black heart and white heart-第11部分

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

beasts。　Again　fortune　befriended　her；　for　at　a　distance　of　a　few　feet

from　the　ground　there　was　a　great　hole　in　the　tree　which；　she

discovered；　was　hollow。　Into　this　hole　she　crept；　taking　her　chance　of

its　being　the　home　of　snakes　or　other　evil　creatures；　to　find　that　the

interior　was　wide　and　warm。　It　was　dry　also；　for　at　the　bottom　of　the

cavity　lay　a　foot　or　more　of　rotten　tinder　and　moss　brought　there　by

rats　or　birds。　Upon　this　tinder　she　lay　down；　and　covering　herself

with　the　moss　and　leaves　soon　sank　into　sleep　or　stupor。



How　long　Nanea　slept　she　did　not　know；　but　at　length　she　was　awakened

by　a　sound　as　of　guttural　human　voices　talking　in　a　language　that　she

could　not　understand。　Rising　to　her　knees　she　peered　out　of　the　hole

in　the　tree。　It　was　night；　but　the　stars　shone　brilliantly；　and　their

light　fell　upon　an　open　circle　of　ground　close　by　the　edge　of　the

river。　In　this　circle　there　burned　a　great　fire；　and　at　a　little

distance　from　the　fire　were　gathered　eight　or　ten　horrible…looking

beings；　who　appeared　to　be　rejoicing　over　something　that　lay　upon　the

ground。　They　were　small　in　stature；　men　and　women　together；　but　no

children；　and　all　of　them　were　nearly　naked。　Their　hair　was　long　and

thin；　growing　down　almost　to　the　eyes；　their　jaws　and　teeth　protruded

and　the　girth　of　their　black　bodies　was　out　of　all　proportion　to　their

height。　In　their　hands　they　held　sticks　with　sharp　stones　lashed　on　to

them；　or　rude　hatchet…like　knives　of　the　same　material。



Now　Nanea's　heart　shrank　within　her；　and　she　nearly　fainted　with　fear；

for　she　knew　that　she　was　in　the　haunted　forest；　and　without　a　doubt

these　were　the　/Esemkofu/；　the　evil　ghosts　that　dwelt　therein。　Yes；

that　was　what　they　were；　and　yet　she　could　not　take　her　eyes　off　them

the　sight　of　them　held　her　with　a　horrible　fascination。　But　if　they

were　ghosts；　why　did　they　sing　and　dance　like　men？　Why　did　they　wave

those　sharp　stones　aloft；　and　quarrel　and　strike　each　other？　And　why

did　they　make　a　fire　as　men　do　when　they　wish　to　cook　food？　More；　what

was　it　that　they　rejoiced　over；　that　long　dark　thing　which　lay　so

quiet　upon　the　ground？　It　did　not　look　like　a　head　of　game；　and　it

could　scarcely　be　a　crocodile；　yet　clearly　it　was　food　of　some　sort；

for　they　were　sharpening　the　stone　knives　in　order　to　cut　it　up。



While　she　wondered　thus；　one　of　the　dreadful…looking　little　creatures

advanced　to　the　fire；　and　taking　from　it　a　burning　bough；　held　it　over

the　thing　that　lay　upon　the　ground；　to　give　light　to　a　companion　who

was　about　to　do　something　to　it　with　the　stone　knife。　Next　instant

Nanea　drew　back　her　head　from　the　hole；　a　stifled　shriek　upon　her

lips。　She　saw　what　it　was　nowit　was　the　body　of　a　man。　Yes；　and

these　were　no　ghosts；　they　were　cannibals　of　whom　when　she　was　little；

her　mother　had　told　her　tales　to　keep　her　from　wandering　away　from

home。



But　who　was　the　man　they　were　about　to　eat？　It　could　not　be　one　of

themselves；　for　his　stature　was　much　greater。　Oh！　now　she　knew；　it

must　be　Nahoon；　who　had　been　killed　up　yonder；　and　whose　dead　body　the

waters　had　brought　down　to　the　haunted　forest　as　they　had　brought　her

alive。　Yes；　it　must　be　Nahoon；　and　she　would　be　forced　to　see　her

