CHAPTER XX
THE GATE OF DEATH
Before turning in I examined these wounded men for myself. The truth isthat I was anxious to learn their exact condition in order that I mightmake an estimate as to when it would be possible for us to leave thisvalley or crater bottom of Kor, of which I was heartily tired. Who coulddesire to stay in a place where he had not only been involved in a dealof hard, doubtful, and very dangerous fighting from which all personalinterest was absent, but where also he was meshed in a perfect spider'sweb of bewilderment, and exposed to continual insult into the bargain?
For that is what it came to; this Ayesha took every opportunity to jeerat and affront me. And why? Just because I had conceived doubts, whichsomehow she discovered, of the amazing tales with which it had amusedher to stuff me, as a farmer's wife does a turkey poult with mealpellets. How could she expect me, a man, after all, of some experience,to believe such lies, which, not half an hour before, in the coolestpossible fashion she had herself admitted to be lies and nothing else,told for the mere pleasure of romancing?
The immortal Rezu, for instance, who had drunk of the Cup of Life orsome such rubbish, now turned out to be nothing but a brawny savagedescended from generations of chiefs also called Rezu. Moreover theimmemorial Ayesha, who also had drunk of Cups of Life, and accordingto her first story, had lived in this place for thousands of years, hadcome here with a mother, who filled the same mystic role before her forthe benefit of an extremely gloomy and disagreeable tribe of Semiticsavages. Yet she was cross with me because I had not swallowed her crudeand indigestible mixture of fable and philosophy without a moment'squestion.
At least I supposed that this was the reason, though another possibleexplanation did come into my mind. I had refused to be duly overcomeby her charms, not because I was unimpressed, for who could be, havinglooked upon that blinding beauty even for a moment? but rather because,after sundry experiences, I had at last attained to some power ofjudgment and learned what it is best to leave alone. Perhaps this hadannoyed her, especially as no white man seemed to have come her way fora long while and the fabulous Kallikrates had not put in his promisedappearance.
Also it was unfortunate that in one way or another--how did she do it, Iwondered--she had interpreted Umslopogaas' question to me about marryingher, and my compromising reply. Not that for one moment, as I saw veryclearly, did she wish to marry me. But that fact, intuition suggested tomy mind, did not the least prevent her from being angry because I sharedher views upon this important subject.
Oh! the whole thing was a bore and the sooner I saw the last of thatveiled lady and the interesting but wearisome ruins in which shedwelt, the better I should be pleased, although apparently I must trekhomewards with a poor young woman who was out of her mind, leavingthe bones of her unfortunate father behind me. I admitted to myself,however, that there were consolations in the fact that Providencehad thus decreed, for Robertson since he gave up drink had not been acheerful companion, and two mad people would really have been more thanI could manage.
To return, for these reasons I examined the two wounded Zulus withconsiderable anxiety, only to discover another instance of the chicanerywhich it amused this Ayesha to play off upon me. For what did I find?That they were practically well. Their hurts, which had never beenserious, had healed wonderfully in that pure air, as those of savageshave a way of doing, and they told me themselves that they felt quitestrong again. Yet with colossal impudence Ayesha had managed to suggestto my mind that she was going to work some remarkable cure upon them,who were already cured.
Well, it was of a piece with the rest of her conduct and there wasnothing to do except go to bed, which I did with much gratitude thatmy resting place that night was not of another sort. The last thing Iremember was wondering how on earth Ayesha appeared and disappearedin the course of that battle, a problem as to which I could find nosolution, though, as in the case of the others, I was sure that onewould occur to me in course of time.
I slept like a top, so soundly indeed that I think there was some kindof soporific in the pick-me-up which looked like sherry, especially asthe others who had drunk of it also passed an excellent night.
About ten o'clock on the following morning I awoke feeling particularlywell and quite as though I had been enjoying a week at the seasideinstead of my recent adventures, which included an abominable battle andsome agonising moments during which I thought that my number was up uponthe board of Destiny.
I spent the most of that day lounging about, eating, talking over thedetails of the battle with Umslopogaas and the Zulus and smoking morethan usual. (I forgot to say that these Amahagger grew some capitaltobacco of which I had obtained a supply, although like most Africans,they only used it in the shape of snuff.) The truth was that after allmy marvellings and acute anxieties, also mental and physical exertions,I felt like the housemaid who caused to be cut upon her tombstone thatshe had gone to a better land where her ambition was to do nothing "forever and ever." I just wanted to be completely idle and vacuous-mindedfor at least a month, but as I knew that all I could expect in thatline was a single bank holiday, like a City clerk on the spree, of it Idetermined to make the most.
