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〃Yes； a poor thing； Umslopogaas； yet these are the burdens that men
must bear。 Learn wisdom from it； Umslopogaas； and have as little to do
with women as may be； at the least； do not love them overmuch； so
shall you find the more peace。〃 Thus I spoke； smiling； and would that
he had listened to my counsel； for it is the love of women which has
brought ruin on Umslopogaas！
All this was many years ago； and but lately I have heard that
Umslopogaas is fled into the North； and become a wanderer to his death
because of the matter of a woman who had betrayed him； making it seem
that he had murdered one Loustra； who was his blood brother； just as
Galazi had been。 I do not know how it came about； but he who was so
fierce and strong had that weakness like his uncle Dingaan； and it has
destroyed him at the last； and for this cause I shall behold him no
more。
Now； my father； for awhile we were silent and alone in the hut； and as
we sat I thought I heard a rat stir in the thatch。
Then I spoke。 〃Umslopogaas； at length the hour has come that I should
whisper something into your ear； a word which I have held secret ever
since you were born。〃
〃Speak on； my father；〃 he said； wondering。
I crept to the door of the hut and looked out。 The night was dark and
I could see none about； and could hear no one move； yet； being
cautious； I walked round the hut。 Ah； my father； when you have a
secret to tell； be not so easily deceived。 It is not enough to look
forth and to peer round。 Dig beneath the floor； and search the roof
also； then； having done all this； go elsewhere and tell your tale。 The
woman was right： I was but a fool； for all my wisdom and my white
hairs。 Had I not been a fool I would have smoked out that rat in the
thatch before ever I opened my lips。 For the rat was Zinita； my father
Zinita； who had climbed the hut； and now lay there in the dark； her
ear upon the smoke…hole； listening to every word that passed。 It was a
wicked thing to do； and； moreover； the worst of omens； but there is
little honour among women when they learn that which others wish to
hide away from them； nor； indeed； do they then weight omens。
So having searched and found nothing； I spoke to Umslopogaas； my
fosterling； not knowing that death in a woman's shape lay on the hut
above us。 〃Hearken；〃 I said； 〃you are no son of mine； Umslopogaas；
though you have called me father from a babe。 You spring from a
loftier stock； Slaughterer。〃
〃Yet I was well pleased with my fathering； old man；〃 said Umslopogaas。
〃The breed is good enough for me。 Say； then； whose son am I？〃
Now I bent forward and whispered to him； yet； alas！ not low enough。
〃You are the son of the Black One who is dead； yea； sprung from the
blood of Chaka and of Baleka； my sister。〃
〃I still have some kinship with you then； Mopo； and that I am glad of。
Wow！ who would have guessed that I was the son of the Silwana； of that
hyena man？ Perhaps it is for this reason that； like Galazi； I love the
company of the wolves； though no love grows in my heart for my father
or any of his house。〃
〃You have little cause to love him； Umslopogaas； for he murdered your
mother； Baleka； and would have slain you also。 But you are the son of
Chaka and of no other man。〃
〃Well； his eyes must be keen indeed； my uncle； who can pick his own
father out of a crowd。 And yet I once heard this tale before； though I
had long forgotten it。〃
〃From whom did you hear it； Umslopogaas？ An hour since； it was known
to one alone； the others are dead who knew it。 Now it is known to two〃
ah！ my father； I did not guess of the third；〃from whom； then； did
you hear it？〃
〃It was from the dead； at least； Galazi the Wolf heard it from the
dead One who sat in the cave on Ghost Mountain； for the dead One told
him that a man would come to be his brother who should be named
Umslopogaas Bulalio； son of Chaka； and Galazi repeated it to me； but I
had long forgotten it。〃
〃It seems that there is wisdom among the dead；〃 I answered； 〃for lo！
to…day you are named Umslopogaas Bulalio； and to…day I declare you the
son of Chaka。 But listen to my tale。〃
Then I told him all the story from the hour of his birth onwards； and
when I spoke of the words of his mother； Baleka； after I had told my
dream to her； and of the manner of her death by the command of Chaka；
and of the great fashion in which she had died； then； I say；
Umslopogaas wept； who； I think； seldom wept before or after。 But as my
tale drew it its end I saw that he listened ill； as a man listens who
has a weightier matter pressing on his heart； and before it was well
