black heart and white heart-第12部分

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

great　man　standing　before　him；　clothed　only　in　a　moocha；　a　gaunt　wild…

eyed　man　who　held　a　rough　club　in　his　hand。　When　he　was　spoken　to；　the

man　made　no　answer；　he　only　leaned　upon　his　club　looking　from　left　to

right　along　the　dense　array　of　innumerable　shields。



〃Who　is　this　/Silwana/　（wild　creature）？〃　asked　the　Induna　of　his

captains　wondering。



The　captains　stared　at　the　wanderer；　and　one　of　them　replied；　〃This　is

Nahoon…ka…Zomba；　it　is　the　son　of　Zomba　who　not　long　ago　held　rank　in

this　regiment　of　the　Umcityu。　His　betrothed；　Nanea；　daughter　of

Umgona；　was　killed　together　with　her　father　by　order　of　the　Black　One；

and　Nahoon　went　mad　with　grief　at　the　sight　of　it；　for　the　fire　of

Heaven　entered　his　brain；　and　mad　he　has　wandered　ever　since。〃



〃What　would　you　here；　Nahoon…ka…Zomba？〃　asked　the　Induna。



Then　Nahoon　spoke　slowly。　〃My　regiment　goes　down　to　war　against　the

white　men；　give　me　a　shield　and　a　spear；　O　Captain　of　the　king；　that　I

may　fight　with　my　regiment；　for　I　seek　a　face　in　the　battle。〃



So　they　gave　him　a　shield　and　a　spear；　for　they　dared　not　turn　away

one　whose　brain　was　alight　with　the　fire　of　Heaven。



*****



When　the　sun　was　high　that　day；　bullets　began　to　fall　among　the　ranks

of　the　Umcityu。　Then　the　black…shielded；　black…plumed　Umcityu　arose；

company　by　company；　and　after　them　arose　the　whole　vast　Zulu　army；

breast　and　horns　together；　and　swept　down　in　silence　upon　the　doomed

British　camp；　a　moving　sheen　of　spears。　The　bullets　pattered　on　the

shields；　the　shells　tore　long　lines　through　their　array；　but　they

never　halted　or　wavered。　Forward　on　either　side　shot　out　the　horns　of

armed　men；　clasping　the　camp　in　an　embrace　of　steel。　Then　as　these

began　to　close；　out　burst　the　war　cry　of　the　Zulus；　and　with　the　roar

of　a　torrent　and　the　rush　of　a　storm；　with　a　sound　like　the　humming　of

a　billion　bees；　wave　after　wave　the　deep　breast　of　the　/impi/　rolled

down　upon　the　white　men。　With　it　went　the　black…shielded　Umcityu　and

with　them　went　Nahoon；　the　son　of　Zomba。　A　bullet　struck　him　in　the

side；　glancing　from　his　ribs；　he　did　not　heed；　a　white　man　fell　from

his　horse　before　him；　he　did　not　stab；　for　he　sought　but　one　face　in

the　battle。



He　soughtand　at　last　he　found。　There；　among　the　waggons　where　the

spears　were　busiest；　there　standing　by　his　horse　and　firing　rapidly

was　Black　Heart；　he　who　had　given　Nanea　his　betrothed　to　death。　Three

soldiers　stood　between　them；　one　of　them　Nahoon　stabbed；　and　two　he

brushed　aside；　then　he　rushed　straight　at　Hadden。



But　the　white　man　saw　him　come；　and　even　through　the　mask　of　his

madness　he　knew　Nahoon　again；　and　terror　took　hold　of　him。　Throwing

away　his　empty　rifle；　for　his　ammunition　was　spent；　he　leaped　upon　his

horse　and　drove　his　spurs　into　its　flanks。　Away　it　went　among　the

carnage；　springing　over　the　dead　and　bursting　through　the　lines　of

shields；　and　after　it　came　Nahoon；　running　long　and　low　with　head

stretched　forward　and　trailing　spear；　running　as　a　hound　runs　when　the

buck　is　at　view。



Hadden's　first　plan　was　to　head　for　Rorke's　Drift；　but　a　glance　to　the

left　showed　him　that　the　masses　of　the　Undi　barred　that　way；　so　he

