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white man。 Yes； yes； my friend； I should have been in some such place
as yours to…day； and that is the last thing that I wish。 And now；
Umbezi； you have had quite enough 'squareface；' so I will take the
bottle away with me。 Good…night。〃
On the following morning I trekked very early from Umbezi's
kraalbefore he was up indeed； for the 〃squareface〃 made him sleep
sound。 My destination was Nodwengu； Panda's Great Place； where I hoped
to do some trading； but； as I was in no particular hurry； my plan was to
go round by Masapo's； and see for myself how it fared between him and
Mameena。 Indeed； I reached the borders of the Amasomi territory；
whereof Masapo was chief； by evening； and camped there。 But with the
night came reflection； and reflection told me that I should do well to
keep clear of Mameena and her domestic complications； if she had any。
So I changed my mind； and next morning trekked on to Nodwengu by the
only route that my guides reported to be practicable； one which took me
a long way round。
That day； owing to the roughness of the roadif road it could be
calledand an accident to one of the wagons； we only covered about
fifteen miles； and as night fell were obliged to outspan at the first
spot where we could find water。 When the oxen had been unyoked I looked
about me； and saw that we were in a place that； although I had
approached it from a somewhat different direction； I recognised at once
as the mouth of the Black Kloof； in which； over a year before； I had
interviewed Zikali the Little and Wise。 There was no mistaking the
spot； that blasted valley； with the piled…up columns of boulders and the
overhanging cliff at the end of it； have； so far as I am aware； no exact
counterparts in Africa。
I sat upon the box of the first wagon； eating my food； which consisted
of some biltong and biscuit； for I had not bothered to shoot any game
that day； which was very hot； and wondering whether Zikali were still
alive； also whether I should take the trouble to walk up the kloof and
find out。 On the whole I thought that I would not； as the place
repelled me； and I did not particularly wish to hear any more of his
prophecies and fierce； ill…omened talk。 So I just sat there studying
the wonderful effect of the red evening light pouring up between those
walls of fantastic rocks。
Presently I perceived； far away； a single human figurewhether it were
man or woman I could not tellwalking towards me along the path which
ran at the bottom of the cleft。 In those gigantic surroundings it
looked extraordinarily small and lonely； although perhaps because of the
intense red light in which it was bathed； or perhaps just because it was
human； a living thing in the midst of all that still； inanimate
grandeur； it caught and focused my attention。 I grew greatly interested
in it； I wondered if it were that of man or woman； and what it was doing
here in this haunted valley。
The figure drew nearer； and now I saw it was slender and tall； like that
of a lad or of a well…grown woman； but to which sex it belonged I could
not see； because it was draped in a cloak of beautiful grey fur。 Just
then Scowl came to the other side of the wagon to speak to me about
something； which took off my attention for the next two minutes。 When I
looked round again it was to see the figure standing within three yards
of me； its face hidden by a kind of hood which was attached to the fur
cloak。
〃Who are you； and what is your business？〃 I asked； whereon a gentle
voice answered：
〃Do you not know me； O Macumazana？〃
〃How can I know one who is tied up like a gourd in a mat？ Yet is it
notis it not〃
〃Yes； it is Mameena； and I am very pleased that you should remember my
voice； Macumazahn； after we have been separated for such a long； long
time；〃 and； with a sudden movement； she threw back the kaross； hood and
all； revealing herself in all her strange beauty。
I jumped down off the wagon…box and took her hand。
〃O Macumazana；〃 she said； while I still held itor； to be accurate；
while she still held mine〃indeed my heart is glad to see a friend
again；〃 and she looked at me with her appealing eyes； which； in the red
light； I could see appeared to float in tears。
〃A friend； Mameena！ 〃 I exclaimed。 〃Why； now you are so rich； and the
wife of a big chief； you must have plenty of friends。〃
〃Alas！ Macumazahn； I am rich in nothing except trouble； for my husband
saves； like the ants for winter。 Why； he even grudged me this poor
kaross； and as for friends； he is so jealous that he will not allow me
