There was a tense, and, under the circumstances to anyone who knew,
rather an awesome silence.
"This won't do," I said. "I must go after him and explain."
"Don't go. It doesn't look safe."
The protest came from Miss Sewin, for now an angry muttering had arisen
among the young men, and the rattle of assegai hafts--this time in
ominous earnest--mingled with the hoarse growl of deepening indignation.
A very different face was upon things now to that of formerly. The
head-ring of their father and chief had been insulted.
"It might not be for everybody, but it is for me," I answered, quickly,
as I hurried after the chief.
It was no easy task to placate Tyingoza. I pointed out to him that what
had been done was the silly childish act of a foolish boy who had no
sort of idea of what he was doing, and how sorry I was that such a thing
should have happened, especially on my place, where he, Tyingoza, had
always been so thoroughly welcome, and so forth. And now, would not he
return with me and receive a present from me, and an apology from the
boy, to show his people that there was no remnant of a cloud between us?
But it was all of no use. He relaxed as far as I was concerned. It was
a pity that I had been obliged to have an idiot on my place, he said,
but he could see that what had happened was no fault of mine. But he
would not come back.
"There are my `dogs,' Iqalaqala," pointing to the groups of young men,
now some distance behind us. "I sent them to hunt with your friends--
they will do so. I am going home."
I could not shake his determination, and he strode away. Our talk, as I
said, had taken up some little time, and now as I neared the store I saw
that I had returned none too soon.
For, seeing that their chief had not returned the angry mutterings of
his incensed followers had risen to a threatening hubbub. All the
savage was now aroused within them, and they crowded up to the store,
clamouring for the man who had insulted their father's head-ring.
Assegais were flourished, dogs were adding their howls and yaps to the
general racket, and altogether matters were taking a decidedly serious
turn.
"What is this, children of Tyingoza?" I said, as I came up behind
them--incidentally kicking away a large cur which had come for me
open-mouthed. "The last words of the chief as he left me were--`I have
sent them to hunt with your friends--they will do so.' But now I find
you ready to spring upon them instead. What does it mean?"
"This, Iqalaqala. We want the `idiot'."
The speaker was Ivuzamanzi. He had been out of the way during the
incident, which was uncommonly lucky for Falkner Sewin. Now he was
foremost in the agitation.
"But you cannot hold an `idiot' responsible," I urged, catching at a
straw.
"Ah--ah! But this is not a real one," answered the young warrior. "He
must be beaten."
"Not so. The chief is satisfied. He bade me tell you to go on with the
hunt. Who are ye to shut your ears to his `word'?"
This told, for the clamour dropped into sullen mutterings as they
consulted together. The while I walked through them and gained the
store.
The Major was standing in the doorway, and I could see the faces of the
two girls at the window light up with relief as I approached. They had
thought I should be murdered in the midst of the excited and
gesticulating group, but as a matter of fact I ran not the slightest
danger, and this I hastened to assure them. I was glad to notice that
Falkner had had the sense to keep himself out of sight, or, what was
more likely, somebody else had had it for him.
"Ah, now we shall be all right," said Mrs Sewin, who was seated on a
pile of goods for want of a chair. "I must say these savages are rather
alarming."
"They'll go home directly, Mrs Sewin. I've talked them into a better
frame of mind."
"Go home?" echoed Falkner. "But, confound it all--what about our hunt?"
"You won't get one of them to stir in that now," I said, "and if they
did you wouldn't be well advised to go with them."
"Well, I think there's considerable overweight of fuss being made
because a silly old nigger puts his back up and walks off in a huff,"
answered Falkner, sullenly.
"Look here, Sewin," I said, fast beginning to lose my temper. "That
`silly old nigger' is one of the most influential chiefs in Natal.
Added to which he's a Zulu of high breeding, that is to say one of the
proudest of men--and you've put upon him the biggest insult you could
have thought out, and that in the presence of a number of his people--
who moreover were sent up here by his orders to help your day's
amusement I say nothing of it having been done on my place--but,
incidentally, your monkeyish and schoolboy prank has been the means of
frightening the ladies somewhat."
"Here, I say, Glanton. I don't take that sort of talk, you know," he
answered, colouring up.
"Glanton's quite right," struck in the Major decisively, and with some
sternness. "You've made an ass of yourself, and got us into a nice
mess--which we don't seem out of yet," he added, as again the voices
outside rose high.