The result was that before the evening I felt very bored indeed. I hadgone to look at Inez, who was still fast asleep, as Ayesha said would bethe case, but whose features seemed to have plumped up considerably. Thereason of this I gathered from her Amahagger nurses, was that atcertain intervals she had awakened sufficiently to swallow considerablequantities of milk, or rather cream, which I hoped would not make herill. I had chatted with the wounded Zulus, who were now walking about,more bored even than I was myself, and heaping maledictions on theirancestral spirits because they had not been well enough to take part inthe battle against Rezu.
I even took a little stroll to look for Hans, who had vanished in hismysterious fashion, but the afternoon was so hot and oppressive withcoming thunder, that soon I came back again and fell into a variety ofreflections that I need not detail.
While I was thus engaged and meditating, not without uneasiness, uponthe ordeal that lay before me after sunset, for I felt sure that itwould be an ordeal, Hans appeared and said that the Amahagger _impi_or army was gathered on that spot where I had been elected to the proudposition of their General. He added that he believed--how he got thisinformation I do not know--that the White Lady was going to hold areview of them and give them the rewards that they had earned in thebattle.
Hearing this, Umslopogaas and the other Zulus said that they would liketo see this review if I would accompany them. Although I did not want togo nor indeed desired ever to look at another Amahagger, I consented tosave the trouble of argument, on condition that we should do so from adistance.
So, including the wounded men, we strolled off and presently came to thecrumbled wall of the old city, beyond which lay the great moat now dry,that once had encircled it with water.
Here on the top of this wall we sat down where we could see withoutbeing seen, and observed the Amahagger companies, considerably reducedduring the battle, being marshalled by their captains beneath us andabout a couple of hundred yards away. Also we observed several groupsof men under guard. These we took to be prisoners captured in the fightwith Rezu, who, as Hans remarked with a smack of his lips, were probablyawaiting sacrifice.
I said I hoped not and yawned, for really the afternoon was intenselyhot and the weather most peculiar. The sun had vanished behind clouds,and vapours filled the still air, so dense that at times it grew almostdark; also when these cleared for brief intervals, the landscape in thegrey, unholy light looked distorted and unnatural, as it does during aneclipse of the sun.
Goroko, the witch-doctor, stared round him, sniffed the air and thenremarked ocularly that it was "wizard's weather" and that there weremany spirits about. Upon my word I felt inclined to agree with him, formy feelings were very uncomfortable, but I only replied that if so, Ishould be obliged if he, as a professional, would be good enough to keepthe
m off me. Of course I knew that electrical charges were about, whichaccounted for my sensations, and wished that I had never left the camp.
It was during one of these periods of dense gloom that Ayesha must havearrived upon the review ground. At least, when it lifted, there shewas in her white garments, surrounded by women and guards, engagedapparently in making an oration, for although I could not hear a word, Icould see by the motions of her arms that she was speaking.
Had she been the central figure in some stage scene, no limelights couldhave set her off to better advantage, than did those of the heavensabove her. Suddenly, through the blanket of cloud, flowing from a holein it that looked like an eye, came a blood-red ray which fell full uponher, so that she alone was fiercely visible whilst all around was gloomin which shapes moved dimly. Certainly she looked strange and eventerrifying in that red ray which stained her robe till I who had butjust come out of battle with its "confused noise," began to think of"the garments rolled in blood" of which I often read in my favourite OldTestament. For crimson was she from head to foot; a tall shape of terrorand of wrath.
The eye in heaven shut and the ray went out. Then came one of the spacesof grey light and in it I saw men being brought up, apparently from thegroups of prisoners, under guard, and, to the number of a dozen or more,stood in a line before Ayesha.
Then I saw nothing more for a long while, because blackness seemed toflow in from every quarter of the heavens and to block out the scenebeneath. At least after a pause of perhaps five minutes, during whichthe stillness was intense, the storm broke.
It was a very curious storm; in all my experience of African tempests Icannot recall one which it resembled. It began with the usual cold andwailing wind. This died away, and suddenly the whole arch of heaven wasalive with little lightnings that seemed to strike horizontally, notdownwards to the earth, weaving a web of fire upon the surface of thesky.
