CHAPTER XXIII
WHAT UMSLOPOGAAS SAW
Like one who drams I passed down the outer hall where stood the silentguards as statues might, and out through the archway. Here I paused fora moment, partly to calm my mind in the familiar surroundings of thenight, and partly because I thought that I heard someone approaching methrough the gloom, and in such a place where I might have many enemies,it was well to be prepared.
As it chanced, however, my imaginary assailant was only Hans, whoemerged from some place where he had been hiding; a very disturbed andfrightened Hans.
"Oh, Baas," he said in a low and shaky whisper, "I am glad to see youagain, and standing on your feet, not being carried with them stickingstraight in front of you as I expected."
"Why?" I asked.
"Oh, Baas, because of the things that happened in that place where thetall _vrouw_ with her head tied up as though she had tooth-ache, sitslike a spider in a web."
"Well, what happened, Hans?" I asked as we walked forward.
"This, Baas. The Doctoress talked and talked at you and Umslopogaas, andas she talked, your faces began to look as though you had drunk halfa flask too much of the best gin, such as I wish I had some of hereto-night, at once wise and foolish, and full and empty, Baas. Then youboth rolled over and lay there quite dead, and whilst I was wonderingwhat I should do and how I should get out your bodies to bury them, theDoctoress came down off her platform and bent, first over you and nextover Umslopogaas, whispering into the ears of both of you. Then she tookoff a snake that looked as though it were made of gold with green eyes,which she wears about her middle beneath the long dish-cloth, Baas, andheld it to your lips and next to those of Umslopogaas."
"Well, and what then, Hans?"
"After that all sorts of things came about, Baas, and I felt as thoughthe whole house were travelling through the air, Baas, twice as fast asa bullet does from a rifle. Suddenly, too, the room became filled withfire so hot that it scorched me, and so bright that it made my eyeswater, although they can look at the sun without winking. And, Baas,the fire was full of spooks which walked around; yes, I saw some of themstanding on your head and stomach, Baas, also on that of Umslopogaas,whilst others went and talked to the white Doctoress as quietly asthough they had met her in the market-place and wanted to sell hereggs or butter. Then, Baas, suddenly I saw your reverend father, thePredikant, who looked as though he were red-hot, as doubtless he is inthe Place of Fires. I thought he came up to me, Baas, and said, 'Get outof this, Hans. This is no place for a good Hottentot like you, Hans, forhere only the very best Christians can bear the heat for long.'
"That finished me, Baas. I just answered that I handed you, the BaasAllan his son, over to his care, hoping that he would see that you didnot burn in that oven, whatever happened to Umslopogaas. Then I shut myeyes and mouth and held my nose, and wriggled beneath those curtains asa snake does, Baas, and ran down the hall and across the kraal-yardand through the archway out into the night, where I have been sittingcooling myself ever since, waiting for you to be carried away, Baas.And now you have come alive and with not even your hair burnt off, whichshows how wonderful must be the Great Medicine of Zikali, Baas, sincenothing else could have saved you in that fire, no, not even yourreverend father, the Predikant."
"Hans," I said when he had finished, "you are a very wonderful fellow,for you can get drunk on nothing at all. Please remember, Hans, thatyou have been drunk to-night, yes, very drunk indeed, and never dare torepeat anything that you thought you saw while you were drunk."
"Yes, Baas, I understand that I was drunk and already have forgotteneverything. But, Baas, there is still a bottle full of brandy and if Icould have just one more tot I should forget _so_ much better!"
By now we had reached our camp and here I found Umslopogaas sitting inthe doorway and staring at the sky.
"Good-evening to you, Umslopogaas," I said in my most unconcernedmanner, and waited.
"Good-evening, Watcher-by-Night, who I thought was lost in the night,since in the end the night is stronger than any of its watchers."
