child of storm-第52章

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safer　to　keep　away。　　I　reached　the　edge　of　that　big　rock。　　Saduko　and
Umbelazi　were　fighting　there。

In　ordinary　circumstances；　strong　and　active　as　he　was；　Saduko　would
have　had　no　chance　against　the　most　powerful　Zulu　living。　　But　the
prince　was　utterly　exhausted；　his　sides　were　going　like　a　blacksmith's
bellows；　or　those　of　a　fat　eland　bull　that　has　been　galloped　to　a
standstill。　　Moreover；　he　seemed　to　me　to　be　distraught　with　grief；　and；
lastly；　he　had　no　shield　left；　nothing　but　an　assegai。

A　stab　from　Saduko's　spear；　which　he　partially　parried；　wounded　him
slightly　on　the　head；　and　cut　loose　the　fillet　of　his　ostrich　plume；
that　same　plume　which　I　had　seen　blown　off　in　the　morning；　so　that　it
fell　to　the　ground。　　Another　stab　pierced　his　right　arm；　making　it
helpless。　　He　snatched　the　assegai　with　his　left　hand；　striving　to
continue　the　fight；　and　just　at　that　moment　we　came　up。

〃What　are　you　doing；　Saduko？〃　I　cried。　　〃Does　a　dog　bite　his　own
master？〃

He　turned　and　stared　at　me；　both　of　them　stared　at　me。

〃Aye；　Macumazahn；〃　he　answered　in　an　icy　voice；　〃sometimes　when　it　is
starving　and　that　full…fed　master　has　snatched　away　its　bone。　　Nay；
stand　aside；　Macumazahn〃　（for；　although　I　was　quite　unarmed；　I　had
stepped　between　them）；　〃lest　you　should　share　the　fate　of　this
woman…thief。〃

〃Not　I；　Saduko；〃　I　cried；　for　this　sight　made　me　mad；　〃unless　you　murder
me。〃

Then　Umbelazi　spoke　in　a　hollow　voice；　sobbing　out　his　words：

〃I　thank　you；　White　Man；　yet　do　as　this　snake　bids　youthis　snake　that
has　lived　in　my　kraal　and　fed　out　of　my　cup。　　Let　him　have　his　fill　of
vengeance　because　of　the　woman　who　bewitched　meyes；　because　of　the
sorceress　who　has　brought　me　and　thousands　to　the　dust。　　Have　you　heard；
Macumazahn；　of　the　great　deed　of　this　son　of　Matiwane？　　Have　you　heard
that　all　the　while　he　was　a　traitor　in　the　pay　of　Cetewayo；　and　that　he
went　over；　with　the　regiments　of　his　command；　to　the　Usutu　just　when　the
battle　hung　upon　the　turn？　　Come；　Traitor；　here　is　my　heartthe　heart
that　loved　and　trusted　you。　　Strikestrike　hard！〃

〃Out　of　the　way；　Macumazahn！〃　hissed　Saduko。　　But　I　would　not　stir。

He　sprang　at　me；　and；　though　I　put　up　the　best　fight　that　I　could　in　my
injured　state；　got　his　hands　about　my　throat　and　began　to　choke　me。　
Scowl　ran　to　help　me；　but　his　woundfor　he　was　hurtor　his　utter
exhaustion　took　effect　on　him。　　Or　perhaps　it　was　excitement。　　At　any
rate；　he　fell　down　in　a　fit。　　I　thought　that　all　was　over；　when　again　I
heard　Umbelazi's　voice；　and　felt　Saduko's　grip　loosen　at　my　throat；　and
sat　up。

〃Dog；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃where　is　your　assegai？　　And　as　he　spoke　he
threw　it　from　him　into　the　river　beneath；　for　he　had　picked　it　up　while
we　struggled；　but；　as　I　noted；　retained　his　own。　　〃Now；　dog；　why　do　I
not　kill　you；　as　would　have　been　easy　but　now？　　I　will　tell　you。　
Because　I　will　not　mix　the　blood　of　a　traitor　with　my　own。　　See！〃　　He
set　the　haft　of　his　broad　spear　upon　the　rock　and　bent　forward　over　the
blade。　　〃You　and　your　witch…wife　have　brought　me　to　nothing；　O　Saduko。　
My　blood；　and　the　blood　of　all　who　clung　to　me；　is　on　your　head。　　Your
name　shall　stink　for　ever　in　the　nostrils　of　all　true　men；　and　I　whom
you　have　betrayedI；　the　Prince　Umbelaziwill　haunt　you　while　you
live；　yes；　my　spirit　shall　enter　into　you；　and　when　you　dieah！　then
we'll　meet　again。　　Tell　this　tale　to　the　white　men；　Macumazahn；　my
friend；　on　whom　be　honour　and　blessings。〃

He　paused；　and　I　saw　the　tears　gush　from　his　eyestears　mingled　with
blood　from　the　wound　in　his　head。　　Then　suddenly　he　uttered　the
battle…cry　of　〃Laba！　Laba！〃　and　let　his　weight　fall　upon　the　point　of
the　spear。

It　pierced　him　through　and　through。　　He　fell　on　to　his　hands　and　knees。　
He　looked　up　at　usoh；　the　piteousness　of　that　look！and　then　rolled
sideways　from　the　edge　of　the　rock。

A　heavy　splash；　and　that　was　the　end　of　Umbelazi　the　FallenUmbelazi；
about　whom　Mameena　had　cast　her　net。


