The Ghost Kings
CHAPTER XIII
RICHARD COMES
As the sun set Rachel rose and walked to her hut. She was utterly dazed,she could not understand. Was this but a fiction of an overwrought anddisordered mind, or had she seen a vision of things passing, or that hadpassed, far away? If it were a dream, then this was but another drop inher cup of bitterness. If a true vision--oh! then what did it mean to her?It meant that Richard Darrien lived, Richard, of whom her heart had beenfull for years. It meant that his heart was full of her also, for had shenot seemed to hear him say that he had travelled from the Cape with theBoers to look for her, and was he not journeying alone through a hostileland to pursue his search? Who would do such a thing for the sake of agirl unless--unless? It meant that he would protect her, would rescue herfrom her terrible plight, would take her from among these savages to herhome again--oh! and perhaps much more that she did not dare to picture toherself.
Yet how could such things be? They were contrary to experience, at anyrate, to the experience of white folk, though natives would believe inthem easily enough. Yet in Nature things might be possible which weregenerally held to be impossible. Her mother had certain gifts--had she,perhaps, inherited them? Had her helplessness appealed to the pity of somehigher power? Had her ceaseless prayers been heard? Yet, why should theuniversal laws be stretched for her? Why should she be allowed to lift acorner of the black veil of ignorance that hems us in, and see a glimpseof what lies beyond? If Richard were really coming, in a day or two shewould have learned of his arrival naturally; there was no need that thesemysterious influences should be set to work to inform her of his approach.
How selfish she was. The warning might concern him, not her. It wasprobable enough that the Zulus would kill a solitary white man, especiallyif they discovered that he proposed to visit their Inkosazana. Well, shehad the power to protect him. If she "threw her mantle" over him, no manin all the land would dare to do him violence. Surely it was for thisreason that she had been allowed to learn these things, if she had learnedthem, not for her own sake, but his. _If_ she had learned them! Well, shewould take the risk, would run the chance of failure and of mockery, yes,and of the loss of her power among these people. It should be done atonce.
Rachel clapped her hands, and a maiden appeared whom she bade summon thecaptain of the guard without the gate. Presently he came, surrounded by aband of her women, since no man might visit the Inkosazana alone. Biddinghim to cease from his salutations, she commanded him to go swiftly to theGreat Place and pray of Dingaan that he would send her an escort and alitter, as she must see him that night on a matter which would not brookdelay.
In an hour, just after she had finished her food, which she ate with moreappetite than she had known for days, it was reported that they werethere. Throwing on her white cloak, and taking her horn wand, she enteredthe litter and, guarded by a hundred men, was borne swiftly to the Houseof Dingaan. At its gate she descended, and once more entered that court bythe moonlight.
As before, there sat the King and his indunas without the Great Hut, andwhile she walked towards them every man rose crying "Hail! Inkosazana."Yes, even Dingaan, mountain of flesh though he was, struggled from hisstool and saluted her. Rachel acknowledged the salutation by raising herwand, motioned to them to be seated, and waited.
"Art thou come, White One," asked Dingaan, "to make clear those dark wordsthou spokest to us a moon ago?"
"Nay, King," she answered, "what I said then, I said once and for all.Read thou the saying as thou wilt, or let the Ghost-people interpret it tothee. Hear me, King and Councillors. Ye have kept me here when I would begone, my business being ended, that I might be a judge among this people.Ye have told me that the rivers were in flood, that the beast I rode wassick, that evil would befall the land if I deserted you. Now I know, andye know, that if it pleased me I could have departed when and whither Iwould, but it was not fitting that the Inkosazana should creep out ofZululand like a thief in the night, so I abode on in my house yonder. Yetmy heart grew wrath with you, and I, to whom the white people listen also,was half minded to bring hither the thousands of the Amaboona who areencamped beyond the Buffalo River, that they might escort me to my home."
Now at these bold words the King looked uneasy, and one of the councillorswhispered to another,
"How knows she that the white men are camped beyond the Buffalo?"
"Yet," went on Rachel, "I did not do so, for then there must have beenmuch fighting and bloodshed, and blood I hate. But I have done this. Withthese Amaboona travels an English chief, a young man, one Darrien, whom Iknew from long years ago, and who does me reverence. Him, then, I havecommanded to journey hither, and to lead me to my own place across theTugela. To-night I am told he sleeps a short three days' journey from thistown, and I am come here to bid you send out swift messengers to guide himhither."
