child of storm-第58章

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〃Much；　it　seems；　O　Opener…of…Roads；〃　said　Panda　sternly；　〃seeing　that
you　were　the　doctor　who　smelt　out　Masapo；　and　that　it　was　in　your　kraal
that　yonder　woman　hid　herself　while　her　lover；　the　Prince；　my　son；　who
is　dead；　went　down　to　the　battle；　and　that　she　was　brought　thence　with
you。　　Tell　us；　now；　the　nature　of　this　muti；　and；　being　wise；　as　you
are；　be　careful　to　tell　us　truly；　lest　it　should　be　said；　O　Zikali；　that
you　are　not　a　Nyanga　only；　but　an　umtakati　as　well。　　For　then；〃　he　added
with　meaning；　and　choosing　his　words　carefully；　〃perchance；　O　Zikali；　I
might　be　tempted　to　make　trial　of　whether　or　no　it　is　true　that　you
cannot　be　killed　like　other　men；　especially　as　I　have　heard　of　late　that
your　heart　is　evil　towards　me　and　my　House。〃

For　a　moment　Zikali　hesitatedI　think　to　give　his　quick　brain　time　to
work；　for　he　saw　his　great　danger。　　Then　he　laughed　in　his　dreadful
fashion　and　said：

〃Oho！　the　King　thinks　that　the　otter　is　in　the　trap；〃　and　he　glanced　at
the　fence　of　the　isi…gohlo　and　at　the　fierce　executioners；　who　stood
watching　him　sternly。　　〃Well；　many　times　before　has　this　otter　seemed　to
be　in　a　trap；　yes；　ere　your　father　saw　light；　O　Son　of　Senzangakona；　and
after　it　also。　　Yet　here　he　stands　living。　　Make　no　trial；　O　King；　of
whether　or　no　I　be　mortal；　lest　if　Death　should　come　to　such　a　one　as　I；
he　should　take　many　others　with　him　also。　　Have　you　not　heard　the　saying
that　when　the　Opener…of…Roads　comes　to　the　end　of　his　road　there　will　be
no　more　a　King　of　the　Zulus；　as　when　he　began　his　road　there　was　no　King
of　the　Zulus；　since　the　days　of　his　manhood　are　the　days　of　_all_　the
Zulu　kings？〃

Thus　he　spoke；　glaring　at　Panda　and　at　Cetewayo；　who　shrank　before　his
gaze。

〃Remember；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　the　Black　One　who　is　'gone　down'　long　ago；
the　Wild　Beast　who　fathered　the　Zulu　herd；　threatened　him　whom　he　named
the　'Thing…that…should…not…have…been…born；'　aye；　and　slew　those　whom　he
loved；　and　afterwards　was　slain　by　others；　who　also　are　'gone　down；'　and
that　you　alone；　O　Panda；　did　not　threaten　him；　and　that　you　alone；　O
Panda；　have　not　been　slain。　　Now；　if　you　would　make　trial　of　whether　I
die　as　other　men　die；　bid　your　dogs　fall　on；　for　Zikali　is　ready；〃　and
he　folded　his　arms　and　waited。

Indeed；　all　of　us　waited　breathlessly；　for　we　understood　that　the
terrible　dwarf　was　matching　himself　against　Panda　and　Cetewayo　and
defying　them　both。　　Presently　it　became　obvious　that　he　had　won　the
game；　since　Panda　only　said：

〃Why　should　I　slay　one　whom　I　have　befriended　in　the　past；　and　why　do
you　speak　such　heavy　words　of　death　in　my　ears；　O；　Zikali　the　Wise；
which　of　late　have　heard　so　much　of　death？〃　　He　sighed；　adding：　〃Be
pleased　now；　to　tell　us　of　this　medicine；　or；　if　you　will　not；　go；　and　I
will　send　for　other　Nyangas。〃

〃Why　should　I　not　tell　you；　when　you　ask　me　softly　and　without　threats；
O　King？　　See〃and　Zikali　took　up　some　of　the　twisted　roots〃these　are
the　roots　of　a　certain　poisonous　herb　that　blooms　at　night　on　the　tops
of　mountains；　and　woe　be　to　the　ox　that　eats　thereof。　　They　have　been
boiled　in　gall　and　blood；　and　ill　will　befall　the　hut　in　which　they　are
hidden　by　one　who　can　speak　the　words　of　power。　　This　is　the　bone　of　a
babe　that　has　never　lived　to　cut　its　teethI　think　of　a　babe　that　was
left　to　die　alone　in　the　bush　because　it　was　hated；　or　because　none
would　father　it。　　Such　a　bone　has　strength　to　work　ill　against　other
babes；　moreover；　it　is　filled　with　a　charmed　medicine。　　Look！〃　and；
pulling　out　the　plug　of　wood；　he　scattered　some　grey　powder　from　the
bone；　then　stopped　it　up　again。　　〃This；〃　he　added；　picking　up　the　fang；
〃is　the　tooth　of　a　deadly　serpent；　that；　after　it　has　been　doctored；　is
used　by　women　to　change　the　heart　of　a　man　from　another　to　herself。　　I
have　spoken。〃

And　he　turned　to　go。

〃Stay！〃　said　the　King。　　〃Who　set　these　foul　charms　in　the　doorway　of
Saduko's　hut？〃

〃How　can　I　tell；　O　King；　unless　I　make　preparation　and　cast　the　bones
and　smell　out　the　evil…doer？　　You　have　heard　the　story　of　the　woman
Nahana。　　Accept　it　or　reject　it　as　your　heart　tells　you。〃

