black heart and white heart-第5部分

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yards　from　her　hut〃the　ghosts　of　them　have　their　home。　Listen！〃



As　she　spoke；　a　sound　reached　their　ears　that　seemed　to　swell　from　the

dim　skirts　of　the　forests；　a　peculiar　and　unholy　sound　which　it　is

impossible　to　define　more　accurately　than　by　saying　that　it　seemed

beastlike；　and　almost　inarticulate。



〃Listen；〃　repeated　the　Bee；　〃they　are　merry　yonder。〃



〃Who？〃　asked　Hadden；　〃the　baboons？〃



〃No；　/Inkoos/；　the　/Amatongo/the　ghosts　that　welcome　her　who　has

just　become　of　their　number。〃



〃Ghosts；〃　said　Hadden　roughly；　for　he　was　angry　at　his　own　tremors；　〃I

should　like　to　see　those　ghosts。　Do　you　think　that　I　have　never　heard

a　troop　of　monkeys　in　the　bush　before；　mother？　Come；　Nahoon；　let　us　be

going　while　there　is　light　to　climb　the　cliff。　Farewell。〃



〃Farewell　/Inkoos/；　and　doubt　not　that　your　wish　will　be　fulfilled。　Go

in　peace　/Inkoos/to　sleep　in　peace。〃







CHAPTER　III



THE　END　OF　THE　HUNT



The　prayer　of　the　Bee　notwithstanding；　Philip　Hadden　slept　ill　that

night。　He　felt　in　the　best　of　health；　and　his　conscience　was　not

troubling　him　more　than　usual；　but　rest　he　could　not。　Whenever　he

closed　his　eyes；　his　mind　conjured　up　a　picture　of　the　grim　witch…

doctoress；　so　strangely　named　the　Bee；　and　the　sound　of　her　evil…

omened　words　as　he　had　heard　them　that　afternoon。　He　was　neither　a

superstitious　nor　a　timid　man；　and　any　supernatural　beliefs　that　might

linger　in　his　mind　were；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　dormant。　But　do　what

