child of storm-第53章

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those　three　princes　upon　whom　the　dust　had　fallen　when　Zikali；　the
prophet；　smelt　out　Masapo；　the　husband　of　Mameena。

Dismounting　from　my　horse；　with　the　help　of　Scowl；　I　limped　through　and
over　the　corpses　of　these　fallen　royalties；　cut　in　the　Zulu　fashion　to
free　their　spirits；　which　otherwise；　as　they　believed；　would　haunt　the
slayers；　and　stood　in　front　of　Cetewayo。

〃Siyakubona；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　his　hand　to　me；　which
I　took；　though　I　could　not　find　it　in　my　heart　to　wish　_him_　〃good　day。〃

〃I　hear　that　you　were　leading　the　Amawombe；　whom　my　father；　the　King；
sent　down　to　help　Umbelazi；　and　I　am　very　glad　that　you　have　escaped
alive。　　Also　my　heart　is　proud　of　the　fight　that　they　made；　for　you
know；　Macumazahn；　once；　next　to　the　King；　I　was　general　of　that
regiment；　though　afterwards　we　quarrelled。　　Still；　I　am　pleased　that
they　did　so　well；　and　I　have　given　orders　that　every　one　of　them　who
remains　alive　is　to　be　spared；　that　they　may　be　officers　of　a　new
Amawombe　which　I　shall　raise。　　Do　you　know；　Macumazahn；　that　you　have
nearly　wiped　out　three　whole　regiments　of　the　Usutu；　killing　many　more
people　than　did　all　my　brother's　army；　the　Isigqosa？　　Oh；　you　are　a
great　man。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　loyalty〃this　word　was　spoken　with
just　a　tinge　of　sarcasm〃of　Saduko　yonder；　you　would　have　won　the　day
for　Umbelazi。　　Well；　now　that　this　quarrel　is　finished；　if　you　will　stay
with　me　I　will　make　you　general　of　a　whole　division　of　the　King's　army；
since　henceforth　I　shall　have　a　voice　in　affairs。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　O　Son　of　Panda；〃　I　answered；　〃the　splendour　of　the
Amawombe's　great　stand　against　a　multitude　is　on　the　name　of　Maputa；　the
King's　councillor　and　the　induna　of　the　Black　One　＇Chaka＇；　who　is　gone。　
He　lies　yonder　in　his　glory；〃　and　I　pointed　to　Maputa's　pierced　body。　
〃I　did　but　fight　as　a　soldier　in　his　ranks。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　we　know　that；　we　know　all　that；　Macumazahn；　and　Maputa　was　a
clever　monkey　in　his　way；　but　we　know　also　that　you　taught　him　how　to
jump。　　Well；　he　is　dead；　and　nearly　all　the　Amawombe　are　dead；　and　of　my
three　regiments　but　a　handful　is　left；　the　vultures　have　the　rest　of
them。　　That　is　all　finished　and　forgotten；　Macumazahn；　though　by　good
fortune　the　spears　went　wide　of　you；　who　doubtless　are　a　magician；　since
otherwise　you　and　your　servant　and　your　horse　would　not　have　escaped
with　a　few　scratches　when　everyone　else　was　killed。　　But　you　did　escape；
as　you　have　done　before　in　Zululand；　and　now　you　see　here　lie　certain
men　who　were　born　of　my　father。　　Yet　one　is　missinghe　against　whom　I
fought；　aye；　and　he　whom；　although　we　fought；　I　loved　the　best　of　all　of
them。　　Now；　it　has　been　whispered　in　my　ear　that　you　alone　know　what
became　of　him；　and；　Macumazahn；　I　would　learn　whether　he　lives　or　is
dead；　also；　if　he　is　dead；　by　whose　hand　he　died；　who　would　reward　that
hand。〃

Now；　I　looked　round　me；　wondering　whether　I　should　tell　the　truth　or
hold　my　tongue；　and　as　I　looked　my　eyes　met　those　of　Saduko；　who；　cold
and　unconcerned；　was　seated　among　the　captains；　but　at　a　little　distance
from　any　of　thema　man　apart；　and　I　remembered　that　he　and　I　alone　knew
the　truth　of　the　end　of　Umbelazi。

Why；　I　do　not　know；　but　it　came　into　my　mind　that　I　would　keep　the
secret。　　Why　should　I　tell　the　triumphant　Cetewayo　that　Umbelazi　had
been　driven　to　die　by　his　own　hand；　why　should　I　lay　bare　Saduko's
victory　and　shame？　All　these　matters　had　passed　into　the　court　of　a
different　tribunal。　　Who　was　I　that　I　should　reveal　them　or　judge　the
actors　of　this　terrible　drama？

〃O　Cetewayo；〃　I　said；　〃as　it　chanced　I　saw　the　end　of　Umbelazi。　　No
enemy　killed　him。　　He　died　of　a　broken　heart　upon　a　rock　above　the
river；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　story　go　ask　the　Tugela　into　which　he
fell。〃

