black heart and white heart-第6部分

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he　went　on　peering　ahead　of　him　cautiously。



〃It　is　all　right　here；　anyway；〃　said　Hadden；　pointing　to　the　spoor

that　ran　straight　forward　printed　deep　in　the　marshy　ground。



Nahoon　did　not　answer；　but　stared　steadily　at　the　trunks　of　two　trees

a　few　paces　in　front　of　them　and　to　their　right。　〃Look；〃　he　whispered。



Hadden　did　so；　and　at　length　made　out　the　outline　of　something　brown

that　was　crouched　behind　the　trees。



〃He　is　dead；〃　he　exclaimed。



〃No；〃　answered　Nahoon；　〃he　has　come　back　on　his　own　path　and　is

waiting　for　us。　He　knows　that　we　are　following　his　spoor。　Now　if　you

stand　there；　I　think　that　you　can　shoot　him　through　the　back　between

the　tree　trunks。〃



Hadden　knelt　down；　and　aiming　very　carefully　at　a　point　just　below　the

bull's　spine；　he　fired。　There　was　an　awful　bellow；　and　the　next

instant　the　brute　was　up　and　at　them。　Nahoon　flung　his　broad　spear；

which　sank　deep　into　its　chest；　then　they　fled　this　way　and　that。　The

buffalo　stood　still　for　a　moment；　its　fore　legs　straddled　wide　and　its

head　down；　looking　first　after　the　one　and　then　the　other；　till　of　a

sudden　it　uttered　a　low　moaning　sound　and　rolled　over　dead；　smashing

Nahoon's　assegai　to　fragments　as　it　fell。



〃There！　he's　finished；〃　said　Hadden；　〃and　I　believe　it　was　your

assegai　that　killed　him。　Hullo！　what's　that　noise？〃



Nahoon　listened。　In　several　quarters　of　the　forest；　but　from　how　far

away　it　was　impossible　to　tell；　there　rose　a　curious　sound；　as　of

people　calling　to　each　other　in　fear　but　in　no　articulate　language。

Nahoon　shivered。



〃It　is　the　/Esemkofu/；〃　he　said；　〃the　ghosts　who　have　no　tongue；　and

who　can　only　wail　like　infants。　Let　us　be　going；　this　place　is　bad　for

mortals。〃



〃And　worse　for　buffaloes；〃　said　Hadden；　giving　the　dead　bull　a　kick；

〃but　I　suppose　that　we　must　leave　him　here　for　your　friends；　the

/Esemkofu/；　as　we　have　got　meat　enough；　and　can't　carry　his　head。〃



So　they　started　back　towards　the　open　country。　As　they　threaded　their

way　slowly　through　the　tree　trunks；　a　new　idea　came　into　Hadden's

head。　Once　out　of　this　forest；　he　was　within　an　hour's　run　of　the　Zulu

border；　and　once　over　the　Zulu　border；　he　would　feel　a　happier　man

than　he　did　at　that　moment。　As　has　been　said；　he　had　intended　to

attempt　to　escape　in　the　darkness；　but　the　plan　was　risky。　All　the

Zulus　might　not　over…eat　themselves　and　go　to　sleep；　especially　after

the　death　of　their　comrade；　Nahoon；　who　watched　him　day　and　night；

certainly　would　not。　This　was　his　opportunitythere　remained　the

question　of　Nahoon。



Well；　if　it　came　to　the　worst；　Nahoon　must　die：　it　would　be　easyhe

had　a　loaded　rifle；　and　now　that　his　assegai　was　gone；　Nahoon　had　only

a　kerry。　He　did　not　wish　to　kill　the　man；　though　it　was　clear　to　him；

seeing　that　his　own　safety　was　at　stake；　that　he　would　be　amply

justified　in　so　doing。　Why　should　he　not　put　it　to　himand　then　be

guided　by　circumstances？



Nahoon　was　walking　across　a　little　open　space　about　ten　spaces　ahead

of　him　where　Hadden　could　see　him　very　well；　whilst　he　himself　was

under　the　shadow　of　a　large　tree　with　low　horizontal　branches　running

out　from　the　trunk。



〃Nahoon；〃　he　said。



The　Zulu　turned　round；　and　took　a　step　towards　him。



〃No；　do　not　move；　I　pray。　Stand　where　you　are；　or　I　shall　be　obliged

to　shoot　you。　Listen　now：　do　not　be　afraid　for　I　shall　not　fire

without　warning。　I　am　your　prisoner；　and　you　are　charged　to　take　me

back　to　the　king　to　be　his　servant。　But　I　believe　that　a　war　is　going

to　break　out　between　your　people　and　mine；　and　this　being　so；　you　will

understand　that　I　do　not　wish　to　go　to　Cetywayo's　kraal；　because　I

should　either　come　to　a　violent　death　there；　or　my　own　brothers　will

believe　that　I　am　a　traitor　and　treat　me　accordingly。　The　Zulu　border

is　not　much　more　than　an　hour's　journey　awaylet　us　say　an　hour　and　a

half's：　I　mean　to　be　across　it　before　the　moon　is　up。　Now；　Nahoon；

will　you　lose　me　in　the　forest　and　give　me　this　hour　and　a　half's

startor　will　you　stop　here　with　that　ghost　people　of　whom　you　talk？

Do　you　understand？　No；　please　do　not　move。〃



〃I　understand　you；〃　answered　the　Zulu；　in　a　perfectly　composed　voice；

〃and　I　think　that　was　a　good　name　which　we　gave　you　this　morning；

though；　Black　Heart；　there　is　some　justice　in　your　words　and　more

wisdom。　Your　opportunity　is　good；　and　one　which　a　man　named　as　you　are

should　not　let　fall。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　find　that　you　take　this　view　of　the　matter；　Nahoon。　And

now　will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　lose　me；　and　to　promise　not　to　look　for

me　till　the　moon　is　up？〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　Black　Heart？〃



