They　went　off　this　way　and　that；　to　shoot　the　game　which　was　then　so
  plentiful；　leaving　their　families　almost　without　protection。　　Thus　the
  Zulus　found　and　slew　them。
  Presently　as　I　rode　forward　a　little　apart　from　the　others　someone
  overtook　me；　and　I　saw　that　it　was　Henri　Marais。
  〃Well；　Allan；〃　he　said；　〃so　God　has　given　you　to　me　for　a　son…in…law。
  Who　would　have　thought　it？　　You　do　not　look　to　me　like　a　new…married
  man；　for　that　marriage　is　not　natural　when　the　bridegroom　rides　off　and
  leaves　the　bride　of　an　hour。　　Perhaps　you　will　never　be　really　married
  after　all；　for　God；　Who　gives　sons…in…law；　can　also　take　them　away；
  especially　when　He　was　not　asked　for　them。　　Ah！〃　he　went　on；　lapsing
  into　French；　as　was　his　wont　when　moved；　〃qui　vivra　verra！　qui　vivra
  verra！〃　　Then；　shouting　this　excellent　but　obvious　proverb　at　the　top　of
  his　voice；　he　struck　his　horse　with　the　butt　of　his　gun；　and　galloped
  away　before　I　could　answer　him。
  At　that　moment　I　hated　Henri　Marais　as　I　had　never　hated　anyone　before；
  not　even　his　nephew　Hernan。　　Almost　did　I　ride　to　the　commandant　to
  complain　of　him；　but　reflecting　to　myself；　first　that　he　was　undoubtedly
  half　mad；　and　therefore　not　responsible　for　his　actions；　and　secondly
  that　he　was　better　here　with　us　than　in　the　same　camp　with　my　wife；　I
  gave　up　the　idea。　　Yet　alas！　it　is　the　half…mad　who　are　the　most
  dangerous　of　lunatics。
  Hans；　who　had　observed　this　scene　and　overheard　all　Marais's　talk；　and
  who　also　knew　the　state　of　the　case　well　enough；　sidled　his　horse
  alongside　of　me；　and　whispered　in　a　wheedling　voice：
  〃Baas；　I　think　the　old　baas　is　kransick　and　not　safe。　　He　looks　like　one
  who　is　going　to　harm　someone。　　Now；　baas；　suppose　I　let　my　gun　off　by
  accident；　you　know　we　coloured　people　are　very　careless　with　guns！　　The
  Heer　Marais　would　never　be　troubled　with　any　more　fancies；　and　you　and
  the　Missie　Marie　and　all　of　us　would　be　safer。　　Also；　_you_　could　not　be
  blamed；　nor　could　I；　for　who　can　help　an　accident？　　Guns　will　go　off
  sometimes；　baas；　when　you　don't　want　them　to。〃
  〃Get　out；〃　I　answered。　　Yet　if　Hans's　gun　had　chanced　to　〃go　off；〃　I
  believe　it　might　have　saved　a　multitude　of　lives！
  CHAPTER　XVIII
  THE　TREATY
  Our　journey　to　Umgungundhlovu　was　prosperous　and　without　incident。　　When
  we　were　within　half　a　day's　march　from　the　Great　Kraal　we　overtook　the
  herd　of　cattle　that　we　had　recaptured　from　Sikonyela；　for　these　beasts
  had　been　driven　very　slowly　and　well　rested　that　they　might　arrive　in
  good　condition。　　Also　the　commandant　was　anxious　that　we　should　present
  them　ourselves　to　the　king。
  Driving　this　multitude　of　animals　before　usthere　were　over　five
  thousand　head　of　themwe　reached　the　Great　Place　on　Saturday　the　3rd　of
  February　about　midday；　and　forced　them　through　its　gates　into　the　cattle
  kraals。　　Then　we　off…saddled　and　ate　our　dinner　under　those　two　milk
  trees　near　the　gate　of　the　kraal　where　I　had　bid　good…bye　to　Dingaan。
