child of storm-第15章

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tell　me　the　story　of　how　I　came　here。〃

She　sat　down；　not；　I　noted；　as　a　Kafir　woman　ordinarily　does；　in　a　kind
of　kneeling　position；　but　on　a　stool。

〃You　were　carried　into　the　kraal；　Inkoosi；〃　she　said；　〃on　a　litter　of
boughs。　　My　heart　stood　still　when　I　saw　that　litter　coming；　it　was　no
more　heart；　it　was　cold　iron；　because　I　thought　the　dead　or　injured　man
was〃　And　she　paused。

〃Saduko？〃　I　suggested。

〃Not　at　all；　Inkoosimy　father。〃

〃Well；　it　wasn't　either　of　them；〃　I　said；　〃so　you　must　have　felt　happy。〃

〃Happy！　Inkoosi；　when　the　guest　of　our　house　had　been　wounded；　perhaps
to　deaththe　guest　of　whom　I　have　heard　so　much；　although　by　misfortune
I　was　absent　when　he　arrived。〃

〃A　difference　of　opinion　with　your　eldest　mother？〃　I　suggested。

〃Yes；　Inkoosi；　my　own　is　dead；　and　I　am　not　too　well　treated　here。　　She
called　me　a　witch。〃

〃Did　she？〃　I　answered。　　〃Well；　I　do　not　altogether　wonder　at　it；　but
please　continue　your　story。〃

〃There　is　none；　Inkoosi。　　They　brought　you　here；　they　told　me　how　the
evil　brute　of　a　buffalo　had　nearly　killed　you　in　the　pool；　that　is　all。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Mameena；　but　how　did　I　get　out　of　the　pool？〃

〃Oh；　it　seems　that　your　servant；　Sikauli；　the　bastard；　leapt　into　the
water　and　engaged　the　attention　of　the　buffalo　which　was　kneading　you
into　the　mud；　while　Saduko　got　on　to　its　back　and　drove　his　assegai　down
between　its　shoulders　to　the　heart；　so　that　it　died。　　Then　they　pulled
you　out　of　the　mud；　crushed　and　almost　drowned　with　water；　and　brought
you　to　life　again。　　But　afterwards　you　became　senseless；　and　so　lay
wandering　in　your　speech　until　this　hour。〃

〃Ah；　he　is　a　brave　man；　is　Saduko。〃

〃Like　others；　neither　more　nor　less；〃　she　replied　with　a　shrug　of　her
rounded　shoulders。　　〃Would　you　have　had　him　let　you　die？　　I　think　the
brave　man　was　he　who　got　in　front　of　the　bull　and　twisted　its　nose；　not
he　who　sat　on　its　back　and　poked　at　it　with　a　spear。〃

At　this　period　in　our　conversation　I　became　suddenly　faint　and　lost
count　of　things；　even　of　the　interesting　Mameena。　　When　I　awoke　again
she　was　gone；　and　in　her　place　was　old　Umbezi；　who；　I　noticed；　took　down
a　mat　from　the　side　of　the　hut　and　folded　it　up　to　serve　as　a　cushion
before　he　sat　himself　upon　the　stool。

〃Greeting；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said　when　he　saw　that　I　was　awake；　〃how　are
you？〃

〃As　well　as　can　be　hoped；〃　I　answered；　〃and　how　are　you；　Umbezi？〃

〃Oh；　bad；　Macumazahn；　even　now　I　can　scarcely　sit　down；　for　that　bull
had　a　very　hard　nose；　also　I　am　swollen　up　in　front　where　Sikauli　struck
me　when　he　tumbled　out　of　the　tree。　　Also　my　heart　is　cut　in　two　because
of　our　losses。〃

〃What　losses；　Umbezi？〃

〃Wow！　Macumazahn；　the　fire　that　those　low　fellows　of　mine　lit　got　to　our
camp　and　burned　up　nearly　everythingthe　meat；　the　skins；　and　even　the
ivory；　which　it　cracked　so　that　it　is　useless。　　That　was　an　unlucky
hunt；　for　although　it　began　so　well；　we　have　come　out　of　it　quite　naked；
yes；　with　nothing　at　all　except　the　head　of　the　bull　with　the　cleft
horn；　that　I　thought　you　might　like　to　keep。〃

〃Well；　Umbezi；　let　us　be　thankful　that　we　have　come　out　with　our
livesthat　is；　if　I　am　going　to　live；〃　I　added。

〃Oh；　Macumazahn；　you　will　live　without　doubt；　and　be　none　the　worse。　
Two　of　our　doctorsvery　clever　menhave　looked　at　you　and　said　so。　
One　of　them　tied　you　up　in　all　those　skins；　and　I　promised　him　a　heifer
for　the　business；　if　he　cured　you；　and　gave　him　a　goat　on　account。　　But
you　must　lie　here　for　a　month　or　more；　so　he　says。　　Meanwhile　Panda　has
sent　for　the　hides　which　he　demanded　of　me　to　be　made　into　shields；　and
I　have　been　obliged　to　kill　twenty…five　of　my　beasts　to　provide
themthat　is；　of　my　own　and　of　those　of　my　headmen。〃

〃Then　I　wish　you　and　your　headmen　had　killed　them　before　we　met　those
buffalo；　Umbezi；〃　I　groaned；　for　my　ribs　were　paining　me　very　much。　
〃Send　Saduko　and　Sikauli　here；　I　would　thank　them　for　saving　my　life。〃

