child of storm-第14节

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Observe　the　difference　between　these　two　men's　characters。　　The　one；
although　no　hero　in　daily　life；　imperils　himself　from　sheer；　dog…like
fidelity　to　a　master　who　had　given　him　many　hard　words　and　sometimes　a
flogging　in　punishment　for　drunkenness；　and　the　other　to　gratify　his
pride；　also　perhaps　because　my　death　would　have　interfered　with　his
plans　and　ambitions　in　which　I　had　a　part　to　play。　　No；　that　is　a　hard
saying；　still；　there　is　no　doubt　that　Saduko　always　first　took　his　own
interests　into　consideration；　and　how　what　he　did　would　reflect　upon　his
prospects　and　repute；　or　influence　the　attainment　of　his　desires。　　I
think　this　was　so　even　when　Mameena　was　concernedat　any　rate；　in　the
beginningalthough　certainly　he　always　loved　her　with　a　single…hearted
passion　that　is　very　rare　among　Zulus。

Presently　Scowl　left　the　hut　to　prepare　me　some　broth；　whereon　Saduko　at
once　turned　the　talk　to　this　subject　of　Mameena。

He　understood　that　I　had　seen　her。　　Did　I　not　think　her　very　beautiful？

〃Yes；　very　beautiful；〃　I　answered；　〃indeed；　the　most　beautiful　Zulu
woman　I　have　ever　seen。〃

And　very　cleveralmost　as　clever　as　a　white？

〃Yes；　and　very　clevermuch　cleverer　than　most　whites。〃

Andanything　else？

〃Yes；　very　dangerous；　and　one　who　could　turn　like　the　wind　and　blow　hot
and　blow　cold。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　thought　a　while；　then　added：　〃Well；　what　do　I　care　how
she　blows　to　others；　so　long　as　she　blows　hot　to　me。〃

〃Well；　Saduko；　and　does　she　blow　hot　for　you？〃

〃Not　altogether；　Macumazahn。〃　　Another　pause。　　〃I　think　she　blows　rather
like　the　wind　before　a　great　storm。〃

〃That　is　a　biting　wind；　Saduko；　and　when　we　feel　it　we　know　that　the
storm　will　follow。〃

〃I　dare　say　that　the　storm　will　follow；　Inkoosi；　for　she　was　born　in　a
storm　and　storm　goes　with　her；　but　what　of　that；　if　she　and　I　stand　it
out　together？　　I　love　her；　and　I　had　rather　die　with　her　than　live　with
any　other　woman。〃

〃The　question　is；　Saduko；　whether　she　would　rather　die　with　you　than
live　with　any　other　man。　　Does　she　say　so？〃

〃Inkoosi；　Mameena's　thought　works　in　the　dark；　it　is　like　a　white　ant　in
its　tunnel　of　mud。　　You　see　the　tunnel　which　shows　that　she　is　thinking；
but　you　do　not　see　the　thought　within。　　Still；　sometimes；　when　she
believes　that　no　one　beholds　or　hears　her〃here　I　bethought　me　of　the
young　lady's　soliloquy　over　my　apparently　senseless　self〃or　when　she
is　surprised；　the　true　thought　peeps　out　of　its　tunnel。　　It　did　so　the
other　day；　when　I　pleaded　with　her　after　she　had　heard　that　I　killed　the
buffalo　with　the　cleft　horn。

〃'Do　I　love　you？'　she　said。　　'I　know　not　for　sure。　　How　can　I　tell？　　It
is　not　our　custom　that　a　maiden　should　love　before　she　is　married；　for
is　she　did　so　most　marriages　would　be　things　of　the　heart　and　not　of
cattle；　and　then　half　the　fathers　of　Zululand　would　grow　poor　and　refuse
to　rear　girl…children　who　would　bring　them　nothing。　　You　are　brave；　you
are　handsome；　you　are　well…born；　I　would　sooner　live　with　you　than　with
any　other　man　I　knowthat　is；　if　you　were　rich　and；　better　still；
powerful。　　Become　rich　and　powerful；　Saduko；　and　I　think　that　I　shall
love　you。'

