child of storm-第56章

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the　fence　was　opened；　and　through　it　appeared　Saduko；　who　walked　proudly
to　the　space　in　front　of　the　King；　to　whom　he　gave　the　salute　of
〃Bayete；〃　and；　at　a　sign；　sat　himself　down　upon　the　ground。　　Next；
through　the　same　gate；　to　which　she　was　conducted　by　some　women；　came
Mameena；　quite　unchanged　and；　I　think；　more　beautiful　than　she　had　ever
been。　　So　lovely　did　she　look；　indeed；　in　her　cloak　of　grey　fur；　her
necklet　of　blue　beads；　and　the　gleaming　rings　of　copper　which　she　wore
upon　her　wrists　and　ankles；　that　every　eye　was　fixed　upon　her　as　she
glided　gracefully　forward　to　make　her　obeisance　to　Panda。

This　done；　she　turned　and　saw　Nandie；　to　whom　she　also　bowed；　as　she　did
so　inquiring　after　the　health　of　her　child。　　Without　waiting　for　an
answer；　which　she　knew　would　not　be　vouchsafed；　she　advanced　to　me　and
grasped　my　hand；　which　she　pressed　warmly；　saying　how　glad　she　was　to
see　me　safe　after　going　through　so　many　dangers；　though　she　thought　I
looked　even　thinner　than　I　used　to　be。

Only　of　Saduko；　who　was　watching　her　with　his　intent　and　melancholy
eyes；　she　took　no　heed　whatsoever。　　Indeed；　for　a　while　I　thought　that
she　could　not　have　seen　him。　　Nor　did　she　appear　to　recognise　Cetewayo；
although　he　stared　at　her　hard　enough。　　But；　as　her　glance　fell　upon　the
two　executioners；　I　thought　I　saw　her　shudder　like　a　shaken　reed。　　Then
she　sat　down　in　the　place　appointed　to　her；　and　the　trial　began。

The　case　of　Saduko　was　taken　first。　　An　officer　learned　in　Zulu
lawwhich　I　can　assure　the　reader　is　a　very　intricate　and
well…established　lawI　suppose　that　he　might　be　called　a　kind　of
attorney…general；　rose　and　stated　the　case　against　the　prisoner。　　He
told　how　Saduko；　from　a　nobody；　had　been　lifted　to　a　great　place　by　the
King　and　given　his　daughter；　the　Princess　Nandie；　in　marriage。　　Then　he
alleged　that；　as　would　be　proved　in　evidence；　the　said　Saduko　had　urged
on　Umbelazi　the　Prince；　to　whose　party　he　had　attached　himself；　to　make
war　upon　Cetewayo。　　This　war　having　begun；　at　the　great　battle　of
Endondakusuka；　he　had　treacherously　deserted　Umbelazi；　together　with
three　regiments　under　his　command；　and　gone　over　to　Cetewayo；　thereby
bringing　Umbelazi　to　defeat　and　death。

This　brief　statement　of　the　case　for　the　prosecution　being　finished；
Panda　asked　Saduko　whether　he　pleaded　guilty　or　not　guilty。

〃Guilty；　O　King；〃　he　answered；　and　was　silent。

Then　Panda　asked　him　if　he　had　anything　to　say　in　excuse　of　his　conduct。

〃Nothing；　O　King；　except　that　I　was　Umbelazi's　man；　and　when　you；　O
King；　had　given　the　word　that　he　and　the　Prince　yonder　might　fight；　I；
like　many　others；　some　of　whom　are　dead　and　some　alive；　worked　for　him
with　all　my　ten　fingers　that　he　might　have　the　victory。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　desert　my　son　the　Prince　in　the　battle？〃　asked　Panda。

〃Because　I　saw　that　the　Prince　Cetewayo　was　the　stronger　bull　and　wished
to　be　on　the　winning　side；　as　all　men　dofor　no　other　reason；〃　answered
Saduko　calmly。

Now；　everyone　present　stared；　not　excepting　Cetewayo。　　Panda；　who；　like
the　rest　of　us；　had　heard　a　very　different　tale；　looked　extremely
puzzled；　while　Zikali；　in　his　corner；　set　up　one　of　his　great　laughs。

After　a　long　pause；　at　length　the　King；　as　supreme　judge；　began　to　pass
sentence。　　At　least；　I　suppose　that　was　his　intention；　but　before　three
words　had　left　his　lips　Nandie　rose　and　said：

〃My　Father；　ere　you　speak　that　which　cannot　be　unspoken；　hear　me。　　It　is
well　known　that　Saduko；　my　husband；　was　my　brother　Umbelazi's　general
and　councillor；　and　if　he　is　to　be　killed　for　clinging　to　the　Prince；
then　I　should　be　killed　also；　and　countless　others　in　Zululand　who　still
remain　alive　because　they　were　not　in　or　escaped　the　battle。　　It　is　well
known　also；　my　Father；　that　during　that　battle　Saduko　went　over　to　my
brother　Cetewayo；　though　whether　this　brought　about　the　defeat　of
Umbelazi　I　cannot　say。　　Why　did　he　go　over？　　He　tells　you　because　he
wished　to　be　on　the　winning　side。　　It　is　not　true。　　He　went　over　in
order　to　be　revenged　upon　Umbelazi；　who　had　taken　from　him　yonder
witch〃and　she　pointed　with　her　finger　at　Mameena〃yonder　witch；　whom
he　loved　and　still　loves；　and　whom　even　now　he　would　shield；　even　though
to　do　so　he　must　make　his　own　name　shameful。　　Saduko　sinned；　I　do　not
deny　it；　my　Father；　but　there　sits　the　real　traitress；　red　with　the
blood　of　Umbelazi　and　with　that　of　thousands　of　others　who　have
'_tshonile'd_'　＇gone　down　to　keep　him　company　among　the　ghosts＇。　
Therefore；　O　King；　I　beseech　you；　spare　the　life　of　Saduko；　my　husband；
or；　if　he　must　die；　learn　that　I；　your　daughter；　will　die　with　him。　　I
have　spoken；　O　King。〃

