CHAPTER XXXI
SIHAMBA'S FAREWELL
Then they began the work, for much must be done before the daylightcame. First Sihamba took a sharp knife, and with it cut off Suzanne'sbeautiful hair close to the head, over which what was left of it curlednaturally. To disguise it further, for though it was dark it was toofine for the hair of a native, she put grease upon it and powderedit with the blue dust that Kaffir women use. This done, the poor girlstripped herself, and with the help of Sihamba smeared all her body,every inch of it down to the soles of her feet, with the ink-like juicemixed with the black earth and grease, which when it was dry made herthe colour of a Kaffir. Next Sihamba dressed her in a native woman'smoocha made of skin and beads, and gave her an old skin blanket to wearupon her shoulders and hide sandals for her feet, together with ankletsof beads and copper wire. Then having examined her all over to see thatno sign of her white skin could be seen through the pigments, and burnedthe long tresses of her hair, Sihamba went to the door of the hut.
"Where are you going?" asked Suzanne.
"To find Zinti," she answered, "for now we must have his help."
"No, no," cried Suzanne, "I am ashamed to be seen thus by any man."
"Wherefore, Swallow, seeing that for some days you are but a Kaffirwoman, and this is their dress, of which none think harm? Nay, you must,for remember that if you show doubt or shame, you will betray yourself."
Then with a groan Suzanne yielded, and crouching upon the floor like anative, awaited the return of Sihamba. Presently she came, followed byZinti, who was in good case, though somewhat thin, for Zinti was cleverand provident, and, foreseeing what would come, he had hidden water forhimself among the rocks.
"Zinti," said Sihamba, "I would speak with you of secret matters."
"Speak on, lady," he answered--here his eyes fell upon Suzanne crouchedon the ground in the full light of the lamp--"but there is a strangerpresent."
"This is no stranger, Zinti," said Sihamba, "but one whom you knowwell."
"Indeed, lady, I know her not. Should I forget one so beautiful? Andyet--and yet--" and he rubbed his eyes and stared, gasping, "it cannotbe."
"Yes, it is, Zinti. There sits the lady Swallow and none other."
Now although there was little mirth left in him, Zinti burst outlaughing till the tears ran from his eyes, and Sihamba struck him withher hands, calling him "Fool," and commanding him to be silent.
"Wow!" he said, "this is wonderful. This is magic indeed. She who waswhite as snow has become black as coal, and yes, she looks best black.Oh! this is magic indeed."
At his words Suzanne sprang up looking as though she were about to weep,and Sihamba stopped his lips with fierce words and blows, though he tooksmall heed of either, but stood staring.
"Zinti," Sihamba said, "you have done me many services, but to-day youmust do me the greatest of all. This morning at the daylight the ladySwallow will pass with the multitude down the cleft yonder and none willknow her in that disguise. You must go with her, but not too near her,and cross the plain, meeting her by the saw-edged rock which standsyonder at the mouth of the gorge in the Quathlamba mountains. Then youmust lead her as fast as you can travel to that camp of the Boers whichis near the Tugela River, where she will be safe. Do you understand?"
"I understand, lady. But what of yourself?"
"It is my plan to hide on the mountain," Sihamba answered quickly, "ina secret place I know of, seeing that it is impossible that I shouldescape because my stature would betray me. I will join you at the Boercamp later; or, failing that, you can return in a while--say on thefirst night of the new moon--to search for me. But talk no more, for wehave still much to do. Yes, we who have made a white woman black, mustmake a black woman white. Follow me, both of you," and giving Zinti ajar of pigment and the long goat-skin cloak, which Suzanne wore for anouter garment, she left the hut, carrying in her hand strips of ox-hidetanned white.
