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！
looking absurd； and waited。
〃Son of Matiwane；〃 said the King； 〃I have heard all the story of how；
with a small company； you destroyed Bangu and most of the men of the
Amakoba； and ate up their cattle every one。〃
〃Your pardon； Black One；〃 interrupted Saduko。 〃I am but a boy； I did
nothing。 It was Macumazahn； Watcher…by…Night； who sits yonder。 His
wisdom taught me how to snare the Amakoba； after they were decoyed from
their mountain； and it was Tshoza； my uncle； who loosed the cattle from
the kraals。 I say that I did nothing； except to strike a blow or two
with a spear when I must； just as a baboon throws stones at those who
would steal its young。〃
〃I am glad to see that you are no boaster； Saduko；〃 said Panda。 〃Would
that more of the Zulus were like you in that matter； for then I must not
listen to so many loud songs about little things。 At least； Bangu was
killed and his proud tribe humbled； and； for reasons of state； I am glad
that this happened without my moving a regiment or being mixed up with
the business； for I tell you that there are some of my family who loved
Bangu。 But II loved your father； Matiwane； whom Bangu butchered； for
we were brought up together as boysyes； and served together in the
same regiment； the Amawombe； when the Wild One； my brother； ruled〃 （he
meant Chaka； for among the Zulus the names of dead kings are
hlonipathat is； they must not be spoken if it can be avoided）。
〃Therefore；〃 went on Panda； 〃for this reason； and for others； I am glad
that Bangu has been punished； and that； although vengeance has crawled
after him like a footsore bull； at length he has been tossed with its
horns and crushed with its knees。〃
〃Yebo； Ngonyama！〃 （Yes； O Lion！） said Saduko。
〃Now； Saduko；〃 went on Panda； 〃because you are your father's son； and
because you have shown yourself a man； although you are still little in
the land； I am minded to advance you。 Therefore I give to you the
chieftainship over those who remain of the Amakoba and over all of the
Amangwane blood whom you can gather。〃
〃Bayete！ As the King pleases；〃 said Saduko。
〃And I give you leave to become a kehlaa wearer of the
head…ringalthough； as you have said； you are still but a boy； and with
it a place upon my Council。〃
〃Bayete！ As the King pleases；〃 said Saduko； still apparently unmoved by
the honours that were being heaped upon him。
〃And； Son of Matiwane；〃 went on Panda； 〃you are still unmarried； are you
not？〃
Now； for the first time； Saduko's face changed。 〃Yes； Black One；〃 he
said hurriedly； 〃but〃
Here he caught my eye； and； reading some warning in it； was silent。
〃But；〃 repeated Panda after him； 〃doubtless you would like to be？ Well；
it is natural in a young man who wishes to found a House； and therefore
I give you leave to marry。〃
〃Yebo； Silo！〃 （Yes； O Wild Beast！） I thank the King； but〃
Here I sneezed loudly； and he ceased。
〃But；〃 repeated Panda； 〃of course； you do not know where to find a wife
between the time the hawk stoops and the rat squeaks in its claws。 How
should you who have never thought of the matter？ Also；〃 he continued；
with a smile； 〃it is well that you have not thought of it； since she
whom I shall give to you could not live in the second hut in your kraal
and call another 〃Inkosikazi〃 ＇that is； head lady or chieftainess＇。
Umbelazi； my son； go fetch her of whom we have thought as a bride for
this boy。〃
Now Umbelazi rose； and went with a broad smile upon his face； while
Panda； somewhat fatigued with all his speech…makingfor he was very fat
and the day was very hotleaned his head back against the hut and
closed his eyes。
〃O Black One！ O thou who consumeth with rage！ ＇Dhlangamandhla＇〃 broke
out Saduko； who； I could see； was much disturbed。 〃I have something to
say to you。〃
〃No doubt； no doubt；〃 answered Panda drowsily； 〃but save up your thanks
till you have seen； or you will have none left afterwards；〃 and he
snored slightly。
Now I； perceiving that Saduko was about to ruin himself； thought it well
to interfere； though what business of mine it was to do so I cannot say。
At any rate； if only I had held my tongue at this moment； and allowed
Saduko to make a fool of himself； as he wished to dofor where Mameena
was concerned he never could be wiseI verily believe that all the
history of Zululand would have run a different course； and that many
thousands of men； white and black； who are now dead would be alive
to…day。 But Fate ordered it otherwise。 Yes； it was not I who spoke；
but Fate。 The Angel of Doom used my throat as his trumpet。
