child of storm-第5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！
arose； the flames began to eat； my father looked out and saw。 'Break
through the fence and away； woman；' he said； 'away with Saduko； that he
may live to avenge me。 Begone while I hold the gate！ Begone to Zikali；
for whose witchcrafts I pay with my blood。'
〃Then he kissed me on the brow； saying but one word； 'Remember；' and
thrust us from the hut。
〃My mother broke a way through the fence； yes； she tore at it with her
nails and teeth like a hyena。 I looked back out of the shadow of the
hut and saw Matiwane my father fighting like a buffalo。 Men went down
before him； one； two； three； although he had no shield： only his spear。
Then Bangu crept behind him and stabbed him in the back and he threw up
his arms and fell。 I saw no more； for by now we were through the fence。
We ran； but they perceived us。 They hunted us as wild dogs hunt a
buck。 They killed my mother with a throwing assegai； it entered at her
back and came out at her heart。 I went mad； I drew it from her body； I
ran at them。 I dived beneath the shield of the first； a very tall man；
and held the spear； so； in both my little hands。 His weight came upon
its point and it went through him as though he were but a bowl of
buttermilk。 Yes； he rolled over； quite dead； and the handle of the
spear broke upon the ground。 Now the others stopped astonished； for
never had they seen such a thing。 That a child should kill a tall
warrior； oh！ that tale had not been told。 Some of them would have let
me go； but just then Bangu came up and saw the dead man； who was his
brother。
〃'Wow！' he said when he knew how the man had died。 'This lion's cub is
a wizard also； for how else could he have killed a soldier who has known
war？ Hold out his arms that I may finish him slowly。'
〃So two of them held out my arms； and Bangu came up with his spear。〃
Saduko ceased speaking； not that his tale was done； but because his
voice choked in his throat。 Indeed； seldom have I seen a man so moved。
He breathed in great gasps； the sweat poured from him； and his muscles
worked convulsively。 I gave him a pannikin of water and he drank； then
he went on：
〃Already the spear had begun to pricklook； here is the mark of
it〃and opening his kaross he pointed to a little white line just below
the breast…bone〃when a strange shadow thrown by the fire of the
burning huts came between Bangu and me； a shadow as that of a toad
standing on its hind legs。 I looked round and saw that it was the
shadow of Zikali； whom I had seen once or twice。 There he stood； though
whence he came I know not； wagging his great white head that sits on the
top of his body like a pumpkin on an ant…heap； rolling his big eyes and
laughing loudly。
〃'A merry sight；' he cried in his deep voice that sounded like water in
a hollow cave。 'A merry sight； O Bangu； Chief of the Amakoba！ Blood；
blood； plenty of blood！ Fire； fire； plenty of fire！ Wizards dead here；
there； and everywhere！ Oh； a merry sight！ I have seen many such； one
at the kraal of your grandmother； for instanceyour grandmother the
great Inkosikazi； when myself I escaped with my life because I was so
old； but never do I remember a merrier than that which this moon shines
on；' and he pointed to the White Lady who just then broke through the
clouds。 'But； great Chief Bangu； lord loved by the son of Senzangakona；
brother of the Black One （Chaka） who has ridden hence on the assegai；
what is the meaning of _this_ play？' and he pointed to me and to the two
soldiers who held out my little arms。
〃'I kill the wizard's cub； Zikali； that is all；' answered Bangu。
〃'I see； I see；' laughed Zikali。 'A gallant deed！ You have butchered
the father and the mother； and now you would butcher the child who has
slain one of your grown warriors in fair fight。 A very gallant deed；
well worthy of the chief of the Amakoba！ Well； loose his spiritonly'
He stopped and took a pinch of snuff from a box which he drew from a
slit in the lobe of his great ear。
〃'Only what？' asked Bangu； hesitating。
〃'Only I wonder； Bangu； what you will think of the world in which you
will find yourself before to…morrow's moon arises。 Come back thence and
tell me； Bangu； for there are so many worlds beyond the sun； and I would
learn for certain which of them such a one as you inhabits： a man who
for hatred and for gain murders the father and the mother and then
butchers the childthe child that could slay a warrior who has seen
warwith the spear hot from his mother's heart。'
〃'Do you mean that I shall die if I kill this lad？' shouted Bangu in a
great voice。
〃'What else？' answered Zikali； taking another pinch of snuff。
〃'This； Wizard； that we will go together。'
〃'Good； good！' laughed the dwarf。 'Let us go together。 Long have I
wished to die； and what better companion could I find than Bangu； Chief
of the Amakoba； Slayer of Children； to guard me on a dark and terrible
road。 Come； brave Bangu； come； kill me if you can；' and again he
laughed at him。
〃Now； Macumazahn； the people of Bangu fell back muttering； for they
found this business horrible。 Yes； even those who held my arms let go
of them。
〃'What will happen to me； Wizard； if I spare the boy？' asked Bangu。
〃Zikali stretched out his hand and touched the scratch that the assegai
had made in me here。 Then he held up his finger red with my blood； and
looked at it in the light of the moon； yes； and tasted it with his
tongue。
〃'I think this will happen to you； Bangu；' he said。 'If you spare this
boy he will grow into a man who will kill you and many others one day。
But if you do not spare him I think that his spirit； working as spirits
can do； will kill you to…morrow。 Therefore the question is； will you
live a while or will you die at once； taking me with you as your
companion？ For you must not leave me behind； brother Bangu。'
〃Now Bangu turned and walked away； stepping over the body of my mother；
and all his people walked away after him； so that presently Zikali the
Wise and Little and I were left alone。
〃'What！ have they gone？' said Zikali； lifting up his eyes from the
ground。 'Then we had better be going also； Son of Matiwane； lest he
should change his mind and come back。 Live on； Son of Matiwane； that
you may avenge Matiwane。'〃
〃A nice tale；〃 I said。 〃But what happened afterwards？〃
〃Zikali took me away and nurtured me at his kraal in the Black Kloof；
where he lived alone save for his servants； for in that kraal he would
suffer no woman to set foot； Macumazahn。 He taught me much wisdom and
many secret things； and would have made a great doctor of me had I so
willed。 But I willed it not who find spirits ill company； and there are
many of them about the Black Kloof； Macumazahn。 So in the end he said：
'Go where your heart calls； and be a warrior； Saduko。 But know this：
You have opened a door that can never be shut again； and across the
threshold of that door spirits will pass in and out for all your life；
whether you seek them or seek them not。'
〃'It was you who opened the door； Zikali；' I answered angrily。
〃'Mayhap；' said Zikali； laughing after his fashion； 'for I open when I
must and shut when I must。 Indeed； in my youth； before the Zulus were a
people； they named me Opener of Doors； and now； looking through one of
those doors； I see something about you； O Son of Matiwane。'
〃'What do you see； my father？' I asked。
〃'I see two roads； Saduko： the Road of Medicine； that is the spirit
road； and the Road of Spears； that is the blood road。 I see you
travelling on the Road of Medicine； that is my own road； Saduko； and
growing wise and great； till at last； far； far away； you vanish over the
precipice to which it leads； full of years and honour and wealth； feared
yet beloved by all men； white and black。 Only that road you must travel
alone； since such wisdom may have no friends； and； above all； no woman
to share its secrets。 Then I look at the Road of Spears and see you；
Saduko； travelling on that road； and your feet are red with blood； and
women wind their arms about your neck； and one by one your enemies go
down before you。 You love much； and sin much for the sake of the love；
and she for who
