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looked even thinner than I used to be。
Only of Saduko； who was watching her with his intent and melancholy
eyes； she took no heed whatsoever。 Indeed； for a while I thought that
she could not have seen him。 Nor did she appear to recognise Cetewayo；
although he stared at her hard enough。 But； as her glance fell upon the
two executioners； I thought I saw her shudder like a shaken reed。 Then
she sat down in the place appointed to her； and the trial began。
The case of Saduko was taken first。 An officer learned in Zulu
lawwhich I can assure the reader is a very intricate and
well…established lawI suppose that he might be called a kind of
attorney…general； rose and stated the case against the prisoner。 He
told how Saduko； from a nobody； had been lifted to a great place by the
King and given his daughter； the Princess Nandie； in marriage。 Then he
alleged that； as would be proved in evidence； the said Saduko had urged
on Umbelazi the Prince； to whose party he had attached himself； to make
war upon Cetewayo。 This war having begun； at the great battle of
Endondakusuka； he had treacherously deserted Umbelazi； together with
three regiments under his command； and gone over to Cetewayo； thereby
bringing Umbelazi to defeat and death。
This brief statement of the case for the prosecution being finished；
Panda asked Saduko whether he pleaded guilty or not guilty。
〃Guilty； O King；〃 he answered； and was silent。
Then Panda asked him if he had anything to say in excuse of his conduct。
〃Nothing； O King； except that I was Umbelazi's man； and when you； O
King； had given the word that he and the Prince yonder might fight； I；
like many others； some of whom are dead and some alive； worked for him
with all my ten fingers that he might have the victory。〃
〃Then why did you desert my son the Prince in the battle？〃 asked Panda。
〃Because I saw that the Prince Cetewayo was the stronger bull and wished
to be on the winning side； as all men dofor no other reason；〃 answered
Saduko calmly。
Now； everyone present stared； not excepting Cetewayo。 Panda； who； like
the rest of us； had heard a very different tale； looked extremely
puzzled； while Zikali； in his corner； set up one of his great laughs。
After a long pause； at length the King； as supreme judge； began to pass
sentence。 At least； I suppose that was his intention； but before three
words had left his lips Nandie rose and said：
〃My Father； ere you speak that which cannot be unspoken； hear me。 It is
well known that Saduko； my husband； was my brother Umbelazi's general
and councillor； and if he is to be killed for clinging to the Prince；
then I should be killed also； and countless others in Zululand who still
remain alive because they were not in or escaped the battle。 It is well
known also； my Father； that during that battle Saduko went over to my
brother Cetewayo； though whether this brought about the defeat of
Umbelazi I cannot say。 Why did he go over？ He tells you because he
wished to be on the winning side。 It is not true。 He went over in
order to be revenged upon Umbelazi； who had taken from him yonder
witch〃and she pointed with her finger at Mameena〃yonder witch； whom
he loved and still loves； and whom even now he would shield； even though
to do so he must make his own name shameful。 Saduko sinned； I do not
deny it； my Father； but there sits the real traitress； red with the
blood of Umbelazi and with that of thousands of others who have
'_tshonile'd_' ＇gone down to keep him company among the ghosts＇。
Therefore； O King； I beseech you； spare the life of Saduko； my husband；
or； if he must die； learn that I； your daughter； will die with him。 I
have spoken； O King。〃
And very proudly and quietly she sat herself down again； waiting for the
fateful words。
But those words were not spoken； since Panda only said： 〃Let us try the
case of this woman； Mameena。〃
Thereon the law officer rose again and set out the charges against
Mameena； namely； that it was she who had poisoned Saduko's child； and
not Masapo； that； after marrying Saduko； she had deserted him and gone
to live with the Prince Umbelazi； and that finally she had bewitched the
said Umbelazi and caused him to make civil war in the land。
〃The second charge； if proved； namely； that this woman deserted her
husband for another man； is a crime of death；〃 broke in Panda abruptly
as the officer finished speaking； 〃therefore； what need is there to hear
the first and the third until that is examined。 What do you plead to
that charge； woman？〃