At this cryptic remark I looked bewildered but said nothing. At lengthUmslopogaas, whose nature, for a Zulu, was impulsive and lacking in theordinary native patience, asked,
"Did you make a journey this evening, Macumazahn, and if so, what didyou see?"
"Did you have a dream this evening, Umslopogaas?" I inquired by way ofanswer, "and if so, what was it about? I thought that I saw you shutyour eyes in the House of the White One yonder, doubtless because youwere weary of talk which you did not understand."
"Aye, Macumazahn, as you suppose I grew weary of that talk which flowedfrom the lips of the White Witch like the music that comes from a littlestream babbling over stones when the sun is hot, and being weary, I fellasleep and dreamed. What I dreamed does not much matter. It is enoughto say that I felt as though I were thrown through the air like a stonecast from his sling by a boy who is set upon a stage to scare the birdsout of a mealie garden. Further than any stone I went, aye, furtherthan a shooting star, till I reached a wonderful place. It does not muchmatter what it was like either, and indeed I am already beginning toforget, but there I met everyone I have ever known. I met the Lion ofthe Zulus, the Black One, the Earth-Shaker, he who had a 'sister' namedBaleka, which sister," here he dropped his voice and looked about himsuspiciously, "bore a child, which child was fostered by one Mopo,that Mopo who afterwards slew the Black one with the Princes. Now,Macumazahn, I had a score to settle with this Black One, aye, eventhough our blood be much of the same colour, I had a score to settlewith him, because of the slaying of this sister of his, Baleka, togetherwith the Langeni tribe.[*] So I walked up to him and took him by thehead-ring and spat in his face and bade him find a spear and shield, andmeet me as man to man. Yes, I did this."
[*] For the history of Baleka, the mother of Umslopogaas, and Mopo, see the book called "Nada the Lily."--Editor.
"And what happened then, Umslopogaas?" I said, when he paused in hisnarrative.
"Macumazahn, nothing happened at all. My hand seemed to go through hishead-ring and the skull beneath, and to shut upon itself while he wenton talking to someone else, a captain whom I recognised, yes, one Faku,whom in the days of Dingaan, the Black One's brother, I myself slew uponthe Ghost-Mountain.
"Yes, Macumazahn, and Faku was telling him the tale of how I killed himand of the fight that I and my blood-brother and the wolves made, thereon the knees of the old witch who sits aloft on the Ghost Mountainwaiting for the world to die, for I could understand their talk, thoughmine went by them like the wind.
"Macumazahn, they passed away and there came others, Dingaan among them,aye, Dingaan who also knows something of the Witch-Mountain, seeing thatthere Mopo and I hurled him to his death. With him also I would have hadwords, but it was the same story, only presently he caught sight of theBlack One, yes, of Chaka whom he slew, stabbing him with the littlered assegai, and turned and fled, because in that land I think he stillfears Chaka, Macumazahn, or so the dream told.
"I went on and met others, men I had fought in my day, most of them,among them was Jikiza, he who ruled the People of the Axe before me whomI slew with his own axe. I lifted the axe and made me ready to fightagain, but not one of them took any note of me. There they walked about,or sat drinking beer or taking snuff, but never a sup of the beer or apinch of the snuff did they offer me, no, not even those among them whomI chanced not to have killed. So I left them and walked on, seeking forMopo, my foster-father, and a certain man, my blood-brother, by whoseside I hunted with the wolves, yes, for them, and for another."
"Well, and did you find them?" I asked.
"Mopo I found not, which makes me think, Macumazahn, that, as once youhinted to me, he whom I thought long dead, perchance still lingers onthe earth. But the others I did find . . ." and he ceased, brooding.
