child of storm-第37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！


man's　medicines；　as　his　child　was　very　ill。　　Of　course　I　got　up　and
went；　taking　with　me　some　ipecacuanha　and　a　few　other　remedies　that　I
thought　might　be　suitable　for　infantile　ailments。

Outside　the　huts；　which　I　reached　just　as　the　sun　began　to　rise；　I　was
met　by　Saduko　himself；　who　was　coming　to　seek　me；　as　I　saw　at　once；　in　a
state　of　terrible　grief。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　asked。

〃O　Macumazana；〃　he　answered；　〃that　dog　Masapo　has　bewitched　my　boy；　and
unless　you　can　save　him　he　dies。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　I　said；　〃why　do　you　utter　wind？　　If　the　babe　is　sick；　it　is
from　some　natural　cause。〃

〃Wait　till　you　see　it；〃　he　replied。

Well；　I　went　into　the　big　hut；　and　there　found　Nandie　and　some　other
women；　also　a　native　doctor　or　two。　　Nandie　was　seated　on　the　floor
looking　like　a　stone　image　of　grief；　for　she　made　no　sound；　only　pointed
with　her　finger　to　the　infant　that　lay　upon　a　mat　in　front　of　her。

A　single　glance　showed　me　that　it　was　dying　of　some　disease　of　which　I
had　no　knowledge；　for　its　dusky　little　body　was　covered　with　red
blotches　and　its　tiny　face　twisted　all　awry。　　I　told　the　women　to　heat
water；　thinking　that　possibly　this　might　be　a　case　of　convulsions；　which
a　hot　bath　would　mitigate；　but　before　it　was　ready　the　poor　babe　uttered
a　thin　wail　and　died。

Then；　when　she　saw　that　her　child　was　gone；　Nandie　spoke　for　the　first
time。

〃The　wizard　has　done　his　work　well；〃　she　said；　and　flung　herself　face
downwards　on　the　floor　of　the　hut。

As　I　did　not　know　what　to　answer；　I　went　out；　followed　by　Saduko。

〃What　has　killed　my　son；　Macumazahn？〃　he　asked　in　a　hollow　voice；　the
tears　running　down　his　handsome　face；　for　he　had　loved　his　firstborn。

〃I　cannot　tell；〃　I　replied；　〃but　had　he　been　older　I　should　have　thought
he　had　eaten　something　poisonous；　which　seems　impossible。〃

〃Yes；　Macumazahn；　and　the　poison　that　he　has　eaten　came　from　the　breath
of　a　wizard　whom　you　may　chance　to　have　seen　kiss　him　last　night。　　Well；
his　life　shall　be　avenged。〃

〃Saduko；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃do　not　be　unjust。　　There　are　many　sicknesses
that　may　have　killed　your　son　of　which　I　have　no　knowledge；　who　am　not　a
trained　doctor。〃

〃I　will　not　be　unjust；　Macumazahn。　　The　babe　has　died　by　witchcraft；
like　others　in　this　town　of　late；　but　the　evil…doer　may　not　be　he　whom　I
suspect。　　That　is　for　the　smellers…out　to　decide；〃　and　without　more
words　he　turned　and　left　me。

Next　day　Masapo　was　put　upon　his　trial　before　a　Court　of　Councillors；
over　which　the　King　himself　presided；　a　very　unusual　thing　for　him　to
do；　and　one　which　showed　the　great　interest　he　took　in　the　case。

At　this　court　I　was　summoned　to　give　evidence；　and；　of　course；　confined
myself　to　answering　such　questions　as　were　put　to　me。　　Practically　these
were　but　two。　　What　had　passed　at　my　wagons　when　Masapo　had　knocked　over
Nandie　and　her　child；　and　Saduko　had　struck　him；　and　what　had　I　seen　at
Saduko's　feast　when　Masapo　had　kissed　the　infant？　　I　told　them　in　as　few
words　as　I　could；　and　after　some　slight　cross…examination　by　Masapo；
made　with　a　view　to　prove　that　the　upsetting　of　Nandie　was　an　accident
and　that　he　was　drunk　at　Saduko's　feast；　to　both　of　which　suggestions　I
assented；　I　rose　to　go。　　Panda；　however；　stopped　me　and　bade　me　describe
the　aspect　of　the　child　when　I　was　called　in　to　give　it　medicine。

I　did　so　as　accurately　as　possible；　and　could　see　that　my　account　made　a
deep　impression　on　the　mind　of　the　court。　　Then　Panda　asked　me　if　I　had
ever　seen　any　similar　case；　to　which　I　was　obliged　to　reply：

〃No；　I　have　not。〃

After　this　the　Councillors　consulted　privately；　and　when　we　were　called
back　the　King　gave　his　judgment；　which　was　very　brief。　　It　was　evident；
he　said；　that　there　had　been　events　which　might　have　caused　enmity　to
arise　in　the　mind　of　Masapo　against　Saduko；　by　whom　Masapo　had　been
struck　with　a　stick。　　Therefore；　although　a　reconciliation　had　taken
place；　there　seemed　to　be　a　possible　motive　for　revenge。　　But　if　Masapo
killed　the　child；　there　was　no　evidence　to　show　how　he　had　done　so。　
Moreover；　that　infant；　his　own　grandson；　had　not　died　of　any　known
disease。　　He　had；　however；　died　of　a　similar　disease　to　that　which　had
carried　off　certain　others　with　whom　Masapo　had　been　mixed　up；　whereas
more；　including　Saduko　himself；　had　been　sick　and　recovered；　all　of
which　seemed　to　make　a　strong　case　against　Masapo。

