The Ruined Cities of ZululandWalmsley, Hugh Mulleneux
History
The Ruined Cities of Zululand
Walmsley, Hugh Mulleneux
South Africa -- Description and travel; Zululand (South Africa)
Tall and graceful in figure, the girl's face, was of that beautiful
clear brown tint, found only in the sunny south, but one of the
peculiarities which distinguished her was the network of blue veins,
tracing themselves under the transparent olive of the skin; the eyes
were large and intensely brilliant, shaded now by the long black lashes,
which, with the slightly arched and beautifully pencilled eyebrow, told
of Moorish blood. The mouth was small and beautifully cut, the lips
parted now and showing the white teeth; and if there was a fault in the
features, it was that the forehead, with all its lace-work of blue veins
glancing under the clear olive skin, was too high and massive for a
female face. The hair was brushed backwards, fastened behind by a large
comb, tipped with gold, from which hung the long mantilla of Spain.
The sick man saw nothing of all this, he was busy among the guns at
Chillianwallah.
"How long, Senhor," said the girl, looking up at the missionary, and the
large eyes filling as she did so with tears, which rolled one by one
unheeded down her cheeks,--"how long has your friend been ill?"
"This is the third day, mademoiselle," replied he, speaking in French,
both father and daughter having used that language. "Have you any
quinine, Senhor?" he continued, addressing the father.
"Yes, at your service; but not having had any before, what have you been
using?" replied the noble, taking the sick man's hands, and feeling his
pulse.
"A drink made out of the kumbunga plant. It has cured me more than
once."
"Wait," cried the girl, eager to be of use. "I will return in a
moment," and she flew out of the room, showing as she moved the
beautiful foot and ankle peculiar to the Portuguese.
The old noble shook his head as he let the arm he held fall on the
bed-clothes.
"There, use that at once," said the breathless girl, as she returned
with a small bottle filled with quinine. "And as soon as you can, get
away from this terrible place."
"We will leave now, my daughter; we are but in the way. Later on we may
be useful. Command me, Senhor," added the Portuguese; "whatever I have
is at your service. I pray you do not spare me or mine."
With a stately wave of the hand, as though he were quitting a palace,
instead of a poor barrack-room in a dilapidated fort, the nobleman
passed on.
"You will let me know," said Isabel, pausing before she joined her
father, and raising the large black eyes to the missionary's face--"you
will let me know how your poor friend is." And with one more glance
round the room, and at the wretched bed, she passed out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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