done he broke in：
〃So； Mopo； my uncle； if I am the son of Chaka and Baleka； Nada the
Lily is no sister to me。〃
〃Nay； Umslopogaas； she is only your cousin。〃
〃Over near of blood；〃 he said； 〃yet that shall not stand between us；〃
and his face grew glad。
I looked at him in question。
〃You grow dull； my uncle。 This is my meaning： that I will marry Nada
if she still lives； for it comes upon me now that I have never loved
any woman as I love Nada the Lily；〃 and while he spoke； I heard the
rat stir in the thatch of the hut。
〃Wed her if you will； Umslopogaas；〃 I answered； 〃yet I think that one
Zinita； your Inkosikasi； will find words to say in the matter。〃
〃Zinita is my head wife indeed； but shall she hold me back from taking
other wives； after the lawful custom of our people？〃 he asked angrily；
and his anger showed that he feared the wrath of Zinita。
〃The custom is lawful and good；〃 I said； 〃but it has bred trouble at
times。 Zinita can have little to say if she continues in her place and
you still love her as of old。 But enough of her。 Nada is not yet at
your gates； and perhaps she will never find them。 See； Umslopogaas； it
is my desire that you should rule in Zululand by right of blood； and；
though things point otherwise； yet I think a way can be found to bring
it about。〃
〃How so？〃 he asked。
〃Thus： Many of the great chiefs who are friends to me hate Dingaan and
fear him； and did they know that a son of Chaka lived； and that son
the Slaughterer； he well might climb to the throne upon their
shoulders。 Also the soldiers love the name of Chaka； though he dealt
cruelly with them； because at least he was brave and generous。 But
they do not love Dingaan； for his burdens are the burdens of Chaka but
his gifts are the gifts of Dingaan； therefore they would welcome
Chaka's son if once they knew him for certain。 But it is here that the
necklet chafes； for there is but my word to prove it。 Yet I will try。〃
〃Perhaps it is worth trying and perhaps it is not； my uncle；〃 answered
Umslopogaas。 〃One thing I know： I had rather see Nada at my gates to…
night than hear all the chiefs in the land crying 'Hail； O King！'〃
〃You will live to think otherwise； Umslopogaas； and now spies must be
set at the kraal Umgugundhlovu to give us warning of the mind of the
king； lest he should send an impi suddenly to eat you up。 Perhaps his
hands may be too full for that ere long； for those white Amaboona will
answer his assegais with bullets。 And one more word： let nothing be
said of this matter of your birth； least of all to Zinita your wife；
or to any other woman。〃
〃Fear not； uncle；〃 he answered； 〃I know how to be silent。〃
Now after awhile Umslopogaas left me and went to the hut of Zinita；
his Inkosikasi； where she lay wrapped in her blankets； and； as it
seemed； asleep。
〃Greeting； my husband；〃 she said slowly； like one who wakens。 〃I have
dreamed a strange dream of you。 I dreamed that you were called a king；
and that all the regiments of the Zulus filed past giving you the
royal salute； Bayete。〃
Umslopogaas looked at her wondering； for he did not know if she had
learned something or if this was an omen。 〃Such dreams are dangerous；〃
he said； 〃and he who dreams them does well to lock them fast till they
be forgotten。〃
〃Or fulfilled；〃 said Zinita； and again Umslopogaas looked at her
wondering。
Now after this night I began my work； for I established spies at the
kraal of Dingaan； and from them I learned all that passed with the
king。
At first he gave orders that an impi should be summoned to eat up the
People of the Axe； but afterwards came tidings that the Boers； to the
number of five hundred mounted men； were marching on the kraal
Umgugundhlovu。 So Dingaan had no impi to spare to send to the Ghost
Mountain； and we who were beneath its shadow dwelt there in peace。
This time for Boers were beaten； for Bogoza； the spy； led them into an
ambush； still few were killed； and they did but draw back that they
might jump the further； and Dingaan knew this。 At this time also the
English white men of Natal； the people of George； who attacked Dingaan
by the Lower Tugela； were slain by our soldiers； and those with them。
Also； by the help of certain witch…doctors； I filled the land with
rumours； prophecies； and dark sayings； and I worked cunningly on the
minds of many chiefs that were known to me； sending them messages
hardly to be understood； such as should prepare their thoughts for the
coming of one who should be declared to them。 They listened； but the
task was long； for the men dwelt far apart； and some of