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Updated: May 2, 2025
Mai Noie bore the child in her arms to and from the school, fed her, humored her every whim, fanned her naps, bathed and perfumed her every night, and then rocked her to sleep on her careful bosom, as tenderly as she would have done for her own baby. And then it was charming to watch the child's face kindle with love and comfort as the sound of her friend's step approached.
"What did she say to you, Noie?" asked Rachel presently. "I may not tell, Zoola," she answered. "Question me no more." Now the mutes brought forward a slight litter woven of boughs on which the withered leaves still hung, boughs from Nya's fallen tree. In this litter they placed her, for she could no longer walk, and lifted it on to their shoulders.
"What does that matter?" asked Noie, "seeing that then she will only join the great company of the ghosts with whom she longs to be, and return with them to torment thee, Eddo, until thou, too, art one of them, and lookest on the face of Judgment."
"I do believe it," answered Noie, confidently. "Then go, but come back as swiftly as you may, for, my sister, I know not how without you I shall live on in this lonely greatness," and she took her in her arms and kissed her lips. Afterwards, as they were laying themselves down to sleep, Rachel asked her if she had heard anything about Ishmael.
All this while the dwarf-women watched her, but did nothing, only watched. They left the cave and walked to the mouth of the zig-zag slit in the great wall which was open. "Perhaps the mutes will kill us in the heart of the wall," said Noie. "If so the end will be soon and swift," answered Rachel. Now they were in the cleft, following its slopes and windings.
"I asked them of that, Zoola, but they declared it must not be, as the council of the doctors had been summoned to consider your sayings, and two days will pass before it can meet. Also they declare that your horse is sick and not fit to travel, meaning that they will not let you go." "But I have the right to go, Noie." "The bird has the right to fly, but what if it is in a cage, Zoola?"
Say, can we start to-morrow at the dawn?" Noie shook her head. "I do not think that they will let you go; they will keep you to be their great doctoress. You should not have come. I sent you word what did my life matter?" "Keep me," answered Rachel, stamping her foot. "They dare not; here at least I am the Inkosazana, and I will be obeyed." Noie made no answer; only she said: "Ishmael is here.
"Yes," he said, when he had recovered a little, "so I suppose did Seyapi and his people, but you have been burying them this afternoon haven't you? all except the girl, Noie, whom you have sheltered, for which deed Dingaan will bury you all if you go into Zululand, or rather throw you to the vultures. Don't think that your being an umfundusi, I mean a teacher, will save you.
Noie, who could scarcely take her eyes from Rachel's face, obeyed, but the old woman hardly seemed to heed her words; a grief had got hold of her.
"Nay, have no fear, Maiden, for here he can not harm thee or any of us; it is the place of sanctuary. Come, let us see this priest; perhaps we may learn something from him." Nya led the way down the cave, followed by Rachel and Noie. Squatted in its entrance, so as to be out of reach of the rays of the sun, sat Eddo, looking like a malevolent toad, and with him were Hana and some other priests.
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