The Ghost Kings

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Ishmael was advancing with a somewhat defiant air. Except for a kaross
upon his shoulders he wore European dress, and the ridiculous hat with the
white ostrich feather in it, both of them now much the worse for wear,
which she remembered so well. Also he had a lighted pipe in his mouth.
Presently one of the captains appeared to become suddenly aware of this
pipe, for, stretching out his hand, he snatched it away, and the hat with
it, throwing them upon the ground. Ishmael, whose teeth and lips were
hurt, turned on the man with an oath and struck him, whereon instantly he
was seized, and would perhaps have been killed before Rachel could
interfere had it not been unlawful to shed blood in her presence. As it
was, with a motion of her wand, she signified that he was to be loosed, a
command that Noie interpreted to them. At any rate, they let him go,
though a captain placed his feet on the hat and pipe. Then Ishmael came
forward and said awkwardly:

"How do you do? I did not expect to see you here," and he devoured her
beauty with his bold, greedy eyes, though not without doubt and dread, or
so thought Rachel.

Taking no notice of his greeting, she said in a cold voice:

"I have sent for you here to ask if you have any reason as to why I should
not order you to be killed for your crime against my servant, Noie, and
therefore against me?"

Now Ishmael paled, for he had not expected such a welcome, and began to
deny the thing.

"Spare your falsehoods," went on Rachel. "I have it from the King's lips,
and from my own knowledge. Remember only that here I am the Inkosazana,
with power of life and death. If I speak the word, or point at you with
this wand, in a minute you will have gone to your account."

"Inkosazana or not," he answered in a cowed voice, "you know too much.
Well, then, she was taken that you might follow her to Zululand to ask her
life, and you see that the plan was good, for you came; and," he added,
recovering some of his insolence and familiarity: "we are here together,
two white people among all these silly niggers."

Rachel looked him up and down; then she looked at the indunas seated in
silence before her, at the great limbed captains with their broad spears
beyond, reminding her in their plumes and attitudes of some picture that
she had seen of Roman gladiators about to die. Lastly she looked at the
delicately shaped Noie by her side, with her sweet, inscrutable face, the
woman whose parents and kin this outcast had brought to a bloody death,
the woman whom to forward his base ends he had vilely striven to murder.
Slowly she looked at them all and at him, and said:

"Shall I explain to these nobles and captains what you call them, and what
you are called among your own people? Shall I tell them something of your
story, Mr. Ishmael?"

"You can do what you like," he answered sullenly. "You know why I got you
here--because I love you: I told you that many months ago. While you were
down at Ramah I had no chance with you, because of that old hypocrite of a
father of yours, and this black girl," and he looked at Noie viciously.
"Here I thought that it would be different--that you would be glad of my
company, but you have turned yourself into a kind of goddess and hold me
off," and he paused.

"Go on," said Rachel.

"All right, I will. You may think yourself a goddess, as I do myself
sometimes. But I know that you are a woman too, and that soon you will get
tired of this business. You want to go home to your father and mother,
don't you? Well, you can't. You are a prisoner here, for these fools have
got it into their heads that you are their Spirit, and that it would be
unlucky to let you out of the country. So here you must stop, for years
perhaps, or till they are sick of you and kill you. Just understand,
Rachel, that nobody can help you to escape except me, and that I shan't do
so for nothing."

Rachel straightened herself upon her seat, gripping the edge of it with
her hands, for her temper was rising, while Noie bent forward and said
something in her ear.

"What is that black devil whispering to you?" he asked. "Telling you to
have me killed, I expect. Well, you daren't, for what would your holy
parents say? It would be murder, wouldn't it, and you would go to hell,
where I daresay you come from, for otherwise how could you be such a
witch? Look here," he went on, changing his tone, "don't let's squabble.
Make it up with me. I'll get you clear of this and marry you afterwards on
the square. If you won't, it will be the worse for you--and everybody
else, yes, everybody else."

"Mr. Ishmael," answered Rachel calmly, "you are making a very great
mistake, about my scruples as to taking life I mean, amongst other things.
Once when it was necessary you saw me kill a man. Well, if I am forced to
it, what I did then I will do again, only not with my own hand. Mr.
Ishmael, you said just now that you could get me out of Zululand. I take
you at your word, not for my own sake, for I am comfortable enough here,
but for that of my father and mother, who will be anxious," and her voice
weakened a little as she spoke of them.

