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outline； which reminded me of a flower breaking into bloom； that one
does not associate with youth and innocence。 I tried to analyse what
this might be； and came to the conclusion that without being hard； it
was too clever and； in a sense； too reflective。 I felt even then that
the brain within the shapely head was keen and bright as polished steel；
that this woman was one made to rule； not to be man's toy； or even his
loving companion； but to use him for her ends。
She dropped her chin till it hid the little； dimple…like depression
below her throat； which was one of her charms； and began not to look at；
but to study me； seeing which I shut my eyes tight and waited。
Evidently she thought that I was still in my swoon； for now she spoke to
herself in a low voice that was soft and sweet as honey。
〃A small man；〃 she said； 〃Saduko would make two of him； and the
other〃who was he； I wondered〃three。 His hair； too； is ugly； he cuts
it short and it sticks up like that on a cat's back。 Iya！〃 （i。e。
Piff！）； and she moved her hand contemptuously； 〃a feather of a man。 But
whitewhite； one of those who rule。 Why； they all of them know that he
is their master。 They call him 'He…who…never…Sleeps。' They say that he
has the courage of a lioness with younghe who got away when Dingaan
killed Piti ＇Retief＇ and the Boers； they say that he is quick and
cunning as a snake； and that Panda and his great indunas think more of
him than of any white man they know。 He is unmarried also； though they
say； too； that twice he had a wife； who died； and now he does not turn
to look at women； which is strange in any man； and shows that he will
escape trouble and succeed。 Still； it must be remembered that they are
all ugly down here in Zululand； cows； or heifers who will be cows。
Piff！ no more。〃
She paused for a little while； then went on in her dreamy； reflective
voice：
〃Now； if he met a woman who is not merely a cow or a heifer； a woman
cleverer than himself； even if she were not white； I wonder〃
At this point I thought it well to wake up。 Turning my head I yawned；
opened my eyes and looked at her vaguely； seeing which her expression
changed in a flash from that of brooding power to one of moved and
anxious girlhood； in short； it became most sweetly feminine。
〃You are Mameena？〃 I said； 〃is it not so？〃
〃Oh； yes； Inkoosi；〃 she answered； 〃that is my poor name。 But how did
you hear it； and how do you know me？〃
〃I heard it from one Saduko〃here she frowned a little〃and others；
and I knew you because you are so beautiful〃an incautious speech at
which she broke into a dazzling smile and tossed her deer…like head。
〃Am I？〃 she asked。 〃I never knew it； who am only a common Zulu girl to
whom it pleases the great white chief to say kind things； for which I
thank him〃； and she made a graceful little reverence； just bending one
knee。 〃But；〃 she went on quickly； 〃whatever else I be； I am of no
knowledge； not fit to tend you who are hurt。 Shall I go and send my
oldest mother？〃
〃Do you mean her whom your father calls the 'Worn…out…old…Cow；' and
whose ear he shot off？〃
〃Yes； it must be she from the description；〃 she answered with a little
shake of laughter； 〃though I never heard him give her that name。〃
〃Or if you did； you have forgotten it；〃 I said dryly。 〃Well； I think
not； thank you。 Why trouble her； when you will do quite as well？ If
there is milk in that gourd； perhaps you will give me a drink of it。〃
She flew to the bowl like a swallow； and next moment was kneeling at my
side and holding it to my lips with one hand； while with the other she
supported my head。
〃I am honoured；〃 she said。 〃I only came to the hut the moment before
you woke； and seeing you still lost in swoon； I weptlook； my eyes are
still wet ＇they were； though how she made them so I do not know＇for I
feared lest that sleep should be but the beginning of the last。〃
〃Quite so；〃 I said； 〃it is very good of you。 And now； since your fears
are groundlessthanks be to the heavenssit down； if you will； and
tell me the story of how I came here。〃
She sat down； not； I noted； as a Kafir woman ordinarily does； in a kind
of kneeling position； but on a stool。
〃You were carried into the kraal； Inkoosi；〃 she said； 〃on a litter of
boughs。 My heart stood still when I saw that litter coming； it was no
more heart； it was cold iron； because I thought the dead or injured man
was〃 And she paused。
〃Saduko？〃 I suggested。
〃Not at all； Inkoosimy father。〃
〃Well； it wasn't either of them；〃 I said； 〃so you must have felt happy。〃