For　a　moment　Cetewayo　hid　his　eyes　with　his　hand。

〃Is　it　so？〃　he　said　presently。　　〃Wow！　　I　say　again　that　had　it　not　been
for　Saduko；　the　son　of　Matiwane；　yonder；　who　had　some　quarrel　with
Indhlovu…ene…Sihlonti　about　a　woman　and　took　his　chance　of　vengeance；　it
might　have　been　I　who　died　of　a　broken　heart　upon　a　rock　above　the
river。　　Oh；　Saduko；　I　owe　you　a　great　debt　and　will　pay　you　well；　but
you　shall　be　no　friend　of　mine；　lest　we　also　should　chance　to　quarrel
about　a　woman；　and　_I_　should　find　myself　dying　of　a　broken　heart　on　a
rock　above　a　river。　　O　my　brother　Umbelazi；　I　mourn　for　you；　my　brother；
for；　after　all；　we　played　together　when　we　were　little　and　loved　each
other　once；　who　in　the　end　fought　for　a　toy　that　is　called　a　throne；
since；　as　our　father　said；　two　bulls　cannot　live　in　the　same　yard；　my
brother。　　Well；　you　are　gone　and　I　remain；　yet　who　knows　but　that　at　the
last　your　lot　may　be　happier　than　mine。　　You　died　of　a　broken　heart；
Umbelazi；　but　of　what　shall　_I_　die；　I　wonder？〃*

＇*That　history　of　Cetewayo's　fall　and　tragic　death　and　of　Zikali's
vengeance　I　hope　to　write　one　day；　for　in　these　events　also　I　was
destined　to　play　a　part。A。　Q。＇

I　have　given　this　interview　in　detail；　since　it　was　because　of　it　that
the　saying　went　abroad　that　Umbelazi　died　of　a　broken　heart。

So　in　truth　he　did；　for　before　his　spear　pierced　it　his　heart　was
broken。

Now；　seeing　that　Cetewayo　was　in　one　of　his　soft　moods；　and　that　he
seemed　to　look　upon　me　kindly；　though　I　had　fought　against　him；　I
reflected　that　this　would　be　a　good　opportunity　to　ask　his　leave　to
depart。　　To　tell　the　truth；　my　nerves　were　quite　shattered　with　all　I
had　gone　through；　and　I　longed　to　be　away　from　the　sights　and　sounds　of
that　terrible　battlefield；　on　and　about　which　so　many　thousand　people
had　perished　this　fateful　day；　as　I　had　seldom　longed　for　anything
before。　　But　while　I　was　making　up　my　mind　as　to　the　best　way　to
approach　him；　something　happened　which　caused　me　to　lose　my　chance。

Hearing　a　noise　behind　me；　I　looked　round；　to　see　a　stout　man　arrayed　in
a　very　fine　war　dress；　and　waving　in　one　hand　a　gory　spear　and　in　the
other　a　head…plume　of　ostrich　feathers；　who　was　shouting　out：

〃Give　me　audience　of　the　son　of　the　King！　　I　have　a　song　to　sing　to　the
Prince。　　I　have　a　tale　to　tell　to　the　conqueror；　Cetewayo。〃

I　stared。　　I　rubbed　my　eyes。　　It　could　not　beyes；　it　wasUmbezi；
〃Eater…up…of…Elephants；〃　the　father　of　Mameena。　　In　a　few　seconds；
without　waiting　for　leave　to　approach；　he　had　bounded　through　the　line
of　dead　princes；　stopping　to　kick　one　of　them　on　the　head　and　address
his　poor　clay　in　some　words　of　shameful　insult；　and　was　prancing　about
before　Cetewayo；　shouting　his　praises。

〃Who　is　this　umfokazana？〃　＇that　is；　low　fellow＇　growled　the　Prince。　
〃Bid　him　cease　his　noise　and　speak；　lest　he　should　be　silent　for　ever。〃

〃O　Calf　of　the　Black　Cow；　I　am　Umbezi；　'Eater…up…of…Elephants；'　chief
captain　of　Saduko　the　Cunning；　he　who　won　you　the　battle；　father　of
Mameena　the　Beautiful；　whom　Saduko　wed　and　whom　the　dead　dog；　Umbelazi；
stole　away　from　him。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Cetewayo；　screwing　up　his　eyes　in　a　fashion　he　had　when　he
meant　mischief；　which　among　the　Zulus　caused　him　to　be　named　the
〃Bull…who…shuts…his…eyes…to…toss；　〃and　what　have　you　to　tell　me；
'Eater…up…of…Elephants'　and　father　of　Mameena；　whom　the　dead　dog；
Umbelazi；　took　away　from　your　master；　Saduko　the　Cunning？〃

〃This；　O　Mighty　One；　this；　O　Shaker　of　the　Earth；　that　well　am　I　named
'Eater…up…of…Elephants；'　who　have　eaten　up　Indhlovu…ene…Sihlontithe
Elephant　himself。〃

Now　Saduko　seemed　to　awake　from　his　brooding　and　started　from　his　place；
but　Cetewayo　sharply　bade　him　be　silent；　whereon　Umbezi；　the　fool；
noting　nothing；　continued　his　tale。

〃O　Prince；　I　met　Umbelazi　in　the　battle；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　fled　from
me；　yes；　his　heart　grew　soft　as　water　at　the　sight　of　me；　the　warrior
whom　he　had　wronged；　whose　daughter　he　had　stolen。〃

〃I　hear　you；〃　said　Cetewayo。　　〃Umbelazi's　heart　turned　to　water　at　the
sight　of　you　because　he　had　wronged　youyou　who　until　this　morning；
when　you　deserted　him　with　Saduko；　were　one　of　his　jackals。　　Well；　and
what　happened　then？〃

〃He　fled；　O　Lion　with　the　Black　Mane；　he　fled　like　the　wind；　and　I；　I
flew　after　him　likea　stronger　wind。　　Far　into　the　bush　he　fled；　till
at　length　he　came　to　a　rock　above　the