I translated what Hans had said in Dutch to Umslopogaas, who remarked indifferently,
This little yellow man is well named Light-in-Darkness; at least the plan can be tried—if it fails there is always time to die.
So thinking that this was an occasion on which I might properly do so, for the first time I took off the talisman which I had worn for so long, and Umslopogaas put it over his head and hid it beneath his blanket.
A little while later the messengers returned and this time the captain himself came with them, as he said to greet me, for I knew him slightly and once we had dealt together about some cattle. After a friendly chat he turned to the matter of Umslopogaas, explaining the case at some length. I said that I quite understood his position but that it was a very awkward thing to interfere with a man who was the actual wearer of the Great Medicine of Zikali itself. When the captain heard this his eyes almost started out of his head.
The Great Medicine of the Opener-of-Roads!
he exclaimed. Oh, now I understand why this Chief of the People of the Axe is unconquerable—such a wizard that no one is able to kill him.
Yes,
I replied, and you remember, do you not, that he who offends the Great Medicine, or offers violence to him who wears it, dies horribly within three moons, he and his household and all those with him?
I have heard it,
he said with a sickly smile.
And now you are about to learn whether the tale is true,
I added cheerfully.
Then he asked to see Umslopogaas alone.
I did not overhear their conversation, but the end of it was that Umslopogaas came and said in a loud voice so that no one could miss a single word, that as resistance was useless and he did not wish me, his friend, to be involved in any trouble, together with his men he had agreed to accompany this King's captain to the royal kraal where he had been guaranteed a fair trial as to certain false charges which had been brought against him. He added that the King's captain had sworn upon the Great Medicine of the Opener-of-Roads to give him safe conduct and attempt no mischief against him which, as was well known throughout the land, was an oath
