child of storm-第28章

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Also；　in　a　way；　I　read　Saduko's　mind　and　understood　that　at　the　moment
he　did　not　wish　to　discuss　the　matter　of　his　hideous　disappointment。　
Whatever　else　may　have　been　false　in　this　man's　nature；　one　thing　rang
true；　namely；　his　love　or　his　infatuation　for　the　girl　Mameena。　
Throughout　his　life　she　was　his　guiding　starabout　as　evil　a　star　as
could　have　arisen　upon　any　man's　horizon；　the　fatal　star　that　was　to
light　him　down　to　doom。　　Let　me　thank　Providence；　as　I　do；　that　I　was　so
fortunate　as　to　escape　its　baneful　influences；　although　I　admit　that
they　attracted　me　not　a　little。

So；　seduced　thither　by　my　curiosity；　which　has　so　often　led　me　into
trouble；　I　trekked　to　Nodwengu；　full　of　many　doubts　not　unmingled　with
amusement；　for　I　could　not　rid　my　mind　of　recollections　of　the　utter
terror　of　the　〃Eater…up…of…Elephants〃　when　he　was　brought　face　to　face
with　the　dreadful　and　concentrated　rage　of　the　robbed　Saduko　and　the
promise　of　his　vengeance。　　Ultimately　I　arrived　at　the　Great　Place
without　experiencing　any　adventure　that　is　worthy　of　record；　and　camped
in　a　spot　that　was　appointed　to　me　by　some　_induna_　whose　name　I　forget；
but　who　evidently　knew　of　my　approach；　for　I　found　him　awaiting　me　at
some　distance　from　the　town。　　Here　I　sat　for　quite　a　long　while；　two　or
three　days；　if　I　remember　right；　amusing　myself　with　killing　or　missing
turtle…doves　with　a　shotgun；　and　similar　pastimes；　until　something
should　happen；　or　I　grew　tired　and　started　for　Natal。

In　the　end；　just　as　I　was　about　to　trek　seawards；　an　old　friend；　Maputa；
turned　up　at　my　wagonsthat　same　man　who　had　brought　me　the　message
from　Panda　before　we　started　to　attack　Bangu。

〃Greeting；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said。　　〃What　of　the　Amakoba？　　I　see　they　did
not　kill　you。〃

〃No；〃　I　answered；　handing　him　some　snuff；　〃they　did　not　quite　kill　me；
for　here　I　am。　　What　is　your　pleasure　with　me？〃

〃O　Macumazana；　only　that　the　King　wishes　to　know　whether　you　have　any　of
those　little　balls　left　in　the　box　which　I　brought　back　to　you；　since；
if　so；　he　thinks　he　would　like　to　swallow　one　of　them　in　this　hot
weather。〃

I　proffered　him　the　whole　box；　but　he　would　not　take　it；　saying　that　the
King　would　like　me　to　give　it　to　him　myself。　　Now　I　understood　that　this
was　a　summons　to　an　audience；　and　asked　when　it　would　please　Panda　to
receive　me　and　〃the…little…black…stones…that…work…wonders。〃　　He
answeredat　once。

So　we　started；　and　within　an　hour　I　stood；　or　rather　sat；　before　Panda。

Like　all　his　family；　the　King　was　an　enormous　man；　but；　unlike　Chaka　and
those　of　his　brothers　whom　I　had　known；　one　of　a　kindly　countenance。　　I
saluted　him　by　lifting　my　cap；　and　took　my　place　upon　a　wooden　stool
that　had　been　provided　for　me　outside　the　great　hut；　in　the　shadow　of
which　he　sat　within　his　isi…gohlo；　or　private　enclosure。

〃Greeting；　O　Macumazana；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　safe　and　well；
for　I　understand　that　you　have　been　engaged　upon　a　perilous　adventure
since　last　we　met。〃

〃Yes；　King；〃　I　answered；　〃but　to　which　adventure　do　you　referthat　of
the　buffalo；　when　Saduko　helped　me；　or　that　of　the　Amakoba；　when　I
helped　Saduko？〃

〃The　latter；　Macumazahn；　of　which　I　desire　to　hear　all　the　story。〃

So　I　told　it　to　him；　he　and　I　being　alone；　for　he　commanded　his
councillors　and　servants　to　retire　out　of　hearing。

〃Wow！〃　he　said；　when　I　had　finished；　〃you　are　clever　as　a　baboon；
Macumazahn。　　That　was　a　fine　trick　to　set　a　trap　for　Bangu　and　his
Amakoba　dogs　and　bait　it　with　his　own　cattle。　　But　they　tell　me　that　you
refused　your　share　of　those　cattle。　　Now；　why　was　that；　Macumazahn？〃

By　way　of　answer　I　repeated　to　Panda　my　reasons；　which　I　have　set　out
already。

〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　when　I　had　finished。　　〃Every　one　seeks　greatness　in
his　own　way；　and　perhaps　yours　is　better　than　ours。　　Well；　the　White　man
walks　one　roador　some　of　them　doand　the　Black　man　another。　　They
both　end　at　the　same　place；　and　none　will　know　which　is　the　right　road
till　the　journey　is　done。　　Meanwhile；　what　you　lose　Saduko　and　his
people　gain。　　He　is　a　wise　man；　Saduko；　who　knows　how　to　choose　his
friends；　and　his　wisdom　has　brought　him　victory　and　gifts。　　But　to　you；
Macumazahn；　it　has　brought　nothing　but　honour；　on　which；　if　a　man　feeds
only；　he　will　grow　thin。〃

