child of storm-第13节

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outline；　which　reminded　me　of　a　flower　breaking　into　bloom；　that　one
does　not　associate　with　youth　and　innocence。　　I　tried　to　analyse　what
this　might　be；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　without　being　hard；　it
was　too　clever　and；　in　a　sense；　too　reflective。　　I　felt　even　then　that
the　brain　within　the　shapely　head　was　keen　and　bright　as　polished　steel；
that　this　woman　was　one　made　to　rule；　not　to　be　man's　toy；　or　even　his
loving　companion；　but　to　use　him　for　her　ends。

She　dropped　her　chin　till　it　hid　the　little；　dimple…like　depression
below　her　throat；　which　was　one　of　her　charms；　and　began　not　to　look　at；
but　to　study　me；　seeing　which　I　shut　my　eyes　tight　and　waited。　
Evidently　she　thought　that　I　was　still　in　my　swoon；　for　now　she　spoke　to
herself　in　a　low　voice　that　was　soft　and　sweet　as　honey。

〃A　small　man；〃　she　said；　〃Saduko　would　make　two　of　him；　and　the
other〃who　was　he；　I　wondered〃three。　　His　hair；　too；　is　ugly；　he　cuts
it　short　and　it　sticks　up　like　that　on　a　cat's　back。　　Iya！〃　（i。e。
Piff！）；　and　she　moved　her　hand　contemptuously；　〃a　feather　of　a　man。　　But
whitewhite；　one　of　those　who　rule。　　Why；　they　all　of　them　know　that　he
is　their　master。　　They　call　him　'He…who…never…Sleeps。'　　They　say　that　he
has　the　courage　of　a　lioness　with　younghe　who　got　away　when　Dingaan
killed　Piti　＇Retief＇　and　the　Boers；　they　say　that　he　is　quick　and
cunning　as　a　snake；　and　that　Panda　and　his　great　indunas　think　more　of
him　than　of　any　white　man　they　know。　　He　is　unmarried　also；　though　they
say；　too；　that　twice　he　had　a　wife；　who　died；　and　now　he　does　not　turn
to　look　at　women；　which　is　strange　in　any　man；　and　shows　that　he　will
escape　trouble　and　succeed。　　Still；　it　must　be　remembered　that　they　are
all　ugly　down　here　in　Zululand；　cows；　or　heifers　who　will　be　cows。　
Piff！　no　more。〃

She　paused　for　a　little　while；　then　went　on　in　her　dreamy；　reflective
voice：

〃Now；　if　he　met　a　woman　who　is　not　merely　a　cow　or　a　heifer；　a　woman
cleverer　than　himself；　even　if　she　were　not　white；　I　wonder〃

At　this　point　I　thought　it　well　to　wake　up。　　Turning　my　head　I　yawned；
opened　my　eyes　and　looked　at　her　vaguely；　seeing　which　her　expression
changed　in　a　flash　from　that　of　brooding　power　to　one　of　moved　and
anxious　girlhood；　in　short；　it　became　most　sweetly　feminine。

〃You　are　Mameena？〃　I　said；　〃is　it　not　so？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Inkoosi；〃　she　answered；　〃that　is　my　poor　name。　　But　how　did
you　hear　it；　and　how　do　you　know　me？〃

〃I　heard　it　from　one　Saduko〃here　she　frowned　a　little〃and　others；
and　I　knew　you　because　you　are　so　beautiful〃an　incautious　speech　at
which　she　broke　into　a　dazzling　smile　and　tossed　her　deer…like　head。

〃Am　I？〃　she　asked。　　〃I　never　knew　it；　who　am　only　a　common　Zulu　girl　to
whom　it　pleases　the　great　white　chief　to　say　kind　things；　for　which　I
thank　him〃；　and　she　made　a　graceful　little　reverence；　just　bending　one
knee。　　〃But；〃　she　went　on　quickly；　〃whatever　else　I　be；　I　am　of　no
knowledge；　not　fit　to　tend　you　who　are　hurt。　　Shall　I　go　and　send　my
oldest　mother？〃

〃Do　you　mean　her　whom　your　father　calls　the　'Worn…out…old…Cow；'　and
whose　ear　he　shot　off？〃