Seeing that Panda dozed； I slipped behind Saduko and gripped him by the
arm。
〃Are you mad？〃 I whispered into his ear。 〃Will you throw away your
fortune； and your life also？〃
〃But Mameena；〃 he whispered back。 〃I would marry none save Mameena。〃
〃Fool！ 〃 I answered。 〃Mameena has betrayed and spat upon you。 Take
what the Heavens send you and give thanks。 Would you wear Masapo's
soiled blanket？〃
〃Macumazahn；〃 he said in a hollow voice； 〃I will follow your head； and
not my own heart。 Yet you sow a strange seed； Macumazahn； or so you may
think when you see its fruit。〃 And he gave me a wild looka look that
frightened me。
There was something in this look which caused me to reflect that I might
do well to go away and leave Saduko； Mameena； Nandie； and the rest of
them to 〃dree their weirds；〃 as the Scotch say； for； after all； what was
my finger doing in that very hot stew？ Getting burnt； I thought； and
not collecting any stew。
Yet； looking back on these events； how could I foresee what would be the
end of the madness of Saduko； of the fearful machinations of Mameena；
and of the weakness of Umbelazi when she snared him in the net of her
beauty； thus bringing about his ruin； through the hate of Saduko and the
ambition of Cetewayo？ How could I know that； at the back of all these
events； stood the old dwarf； Zikali the Wise； working night and day to
slake the enmity and fulfil the vengeance which long ago he had
conceived and planned against the royal House of Senzangakona and the
Zulu people over whom it ruled？
Yes； he stood there like a man behind a great stone upon the brow of a
mountain； slowly； remorselessly； with infinite skill； labour； and
patience； pushing that stone to the edge of the cliff； whence at length；
in the appointed hour； it would thunder down upon those who dwelt
beneath； to leave them crushed and no more a people。 How could I guess
that we； the actors in this play； were all the while helping him to push
that stone； and that he cared nothing how many of us were carried with
it into the abyss； if only we brought about the triumph of his secret；
unutterable rage and hate？
Now I see and understand all these things； as it is easy to do； but then
I was blind； nor did the Voices reach my dull ears to warn me； as； how
or why I cannot tell； they did； I believe； reach those of Zikali。
Oh； what was the sum of it？ Just this； I think； and nothing morethat；
as Saduko and the others were Mameena's tools； and as all of them and
their passions were Zikali's tools； so he himself was the tool of some
unseen Power that used him and us to accomplish its design。 Which； I
suppose； is fatalism； or； in other words； all these things happened
because they must happen。 A poor conclusion to reach after so much
thought and striving； and not complimentary to man and his boasted
powers of free will； still； one to which many of us are often driven；
especially if we have lived among savages； where such dramas work
themselves out openly and swiftly； unhidden from our eyes by the veils
and subterfuges of civilisation。 At least； there is this comfort about
itthat； if we are but feathers blown by the wind； how can the
individual feather be blamed because it did not travel against； turn or
keep back the wind？
Well； let me return from these speculations to the history of the facts
that caused them。
Just asa little too lateI had made up my mind that I would go after
my own business； and leave Saduko to manage his； through the fence
gateway appeared the great； tall Umbelazi leading by the hand a woman。
As I saw in a moment； it did not need certain bangles of copper；
ornaments of ivory and of very rare pink beads； called infibinga； which
only those of the royal House were permitted to wear； to proclaim her a
person of rank； for dignity and high blood were apparent in her face；
her carriage； her gestures； and all that had to do with her。
Nandie the Sweet was not a great beauty； as was Mameena； although her
figure was fine； and her stature like that of all the race of
Senzangakonaconsiderably above the average。 To begin with； she was
darker in hue； and her lips were rather thick； as was her nose； nor were
her eyes large and liquid like those of an antelope。 Further； she
lacked the informing mystery of Mameena's face； that at times was broken
and ＇it up by flashes of alluring light and quick； sympathetic
perception； as a heavy evening sky； that seems to join the dim earth to
the dimmer heavens； is illuminated by pulsings of fire； soft and
many…hued； suggesting； but not revealing； the strength and splendour
that it veils。