By the illumination of these lightnings which, but for the swiftness oftheir flashing and greater intensity, somewhat resembled a dense showerof shooting stars, I perceived that Ayesha was addressing the men thathad been brought before her, who stood dejectedly in a long line withtheir heads bent, quite unattended, since their guards had fallen back.
"If I were going to receive a reward of cattle or wives, I should lookhappier than those moon-worshippers, Baas," remarked Hans reflectively.
"Perhaps it would depend," I answered, "upon what the cattle and wiveswere like. If the cattle had red-water and would bring disease into yourherd, or wild bulls that would gore you, and the wives were skinny oldwidows with evil tongues, then I think you would look as do those men,Hans."
I don't quite know what made me speak thus, but I believe it was somesense of pending death or disaster, suggested, probably, by the ominouscharacter of the setting provided by Nature to the curious drama ofwhich we were witnesses.
"I never thought of that, Baas," commented Hans, "but it is true thatall gifts are not good, especially witches' gifts."
As he spoke the little net-like lightnings died away, leaving behindthem a gross darkness through which, far above us, the wind wailedagain.
Then suddenly all the heaven was turned into one blaze of light, and byit I saw Ayesha standing tall and rigid with her hand pointed towardsthe line of men in front of her. The blaze went out, to be followed byblackness, and to return almost instantly in a yet fiercer blaze whichseemed to fall earthwards in a torrent of fire that concentrated itselfin a kind of flame-spout upon the spot where Ayesha stood.
Through that flame or rather in the heart of it, I saw Ayesha and thefile of men in front of her, as the great King saw the prophets in themidst of the furnace that had been heated sevenfold. Only these men didnot walk about in the fire; no, they fell backwards, while Ayesha aloneremained upon her feet with outstretched hand.
Next came more blackness and crash upon crash of such thunder that theearth shook as it reverberated from the mountain cliffs. Never in mylife did I hear such fearful thunder. It frightened the Zulus so much,that they fell upon their faces, except Goroko and Umslopogaas, whosepride kept them upon their feet, the former because he had a reputationto preserve as a "Heaven-herd," or Master of tempests.
I confess that I should have liked to follow their example, and liedown, being dreadfully afraid lest the lightning should strike me. Butthere--I did not.
At last the thunder died away and in the most mysterious fashion thatviolent tempest came to a sudden end, as does a storm upon the stage. Norain fell, which in itself was surprising enough and most unusual,but in place of it a garment of the completest calm descended uponthe earth. By degrees, too, the darkness passed and the westering sunreappeared. Its rays fell upon the place where the Amahagger companieshad stood, but now not one of them was to be seen.
They were all gone and Ayesha with them. So completely had they vanishedaway that I should have thought that we suffered from illusions, wereit not for the line of dead men which lay there looking very small andlonesome on the veld; mere dots indeed at that distance.
We stared at each other and at them, and then Goroko said that he wouldlike to inspect the bodies to learn whether lightning killed at Kor asit did elsewhere, also whether it had smitten them altogether or leaptfrom man to man. This, as a professional "Heaven-herd," he declared hecould tell from the marks upon these unfortunates.
As I was curious also and wanted to make a few observations, Iconsented. So with the exception of the wounded men, who I thoughtshould avoid the exertion, we scrambled down the debris of the tumbledwall and across the open space beyond, reaching the scene of the tragedywithout meeting or seeing anyone.
There lay the dead, eleven of them, in an exact line as they had stood.They were all upon their backs with widely-opened eyes and an expressionof great fear frozen upon their faces. Some of these I recognised, asdid Umslopogaas and Hans. They were soldiers or captains who had marchedunder me to attack Rezu, although until this moment I had not seen anyof them after we began to descend the ridge where the battle took place.
"Baas," said Hans, "I believe that these were the traitors who slippedaway and told Rezu of our plans so that he attacked us on the ridge,instead of our attacking him on the plain as we had arranged so nicely.At least they were none of them in the battle and afterwards I heard theAmahagger talking of some of them."
I remarked that if so the lightning had discriminated very well in thisinstance.
Meanwhile Goroko was examining the bodies one by one, and presentlycalled out,
"These doomed ones died not by lightning but by witchcraft. There is nota burn upon one of them, nor are their garments scorched."
