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！
asked； and sat down； whereon Nandie became suddenly silent。
This； however； did not trouble Mameena； who talked away about anything
and everything； completely ignoring the head…wife。 For a while Nandie
bore it with patience； but at length she took advantage of a pause in
the conversation to say in her firm； low voice：
〃This is my hut； daughter of Umbezi； a thing which you remember well
enough when it is a question whether Saduko； our husband； shall visit
you or me。 Can you not remember it now when I would speak with the
white chief； Watcher…by…Night； who has been so good as to take the
trouble to come to see me？〃
On hearing these words Mameena leapt up in a rage； and I must say I
never saw her look more lovely。
〃You insult me； daughter of Panda； as you always try to do； because you
are jealous of me。〃
〃Your pardon； sister；〃 replied Nandie。 〃Why should I； who am Saduko's
Inkosikazi； and； as you say； daughter of Panda； the King； be jealous of
the widow of the wizard； Masapo； and the daughter of the headman；
Umbezi； whom it has pleased our husband to take into his house to be the
companion of his leisure？〃
〃Why？ Because you know that Saduko loves my little finger more than he
does your whole body； although you are of the King's blood and have
borne him brats；〃 she answered； looking at the infant with no kindly
eye。
〃It may be so； daughter of Umbezi； for men have their fancies； and
without doubt you are fair。 Yet I would ask you one thingif Saduko
loves you so much； how comes it he trusts you so little that you must
learn any matter of weight by listening at my door； as I found you doing
the other day？〃
〃Because you teach him not to do so； O Nandie。 Because you are ever
telling him not to consult with me； since she who has betrayed one
husband may betray another。 Because you make him believe my place is
that of his toy； not that of his companion； and this although I am
cleverer than you and all your House tied into one bundle； as you may
find out some day。〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Nandie； quite undisturbed； 〃I do teach him these things；
and I am glad that in this matter Saduko has a thinking head and listens
to me。 Also I agree that it is likely I shall learn many more ill
things through and of you one day； daughter of Umbezi。 And now； as it
is not good that we should wrangle before this white lord； again I say
to you that this is my hut； in which I wish to speak alone with my
guest。〃
〃I go； I go！〃 gasped Mameena； 〃but I tell you that Saduko shall hear of
this。〃
〃Certainly he will hear of it； for I shall tell him when he comes
to…night。〃
Another instant and Mameena was gone； having shot out of the hut like a
rabbit from its burrow。
〃I ask your pardon； Macumazahn； for what has happened；〃 said Nandie；
〃but it had become necessary that I should teach my sister； Mameena；
upon which stool she ought to sit。 I do not trust her； Macumazahn。 I
think that she knows more of the death of my child than she chooses to
say； she who wished to be rid of Masapo for a reason you can guess。 I
think also she will bring shame and trouble upon Saduko； whom she has
bewitched with her beauty； as she bewitches all menperhaps even
yourself a little； Macumazahn。 And now let us talk of other matters。〃
To this proposition I agreed cordially； since； to tell the truth； if I
could have managed to do so with any decent grace； I should have been
out of that hut long before Mameena。 So we fell to conversing on the
condition of Zululand and the dangers that lay ahead for all who were
connected with the royal Housea state of affairs which troubled Nandie
much； for she was a clear…headed woman； and one who feared the future。
〃Ah！ Macumazahn；〃 she said to me as we parted； 〃I would that I were the
wife of some man who did not desire to grow great； and that no royal
blood ran in my veins。〃
On the next day the Prince Umbelazi arrived； and with him Saduko and a
few other notable men。 They came quite quietly and without any
ostensible escort； although Scowl； my servant； told me he heard that the
bush at a little distance was swarming with soldiers of the Isigqosa
party。 If I remember rightly； the excuse for the visit was that Umbezi
had some of a certain rare breed of white cattle whereof the prince
wished to secure young bulls and heifers to improve his herd。
Once inside the kraal； however； Umbelazi； who was a very open…natured
man； threw off all pretence； and； after greeting me heartily enough；
told me with plainness that he was there because this was a convenient