he　might；　he　could　not　shake　off　a　certain　eerie　sensation　of　fear；

lest　there　should　be　some　grains　of　truth　in　the　prophesyings　of　this

hag。　What　if　it　were　a　fact　that　he　was　near　his　death；　and　that　the

heart　which　beat　so　strongly　in　his　breast　must　soon　be　still　for　ever

no；　he　would　not　think　of　it。　This　gloomy　place；　and　the　dreadful

sight　which　he　saw　that　day；　had　upset　his　nerves。　The　domestic

customs　of　these　Zulus　were　not　pleasant；　and　for　his　part　he　was

determined　to　be　clear　of　them　so　soon　as　he　was　able　to　escape　the

country。



In　fact；　if　he　could　in　any　way　manage　it；　it　was　his　intention　to

make　a　dash　for　the　border　on　the　following　night。　To　do　this　with　a

good　prospect　of　success；　however；　it　was　necessary　that　he　should

kill　a　buffalo；　or　some　other　head　of　game。　Then；　as　he　knew　well；　the

hunters　with　him　would　feast　upon　meat　until　they　could　scarcely　stir；

and　that　would　be　his　opportunity。　Nahoon；　however；　might　not　succumb

to　this　temptation；　therefore　he　must　trust　to　luck　to　be　rid　of　him。

If　it　came　to　the　worst；　he　could　put　a　bullet　through　him；　which　he

considered　he　would　be　justified　in　doing；　seeing　that　in　reality　the

man　was　his　jailor。　Should　this　necessity　arise；　he　felt　indeed　that

he　could　face　it　without　undue　compunction；　for　in　truth　he　disliked

Nahoon；　at　times　he　even　hated　him。　Their　natures　were　antagonistic；

and　he　knew　that　the　great　Zulu　distrusted　and　looked　down　upon　him；

and　to　be　looked　down　upon　by　a　savage　〃nigger〃　was　more　than　his

pride　could　stomach。



At　the　first　break　of　dawn　Hadden　rose　and　roused　his　escort；　who　were

still　stretched　in　sleep　around　the　dying　fire；　each　man　wrapped　in

his　kaross　or　blanket。　Nahoon　stood　up　and　shook　himself；　looking

gigantic　in　the　shadows　of　the　morning。



〃What　is　your　will；　/Umlungu/　（white　man）；　that　you　are　up　before　the

sun？〃



〃My　will；　/Muntumpofu/　（yellow　man）；　is　to　hunt　buffalo；〃　answered

Hadden　coolly。　It　irritated　him　that　this　savage　should　give　him　no

title　of　any　sort。



〃Your　pardon；〃　said　the　Zulu　reading　his　thoughts；　〃but　I　cannot　call

you　/Inkoos/　because　you　are　not　my　chief；　or　any　man's；　still　if　the

title　'white　man'　offends　you；　we　will　give　you　a　name。〃



〃As　you　wish；〃　answered　Hadden　briefly。



Accordingly　they　gave　him　a　name；　/Inhlizin…mgama/；　by　which　he　was

known　among　them　thereafter；　but　Hadden　was　not　best　pleased　when　he

found　that　the　meaning　of　those　soft…sounding　syllables　was　〃Black

Heart。〃　That　was　how　the　/inyanga/　had　addressed　himonly　she　used

different　words。



An　hour　later；　and　they　were　in　the　swampy　bush　country　that　lay

behind　the　encampment　searching　for　their　game。　Within　a　very　little

while　Nahoon　held　up　his　hand；　then　pointed　to　the　ground。　Hadden

looked；　there；　pressed　deep　in　the　marshy　soil；　and　to　all　appearance

not　ten　minutes　old；　was　the　spoor　of　a　small　herd　of　buffalo。



〃I　knew　that　we　should　find　game　to…day；〃　whispered　Nahoon；　〃because

the　Bee　said　so。〃



〃Curse　the　Bee；〃　answered　Hadden　below　his　breath。　〃Come　on。〃



For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　more　they　followed　the　spoor　through　thick