fled　straight　on；　leaving　his　path　to　fortune。　In　five　minutes　he　was

over　a　ridge；　and　there　was　nothing　of　the　battle　to　be　seen；　in　ten

all　sounds　of　it　had　died　away；　for　few　guns　were　fired　in　the　dread

race　to　Fugitive's　Drift；　and　the　assegai　makes　no　noise。　In　some

strange　fashion；　even　at　this　moment；　the　contrast　between　the

dreadful　scene　of　blood　and　turmoil　that　he　had　left；　and　the　peaceful

face　of　Nature　over　which　he　was　passing；　came　home　to　his　brain

vividly。　Here　birds　sang　and　cattle　grazed；　here　the　sun　shone

undimmed　by　the　smoke　of　cannon；　only　high　up　in　the　blue　and　silent

air　long　streams　of　vultures　could　be　seen　winging　their　way　to　the

Plain　of　Isandhlwana。



The　ground　was　very　rough；　and　Hadden's　horse　began　to　tire。　He　looked

over　his　shoulderthere　some　two　hundred　yards　behind　came　the　Zulu；

grim　as　Death；　unswerving　as　Fate。　He　examined　the　pistol　in　his　belt；

there　was　but　one　undischarged　cartridge　left；　all　the　rest　had　been

fired　and　the　pouch　was　empty。　Well；　one　bullet　should　be　enough　for

one　savage：　the　question　was　should　he　stop　and　use　it　now？　No；　he

might　miss　or　fail　to　kill　the　man；　he　was　on　horseback　and　his　foe　on

foot；　surely　he　could　tire　him　out。



A　while　passed；　and　they　dashed　through　a　little　stream。　It　seemed

familiar　to　Hadden。　Yes；　that　was　the　pool　where　he　used　to　bathe　when

he　was　the　guest　of　Umgona；　the　father　of　Nanea；　and　there　on　the

knoll　to　his　right　were　the　huts；　or　rather　the　remains　of　them；　for

they　had　been　burnt　with　fire。　What　chance　had　brought　him　to　this

place；　he　wondered；　then　again　he　looked　behind　him　at　Nahoon；　who

seemed　to　read　his　thoughts；　for　he　shook　his　spear　and　pointed　to　the

ruined　kraal。



On　he　went　at　speed　for　here　the　land　was　level；　and　to　his　joy　he

lost　sight　of　his　pursuer。　But　presently　there　came　a　mile　of　rocky

ground；　and　when　it　was　past；　glancing　back　he　saw　that　Nahoon　was

once　more　in　his　old　place。　His　horse's　strength　was　almost　spent；　but

Hadden　spurred　it　forward　blindly；　whither　he　knew　not。　Now　he　was

travelling　along　a　strip　of　turf　and　ahead　of　him　he　heard　the　music

of　a　river；　while　to　his　left　rose　a　high　bank。　Presently　the　turf

bent　inwards　and　there；　not　twenty　yards　away　from　him；　was　a　Kaffir

hut　standing　on　the　brink　of　a　river。　He　looked　at　it；　yes；　it　was　the

hut　of　that　accursed　/inyanga/；　the　Bee；　and　standing　by　the　fence　of

it　was　none　other　than　the　Bee　herself。　At　the　sight　of　her　the

exhausted　horse　swerved　violently；　stumbled　and　came　to　the　ground；

where　it　lay　panting。　Hadden　was　thrown　from　the　saddle　but　sprang　to

his　feet　unhurt。



〃Ah！　Black　Heart；　is　it　you？　What　news　of　the　battle；　Black　Heart？〃

cried　the　Bee　in　a　mocking　voice。



〃Help　me；　mother；　I　am　pursued；〃　he　gasped。



〃What　of　it；　Black　Heart；　it　is　but　by　one　tired　man。　Stand　then　and

face　him；　for　now　Black　Heart　and　White　Heart　are　together　again。　You

will　not？　Then　away　to　the　forest　and　seek　shelter　among　the　dead　who

await　you　there。　Tell　me；　tell　me；　was　it　the　face　of　Nanea　that　I　saw

beneath　the　waters　a　while　ago？　Good！　bear　my　greetings　to　her　when

you　two　meet　in　the　House　of　the　Dead。〃



Hadden　looked　at　the　stream；　it　was　in　flood。　He　could　not　swim　it；　so

followed　by　the　evil　laugh　of　the　prophetess；　he　sped　towards　the

