, that there
before it stood Chaka, shaking with fear, and the water of the rain was
running down him, while he stared at the great hut, of which all the
thatch was burned.

I saluted the king, asking him what evil thing had happened. Seeing me,
he seized me by the arm, and clung to me as, when the slayers are at
hand, a child clings to his father, drawing me after him into a small
hut that was near.

"What evil thing has befallen, O King?" I said again, when light had
been made.

"Little have I known of fear, Mopo," said Chaka, "yet I am afraid now;
ay, as much afraid as when once on a bygone night the dead hand of
Baleka summoned something that walked upon the faces of the dead."

"And what fearest thou, O King, who art the lord of all the earth?"

Now Chaka leaned forward and whispered to me: "Hearken, Mopo, I have
dreamed a dream. When the judgment of those witches was done with,
I went and laid me down to sleep while it was yet light, for I can
scarcely sleep at all when darkness has swallowed up the world. My sleep
has gone from me--that sister of thine, Baleka, took my sleep with her
to the place of death. I laid me down and I slept, but a dream arose and
sat by me with a hooded face, and showed me a picture. It seemed to me
that the wall of my hut fell down, and I saw an open place, and in the
centre of the place I lay dead, covered with many wounds, while round my
corpse my brothers Dingaan and Umhlangana stalked in pride like lions.
On the shoulders of Umhlangana was my royal kaross, and there was blood
on the kaross; and in the hand of Dingaan was my royal spear, and there
was blood upon the spear. Then, in the vision of my dream, Mopo, thou
didst draw near, and, lifting thy hand, didst give the royal salute
of Bayete to these brothers of mine, and with thy foot didst spurn the
carcase of me, thy king. Then the hooded Dream pointed upwards and was
gone, and I awoke, and lo! fire burned in the roof of my hut. Thus I
dreamed, Mopo, and now, my servant, say thou, wherefore should I not
slay thee, thou who wouldst serve other kings than I, thou who wouldst
give my royal salute to the princes, my brothers?" and he glared upon me
fiercely.

"As thou wilt, O King!" I answered gently. "Doubtless thy dream was
evil, and yet more evil was the omen of the fire that fell upon thy hut.
And yet--" and I ceased.

"And yet--Mopo, thou faithless servant?"

"And yet, O King, it seems to me in my folly that it were we