"Do you? Well, I won't. I am comfortable here also, and shall be more so
as the husband of the Inkosazana. This is a very pretty kraal, and it is
quite big enough for two," he added with an amorous sneer.

Now for a minute at least Rachel sat still and rigid. When she spoke again
it was in a kind of gasp:

"Never," she said, "have you gone nearer to your death, you wanderer
without name or shame. Listen now. I give you one week to arrange my
escape home. If it is not done within that time, I will pay you back for
those words. Be silent, I will hear no more."

Then she called out:

"Rise, men, and bear the message of the Inkosazana to Dingaan, King of the
Zulus. Say to Dingaan that this wandering white dog whom he has sent into
my house has done me insult. Say that he has asked me, the
Inkosazana-y-Zoola, to be one of his wives."

At these words the counsellors and captains uttered a shout of rage, and
two of the latter seized Ishmael by the arm, lifting their spears to
plunge them into him. Rachel waved her wand and they let them fall again.

"Not yet," she said. "Take him to the King, and if my word comes to the
King, then he dies, and not till then. I would not have his vile blood on
my hands. Unless I speak, I, Queen of the Heavens, leave him to the
vengeance of the Heavens. My mantle is over him, lead him back to the King
and let me see his face no more."

"We hear and it shall be so," they answered with one voice, then
forgetting their ceremony hustled Ishmael from the kraal.

"Have I done well?" asked Rachel of Noie, when they were alone.

"No, Zoola," she answered, "you should have killed the snake while you
were hot against him, since when your blood grows cold you can never do
it, and he will live to bite you."

"I have no right to kill a man, Noie, just because he makes love to me,
and I hate him. Also, if I did so he could not help me to escape from
Zululand, which he will do now because he is afraid of me."

"Will he be afraid of you when you are both across the Tugela?" asked
Noie. "Inkosazana, give me power and ask no questions. Ibubesi killed my
father and mother and brethren, and has tried to kill me. Therefore my
heart would not be sore if, after the fashion of this land, I paid him
spears for battle-axes, for he deserves to die."

"Perhaps, Noie, but not by my word."

"Perhaps by your hand, then," said Noie, looking at her curiously. "Well,
soon or late he will die a red death--the reddest of deaths, I learned
that from the spirit of my father."

"The spirit of your father?" said Rachel, looking at her.

"Certainly, it speaks to me often and tells me many things, though I may
not repeat them to you till they are accomplished. Thus I was not afraid
in the hands of Dingaan, for it told me that you would save me."

"I wish it would speak to me and tell me when I can go home," said Rachel
with a sigh.

"It would if it could, Zoola, but it cannot because the curtain is too
thick. Had all you loved been slain before your eyes, then the veil would
be worn thin as mine is, and through it, you who are akin to them, would
hear the talk of the ghosts, and dimly see them wandering beneath their
trees."

"Beneath their trees----!"

"Yes, the trees of their life, of which all the boughs are deeds and all
the leaves are words, under the shadow of which they must abide for ever.
My people could tell you of those trees, and perhaps they will one day
when we visit them together. Nay, pay no heed, I was wandering in my talk.
It is the sight of that wild beast, Ibubesi. You will not let me kill him!
Well, doubtless it is fated so. I think one day you will be sorry--but too
late."

CHAPTER XII

RACHEL SEES A VISION

That evening Ishmael was brought before the King. He was in evil case, for
the captains, some of whom had grudges against him, when he tried to break
away from them outside the gate, had beaten him with their spear shafts
nearly all the way from the kraal to the Great Place, remarking that he
fought and remonstrated, that the Inkosazana had forbidden them to kill
him, but had said nothing as to giving him the flogging which he deserved.
His clothes were torn, his hat and pipe were lost--indeed hours before
Noie had thrown both of them into the fire--his eyes were black from the
blow of a heavy stick and he was bruised all over.

Such was his appearance when he was thrust before Dingaan, seething with
rage which he could scarcely suppress, even in that presence.

"Did you visit the Inkosazana to-day, White Man?" asked the King blandly,
while the indunas stared at him with grim amusement.

Then Ishmael broke out into a recital of his wrongs, demanding that the
captains who had beaten him, a white man, and a great person, should be
killed.

