child of storm-第17章
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loveliness of mine would be of some use to me； for then then Oh；
cannot you guess； Macumazahn？〃
I shook my head and said that I could not； and next moment was sorry；
for she proceeded to explain。
Sinking to her kneesfor we were quite alone in the big hut and there
was no one else about； all the other women being engaged on rural or
domestic tasks； for which Mameena declared she had no time； as her
business was to look after meshe rested her shapely head upon my knees
and began to talk in a low； sweet voice that sometimes broke into a sob。
〃Then I will tell youI will tell you； yes； even if you hate me
afterwards。 I could teach you what love is very well； Macumazahn； you
are quite rightbecause I love you。〃 （Sob。） 〃No； you shall not stir
till you have heard me out。〃 Here she flung her arms about my legs and
held them tight； so that without using great violence it was absolutely
impossible for me to move。 〃When I saw you first； all shattered and
senseless； snow seemed to fall upon my heart； and it stopped for a
little while and has never been the same since。 I think that something
is growing in it； Macumazahn； that makes it big。〃 （Sob。） 〃I used to
like Saduko before that； but afterwards I did not like him at allno；
nor Masapo eitheryou know； he is the big chief who lives over the
mountain； a very rich and powerful man； who； I believe； would like to
marry me。 Well； as I went on nursing you my heart grew bigger and
bigger； and now you see it has burst。〃 （Sob。） 〃Nay； stay still and do
not try to speak。 You _shall_ hear me out。 It is the least you can do；
seeing that you have caused me all this pain。 If you did not want me to
love you； why did you not curse at me and strike me； as I am told white
men do to Kafir girls？〃 She rose and went on：
〃Now； hearken。 Although I am the colour of copper； I am comely。 I am
well…bred also； there is no higher blood than ours in Zululand； both on
my father's and my mother's side； and； Macumazahn； I have a fire in me
that shows me things。 I can be great； and I long for greatness。 Take
me to wife； Macumazahn； and I swear to you that in ten years I will make
you king of the Zulus。 Forget your pale white women and wed yourself to
that fire which burns in me； and it shall eat up all that stands between
you and the Crown； as flame eats up dry grass。 More； I will make you
happy。 If you choose to take other wives； I will not be jealous；
because I know that I should hold your spirit； and that； compared to me；
they would be nothing in your thought〃
〃But； Mameena；〃 I broke in； 〃I don't want to be king of the Zulus。〃
〃Oh； yes； yes； you do； for every man wants power； and it is better to
rule over a brave； black peoplethousands and thousands of themthan
to be no one among the whites。 Think； think！ There is wealth in the
land。 By your skill and knowledge the amabuto ＇regiments＇ could be
improved； with the wealth you would arm them with gunsyes； and
'by…and…byes' also with the throat of thunder〃 （that is； or was； the
Kafir name for cannon）。* 〃They would be invincible。 Chaka's kingdom
would be nothing to ours； for a hundred thousand warriors would sleep on
their spears； waiting for your word。 If you wished it even you could
sweep out Natal and make the whites there your subjects； too。 Or
perhaps it would be safer to let them be； lest others should come across
the green water to help them； and to strike northwards； where I am told
there are great lands as rich and fair； in which none would dispute our
sovereignty〃
＇*Cannon were called 〃by…and…byes〃 by the natives； because when
field…pieces first arrived in Natal inquisitive Kafirs pestered the
soldiers to show them how they were fired。 The answer given was always
〃By…and…bye！〃 Hence the name。EDITOR＇
〃But； Mameena；〃 I gasped； for this girl's titanic ambition literally
overwhelmed me； 〃surely you are mad！ How would you do all these
things？〃
〃I am not mad；〃 she answered； 〃I am only what is called great； and you
know well enough that I can do them； not by myself； who am but a woman
and tied with the ropes that bind women； but with you to cut those ropes
and help me。 I have a plan which will not fail。 But； Macumazahn；〃 she
added in a changed voice； 〃until I know that you will be my partner in
it I will not tell it even to you； for perhaps you might talkin your
sleep； and then the fire in my breast would soon go outfor ever。〃
〃I might talk now； for the matter of that； Mameena。〃
〃No； for men like you do not tell tales of foolish girls who chance to
love them。 But if that plan began to work； and you heard say that kings
or princes died； it might be otherwise。 You might say； 'I think I know
where the witch lives who causes these evils'in your sleep；
Macumazahn。〃
〃Mameena；〃 I said； 〃tell me no more。 Setting your dreams on one side；
can I be false to my friend； Saduko； who talks to me day and night of
you？〃
〃Saduko！ Piff！〃 she exclaimed； with that expressive gesture of her
hand。
〃And can I be false；〃 I continued； seeing that Saduko was no good card
to play； 〃to my friend； Umbezi； your father？〃
〃My father！ 〃 she laughed。 〃Why； would it not please him to grow great
in your shadow？ Only yesterday he told me to marry you； if I could； for
then he would find a stick indeed to lean on； and be rid of Saduko's
troubling。〃
Evidently Umbezi was a worse card even than Saduko； so I played another。
〃And can I help you； Mameena； to tread a road that at the best must be
red with blood？〃
〃Why not；〃 she asked； 〃since with or without you I am destined to tread
that road； the only difference being that with you it will lead to glory
and without you perhaps to the jackals and the vultures？ Blood！ Piff！
What is blood in Zululand？〃
This card also having failed； I tabled my last。
〃Glory or no glory； I do not wish to share it； Mameena。 I will not make
war among a people who have entertained me hospitably； or plot the
downfall of their Great Ones。 As you told me just now； I am
nobodyjust one grain of sand upon a white shorebut I had rather be
that than a haunted rock which draws the heavens' lightnings and is
drenched with sacrifice。 I seek no throne over white or black； Mameena；
who walk my own path to a quiet grave that shall perhaps not be without
honour of its own； though other than you seek。 I will keep your
counsel； Mameena； but； because you are so beautiful and so wise； and
because you say you are fond of mefor which I thank youI pray you
put away these fearful dreams of yours that in the end； whether they
succeed or fail； will send you shivering from the world to give account
of them to the Watcher…on…high。〃
〃Not so； O Macumazana；〃 she said； with a proud little laugh。 〃When your
Watcher sowed my seedif thus he didhe sowed the dreams that are a
part of me also； and I shall only bring him back his own； with the
flower and the fruit by way of interest。 But that is finished。 You
refuse the greatness。 Now； tell me； if I sink those dreams in a great
water； tying about them the stone of forgetfulness and saying： 'Sleep
there； O dreams； it is not your hour'if I do this； and stand before
you just a woman who loves and who swears by the spirits of her fathers
never to think or do that which has not your blessingwill you love me
a little； Macumazahn？〃
Now I was silent； for she had driven me to the last ditch； and I knew
not what to say。 Moreover； I will confess my weaknessI was strangely
moved。 This beautiful girl with the 〃fire in her heart；〃 this woman who
was different from all other women that I had ever known； seemed to have
twisted her slender fingers into my heart…strings and to be drawing me
towards her。 It was a great temptation； and I bethought me of old
Zikali's saying in the Black Kloof； and seemed to hear his giant laugh。
She glided up to me； she threw her arms about me and kissed me on the
lips； and I think I kissed her back； but really I am not sure what I did
or said； for my head swam。 When it cleared again she was standing in
front of me； looking at me reflectively。
〃Now； Macumazahn；〃 she said； with a little smile that both mocked and
dazzled； 〃the poor black girl has you