〃'I　will；　Mameena；'　I　answered；　'but　you　must　wait。　　The　Zulu　nation　was
not　fashioned　from　nothing　in　a　day。　　First　Chaka　had　to　come。'

〃'Ah！'　she　said；　and；　my　father；　her　eyes　flashed。　　'Ah！　Chaka！　　There
was　a　man！　　　Be　another　Chaka；　Saduko；　and　I　will　love　you　moremore
than　you　can　dream　ofthus　and　thus；'　and　she　flung　her　arms　about　me
and　kissed　me　as　I　was　never　kissed　before；　which；　as　you　know；　among　us
is　a　strange　thing　for　a　girl　to　do。　　Then　she　thrust　me　from　her　with　a
laugh；　and　added：　'As　for　the　waiting；　you　must　ask　my　father　of　that。　
Am　I　not　his　heifer；　to　be　sold；　and　can　I　disobey　my　father？'　　And　she
was　gone；　leaving　me　empty；　for　it　seemed　as　though　she　took　my　vitals
with　her。　　Nor　will　she　talk　thus　any　more；　the　white　ant　who　has　gone
back　into　its　tunnel。〃

〃And　did　you　speak　to　her　father？〃

〃Yes；　I　spoke　to　him；　but　in　an　evil　moment；　for　he　had　but　just　killed
the　cattle　to　furnish　Panda's　shields。　　He　answered　me　very　roughly。　　He
said：　'You　see　these　dead　beasts　which　I　and　my　people　must　slay　for　the
king；　or　fall　under　his　displeasure？　　Well；　bring　me　five　times　their
number；　and　we　will　talk　of　your　marriage　with　my　daughter；　who　is　a
maid　in　some　request。'

〃I　answered　that　I　understood　and　would　try　my　best；　whereon　he　became
more　gentle；　for　Umbezi　has　a　kindly　heart。

〃'My　son；'　he　said；　'I　like　you　well；　and　since　I　saw　you　save
Macumazahn；　my　friend；　from　that　mad　wild　beast　of　a　buffalo　I　like　you
better　than　before。　　Yet　you　know　my　case。　　I　have　an　old　name　and　am
called　the　chief　of　a　tribe；　and　many　live　on　me。　　But　I　am　poor；　and
this　daughter　of　mine　is　worth　much。　　Such　a　woman　few　men　have　bred。　
Well；　I　must　make　the　best　of　her。　　My　son…in…law　must　be　one　who　will
prop　up　my　old　age；　one　to　whom；　in　my　need　or　trouble；　I　could　always
go　as　to　a　dry　log；*　to　break　off　some　of　its　bark　to　make　a　fire　to
comfort　me；　not　one　who　treads　me　into　the　mire　as　the　buffalo　did　to
Macumazahn。　　Now　I　have　spoken；　and　I　do　not　love　such　talk。　　Come　back
with　the　cattle；　and　I　will　listen　to　you；　but　meanwhile　understand　that
I　am　not　bound　to　you　or　to　anyone；　I　shall　take　what　my　spirit　sends
me；　which；　if　I　may　judge　the　future　by　the　past；　will　not　be　much。　　One
word　more：　Do　not　linger　about　this　kraal　too　long；　lest　it　should　be
said　that　you　are　the　accepted　suitor　of　Mameena。　　Go　hence　and　do　a
man's　work；　and　return　with　a　man's　reward；　or　not　at　all。'〃

＇*In　Zululand　a　son…in…law　is　known　as　〃isigodo　so　mkwenyana〃；　the
〃son…in…law　log；〃　for　the　reason　stated　in　the　text。EDITOR。＇

〃Well；　Saduko；　that　spear　has　an　edge　on　it；　has　it　not？〃　I　answered。　
〃And　now；　what　is　your　plan？〃