"Silence," said Dingaan at length. "The question, Night-prowler, is
whether you should not be killed, you dog who dared to insult the
Inkosazana by offering yourself to her as a husband. Had she commanded you
to be speared, she would have done well, and if you trouble me with your
shoutings, I will send you to sleep with the jackals to-night without
waiting for her word."

Now, seeing his danger, Ishmael was silent, and the King went on:

"Did you discover, as I bade you, why it is that the Inkosazana desires to
leave us?"

"Yes, King. It is because she would return to her own people, the old
prayer-doctor and his wife."

"They are not her people!" exclaimed Dingaan. "We know that she came to
them out of the storm, and that they are but the foster-parents chosen for
her by the Heavens. You were the first to tell us that story, and how she
caused the lightning to burn up my soldier yonder at Ramah. We are her
people and no others. Can the Inkosazana have a father and a mother?"

"I don't know," answered Ishmael, "but she is a woman and I never knew a
woman who was without them. At least I am sure that she looks upon them as
her father and mother, obeying them in all things, and that she will never
leave them while they live, unless they command her to do so."

Dingaan stared at him with his pig-like eyes, repeating after him--"while
they live, unless they command her to do so." Then he asked:

"If the Inkosazana desires to go, who is there that dares to stay her, and
if she puts out her magic, who is there that has the power? If a hand is
lifted against her, will she not lay a curse on us and bring destruction
upon us?"

"I don't know," answered Ishmael again, "but if she goes back among the
white folk and is angry, I think that she will bring the Boers upon you."

Now Dingaan's face grew very troubled, and bidding Ishmael stand back
awhile, he consulted with his council. Then he said:

"Listen to me, White Man. It would be a very evil thing if the Inkosazana
were to leave us, for with her would go the Spirit of our people, and
their good luck, so say the witch-doctors with one voice, and I believe
them. Further, it is our desire that she should remain with us a while.
This day the Council of the Diviners has spoken, saying that the words of
the Inkosazana which she uttered here are too hard for them, and that
other doctors of a people who live far away, must be sent for and brought
face to face with her. Therefore here at Umgugundhlovo she should abide
until they come."

"Indeed," answered Ishmael indifferently.

In the doctors who dwell far away, and the council of the Diviners he had
no belief. But understanding the natives as he did he guessed correctly
enough that the latter found themselves in a cleft stick. Worked on by
their superstitions, which he had first awakened for his own ends, they
had accepted Rachel as something more than human, as the incarnation of
the Spirit of their people. This Mopo, who was said to have killed Chaka
by command of that Spirit, had acknowledged her to be, and therefore they
did not dare to declare that her words spoken as an oracle were empty
words. But neither did they dare to interpret the saying that she meant
that no attack must be made upon the Boers and should be obeyed.

To do this would be to fly in the face of the martial aspirations of the
nation and the secret wishes of the King, and perhaps if war ultimately
broke out, would cost them their lives. So it came about that they
announced that they could not understand her sayings, and had decided to
thrust off the responsibility on to the shoulders of some other diviners,
though who these men might be Ishmael neither knew nor took the trouble to
ask.

"But," went on the King, "who can force the dove to build in a tree that
does not please it, seeing that it has wings and can fly away? Yet if its
own tree, that in which it was reared from the nest, could be brought to
it, it might be pleased to abide there. Do you understand, White Man?"

"No," answered Ishmael, though in fact he understood well enough that the
King was playing upon Rachel's English name of Dove, and that he meant
that her home might be moved into Zululand. "No, the Inkosazana is not a
bird, and who can carry trees about?"

"Have the spear-shafts knocked the wit out of you, Ibubesi," asked
Dingaan, impatiently, "or are you drunk with beer? Learn then my meaning.
The Inkosazana will not stay because her home is yonder, therefore it must
be brought here and she will stay. At first I gave orders that if this old
white teacher and his wife tried to accompany her, they should be killed.
Now I eat up those words. They must come to Zululand."

"How will you persuade them to be such fools?" asked Ishmael.

"How did I persuade the Inkosazana herself to come? Was it not to seek one
whom she loved?"

"They will think that you have killed her, and wish to kill them also."

"No, because you will go in command of an impi and show them otherwise."

"I cannot go; your brutes of captains have hurt my head, and lamed me; I
cannot walk or ride."

