Kambula said:

"Come with me, I pray you, O Macumazahn, since otherwise you will be
taken by force."

Now, I told Hans to gallop on to Retief, and tell him of my predicament,
for already I saw that at some sign from Kambula I was being surrounded
by Zulus. He did so, and presently Retief came back himself accompanied
only by one man, and asked me what was the matter now. I informed him,
translating Kambula's words, which he repeated in his presence.

"Does the fellow mean that you will be seized if you do not go, or I
refuse to allow you to do so?"

To this question Kambula's answer was:

"That is so, Inkoos, since the king has private words for the ear of
Macumazahn. Therefore we must obey orders, and take him before the king,
living or dead."

"Allemachte!" exclaimed Retief, "this is serious," and, as though to
summon them to my help, he looked behind him towards the main body of
the Boers, who by this time were nearly all of them through the gate,
which was guarded by a great number of Zulus. "Allan," he went on, "if
you are not afraid, I think that you must go. Perhaps it is only that
Dingaan has some message about the treaty to send to me through you."

"I am not afraid," I answered. "What is the use of being afraid in a
place like this?"

"Ask that Kaffir if the king gives you safe conduct," said Retief.

I did so, and Kambula answered:

"Yes, for this visit. Who am I that I can speak the king's unspoken
words?" [which meant, guarantee his will in the future.]

"A dark saying," commented Retief. "But go, Allan, since you must, and
God bring you back safe again. It is clear that Dingaan did not ask that
you should come with me for nothing. Now I wish I had left you at home
with that pretty wife of yours."

So we parted, I going to the king's private enclosure on foot and
without my rifle, since I was not allowed to appear before him armed,
and the commandant towards the gate of the kraal accompanied by Hans,
who led my horse. Ten minutes later I stood before Dingaan, who greeted
me kindly enough, and began to ask a number of questions about the
Boers, especially if they were not people who had rebelled against their
own king and run away from him.

I answered, Yes, they had run away, as they wanted more room to live;
but I had told him all about that when I saw him before. He said he knew
I had, but he wished to hear "whether the same words came out of the
same mouth, or different words," so that h