〃Yes；　it　must　be　she　from　the　description；〃　she　answered　with　a　little
shake　of　laughter；　〃though　I　never　heard　him　give　her　that　name。〃

〃Or　if　you　did；　you　have　forgotten　it；〃　I　said　dryly。　　〃Well；　I　think
not；　thank　you。　　Why　trouble　her；　when　you　will　do　quite　as　well？　　If
there　is　milk　in　that　gourd；　perhaps　you　will　give　me　a　drink　of　it。〃

She　flew　to　the　bowl　like　a　swallow；　and　next　moment　was　kneeling　at　my
side　and　holding　it　to　my　lips　with　one　hand；　while　with　the　other　she
supported　my　head。

〃I　am　honoured；〃　she　said。　　〃I　only　came　to　the　hut　the　moment　before
you　woke；　and　seeing　you　still　lost　in　swoon；　I　weptlook；　my　eyes　are
still　wet　＇they　were；　though　how　she　made　them　so　I　do　not　know＇for　I
feared　lest　that　sleep　should　be　but　the　beginning　of　the　last。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　very　good　of　you。　　And　now；　since　your　fears
are　groundlessthanks　be　to　the　heavenssit　down；　if　you　will；　and
tell　me　the　story　of　how　I　came　here。〃

She　sat　down；　not；　I　noted；　as　a　Kafir　woman　ordinarily　does；　in　a　kind
of　kneeling　position；　but　on　a　stool。

〃You　were　carried　into　the　kraal；　Inkoosi；〃　she　said；　〃on　a　litter　of
boughs。　　My　heart　stood　still　when　I　saw　that　litter　coming；　it　was　no
more　heart；　it　was　cold　iron；　because　I　thought　the　dead　or　injured　man
was〃　And　she　paused。

〃Saduko？〃　I　suggested。

〃Not　at　all；　Inkoosimy　father。〃

〃Well；　it　wasn't　either　of　them；〃　I　said；　〃so　you　must　have　felt　happy。〃

〃Happy！　Inkoosi；　when　the　guest　of　our　house　had　been　wounded；　perhaps
to　deaththe　guest　of　whom　I　have　heard　so　much；　although　by　misfortune
I　was　absent　when　he　arrived。〃

〃A　difference　of　opinion　with　your　eldest　mother？〃　I　suggested。

〃Yes；　Inkoosi；　my　own　is　dead；　and　I　am　not　too　well　treated　here。　　She
called　me　a　witch。〃

〃Did　she？〃　I　answered。　　〃Well；　I　do　not　altogether　wonder　at　it；　but
please　continue　your　story。〃

〃There　is　none；　Inkoosi。　　They　brought　you　here；　they　told　me　how　the
evil　brute　of　a　buffalo　had　nearly　killed　you　in　the　pool；　that　is　all。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Mameena；　but　how　did　I　get　out　of　the　pool？〃

〃Oh；　it　seems　that　your　servant；　Sikauli；　the　bastard；　leapt　into　the
water　and　engaged　the　attention　of　the　buffalo　which　was　kneading　you
into　the　mud；　while　Saduko　got　on　to　its　back　and　drove　his　assegai　down
between　its　shoulders　to　the　heart；　so　that　it　died。　　Then　they　pulled
you　out　of　the　mud；　crushed　and　almost　drowned　with　water；　and　brought
you　to　life　again。　　But　afterwards　you　became　senseless；　and　so　lay
wandering　in　your　speech　until　this　hour。〃

〃Ah；　he　is　a　brave　man；　is　Saduko。〃

〃Like　others；　neither　more　nor　less；〃　she　replied　with　a　shrug　of　her
rounded　shoulders。　　〃Would　you　have　had　him　let　you　die？　　I　think　the
brave　man　was　he　who　got　in　front　of　the　bull　and　twisted　its　nose；　not
he　who　sat　on　its　back　and　poked　at　it　with　a　spear。〃

