child of storm-第43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！


although　from　henceforth　we　can　be　no　more　than　friends；　my　heart　is
still　tender　towards　him；　and　that　by　day　and　by　night　I　will　strive　to
water　his　greatness；　so　that　it　may　grow　into　a　tree　that　shall　shade
the　land。　　Let　Macumazahn　bid　him　not　to　be　angry　with　me；　since　what　I
do　I　do　for　his　good；　as　he　would　have　found　no　happiness　while　Nandie
and　I　dwelt　in　one　house。　　Above　all；　also　let　him　not　be　angry　with　the
Prince；　who　loves　him　more　than　any　man；　and　does　but　travel　whither　the
wind　that　I　breathe　blows　him。　　Bid　Macumazahn　think　of　me　kindly；　as　I
shall　of　him　while　my　eyes　are　open。'〃

I　listened　to　this　amazing　message　in　silence；　then　asked　if　Mameena　was
alone。

〃No；　Baas；　Umbelazi　and　some　soldiers　were　with　her；　but　they　did　not
hear　her　words；　for　she　stepped　aside　to　speak　with　me。　　Then　she
returned　to　them；　and　they　walked　away　swiftly；　and　were　swallowed　up　in
the　night。〃

〃Very　good；　Sikauli；〃　I　said。　　〃Make　me　some　coffee；　and　make　it
strong。〃

I　dressed　and　drank　several　cups　of　the　coffee；　all　the　while　〃thinking
with　my　head；〃　as　the　Zulus　say。　　Then　I　walked　up　to　the　kraal　to　see
Umbezi；　whom　I　found　just　coming　out　of　his　hut；　yawning。

〃Why　do　you　look　so　black　upon　this　beautiful　morning；　Macumazahn？〃
asked　the　genial　old　scamp。　　〃Have　you　lost　your　best　cow；　or　what？〃

〃No；　my　friend；〃　I　answered；　〃but　you　and　another　have　lost　your　best
cow。〃　　And　word　for　word　I　repeated　to　him　Mameena's　message。　　When　I
had　finished　really　I　thought　that　Umbezi　was　about　to　faint。

〃Curses　be　on　the　head　of　this　Mameena！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Surely　some
evil　spirit　must　have　been　her　father；　not　I；　and　well　was　she　called
Child　of　Storm。*　　What　shall　I　do　now；　Macumazahn？　　Thanks　be　to　my
Spirit；〃　he　added；　with　an　air　of　relief；　〃she　is　too　far　gone　for　me　to
try　to　catch　her；　also；　if　I　did；　Umbelazi　and　his　soldiers　would　kill
me。〃

＇*That；　if　I　have　not　said　so　already；　was　the　meaning　which　the　Zulus
gave　to　the　word　〃Mameena〃；　although　as　I　know　the　language　I　cannot　get
any　such　interpretation　out　of　the　name；　I　believe　that　it　was　given　to
her；　however；　because　she　was　born　just　before　a　terrible　tempest；　when
the　wind　wailing　round　the　but　made　a　sound　like　the　word　〃Ma…mee…na〃。
A。　Q。＇

〃And　what　will　Saduko　do　if　you　don't？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　of　course　he　will　be　angry；　for　no　doubt　he　is　fond　of　her。　　But；
after　all；　I　am　used　to　that。　　You　remember　how　he　went　mad　when　she
married　Masapo。　　At　least；　he　cannot　say　that　I　made　her　run　away　with
Umbelazi。　　After　all；　it　is　a　matter　which　they　must　settle　between
them。〃

〃I　think　it　may　mean　great　trouble；〃　I　said；　〃at　a　time　when　trouble　is
not　needed。〃

〃Oh；　why　so；　Macumazahn？　　My　daughter　did　not　get　on　with　the　Princess
Nandiewe　could　all　see　thatfor　they　would　scarcely　speak　to　each
other。　　And　if　Saduko　is　fond　of　herwell；　after　all；　there　are　other
beautiful　women　in　Zululand。　　I　know　one　or　two　of　them　myself　whom　I
will　mention　to　Sadukoor　rather　to　Nandie。　　Really；　as　things　were；　I
am　not　sure　but　that　he　is　well　rid　of　her。〃

〃But　what　do　you　think　of　the　matter　as　her　father？〃　I　asked；　for　I
wanted　to　see　to　what　length　his　accommodating　morality　would　stretch。

〃As　her　fatherwell；　of　course；　Macumazahn；　as　her　father　I　am　sorry；
because　it　will　mean　talk；　will　it　not；　as　the　Masapo　business　did？　
Still；　there　is　this　to　be　said　for　Mameena；〃　he　added；　with　a
brightening　face；　〃she　always　runs　away　up　the　tree；　not　down。　　When　she
got　rid　of　MasapoI　mean　when　Masapo　was　killed　for　his　witchcraftshe
married　Saduko；　who　was　a　bigger　manSaduko；　whom　she　would　not　marry
when　Masapo　was　the　bigger　man。　　And　now；　when　she　has　got　rid　of
Saduko；　she　enters　the　hut　of　Umbelazi；　who　will　one　day　be　King　of　the
Zulus；　the　biggest　man　in　all　the　world；　which　means　that　she　will　be
the　biggest　woman；　for　remember；　Macumazahn；　she　will　walk　round　and
round　that　great　Umbelazi　till　whatever　way　he　looks　he　will　see　her　and
no　one　else。　　Oh；　she　will　grow　great；　and　carry　up　her　poor　old　father
in　the　blanket　on　her　back。　　Oh；　the　sun　still　shines　behind　the　cloud；
Macumazahn；　so　let　us　make　the　best　of　the　cloud；　since　we　know　that　it
will　break　out　presently。〃

