child of storm-第38章

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words　to　say　that　it　may　not　please　you　to　hear。〃

His　deep；　rumbling　voice　echoed　into　silence；　while　the　great　audience
waited　for　the　King's　answer。　　I　could　see　that　they　were　all　afraid　of
this　man；　yes；　even　Panda　was　afraid；　for　he　shifted　uneasily　upon　his
stool。　　At　length　he　spoke；　saying：

〃Not　so；　O　Zikali。　　Who　would　wish　to　do　hurt　to　the　wisest　and　most
ancient　man　in　all　the　land；　to　him　who　touches　the　far　past　with　one
hand　and　the　present　with　the　other；　to　him　who　was　old　before　our
grandfathers　began　to　be？　　Nay；　you　are　safe；　you　on　whom　not　even　the
'Black　One'　dared　to　lay　a　finger；　although　you　were　his　enemy　and　he
hated　you。　　As　for　the　reason　why　you　have　been　brought　here；　tell　it　to
us；　O　Zikali。　　Who　are　we　that　we　should　instruct　you　in　the　ways　of
wisdom？〃

When　the　dwarf　heard　this　he　broke　into　one　of　his　great　laughs。

〃So　at　last　the　House　of　Senzangakona　acknowledges　that　I　have　wisdom。　
Then　before　all　is　done　they　will　think　me　wise　indeed。〃

He　laughed　again　in　his　ill…omened　fashion　and　went　on　hurriedly；　as
though　he　feared　that　he　should　be　called　upon　to　explain　his　words：

〃Where　is　the　fee？　　Where　is　the　fee？　　Is　the　King　so　poor　that　he
expects　an　old　Dwandwe　doctor　to　divine　for　nothing；　just　as　though　he
were　working　for　a　private　friend？〃

Panda　made　a　motion　with　his　hand；　and　ten　fine　heifers　were　driven　into
the　circle　from　some　place　where　they　had　been　kept　in　waiting。

〃Sorry　beasts！〃　said　Zikali　contemptuously；　〃compared　to　those　we　used
to　breed　before　the　time　of　Senzangakona〃a　remark　which　caused　a　loud
〃Wow！〃　of　astonishment　to　be　uttered　by　the　multitude　that　heard　it。　
〃Still；　such　as　they　are；　let　them　be　taken　to　my　kraal；　with　a　bull；
for　I　have　none。〃

The　cattle　were　driven　away；　and　the　ancient　dwarf　squatted　himself　down
and　stared　at　the　ground；　looking　like　a　great　black　toad。　　For　a　long
whilequite　ten　minutes；　I　should　thinkhe　stared　thus；　till　I；　for
one；　watching　him　intently；　began　to　feel　as　though　I　were　mesmerised。

At　length　he　looked　up；　tossing　back　his　grey　locks；　and　said：

〃I　see　many　things　in　the　dust。　　Oh；　yes；　it　is　alive；　it　is　alive；　and
tells　me　many　things。　　Show　that　you　are　alive；　O　Dust。　　Look！〃

As　he　spoke；　throwing　his　hands　upwards；　there　arose　at　his　very　feet
one　of　those　tiny　and　incomprehensible　whirlwinds　with　which　all　who
know　South　Africa　will　be　familiar。　　It　drove　the　dust　together；　it
lifted　it　in　a　tall；　spiral　column　that　rose　and　rose　to　a　height　of
fifty　feet　or　more。　　Then　it　died　away　as　suddenly　as　it　had　come；　so
that　the　dust　fell　down　again　over　Zikali；　over　the　King；　and　over　three
of　his　sons　who　sat　behind　him。　　Those　three　sons；　I　remember；　were
named　Tshonkweni；　Dabulesinye；　and　Mantantashiya。　　As　it　chanced；　by　a
strange　coincidence　all　of　these　were　killed　at　the　great　battle　of　the
Tugela　of　which　I　have　to　tell。

Now　again　an　exclamation　of　fear　and　wonder　rose　from　the　audience；　who
set　down　this　lifting　of　the　dust　at　Zikali's　very　feet　not　to　natural
causes；　but　to　the　power　of　his　magic。　　Moreover；　those　on　whom　it　had
fallen；　including　the　King；　rose　hurriedly　and　shook　and　brushed　it　from
their　persons　with　a　zeal　that　was　not；　I　think；　inspired　by　a　mere
desire　for　cleanliness。　　But　Zikali　only　laughed　again　in　his　terrible
fashion　and　let　it　lie　on　his　fresh…oiled　body；　which　it　turned　to　the
dull；　dead　hue　of　a　grey　adder。

He　rose　and；　stepping　here　and　there；　examined　the　new…fallen　dust。　
Then　he　put　his　hand　into　a　pouch　he　wore　and　produced　from　it　a　dried
human　finger；　whereof　the　nail　was　so　pink　that　I　think　it　must　have
been　coloureda　sight　at　which　the　circle　shuddered。

〃Be　clever；〃　he　said；　〃O　Finger　of　her　I　loved　best；　be　clever　and　write
in　the　dust　as　yonder　Macumazana　can　write；　and　as　some　of　the　Dwandwe
used　to　write　before　we　became　slaves　and　bowed　ourselves　down　before
the　Great　Heavens。〃　　（By　this　he　meant　the　Zulus；　whose　name　means　the
Heavens。）　　〃Be　clever；　dear　Finger　which　caressed　me　once；　me；　the
'Thing…that…should…not…have…been…born；'　as　more　will　think　before　I　die；
and　write　those　matters　that　it　pleases　the　House　of　Senzangakona　to
know　this　day。〃

