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that day comes； and when it comes I think that you and I； Macumazahn；
shall not be far apart； and that is why I have opened out my heart to
you； I who have knowledge of the future。 There； I speak no more of
these things that are to be； who perchance have already said too much of
them。 Yet do not forget my words。 Or forget them if you will； for I
shall remind you of them； Macumazahn； when the feet of your people have
avenged the Ndwandes and others whom it pleases the Zulus to treat as
dirt。〃
Now； this strange man； who had sat up in his excitement； shook his long
white hair which； after the fashion of wizards； be wore plaited into
thin ropes； till it hung like a veil about him； hiding his broad face
and deep eyes。 Presently he spoke again through this veil of hair；
saying：
〃You are wondering； Macumazahn； what Saduko has to do with all these
great events that are to be。 I answer that he must play his part in
them； not a very great part； but still a part； and it is for this
purpose that I saved him as a child from Bangu； Dingaan's man； and
reared him up to be a warrior； although； since I cannot lie； I warned
him that he would do well to leave spears alone and follow after wisdom。
Well； he will slay Bangu； who now has quarrelled with Panda； and a
woman will come into the story； one Mameena； and that woman will bring
about war between the sons of Panda； and from this war shall spring the
ruin of the Zulus； for he who wins will be an evil king to them and
bring down on them the wrath of a mightier race。 And so
'The…thing…that…should…not…have…been…born' and the Ndwandes and the
Quabies and Twetwas； whom it has pleased the conquering Zulus to name
'Amatefula；' shall be avenged。 Yes； yes； my Spirit tells me all these
things； and they are true。〃
〃And what of Saduko； my friend and your fosterling？〃
〃Saduko； your friend and my fosterling； will take his appointed road；
Macumazahn； as I shall and you will。 What more could he desire； seeing
it is that which he has chosen？ He will take his road and he will play
the part which the Great…Great has prepared for him。 Seek not to know
more。 Why should you； since Time will tell you the story？ And now go
to rest； Macumazahn； as I must who am old and feeble。 And when it
pleases you to visit me again； we will talk further。 Meanwhile；
remember always that I am nothing but an old Kafir cheat who pretends to
a knowledge that belongs to no man。 Remember it especially； Macumazahn；
when you meet a buffalo with a split horn in the pool of a dried…up
river； and afterwards； when a woman named Mameena makes a certain offer
to you； which you may be tempted to accept。 Good night to you；
Watcher…by…Night with the white heart and the strange destiny； good
night to you； and try not to think too hardly of the old Kafir cheat who
just now is called 'Opener…of…Roads。' My servant waits without to lead
you to your hut； and if you wish to be back at Umbezi's kraal by
nightfall to…morrow； you will do well to start ere sunrise； since； as
you found in coming； Saduko； although he may be a fool； is a very good
walker； and you do not like to be left behind； Macumazahn； do you？〃
So I rose to go； but as I went some impulse seemed to take him and he
called me back and made me sit down again。
〃Macumazahn；〃 he said； 〃I would add a word。 When you were quite a lad
you came into this country with Retief； did you not？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered slowly； for this matter of the massacre of Retief is
one of which I have seldom cared to speak； for sundry reasons； although
I have made a record of it in writing。* Even my friends Sir Henry
Curtis and Captain Good have heard little of the part I played in that
tragedy。 〃But what do you know of that business； Zikali？〃
＇*Published under the title of 〃Marie。〃EDITOR。＇
〃All that there is to know； I think； Macumazahn； seeing that I was at
the bottom of it； and that Dingaan killed those Boers on my advicejust
as he killed Chaka and Umhlangana。〃
〃You cold…blooded old murderer〃 I began； but he interrupted me at
once。
〃Why do you throw evil names at me； Macumazahn； as I threw the stone of
your fate at you just now？ Why am I a murderer because I brought about
the death of some white men that chanced to be your friends； who had
come here to cheat us black folk of our country？〃
〃Was it for _this_ reason that you brought about their deaths； Zikali？〃
I asked； staring him in the face； for I felt that he was lying to me。
〃Not altogether； Macumazahn；〃 he answered； letting his eyes； those
