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Updated: June 16, 2025
I caught a look in his eye as he marched off which told me that he hated us bitterly, and reflected to myself that perhaps I had been foolish to use that burning-glass, although in truth I had not intended to set his head on fire. "My father," said Mavovo to me afterwards, "it would have been better to let that snake burn to death, for then you would have killed his poison.
It was just then that I missed Hans and asked where he had gone. Somebody said that he thought he had seen him running away, whereon Mavovo, who was growing excited, called out: "Ah! Spotted Snake has sought his hole. Snakes hiss, but they do not charge." "No, but sometimes they bite," I answered, for I could not believe that Hans had showed the white feather.
Now we looked at Hans, wondering what he meant about saving us twice, and Mavovo said: "Speak on quickly, O Spotted Snake, for I would hear the end of your story. How did you help us in your hole?" Hans began to grub about in his pockets, from which finally he produced a match-box wherein there remained but one match. "With this," he said.
Perhaps I could arrange that his turn " here he stopped, for they were all gone. "Glad I didn't pay a shilling to have my fortune told by Mavovo," said Stephen, when we were back in the boma, "but why did they bury his pots and spears with him?" "To be used by the spirit on its journey," I answered.
And if they had known " "Mad!" interrupted Brother John, tapping his forehead, "quite mad, poor fellow! Well, in these depressing circumstances it is not wonderful." I inspected Hans again, for I agreed with John. Yet he did not look mad, only rather more cunning than usual. "Hans," I said, "tell us where this rifle is, or I will knock you down and Mavovo shall flog you." "Where, Baas!
He requested him, moreover, if he returned as a spirit, to bring good and not ill-fortune on us, since otherwise when he, Mavovo, became a spirit in his turn, he would have words to say to him on the matter.
Mavovo, it is true, remained cheerful. His faith in his "Snake" was really touching. He offered to go through that divination process again in our presence and demonstrate that there was no mistake. I declined because I had no faith in divinations, and Stephen also declined, for another reason, namely that the result might prove to be different, which, he held, would be depressing.
Then we sat down to the meal, which consisted of vegetables and a large bowl of hard-boiled ducks' eggs, of which eatables an ample supply was carried out to Hans and Mavovo by Stephen and Hope. This, it seemed, was the name that her mother had given to the girl when she was born in the hour of her black despair. It was an extraordinary story that Mrs. Eversley had to tell, and yet a short one.
Although I did not like separating our small party, I thought the idea so good that I consented to it, and presently Hans and Mavovo, armed with spears and carrying an ample supply of food, departed to the lake side. One more incident has impressed itself upon my memory in connection with that night. It was the formal baptism of Hope by her father.
Most mercifully Mavovo was watching him, for that is a good Zulu saying which declares that "Wizard is Wizard's fate." With one bound he was on him. Just as the knife touched me it actually pricked my skin though without drawing blood, which was fortunate as probably it was poisoned he gripped Imbozwi's arm in his grasp of iron and hurled him to the ground as though he were but a child.
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