〃What　I　say。　Come；　I　have　no　time　to　spare。〃



〃You　are　a　strange　man；〃　said　the　Zulu　reflectively。　〃You　heard　the

king's　order　to　me：　would　you　have　me　disobey　the　order　of　the　king？〃



〃Certainly；　I　would。　You　have　no　reason　to　love　Cetywayo；　and　it　does

not　matter　to　you　whether　or　no　I　return　to　his　kraal　to　mend　guns

there。　If　you　think　that　he　will　be　angry　because　I　am　missing；　you

had　better　cross　the　border　also；　we　can　go　together。〃



〃And　leave　my　father　and　all　my　brethren　to　his　vengeance？　Black

Heart；　you　do　not　understand。　How　can　you；　being　so　named？　I　am　a

soldier；　and　the　king's　word　is　the　king's　word。　I　hoped　to　have　died

fighting；　but　I　am　the　bird　in　your　noose。　Come；　shoot；　or　you　will

not　reach　the　border　before　moonrise；〃　and　he　opened　his　arms　and

smiled。



〃If　it　must　be；　so　let　it　be。　Farewell；　Nahoon；　at　least　you　are　a

brave　man；　but　every　one　of　us　must　cherish　his　own　life；〃　answered

Hadden　calmly。



Then　with　much　deliberation　he　raised　his　rifle　and　covered　the　Zulu's

breast。



Alreadywhilst　his　victim　stood　there　still　smiling；　although　a

twitching　of　his　lips　betrayed　the　natural　terrors　that　no　bravery　can

banishalready　his　finger　was　contracting　on　the　trigger；　when　of　a

sudden；　as　instantly　as　though　he　had　been　struck　by　lightning；　Hadden

went　down　backwards；　and　behold！　there　stood　upon　him　a　great　spotted

beast　that　waved　its　long　tail　to　and　fro　and　glared　down　into　his

eyes。



It　was　a　leoparda　tiger　as　they　call　it　in　Africawhich；　crouched

upon　a　bough　of　the　tree　above；　had　been　unable　to　resist　the

temptation　of　satisfying　its　savage　appetite　on　the　man　below。　For　a

second　or　two　there　was　silence；　broken　only　by　the　purring；　or　rather

the　snoring　sound　made　by　the　leopard。　In　those　seconds；　strangely

enough；　there　sprang　up　before　Hadden's　mental　vision　a　picture　of　the

/inyanga/　called　/Inyosi/　or　the　Bee；　her　death…like　head　resting

against　the　thatch　of　the　hut；　and　her　death…like　lips　muttering

〃think　of　my　word　when　the　great　cat　purrs　above　your　face。〃



Then　the　brute　put　out　its　strength。　The　claws　of　one　paw　it　drove

deep　into　the　muscles　of　his　left　thigh；　while　with　another　it

scratched　at　his　breast；　tearing　the　clothes　from　it　and　furrowing　the

flesh　beneath。　The　sight　of　the　white　skin　seemed　to　madden　it；　and　in

its　fierce　desire　for　blood　it　drooped　its　square　muzzle　and　buried

its　fangs　in　its　victim's　shoulder。　Next　moment　there　was　a　sound　of

running　feet　and　of　a　club　falling　heavily。　Up　reared　the　leopard　with

an　angry　snarl；　up　till　it　stood　as　high　as　the　attacking　Zulu。　At　him

