the chin of a man, as is well known
in the land. Let him then take his little gun and shoot at that
which you say stands upon the rock. If it be a black woman
painted white, doubtless she will fall down dead, as so many have
fallen from that rock. But if it be the Princess of Heaven, then
the bullet will pass through her or turn aside and she will take
no harm, though whether Macumazahn will take any harm is more
than I can say."

Now when they heard this many remained silent, but some of the
peace party began to clamour that I should be ordered to shoot at
the apparition. At length Cetewayo seemed to give way to this
pressure. I say seemed, because I think he wished to give way.
Whether or not a spirit stood before him, he knew no more than
the rest, but he did know that unless the vision were proved to
be mortal he would be driven into war with the English.
Therefore he took the only chance that remained to him.

"Macumazahn," he said, "I know you have your pistol on you, for
only the other day you brought it into my presence, and through
light and darkness you nurse it as a mother does her firstborn.
Now since the Opener of Roads desires it, I command you to fire
at that which seems to stand above us. If it be a mortal woman,
she is a cheat and deserves to die. If it be a spirit from
heaven it can take no harm. Nor can you take harm who only do
that which you must."

"Woman or spirit, I will not shoot, King," I answered.

"Is it so? What! do you defy me, White Man? Do so if you will,
but learn that then your bones shall whiten here in this Vale of
Bones. Yes, you shall be the first of the English to go below,"
and turning, he whispered something to two of the Councillors.

Now I saw that I must either obey or die. For a moment my mind
grew confused in face of this awful alternative. I did not
believe that I saw a spirit. I believed that what stood above me
was Nombe cunningly tricked out with some native pigments which
at that distance and in that light made her look like a white
woman. For oddly enough at that time the truth did not occur to
me, perhaps because I was too surprised. Well, if it were Nombe,
she deserved to be shot for playing such a trick, and what is
more her death, by revealing the fraud of Zikali, would perhaps
avert a great war. But then why did he make the suggestion that
I should be commanded to fire at this figure? Slowly I drew out
my pistol and brought it to the ful