I went to look and found that it was perfectly true; to all outwardappearance the eleven were quite unmarked and unharmed. Except for theirfrightened air, they might have died a natural death in their sleep.
"Does lightning always scorch?" I asked Goroko.
"Always, Macumazahn," he answered, "that is, if he who has been struckis killed, as these are, and not only stunned. Moreover, most of yonderdead wear knives which should have melted or shattered with the sheathsburnt off them. Yet those knives are as though they had just left thesmith's hammer and the whet-stone," and he drew some of them to show me.
Again it was quite true and here I may remark that my experience talliedwith that of Goroko, since I have never seen anyone killed by lightningon whom or on whose clothing there was not some trace of its passage.
"_Ow!_" said Umslopogaas, "this is witchcraft, not Heaven-wrath. Theplace is enchanted. Let us get away lest we be smitten also who have notearned doom like those traitors."
"No need to fear," said Hans, "since with us is the Great Medicine ofZikali which can tie up the lightning as an old woman does a bundle ofsticks."
Still I observed that for all his confidence, Hans himself was thefirst to depart and with considerable speed. So we went back to our campwithout more conversation, since the Zulus were scared and I confessthat myself I could not understand the matter,
though no doubt itadmitted of some quite simple explanation.
However that might be, this Kor was a queer place with its legends, itssullen Amahagger and its mysterious queen, to whom at times, in spite ofmy inner conviction to the contrary, I was still inclined to attributepowers beyond those that are common even among very beautiful and ablewomen.
This reflection reminded me that she had promised us a furtherexhibition of those powers and within an hour or two. Remembering thisI began to regret that I had ever asked for any such manifestations, forwho knew what these might or might not involve?
So much did I regret it that I determined, unless Ayesha sent for us, asshe had said she would do, I would conveniently forget the appointment.Luckily Umslopogaas seemed to be of the same way of thinking; at anyrate he went off to eat his evening meal without alluding to it at all.So I made up my mind that I would not bring the matter to his notice andhaving ascertained that Inez was still asleep, I followed his exampleand dined myself, though without any particular appetite.
As I finished the sun was setting in a perfectly clear sky, so as therewas no sign of any messenger, I thought that I would go to bed early,leaving orders that I was not to be disturbed. But on this point my luckwas lacking, for just as I had taken off my coat, Hans arrived and saidthat old Billali was without and had come to take me somewhere.
Well, there was nothing to do but to put it on again. Before I hadfinished this operation Billali himself arrived with undignifiedand unusual haste. I asked him what was the matter, and he answeredinconsequently that the Black One, the slayer of Rezu, was at the door"with his axe."
"That generally accompanies him," I replied. Then, remembering the causeof Billali's alarm, I explained to him that he must not take too muchnotice of a few hasty words spoken by an essentially gentle-naturedperson whose nerve had given way beneath provocation and bodily effort.The old fellow bowed in assent and stroked his beard, but I noticed thatwhile Umslopogaas was near, he clung to me like a shadow. Perhaps hethought that nervous attacks might be recurrent, like those of fever.
Outside the house I found Umslopogaas leaning on his axe and looking atthe sky in which the last red rays of evening lingered.
"The sun has set, Macumazahn," he said, "and it is time to visit thiswhite queen as she bade us, and to learn whether she can indeed lead us'down below' where the dead are said to dwell."
So he had not forgotten, which was disconcerting. To cover up my owndoubts I asked him with affected confidence and cheerfulness whether hewas not afraid to risk this journey "down below," that is, to the Realmof Death.
"Why should I fear to tread a road that awaits the feet of all of usand at the gate of which we knock day by day, especially if we chanceto live by war, as do you and I, Macumazahn?" he inquired with a quietdignity, which made me feel ashamed.
"Why indeed?" I answered, adding to myself, "though I should much preferany other highway."
After this we started without more words, I keeping up my spirits byreflecting that the whole business was nonsense and that there could benothing to dread.
All too soon we passed the ruined archway and were admitted intoAyesha's presence in the usual fashion. As Billali, who remained outsideof them, drew the curtains behind us, I observed, to my astonishment,that Hans had sneaked in after me, and squatted down quite close tothem, apparently in the hope of being overlooked.