"Then you can be carried in a litter, or," he added threateningly, "you
can abide here with the vultures. The Inkosazana is merciful, but why
should I not avenge her wrongs upon you, white dog, who have dared to
scratch at the kraal gate of the Inkosazana-y-Zoola?"

Now Ishmael saw that he had no choice; also a dark thought rose dimly in
his mind. He desired to win Rachel above everything on earth, he was mad
with love--or what he understood as love--of her, and this business might
be worked to his advantage. Moreover, to stay was death. So he fell to
bargaining for a reward for his services, a large reward in cattle and
ivory; half of it to be paid down at once, and it was promised to him.
Then he took his instructions. These were that he was to travel to the
mission station of Ramah in command of a small impi of three hundred men,
whose only orders would be that they were to obey him in all things! That
he was to tell the Umfundusi who was called Shouter, that if they wished
to see her any more, he and his wife must come to dwell with the
Inkosazana, in Zululand: that if they refused he was to bring them by
force. If, perchance, the Inkosazana, choosing to exercise her authority,
crossed the Tugela and reached Ramah before he could do this, he was still
to bring them, for then she would follow. In the same way, if the Shouter
and his wife met her on the road, they were to travel on, for then she
would turn and, accompany them. He was to go at once and execute these
orders.

"I hear," said Ishmael, "and will start as soon as the cattle have been
delivered and sent on with the ivory to my kraal, Mafooti."

There was something in the man's voice, or in the look of low cunning
which spread itself over his face, that attracted Dingaan's attention.

"The cattle and the ivory shall be sent," he said, sternly, "but ill shall
it be for you, Ibubesi, if you seek to trick me in this matter. You have
grown rich on my bounty, and yonder at your place, Mafooti, you have many
cows, many wives, many children--my spies have given me count of all of
them. Now, if you play me false, or if you dare to lift a finger against
the White One, know that I will burn that kraal and slay the inhabitants
with the spear and take the cattle, and when I catch you, Ibubesi, I will
kill you, slowly, slowly. I have spoken, go.

"I go, Great Elephant, Calf of the Black Cow, and I will obey in all
things," answered Ishmael in a humble voice, for he was frightened. "The
white people shall be brought, only I trust to you to protect me from the
anger of the Inkosazana for all that I may do."

"You must make your own peace with the Inkosazana," answered Dingaan, and
turning, he crept into his hut.

An hour later the great induna, Tamboosa, appeared at Rachel's kraal, and
craved leave to speak with her.

"What is it?" asked Rachel when he had been admitted. "Have you come to
lead me out of Zululand, Tamboosa?"

"Nay, White One," he answered, "the land needs you yet awhile. I have come
to tell you that Dingaan would speak with your servant Noie, if it be your
good pleasure to let her visit him. Fear not. No harm shall come to her,
if it does you may order me to be put to death. You, yourself, could not
be safer than she shall be."

"Are you afraid to go?" asked Rachel of Noie.

"Not I," answered the girl, with a laugh. "I trust to the King's word and
to your might."

"Depart then," said Rachel, "and come back as swiftly as you may. Tamboosa
shall lead you."

So Noie went.

Two hours after sundown, while Rachel was eating her evening meal in her
Great Hut, attended by the maidens, the door-board was drawn aside, and
Noie entered, saluted, and sat down. Rachel signed to the women to clear
away the food and depart. When they had gone she asked what the King's
business was, eagerly enough, for she hoped that it had to do with her
leaving Zululand.

"It is a long story, Zoola," answered Noie, "but here is the heart of it.
I told you when first we met that I am not of this people, although my
mother was a Zulu. I told you that I am of the Dream-people, the
Ghost-people, the little Grey-people, who live away to the north beneath
their trees, and worship their trees."

"Yes," answered Rachel, "and that is why you care nothing for men as other
women do, but dream dreams and talk with spirits. But what of it?"

"That is why I dream dreams and talk with spirits, as one day I hope that
I shall teach you to do, you whose soul is sister to my soul," replied
Noie, her large eyes shining strangely in her delicate face. "And this of
it--the Ghost-people are diviners, they can read the future and see the
hearts of men; there are no diviners like them. Therefore chiefs and
peoples who dwell far away send to them with great gifts, and pray them
come read their fate, but they will seldom listen or obey. Now Dingaan and
his councillors are troubled about this matter of the Boers, and the
meaning of the words you spoke as to their waging war on them, and of the
omen of the falling star. The council of the doctors can interpret none of
these things, nor dare they ask you to do so, since you bade them speak no
more to you of that matter, and they know, that if they did, either you
would not answer, or, worse still, say words that would displease them."

