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outside。
〃Nothing at all； friend；〃 I answered with a sweet smile； 〃except that
your wife wants to see you at once。 She is in pain； and wishes you to
soothe her。 Go in； do not hesitate。〃
After a moment's pause he went inthat is； half of him went in。 Then
came a fearful crash； and he emerged again with the rim of a pot about
his neck and his countenance veiled in a coating of what I took to be
honey。
〃Where is Mameena？〃 I asked him as he sat up spluttering。
〃Where I wish I was；〃 he answered in a thick voice； 〃at a kraal five
hours' journey away。〃
Well； that was the first I heard of Mameena。
That night as I sat smoking my pipe under the flap lean…to attached to
the wagon； laughing to myself over the adventure of 〃the Old Cow；〃
falsely described as 〃worn out；〃 and wondering whether Umbezi had got
the honey out of his hair； the canvas was lifted； and a Kafir wrapped in
a kaross crept in and squatted before me。
〃Who are you？〃 I asked； for it was too dark to see the man's face。
〃Inkoosi；〃 answered a deep voice； 〃I am Saduko。〃
〃You are welcome；〃 I answered； handing him a little gourd of snuff in
token of hospitality。 Then I waited while he poured some of the snuff
into the palm of his hand and took it in the usual fashion。
〃Inkoosi；〃 he said； when he had scraped away the tears produced by the
snuff； 〃I have come to ask you a favour。 You heard Umbezi say to…day
that he will not give me his daughter； Mameena； unless I give him a
hundred head of cows。 Now； I have not got the cattle； and I cannot earn
them by work in many years。 Therefore I must take them from a certain
tribe I know which is at war with the Zulus。 But this I cannot do
unless I have a gun。 If I had a good gun； Inkoosione that only goes
off when it is asked； and not of its own fancy； I who have some name
could persuade a number of men whom I know； who once were servants of my
father； or their sons； to be my companions in this venture。〃
〃Do I understand that you wish me to give you one of my good guns with
two mouths to it （i。e。 double…barrelled）； a gun worth at least twelve
oxen； for nothing； O Saduko？〃 I asked in a cold and scandalised voice。
〃Not so； O Watcher…by…Night；〃 he answered； 〃not so； O
He…who…sleeps…with…one…eye…open〃 （another free and difficult rendering
of my native name； Macumazahn； or more correctly； Macumazana）〃I should
never dream of offering such an insult to your high…born intelligence。〃
He paused and took another pinch of snuff； then went on in a meditative
voice： 〃Where I propose to get those hundred cattle there are many more；
I am told not less than a thousand head in all。 Now； Inkoosi；〃 he
added； looking at me sideways； 〃suppose you gave me the gun I ask for；
and suppose you accompanied me with your own gun and your armed hunters；
it would be fair that you should have half the cattle； would it not？〃
〃That's cool；〃 I said。 〃So； young man； you want to turn me into a
cow…thief and get my throat cut by Panda for breaking the peace of his
country？〃
〃Neither； Macumazahn； for these are my own cattle。 Listen； now； and I
will tell you a story。 You have heard of Matiwane； the chief of the
Amangwane？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered。 〃His tribe lived near the head of the Umzinyati； did
they not？ Then they were beaten by the Boers or the English； and
Matiwane came under the Zulus。 But afterwards Dingaan wiped him out；
with his House； and now his people are killed or scattered。〃
〃Yes； his people are killed and scattered； but his House still lives。
Macumazahn； I am his House； I； the only son of his chief wife； for
Zikali the Wise Little One； the Ancient； who is of the Amangwane blood；
and who hated Chaka and Dingaanyes； and Senzangakona their father
before them； but whom none of them could kill because he is so great and
has such mighty spirits for his servants； saved and sheltered me。〃
〃If he is so great； why； then； did he not save your father also；
Saduko？〃 I asked； as though I knew nothing of this Zikali。
〃I cannot say； Macumazahn。 Perhaps the spirits plant a tree for
themselves； and to do so cut down many other trees。 At least； so it
happened。 It happened thus： Bangu； chief of the Amakoba； whispered into
Dingaan's ear that Matiwane； my father； was a wizard； also that he was
very rich。 Dingaan listened because he thought a sickness that he had
came from Matiwane's witchcraft。 He said： 'Go； Bangu； and take a
company with you and pay Matiwane a visit of honour； and in the night； O
in the night！ Afterwards； Bangu； we will divide the cattle； for