So　they　came；　next　morning；　I　think；　and　I　thanked　them　warmly　enough。

〃There；　there；　Baas；〃　said　Scowl；　who　was　literally　weeping　tears　of　joy
at　my　return　from　delirium　and　coma　to　the　light　of　life　and　reason；　not
tears　of　Mameena's　sort；　but　real　ones；　for　I　saw　them　running　down　his
snub　nose；　that　still　bore　marks　of　the　eagle's　claws。　　〃There；　there；
say　no　more；　I　beseech　you。　　If　you　were　going　to　die；　I　wished　to　die；
too；　who；　if　you　had　left　it；　should　only　have　wandered　through　the
world　without　a　heart。　　That　is　why　I　jumped　into　the　pool；　not　because
I　am　brave。〃

When　I　heard　this　my　own　eyes　grew　moist。　　Oh；　it　is　the　fashion　to
abuse　natives；　but　from　whom　do　we　meet　with　more　fidelity　and　love　than
from　these　poor　wild　Kafirs　that　so　many　of　us　talk　of　as　black　dirt
which　chances　to　be　fashioned　to　the　shape　of　man？

〃As　for　myself；　Inkoosi；〃　added　Saduko；　〃I　only　did　my　duty。　　How　could
I　have　held　up　my　head　again　if　the　bull　had　killed　you　while　I　walked
away　alive？　　Why；　the　very　girls　would　have　mocked　at　me。　　But；　oh；　his
skin　was　tough。　　I　thought　that　assegai　would　never　get　through　it。〃

Observe　the　difference　between　these　two　men's　characters。　　The　one；
although　no　hero　in　daily　life；　imperils　himself　from　sheer；　dog…like
fidelity　to　a　master　who　had　given　him　many　hard　words　and　sometimes　a
flogging　in　punishment　for　drunkenness；　and　the　other　to　gratify　his
pride；　also　perhaps　because　my　death　would　have　interfered　with　his
plans　and　ambitions　in　which　I　had　a　part　to　play。　　No；　that　is　a　hard
saying；　still；　there　is　no　doubt　that　Saduko　always　first　took　his　own
interests　into　consideration；　and　how　what　he　did　would　reflect　upon　his
prospects　and　repute；　or　influence　the　attainment　of　his　desires。　　I
think　this　was　so　even　when　Mameena　was　concernedat　any　rate；　in　the
beginningalthough　certainly　he　always　loved　her　with　a　single…hearted
passion　that　is　very　rare　among　Zulus。

Presently　Scowl　left　the　hut　to　prepare　me　some　broth；　whereon　Saduko　at
once　turned　the　talk　to　this　subject　of　Mameena。

He　understood　that　I　had　seen　her。　　Did　I　not　think　her　very　beautiful？

〃Yes；　very　beautiful；〃　I　answered；　〃indeed；　the　most　beautiful　Zulu
woman　I　have　ever　seen。〃

And　very　cleveralmost　as　clever　as　a　white？

〃Yes；　and　very　clevermuch　cleverer　than　most　whites。〃

Andanything　else？

〃Yes；　very　dangerous；　and　one　who　could　turn　like　the　wind　and　blow　hot
and　blow　cold。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　thought　a　while；　then　added：　〃Well；　what　do　I　care　how
she　blows　to　others；　so　long　as　she　blows　hot　to　me。〃

〃Well；　Saduko；　and　does　she　blow　hot　for　you？〃

〃Not　altogether；　Macumazahn。〃　　Another　pause。　　〃I　think　she　blows　rather
like　the　wind　before　a　great　storm。〃

〃That　is　a　biting　wind；　Saduko；　and　when　we　feel　it　we　know　that　the
storm　will　follow。〃

〃I　dare　say　that　the　storm　will　follow；　Inkoosi；　for　she　was　born　in　a
storm　and　storm　goes　with　her；　but　what　of　that；　if　she　and　I　stand　it
out　together？　　I　love　her；　and　I　had　rather　die　with　her　than　live　with
any　other　woman。〃

〃The　question　is；　Saduko；　whether　she　would　rather　die　with　you　than
live　with　any　other　man。　　Does　she　say　so？〃

〃Inkoosi；　Mameena's　thought　works　in　the　dark；　it　is　like　a　white　ant　in
its　tunnel　of　mud。　　You　see　the　tunnel　which　shows　that　she　is　thinking；
but　you　do　not　see　the　thought　within。　　Still；　sometimes；　when　she
believes　that　no　one　beholds　or　hears　her〃here　I　bethought　me　of　the
young　lady's　soliloquy　over　my　apparently　senseless　self〃or　when　she
is　surprised；　the　true　thought　peeps　out　of　its　tunnel。　　It　did　so　the
other　day；　when　I　pleaded　with　her　after　she　had　heard　that　I　killed　the
buffalo　with　the　cleft　horn。

〃'Do　I　love　you？'　she　said。　　'I　know　not　for　sure。　　How　can　I　tell？　　It
is　not　our　custom　that　a　maiden　should　love　before　she　is　married；　for
is　she　did　so　most　marriages　would　be　things　of　the　heart　and　not　of
cattle；　and　then　half　the　fathers　of　Zululand　would　grow　poor　and　refuse
to　rear　girl…children　who　would　bring　them　nothing。　　You　are　brave；　you
are　handsome；　you　are　well…born；　I　would　sooner　live　with　you　than　with
any　other　man　I　knowthat　is；　if　you　were　rich　and；　better　still；
powerful。　　Become　rich　and　po