spot on which to arrange the consolidation of his party。
Almost every hour during the next two weeks messengersmany of whom
were chiefs disguisedcame and went。 I should have liked to follow
their examplethat is； so far as their departure was concernedfor I
felt that I was being drawn into a very dangerous vortex。 But； as a
matter of fact； I could not escape； since I was obliged to wait to
receive payment for my stuff； which； as usual； was made in cattle。
Umbelazi talked with me a good deal at that time； impressing upon me how
friendly he was towards the English white men of Natal； as distinguished
from the Boers； and what good treatment he was prepared to promise to
them； should he ever attain to authority in Zululand。 It was during one
of the earliest of these conversations； which； of course； I saw had an
ultimate object； that he met Mameena； I think； for the first time。
We were walking together in a little natural glade of the bush that
bordered one side of the kraal； when； at the end of it； looking like
some wood nymph of classic fable in the light of the setting sun；
appeared the lovely Mameena； clothed only in her girdle of fur； her
necklace of blue beads and some copper ornaments； and carrying upon her
head a gourd。
Umbelazi noted her at once； and； ceasing his political talk； of which he
was obviously tired； asked me who that beautiful intombi （that is； girl）
might be。
She is not an intombi； Prince；〃 I answered。 〃She is a widow who is
again a wife； the second wife of your friend and councillor； Saduko； and
the daughter of your host； Umbezi。〃
〃Is it so； Macumazahn？ Oh； then I have heard of her； though； as it
chances； I have never met her before。 No wonder that my sister Nandie
is jealous； for she is beautiful indeed。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃she looks pretty against the red sky； does she not？〃
By now we were drawing near to Mameena； and I greeted her； asking if she
wanted anything。
〃Nothing； Macumazahn；〃 she answered in her delicate； modest way； for
never did I know anyone who could seem quite so modest as Mameena； and
with a swift glance of her shy eyes at the tall and splendid Umbelazi；
〃nothing。 Only；〃 she added； 〃I was passing with the milk of one of the
few cows my father gave me； and saw you； and I thought that perhaps； as
the day has been so hot； you might like a drink of it。〃
Then； lifting the gourd from her head； she held it out to me。
I thanked her； drank somewho could do less？and returned it to her；
whereon she made as though she would hasten to depart。
〃May I not drink also； daughter of Umbezi？〃 asked Umbelazi； who could
scarcely take his eyes off her。
〃Certainly； sir； if you are a friend of Macumazahn；〃 she replied；
handing him the gourd。
〃I am that； Lady； and more than that； since I am a friend of your
husband； Saduko； also； as you will know when I tell you that my name is
Umbelazi。〃
〃I thought it must be so；〃 she replied； 〃because of yourof your
stature。 Let the Prince accept the offering of his servant； who one day
hopes to be his subject；〃 and； dropping upon her knee； she held out the
gourd to him。 Over it I saw their eyes meet。 He drank； and as he
handed back the vessel she said：
〃O Prince； may I be granted a word with you？ I have that to tell which
you would perhaps do well to hear； since news sometimes reaches the ears
of humble women that escapes those of the men； our masters。〃
He bowed his head in assent； whereon； taking a hint which Mameena gave
me with her eyes； I muttered something about business and made myself
scarce。 I may add that Mameena must have had a great deal to tell
Umbelazi。 Fully an hour and a half had gone by before； by the light of
the moon； from a point of vantage on my wagon…box； whence； according to
my custom； I was keeping a lookout on things in general； I saw her slip
back to the kraal silently as a snake； followed at a little distance by
the towering form of Umbelazi。
Apparently Mameena continued to be the recipient of information which
she found it necessary to communicate in private to the prince。 At any
rate； on sundry subsequent evenings the dullness of my vigil on the
wagon…box was relieved by the sight of her graceful figure gliding home
from the kloof that Umbelazi seemed to find a very suitable spot for
reflection after sunset。 On one of the last of these occasions I
remember that Nandie chanced to be with me； having come to my wagon for
some medicine for her baby。
〃What does it mean； Macumazahn？〃 she asked； when the pair had gone by；
as they thought unobserved； since we were standing where they could not
see us。
〃I don't know； and