Matiwane is strong and clever； and you shall not risk your life for
nothing。'〃
Saduko paused and looked down at the ground； brooding heavily。
〃Macumazahn； it was done；〃 he said presently。 〃They ate my father's
meat； they drank his beer； they gave him a present from the king； they
praised him with high names； yes； Bangu took snuff with him and called
him brother。 Then in the night； O in the night！
〃My father was in the hut with my mother； and I； so big only〃and he
held his hand at the height of a boy of ten〃was with them。 The cry
arose； the flames began to eat； my father looked out and saw。 'Break
through the fence and away； woman；' he said； 'away with Saduko； that he
may live to avenge me。 Begone while I hold the gate！ Begone to Zikali；
for whose witchcrafts I pay with my blood。'
〃Then he kissed me on the brow； saying but one word； 'Remember；' and
thrust us from the hut。
〃My mother broke a way through the fence； yes； she tore at it with her
nails and teeth like a hyena。 I looked back out of the shadow of the
hut and saw Matiwane my father fighting like a buffalo。 Men went down
before him； one； two； three； although he had no shield： only his spear。
Then Bangu crept behind him and stabbed him in the back and he threw up
his arms and fell。 I saw no more； for by now we were through the fence。
We ran； but they perceived us。 They hunted us as wild dogs hunt a
buck。 They killed my mother with a throwing assegai； it entered at her
back and came out at her heart。 I went mad； I drew it from her body； I
ran at them。 I dived beneath the shield of the first； a very tall man；
and held the spear； so； in both my little hands。 His weight came upon
its point and it went through him as though he were but a bowl of
buttermilk。 Yes； he rolled over； quite dead； and the handle of the
spear broke upon the ground。 Now the others stopped astonished； for
never had they seen such a thing。 That a child should kill a tall
warrior； oh！ that tale had not been told。 Some of them would have let
me go； but just then Bangu came up and saw the dead man； who was his
brother。
〃'Wow！' he said when he knew how the man had died。 'This lion's cub is
a wizard also； for how else could he have killed a soldier who has known
war？ Hold out his arms that I may finish him slowly。'
〃So two of them held out my arms； and Bangu came up with his spear。〃
Saduko ceased speaking； not that his tale was done； but because his
voice choked in his throat。 Indeed； seldom have I seen a man so moved。
He breathed in great gasps； the sweat poured from him； and his muscles
worked convulsively。 I gave him a pannikin of water and he drank； then
he went on：
〃Already the spear had begun to pricklook； here is the mark of
it〃and opening his kaross he pointed to a little white line just below
the breast…bone〃when a strange shadow thrown by the fire of the
burning huts came between Bangu and me； a shadow as that of a toad
standing on its hind legs。 I looked round and saw that it was the
shadow of Zikali； whom I had seen once or twice。 There he stood； though
whence he came I know not； wagging his great white head that sits on the
top of his body like a pumpkin on an ant…heap； rolling his big eyes and
laughing loudly。
〃'A merry sight；' he cried in his deep voice that sounded like water in
a hollow cave。 'A merry sight； O Bangu； Chief of the Amakoba！ Blood；
blood； plenty of blood！ Fire； fire； plenty of fire！ Wizards dead here；
there； and everywhere！ Oh； a merry sight！ I have seen many such； one
at the kraal of your grandmother； for instanceyour grandmother the
great Inkosikazi； when myself I escaped with my life because I was so
old； but never do I remember a merrier than that which this moon shines
on；' and he pointed to the White Lady who just then broke through the
clouds。 'But； great Chief Bangu； lord loved by the son of Senzangakona；
brother of the Black One （Chaka） who has ridden hence on the assegai；
what is the meaning of _this_ play？' and he pointed to me and to the two
soldiers who held out my little arms。
〃'I kill the wizard's cub； Zikali； that is all；' answered Bangu。
〃'I see； I see；' laughed Zikali。 'A gallant deed！ You have butchered
the father and the mother； and now you would butcher the child who has
slain one of your grown warriors in fair fight。 A very gallant deed；
well worthy of the chief of the Amakoba！ Well； loose his spiritonly'
He stopped and took a pinch of snuff from a box which he drew from a
slit in the lobe of his great ear。
〃'Only what？' asked Bangu； hesitating。
〃'Only I wonder； Bangu； what you will think of the world in which you
will