Now I knew enough of Umslopogaas's history to be aware that he had lovedthis man and woman of whom he spoke more than any others on the
earth.The "blood-brother," whose name he would not utter, by which he did notmean that he was his brother in blood but one with whom he had madea pact of eternal friendship by the interchange of blood or some suchceremony, according to report, had dwelt with him on the Witch-Mountainwhere legend told, though this I could scarcely believe, that they hadhunted with a pack of hyenas. There, it said also, they fought a greatfight with a band send out by Dingaan the king under the command of thatFaku whom Umslopogaas had mentioned, in which fight the "Blood-Brother,"wielder of a famous club known as Watcher-of-the-Fords, got his deathafter doing mighty deeds. There also, as I had heard, Nada the Lily,whose beauty was still famous in the land, died under circumstancesstrange as they were sad.
Naturally, remembering my own experiences, or rather what seemed to bemy experiences, for already I had made up my mind that they were buta dream, I was most anxious to learn whether these two who had been sodear to this fierce Zulu, had recognised him.
"Well, and what did they say to you, Umslopogaas?" I asked.
"Macumazahn, they said nothing at all. Hearken! There stood this pair,or sometimes they moved to and fro; my brother, an even greater manthan he used to be, with the wolfskin girt about him and the club,Watcher-of-the-Fords, which he alone could wield, upon his shoulder, andNada, grown lovelier even than she was of old, so lovely, Macumazahn,that my heart rose into my throat when I saw her and stopped my breath.Yes, Macumazahn, there they stood, or walked about arm in arm as loversmight, and looked into each other's eyes and talked of how they hadknown each other on the earth, for I could understand their words orthoughts, and how it was good to be at rest together where they were."
"You see, they were old friends, Umslopogaas," I said.
"Yes, Macumazahn, very old friends as I thought. So much so that theyhad never had a word to say of me who also was the old friend of bothof them. Aye, my brother, whose name I am sworn not to speak, thewoman-hater who vowed he loved nothing save me and the wolves, couldsmile into the face of Nada the Lily, Nada the bride of my youth, yetnever a word of me, while she could smile back and tell him how great awarrior he had been and never a word of me whose deeds she was wont topraise, who saved her in the Halakazi caves and from Dingaan; no, nevera word of me although I stood there staring at them."
"I suppose that they did not see you, Umslopogaas."
"That is so, Macumazahn; I am sure that they did not see me, for if theyhad they would not have been so much at ease. But I saw them and as theywould not take heed when I shouted, I ran up calling to my brother todefend himself with his club. Then, as he still took no note, I liftedthe axe _Inkosikaas_, making it circle in the light, and smote with allmy strength."
"And what happened, Umslopogaas?"
"Only this, Macumazahn, that the axe went straight through my brotherfrom the crown of his head to the groin, cutting him in two, and he justwent on talking! Indeed, he did more, for stooping down he gathered awhite lily-bloom which grew there and gave it to Nada, who smelt atit, smiled and thanked him, and then thrust it into her girdle, stillthanking him all the while. Yes, she did this for I saw it with my eyes,Macumazahn."
Here the Zulu's voice broke and I think that he wept, for in the faintlight I saw him draw his long hand across his eyes, whereon I took theopportunity to turn my back and light a pipe.
"Macumazahn," he went on presently, "it seems that madness took holdof me for a long while, for I shouted and raved at them, thinking thatwords and rage might hurt where good steel could not, and as I didso they faded away and disappeared, still smiling and talking, Nadasmelling at the lily which, having a long stalk, rose up above herbreast. After this I rushed away and suddenly met that savage king,Rezu, whom I slew a few days gone. At him I went with the axe, wonderingwhether he would put up a better fight this second time."
"And did he, Umslopogaas?"
"Nay, but I think he felt me for he turned and fled and when I tried tofollow I could not see him. So I ran on and presently who should I findbut Baleka, Baleka, Chaka's 'sister' who--repeat it not, Macumazahn--wasmy mother; and, Macumazahn, _she_ saw me. Yes, though I was but littlewhen last she looked on me who now am great and grim, she saw and knewme, for she floated up to me and smiled at me and seemed to press herlips upon my forehead, though I could feel no kiss, and to draw thesoreness out of my heart. Then she, too, was gone and of a sudden I felldown through space, having, I suppose, stepped into some deep hole, orperchance a well.