She ceased, and they stared at her awhile. Then the King asked,
"What messenger is it, Inkosazana, that thou hast sent to this whitechief, Dario? We have seen none pass from thy house."
"Dost thou think, then, King, that thou canst see my messengers? Mythoughts flew from me to him, and called in his ear in the night, and Isaw his coming in the still pool that lies near my huts."
"_Ow!_" exclaimed one of the Council, "she sent her thoughts to him likebirds, and she saw his coming in the water of the pool. Great is the magicof the Inkosazana."
"The chief, Darrien," went on Rachel, without heeding the interruption,although she noted that it was Mopo of the withered hand who had spokenfrom beneath the blanket wrapped about his head, "may be known thus. He isfair of face, with eyes like my eyes, and beard and hair of the colour ofgold. If I saw right, he rides upon a black horse with one white foot andhis only companion is a Kaffir named Quabi who, I think," and she passedher hand across her forehead, "yes, who was surely visiting a relation ofhis, at this, the Great Place, when I crossed the Tugela."
Now the King asked if any knew of this Quabi, and an induna answered in anawed voice, that it was true that a man so called had been in the town atthe time given by the Inkosazana, staying with a soldier whose name hementioned, but who was now away on service. He had, however, departedbefore the Inkosazana arrived, or so he believed, whither he knew not.
"I thought it was so," went on Rachel. "As I saw him in the pool he is athin man whose shoulders stoop, and whose beard is white, although hishair is black. He wears no ring upon his head."
"That is the man," said the induna, "being a stranger I noted him well, asit was my business to do."
"Summon the messengers swiftly, King," went on Rachel, "and let themdepart at once, for know that this white chief and his servant are underthe protection of the Heavens, and if harm comes to them, then I lay mycurse upon the land, and it shall break up in blood and ruin. Bid them sayto Darrien, that the Inkosazana-y-Zoola, she who stood with him once onthe rock in the river while the lightnings fell and the lions roared aboutthem, sends him greetings and awaits him."
Now Dingaan turned to an induna and said,
"Go, do the bidding of the Inkosazana. Bid swift runners search out thiswhite chief, and lead him to her house, and remember that if aught of illbefalls him, those men die, and thou diest also."
The induna leapt up and departed, and Rachel also made ready to go. Amoment later the captain of the gate entered, fell upon his knees beforeDingaan, and said,
"O King, tidings."
"What are they, man?" he asked.
"King, the watchmen report that it has been called from hilltop to hilltopthat a white man who rides a black horse, has crossed the Buffalo, andtravels towards the Great Place. What is thy pleasure? Shall he be killedor driven back?"
"When did that news come?" asked the King in the silence which followedthis announcement.
"Not a minute gone," he answered. "The inner watchman ran with it, and iswithout the gates. There has been no other tidings from the West fordays."
"Thy watchmen call but slowly, King, the water in the
pool speaksswifter," said Rachel, then still in the midst of a heavy silence, forthis thing was fearful to them, she turned and departed.
"So it is true, so it is true!" Rachel kept repeating to herself, thewords suiting themselves to the time of the footfall of her bearers. Shewas spent with all the labour and emotions of that long day, culminatingin the last scene, when she must play her dangerous, superhuman partbefore these keen-witted savages. She could think no more; scarcely couldshe undress and throw herself upon her bed in the hut. Yet that night sheslept soundly, better than she had done since Noie went away. No dreamscame to trouble her and in the morning she woke refreshed.
But now doubts did come. Might she not be mistaken after all? She knew themarvellous powers of the natives in the matter of the transmission ofnews, powers so strange that many, even among white people, attributedthem to witchcraft. She had no doubt, therefore, as to the fact of someEnglishman or Boer having entered Zululand. Doubtless the news of hisarrival had been conveyed over scores of miles of country by the callingof it as the captain said, from hill to hill, or in some other fashion.But might not this arrival and the circumstance of her dream or vision bea mere coincidence? What was there to show that the stranger who wasriding a black horse was really Richard Darrien? Perhaps it was all amistake, and he was only one of those white wanderers of the stamp of theoutcast Ishmael who, even at that date, made their way into savagecountries for the purposes of gain or to enjoy a life of licence. And yet,and yet Quabi, of whom she also dreamed, had visited the Great Place--asshe dreamed.