Now； understanding that the King did not wish to stir up these other
matters of murder and witchcraft for some reason of his own； we all
turned to hear Mameena's answer。
〃O King；〃 she said in her low； silvery voice； 〃I cannot deny that I left
Saduko for Umbelazi the Handsome； any more than Saduko can deny that he
left Umbelazi the beaten for Cetewayo the conqueror。〃
〃Why did you leave Saduko？〃 asked Panda。
〃O King； perhaps because I loved Umbelazi； for was he not called the
Handsome？ Also _you_ know that the Prince； your son； was one to be
loved。〃 Here she paused； looking at poor Panda； who winced。 〃Or；
perhaps； because I wished to be great； for was he not of the Blood
Royal； and； had it not been for Saduko； would he not one day have been a
king？ Or； perhaps； because I could no longer bear the treatment that
the Princess Nandie dealt out to me； she who was cruel to me and
threatened to beat me； because Saduko loved my hut better than her own。
Ask Saduko； he knows more of these matters than I do；〃 and she gazed at
him steadily。 Then she went on： 〃How can a woman tell her reasons； O
King； when she never knows them herself？〃a question at which some of
her hearers smiled。
Now Saduko rose and said slowly：
〃Hear me； O King； and I will give the reason that Mameena hides。 She
left me for Umbelazi because I bade her to do so； for I knew that
Umbelazi desired her； and I wished to tie the cord tighter which bound
me to one who at that time I thought would inherit the Throne。 Also； I
was weary of Mameena； who quarrelled night and day with the Princess
Nandie； my Inkosikazi。〃
Now Nandie gasped in astonishment （and so did I）； but Mameena laughed
and said：
〃Yes； O King； those were the two real reasons that I had forgotten。 I
left Saduko because he bade me； as he wished to make a present to the
Prince。 Also； he was tired of me； for many days at a time he would
scarcely speak to me； because； however kind she might be； I could not
help quarrelling with the Princess Nandie。 Moreover； there was another
reason which I have forgotten： I had no child； and not having any child
I did not think it mattered whether I went or stayed。 If Saduko
searches； he will remember that I told him so； and that he agreed with
me。〃
Again she looked at Saduko； who said hurriedly：
〃Yes； yes； I told her so； I told her that I wished for no barren cows in
my kraal。〃
Now some of the audience laughed outright； but Panda frowned。
〃It seems；〃 he said； 〃that my ears are being stuffed with lies； though
which of these two tells them I cannot say。 Well； if the woman left the
man by his own wish； and that his ends might be furthered； as he says；
he had put her away； and therefore the fault； if any； is his； not hers。
So that charge is ended。 Now； woman； what have you to tell us of the
witchcraft which it is said you practised upon the Prince who is gone；
thereby causing him to make war in the land？〃
〃Little that you would wish to hear； O King； or that it would be seemly
for me to speak；〃 she answered； drooping her head modestly。 〃The only
witchcraft that ever I practised upon Umbelazi lies here〃and she
touched her beautiful eyes〃and here〃and she touched her curving
lips〃and in this poor shape of mine which some have thought so fair。
As for the war； what had I to do with war； who never spoke to Umbelazi；
who was so dear to me〃and she looked up with tears running down her
face〃save of love？ O King； is there a man among you all who would
fear the witcheries of such a one as I； and because the Heavens made me
beautiful with the beauty that men must follow； am I also to be killed
as a sorceress？〃
Now； to this argument neither Panda nor anyone else seemed to find an
answer； especially as it was well known that Umbelazi had cherished his
ambition to the succession long before he met Mameena。 So that charge
was dropped； and the first and greatest of the three proceeded with；
namely； that it was she； Mameena； and not her husband； Masapo； who had
murdered Nandie's child。
When this accusation was made against her； for the first time I saw a
little shade of trouble flit across Mameena's soft eyes。
〃Surely； O King；〃 she said； 〃that matter was settled long ago； when the
Ndwande； Zikali； the great Nyanga； smelt out Masapo the wizard； he who
was my husband； and brought him to his death for this crime。 Must I
then be tried for it again？〃
〃Not so； woman；〃 answered Panda。 〃All that Zikali smelt out was the
poison that wrought the crime； and as some of that poison was found upon
Masapo； he was killed as a wizard。 Yet it may be that it was not he who
used the poison。〃
〃Then sur