child of storm-第45章

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stay　until　these　troubles　are　done　with；　since　if　you　leave　you　may　be
murdered　on　the　road。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　kindness；　King；〃　I　answered；　〃but　all　this　is　very
awkward　for　me；　who　hoped　to　trek　for　Natal　to…morrow。〃

〃Well；　there　it　is；　Macumazahn；　you　will　have　to　stay　here　unless　you
wish　to　be　killed。　　He　who　walks　into　a　storm　must　put　up　with　the
hailstones。〃

So　it　came　about　that　once　again　Fate　dragged　me　into　the　Zulu
maelstrom。

On　the　morrow　I　was　summoned　to　the　trial；　half　as　a　witness　and　half　as
one　of　the　offenders。　　Going　to　the　head　of　the　Nodwengu　kraal；　where
Panda　was　sitting　in　state　with　his　Council；　I　found　the　whole　great
space　in　front　of　him　crowded　with　a　dense　concourse　of　fierce…faced
partisans；　those　who　favoured　Cetewayothe　Usutusitting　on　the　right；
and　those　who　favoured　Umbelazithe　Isigqosasitting　on　the　left。　　At
the　head　of　the　right…hand　section　sat　Cetewayo；　his　brethren　and　chief
men。　　At　the　head　of　the　left…hand　section　sat　Umbelazi；　his　brethren
and　his　chief　men；　amongst　whom　I　saw　Saduko　take　a　place　immediately
behind　the　Prince；　so　that　he　could　whisper　into　his　ear。

To　myself　and　my　little　band　of　eight　hunters；　who　by　Panda's　express
permission；　came　armed　with　their　guns；　as　I　did　also；　for　I　was
determined　that　if　the　necessity　arose　we　would　sell　our　lives　as　dearly
as　we　could；　was　appointed　a　place　almost　in　front　of　the　King　and
between　the　two　factions。　　When　everyone　was　seated　the　trial　began；
Panda　demanding　to　know　who　had　caused　the　tumult　of　the　previous　night。

I　cannot　set　out　what　followed　in　all　its　details；　for　it　would　be　too
long；　also　I　have　forgotten　many　of　them。　　I　remember；　however；　that
Cetewayo's　people　said　that　Umbelazi's　men　were　the　aggressors；　and　that
Umbelazi's　people　said　that　Cetewayo's　men　were　the　aggressors；　and　that
each　of　their　parties　backed　up　these　statements；　which　were　given　at
great　length；　with　loud　shouts。

〃How　am　I　to　know　the　truth？〃　exclaimed　Panda　at　last。　　〃Macumazahn；　you
were　there；　step　forward　and　tell　it　to　me。〃

So　I　stood　out　and　told　the　King　what　I　had　seen；　namely　that　the
captain　who　favoured　Cetewayo　had　begun　the　quarrel　by　striking　the
captain　who　favoured　Umbelazi；　but　that　in　the　end　Umbelazi's　man　had
killed　Cetewayo's　man；　after　which　the　fighting　commenced。

〃Then　it　would　seem　that　the　Usutu　are　to　blame；〃　said　Panda。

〃Upon　what　grounds　do　you　say　so；　my　father？　　asked　Cetewayo；　springing
up。　　〃Upon　the　testimony　of　this　white　man；　who　is　well　known　to　be　the
friend　of　Umbelazi　and　of　his　henchman　Saduko；　and　who　himself　killed
two　of　those　who　called　me　chief　in　the　course　of　the　fight？〃

〃Yes；　Cetewayo；〃　I　broke　in；　〃because　I　thought　it　better　that　I　should
kill　them　than　that　they　should　kill　me；　whom　they　attacked　quite
unprovoked。〃

〃At　any　rate；　you　killed　them；　little　White　Man；〃　shouted　Cetewayo；　〃for
which　cause　your　blood　is　forfeit。　　Say；　did　Umbelazi　give　you　leave　to
appear　before　the　King　accompanied　by　men　armed　with　guns；　when　we　who
are　his　sons　must　come　with　sticks　only？　　If　so；　let　him　protect　you！〃

〃That　I　will　do　if　there　is　need！〃　exclaimed　Umbelazi。

〃Thank　you；　Prince；〃　I　said；　〃but　if　there　is　need　I　will　protect　myself
as　I　did　yesterday；〃　and；　cocking　my　double…barrelled　rifle；　I　looked
full　at　Cetewayo。

〃When　you　leave　here；　then　at　least　I　will　come　even　with　you；
Macumazahn！〃　threatened　Cetewayo；　spitting　through　his　teeth；　as　was　his
way　when　mad　with　passion。

For　he　was　beside　himself；　and　wished　to　vent　his　temper　on　someone；
although　in　truth　he　and　I　were　always　good　friends。

〃If　so　I　shall　stop　where　I　am；〃　I　answered　coolly；　〃in　the　shadow　of
the　King；　your　father。　　Moreover；　are　you　so　lost　in　folly；　Cetewayo；
that　you　should　wish　to　bring　the　English　about　your　ears？　　Know　that　if
I　am　killed　you　will　be　asked　to　give　account　of　my　blood。〃

〃Aye；〃　interrupted　Panda；　〃and　know　that　if　anyone　lays　a　finger　on
Macumazana；　who　is　my　guest；　he　shall　die；　whether　he　be　a　common　man　or
a　prince　and　my　son。　　Also；　Cetewayo；　I　fine　you　twenty　head　of　cattle；
to　be　paid　to　Macumazana　because　of　the　unprovoked　attack　which　your　men
made　upon　him　when　he　rightly　slew　them。〃