The next two days were terrible to Rachel. She endured them as she hadendured all those that went before, trying the cases that were brought toher, keeping up her appearance of distant dignity and utter indifference.She asked no questions, since to do so would be to show doubt andweakness, although she was aware that the tale of her vision had spreadthrough the land, and that the issue of the matter was of intense interestto thousands. From some talk which she overheard while she pretended to belistening to evidence, she learned even that two men going to executionhad discussed it, saying that they regretted they would not live to knowthe truth. On the second day she did hear one piece of news, for althoughshe sat by her pool and again tried to sleep by its waters, these remainedblind and dumb.
The induna, Tamboosa, on one of his ceremonial visits, after speaking ofthe health of her mare, which, it seemed was improving, mentionedincidentally that the messengers running night and day had met the whiteman and "called back" that he was safe and well. He added that had it notbeen for her vision this said white man would certainly have been killedas a spy.
"Yes, I knew that," answered Rachel, indifferently, although her heartthumped within her bosom. "I forget if I said that the Inkosi was to bebrought straight here when he arrives. If not, let it be known that suchis my command. The King can receive him afterwards if it pleases him to doso, as probably we shall not depart until the next day."
Then she yawned, and as though by an afterthought asked if any news hadbeen "called back" from Noie.
Tamboosa answered, No; no system of intelligence had been organised in thedirection in which she had gone, for that country was empty of enemies,and indeed of population. However, this would not distress the Inkosazana,who had only to consult her Spirit to see all that happened to herservant.
Rachel replied that of course this was so, but as a matter of fact she hadnot troubled about the matter, then waved her hand to show that theinterview was at an end.
It was the morning of the third day, and while Rachel was deliveringjudgment in a case, a messenger entered and whispered something to theinduna on duty, who rose and saluted her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Only this, Inkosazana; the white Inkoos from the Buffalo River hasarrived, and is without."
"Good," said Rachel, "let him wait there." Then she went on with herjudgment. Yes, she went on, although her eyes were blind, and the bloodbeating in her ears sounded like the roll of drums. She finished it, andafter a decent interval, bowed her head in acknowledgement of thecustomary salutes, and made the sign which intimated that the Court was tobe cleared.
Slowly, slowly, all the crowd melted away, leaving her alone with herwomen.
"Go," she said to one of them, "and bid the captain admit this whitechief. Say that he is to come unarmed and alone. Then depart, all of you.If I should need you I will call."
The girl went on her errand while her companions filed away through theback gate of the inner fence. Rachel glanced round to make sure of hersolitude. It was complete, no one was left. There she sat in state uponher carved stool, her wand in her hand, her white cloak upon hershoulders, and the sunlight that passed over the round of the hut behindher glinting on her hair till it shone like a crown of gold, but leavingher face in shadow; sat quite still like some lovely tinted statue.
The gate of the inner fence opened and closed again after a man whoentered. He walked forward a few paces, then stood still, for the flood oflight that revealed him so clearly at first prevented him from seeing herseated in the shadow. Oh! there could be no further doubt--before her wasRichard Darrien, the lad grown to manhood, from, whom she had parted somany years ago. Now, as then, he was not tall, though very strongly built,and for the rest, save for his short beard, the change in him seemedlittle. The same clear, thoughtful, grey eyes, the same pleasant, openface, the same determined mouth. She was not disappointed in him, she knewthis at once. She liked him as well as she had done at the first.
Now he caught sight of her and stayed there, staring. She tried to speak,to welcome him, but could not, no words would come. He also seemed to besmitten with dumbness, and thus the two of them remained a while. At lasthe took off his hat almost mechanically, as though from instinct, and saidvaguely,
"You are the Inkosazana-y-Zoola, are you not?"
"I am so called," she answered softly, and with effort.
The moment that he heard her voice, with a movement so swift that it wasalmost a spring, he advanced to her, saying,
"Now I am sure; you are Rachel Dove, the little girl who--Oh, Rachel, howlovely you have grown!"
"I am glad you think so, Richard," she answered again in the same low,deep voice, a voice laden with the love within her, and reddening to hereyes. Then she let fall her wand, and rising, stretched out both her handsto him.
They were face to face, now, but he did not take those hands; he passedhis arms about her, drew her to him unresisting, and kissed her on thelips. She slipped from his embrace down on to her stool, white now as shehad been red. Then while he stood over her, trembling and confused, Rachellooked up, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, and whispered,
"Why should I be ashamed? It is Fate."