"They are right there," said Rachel. "To have to play the dark oracle once
is enough for me. If I speak again, it shall be plainly."

"Therefore they have bethought them of the Dealers in Dreams and desire to
bring you face to face with their prophets, the Ghost-Kings, that these
may see your greatness and tell them the meaning of your words, and of the
omen that you caused to travel through the skies."

"Do you mean that they wish me to visit these Ghost-Kings, Noie?"

"Not so, Zoola, for then they must part with your presence. They wish that
the priests of the Ghost-Kings should visit you, bearing with them the
word of the Mother of the Trees."

"Visit me! How can they? Who will bring them here?"

"They wish that I should bring them, for as they know, I am of their
blood, and I alone can talk their language, which my father taught me from
a child."

"But, Noie, that would moan that we must be separated," said Rachel, in
alarm.

"Yes, it would mean that, still I think it best that you should humour
them and let me go, for otherwise I do not know how you will ever escape
from Zululand. Now I told the King that I thought you would permit it on
one condition only--that after you had been brought face to face with the
priests of the Ghost-Kings, and they had interpreted your riddle, you
should be escorted whence you came, and he answered that it should be so,
and that meanwhile you could abide here in honour, peace and safety.
Moreover, he promised that a messenger should be sent to Ramah to explain
the reason of your delay."

"But how long will you be on the journey, Noie, and what if these prophets
of yours refuse to visit Dingaan?"

"I cannot tell you who have never travelled that road. But I will march
fast, and if I tire, swift runners shall bear me in a litter. To those who
have the secret of its gate that country is not so very far away. Also,
the Old Mother of the Trees is my father's aunt, and I think that the
prophets will come at my prayer, or at the least send the answer to the
question. Indeed, I am sure of it--ask me not why."

Still for a long while Rachel reasoned against this separation, which she
dreaded, while Noie reasoned for it. She pointed out that here at least
none could harm her, as they had seen in the treatment meted out to
Ishmael a white man whom the Zulus looked upon as their friend. Also she
said with conviction that these mysterious Ghost-Kings were very powerful,
and could free her from the clutches of the Zulus, and protect her from
them afterwards, as they would do when they came to know her case.

The end of it was that Rachel gave way, not because Noie's arguments
convinced her, but because she was sure that she had other reasons she did
not choose to advance.

From that day when each of them tossed up a hair from her head at Ramah,
notwithstanding the difference of their race and circumstances, these two
had been as sisters. Rachel believed in Noie more, perhaps, than in any
other living being, and thus also did Noie believe in Rachel. They knew
that their destinies were intertwined, and were sure that not rivers or
mountains or the will and violence of men, could keep them separate.

"I see," said Rachel, at length, "that you believe that my fate hangs
upon this embassy of yours,"

"I do believe it," answered Noie, confidently.

"Then go, but come back as swiftly as you may, for, my sister, I know not
how without you I shall live on in this lonely greatness," and she took
her in her arms and kissed her lips.

Afterwards, as they were laying themselves down to sleep, Rachel asked her
if she had heard anything about Ishmael. She answered that she learned at
the Great Kraal that he had been brought before the King that afternoon,
and then taken back to his hut, where he was under guard. One of her
escort told her, too, that since he saw the King, Ibubesi had fallen very
sick, it was thought from a blow that he had received at the house of
Inkosazana, and that now he was out of his mind and being attended by the
doctors. "I wish," added Noie viciously, "that he were out of his body
also, for then much sorrow would be spared. But that cannot be before the
time."

On the next day before noon, Noie departed upon her journey. Rachel sent
for the captains of her escort and the Isanusis, or doctors, who were to
accompany her, and in a few stern words gave her into their charge, saying
that they should answer for her safety with their lives, to which they
replied that they knew it, and would do so. If any harm came to the
daughter of Seyapi through their fault, they were prepared to die. Then
she talked for a long while with Noie, telling her all she knew of the
Boers and the purpose of their wanderings, that she might be able to
repeat it to her people, and show them how dreadful would be a war between
this white folk and the Zulus.

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