按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
gate； saying as he passed me：
〃Inkoosi； I have words for you when you are at liberty。〃
〃You shall pay for this；〃 roared Umbezi after him； turning almost green
with rage； for Masapo still lay upon his broad back； speechless； 〃you
who dare to insult my guest in my own house。〃
〃Somebody must pay；〃 cried back Saduko from the gate； 〃but who it is
only the unborn moons will see。〃
〃Mameena；〃 I said as I followed him； 〃you have set fire to the grass；
and men will be burned in it。〃
〃I meant to； Macumazahn；〃 she answered calmly。 〃Did I not tell you that
there was a flame in me； and it will break out sometimes？ But；
Macumazahn； it is you who have set fire to the grass； not I。 Remember
that when half Zululand is in ashes。 Farewell； O Macumazana； till we
meet again； and；〃 she added softly； 〃whoever else must burn； may the
spirits have _you_ in their keeping。〃
At the gate； remembering my manners； I turned to bid that company a
polite farewell。 By now Masapo had gained his feet； and was roaring out
like a bull：
〃Kill him！ Kill the hyena！ Umbezi； will you sit still and see me； your
guestme； Masapostruck and insulted under the shadow of your own hut？
Go forth and kill him； I say！〃
〃Why not kill him yourself； Masapo；〃 asked the agitated Umbezi； 〃or bid
your headmen kill him？ Who am I that I should take precedence of so
great a chief in a matter of the spear？〃 Then he turned towards me；
saying： 〃Oh； Macumazahn the crafty； if I have dealt well by you； come
here and give me your counsel。〃
〃I come； Eater…up…of…Elephants；〃 I answered； and I did。
〃What shall I dowhat shall I do？〃 went on Umbezi； brushing the
perspiration off his brow with one hand； while he wrung the other in his
agitation。 〃There stands a friend of mine〃he pointed to the
infuriated Masapo〃who wishes me to kill another friend of mine；〃 and
he jerked his thumb towards the kraal gate。 〃If I refuse I offend one
friend； and if I consent I bring blood upon my hands which will call for
blood； since； although Saduko is poor； without doubt he has those who
love him。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃and perhaps you will bring blood upon other parts of
yourself besides your hands； since Saduko is not one to sit still like a
sheep while his throat is cut。 Also did he not say that he is not quite
alone？ Umbezi； if you will take my advice； you will leave Masapo to do
his own killing。〃
〃It is good； it is wise！〃 exclaimed Umbezi。 〃Masapo；〃 he called to that
warrior； 〃if you wish to fight； pray do not think of me。 I see nothing；
I hear nothing； and I promise proper burial to any who fall。 Only you
had best be swift； for Saduko is walking away all this time。 Come； you
and your people have spears； and the gate stands open。〃
〃Am I to go without my meat in order to knock that hyena on the head？〃
asked Masapo in a brave voice。 〃No； he can wait my leisure。 Sit still；
my people。 I tell you； sit still。 Tell him； you Macumazahn； that I am
coming for him presently； and be warned to keep yourself away from him；
lest you should tumble into his hole。〃
〃I will tell him；〃 I answered； 〃though I know not who made me your
messenger。 But listen to me； you Speaker of big words and Doer of small
deeds； if you dare to lift a finger against me I will teach you
something about holes； for there shall be one or more through that great
carcass of yours。〃
Then； walking up to him； I looked him in the face； and at the same time
tapped the handle of the big double…barrelled pistol I carried。
He shrank back muttering something。
〃Oh； don't apologise；〃 I said； 〃only be more careful in future。 And now
I wish you a good dinner； Chief Masapo； and peace upon your kraal；
friend Umbezi。〃
After this speech I marched off； followed by the clamour of Masapo's
furious attendants and the sound of Mameena's light and mocking
laughter。
〃I wonder which of them she will marry？〃 I thought to myself； as I set
out for the wagons。
As I approached my camp I saw that the oxen were being inspanned； as I
supposed by the order of Scowl； who must have heard that there was a row
up at the kraal； and thought it well to be ready to bolt。 In this I was
mistaken； however； for just then Saduko strolled out of a patch of bush
and said：
〃I ordered your boys to yoke up the oxen； Inkoosi。〃
〃Have you？ That's cool！〃 I answered。 〃Perhaps you will tell me why。〃
〃Because we must make a good trek to the northward before night；
Inkoosi。〃
〃Indeed！ I thought that I was heading south…east。〃
〃Bangu does not live in the south or the east；〃 he replied slowly。
