wed his wife and daughter.

Then the old king, Bausi, who had come through that battle with a slight
wound, spoke, saying:

"I am glad, Red Thief, that these white people have granted you what
you asked--namely, their forgiveness--since the deed is greatly to their
honour and causes me and my people to think them even nobler than we did
before. But, O murderer of men and woman and trafficker in children, I
am judge here, not the white people. Look on your work!" and he pointed
first to the lines of Zulu and Mazitu dead, and then to his burning
town. "Look and remember the fate you promised to us who have never
harmed you. Look! Look! Look! O Hyena of a man!"

At this point I too went away, nor did I ever ask what became of Hassan
and his fellow-captives. Moreover, whenever any of the natives or Hans
tried to inform me, I bade them hold their tongues.

EPILOGUE

I have little more to add to this record, which I fear has grown into
quite a long book. Or, at any rate, although the setting of it down has
amused me during the afternoons and evenings of this endless English
winter, now that the spring is come again I seem to have grown weary of
writing. Therefore I shall leave what remains untold to the imagination
of anyone who chances to read these pages.

We were victorious, and had indeed much cause for gratitude who still
lived to look upon the sun. Yet the night that followed the Battle of
the Gate was a sad one, at least for me, who felt the death of my friend
the foresighted hero, Mavovo, of the bombastic but faithful Sammy, and
of my brave hunters more than I can say. Also the old Zulu's prophecy
concerning me, that I too should die in battle, weighed upon me, who
seemed to have seen enough of such ends in recent days and to desire one
more tranquil.

Living here in peaceful England as I do now, with no present prospect
of leaving it, it does not appear likely that it will be fulfilled. Yet,
after my experience of the divining powers of Mavovo's "Snake"--well,
those words of his make me feel uncomfortable. For when all is said
and done, who can know the future? Moreover, it is the improbable that
generally happens[*]

[*] As the readers of "Allan Quatermain" will be aware, this prophecy
of the dying Zulu was fulfilled. Mr. Quatermain died at Zuvendis as a
result of the wound he received in the battle between the armies of the
rival Queens.--Editor.

Further, the clima