Then　he　bent　down；　and　with　the　dead　finger　at　three　separate　spots　made
certain　markings　in　the　fallen　dust；　which　to　me　seemed　to　consist　of
circles　and　dots；　and　a　strange　and　horrid　sight　it　was　to　see　him　do
it。

〃I　thank　you；　dear　Finger。　　Now　sleep；　sleep；　your　work　is　done；〃　and
slowly　he　wrapped　the　relic　up　in　some　soft　material　and　restored　it　to
his　pouch。

Then　he　studied　the　first　of　the　markings　and　asked：　〃What　am　I　here
for？　　What　am　I　here　for？　　Does　he　who　sits　upon　the　Throne　desire　to
know　how　long　he　has　to　reign？〃

Now；　those　of　the　inner　circle　of　the　spectators；　who　at　these
〃smellings…out〃　act　as　a　kind　of　chorus；　looked　at　the　King；　and；　seeing
that　he　shook　his　head　vigorously；　stretched　out　their　right　hands；
holding　the　thumb　downwards；　and　said　simultaneously　in　a　cold；　low
voice：

〃Izwa！〃　（That　is；　〃We　hear　you。〃）

Zikali　stamped　upon　this　set　of　markings。

〃It　is　well；〃　he　said。　　〃He　who　sits　upon　the　Throne　does　not　desire　to
know　how　long　he　has　to　reign；　and　therefore　the　dust　has　forgotten　and
shows　it　not　to　me。〃

Then　he　walked　to　the　next　markings　and　studied　them。

〃Does　the　Child　of　Senzangakona　desire　to　know　which　of　his　sons　shall
live　and　which　shall　die；　aye；　and　which　of　them　shall　sleep　in　his　hut
when　he　is　gone？〃

Now　a　great　roar　of　〃Izwa！〃　accompanied　by　the　clapping　of　hands；　rose
from　all　the　outer　multitude　who　heard；　for　there　was　no　information
that　the　Zulu　people　desired　so　earnestly　as　this　at　the　time　of　which　I
write。

But　again　Panda；　who；　I　saw；　was　thoroughly　alarmed　at　the　turn　things
were　taking；　shook　his　head　vigorously；　whereon　the　obedient　chorus
negatived　the　question　in　the　same　fashion　as　before。

Zikali　stamped　upon　the　second　set　of　markings；　saying：

〃The　people　desire　to　know；　but　the　Great　Ones　are　afraid　to　learn；　and
therefore　the　dust　has　forgotten　who　in　the　days　to　come　shall　sleep　in
the　hut　of　the　King　and　who　shall　sleep　in　the　bellies　of　the　jackals
and　the　crops　of　the　vultures　after　they　have　'gone　beyond'　by　the
bridge　of　spears。〃

Now；　at　this　awful　speech　（which；　both　because　of　all　that　it　implied　of
bloodshed　and　civil　war　and　of　the　wild；　wailing　voice　in　which　it　was
spoken；　that　seemed　quite　different　from　Zikali's；　caused　everyone　who
heard　it；　including　myself；　I　am　afraid；　to　gasp　and　shiver）　the　King
sprang　from　his　stool　as　though　to　put　a　stop　to　such　doctoring。　　Then；
after　his　fashion；　he　changed　his　mind　and　sat　down　again。　　But　Zikali；
taking　no　heed；　went　to　the　third　set　of　marks　and　studied　them。

〃It　would　seem；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　am　awakened　from　sleep　in　my　Black
House　yonder　to　tell　of　a　very　little　matter；　that　might　well　have　been
dealt　with　by　any　common　Nyanga　born　but　yesterday。　　Well；　I　have　taken
my　fee；　and　I　will　earn　it；　although　I　thought　that　I　was　brought　here
to　speak　of　great　matters；　such　as　the　death　of　princes　and　the　fortunes
of　peoples。　　Is　it　desired　that　my　Spirit　should　speak　of　wizardries　in
this　town　of　Nodwengu？〃

〃Izwa！〃　said　the　chorus　in　a　loud　voice。

Zikali　nodded　his　great　head　and　seemed　to　talk　with　the　dust；　waiting
now　and　again　for　an　answer。

〃Good；〃　he　said；　〃they　are　many；　and　the　dust　has　told　them　all　to　me。　
Oh；　they　are　very　many〃and　he　glared　around　him〃so　many　that　if　I
spoke　them　all　the　hyenas　of　the　hills　would　be　full　to…night〃

Here　the　audience　began　to　show　signs　of　great　apprehension。

〃But；〃　looking　down　at　the　dust　and　turning　his　head　sideways；　〃what　do
you　say；　what　do　you　say？　　Speak　more　plainly；　Little　Voices；　for　you
know　I　grow　deaf。　　Oh！　now　I　understand。　　The　matter　is　even　smaller
than　I　thought。　　Just　of　one　wizard〃

〃Izwa！〃　（loudly）。

〃just　of　a　few　deaths　and　some　sicknesses。〃

〃Izwa！〃

〃Just　of　one　death；　one　principal　death。〃

〃Izwa！〃　（very　loudly）。

〃Ah！　　So　we　have　itone　death。　　Now；　was　it　a　man？〃

〃Izwa！〃　（very　coldly）。

〃A　woman？〃

〃Izwa！〃　（still　more　cold