〃Oh； I had almost forgotten about Bangu；〃 I said； with a rather feeble
attempt at evasion。
〃Is it so？〃 he answered in his haughty voice。 〃I never knew before that
Macumazahn was a man who broke a promise to his friend。〃
〃Would you be so kind as to explain your meaning； Saduko？〃
〃Is it needful？〃 he answered； shrugging his shoulders。 〃Unless my ears
played me tricks； you agreed to go up with me against Bangu。 Well； I
have gathered the necessary menwith the king's leavethey await us
yonder；〃 and he pointed with his spear towards a dense patch of bush
that lay some miles beneath us。 〃But；〃 he added； 〃if you desire to
change your mind I will go alone。 Only then； I think； we had better bid
each other good…bye； since I love not friends who change their minds
when the assegais begin to shake。〃
Now； whether Saduko spoke thus by design I do not know。 Certainly；
however； he could have found no better way to ensure my companionship
for what it was worth； since； although I had made no actual promise in
this case； I have always prided myself on keeping even a half…bargain
with a native。
〃I will go with you；〃 I said quietly； 〃and I hope that； when it comes to
the pinch； your spear will be as sharp as your tongue； Saduko。 Only do
not speak to me again like that； lest we should quarrel。〃
As I said this I saw a look of relief appear on his face； of very great
relief。
〃I pray your pardon； my lord Macumazahn；〃 he said； seizing my hand；
〃but； oh！ there is a hole in my heart。 I think that Mameena means to
play me false； and now that has happened with yonder dog； Masapo； which
will make her father hate me。〃
〃If you will take my advice； Saduko；〃 I replied earnestly； 〃you will let
this Mameena fall out of the hole in your heart； you will forget her
name； you will have done with her。 Ask me not why。〃
〃Perhaps there is no need； O Macumazana。 Perhaps she has been making
love to you； and you have turned her away； as； being what you are； and
my friend； of course you would do。〃 （It is rather inconvenient to be
set upon such a pedestal at times； but I did not attempt to assent or to
deny anything； much less to enter into explanations。）
〃Perhaps all this has happened；〃 he continued； 〃or perhaps it is she who
has sent for Masapo the Hog。 I do not ask； because if you know you will
not tell me。 Moreover； it matters nothing。 While I have a heart；
Mameena will never drop out of it； while I can remember names； hers will
never be forgotten by me。 Moreover； I mean that she shall be my wife。
Now； I am minded to take a few men and spear this hog； Masapo； before we
go up against Bangu； for then he； at any rate； will be out of my road。〃
〃If you do anything of the sort； Saduko； you will go up against Bangu
alone； for I trek east at once； who will not be mixed up with murder。〃
〃Then let it be； Inkoosi； unless he attacks me； as my Snake send that he
may； the Hog can wait。 After all； he will only be growing a little
fatter。 Now； if it pleases you order the wagons to trek。 I will show
the road； for we must camp in that bush to…night where my people wait
me； and there I will tell you my plans； also you will find one with a
message for you。〃
CHAPTER VI
THE AMBUSH
We had reached the bush after six hours' downhill trek over a pretty bad
track made by cattleof course； there were no roads in Zululand at this
date。 I remember the place well。 It was a kind of spreading woodland
on a flat bottom； where trees of no great size grew sparsely。 Some were
mimosa thorns； others had deep green leaves and bore a kind of plum with
an acid taste and a huge stone； and others silver…coloured leaves in
their season。 A river； too； low at this time of the year； wound through
it； and in the scrub upon its banks were many guinea…fowl and other
birds。 It was a pleasing； lonely place； with lots of game in it； that
came here in the winter to eat the grass； which was lacking on the
higher veld。 Also it gave the idea of vastness； since wherever one
looked there was nothing to be seen except a sea of trees。
Well； we outspanned by the river； of which I forget the name； at a spot
that Saduko showed us； and set to work to cook our food； that consisted
of venison from a blue wildebeest； one of a herd of these wild…looking
animals which I had been fortunate enough to shoot as they whisked past
us； gambolling in and out between the trees。
While we were eating I observed that armed Zulus arrived continually in
parties of from six to a score of men； and as they arrived lifted their
spears； though whether in salutation to Saduko or to mysel