Now of a
sudden the messengers who were seated together, talking and taking snuff,
looked up and saw her.
"_Inkosazana-y-Zoola_!" exclaimed one of them, rising, whereon they all
sprang to their feet and perceiving this beautiful and mysterious figure,
by a common impulse lifted their right arms and gave to her what no woman
had ever received before--the royal salute.
"Bayete!" they cried, "Bayete!" then stood silent.
"I hear you," said Rachel, who spoke their tongue as well as she did her
own. "It has been reported to me that you wished to see me, O Mouths of
the King. Behold I am pleased to appear before you. What would you of
Inkosazana-y-Zoola, O Mouths of the King?"
Then their spokesman, an old man of high rank, with a withered hand,
stepped forward from the line of his companions, stared at her for a
while, and saluted again.
"Lady," he said humbly, "Lady or Spirit, we would know how thou earnest by
that great name of thine."
"It was given me as a child far away from here," she answered, "because in
a mighty tempest the lightnings turned aside and smote me not; because the
waters raged yet drowned me not; because the lions slept with me yet
harmed me not. It came to me from the high Heaven that was my friend.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130