child of storm-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


know；　you　hate。　　Come；　leave　that　beef　and　beer　and　begin　your　hunting
of　hyenas；　O　Masapo。〃

Now　Masapo　sat　silent；　for　he　saw　that　he　who　thought　to　snare　a　baboon
had　caught　a　tiger。

〃You　do　not　speak；　O　Chief　of　the　little　Amansomi；〃　went　on　Saduko；　who
was　beside　himself　with　rage　and　jealousy。　　〃You　will　not　leave　your
beef　and　beer　to　hunt　the　hyenas　who　are　captained　by　an　umfokazana！　
Well；　then；　the　umfokazana　will　speak；〃　and；　stepping　up　to　Masapo；　with
the　spear　he　carried　poised　in　his　right　hand；　Saduko　grasped　his
rival's　short　beard　with　his　left。

〃Listen；　Chief；〃　he　said。　　〃You　and　I　are　enemies。　　You　seek　the　woman　I
seek；　and；　mayhap；　being　rich；　you　will　buy　her。　　But　if　so；　I　tell　you
that　I　will　kill　you　and　all　your　House；　you　sneaking；　half…bred　dog！〃

With　these　fierce　words　he　spat　in　his　face　and　tumbled　him　backwards。　
Then；　before　anyone　could　stop　him；　for　Umbezi；　and　even　Masapo's
headmen；　seemed　paralysed　with　surprise；　he　stalked　through　the　kraal
gate；　saying　as　he　passed　me：

〃Inkoosi；　I　have　words　for　you　when　you　are　at　liberty。〃

〃You　shall　pay　for　this；〃　roared　Umbezi　after　him；　turning　almost　green
with　rage；　for　Masapo　still　lay　upon　his　broad　back；　speechless；　〃you
who　dare　to　insult　my　guest　in　my　own　house。〃

〃Somebody　must　pay；〃　cried　back　Saduko　from　the　gate；　〃but　who　it　is
only　the　unborn　moons　will　see。〃

〃Mameena；〃　I　said　as　I　followed　him；　〃you　have　set　fire　to　the　grass；
and　men　will　be　burned　in　it。〃

〃I　meant　to；　Macumazahn；〃　she　answered　calmly。　　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　that
there　was　a　flame　in　me；　and　it　will　break　out　sometimes？　　But；
Macumazahn；　it　is　you　who　have　set　fire　to　the　grass；　not　I。　　Remember
that　when　half　Zululand　is　in　ashes。　　Farewell；　O　Macumazana；　till　we
meet　again；　and；〃　she　added　softly；　〃whoever　else　must　burn；　may　the
spirits　have　_you_　in　their　keeping。〃

At　the　gate；　remembering　my　manners；　I　turned　to　bid　that　company　a
polite　farewell。　　By　now　Masapo　had　gained　his　feet；　and　was　roaring　out
like　a　bull：

〃Kill　him！　　Kill　the　hyena！　　Umbezi；　will　you　sit　still　and　see　me；　your
guestme；　Masapostruck　and　insulted　under　the　shadow　of　your　own　hut？
　Go　forth　and　kill　him；　I　say！〃

〃Why　not　kill　him　yourself；　Masapo；〃　asked　the　agitated　Umbezi；　〃or　bid
your　headmen　kill　him？　　Who　am　I　that　I　should　take　precedence　of　so
great　a　chief　in　a　matter　of　the　spear？〃　　Then　he　turned　towards　me；
saying：　〃Oh；　Macumazahn　the　crafty；　if　I　have　dealt　well　by　you；　come
here　and　give　me　your　counsel。〃

〃I　come；　Eater…up…of…Elephants；〃　I　answered；　and　I　did。

〃What　shall　I　dowhat　shall　I　do？〃　went　on　Umbezi；　brushing　the
perspiration　off　his　brow　with　one　hand；　while　he　wrung　the　other　in　his
agitation。　　〃There　stands　a　friend　of　mine〃he　pointed　to　the
infuriated　Masapo〃who　wishes　me　to　kill　another　friend　of　mine；〃　and
he　jerked　his　thumb　towards　the　kraal　gate。　　〃If　I　refuse　I　offend　one
friend；　and　if　I　consent　I　bring　blood　upon　my　hands　which　will　call　for
blood；　since；　although　Saduko　is　poor；　without　doubt　he　has　those　who
love　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃and　perhaps　you　will　bring　blood　upon　other　parts　of
yourself　besides　your　hands；　since　Saduko　is　not　one　to　sit　still　like　a
sheep　while　his　throat　is　cut。　　Also　did　he　not　say　that　he　is　not　quite
alone？　　Umbezi；　if　you　will　take　my　advice；　you　will　leave　Masapo　to　do
his　own　killing。〃

〃It　is　good；　it　is　wise！〃　exclaimed　Umbezi。　　〃Masapo；〃　he　called　to　that
warrior；　〃if　you　wish　to　fight；　pray　do　not　think　of　me。　　I　see　nothing；
I　hear　nothing；　and　I　promise　proper　burial　to　any　who　fall。　　Only　you
had　best　be　swift；　for　Saduko　is　walking　away　all　this　time。　　Come；　you
and　your　people　have　spears；　and　the　gate　stands　open。〃

〃Am　I　to　go　without　my　meat　in　order　to　knock　that　hyena　on　the　head？〃
asked　Masapo　in　a　brave　voice。　　〃No；　he　can　wait　my　leisure。　　Sit　still；
my　people。　　I　tell　you；　sit　still。　　Tell　him；　you　Macumazahn；　that　I　am
coming　for　him　presently；　and　be　warned　to　keep　yourself　away　from　him；
lest　you　should　tumble　into　his　hole。〃

