What she did not know, however, was that Ishmael had crossed the
smaller rivers before the flood came down, and gone on to meet the
soldiers, who were ordered to await him on the banks of the Tugela.
Escape was evidently impossible at present, and if it had been otherwise,
clearly the Zulus did not mean to let her go. She must abide here in the
company of her terrors and her dreams.
At length, happily for her, these distressing dreams of Rachel's began to
be varied by others of a pleasanter complexion, of which, although they
were vivid enough, she could only remember upon waking that they had to do
with Richard Darrien, the companion of her adventure in the river, of whom
she had heard nothing for so many years. For aught she knew he might have
died long ago, and yet she did not think that he was dead. Well, if he
lived he might have forgotten her, and yet she did not believe that he had
forgotten her, he who as a boy had wished to follow her all his life, and
whom she had thought of day by day from that hour to this. Yes, she had
thought of him, but not thus. Why, at such a time, did he arise in
strength before her, seeming to occupy all her soul? Why was her mind
never free of him? Could it be that they were about to meet again? She
shivered as the hope took hold of her, shivered with joy, and remembered
that her mother had always said that they would meet.
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