〃Yes；　Umbezi；　but　other　things　besides　the　sun　break　out　from　clouds
sometimeslightning；　for　instance；　lightning　which　kills。〃

〃You　speak　ill…omened　words；　Macumazahn；　words　that　take　away　my
appetite；　which　is　generally　excellent　at　this　hour。　　Well；　if　Mameena
is　bad　it　is　not　my　fault；　for　I　brought　her　up　to　be　good。　　After　all；〃
he　added　with　an　outburst　of　petulance；　〃why　do　you　scold　me　when　it　is
your　fault？　　If　you　had　run　away　with　the　girl　when　you　might　have　done
so；　there　would　have　been　none　of　this　trouble。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　I　answered；　〃only　then　I　am　sure　I　should　have　been　dead
to…day；　as　I　think　that　all　who　have　to　do　with　her　will　be　ere　long。　
And　now；　Umbezi；　I　wish　you　a　good　breakfast。〃

On　the　following　morning；　Saduko　returned　and　was　told　the　news　by
Nandie；　whom　I　had　carefully　avoided。　　On　this　occasion；　however；　I　was
forced　to　be　present；　as　the　person　to　whom　the　sinful　Mameena　had　sent
her　farewell　message。　　It　was　a　very　painful　experience；　of　which　I　do
not　remember　all　the　details。　　For　a　while　after　he　learned　the　truth
Saduko　sat　still　as　a　stone；　staring　in　front　of　him；　with　a　face　that
seemed　to　have　become　suddenly　old。　　Then　he　turned　upon　Umbezi；　and　in
a　few　terrible　words　accused　him　of　having　arranged　the　matter　in　order
to　advance　his　own　fortunes　at　the　price　of　his　daughter's　dishonour。　
Next；　without　listening　to　his　ex…father…in…law's　voluble　explanations；
he　rose　and　said　that　he　was　going　away　to　kill　Umbelazi；　the　evil…doer
who　had　robbed　him　of　the　wife　he　loved；　with　the　connivance　of　all
three　of　us；　and　by　a　sweep　of　his　hand　he　indicated　Umbezi；　the
Princess　Nandie　and　myself。

This　was　more　than　I　could　stand；　so　I；　too；　rose　and　asked　him　what　he
meant；　adding　in　the　irritation　of　the　moment　that　if　I　had　wished　to
rob　him　of　his　beautiful　Mameena；　I　thought　I　could　have　done　so　long
agoa　remark　that　staggered　him　a　little。

Then　Nandie　rose　also；　and　spoke　in　her　quiet　voice。

〃Saduko；　my　husband；〃　she　said；　〃I；　a　Princess　of　the　Zulu　House；
married　you　who　are　not　of　royal　blood　because　I　loved　you；　and　although
Panda　the　King　and　Umbelazi　the　Prince　wished　it；　for　no　other　reason
whatsoever。　　Well；　I　have　been　faithful　to　you　through　some　trials；　even
when　you　set　the　widow　of　a　wizardif；　indeed；　as　I　have　reason　to
suspect；　she　was　not　herself　the　wizardbefore　me；　and　although　that
wizard　had　killed　our　son；　lived　in　her　hut　rather　than　in　mine。　　Now
this　woman　of　whom　you　thought　so　much　has　deserted　you　for　your　friend
and　my　brother；　the　Prince　UmbelaziUmbelazi　who　is　called　the
Handsome；　and　who；　if　the　fortune　of　war　goes　with　him；　as　it　may　or　may
not；　will　succeed　to　Panda；　my　father。　　This　she　has　done　because　she
alleges　that　I；　your　Inkosikazi　and　the　King's　daughter；　treated　her　as
a　servant；　which　is　a　lie。　　I　kept　her　in　her　place；　no　more；　who；　if
she　could　have　had　her　will；　would　have　ousted　me　from　mine；　perhaps　by
death；　for　the　wives　of　wizards　learn　their　arts。　　On　this　pretext　she
has　left　you；　but　that　is　not　her　real　reason。　　She　has　left　you　because
the　Prince；　my　brother；　whom　she　has　befooled　with　her　tricks　and
beauty；　as　she　has　befooled　others；　or　tried　to〃and　she　glanced　at
me〃is　a　bigger　man　than　you　are。　　You；　Saduko；　may　become　great；　as　my
heart　prays　that　you　will；　but　my　brother　may　become　a　king。　　She　does
not　love　him　any　more　than　she　loved　you；　but　she　does　love　the　place
that　may　be　his；　and　therefore　hersshe　who　would　be　the　first　doe　of
the　herd。　　My　husband；　I　think　that　you　are　well　rid　of　Mameena；　for　I
think　also　that　if　she　had　stayed　with　us　there　would　have　been　more
deaths　in　our　House；　perhaps　mine；　which　would　not　matter；　and　perhaps
yours；　which　would　matter　much。　　All　this　I　say　to　you；　not　from
jealousy　of　one　who　is　fairer　than　I；　but　because　it　is　the　truth。　
Therefore　my　counsel　to　you　is　to　let　this　business　pass　over　and　keep
sile