Still；　he　and　his　Councillors　wished　not　to　condemn　without　full　proof。　
That　being　so；　they　had　determined　to　call　in　the　services　of　some　great
witch…doctor；　one　who　lived　at　a　distance　and　knew　nothing　of　the
circumstances。　　Who　that　doctor　should　be　was　not　yet　settled。　　When　it
was　and　he　had　arrived；　the　case　would　be　re…opened；　and　meanwhile
Masapo　would　be　kept　a　close　prisoner。　　Finally；　he　prayed　that　the
white　man；　Macumazahn；　would　remain　at　his　town　until　the　matter　was
settled。

So　Masapo　was　led　off；　looking　very　dejected；　and；　having　saluted　the
King；　we　all　went　away。

I　should　add　that；　except　for　the　remission　of　the　case　to　the　court　of
the　witch…doctor；　which；　of　course；　was　an　instance　of　pure　Kafir
superstition；　this　judgment　of　the　King's　seemed　to　me　well　reasoned　and
just；　very　different　indeed　from　what　would　have　been　given　by　Dingaan
or　Chaka；　who　were　wont；　on　less　evidence；　to　make　a　clean　sweep　not
only　of　the　accused；　but　of　all　his　family　and　dependents。

About　eight　days　later；　during　which　time　I　had　heard　nothing　of　the
matter　and　seen　no　one　connected　with　it；　for　the　whole　thing　seemed　to
have　become　Zilathat　is；　not　to　be　talked　aboutI　received　a　summons
to　attend　the　〃smelling…out；〃　and　went；　wondering　what　witch…doctor　had
been　chosen　for　that　bloody　and　barbarous　ceremony。　　Indeed；　I　had　not
far　to　go；　since　the　place　selected　for　the　occasion　was　outside　the
fence　of　the　town　of　Nodwengu；　on　that　great　open　stretch　of　ground
which　lay　at　the　mouth　of　the　valley　where　I　was　camped。　　Here；　as　I
approached；　I　saw　a　vast　multitude　of　people　crowded　together；　fifty
deep　or　more；　round　a　little　oval　space　not　much　larger　than　the　pit　of
a　theatre。　　On　the　inmost　edge　of　this　ring　were　seated　many　notable
people；　male　and　female；　and　as　I　was　conducted　to　the　side　of　it　which
was　nearest　to　the　gate　of　the　town；　I　observed　among　them　Saduko；
Masapo；　Mameena　and　others；　and　mixed　up　with　them　a　number　of　soldiers；
who　were　evidently　on　duty。

Scarcely　had　I　seated　myself　on　a　camp…stool；　carried　by　my　servant
Scowl；　when　through　the　gate　of　the　kraal　issued　Panda　and　certain　of
his　Council；　whose　appearance　the　multitude　greeted　with　the　royal
salute　of　〃Bayete〃；　that　came　from　them　in　a　deep　and　simultaneous　roar
of　sound。　　When　its　echoes　died　away；　in　the　midst　of　a　deep　silence
Panda　spoke；　saying：

〃Bring　forth　the　Nyanga　＇doctor＇。　　Let　the　umhlahlo　＇that　is；　the
witch…trial＇　begin！〃

There　was　a　long　pause；　and　then　in　the　open　gateway　appeared　a　solitary
figure　that　at　first　sight　seemed　to　be　scarcely　human；　the　figure　of　a
dwarf　with　a　gigantic　head；　from　which　hung　long；　white　hair；　plaited
into　locks。　　It　was　Zikali；　no　other！

Quite　unattended；　and　naked　save　for　his　moocha；　for　he　had　on　him　none
of　the　ordinary　paraphernalia　of　the　witch…doctor；　he　waddled　forward
with　a　curious　toad…like　gait　till　he　had　passed　through　the　Councillors
and　stood　in　the　open　space　of　the　ring。　　Halting　there；　he　looked　about
him　slowly　with　his　deep…set　eyes；　turning　as　he　looked；　till　at　length
his　glance　fell　upon　the　King。

〃What　would　you　have　of　me；　Son　of　Senzangakona？〃　he　asked。　　〃Many　years
have　passed　since　last　we　met。　　Why　do　you　drag　me　from　my　hut；　I　who
have　visited　the　kraal　of　the　King　of　the　Zulus　but　twice　since　the
'Black　One'　＇Chaka＇　sat　upon　the　throneonce　when　the　Boers　were　killed
by　him　who　went　before　you；　and　once　when　I　was　brought　forth　to　see　all
who　were　left　of　my　race；　shoots　of　the　royal　Dwandwe　stock；　slain
before　my　eyes。　　Do　you　bear　me　hither　that　I　may　follow　them　into　the
darkness；　O　Child　of　Senzangakona？　　If　so　I　am　ready；　only　then　I　have
words　to　say　that　it　may　not　please　you　to　hear。〃

His　deep；　rumbling　voice　echoed　into　silence；　whi