any。〃
〃He cannot be jealous of women； Mameena！〃
〃Oh； women！ Piff！ I do not care for women； they are very unkind to me；
becausebecausewell； perhaps you can guess why； Macumazahn；〃 she
answered； glancing at her own reflection in a little travelling
looking…glass that hung from the woodwork of the wagon； for I had been
using it to brush my hair； and smiled very sweetly。
〃At least you have your husband； Mameena； and I thought that perhaps by
this time〃
She held up her hand。
〃My husband！ Oh； I would that I had him not； for I hate him；
Macumazahn； and as for the restnever！ The truth is that I never cared
for any man except one whose name _you_ may chance to remember；
Macumazahn。〃
〃I suppose you mean Saduko〃 I began。
〃Tell me； Macumazahn；〃 she inquired innocently； 〃are white people very
stupid？ I ask because you do not seem as clever as you used to be。 Or
have you perhaps a bad memory？〃
Now I felt myself turning red as the sky behind me； and broke in
hurriedly：
〃If you did not like your husband； Mameena； you should not have married
him。 You know you need not unless you wished。〃
〃When one has only two thorn bushes to sit on； Macumazahn； one chooses
that which seems to have the fewest prickles； to discover sometimes that
they are still there in hundreds； although one did not see them。 You
know that at length everyone gets tired of standing。〃
〃Is that why you have taken to walking； Mameena？ I mean； what are you
doing here alone？〃
〃I？ Oh； I heard that you were passing this way； and came to have a talk
with you。 No； from you I cannot hide even the least bit of the truth。
I came to talk with you； but also I came to see Zikali and ask him what
a wife should do who hates her husband。〃
〃Indeed！ And what did he answer you？〃
〃He answered that he thought she had better run away with another man；
if there were one whom she did not hateout of Zululand； of course；〃
she replied； looking first at me and then at my wagon and the two horses
that were tied to it。
〃Is that all he said； Mameena？〃
〃No。 Have I not told you that I cannot hide one grain of the truth from
you？ He added that the only other thing to be done was to sit still and
drink my sour milk； pretending that it is sweet； until my Spirit gives
me a new cow。 He seemed to think that my Spirit would be bountiful in
the matter of new cowsone day。〃
〃Anything more？〃 I inquired。
〃One little thing。 Have I not told you that you shall have allall the
truth？ Zikali seemed to think also that at last every one of my herd of
cows； old and new； would come to a bad end。 He did not tell me to what
end。〃
She turned her head aside； and when she looked up again I saw that she
was weeping； really weeping this time； not just making her eyes swim； as
she did before。
〃Of course they will come to a bad end； Macumazahn；〃 she went on in a
soft； thick voice； 〃for I and all with whom I have to do were 'torn out
of the reeds' ＇i。e。 created＇ that way。 And that's why I won't tempt you
to run away with me any more； as I meant to do when I saw you； because
it is true； Macumazahn you are the only man I ever liked or ever shall
like； and you know I could make you run away with me if I chose；
although I am black and you are whiteoh； yes； before to…morrow
morning。 But I won't do it； for why should I catch you in my unlucky
web and bring you into all sorts of trouble among my people and your
own？ Go you your road； Macumazahn； and I will go mine as the wind blows
me。 And now give me a cup of water and let me be awaya cup of water；
no more。 Oh； do not be afraid for me； or melt too much； lest I should
melt also。 I have an escort waiting over yonder hill。 There； thank you
for your water； Macumazahn； and good night。 Doubtless we shall meet
again ere long； and I forgot； the Little Wise One said he would like
to have a talk with you。 Good night； Macumazahn； good night。 I trust
that you did a profitable trade with Umbezi my father and Masapo my
husband。 I wonder why such men as these should have been chosen to be
my father and my husband。 Think it over； Macumazahn； and tell me when
next we meet。 Give me that pretty mirror； Macumazahn； when I look in it
I shall see you as well as myself； and that will please meyou don't
know how much。 I thank you。 Good night。〃
In another minute I was watching her solitary little figure； now wrapped
again in the hooded kaross； as it vanished over the brow of the rise
behind us； and really； as she went； I felt a lump rising in my throat。
Notwithstanding all her wickednessand I suppose she was wickedthere
was something horribly attractive ab