reeds；　till　suddenly　Nahoon　whistled　very　softly　and　touched　Hadden's

arm。　He　looked　up；　and　there；　about　two　hundred　yards　away；　feeding　on

some　higher　ground　among　a　patch　if　mimosa　trees；　were　the　buffaloes

six　of　theman　old　bull　with　a　splendid　head；　three　cows；　a　heifer

and　a　calf　about　four　months　old。　Neither　the　wind　nor　the　nature　of

the　veldt　were　favourable　for　them　to　stalk　the　game　from　their

present　position；　so　they　made　a　detour　of　half　a　mile　and　very

carefully　crept　towards　them　up　the　wind；　slipping　from　trunk　to　trunk

of　the　mimosas　and　when　these　failed　them；　crawling　on　their　stomachs

under　cover　of　the　tall　/tambuti/　grass。　At　last　they　were　within

forty　yards；　and　a　further　advance　seemed　impracticable；　for　although

he　could　not　smell　them；　it　was　evident　from　his　movements　that　the

old　bull　heard　some　unusual　sound　and　was　growing　suspicious。　Nearest

to　Hadden；　who　alone　of　the　party　had　a　rifle；　stood　the　heifer

broadside　ona　beautiful　shot。　Remembering　that　she　would　make　the

best　beef；　he　lifted　his　Martini；　and　aiming　at　her　immediately　behind

the　shoulder；　gently　squeezed　the　trigger。　The　rifle　exploded；　and　the

heifer　fell　dead；　shot　through　the　heart。　Strangely　enough　the　other

buffaloes　did　not　at　once　run　away。　On　the　contrary；　they　seemed

puzzled　to　account　for　the　sudden　noise；　and；　not　being　able　to　wind

anything；　lifted　their　heads　and　stared　round　them。



The　pause　gave　Hadden　space　to　get　in　a　fresh　cartridge　and　to　aim

again；　this　time　at　the　old　bull。　The　bullet　struck　him　somewhere　in

the　neck　or　shoulder；　for　he　came　to　his　knees；　but　in　another　second

was　up　and　having　caught　sight　of　the　cloud　of　smoke　he　charged

straight　at　it。　Because　of　this　smoke；　or　for　some　other　reason；

Hadden　did　not　see　him　coming；　and　in　consequence　would　most　certainly

have　been　trampled　or　gored；　had　not　Nahoon　sprung　forward；　at　the

imminent　risk　of　his　own　life；　and　dragged　him　down　behind　an　ant…

heap。　A　moment　more　and　the　great　beast　had　thundered　by；　taking　no

further　notice　of　them。



〃Forward；〃　said　Hadden；　and　leaving　most　of　the　men　to　cut　up　the

heifer　and　carry　the　best　of　her　meat　to　camp；　they　started　on　the

blood　spoor。



For　some　hours　they　followed　the　bull；　till　at　last　they　lost　the

trail　on　a　patch　of　stony　ground　thickly　covered　with　bush；　and

exhausted　by　the　heat；　sat　down　to　rest　and　to　eat　some　/biltong/　or

sun…dried　flesh　which　they　had　with　them。　They　finished　their　meal；

and　were　preparing　to　return　to　the　camp；　when　one　of　the　four　Zulus

who　were　with　them　went　to　drink　at　a　little　stream　that　ran　at　a

distance　of　not　more　than　ten　paces　away。　Half　a　minute　later　they

heard　a　hideous　grunting　noise　and　a　splashing　of　water；　and　saw　the

Zulu　fly　into　the　air。　All　the　while　that　they　were　eating；　the

wounded　buffalo　had　been　lying　in　wait　for　them　under　a　thick　bush　on

the　banks　of　the　streamlet；　knowingcunning　brute　that　he　wasthat

sooner　or　later　his　turn　would　come。　With　a　shout　of　consternation

they　rushed　forward　to　see　the　bull　vanish　over　the　rise　before　Hadden

could　get　a　chance　of　firing　at　him；　and　to　find　their　companion

dying；　for　the　great　horn　had　pierced　his　lung。



〃It　is　not　a　buffalo；　it　is　a　devil；〃　the　poor　fellow　gasped；　and

expired。



〃Devil　or　not；　I　mean　to　kill　it；〃　exclaimed　Hadden。　So　leaving　the

others　to　carry　the　body　of　their　comrade　to　camp；　he　started　on

accompanied　by　Nahoon　only。　Now　the　ground　was　more　open　and　the　chase

easier；　for　they　sighted　their　quarry　frequently；　though　they　could

not　come　near　enough　to　fire。　Presently　they　travelled　down　a　steep

cliff。



〃Do　you　know　where　we　are？〃　asked　Nahoon；　pointing　to　a　belt　of　forest

opposite。　〃That　is　/Emagudu/；　the　Home　of　the　Deadand　look；　the　bull

heads　thither。〃



Hadden　glanced　round　him。　It　was　true；　yonder　to　the　left　were　the

Fall；　the　Pool　of　Doom；　and　the　hut　of　the　Bee。



〃Very　well；〃　he　answered；　〃then　we　must　head　for　it　too。〃



Nahoon　halted。　〃Surely　you　would　not　enter　there；〃　he　exclaimed。



〃Surely　I　will；〃　replied　Hadden；　〃but　there　is　no　need　for　you　to　do

so　if　you　are　afraid。〃



〃I　am　afraidof　ghosts；〃　said　the　Zulu；　〃but　I　will　come。〃



So　they　crossed　the　strip　of　turf；　and　entered　the　haunted　wood。　It

was　a　gloomy　place　indeed；　the　great　wide…topped　trees　grew　thick

there　shutting　out　the　sight　of　the　sky；　moreover；　the　air　in　it　which

no　breeze　stirred；　was　heavy　with　the　exhalations　of　rotting　foliage。

There　seemed　to　be　no　life　here　and　no　soundonly　now　and　again　a

loathsome　spotted　snake　would　uncoil　itself　and　glide　away；　and　now

and　again　a　heavy　rotten　bough　fell　with　a　crash。



Hadden　was　too　intent　upon　the　buffalo；　however；　to　be　much　impressed

by　his　surroundings。　He　only　remarked　that　the　light　would　be　bad　for

shooting；　and　went　on。



They　must　have　penetrated　a　mile　or　more　into　the　forest　when　the

sudden　increase　of　blood　upon　the　spoor　told　them　that　the　bull's

wound　was　proving　fatal　to　him。



〃Run　now；〃　said　Hadden　cheerfully。



〃Nay；　/hamba　gachle/go　softly〃　answered　Nahoon；　〃the　devil　is

dying；　but　he　will　try　to　play　us　another　trick　before　he　dies。〃　And

he　went　on　peering　ahead　of　him　cautiously。



〃It　is　all　right　here；　anyway；〃