it　came；　striking　out　savagely　and　tearing　the　black　man　as　it　had

torn　the　white。　Again　the　kerry　fell　full　on　its　jaws；　and　down　it

went　backwards。　Before　it　could　rise　again；　or　rather　as　it　was　in　the

act　of　rising；　the　heavy　knob…stick　struck　it　once　more；　and　with

fearful　force；　this　time　as　it　chanced；　full　on　the　nape　of　the　neck；

and　paralysing　the　brute。　It　writhed　and　bit　and　twisted；　throwing　up

the　earth　and　leaves；　while　blow　after　blow　was　rained　upon　it；　till

at　length　with　a　convulsive　struggle　and　a　stifled　roar　it　lay　still

the　brains　oozing　from　its　shattered　skull。



Hadden　sat　up；　the　blood　running　from　his　wounds。



〃You　have　saved　my　life；　Nahoon；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃and　I　thank　you。〃



〃Do　not　thank　me；　Black　Heart；〃　answered　the　Zulu；　〃it　was　the　king's

word　that　I　should　keep　you　safely。　Still　this　tiger　has　been　hardly

dealt　with；　for　certainly　/he/　has　saved　/my/　life；〃　and　lifting　the

Martini　he　unloaded　the　rifle。



At　this　juncture　Hadden　swooned　away。



*****



Twenty…four　hours　had　gone　by　when；　after　what　seemed　to　him　to　be　but

a　little　time　of　troubled　and　dreamful　sleep；　through　which　he　could

hear　voices　without　understanding　what　they　said；　and　feel　himself

borne　he　knew　not　whither；　Hadden　awoke　to　find　himself　lying　upon　a

kaross　in　a　large　and　beautifully　clean　Kaffir　hut　with　a　bundle　of

furs　for　a　pillow。　There　was　a　bowl　of　milk　at　his　side　and　tortured

as　he　was　by　thirst；　he　tried　to　stretch　out　his　arm　to　lift　it　to　his

lips；　only　to　find　to　his　astonishment　that　his　hand　fell　back　to　his

side　like　that　of　a　dead　man。　Looking　round　the　hut　impatiently；　he

found　that　there　was　nobody　in　it　to　assist　him；　so　he　did　the　only

thing　which　remained　for　him　to　dohe　lay　still。　He　did　not　fall

asleep；　but　his　eyes　closed；　and　a　kind　of　gentle　torpor　crept　over

him；　half　obscuring　his　recovered　senses。　Presently　he　heard　a　soft

voice　speaking；　it　seemed　far　away；　but　he　could　clearly　distinguish

the　words。



〃Black　Heart　still　sleeps；〃　the　voice　said；　〃but　there　is　colour　in

his　face；　I　think　that　he　will　wake　soon；　and　find　his　thoughts

again。〃



〃Have　no　fear；　Nanea；　he　will　surely　wake；　his　hurts　are　not

dangerous；〃　answered　another　voice；　that　of　Nahoon。　〃He　fell　heavily

with　the　weight　of　the　tiger　on　top　of　him；　and　that　is　why　his　senses

have　been　shaken　for　so　long。　He　went　near　to　death；　but　certainly　he

will　not　die。〃



〃It　would　have　been　a　pity　if　he　had　died；〃　answered　the　soft　voice；

〃he　is　so　beautiful；　never　have　I　seen　a　white　man　who　was　so

beautiful。〃



〃I　did　not　think　him　beautiful　when　he　stood　with　his　rifle　pointed　at