〃The　fine　shall　be　paid；　my　father；〃　said　Cetewayo　more　quietly；　for　he
saw　that　in　threatening　me　he　had　pushed　matters　too　far。

Then；　after　some　more　talk；　Panda　gave　judgment　in　the　cause；　which
judgment　really　amounted　to　nothing。　　As　it　was　impossible　to　decide
which　party　was　most　to　blame；　he　fined　both　an　equal　number　of　cattle；
accompanying　the　fine　with　a　lecture　on　their　ill…behaviour；　which　was
listened　to　indifferently。

After　this　matter　was　disposed　of　the　real　business　of　the　meeting
began。

Rising　to　his　feet；　Cetewayo　addressed　Panda。

〃My　father；〃　he　said；　〃the　land　wanders　and　wanders　in　darkness；　and　you
alone　can　give　light　for　its　feet。　　I　and　my　brother；　Umbelazi；　are　at
variance；　and　the　quarrel　is　a　great　one；　namely；　as　to　which　of　us　is
to　sit　in　your　place　when　you　are　'gone　down；'　when　we　call　and　you　do
not　answer。　　Some　of　the　nation　favour　one　of　us　and　some　favour　the
other；　but　you；　O　King；　and　you　alone；　have　the　voice　of　judgment。　
Still；　before　you　speak；　I　and　those　who　stand　with　me　would　bring　this
to　your　mind。　　My　mother；　Umqumbazi；　is　your　Inkosikazi；　your　head…wife；
and　therefore；　according　to　our　law；　I；　her　eldest　son；　should　be　your
heir。　　Moreover；　when　you　fled　to　the　Boers　before　the　fall　of　him　who
sat　in　your　place　before　you　＇Dingaan＇；　did　not　they；　the　white　Amabunu；
ask　you　which　amongst　your　sons　was　your　heir；　and　did　you　not　point　me
out　to　the　white　men？　　And　thereon　did　not　the　Amabunu　clothe　me　in　a
dress　of　honour　because　I　was　the　King　to　be？　　But　now　of　late　the
mother　of　Umbelazi　has　been　whispering　in　your　ear；　as　have　others〃and
he　looked　at　Saduko　and　some　of　Umbelazi's　brethren〃and　your　face　has
grown　cold　towards　me；　so　cold　that　many　say　that　you　will　point　out
Umbelazi　to　be　King　after　you　and　stamp　on　my　name。　　If　this　is　so；　my
father；　tell　me　at　once；　that　I　may　know　what　to　do。〃

Having　finished　this　speech；　which　certainly　did　not　lack　force　and
dignity；　Cetewayo　sat　down　again；　awaiting　the　answer　in　sullen　silence。
　But；　making　none；　Panda　looked　at　Umbelazi；　who；　on　rising；　was　greeted
with　a　great　cheer；　for　although　Cetewayo　had　the　larger　following　in
the　land；　especially　among　the　distant　chiefs；　the　Zulus　individually
loved　Umbelazi　more；　perhaps　because　of　his　stature；　beauty　and　kindly
dispositionphysical　and　moral　qualities　that　naturally　appeal　to　a
savage　nation。

〃My　father；〃　he　said；　〃like　my　brother；　Cetewayo；　I　await　your　word。　
Whatever　you　may　have　said　to　the　Amabunu　in　haste　or　fear；　I　do　not
admit　that　Cetewayo　was　ever　proclaimed　your　heir　in　the　hearing　of　the
Zulu　people。　　I　say　that　my　right　to　the　succession　is　as　good　as　his；
and　that　it　lies　with　you；　and　you　alone；　to　declare　which　of　us　shall
put　on　the　royal　kaross　in　days　that　my　heart　prays　may　be　distant。　
Still；　to　save　bloodshed；　I　am　willing　to　divide　the　land　with　Cetewayo〃
（here　both　Panda　and　Cetewayo　shook　their　heads　and　the　audience　roared
〃Nay〃）；　〃or；　if　that　does　not　please　him；　I　am　willing　to　meet　Cetewayo
man　to　man　and　spear　to　spear　and　fight　till　one　of　us　be　slain。〃

〃A　safe　offer！〃　sneered　Cetewayo；　〃for　is　not　my　brother　named
'Elephant；'　and　the　strongest　warrior　among　the　Zulus？　　No；　I　will　not
set　the　fortunes　of　those　who　cling　to　me　on　the　chance　of　a　single
stab；　or　on　the　might　of　a　man's　muscles。　　Decide；　O　father；　say　which
of　the　two　of　us　is　to　sit　at　the　head　of　your　kraal　after　you　have　gone
over　to　the　Spirits　and　are　but　an　ancestor　to　be　worshipped。〃

Now；　Panda　looked　much　disturbed；　as　was　not　wonderful；　since；　rushing
out　from　the　fence　behind　which　they　had　been　listening；　Umqumbazi；
Cetewayo's　mother；　whispered　into　one　of　his　ears；　while　Umbelazi's
mother　whispered　into　the　other。　　What　advice　each　of　them　gave　I　do　not
know；　although　obviously　it　was　not　the　same　advice；　since　the　poor　man
rolled　his　eyes　first　at　one　and　then　at　the　other；　and　f