〃I　like　to　be　thin；　O　Panda；〃　I　answered　slowly。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　understand；〃　replied　the　King；　who；　in　common　with　most
natives；　was　quick　enough　to　seize　a　point；　〃and　I；　too；　like　people　who
keep　thin　on　such　food　as　yours；　people；　also；　whose　hands　are　always
clean。　　We　Zulus　trust　you；　Macumazahn；　as　we　trust　few　white　men；　for
we　have　known　for　years　that　your　lips　say　what　your　heart　thinks；　and
that　your　heart　always　thinks　the　thing　which　is　good。　　You　may　be　named
Watcher…by…Night；　but　you　love　light；　not　darkness。〃

Now；　at　these　somewhat　unusual　compliments　I　bowed；　and　felt　myself
colouring　a　little　as　I　did　so；　even　through　my　sunburn；　but　I　made　no
answer　to　them；　since　to　do　so　would　have　involved　a　discussion　of　the
past　and　its　tragical　events；　into　which　I　had　no　wish　to　enter。　　Panda；
too；　remained　silent　for　a　while。　　Then　he　called　to　a　messenger　to
summon　the　princes；　Cetewayo　and　Umbelazi；　and　to　bid　Saduko；　the　son　of
Matiwane；　to　wait　without；　in　case　he　should　wish　to　speak　with　him。

A　few　minutes　later　the　two　princes　arrived。　　I　watched　their　coming
with　interest；　for　they　were　the　most　important　men　in　Zululand；　and
already　the　nation　debated　fiercely　which　of　them　would　succeed　to　the
throne。　　I　will　try　to　describe　them　a　little。

They　were　both　of　much　the　same　ageit　is　always　difficult　to　arrive　at
a　Zulu's　exact　yearsand　both　fine　young　men。　　Cetewayo；　however；　had
the　stronger　countenance。　　It　was　said　that　he　resembled　that　fierce　and
able　monster；　Chaka　the　Wild　Beast；　his　uncle；　and　certainly　I　perceived
in　him　a　likeness　to　his　other　uncle；　Dingaan；　Umpanda's　predecessor；
whom　I　had　known　but　too　well　when　I　was　a　lad。　　He　had　the　same　surly
eyes　and　haughty　bearing；　also；　when　he　was　angry　his　mouth　shut　itself
in　the　same　iron　fashion。

Of　Umbelazi　it　is　difficult　for　me　to　speak　without　enthusiasm。　　As
Mameena　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　I　ever　saw　in　Zululandalthough　it
is　true　that　old　war…dog；　Umslopogaas；　a　friend　of　mine　who　does　not
come　into　this　story；　used　to　tell　me　that　Nada　the　Lily；　whom　I　have
mentioned；　was　even　lovelierso　Umbelazi　was　by　far　the　most　splendid
man。　　Indeed；　the　Zulus　named　him　〃Umbelazi　the　Handsome；〃　and　no
wonder。　　To　begin　with；　he　stood　at　least　three　inches　above　the　tallest
of　them；　from　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away　I　have　recognised　him　by　his
great　height；　even　through　the　dust　of　a　desperate　battle；　and　his
breadth　was　proportionate　to　his　stature。　　Then　he　was　perfectly　made；
his　great；　shapely　limbs　ending；　like　Saduko's；　in　small　hands　and　feet。
　His　face；　too；　was　well…cut　and　open；　his　colour　lighter　than
Cetewayo's；　and　his　eyes；　which　always　seemed　to　smile；　were　large　and
dark。

Even　before　they　passed　the　small　gate　of　the　inner　fence　it　was　easy
for　me　to　see　that　this　royal　pair　were　not　upon　the　best　of　terms；　for
each　of　them　tried　to　get　through　it　first；　to　show　his　right　of
precedence。　　The　result　was　somewhat　ludicrous；　for　they　jammed　in　the
gateway。　　Here；　however；　Umbelazi's　greater　weight　told；　for；　putting
out　his　strength；　he　squeezed　his　brother　into　the　reeds　of　the　fence；
and　won　through　a　foot　or　so　in　front　of　him。

〃You　grow　too　fat；　my　brother；〃　I　heard　Cetewayo　say；　and　saw　him　scowl
as　he　spoke。　　〃If　I　had　held　an　assegai　in　my　hand　you　would　have　been
cut。〃

〃I　know　it；　my　brother；〃　answered　Umbelazi；　with　a　good…humoured　laugh；
〃but　I　knew　also　that　none　may　appear　before　the　King　armed。　　Had　it
been　otherwise；　I　would　rather　have　followed　after　you。〃

Now；　at　this　hint　of　Umbelazi's；　that　he　would　not　trust　his　brother
behind　his　back　with　a　spear；　although　it　seemed　to　be　conveyed　in　jest；
I　saw　Panda　shift　uneasily　on　his　seat；　while　Cetewayo　scowled　even　more
ominously　than　before。　　However；　no　further　words　passed　between　them；
and；　walking　up　to　the　King　side　by　side；　they　saluted　him　with　ra