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〃Would you also stick your claws into me； cat？〃 shouted Umbezi； catching
the old woman a savage cut across the back with the light dancing…stick
which he still held in his hand； whereon she fled away screeching and
cursing him。
〃Oh； Saduko；〃 he went on； 〃let not your ears be poisoned by these
falsehoods。 Mameena never said anything of the sort； or if she did it
was not to me。 Well； the moment that my daughter had consented to take
Masapo as her husband his people drove a hundred and twenty of the most
beautiful cattle over the hill； and would you have had me refuse them；
Saduko？ I am sure that when you have seen them you will say that I was
quite right to accept such a splendid lobola in return for one
sharp…tongued girl。 Remember； Saduko； that although you had promised a
hundred head； that is less by twenty； at the time you did not own one；
and where you were to get them from I could not guess。 Moreover；〃 he
added with a last； desperate； imaginative effort； for I think he saw
that his arguments were making no impression； 〃some strangers who called
here told me that both you and Macumazahn had been killed by certain
evil…doers in the mountains。 There； I have spoken； and； Saduko； if you
now have cattle； why； on my part； I have another daughter； not quite so
good…looking perhaps； but a much better worker in the field。 Come and
drink a sup of beer； and I will send for her。〃
〃Stop talking about your other daughter and your beer and listen to me；〃
replied Saduko； looking at the assegai which he had thrown to the ground
so ominously that I set my foot on it。 〃I am now a greater chief than
the boar Masapo。 Has Masapo such a bodyguard as these
Eaters…up…of…Enemies？〃 and he jerked his thumb backwards towards the
serried lines of fierce…faced Amangwane who stood listening behind us。
〃Has Masapo as many cattle as I have； whereof those which you see are
but a tithe brought as a lobola gift to the father of her who had been
promised to me as wife？ Is Masapo Panda's friend？ I think that I have
heard otherwise。 Has Masapo just conquered a countless tribe by his
courage and his wit？ Is Masapo young and of high blood； or is he but an
old； low…born boar of the mountains？
〃You do not answer； Umbezi； and perhaps you do well to be silent。 Now
listen again。 Were it not for Macumazahn here； whom I do not desire to
mix up with my quarrels； I would bid my men take you and beat you to
death with the handles of their spears； and then go on and serve the
Boar in the same fashion in his mountain sty。 As it is； these things
must wait a little while； especially as I have other matters to attend
to first。 Yet the day is not far off when I will attend to them also。
Therefore my counsel to you； Cheat； is to make haste to die or to find
courage to fall upon a spear； unless you would learn how it feels to be
brayed with sticks like a green hide until none can know that you were
once a man。 Send now and tell my words to Masapo the Boar。 And to
Mameena say that soon I will come to take her with spears and not with
cattle。 Do you understand？ Oh！ I see that you do； since already you
weep with fear like a woman。 Then farewell to you till that day when I
return with the sticks； O Umbezi the cheat and the liar； Umbezi；
'Eater…up…of…Elephants；'〃 and turning； Saduko stalked away。
I was about to follow in a great hurry； having had enough of this very
unpleasant scene； when poor old Umbezi sprang at me and clasped me by
the arm。
〃O Macumazana；〃 he exclaimed； weeping in his terror； 〃O Macumazana； if
ever I have been a friend to you； help me out of this deep pit into
which I have fallen through the tricks of that monkey of a daughter of
mine； who I think is a witch born to bring trouble upon men。
Macumazahn； if she had been your daughter and a powerful chief had
appeared with a hundred and twenty head of such beautiful cattle； you
would have given her to him； would you not； although he is of mixed
blood and not very young； especially as she did not mind who only cares
for place and wealth？〃
〃I think not；〃 I answered； 〃but then it is not our custom to sell women
in that fashion。〃
〃No； no； I forgot； in this as in other matters you white men are mad
and； Macumazahn； to tell you the truth； I believe it is you she really
cares for； she said as much to me once or twice。 Well； why did you not
take her away when I was not looking？ We could have settled matters
afterwards； and I should have been free of her witcheries and not up to
my neck in this hole as I am now。〃