Avoiding the groups of thirst-tormented people who sat or wandered aboutin the coolness of the night, they passed through the gates of thekraal unheeded, and walking quickly across the wide stretch of tablelandreached the eastern edge of the cliff. Now upon the very verge of thiscliff rose a sharp pinnacle of rock fifty feet or more into the air, andupon the top of this pinnacle was that stone shaped like a great chair,in which Suzanne sat day by day, poised like an eagle over the dizzygulf of space, for the slopes of the mountain swelled five hundred feetbeneath, watching for the help that never came. Not far from the base ofthis point Sihamba began to search in the starlight till she foundwhat she wanted, the body of a young woman who had crept here to die ofthirst, and whose death and the place of it had been reported to her.
Now she took the jar of white clay, and, aided by Zinti, set about herghastly task, daubing the stuff thickly upon the cold features and theneck and arms and feet. Soon it was done, for such work needed littlecare, but then began their true toil since the corpse must be carried upthe sharp point of rock, and that by no easy path. Had not Zinti been sostrong it could never have been done; still, with the aid of Suzanne andSihamba herself, at last it was finished.
Up that steep place they toiled, the three of them, dragging the deadbody from knob to knob of rock, well knowing that one false step in thegloom would send them to be broken to pieces hundreds of feet beneath.At length they reached the little platform where there was scarcely roomfor all of them to stand with their burden, and climbing on to the stonewhich was called the Chair, Zinti drew the dead woman into the seat ofit.
Then as Sihamba bade him he wrapped her in Suzanne's long white cape ofgoat-skin, putting the hood of it upon her head, after which he made thecorpse fast in a sitting posture, lashing it round the neck and middleto the back of the stone with the white tanned rimpis in such fashionthat it could not fall or even slip.
"So," said Sihamba grimly, "there sits the bridge upon whom Swart Pietcan feast his eyes while you seek safety across the mountains. Now backto the town, for from this height I can already see light glimmering inthe east."
Accordingly they returned to the hut and entered it, leaving Zintiwithout, none noting them since by now the multitudes were throngingthe narrow way. Here Sihamba lit the lamp, and by its light once moreexamined Suzanne carefully, retouching the dye in this place and inthat, till she was sure that no gleam of white showed through it.
"It is good," she said at length; "unless you betray yourself, your skinwill not betray you. And now, lady Swallow, the hour has come for usto part, and I rejoice to think that some of the debt I owe you I haverepaid. Long ago I told you that very far away I should live to save youas you saved me, and I am sure that I have saved you; there is no doubtof it in my heart. Yes, yes, Swallow, I see you most happy in the loveof husband and of children, thinking of all these things as a far-offevil dream, as of a dream that never will return. What more do I desire?What more have I to ask?
"I say that I have repaid to you part of the debt I owe, but all of itI can never repay, for, Swallow, you have given me love which elsewherehas been denied to me. Others have parents and brothers and sisters andhusbands to love them; I have none of these. I have only you who are tome father and mother and sister and lover.
"How then can I repay you who have taught this cold heart of mine tolove, and have deigned to love me in return? Oh! and the love will notdie; no, no, it will live on when all else is dead, for although I ambut a Kaffir doctoress, at times light shines upon my heart, and in thatlight I see many new things. Yes, yes, I see that this life of ours isbut a road, a weary road across the winter veldt, and this death but theblack gate of a garden of flowers----"
"Oh! why do you speak thus?" broke in Suzanne. "Is this then our lastfarewell, and does your wisdom tell you that we part to meet no more?"
"I know not, Swallow," answered Sihamba hastily, "but if it should beso I care nothing, for I am sure that through all your days you will notforget me, and that when your days are done I shall meet you at thefoot of the death-bed. Nay, you must not we
ep. Now go swiftly, for it istime, and even in your husband's love be mindful always that a womancan love also; yes, though she be but a dwarfed Kaffir doctoress.Swallow--Sister Swallow, fare you well," and, throwing herself uponher breast, Sihamba kissed her again and again. Then, with a strangestrength, she thrust her from the hut, calling to Zinti to take chargeof her and do as she had bidden him, adding that if he failed in thistask she would blast his body and haunt his spirit.