Nearer she came,and nearer yet,every pair of eyes in that vast assemblage watching her movements with intense anxiety.At last she stood still and pointed.
"Which is it to be?"asked Sir Henry,to himself.
In a moment all doubts were set at rest,for the old woman had rushed in and touched Umbopa,alias Ignosi,on the shoulder.
"I smell him out,"she shrieked."Kill him,kill him,He is full-of evil;kill him,the stranger,before blood flows for him.Slay him,O king."There was a pause,which I instantly took advantage of.
"O king,"I called out,rising from my seat,"this man is the servant of thy guests,he is their dog;whosoever sheds the blood of our dog sheds our blood.By the sacred law of hospitality I claim protection for him.""Gagool,mother of the witch doctors,has smelled him out;he must die,white men,"was the sullen answer.
"Nay,he shall not die,"I replied;"he who tries to touch him shall die indeed.""Seize him!"roared Twala,to the executioners,who stood around red to the eyes with the blood of their victims.
They advanced towards us,and then hesitated.As for Ignosi,he raised his spear,and raised it as though determined to sell his life dearly.
"Stand back,ye dogs,"I shouted,"if ye would see to-morrow's light.Touch one hair of his head and your king dies,"and I covered Twala with my revolver.Sir Henry and Good also drew their pistols,Sir Henry pointing his at the leading executioner,who was advancing to carry out the sentence,and Good taking a deliberate aim at Gagool.
Twala winced perceptibly,as my barrel came in a line with his broad chest.
"Well,"I said,"what is it to be,Twala?"
Then he spoke.
"Put away your magic tubes,"he said;"ye have adjured me in the name of hospitality,and for that reason,but not from fear of what ye can do,I spare him.Go in peace.""It is well,"I answered,unconcernedly;"we are weary of slaughter,and would sleep.Is the dance ended?""It is ended,"Twala answered,sulkily."Let these dogs,"pointing to the long rows of corpses,"be flung out to the hyenas and the vultures,"and he lifted his spear.
Instantly the regiments began in perfect silence to defile off through the kraal gateway,a fatigue party only remaining behind to drag away the corpses of those who had been sacrificed.
Then we too rose,and,making our salaam to his majesty,which he hardly deigned to acknowledge,departed to our kraal.
"Well,"said Six Henry,as we sat down,having first lit a lamp of the sort used by the Kukuanas,of which the wick is made of the fibre of a species of palm leaf and the oil of clarified hippopotamus fat,"well,I feel uncommonly inclined to be sick.""If I had any doubts about helping Umbopa to rebel against that infernal blackguard,"put in Good,"they are gone now.It was as much as I could do to sit still while that slaughter was going on.I tried to keep my eyes shut,but they would open just at the wrong time.I wonder where Infadoos is.Umbopa,my friend,you ought to be grateful to us;your skin came near to having an air-hole made in it.""I am grateful,Bougwan,"was Umbopa's answer,when I had translated,"and I shall not forget.As for Infadoos,he will be here by and by.We must wait."So we lit our pipes and waited.