And　very　proudly　and　quietly　she　sat　herself　down　again；　waiting　for　the
fateful　words。

But　those　words　were　not　spoken；　since　Panda　only　said：　〃Let　us　try　the
case　of　this　woman；　Mameena。〃

Thereon　the　law　officer　rose　again　and　set　out　the　charges　against
Mameena；　namely；　that　it　was　she　who　had　poisoned　Saduko's　child；　and
not　Masapo；　that；　after　marrying　Saduko；　she　had　deserted　him　and　gone
to　live　with　the　Prince　Umbelazi；　and　that　finally　she　had　bewitched　the
said　Umbelazi　and　caused　him　to　make　civil　war　in　the　land。

〃The　second　charge；　if　proved；　namely；　that　this　woman　deserted　her
husband　for　another　man；　is　a　crime　of　death；〃　broke　in　Panda　abruptly
as　the　officer　finished　speaking；　〃therefore；　what　need　is　there　to　hear
the　first　and　the　third　until　that　is　examined。　　What　do　you　plead　to
that　charge；　woman？〃

Now；　understanding　that　the　King　did　not　wish　to　stir　up　these　other
matters　of　murder　and　witchcraft　for　some　reason　of　his　own；　we　all
turned　to　hear　Mameena's　answer。

〃O　King；〃　she　said　in　her　low；　silvery　voice；　〃I　cannot　deny　that　I　left
Saduko　for　Umbelazi　the　Handsome；　any　more　than　Saduko　can　deny　that　he
left　Umbelazi　the　beaten　for　Cetewayo　the　conqueror。〃

〃Why　did　you　leave　Saduko？〃　asked　Panda。

〃O　King；　perhaps　because　I　loved　Umbelazi；　for　was　he　not　called　the
Handsome？　　Also　_you_　know　that　the　Prince；　your　son；　was　one　to　be
loved。〃　　Here　she　paused；　looking　at　poor　Panda；　who　winced。　　〃Or；
perhaps；　because　I　wished　to　be　great；　for　was　he　not　of　the　Blood
Royal；　and；　had　it　not　been　for　Saduko；　would　he　not　one　day　have　been　a
king？　　Or；　perhaps；　because　I　could　no　longer　bear　the　treatment　that
the　Princess　Nandie　dealt　out　to　me；　she　who　was　cruel　to　me　and
threatened　to　beat　me；　because　Saduko　loved　my　hut　better　than　her　own。　
Ask　Saduko；　he　knows　more　of　these　matters　than　I　do；〃　and　she　gazed　at
him　steadily。　　Then　she　went　on：　〃How　can　a　woman　tell　her　reasons；　O
King；　when　she　never　knows　them　herself？〃a　question　at　which　some　of
her　hearers　smiled。

Now　Saduko　rose　and　said　slowly：

〃Hear　me；　O　King；　and　I　will　give　the　reason　that　Mameena　hides。　　She
left　me　for　Umbelazi　because　I　bade　her　to　do　so；　for　I　knew　that
Umbelazi　desired　her；　and　I　wished　to　tie　the　cord　tighter　which　bound
me　to　one　who　at　that　time　I　thought　would　inherit　the　Throne。　　Also；　I
was　weary　of　Mameena；　who　quarrelled　night　and　day　with　the　Princess
Nandie；　my　Inkosikazi。〃

Now　Nandie　gasped　in　astonishment　（and　so　did　I）；　but　Mameena　laughed
and　said：

〃Yes；　O　King；　those　were　the　two　real　reasons　that　I　had　forgotten。　　I
left　Saduko　because　he　bade　me；　as　he　wished　to　make　a　present　to　the
Prince。　　Also；　he　was　tired　of　me；　for　many　days　at　a　time　he　would
scarcely　speak　to　me；　because；　however　kind　she　might　be；　I　could　not
help　quarrelling　with　the　Princess　Nandie。　　Moreover；　there　was　another
reason　which　I　have　forgotten：　I　had　no　child；　and　not　having　any　child
I　did　not　think　it　mattered　whether　I　went　or　stayed。　　If　Saduko
searches；　he　will　remember　that　I　told　him　so；　and　that　he　agreed　with
me。〃

Again　she　looked　at　Saduko；　who　said　hurriedly：

〃Yes；　yes；　I　told　her　so；　I　told　her　that　I　wished　for　no　barren　cows　in
my　kraal。〃

Now　some　of　the　audience　laughed　outright；　but　Panda　frowned。

〃It　seems；〃　he　said；　〃that　my　ears　are　being　stuffed　with　lies；　though
which　of　these　two　tells　them　I　cannot　say。　　Well；　if　the　woman　left　the
man　by　his　own　wish；　and　that　his　ends　might　be　furthered；　as　he　s