A　sad　story　in　truth。　　Although　it　happened　so　many　years　ago　I　weep　as
I　write　itI　weep　as　Umbelazi　wept。



CHAPTER　XIV




UMBEZI　AND　THE　BLOOD　ROYAL





After　this　I　think　that　some　of　the　Usutu　came　up；　for　it　seemed　to　me
that　I　heard　Saduko　say：

〃Touch　not　Macumazahn　or　his　servant。　　They　are　my　prisoners。　　He　who
harms　them　dies；　with　all　his　House。〃

So　they　put　me；　fainting；　on　my　horse；　and　Scowl　they　carried　away　upon
a　shield。

When　I　came　to　I　found　myself　in　a　little　cave；　or　rather　beneath　some
overhanging　rocks；　at　the　side　of　a　kopje；　and　with　me　Scowl；　who　had
recovered　from　his　fit；　but　seemed　in　a　very　bewildered　condition。　
Indeed；　neither　then　nor　afterwards　did　he　remember　anything　of　the
death　of　Umbelazi；　nor　did　I　ever　tell　him　that　tale。　　Like　many　others；
he　thought　that　the　Prince　had　been　drowned　in　trying　to　swim　the
Tugela。

〃Are　they　going　to　kill　us？〃　I　asked　of　him；　since；　from　the　triumphant
shouting　without；　I　knew　that　we　must　be　in　the　midst　of　the　victorious
Usutu。

〃I　don't　know；　Baas；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　hope　not；　after　we　have　gone
through　so　much　it　would　be　a　pity。　　Better　to　have　died　at　the
beginning　of　the　battle。〃

I　nodded　my　head　in　assent；　and　just　at　that　moment　a　Zulu；　who　had　very
evidently　been　fighting；　entered　the　place　carrying　a　dish　of　toasted
lumps　of　beef　and　a　gourd　of　water。

〃Cetewayo　sends　you　these；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said；　〃and　is　sorry　that
there　is　no　milk　or　beer。　　When　you　have　eaten　a　guard　waits　without　to
escort　you　to　him。〃　　And　he　went。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　Scowl；　〃if　they　were　going　to　kill　us；　they　would
scarcely　take　the　trouble　to　feed　us　first。　　So　let　us　keep　up　our
hearts　and　eat。〃

〃Who　knows？〃　answered　poor　Scowl；　as　he　crammed　a　lump　of　beef　into　his
big　mouth。　　〃Still；　it　is　better　to　die　on　a　full　than　on　an　empty
stomach。〃

So　we　ate　and　drank；　and；　as　we　were　suffering　more　from　exhaustion　than
from　our　hurts；　which　were　not　really　serious；　our　strength　came　back　to
us。　　As　we　finished　the　last　lump　of　meat；　which；　although　it　had　been
only　half　cooked　upon　the　point　of　an　assegai；　tasted　very　good；　the
Zulu　put　his　head　into　the　mouth　of　the　shelter　and　asked　if　we　were
ready。　　I　nodded；　and；　supporting　each　other；　Scowl　and　I　limped　from
the　place。　　Outside　were　about　fifty　soldiers；　who　greeted　us　with　a
shout　that；　although　it　was　mixed　with　laughter　at　our　pitiable
appearance；　struck　me　as　not　altogether　unfriendly。　　Amongst　these　men
was　my　horse；　which　stood　with　its　head　hanging　down；　looking　very
depressed。　　I　was　helped　on　to　its　back；　and；　Scowl　clinging　to　the
stirrup　leather；　we　were　led　a　distance　of　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to
Cetewayo。

We　found　him　seated；　in　the　full　blaze　of　the　evening　sun；　on　the
eastern　slope　of　one　of　the　land…waves　of　the　veld；　with　the　open　plain
in　front　of　him。　　It　was　a　strange　and　savage　scene。　　There　sat　the
victorious　prince；　surrounded　by　his　captains　and　indunas；　while　before
him　rushed　the　triumphant　regiments；　shouting　his　titles　in　the　most
extravagant　language。　　Izimbongi　alsothat　is；　professional
praiserswere　running　up　and　down　before　him　dressed　in　all　sorts　of
finery；　telling　his　deeds；　calling　him　〃Eater…up…of…the…Earth；〃　and
yelling　out　the　names　of　those　great　ones　who　had　been　killed　in　the
battle。

Meanwhile　parties　of　bearers　were　coming　up　continually；　carrying　dead
men　of　distinction　upon　shields　and　laying　them　out　in　rows；　as　game　is
laid　out　at　the　end　of　a　day's　shooting　in　England。　　It　seems　that
Cetewayo　had　taken　a　fancy　to　see　them；　and；　being　too　tired　to　walk
over　the　field　of　battle；　ordered　that　this　should　be　done。　　Among
these；　by　the　way；　I　saw　the　body　of　my　old　friend；　Maputa；　the　general
of　the　Amawombe；　and　noted　that　it　was　literally　riddled　with　spear
thrusts；　every　one　of　them　in　front；　also　that　his　quaint　face　still
wore　a　smile。

At　the　head　of　these　lines　of　corpses　were　laid　six　dead；　all　men　of
large　size；　in　whom　I　recognised　the　brothers　of　Umbelazi；　who　had
fought　on　his　side；　and　the　half…brothers　of　Cetewayo。　　Among　them　were
those　three　princes　upon　whom　the　dust　had　fallen　when　Zikali；　the
prophet；　smelt　out　Mas