child of storm-第26章

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had　bought　fine　moochas　and　blankets　for　them；　also　head…dresses　had
been　made　with　the　long　black　feathers　of　the　sakabuli　finch；　and
shields　and　leglets　of　the　hides　and　tails　of　oxen。　　Moreover；　having
fed　plentifully　and　travelled　easily；　they　were　fat　and　well…favoured；
as；　given　good　food；　natives　soon　become　after　a　period　of　abstinence。

The　plan　of　Saduko　was　to　lie　quiet　in　the　bush　that　night；　and　on　the
following　morning　to　advance　in　all　his　grandeur；　accompanied　by　his
spears；　present　the　hundred　head　of　cattle　that　had　been　demanded；　and
formally　ask　his　daughter's　hand　from　Umbezi。　　As　the　reader　may　have
gathered　already；　there　was　a　certain　histrionic　vein　in　Saduko；　also
when　he　was　in　feather　he　liked　to　show　off　his　plumage。

Well；　this　plan　was　carried　out　to　the　letter。　　On　the　following
morning；　after　the　sun　was　well　up；　Saduko；　as　a　great　chief　does；　sent
forward　two　bedizened　heralds　to　announce　his　approach　to　Umbezi；　after
whom　followed　two　other　men　to　sing　his　deeds　and　praises。　　（By　the　way；
I　observed　that　they　had　clearly　been　instructed　to　avoid　any　mention　of
a　person　called　Macumazahn。）　　Then　we　advanced　in　force。　　First　went
Saduko；　splendidly　apparelled　as　a　chief；　carrying　a　small　assegai　and
adorned　with　plumes；　leglets　and　a　leopard…skin　kilt。　　He　was　attended
by　about　half　a　dozen　of　the　best…looking　of　his　followers；　who　posed　as
〃indunas〃　or　councillors。　　Behind　these　I　walked；　a　dusty；　insignificant
little　fellow；　attended　by　the　ugly；　snub…nosed　Scowl　in　a　very　greasy
pair　of　trousers；　worn…out　European　boots　through　which　his　toes　peeped；
and　nothing　else；　and　by　my　three　surviving　hunters；　whose　appearance
was　even　more　disreputable。　　After　us　marched　about　four　score　of　the
transformed　Amangwane；　and　after　them　came　the　hundred　picked　cattle
driven　by　a　few　herdsmen。

In　due　course　we　arrived　at　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　where　we　found　the
heralds　and　the　praisers　prancing　and　shouting。

〃Have　you　seen　Umbezi？〃　asked　Saduko　of　them。

〃No；〃　they　answered；　〃he　was　asleep　when　we　got　here；　but　his　people　say
that　he　is　coming　out　presently。〃

〃Then　tell　his　people　that　he　had　better　be　quick　about　it；　or　I　shall
turn　him　out；〃　replied　the　proud　Saduko。

Just　at　this　moment　the　kraal　gate　opened　and　through　it　appeared
Umbezi；　looking　extremely　fat　and　foolish；　also；　it　struck　me；
frightened；　although　this　he　tried　to　conceal。

〃Who　visits　me　here；〃　he　said；　〃with　so　muchumceremony？〃　and　with
the　carved　dancing…stick　he　carried　he　pointed　doubtfully　at　the　lines
of　armed　men。　　〃Oh；　it　is　you；　is　it；　Saduko？〃　and　he　looked　him　up　and
down；　adding：　〃How　grand　you　are　to　be　sure。　　Have　you　been　robbing
anybody？　　And　you；　too；　Macumazahn。　　Well；　_you_　do　not　look　grand。　　You
look　like　an　old　cow　that　has　been　suckling　two　calves　on　the　winter
veld。　　But　tell　me；　what　are　all　these　warriors　for？　　I　ask　because　I
have　not　food　for　so　many；　especially　as　we　have　just　had　a　feast　here。〃

〃Fear　nothing；　Umbezi；〃　answered　Saduko　in　his　grandest　manner。　　〃I　have
brought　food　for　my　own　men。　　As　for　my　business；　it　is　simple。　　You
asked　a　hundred　head　of　cattle　as　the　lobola　＇that　is；　the　marriage
gift＇　of　your　daughter；　Mameena。　　They　are　there。　　Go　send　your　servants
to　the　kraal　and　count　them。〃

〃Oh；　with　pleasure；〃　Umbezi　replied　nervously；　and　he　gave　some　orders
to　certain　men　behind　him。　　〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　have　become　rich
in　this　sudden　fashion；　Saduko；　though　how　you　have　done　so　I　cannot
understand。〃

〃Never　mind　how　I　have　become　rich；〃　answered　Saduko。　　〃I　_am_　rich；
that　is　enough　for　the　present。　　Be　pleased　to　send　for　Mameena；　for　I
would　talk　with　her。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Saduko；　I　understand　that　you　would　talk　with　Mameena；
but〃and　he　looked　round　him　desperately〃I　fear　that　she　is　still
asleep。　　As　you　know；　Mameena　was　always　a　late　riser；　and；　what　is
more；　she　hates　to　be　disturbed。　　Don't　you　think　that　you　could　come
back；　say；　to…morrow　morning？　　She　will　be　sure　to　be　up　by　then；　or；
better　still；　the　day　after？〃

〃In　which　hut　is　Mameena？〃　asked　Saduko　sternly；　while　I；　smelling　a
rat；　began　to　chuckle　to　myself。