It seemed, as I gathered later, that somehow or other he had guessed, orbecome aware of the object of our visit, and that his burning curiosityhad overcome his terror of the "White Witch." Or possibly he hoped todiscover whether or not she were so ugly as he supposed her veil-hiddenface to be. At any rate there he was, and if Ayesha noticed him, as Ithink she did, for I saw by the motion of her head, that she was lookingin his direction, she made no remark.
For a while she sat still in her chair contemplating us both. Then shesaid,
"How comes it that you are late? Those that seek their lost loves shouldrun with eager feet, but yours have tarried."
I muttered some excuse to which she did not trouble to listen, for shewent on,
"I think, Allan, that your sandals, which should be winged like to thoseof the Roman Mercury, are weighted with the grey lead of fear. Well, itis not strange, since you have come to travel through the Gates of Deaththat are feared by all, even by Ayesha's self, for who knows what he mayfind beyond them? Ask the Axe-Bearer if he also is afraid."
I obeyed, rendering all that she had said into the Zulu idiom as best Icould.
"Say to the Queen," answered Umslopogaas, when he understood, "that Ifear nothing, except women's tongues. I am ready to pass the Gates ofDeath and, if need be, to come back no more. With the white peopleI know it is otherwise because of some dark teachings to which theylisten, that tell of terrors to be, such as we who are black do notdread. Still, we believe that there are ghosts and that the spirits ofour fathers live on and as it chances I would learn whether this is so,who above all things desire to met a certain ghost, for which reason Ijourneyed to this far land.
"Say these things to the white Queen, Macumazahn, and tell her that ifshe should send me to a place whence there is no return, I who do notlove the world, shall not blame her overmuch, though it is true that Ishould have chosen to die in war. Now I have spoken."
When I had passed on all this speech to Ayesha, her comment on it was,
"This black Captain has a spirit as brave as his body, but how is itwith your spirit, Allan? Are you also prepared to risk so much? Learnthat I can promise you nothing, save that when I loose the bonds of yourmortality and send out your soul to wander in the depths of Death, asI believe that I can do, though even of this I am not certain--youmust pass through a gate of terrors that may be closed behind you by astronger arm than mine. Moreover, what you will find beyond it I do notknow, since be sure of this, each of us has his own heaven or his ownhell, or both, that soon or late he is doomed to travel. Now will you goforward, or go back? Make choice while there is still time."
At all this ominous talk I felt my heart shrivel like a fire-witheredleaf, if I may use that figure, and my blood assume the temperatureand consistency of ice-cream. Earnestly did I curse myself for havingallowed my curiosity about matters which we are not meant to understandto bring me to the edge of such a choice. Swiftly I determined totemporise, which I did by asking Ayesha whether she would accompany meupon this eerie expedition.
She laughed a little as she answered,
"Bethink you, Allan. Am I, whose face you have seen, a meet companionfor a man who desires to visit the loves that once were his? What wouldthey say or think, if they should see you hand in hand with such a one?"
"I don't know and don't care," I replied desperately, "but this is thekind of journey on which one requires a guide who knows the road. CannotUmslopogaas go first and come back to tell me how it has fared withhim?"
"If the brave and instructed white lord, panoplied in the world's lastFaith, is not ashamed to throw the savage in his ignorance out like afeather to test the winds of hell and watch the while to learn whetherthese blow him back unscorched, or waft him into fires whence there isno return, perchance it might so be ordered, Allan. Ask him yourself,Allan, if he is willing to run this errand for your sake. Or perhaps thelittle yellow man----" and she paused.
At this point Hans, who having a smattering of Arabic understoodsomething of our talk, could contain himself no longer.
"No, Baas," he broke in from his corner by the curtain, "not _me_. Idon't care for hunting spooks, Baas, which leave no spoor that you canfollow and are always behind when you think they are in front. Alsothere are too many of them waiting for me down there and how can I standup to them until I am a spook myself and know their ways of fighting?Also if you should die when your spirit is away, I want to be left thatI may bury you nicely."
"Be silent," I said in my sternest manner. Then, unable to bear more ofAyesha's mockery, for I felt that as usual she was mocking me, I addedwith all the dignity that I could
command,
"I am ready to make this journey through the gate of Death, Ayesha, ifindeed you can show me the road. For one purpose and no other I came toKor, namely to learn, if so I might, whether those who have died uponthe world, live on elsewhere. Now, what must I do?"