〃Because some people don't do that kind of thing； Umbezi。〃
〃No； no； I forgot。 Oh！ why can I not remember that you are _quite_ mad
and therefore that it must not be expected of you to act as though you
were sane。 Well； at least you are that tiger Saduko's friend； which
again shows that you must be very mad； for most people would sooner try
to milk a cow buffalo than walk hand in hand with him。 Don't you see；
Macumazahn； that he means to kill me； Macumazahn； to bray me like a
green hide？ Ugh！ to beat me to death with sticks。 Ugh！ And what is
more； that unless you prevent him； he will certainly do it； perhaps
to…morrow or the next day。 Ugh！ Ugh！ Ugh！〃
〃Yes； I see； Umbezi； and I think that he _will_ do it。 But what I do
not see is how I am to prevent him。 Remember that you let Mameena grow
into his heart and behaved badly to him； Umbezi。〃
〃I never promised her to him； Macumazahn。 I only said that if he
brought a hundred cattle； then I might promise。〃
〃Well； he has wiped out the Amakoba； the enemies of his House； and there
are the hundred cattle whereof he has many more； and now it is too late
for you to keep your share of the bargain。 So I think you must make
yourself as comfortable as you can in the hole that your hands dug；
Umbezi； which I would not share for all the cattle in Zululand。〃
〃Truly you are not one from whom to seek comfort in the hour of
distress；〃 groaned poor Umbezi； then added； brightening up： 〃But perhaps
Panda will kill him because he has wiped out Bangu in a time of peace。
Oh Macumazahn； can you not persuade Panda to kill him？ If so； I now
have more cattle than I really want〃
〃Impossible；〃 I answered。 〃Panda is his friend； and between ourselves I
may tell you that he ate up the Amakoba by his especial wish。 When the
King hears of it he will call to Saduko to sit in his shadow and make
him great； one of his councillors； probably with power of life and death
over little people like you and Masapo。〃
〃Then it is finished；〃 said Umbezi faintly； 〃and I will try to die like
a man。 But to be brayed like a hide！ And with thin sticks！ Oh！〃 he
added； grinding his teeth； 〃if only I can get hold of Mameena I will not
leave much of that pretty hair of hers upon her head。 I will tie her
hands and shut her up with the 'Old Cow；' who loves her as a meer…cat
loves a mouse。 No； I will kill her。 Theredo you hear； Macumazahn；
unless you do something to help me； I will kill Mameena； and you won't
like that； for I am sure she is dear to you； although you were not man
enough to run away with her as she wished。〃
〃If you touch Mameena；〃 I said； 〃be certain； my friend； that Saduko's
sticks and your skin will not be far apart； for I will report you to
Panda myself as an unnatural evil…doer。 Now hearken to me； you old
fool。 Saduko is so fond of your daughter； on this point being mad； as
you say I am； that if only he could get her I think he might overlook
the fact of her having been married before。 What you have to do is to
try to buy her back from Masapo。 Mind you； I say buy her backnot get
her by bloodshedwhich you might do by persuading Masapo to put her
away。 Then； if he knew that you were trying to do this； I think that
Saduko might leave his sticks uncut for a while。〃
〃I will try。 I will indeed； Macumazahn。 I will try very hard。 It is
true Masapo is an obstinate pig； still； if he knows that his own life is
at stake； he might give way。 Moreover； when she learns that Saduko has
grown rich and great； Mameena might help me。 Oh； I thank you；
Macumazahn； you are indeed the prop of my hut； and it and all in it are
yours。 Farewell； farewell； Macumazahn； if you must go。 But whywhy
did you not run away with Mameena； and save me all this fear and
trouble？〃
So I and that old humbug； Umbezi； 〃Eater…up…of…Elephants；〃 parted for a
while； and never did I know him in a more chastened frame of mind；
except once； as I shall tell。
CHAPTER VIII
THE KING'S DAUGHTER
When I got back to my wagons after this semi…tragical interview with
that bombastic and self…seeking old windbag； Umbezi； it was to find that
Saduko and his warriors had already marched for the King's kraal；
Nodwengu。 A message awaited me； however； to the effect that it was
hoped that I would follow； in order to make report of the affair of the
destruction of the Amakoba。 This； after reflection； I determined to do；
really； I think； because of the intense human interest of the whole
business。 I wanted to see how it would work out。
Also； in a way； I read Saduko's mind and understood that at the moment
he did not wish to discuss the matter