  After　dinner　messengers　came　to　ask　us　to　visit　the　king；　and　with　them
  the　youth；　Thomas　Halstead；　who　told　the　commandant　that　all　weapons
  must　be　left　behind；　since　it　was　the　Zulu　law　that　no　man　might　appear
  before　the　king　armed。　　To　this　Retief　demurred；　whereon　the　messengers
  appealed　to　me；　whom　they　had　recognised；　asking　if　that　were　not　the
  custom　of　their　country。
  I　answered　that　I　had　not　been　in　it　long　enough　to　know。　　Then　there
  was　a　pause　while　they　sent　for　someone　to　bear　evidence；　at　the　time　I
  did　not　know　whom；　as　I　was　not　near　enough　to　Thomas　Halstead　to　make
  inquiries。　　Presently　this　someone　appeared；　and　turned　out　to　be　none
  other　than　Hernan　Pereira。
  He　advanced　towards　us　attended　by　Zulus；　as　though　he　were　a　chief；
  looking　fat　and　well　and　handsomer　than　ever。　　Seeing　Retief；　he　lifted
  his　hat　with　a　flourish　and　held　out　his　hand；　which；　I　noted；　the
  commandant　did　not　take。
  〃So　you　are　still　here；　Mynheer　Pereira！〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃Now　be　good
  enough　to　tell　me；　what　is　this　matter　about　the　abandoning　of　our
  arms？〃
  〃The　king　charges　me　to　say〃　began　Hernan。
  〃Charges　you　to　say；　Mynheer　Pereira！　　Are　you　then　this　black　man's
  servant？　　But　continue。〃
  〃That　none　must　come　into　his　private　enclosure　armed。〃
  〃Well；　then；　mynheer；　be　pleased　to　go　tell　this　king　that　we　do　not
  wish　to　come　to　his　private　enclosure。　　I　have　brought　the　cattle　that
  he　desired　me　to　fetch；　and　I　am　willing　to　deliver　them　to　him　wherever
  he　wishes；　but　we　will　not　unarm　in　order　to　do　so。〃
  Now　there　was　talk；　and　messengers　were　despatched；　who　returned　at　full
  speed　presently　to　say　that　Dingaan　would　receive　the　Boers　in　the　great
  dancing　place　in　the　midst　of　the　kraal；　and　that　they　might　bring　their
  guns；　as　he　wished　to　see　how　they　fired　them。
  So　we　rode　in；　making　as　fine　a　show　as　we　could；　to　find　that　the
  dancing　place；　which　measured　a　good　many　acres　in　extent；　was　lined
  round　with　thousands　of　plumed　but　unarmed　warriors　arranged　in
  regiments。
  〃You　see；〃　I　heard　Pereira　say　to　Retief；　〃these　have　no　spears。〃
  〃No；〃　answered　the　commandant；　〃but　they　have　sticks；　which　when　they
  are　a　hundred　to　one　would　serve　as　well。〃
  Meanwhile　the　vast　mob　of　cattle　were　being　driven　in　a　double　stream
  past　a　knot　of　men　at　the　head　of　the　space；　and　then　away　through　gates
  behind。　　When　the　beasts　had　all　gone　we　approached　these　men；　among
  whom　I　recognised　the　fat　form　of　Dingaan　draped　in　a　bead　mantle。　　We
  ranged　ourselves　in　a　semicircle　before　him；　and　stood　while　he　searched
  us　with　his　sharp　eyes。　　Presently　he　saw　me；　and　sent　a　councillor　to
  say　that　I　must　come　and　interpret　for　him。
  So；　dismounting；　I　went　with　Retief；　Thomas　Halstead；　and　a　few　of　the
  leading　Boers。
  〃Sakubona　＇Good　day＇；　Macumazahn；〃　said　Dingaan。　　〃I　am　glad　that　you
  have　come；　as　I　know　that　you　will　speak　my　words　truly；　being　one　of