At　this　period　in　our　conversation　I　became　suddenly　faint　and　lost
count　of　things；　even　of　the　interesting　Mameena。　　When　I　awoke　again
she　was　gone；　and　in　her　place　was　old　Umbezi；　who；　I　noticed；　took　down
a　mat　from　the　side　of　the　hut　and　folded　it　up　to　serve　as　a　cushion
before　he　sat　himself　upon　the　stool。

〃Greeting；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said　when　he　saw　that　I　was　awake；　〃how　are
you？〃

〃As　well　as　can　be　hoped；〃　I　answered；　〃and　how　are　you；　Umbezi？〃

〃Oh；　bad；　Macumazahn；　even　now　I　can　scarcely　sit　down；　for　that　bull
had　a　very　hard　nose；　also　I　am　swollen　up　in　front　where　Sikauli　struck
me　when　he　tumbled　out　of　the　tree。　　Also　my　heart　is　cut　in　two　because
of　our　losses。〃

〃What　losses；　Umbezi？〃

〃Wow！　Macumazahn；　the　fire　that　those　low　fellows　of　mine　lit　got　to　our
camp　and　burned　up　nearly　everythingthe　meat；　the　skins；　and　even　the
ivory；　which　it　cracked　so　that　it　is　useless。　　That　was　an　unlucky
hunt；　for　although　it　began　so　well；　we　have　come　out　of　it　quite　naked；
yes；　with　nothing　at　all　except　the　head　of　the　bull　with　the　cleft
horn；　that　I　thought　you　might　like　to　keep。〃

〃Well；　Umbezi；　let　us　be　thankful　that　we　have　come　out　with　our
livesthat　is；　if　I　am　going　to　live；〃　I　added。

〃Oh；　Macumazahn；　you　will　live　without　doubt；　and　be　none　the　worse。　
Two　of　our　doctorsvery　clever　menhave　looked　at　you　and　said　so。　
One　of　them　tied　you　up　in　all　those　skins；　and　I　promised　him　a　heifer
for　the　business；　if　he　cured　you；　and　gave　him　a　goat　on　account。　　But
you　must　lie　here　for　a　month　or　more；　so　he　says。　　Meanwhile　Panda　has
sent　for　the　hides　which　he　demanded　of　me　to　be　made　into　shields；　and
I　have　been　obliged　to　kill　twenty…five　of　my　beasts　to　provide
themthat　is；　of　my　own　and　of　those　of　my　headmen。〃

〃Then　I　wish　you　and　your　headmen　had　killed　them　before　we　met　those
buffalo；　Umbezi；〃　I　groaned；　for　my　ribs　were　paining　me　very　much。　
〃Send　Saduko　and　Sikauli　here；　I　would　thank　them　for　saving　my　life。〃

So　they　came；　next　morning；　I　think；　and　I　thanked　them　warmly　enough。

〃There；　there；　Baas；〃　said　Scowl；　who　was　literally　weeping　tears　of　joy
at　my　return　from　delirium　and　coma　to　the　light　of　life　and　reason；　not
tears　of　Mameena's　sort；　but　real　ones；　for　I　saw　them　running　down　his
snub　nose；　that　still　bore　marks　of　the　eagle's　claws。　　〃There；　there；
say　no　more；　I　beseech　you。　　If　you　were　going　to　die；　I　wished　to　die；
too；　who；　if　you　had　left　it；　should　only　have　wandered　through　the
world　without　a　heart。　　That　is　why　I　jumped　into　the　pool；　not　because
I　am　brave。〃

When　I　heard　this　my　own　eyes　grew　moist。　　Oh；　it　is　the　fashion　to
abuse　natives；　but　from　whom　do　we　meet　with　more　fidelity　and　love　than
from　these　poor　wild　Kafirs　that　so　many　of　us　talk　of　as　black　dirt
which　chances　to　be　fashioned　to　the　shape　of　man？

〃As　for　myself；　Inkoosi；〃　added　Saduko；　〃I　only　did　my　duty。　　How　could
I　have　held　up　my　head　again　if　the　bull　had　killed　you　while　I　walked
away　alive？　　Why；　the　very　girls　would　have　mocked　at　me。　　But；　oh；　his
skin　was　tough。　　I　thought　that　assegai　would　never　get　through　it。〃

Observe　the　difference　between　these　two　men's　characters。　　The　one；