〃I　really　do　not　know；　Saduko；〃　replied　Umbezi。　　〃Sometimes　she　sleeps
in　one；　sometimes　in　another；　and　sometimes　she　goes　several　hours'
journey　away　to　her　aunt's　kraal　for　a　change。　　I　should　not　be　in　the
least　surprised　if　she　had　done　so　last　night。　　I　have　no　control　over
Mameena。〃

Before　Saduko　could　answer；　a　shrill；　rasping　voice　broke　upon　our　ears；
which　after　some　search　I　saw　proceeded　from　an　ugly　and　ancient　female
seated　in　the　shadow；　in　whom　I　recognised　the　lady　who　was　known　by　the
pleasing　name　of　〃Worn…out…Old…Cow。〃

〃He　lies！〃　screeched　the　voice。　　〃He　lies。　　Thanks　be　to　the　spirit　of
my　ancestors　that　wild　cat　Mameena　has　left　this　kraal　for　good。　　She
slept　last　night；　not　with　her　aunt；　but　with　her　husband；　Masapo；　to
whom　Umbezi　gave　her　in　marriage　two　days　ago；　receiving　in　payment　a
hundred　and　twenty　head　of　cattle；　which　was　twenty　more　than　_you_　bid；
Saduko。〃

Now　when　Saduko　heard　these　words　I　thought　that　he　would　really　go　mad
with　rage。　　He　turned　quite　grey　under　his　dark　skin　and　for　a　while
trembled　like　a　leaf；　looking　as　though　he　were　about　to　fall　to　the
ground。　　Then　he　leapt　as　a　lion　leaps；　and　seizing　Umbezi　by　the
throat；　hurled　him　backwards；　standing　over　him　with　raised　spear。

〃You　dog！〃　he　cried　in　a　terrible　voice。　　〃Tell　me　the　truth　or　I　will
rip　you　up。　　What　have　you　done　with　Mameena？〃

〃Oh！　Saduko；〃　answered　Umbezi　in　choking　tones；　〃Mameena　has　chosen　to
get　married。　　It　was　no　fault　of　mine；　she　would　have　her　way。〃

He　got　no　farther；　and　had　I　not　intervened　by　throwing　my　arms　about
Saduko　and　dragging　him　back；　that　moment　would　have　been　Umbezi's　last；
for　Saduko　was　about　to　pin　him　to　the　earth　with　his　spear。　　As　it
proved；　I　was　just　in　time；　and　Saduko；　being　weak　with　emotion；　for　I
felt　his　heart　going　like　a　sledge…hammer；　could　not　break　from　my　grasp
before　his　reason　returned　to　him。

At　length　he　recovered　himself　a　little　and　threw　down　his　spear　as
though　to　put　himself　out　of　temptation。　　Then　he　spoke；　always　in　the
same　terrible　voice；　asking：

〃Have　you　more　to　say　about　this　business；　Umbezi？　　I　would　hear　all
before　I　answer　you。〃

〃Only　this；　Saduko；〃　replied　Umbezi；　who　had　risen　to　his　feet　and　was
shaking　like　a　reed。　　〃I　did　no　more　than　any　other　father　would　have
done。　　Masapo　is　a　very　powerful　chief；　one　who　will　be　a　good　stick　for
me　to　lean　on　in　my　old　age。　　Mameena　declared　that　she　wished　to　marry
him〃

〃He　lies！〃　screeched　the　〃Old　Cow。〃　　〃What　Mameena　said　was　that　she　had
no　will　towards　marriage　with　any　Zulu　in　the　land；　so　I　suppose　she　is
looking　after　a　white　man；〃　and　she　leered　in　my　direction。　　〃She　said；
however；　that　if　her　father　wished　to　marry　her　to　Masapo；　she　must　be　a
dutiful　daughter　and　obey　him；　but　that　if　blood　and　trouble　came　of
that　marriage；　let　it　be　on　his　head　and　not　on　hers。〃

〃Would　you　also　stick　your　claws　into　me；　cat？〃　shouted　Umbezi；　catching
the　old　woman　a　savage　cut　across　the　back　with　the　light　dancing…stick
which　he　still　held　in　his　hand；　whereon　she　fled　away　screeching　and
cursing　him。

〃Oh；　Saduko；〃　he　went　on；　〃let　not　your　ears　be　poisoned　by　these
falsehoods。　　Mameena　never　said　anything　of　the　sort；　or　if　she　did　it
was　not　to　me。　　Well；　the　moment　that　my　daughter　had　consented　to　take
Masapo　as　her　husband　his　people　drove　a　hundred　and　twenty　of　the　most
beautiful　cattle　over　the　hill；　and　would　you　have　had　me　refuse　them；
Saduko？　　I　am　sure　that　when　you　have　seen　them　you　will　say　that　I　was
quite　right　to　accept　such　a　splendid　lobola　in　return　for　one
sharp…tongued　girl。　　Remember；　Saduko；　that　although　you　had　promised　a
hundred　head；　that　is　less　by　twenty；　at　the　time　you　did　not　own　one；
and　where　you　were　to　get　them　from　I　could　not　guess。　　Moreover；〃　he
added　with　a　last；　desperate；　imaginative　effort；　for　I　think　he　saw
that　his　arguments　were　making　no　impression；　〃some　strangers　who　called
here　told　me　that　both　you　and　Macumazahn　had