  the　People　of　George　whom　I　love；　for　Tho…maas　here　I　do　not　trust；
  although　he　is　also　a　Son　of　George。〃
  I　told　Retief　what　he　said。
  〃Oh！〃　he　exclaimed　with　a　grunt；　〃it　seems　that　you　English　are　a　step
  in　front　of　us　Boers；　even　here。〃
  Then　he　went　forward　and　shook　hands　with　the　king；　whom；　it　will　be
  remembered；　he　had　visited　before。
  After　that　the　〃indaba〃　or　talk　began；　which　I　do　not　propose　to　set　out
  at　length；　for　it　is　a　matter　of　history。　　It　is　enough　to　say　that
  Dingaan；　after　thanking　Retief　for　recovering　the　cattle；　asked　where
  was　Sikonyela；　the　chief　who　had　stolen　them；　as　he　wished　to　kill　him。
  When　he　learned　that　Sikonyela　remained　in　his　own　country；　he　became；
  or　affected　to　become；　angry。　　Then　he　asked　where　were　the　sixty　horses
  which　he　heard　we　had　captured　from　Sikonyela；　as　they　must　be　given　up
  to　him。
  Retief；　by　way　of　reply；　touched　his　grey　hairs；　and　inquired　whether
  Dingaan　thought　that　he　was　a　child　that　he；　Dingaan；　should　demand
  horses　which　did　not　belong　to　him。　　He　added　that　these　horses　had　been
  restored　to　the　Boers；　from　whom　Sikonyela　had　stolen　them。
  When　Dingaan　had　expressed　himself　satisfied　with　this　answer；　Retief
  opened　the　question　of　the　treaty。　　The　king　replied　however；　that　the
  white　men　had　but　just　arrived；　and　he　wished　to　see　them　dance　after
  their　own　fashion。　　As　for　the　business；　it　might　〃sit　still〃　till
  another　day。
  So　in　the　end　the　Boers　〃danced〃　for　his　amusement。　　That　is；　they
  divided　into　two　parties；　and　charged　each　other　at　full　gallop；　firing
  their　guns　into　the　air；　an　exhibition　which　seemed　to　fill　all　present
  with　admiration　and　awe。　　When　they　paused；　the　king　wished　them　to　go
  on　firing　〃a　hundred　shots　apiece；〃　but　the　commandant　declined；　saying
  he　had　no　more　powder　to　waste。
  〃What　do　you　want　powder　for　in　a　peaceful　country？〃　asked　Dingaan
  suspiciously。
  Retief　answered　through　me：
  〃To　kill　food　for　ourselves；　or　to　protect　ourselves　if　any　evil…minded
  men　should　attack　us。〃
  〃Then　it　will　not　be　wanted　here；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃since　I　will　give　you
  food；　and　as　I；　the　king；　am　your　friend；　no　man　in　Zululand　dare　be
  your　enemy。〃
  Retief　said　he　was　glad　to　hear　it；　and　asked　leave　to　retire　with　the
  Boers　to　his　camp　outside　the　gate；　as　they　were　all　tired　with　riding。
  This　Dingaan　granted；　and　we　said　good…bye　and　went　away。　　Before　I
  reached　the　gate；　however；　a　messenger；　I　remember　it　was　my　old　friend
  Kambula；　overtook　me；　and　said　that　the　king　wished　to　speak　with　me
  alone。　　I　answered　him　that　I　could　not　speak　with　the　king　alone
  without　the　permission　of　the　commandant。　　Thereon　Kambula　said：
  〃Come　with　me；　I　pray　you；　O　Macumazahn；　since　otherwise　you　will　be
  taken　by　force。〃
  Now；　I　told　Hans　to　gallop　on　to　Retief；　and　tell　him　of　my　predicament；
  for　already　I　saw　that　at　some　sign　from　Kambula　I　was　being　surrounded
  by　Zulu