"Yes," he answered, "Fate."
For so both, of them knew it to be. Though they had seen each other butonce before, their love was so great, the bond between their natures soperfect and complete, that this outward expression of it would not bedenied. Here was a mighty truth which burst through all wrappings ofconvention and proclaimed itself in its pure strength and beauty. Thatkiss of theirs was the declaration of an existent unity whichcircumstances did not create, nor their will control, and thus theyconfessed it to each other.
"How long?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Eight years to-day," he answered, "since I rode away after thosewaggons."
"Eight years," she repeated, "and no word from you all that time. You havebehaved badly to me, Richard."
"No, no, I could not find out. I wrote three times, but always the letterswere returned, except one that went to the wrong people, who were angryabout it. Then two years ago, I heard that your father and mother had beenin Natal, but had gone to England, and that you were dead. Yes, a man toldme that you were dead," he added with a gulp. "I suppose he was speakingof somebody else, as he could not remember whether the name was Dove orCove, or perhaps he was just lying. At any rate, I did not believe, him. Ialways felt that you were alive."
"Why did you not come to see, Richard?"
"Why? Because it was impossible. For years my father was an invalid,paralysed; and I was his only child, and could not leave him."
She looked a question at him.
"Yes," he answered with a nod, "dead, ten months ago, and for a few weeksI had to remain to arrange about the property, of which he left a gooddeal, for we did well of late years. Just then I heard a rumour of anEnglish missionary and his wife and daughter who were said to be livingsomewhere beyond the boundaries of Natal, in a savage place on theTransvaal side of the Drakensberg, and as some Boers I knew were trekkinginto that country I came with them on the chance--a pretty poor one, asthe story was vague enough."
"You came--you came to seek the girl, Rachel Dove?"
"Of course. Otherwise why should I have left my farms down in the Cape torisk my neck among these savages?"
"And then," went on Rachel, "you or somebody else sent in the spy, Quabi,who returned to the Boer camp with his story about the Inkosazana-y-Zoola.You remember you brought him in limping to that old fellow with a greybeard and a large pipe, and the others who laughed at the tale. I meanwhen you said that this Inkosazana seemed very like an English maid, 'thedaughter of a teacher,' whom you were looking for, and that you would goto find out the truth of the business."
"Yes, that's all right; but Rachel," he added with a start, "how do youknow anything about it--Oom Piet and the rest, and the words I used? Yourspies must be very good and quick, for you can't have seen Quabi."
"My spies are good and quick. Did you get my message sent by the King'smen? It was that she who stood with you on the rock in the river, greetedyou and awaited you?"
"Yes, I could not understand. I do not understand now. Just before thatthey were going to kill me as a Boer spy. Who told you everything?"
"My heart," she answered smiling. "I dreamed it all. I suppose that I wasallowed to save your life that I might bring you here to save me. Listennow, Richard, while I tell you the strangest story that you ever heard;and if you don't believe it, go and ask the King and his indunas."
Then she told him of her vision by the pool and all that happened afterit. When she had finished Richard could only shake his head and say:
"Still I don't understand; but no wonder these Zulus have made a goddessof you. Well, Rachel, what is to happen now? If you are to stop here theymayn't care for me as a high priest."
"I am not; I am going home, and you must take me. I told them that youwere coming to do so. You have your horse, have you not, the black horsewith the white forefoot? Well, we will start at once--no, you must eatfirst, and there are things to arrange. Now stand at a distance from meand look as respectful as you can, for I fill a strange position here."
Then Rachel clapped her hands and the women came running in.
"Bring food for the Inkosi Darrien," she said, "and send hither thecaptain of the gate."
Presently the man arrived crouched up in token of respect, and shoutingher titles.
"Go to the King," said Rachel, "and tell him the Inkosazana commands thatthe horse on which she came be brought to her at once, as she leavesZululand for a while; also that an impi be assembled within an hour toescort her and this white chief, her servant, to the Tugela. Say that theInkosi Darrien has brought her tidings which make it needful that sheshould travel hence speedily if the Zulus, her people, are to be savedfrom great misfortune, and say, too, that he goes with her. If the King orhis indunas would see the Inkosazana, or the chief Darrien, let him or theindunas meet them on their road, since they have no time to visit theGreat Place. Let Tamboosa be in command of the impi, and say also that ifit is not here at once, the Inkosazana will be angry and summon an impi ofher own. Go now, for the lives of many hang upon your speed; yes, thelives of the greatest in the land."