〃I　will　tell　him；〃　I　answered；　〃though　I　know　not　who　made　me　your
messenger。　　But　listen　to　me；　you　Speaker　of　big　words　and　Doer　of　small
deeds；　if　you　dare　to　lift　a　finger　against　me　I　will　teach　you
something　about　holes；　for　there　shall　be　one　or　more　through　that　great
carcass　of　yours。〃

Then；　walking　up　to　him；　I　looked　him　in　the　face；　and　at　the　same　time
tapped　the　handle　of　the　big　double…barrelled　pistol　I　carried。

He　shrank　back　muttering　something。

〃Oh；　don't　apologise；〃　I　said；　〃only　be　more　careful　in　future。　　And　now
I　wish　you　a　good　dinner；　Chief　Masapo；　and　peace　upon　your　kraal；
friend　Umbezi。〃

After　this　speech　I　marched　off；　followed　by　the　clamour　of　Masapo's
furious　attendants　and　the　sound　of　Mameena's　light　and　mocking
laughter。

〃I　wonder　which　of　them　she　will　marry？〃　I　thought　to　myself；　as　I　set
out　for　the　wagons。

As　I　approached　my　camp　I　saw　that　the　oxen　were　being　inspanned；　as　I
supposed　by　the　order　of　Scowl；　who　must　have　heard　that　there　was　a　row
up　at　the　kraal；　and　thought　it　well　to　be　ready　to　bolt。　　In　this　I　was
mistaken；　however；　for　just　then　Saduko　strolled　out　of　a　patch　of　bush
and　said：

〃I　ordered　your　boys　to　yoke　up　the　oxen；　Inkoosi。〃

〃Have　you？　　That's　cool！〃　I　answered。　　〃Perhaps　you　will　tell　me　why。〃

〃Because　we　must　make　a　good　trek　to　the　northward　before　night；
Inkoosi。〃

〃Indeed！　　I　thought　that　I　was　heading　south…east。〃

〃Bangu　does　not　live　in　the　south　or　the　east；〃　he　replied　slowly。

〃Oh；　I　had　almost　forgotten　about　Bangu；〃　I　said；　with　a　rather　feeble
attempt　at　evasion。

〃Is　it　so？〃　he　answered　in　his　haughty　voice。　　〃I　never　knew　before　that
Macumazahn　was　a　man　who　broke　a　promise　to　his　friend。〃

〃Would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　explain　your　meaning；　Saduko？〃

〃Is　it　needful？〃　he　answered；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　　〃Unless　my　ears
played　me　tricks；　you　agreed　to　go　up　with　me　against　Bangu。　　Well；　I
have　gathered　the　necessary　menwith　the　king's　leavethey　await　us
yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　with　his　spear　towards　a　dense　patch　of　bush
that　lay　some　miles　beneath　us。　　〃But；〃　he　added；　〃if　you　desire　to
change　your　mind　I　will　go　alone。　　Only　then；　I　think；　we　had　better　bid
each　other　good…bye；　since　I　love　not　friends　who　change　their　minds
when　the　assegais　begin　to　shake。〃

Now；　whether　Saduko　spoke　thus　by　design　I　do　not　know。　　Certainly；
however；　he　could　have　found　no　better　way　to　ensure　my　companionship
for　what　it　was　worth；　since；　although　I　had　made　no　actual　promise　in
this　case；　I　have　always　prided　myself　on　keeping　even　a　half…bargain
with　a　native。

〃I　will　go　with　you；〃　I　said　quietly；　〃and　I　hope　that；　when　it　comes　to
the　pinch；　your　spear　will　be　as　sharp　as　your　tongue；　Saduko。　　Only　do
not　speak　to　me　again　like　that；　lest　we　should　quarrel。〃

As　I　said　this　I　saw　a　look　of　relief　appear　on　his　face；　of　very　great
relief。

〃I　pray　your　pardon；　my　lord　Macumazahn；〃　he　said；　seizing　my　hand；
〃but；　oh！　there　is　a　hole　in　my　heart。　　I　think　that　Mameena　means　to
play　me　false；　and　now　that　has　happened　with　yonder　dog；　Masapo；　which
will　make　her　father　hate　me。〃

〃If　you　will　take　my　advice；　Saduko；〃　I　replied　earnestly；　〃you　will　let
this　Mameena　fall　out　of　the　hole　in　your　heart；　you　will　forget　her
name；　you　will　have　done　with　her。　　Ask　me　not　why。〃

〃Perhaps　there　is　no　need；　O　Macumazana。　　Perhaps　she　has　been　making
love　to　you；　and　you　have　turned　her　away；　as；　being　what　you　are；　and
my　friend；　of　course　you　would　do。〃　　（It　is　rather　inconvenient　to　be
set　upon　such　a　pedestal　at　times；　but　I　did　not　attempt　to　assent　or　to
deny　anything；　much　less　to　enter　into　explanations。）

〃Perhaps　all　this　has　happened；〃　he　continued；　〃or　perhaps　it　is　she　who
has　sent　for　Masapo　the　Hog。　　I　do　not　ask；　because　if　you　know　you　will
not　tell　me。　　Moreover；　it　matters　nothing。　　While　I　have　a　heart；
Mameena　will　never　drop　out　of　it；　while　I　can　remember　names；　hers　will
never　be　forgotten　by　me。　　Moreover；　I　mean　that　she　shall　be　my　wife。　
Now；　I　am　minded　to　take　a　few　men　and　spear　this　hog；　Masapo；　before