"The next thing I knew was that I awoke in the house of the White Witchand saw you sleeping at my side and the Witch leaning back upon her bedand smiling at me through the thin blanket with which she covers herselfup, for I could see the laughter in her eyes.
"Now I grew mad with her because of the things that I had seen in thePlace of Dreams, and it came into my heart that it would be well to killher that the world might be rid of her and her evil magic which can showlies to men. So, being distraught, I sprang up and lifted the axe andstepped towards her, whereon she rose and stood before me, laughing outloud. Then she said something in the tongue I cannot understand, andpointed with her finger, and lo! next moment it was as if giants hadseized me and were whirling me away, till presently I found myselfbreathless but unharmed beyond the arch and--what does it all mean,Macumazahn?"
"Very little, as I think, Umslopogaas, except that this queen has powersto which those of Zikali are as nothing, and can cause visions to floatbefore the eyes of men. For know that such things as you saw, I saw, andin them those whom I have loved also seemed to take no thought of mebut only to be concerned with each other. Moreover when I awoke and toldthis to the queen who is called She-who-commands, she laughed at me asshe did at you, and said that it was a good lesson for my pride who inthat pride had believed that the dead only thought of the living. ButI think that the lesson came from her who wished to humble us,Umslopogaas, and that it was her mind that shaped these visions which wesaw."
"I think so too, Macumazahn, but how she knew of all the matters of yourlife and mine, I do not know, unless perchance Zikali told them to her,speaking in the night-watches as wizards can."
"Nay, Umslopogaas, I believe that by her magic she drew our stories outof our own hearts and then set them forth to us afresh, putting her owncolour on them. Also it may be that she drew something from Hans, andfrom Goroko and the other Zulus with you, and thus paid us the fee thatshe had promised for our service, but in lung-sick oxen and barren cows,not in good cattle, Umslopogaas."
He nodded and said,
"Though at the time I seemed to go mad and though I know that women arefalse and men must follow where they lead them, never will I believethat my brother, the woman-hater, and Nada are lovers in the land belowand have there forgotten me, the comrade of one of them and the husbandof the other. Moreover I hold, Macumazahn, that you and I have met witha just reward for our folly.
"We have sought to look through the bottom of the grave at things whichthe Great-Great in Heaven above did not mean that men should see, andnow that we have seen we are unhappier than we were, since such dreamsburn themselves upon the heart as a red-hot iron burns the hide of anox, so that the hair will never grow again where it has been and thehide is marred.
"To you, Watcher-by-Night, I say, 'Content yourself with your watchingand whatever it may bring to you in fame and wealth.' And to myself Isay, 'Holder of the Axe, content yourself with the axe and what it maybring to you in fair fight and glory'; and to both of us I say, 'Letthe Dead sleep unawakened until we go to join them, which surely will besoon enough.'"
"Good words, Umslopogaas, but they should have been spoken ere ever weset out on this journey."
"Not so, Macumazahn, since that journey we were fated to make to saveone who lies yonder, the Lady Sad-Eyes, and, as they tell me, iswell again. Also Zikali willed it, and who can resist the will of theOpener-of-Roads? So it is made and we have seen many strange thingsand won some glory and come to know how deep is the pool of our ownfoolishness, who thought that we could search out the secre
ts of Death,and there have only found those of a witch's mind and venom, reflectedas in water. And now having discovered all these things I wish to begone from this haunted land. When do we march, Macumazahn?"
"To-morrow morning, I believe, if the Lady Sad-Eyes and the others arewell enough, as She-who-commands says they will be."
"Good. Then I would sleep who am more weary than I was after I hadkilled Rezu in the battle on the mountain."
"Yes," I answered, "since it is harder to fight ghosts than men, anddreams, if they be bad, are more dreadful than deeds. Good-night,Umslopogaas."
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