Chapter 10 Good Is Sick

We marched to Loo. When we arrived at the nearest gate, we found a group of our soldiers watching it. The officer in command of these men greeted Ignosi as king. Twala's army was, he said, inside the town, and Twala was there too. He said that they would probably not try to stop us. Ignosi sent a man forward to the gate, ordering the defenders to open it. He gave a royal promise of life and forgiveness to every man who put down his spear. Soon after this the gate was opened and we marched into the town.

Soldiers stood along the road. Their heads were bent, and their shields and spears lay at their feet. As Ignosi passed, they greeted him. We marched straight into the square and there, in front of his hut, sat Twala. Only one person was with him — Gagool. It was a sad sight.

As we moved towards him, Gagool shouted at us. Twala lifted his head and gazed at Ignosi. His one eye seemed to shine almost as brightly as the great diamond on his forehead.

' Greetings, King,' he said angrily. 'What have you decided to do with me ?'

' The same as you did to my father,' was the answer.

' Good. But I will die fighting.'

Infadoos had told us that by Kukuana law a man of royal blood cannot be killed. He must choose one man after another man to fight him until one of them kills him.

'You have the right,' said Ignosi.'Choose.Who will you fight? I cannot fight you, because a king only fights in war.'

Twala's eye looked up and down our line. I felt for a moment that it rested on me. What chance would I have against that huge man, nearly six feet tall ?

Then Twala said, turning to Sir Henry,' What do you say ? Or are you afraid ?'

' No,' said Ignosi quickly.' You will not fight him.'

'Not if he is afraid,' saidTwala.

Unfortunately Sir Henry understood these words, and the blood rushed into his face.

' I will fight him,' he said.' No man will say that I am afraid. I am ready now.' He stepped forward and lifted his axe.

Twala laughed and stepped forward too. Then they began to circle round each other, holding their battle-axes up.

Suddenly Sir Henry jumped forward, but Twala stepped to one side. The stroke was a strong one, and the striker nearly fell forward after it. Twala quickly lifted his great battle-axe above his head and brought it down with terrible force. But with a quick movement of his left arm, Sir Henry brought his shield between himself and the axe. The axe cut the edge of the shield, and the axe fell on his left shoulder, but it did not do any serious damage. Sir Henry aimed a second stroke, which also hit Twala's shield. Then more attacks followed. The excited crowd shouted at every stroke.

Sir Henry caught a new stroke on his shield and then hit back with all his force. The stroke cut through Twala's shield and through the chain armour behind it, reaching his shoulder. With a cry of pain Twala returned the stroke, cutting through the handle of Sir Henry's battle-axe and then into his face.

A worried cry came from the crowd as the head of Sir Henry's axe fell to the ground. Twala lifted his axe again and rushed at him with a shout.

The next moment I saw Sir Henry's shield lying on the ground. Sir Henry had his great arms round Twala's waist. They moved this way and that way, using all their strength. Twala pushed Sir Henry off his feet and they fell together, turning over and over on the ground. Twala struck at Sir Henry's head with his battle-axe, and Sir Henry tried to push his knife through Twala's armour.

'Get his axe,' shouted Good, and perhaps Sir Henry heard him. He dropped the knife and reached for the axe, which was tied to Twala's arm by a piece of leather. Still turning over and over, they fought for it like wild cats. Suddenly the leather string broke. Sir Henry got free, with the axe in his hand.

He jumped to his feet, the red blood pouring from the deep cut in his face. Twala was on his feet too. He pulled out a heavy knife and rushed straight at Sir Henry. He struck him on the breast, but the chain armour stopped the knife. He struck again, and again the knife was stopped. Then, lifting the big axe over his head, Sir Henry hit his enemy with all his force. There was a shout of excitement from a thousand throats. Twala's head fell from his shoulders, and Sir Henry fell heavily across the body of the dead king.

Sir Henry was carried into Twala's hut. He woke up soon, but we were all very tired and our bodies hurt from the fighting. With Foulata's help, we took off the chain armour and lay down. Sir Henry and Good both had many cuts, and Good had lost a lot of blood from a deep cut in his leg. Foulata brought some leaves, which reduced the pain, and Good used some medicine from his own box. We ate soup and lay down to sleep.

When we woke up in the morning, after a difficult night, Good had a high fever and blood was coming from his mouth. Foulata tried to help him.

Later in the day, Ignosi held a great meeting. He was recognized as king by all the chiefs. In front of the whole army, he thanked the few men of the Greys who were still alive. He gave each man a present of cattle, and he made them officers.

Afterwards we had a short visit from Ignosi, who now wore the royal diamond on his forehead.

' Greetings, King,' I said, standing up.

'Yes, king at last, with the help of you three great men,' he answered.

I asked him what he had decided to do with Gagool.

' I shall kill her,' he answered,' and all the other witches with her. She has always taught the witches and brought problems to the land.'

' But she knows a lot,' I said.' It is easier to destroy knowledge than to find it.'

' That is true,' he said.' She knows the secret of the Silent Ones over there where the great road leads, and where the dead kings are taken.'

'Yes, and that is where the diamonds are. Do not forget your promise.You must lead us to the mines, even if Gagool has to stay alive to show the way.'

' I will not forget,' he said,' and I will think about your words.'

After Ignosi left, I went to see Good. He was very ill. The fever was much worse, and it continued for four or five days. All this time Foulata stayed with him. At first I tried to help, and Sir Henry too, when he felt better. But Foulata told us to leave him with her. For two days I thought that he would die. Only Foulata did not believe it.

' He will live,' she said.

One night, the fifth night of his illness, I went to see him before I went to sleep. I entered the hut quietly. The lamp on the floor showed that Good was not moving. So it had happened at last! I made a noise like a soft cry.

' Sshhh,' came from a dark shadow behind Good's head.

Then, creeping closer, I saw that he was not dead. He was sleeping deeply, with Foulata's fingers in his hand. He slept like that for eighteen hours and all the time Foulata stayed 'with him.

When Good was nearly well again, Sir Henry told him how Foulata had saved his life. Good took me to the hut where she was preparing a meal. He asked me to translate his words into her language.

' Tell her,' he said,' that I will never forget what she has done.'

After I repeated this in Zulu, she said to him, 'Have you forgotten that you also saved my life ?'

She had forgotten that Sir Henry and I also helped a little! I left them together. I knew that if their relationship continued, Good would have to stay there. A marriage between them was not possible outside Kukuanaland.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 700