〃Happy！ Inkoosi； when the guest of our house had been wounded； perhaps
to deaththe guest of whom I have heard so much； although by misfortune
I was absent when he arrived。〃
〃A difference of opinion with your eldest mother？〃 I suggested。
〃Yes； Inkoosi； my own is dead； and I am not too well treated here。 She
called me a witch。〃
〃Did she？〃 I answered。 〃Well； I do not altogether wonder at it； but
please continue your story。〃
〃There is none； Inkoosi。 They brought you here； they told me how the
evil brute of a buffalo had nearly killed you in the pool； that is all。〃
〃Yes； yes； Mameena； but how did I get out of the pool？〃
〃Oh； it seems that your servant； Sikauli； the bastard； leapt into the
water and engaged the attention of the buffalo which was kneading you
into the mud； while Saduko got on to its back and drove his assegai down
between its shoulders to the heart； so that it died。 Then they pulled
you out of the mud； crushed and almost drowned with water； and brought
you to life again。 But afterwards you became senseless； and so lay
wandering in your speech until this hour。〃
〃Ah； he is a brave man； is Saduko。〃
〃Like others； neither more nor less；〃 she replied with a shrug of her
rounded shoulders。 〃Would you have had him let you die？ I think the
brave man was he who got in front of the bull and twisted its nose； not
he who sat on its back and poked at it with a spear。〃
At this period in our conversation I became suddenly faint and lost
count of things； even of the interesting Mameena。 When I awoke again
she was gone； and in her place was old Umbezi； who； I noticed； took down
a mat from the side of the hut and folded it up to serve as a cushion
before he sat himself upon the stool。
〃Greeting； Macumazahn；〃 he said when he saw that I was awake； 〃how are
you？〃
〃As well as can be hoped；〃 I answered； 〃and how are you； Umbezi？〃
〃Oh； bad； Macumazahn； even now I can scarcely sit down； for that bull
had a very hard nose； also I am swollen up in front where Sikauli struck
me when he tumbled out of the tree。 Also my heart is cut in two because
of our losses。〃
〃What losses； Umbezi？〃
〃Wow！ Macumazahn； the fire that those low fellows of mine lit got to our
camp and burned up nearly everythingthe meat； the skins； and even the
ivory； which it cracked so that it is useless。 That was an unlucky
hunt； for although it began so well； we have come out of it quite naked；
yes； with nothing at all except the head of the bull with the cleft
horn； that I thought you might like to keep。〃
〃Well； Umbezi； let us be thankful that we have come out with our
livesthat is； if I am going to live；〃 I added。
〃Oh； Macumazahn； you will live without doubt； and be none the worse。
Two of our doctorsvery clever menhave looked at you and said so。
One of them tied you up in all those skins； and I promised him a heifer
for the business； if he cured you； and gave him a goat on account。 But
you must lie here for a month or more； so he says。 Meanwhile Panda has
sent for the hides which he demanded of me to be made into shields； and
I have been obliged to kill twenty…five of my beasts to provide
themthat is； of my own and of those of my headmen。〃
〃Then I wish you and your headmen had killed them before we met those
buffalo； Umbezi；〃 I groaned； for my ribs were paining me very much。
〃Send Saduko and Sikauli here； I would thank them for saving my life。〃
So they came； next morning； I think； and I thanked them warmly enough。
〃There； there； Baas；〃 said Scowl； who was literally weeping tears of joy
at my return from delirium and coma to the light of life and reason； not
tears of Mameena's sort； but real ones； for I saw them running down his
snub nose； that still bore marks of the eagle's claws。 〃There； there；
say no more； I beseech you。 If you were going to die； I wished to die；
too； who； if you had left it； should only have wandered through the
world without a heart。 That is why I jumped into the pool； not because
I am brave。〃
When I heard this my own eyes grew moist。 Oh； it is the fashion to
abuse natives； but from whom do we meet with more fidelity and love than
from these poor wild Kafirs that so many of us talk of as black dirt
which chances to be fashioned to the shape of man？
〃As for myself； Inkoosi；〃 added Saduko； 〃I only did my duty。 How could
I have held up my head again if the bull had killed you while I walked
away alive？ Why； the very girls would have mocked at me。 But； oh； his
skin was tough。 I thought that assegai would never get through it。〃
Observe the difference between these two men's characters。 The one；