〃My　plan　is；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said；　rising　from　his　seat；　〃to　go　hence
and　gather　those　who　are　friendly　to　me　because　I　am　my　father's　son　and
still　the　chief　of　the　Amangwane；　or　those　who　are　left　of　them；
although　I　have　no　kraal　and　no　hoof　of　kine。　　Then；　within　a　moon；　I
hope；　I　shall　return　here　to　find　you　strong　again　and　once　more　a　man；
and　we　will　start　out　against　Bangu；　as　I　have　whispered　to　you；　with
the　leave　of　a　High　One；　who　has　said　that；　if　I　can　take　any　cattle；　I
may　keep　them　for　my　pains。〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that；　Saduko。　　I　never　promised　you　that　I　would
make　war　upon　Banguwith　or　without　the　king's　leave。〃

〃No；　you　never　promised；　but　Zikali　the　Dwarf；　the　Wise　Little　One；　said
that　you　wouldand　does　Zikali　lie？　　Ask　yourself；　who　will　remember　a
certain　saying　of　his　about　a　buffalo　with　a　cleft　horn；　a　pool　and　a
dry　river…bed。　　Farewell；　O　my　father　Macumazahn；　I　walk　with　the　dawn；
and　I　leave　Mameena　in　your　keeping。〃

〃You　mean　that　you　leave　me　in　Mameena's　keeping；〃　I　began；　but　already
he　was　crawling　through　the　hole　in　the　hut。

Well；　Mameena　kept　me　very　comfortably。　　She　was　always　in　evidence；　yet
not　too　much　so。

Heedless　of　her　malice　and　abuse；　she　headed　off　the　〃Worn…out…old…Cow；〃
whom　she　knew　I　detested；　from　my　presence。　　She　saw　personally　to　my
bandages；　as　well　as　to　the　cooking　of　my　food；　over　which　matter　she
had　several　quarrels　with　the　bastard；　Scowl；　who　did　not　like　her；　for
on　him　she　never　wasted　any　of　her　sweet　looks。　　Also；　as　I　grew
stronger；　she　sat　with　me　a　good　deal；　talking；　since；　by　common
consent；　Mameena　the　fair　was　exempted　from　all　the　field；　and　even　the
ordinary　household　labours　that　fall　to　the　lot　of　Kafir　women。　　Her
place　was　to　be　the　ornament　and；　I　may　add；　the　advertisement　of　her
father's　kraal。　　Others　might　do　the　work；　and　she　saw　that　they　did　it。

We　discussed　all　sorts　of　things；　from　the　Christian　and　other　religions
and　European　policy　down；　for　her　thirst　for　knowledge　seemed　to　be
insatiable。　　But　what　really　interested　her　was　the　state　of　affairs　in
Zululand；　with　which　she　knew　I　was　well　acquainted；　as　a　person　who　had
played　a　part　in　its　history　and　who　was　received　and　trusted　at　the
Great　House；　and　as　a　white　man　who　understood　the　designs　and　plans　of
the　Boers　and　of　the　Governor　of　Natal。

Now；　if　the　old　king；　Panda；　should　chance　to　die；　she　would　ask　me；
which　of　his　sons　did　I　think　would　succeed　himUmbelazi　or　Cetewayo；
or　another？　　Or；　if　he　did　not　chance　to　die；　which　of　them　would　he
name　his　heir？

I　replied　that　I　was　not　a　prophet；　and　that　she　had　better　ask　Zikali
the　Wise。

〃That　is　a　very　good　idea；〃　she　said；　〃only　I　have　no　one　to　take　me　to
him；　since　my　father　would　not　allow　me　to　go　with　Saduko；　his　ward。〃　
Then　she　clapped　her　hands　and　added：　〃Oh；　Macumazahn；　will　you　take　me？
　My　father　would　trust　me　with　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　dare　say；〃　I　answered；　〃but　the　question　is；　could　I　trust
myself　with　you？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked。　　〃Oh；　I　understand。　　Then；　after　all；　I
am　more　to　you　than　a　black　stone　to　play　with？〃

I　think　it　was　that　unlucky　joke　of　mine　which　first　set　Mameena
thinking；　〃like　a　white　ant　in　its　tunnel；〃　as　Saduko　said。　　At　least；
after　it　her　manner　towards　me　changed；　she　became　very　deferential；　she