The man saluted and shot away like an arrow.
"Will they obey you?" asked Richard.
"I think so, because they are afraid of me, especially since I saw youcoming. At any rate we must act at once, it is our best chance--beforethey have time to think. Here is some food--eat. Woman, go, tell the guardthat the Inkosi's horse must be fed at the gate, for he will need itpresently, and his servant also."
"I have no servant, Inkosazana," broke in Richard. "I left Quabi at akraal fifty miles away, laid up with a cut foot. As soon as he is betterhe will slip back across the Buffalo River."
Then while Richard ate, which he did heartily enough, for joy had made himvery hungry, they talked, who had much to tell. He asked her why shethought it necessary to leave Zululand at once. She answered, for tworeasons, first because of her desperate anxiety about her father andmother, as to whom her heart foreboded ill, and secondly for his own sake.She explained that the Zulus who had set her up as an image or a token ofthe guiding Spirit of their nation, were madly jealous concerning her, sojealous that if he remained here long she was by no means certain thateven her power could protect him when they came to understand that he wasmuch to her. It was impossible that she could see him often, and much moreso that he could remain in her kraal. Therefore if they were detained hewould be obliged to live at some distance from her where an assegai mightfind him at night or poison be put in his food. At present they wereimpressed by her foreknowledge of his arrival, and that was why he hadbeen admitted to her at once. But this would wear off--and then who couldsay, especially if Ishmael returned?
He asked who Ishmael was and what he had to do with her. Rachel told himbriefly, and though she suppressed much, he looked very grave at thatstory.
While she was finishing it a woman called without for leave to enter, and,as before, Rachel bade him stand in a respectful attitude, and at adistance from her. Richard obeyed, and the woman came in to say thatcertain of the King's indunas craved audience with her. They were admittedand saluted her in their usual humble fashion, but of Richard, beyondeyeing him curiously and, as she thought, hostilely, they took not theslightest heed.
"Are all things ready for my journey, as I commanded?" asked Rachel atonce.
"Inkosazana," answered their spokesman, "they are ready, for how canstthou be disobeyed? Tamboosa and the impi wait without. Yet, Inkosazana,the heart of the Black One and the hearts of his councillors, and of allthe Zulu people are cut in two because thou wouldst go and leave themmourning. Their hearts are sore also with this white man Dario, who hascome to lead thee hence, so sore, that were he not thy servant," theinduna added grimly, "he at least should stay in Zululand."
"He is my servant," answered Rachel haughtily, "whom I sent for. Let thatsuffice. Remember my words, all of you, and let them be told again in theears of the King, that if any harm comes to this white chief who is myguest and yours, then there will be blood between me and the people of theZulus that shall be terribly avenged in blood."
The indunas seemed to cower at this declaration, but made no answer. Onlythe chief of them said:
"The King would know if the Inkosi, thy servant, brings thee any tidingsof the Amaboona, the white folk with whom he has been journeying."
"He brings tidings that they seek peace with the Zulus, to whom they willdo no hurt if no hurt is done to them. Shall I tell them that the Zulusalso seek peace?"
"The King gave us no message on that matter, Inkosazana," replied theinduna. "He awaits the coming of the prophets of the Ghost-folk tointerpret the meaning of thy words, and of the omen of the falling star."
"So be it," said Rachel. "When my servant, Noie, returns, let her be senton to me at once, that I may hear and consider the words of her people,"and she began to rise from her seat to intimate that the interview wasfinished.
"Inkosazana," said the induna hurriedly, "one question from the King--whendost thou return to Zululand?"
"I return when it is needful. Fear not, I think that I shall return, but Isay to the King and to all of you: Be careful when I come that there is noblood between me and you, lest great evil fall upon your heads fromHeaven. I have spoken. Good fortune go with you till we meet ag
ain."
The indunas looked at each other, then rose and departed humbly as theyhad entered.
* * * * *
An hour later, surrounded by the impi, and followed by Richard, Rachel wason the Tugela road. At the crest of a hill she pulled rein and looked backat the great kraal, Umgugundhlovu. Then she beckoned Richard to her sideand said:
"I think that before long I shall see that hateful place again."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because of the way in which those indunas looked at each other just now.There was some evil secret in their eyes. Richard, I am afraid."