〃If　that　story　be　true；　O　Zikali；　how　comes　it　that　you　yourself　smelt
out；　not　Mameena；　the　wife　of　Masapo；　but　Masapo；　her　husband；　himself；
and　caused　him　to　be　slain　because　of　the　poisoning　of　the　child　of
Nandie？〃

〃You　err；　O　King。　　I；　Zikali；　smelt　out　the　House　of　Masapo。　　Then　I
smelt　out　the　poison；　searching　for　it　first　in　the　hair　of　Mameena；　and
finding　it　in　the　kaross　of　Masapo。　　I　never　smelt　out　that　it　was
Masapo　who　gave　the　poison。　　That　was　the　judgment　of　you　and　of　your
Council；　O　King。　　Nay；　I　knew　well　that　there　was　more　in　the　matter；
and　had　you　paid　me　another　fee　and　bade　me　to　continue　to　use　my
wisdom；　without　doubt　I　should　have　found　this　magic　stuff　hidden　in　the
hut；　and　mayhap　have　learned　the　name　of　the　hider。　　But　I　was　weary；
who　am　very　old；　and　what　was　it　to　me　if　you　chose　to　kill　Masapo　or
chose　to　let　him　go？　　Masapo；　who；　being　your　secret　enemy；　was　a　man
who　deserved　to　dieif　not　for　this　matter；　then　for　others。〃

Now；　all　this　while　I　had　been　watching　Mameena；　who　sat；　in　the　Zulu
fashion；　listening　to　this　deadly　evidence；　a　slight　smile　upon　her
face；　and　without　attempting　any　interruption　or　comment。　　Only　I　saw
that　while　Zikali　was　examining　the　medicine；　her　eyes　were　seeking　the
eyes　of　Saduko；　who　remained　in　his　place；　also　silent；　and；　to　all
appearance；　the　least　interested　of　anyone　present。　　He　tried　to　avoid
her　glance；　turning　his　head　uneasily；　but　at　length　her　eyes　caught　his
and　held　them。　　Then　his　heart　began　to　beat　quickly；　his　breast　heaved；
and　on　his　face　there　grew　a　look　of　dreamy　content；　even　of　happiness。　
From　that　moment　forward；　till　the　end　of　the　scene；　Saduko　never　took
his　eyes　off　this　strange　woman；　though　I　think　that；　with　the　exception
of　the　dwarf；　Zikali；　who　saw　everything；　and　of　myself；　who　am　trained
to　observation；　none　noted　this　curious　by…play　of　the　drama。

The　King　began　to　speak。　　〃Mameena；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　heard。　　Have　you
aught　to　say？　　For　if　not　it　would　seem　that　you　are　a　witch　and　a
murderess；　and　one　who　must　die。〃

〃Yea；　a　little　word；　O　King；〃　she　answered　quietly。　　〃Nahana　speaks
truth。　　It　is　true　that　I　entered　the　hut　of　Nandie　and　set　the　medicine
there。　　I　say　it　because　by　nature　I　am　not　one　who　hides　the　truth　or
would　attempt　to　throw　discredit　even　upon　a　humble　serving…woman；〃　and
she　glanced　at　Nahana。

〃Then　from　between　your　own　teeth　it　is　finished；〃　said　Panda。

〃Not　altogether；　O　King。　　I　have　said　that　I　set　the　medicine　in　the
hut。　　I　have　not　said；　and　I　will　not　say；　how　and　why　I　set　it　there。　
That　tale　I　call　upon　Saduko　yonder　to　tell　to　you；　he　who　was　my
husband；　that　I　left　for　Umbelazi；　and　who；　being　a　man；　must　therefore
hate　me。　　By　the　words　he　says　I　will　abide。　　If　he　declares　that　I　am
guilty；　then　I　am　guilty；　and　prepared　to　pay　the　price　of　guilt。　　But
if　he　declares　that　I　am　innocent；　then；　O　King　and　O　Prince　Cetewayo；
without　fear　I　trust　myself　to　your　justness。　　Now　speak；　O　Saduko；
speak　the　whole　truth；　whatever　it　may　be；　if　that　is　the　King's　will。〃

〃It　is　my　will；〃　said　Panda。

〃And　mine　also；〃　added　Cetewayo；　who；　I　could　see；　like　everyone　else；
was　much　interested　in　this　matter。

Saduko　rose　to　his　feet；　the　same　Saduko　that　I　had　always　known；　and
yet　so　changed。　　All　the　life　and　fire　had　gone　from　him；　his　pride　in
himself　was　no　more；　none　could　have　known　him　for　that　ambitious；
confident　man　who；　in　his　day　of　power；　the　Zulus　named　the
〃Self…Eater。〃　He　was　a　mere　mask　of　the　old　Saduko；　informed　by　some
new；　some　alien；　spirit。　　With　dull；　lack…lustre　eyes　fixed　always　upon
the　lovely　eyes　of　Mameena；　in　slow　and　hesitating　tones　he　began　his
tale。

〃It　is　true；　O　Lion；〃　he　said；　〃that　Mameena　spread　the　poison　upon　my
child's　mat。　　It　is　true　that　she　set　the　deadly　charms　in　the　doorway
of　Nandie's　hut。　　These　things　she　did；　not　knowing　what　she　did；　and　it
was　I　who　instructed　her　to　do　them。　　This　is　the　case。　　From　the
beginning　I　have　always　loved　Mameena　as　I　have　loved　no　oth