strange eyes that could look at the sun without blinking； fall before my
gaze。 〃Have I not told you that I hate the House of Senzangakona？ And
when Retief and his companions were killed； did not the spilling of
their blood mean war to the end between the Zulus and the White Men？
Did it not mean the death of Dingaan and of thousands of his people；
which is but a beginning of deaths？ Now do you understand？〃
〃I understand that you are a very wicked man；〃 I answered with
indignation。
〃At least _you_ should not say so； Macumazahn；〃 he replied in a new
voice； one with the ring of truth in it。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I saved your life on that day。 You escaped alone of the White
Men； did you not？ And you never could understand why； could you？〃
〃No； I could not； Zikali。 I put it down to what you would call 'the
spirits。'〃
〃Well； I will tell you。 Those spirits of yours wore my kaross；〃 and he
laughed。 〃I saw you with the Boers； and saw； too； that you were of
another peoplethe people of the English。 You may have heard at the
time that I was doctoring at the Great Place； although I kept out of the
way and we did not meet； or at least you never knew that we met； for you
wereasleep。 Also I pitied your youth； for； although you do not
believe it； I had a little bit of heart left in those days。 Also I knew
that we should come together again in the after years； as you see we
have done to…day and shall often do until the end。 So I told Dingaan
that whoever died you must be spared； or he would bring up the 'people
of George' ＇i。e。 the English＇ to avenge you； and your ghost would enter
into him and pour out a curse upon him。 He believed me who did not
understand that already so many curses were gathered about his head that
one more or less made no matter。 So you see you were spared；
Macumazahn； and afterwards you helped to pour out a curse upon Dingaan
without becoming a ghost； which is the reason why Panda likes you so
well to…day； Panda； the enemy of Dingaan； his brother。 You remember the
woman who helped you？ Well； I made her do so。 How did it go with you
afterwards； Macumazahn； with you and the Boer maiden across the Buffalo
River； to whom you were making love in those days？〃
〃Never mind how it went；〃 I replied； springing up； for the old wizard's
talk had stirred sad and bitter memories in my heart。 〃That time is
dead； Zikali。〃
〃Is it； Macumazahn？ Now； from the look upon your face I should have
said that it was still very much alive； as things that happened in our
youth have a way of keeping alive。 But doubtless I am mistaken； and it
is all as dead as Dingaan； and as Retief； and as the others； your
companions。 At least； although you do not believe it； I saved your life
on that red day； for my own purposes； of course； not because one white
life was anything among so many in my count。 And now go to rest；
Macumazahn； go to rest； for although your heart has been awakened by
memories this evening； I promise that you shall sleep well to…night；〃
and throwing the long hair back off his eyes he looked at me keenly；
wagging his big head to and fro； and burst into another of his great
laughs。
So I went。 But； ah！ as I went I wept。
Anyone who knew all that story would understand why。 But this is not
the place to tell it； that tale of my first love and of the terrible
events which befell us in the time of Dingaan。 Still； as I say； I have
written it down； and perhaps one day it will be read。
CHAPTER III
THE BUFFALO WITH THE CLEFT HORN
I slept very well that night； I suppose because I was so dog…tired I
could not help it； but next day； on our long walk back to Umbezi's
kraal； I thought a great deal。
Without doubt I had seen and heard very strange things； both of the past
and the presentthings that I could not in the least understand。
Moreover； they were mixed up with all sorts of questions of high Zulu
policy； and threw a new light upon events that happened to me and others
in my youth。
Now； in the clear sunlight； was the time to analyse these things； and
this I did in the most logical fashion I could command； although without
the slightest assistance from Saduko； who； when I asked him questions；
merely shrugged his shoulders。
These questions； he said； did not interest him； I had wished to see the
magic of Zikali； and Zikali had been pleased to show me some very good
magic； quite of his best indeed。 Also he had conversed alone with me
afterwards； doubtless on high mattersso high that he； Saduko； was not
admitted to share the conversationwhich was an honour he accorded to
very few。 I could form my own conclusions in the