husband　devoured　before　her　eyes。　The　thought　of　it　overwhelmed　her。

That　he　should　die　by　order　of　the　king　was　natural；　but　that　he

should　be　buried　thus！　Yet　what　could　she　do　to　prevent　it？　Well；　if

it　cost　her　her　life；　it　should　be　prevented。　At　the　worst　they　could

only　kill　and　eat　her　also；　and　now　that　Nahoon　and　her　father　were

gone；　being　untroubled　by　any　religious　or　spiritual　hopes　and　fears；

she　was　not　greatly　concerned　to　keep　her　own　breath　in　her。



Slipping　through　the　hole　in　the　tree；　Nanea　walked　quietly　towards

the　cannibalsnot　knowing　in　the　least　what　she　should　do　when　she

reached　them。　As　she　arrived　in　line　with　the　fire　this　lack　of

programme　came　home　to　her　mind　forcibly；　and　she　paused　to　reflect。

Just　then　one　of　the　cannibals　looked　up　to　see　a　tall　and　stately

figure　wrapped　in　a　white　garment　which；　as　the　flame…light　flickered

on　it；　seemed　now　to　advance　from　the　dense　background　of　shadow；　and

now　to　recede　into　it。　The　poor　savage　wretch　was　holding　a　stone

knife　in　his　teeth　when　he　beheld　her；　but　it　did　not　remain　there

long；　for　opening　his　great　jaws　he　uttered　the　most　terrified　and

piercing　yell　that　Nanea　had　ever　heard。　Then　the　others　saw　her　also；

and　presently　the　forest　was　ringing　with　shrieks　of　fear。　For　a　few

seconds　the　outcasts　stood　and　gazed；　then　they　were　gone　this　way　and

that；　bursting　their　path　through　the　undergrowth　like　startled

jackals。　The　/Esemkofu/　of　Zulu　tradition　had　been　routed　in　their　own

haunted　home　by　what　they　took　to　be　a　spirit。



Poor　/Esemkofu！/　they　were　but　miserable　and　starving　bushmen　who；

driven　into　that　place　of　ill　omen　many　years　ago；　had　adopted　this

means；　the　only　one　open　to　them；　to　keep　the　life　in　their　wretched

bodies。　Here　at　least　they　were　unmolested；　and　as　there　was　little

other　food　to　be　found　amid　that　wilderness　of　trees；　they　took　what

the　river　brought　them。　When　executions　were　few　in　the　Pool　of　Doom；

times　were　hard　for　them　indeedfor　then　they　were　driven　to　eat　each

other。　That　is　why　there　were　no　children。



As　their　inarticulate　outcry　died　away　in　the　distance；　Nanea　ran

forward　to　look　at　the　body　that　lay　on　the　ground；　and　staggered　back

with　a　sigh　of　relief。　It　was　not　Nahoon；　but　she　recognised　the　face

for　that　of　one　of　the　party　of　executioners。　How　did　he　come　here？

Had　Nahoon　killed　him？　Had　Nahoon　escaped？　She　could　not　tell；　and　at

the　best　it　was　improbable；　but　still　the　sight　of　this　dead　soldier

lit　her　heart　with　a　faint　ray　of　hope；　for　how　did　he　come　to　be　dead

if　Nahoon　had　no　hand　in　his　death？　She　could　not　bear　to　leave　him

lying　so　near　her　hiding…place；　however；　therefore；　with　no　small

toil；　she　rolled　the　corpse　back　into　the　water；　which　carried　it

swiftly　away。　Then　she　returned　to　the　tree；　having　first　replenished

the　fire；　and　awaited　the　light。



At　last　it　cameso　much　of　it　as　ever　penetrated　this　darksome　den

and　Nanea；　becoming　aware　that　she　was　hungry；　descended　from　the　tree

to　search　for　food。　All　day　long　she　searched；　finding　nothing；　till

towards　sunset　she　remembered　that　on　the　outskirts　of　the　forest

there　was　a　flat　rock　where　it　was　the　custom　of　those　who　had　been　in

any　way　afflicted；　or　who　considered　themselves　or　their　belongings　to