forest。　After　him　came　Nahoon；　his　tongue　hanging　from　his　jaws　like

the　tongue　of　a　wolf。



Now　he　was　in　the　shadow　of　the　forest；　but　still　he　sped　on　following

the　course　of　the　river；　till　at　length　his　breath　failed；　and　he

halted　on　the　further　side　of　a　little　glade；　beyond　which　a　great

tree　grew。　Nahoon　was　more　than　a　spear's　throw　behind　him；　therefore

he　had　time　to　draw　his　pistol　and　make　ready。



〃Halt；　Nahoon；〃　he　cried；　as　once　before　he　had　cried；　〃I　would　speak

with　you。〃



The　Zulu　heard　his　voice；　and　obeyed。



〃Listen；〃　said　Hadden。　〃We　have　run　a　long　race　and　fought　a　long

fight；　you　and　I；　and　we　are　still　alive　both　of　us。　Very　soon；　if　you

come　on；　one　of　us　must　be　dead；　and　it　will　be　you；　Nahoon；　for　I　am

armed　and　as　you　know　I　can　shoot　straight。　What　do　you　say？〃



Nahoon　made　no　answer；　but　stood　still　at　the　edge　of　the　glade；　his

wild　and　glowering　eyes　fixed　on　the　white　man's　face　and　his　breath

coming　in　short　gasps。



〃Will　you　let　me　go；　if　/I/　let　/you/　go？〃　Hadden　asked　once　more。　〃I

know　why　you　hate　me；　but　the　past　cannot　be　undone；　nor　can　the　dead

be　brought　to　earth　again。〃



Still　Nahoon　made　no　answer；　and　his　silence　seemed　more　fateful　and

more　crushing　than　any　speech；　no　spoken　accusation　would　have　been　so

terrible　in　Hadden's　ear。　He　made　no　answer；　but　lifting　his　assegai

he　stalked　grimly　toward　his　foe。



When　he　was　within　five　paces　Hadden　covered　him　and　fired。　Nahoon

sprang　aside；　but　the　bullet　struck　him　somewhere；　for　his　right　arm

dropped；　and　the　stabbing　spear　that　he　held　was　jerked　from　it

harmlessly　over　the　white　man's　head。　But　still　making　no　sound；　the

Zulu　came　on　and　gripped　him　by　the　throat　with　his　left　hand。　For　a

space　they　struggled　terribly；　swaying　to　and　fro；　but　Hadden　was

unhurt　and　fought　with　the　fury　of　despair；　while　Nahoon　had　been

twice　wounded；　and　there　remained　to　him　but　one　sound　arm　wherewith

to　strike。　Presently　forced　to　earth　by　the　white　man's　iron　strength；

the　soldier　was　down；　nor　could　he　rise　again。



〃Now　we　will　make　an　end；〃　muttered　Hadden　savagely；　and　he　turned　to

seek　the　assegai；　then　staggered　slowly　back　with　starting　eyes　and

reeling　gait。　For　there　before　him；　still　clad　in　her　white　robe；　a

spear　in　her　hand；　stood　the　spirit　of　Nanea！



〃Think　of　it；〃　he　said　to　himself；　dimly　remembering　the　words　of　the

/inyanga/；　〃when　you　stand　face　to　face　with　the　ghost　of　the　dead　in

the　Home　of　the　Dead。〃



There　was　a　cry　and　a　flash　of　steel；　the　broad　spear　leapt　towards

him　to　bury　itself　in　his　breast。　He　swayed；　he　fell；　and　presently

Black　Heart　clasped　that　great　reward　which　the　word　of　the　Bee　had

promised　Him。



*****



〃Nahoon！　Nahoon！〃　murmured　a　soft　voice；　〃awake；　it　is　no　ghost；　but　I

NaneaI；　your　living　wife；　to　whom　my　/Ehlose/＇*＇　has　given　it　me

to　save　you。〃



＇*＇　Guardian　Spirit。



Nahoon　heard　and　opened　his　eyes　to　look　and　his　madness　left　him。



〃Welcome；　wife；〃　he　said　faintly；　〃now　I　will　live　since　Death　has

brought　you　back　to　me　in　the　House　of　the　Dead。〃



*****



To…day　Nahoon　is　one　of　the　Indunas　of　the　English　Government　in

Zululand；　and　there　are　children　about　his　kraal。　It　was　from　the　lips

of　none　other　than　Nanea　his　wife　that　the　teller　of　this　tale　heard