreaths　hid　it；　and　she　was

gone。



〃Now；　husband；〃　cried　the　cheerful　voice　of　the　captain；　〃yonder　is

your　marriage　bed；　so　be　swift　to　follow　a　bride　who　is　so　ready　to

lead　the　way。　/Wow！/　but　you　are　good　people　to　kill；　never　have　I　had

to　do　with　any　who　gave　less　trouble。　You〃　and　he　stopped；　for

mental　agony　had　done　its　work；　and　suddenly　Nahoon　went　mad　before

his　eyes。



With　a　roar　like　that　of　a　lion　the　great　man　cast　off　those　who　held

him　and　seizing　one　of　them　round　the　waist　and　thigh；　he　put　out　all

his　terrible　strength。　Lifting　him　as　though　he　had　been　an　infant；　he

hurled　him　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff　to　find　his　death　on　the　rocks

of　the　Pool　of　Doom。　Then　crying：



〃Black　Heart！　your　turn；　Black　Heart　the　traitor！〃　he　rushed　at

Hadden；　his　eyes　rolling　and　foam　flying　from　his　lips；　as　he　passed

striking　the　chief　Maputa　from　his　horse　with　a　backward　blow　of　his

hand。　Ill　would　it　have　gone　with　the　white　man　if　Nahoon　had　caught

him。　But　he　could　not　come　at　him；　for　the　soldiers　sprang　upon　him

and　notwithstanding　his　fearful　struggles　they　pulled　him　to　the

ground；　as　at　certain　festivals　the　Zulu　regiments　with　their　naked

hands　pull　down　a　bull　in　the　presence　of　the　king。



〃Cast　him　over　before　he　can　work　more　mischief；〃　said　a　voice。　But

the　captain　cried　out；　〃Nay；　nay；　he　is　sacred；　the　fire　from　Heaven

has　fallen　on　his　brain；　and　we　may　not　harm　him；　else　evil　would

overtake　us　all。　Bind　him　hand　and　foot；　and　bear　him　tenderly　to

where　he　can　be　cared　for。　Surely　I　thought　that　these　evil…doers　were

giving　us　too　little　trouble；　and　thus　it　has　proved。〃



So　they　set　themselves　to　make　fast　Nahoon's　hands　and　wrists；　using

as　much　gentleness　as　they　might；　for　among　the　Zulus　a　lunatic　is

accounted　holy。　It　was　no　easy　task；　and　it　took　time。



Hadden　glanced　around　him；　and　saw　his　opportunity。　On　the　ground

close　beside　him　lay　his　rifle；　where　one　of　the　soldiers　had　placed

it；　and　about　a　dozen　yards　away　Maputa's　pony　was　grazing。　With　a

swift　movement；　he　seized　the　Martini　and　five　seconds　later　he　was　on

the　back　of　the　pony；　heading　for　the　Crocodile　Drift　at　a　gallop。　So

quickly　indeed　did　he　execute　this　masterly　retreat；　that　occupied　as

they　all　were　in　binding　Nahoon；　for　half　a　minute　or　more　none　of　the

soldiers　noticed　what　had　happened。　Then　Maputa　chanced　to　see；　and

waddled　after　him　to　the　top　of　the　rise；　screaming：



〃The　white　thief；　he　has　stolen　my　horse；　and　the　gun　too；　the　gun

that　he　promised　to　give　me。〃



Hadden；　who　by　this　time　was　a　hundred　yards　away；　heard　him　clearly；

and　a　rage　filled　his　heart。　This　man　had　made　an　open　murderer　of

him；　more；　he　had　been　the　means　of　robbing　him　of　the　girl　for　whose

sake　he　had　dipped　his　hands　in　these　iniquities。　He　glanced　over　his

shoulder；　Maputa　was　still　running；　and　alone。　Yes；　there　was　time；　at

any　rate　he　would　risk　it。



Pulling　up　the　pony　with　a　jerk；　he　leapt　from　its　back；　slipping　his

arm　through　the　rein　with　an　almost　simultaneous　movement。　As　it

chanced；　and　as　he　had　hoped　would　be　the　case；　the　animal　was　a

trained　shooting　horse；　and　stood　still。　Hadden　planted　his　feet

firmly　on　the　ground　and　drawing　a　deep　breath；　he　cocked　the　rifle

and　covered　the　advancing　chief。　Now　Maputa　saw　his　purpose　and　with　a

yell　of　terror　turned　to　fly。　Hadden　waited　a　second　to　get　the　sight

fair　on　his　broad　back；　then　just　as　the　soldiers　appeared　above　the

rise　he　pressed　the　trigger。　He　was　a　noted　shot；　and　in　this　instance

his　skill　did　not　fail　him；　for；　before　he　heard　the　bullet　tell；

Maputa　flung　his　arms　wide　and　plunged　to　the　ground　dead。



Three　seconds　more；　and　with　a　savage　curse；　Hadden　had　remounted　the

pony　and　was　riding　for　his　life　towards　the　river；　which　a　while

later　he　crossed　in　safety。







CHAPTER　VI



THE　GHOST　OF　THE　DEAD



When　Nanea　leapt　from　the　dizzy　platform　that　overhung　the　Pool　of

Doom；　a　strange　fortune　befell　her。　Close　in　to　the　precipice　were

many　jagged　rocks；　and　on　these　the　waters　of　the　fall　fell　and

thundered；　bounding　from　them　in　spouts　of　spray　into　the　troubled

depths　of　the　foss　beyond。　It　was　on　these　stones　that　the　life　was

dashed　out　from　the　bodies　of　the　wretched　victims　who　were　hurled

from　above。　But　Nanea；　it　will　be　remembered；　had　not　waited　to　be

treated　thus；　and　as　it　chanced　the　strong　spring　with　which　she　had

leapt　to　death　carried　her　clear　of　the　rocks。　By　a　very　little　she

missed　the　edge　of　them　and　striking　the　deep　water　head　first　like

some　practised　diver；　she　sank　down　and　down　till　she　thought　that　she

would　never　rise　again。　Yet　she　did　rise；　at　the　end　of　the　pool　in

the　mouth　of　the　rapid；　along　which　she　sped　swiftly；　carried　down　by

the　rush　of　the　water。　Fortunately　there　were　no　rocks　here；　and；

since　she　was　a　skilful　swimmer；　she　escaped　the　danger　of　being

thrown　against　the　banks。



For　a　long　distance　she　was　borne　thus　till　at　length　she　saw　that　she

was　in　a　forest；　for　trees　cut　off　the　light　from　the　water；　and　their

drooping　branches　swept　its　surface。　One　of　these　Nanea　caught　with

her　hand；　and　by　the　help　of　it　she　dragged　herself　from　the　River　of

Death　whence　none　had　escaped　before。　Now　she　stood　upon　the　bank

gasping　but　quite　unharmed；　there　was　not　a　scratch　on　her　body；　even

her　white　garment　was　still　fast　about　her　neck。



But　though　she　had　suffered　no　hurt　in　her　terrible　voyage；　so

exhausted　was　Nanea　that　she　could　scarcely　stand。　Here　the　gloom　was

that　of　night；　and　shivering　with　cold　she　looked　helplessly　to　find

some　refuge。　Close　to　the　water's　edge　grew　an　enormous　yellow…wood

tree；　and　to　this　she　staggeredthinking　to　climb　it；　and　seek

shelter　in　its　boughs　where；　as　she　hoped；　she　would　be　safe　from　wild

beasts。　Aga