be　bewitched；　to　place　propitiatory　offerings　of　food　wherewith　the

/Esemkofu/　and　/Amalhosi/　were　supposed　to　satisfy　their　spiritual

cravings。　Urged　by　the　pinch　of　starvation；　to　this　spot　Nanea

journeyed　rapidly；　and　found　to　her　joy　that　some　neighbouring　kraal

had　evidently　been　in　recent　trouble；　for　the　Rock　of　Offering　was

laden　with　cobs　of　corn；　gourds　of　milk；　porridge　and　even　meat。

Helping　herself　to　as　much　as　she　could　carry；　she　returned　to　her

lair；　where　she　drank　of　the　milk　and　cooked　meat　and　mealies　at　the

fire。　Then　she　crept　back　into　the　tree；　and　slept。



For　nearly　two　months　Nanea　lived　thus　in　the　forest；　since　she　could

not　venture　out　of　itfearing　lest　she　should　be　seized；　and　for　a

second　time　taste　of　the　judgment　of　the　king。　In　the　forest　at　least

she　was　safe；　for　none　dared　enter　there；　nor　did　the　/Esemkofu/　give

her　further　trouble。　Once　or　twice　she　saw　them；　but　on　each　occasion

they　fled　from　her　presenceseeking　some　distant　retreat；　where　they

hid　themselves　or　perished。　Nor　did　food　fail　her；　for　finding　that　it

was　taken；　the　pious　givers　brought　it　in　plenty　to　the　Rock　of

Offering。



But；　oh！　the　life　was　dreadful；　and　the　gloom　and　loneliness　coupled

with　her　sorrows　at　times　drove　her　almost　to　insanity。　Still　she

lived　on；　though　often　she　desired　to　die；　for　if　her　father　was　dead；

the　corpse　she　had　found　was　not　the　corpse　of　Nahoon；　and　in　her

heart　there　still　shone　that　spark　of　home。　Yet　what　she　hoped　for　she

could　not　tell。



*****



When　Philip　Hadden　reached　civilised　regions；　he　found　that　war　was

about　to　be　declared　between　the　Queen　and　Cetywayo；　King　of　the

Amazulu；　also　that　in　the　prevailing　excitement　his　little　adventure

with　the　Utrecht　store…keeper　had　been　overlooked　or　forgotten。　He　was

the　owner　of　two　good　buck…waggons　with　spans　of　salted　oxen；　and　at

that　time　vehicles　were　much　in　request　to　carry　military　stores　for

the　columns　which　were　to　advance　into　Zululand；　indeed　the　transport

authorities　were　glad　to　pay　￡90　a　month　for　the　hire　of　each　waggon

and　to　guarantee　the　owners　against　all　loss　of　cattle。　Although　he

was　not　desirous　of　returning　to　Zululand；　this　bait　proved　too　much

for　Hadden；　who　accordingly　leased　out　his　waggons　to　the

Commissariat；　together　with　his　own　services　as　conductor　and

interpreter。



He　was　attached　to　No。　3　column　of　the　invading　force；　which　it　may　be

remembered　was　under　the　immediate　command　of　Lord　Chelmsford；　and　on

the　20th　of　January；　1879；　he　marched　with　it　by　the　road　that　runs

from　Rorke's　Drift　to　the　Indeni　forest；　and　encamped　that　night

beneath　the　shadow　of　the　steep　and　desolate　mountain　known　as

Isandhlwana。



That　day　also　a　great　army　of　King　Cetywayo's；　numbering　twenty

thousand　men　and　more；　moved　down　from　the　Upindo　Hill　and　camped　upon

the　stony　plain　that　lies　a　mile　and　a　half　to　the　east　of

Isandhlwana。　No　fires　were　lit；　and　it　lay　there　in　utter　silence；　for

the　warriors　were　〃sleeping　on　their　spears。〃



With　that　/impi/　was　the　Umcityu　regiment；　three　thousand　five　hundred

strong。　At　the　first　break　of　dawn　the　Induna　in　command　of　the

Umcityu　looked　up　from　beneath　the　shelter　of　the　black　shield　with

which　he　had　covered　his　body；　and　through　the　thick　mist　he　saw　a

great　man　standing　before