child of storm-第15节

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after　it　her　manner　towards　me　changed；　she　became　very　deferential；　she
listened　to　my　words　as　though　they　were　all　wisdom；　I　caught　her
looking　at　me　with　her　soft　eyes　as　though　I　were　quite　an　admirable
object。　　She　began　to　talk　to　me　of　her　difficulties；　her　troubles　and
her　ambitions。　　She　asked　me　for　my　advice　as　to　Saduko。　　On　this　point
I　replied　to　her　that；　if　she　loved　him；　and　her　father　would　allow　it；
presumably　she　had　better　marry　him。

〃I　like　him　well　enough；　Macumazahn；　although　he　wearies　me　at　times；
but　love　　Oh；　tell　me；　_what_　is　love？〃　Then　she　clasped　her　slim
hands　and　gazed　at　me　like　a　fawn。

〃Upon　my　word；　young　woman；〃　I　replied；　〃that　is　a　matter　upon　which　I
should　have　thought　you　more　competent　to　instruct　me。〃

〃Oh；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said　almost　in　a　whisper；　and　letting　her　head
droop　like　a　fading　lily；　〃you　have　never　given　me　the　chance；　have
you？〃　　And　she　laughed　a　little；　looking　extremely　attractive。

〃Good　gracious！〃or；　rather；　its　Zulu　equivalentI　answered；　for　I
began　to　feel　nervous。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Mameena？　　How　could　I〃　
There　I　stopped。

〃I　do　not　know　what　I　mean；　Macumazahn；〃　she　exclaimed　wildly；　〃but　I
know　well　enough　what　you　meanthat　you　are　white　as　snow　and　I　am
black　as　soot；　and　that　snow　and　soot　don't　mix　well　together。〃

〃No；〃　I　answered　gravely；　〃snow　is　good　to　look　at；　and　so　is　soot；　but
mingled　they　make　an　ugly　colour。　　Not　that　you　are　like　soot；〃　I　added
hastily；　fearing　to　hurt　her　feelings。　　〃That　is　your　hue〃and　I
touched　a　copper　bangle　she　was　wearing〃a　very　lovely　hue；　Mameena；
like　everything　else　about　you。〃

〃Lovely；〃　she　said；　beginning　to　weep　a　little；　which　upset　me　very
much；　for　if　there　is　one　thing　I　hate；　it　is　to　see　a　woman　cry。　　〃How
can　a　poor　Zulu　girl　be　lovely？　　Oh；　Macumazahn；　the　spirits　have　dealt
hardly　with　me；　who　have　given　me　the　colour　of　my　people　and　the　heart
of　yours。　　If　I　were　white；　now；　what　you　are　pleased　to　call　this
loveliness　of　mine　would　be　of　some　use　to　me；　for　then　then　　Oh；
cannot　you　guess；　Macumazahn？〃

I　shook　my　head　and　said　that　I　could　not；　and　next　moment　was　sorry；
for　she　proceeded　to　explain。

Sinking　to　her　kneesfor　we　were　quite　alone　in　the　big　hut　and　there
was　no　one　else　about；　all　the　other　women　being　engaged　on　rural　or
domestic　tasks；　for　which　Mameena　declared　she　had　no　time；　as　her
business　was　to　look　after　meshe　rested　her　shapely　head　upon　my　knees
and　began　to　talk　in　a　low；　sweet　voice　that　sometimes　broke　into　a　sob。

〃Then　I　will　tell　youI　will　tell　you；　yes；　even　if　you　hate　me
afterwards。　　I　could　teach　you　what　love　is　very　well；　Macumazahn；　you
are　quite　rightbecause　I　love　you。〃　　（Sob。）　　〃No；　you　shall　not　stir
till　you　have　heard　me　out。〃　　Here　she　flung　her　arms　about　my　legs　and
held　them　tight；　so　that　without　using　great　violence　it　was　absolutely
impossible　for　me　to　move。　　〃When　I　saw　you　first；　all　shattered　and
senseless；　snow　seemed　to　fall　upon　my　heart；　and　it　stopped　for　a
little　while　and　has　never　been　the　same　since。　　I　think　that　something
is　growing　in　it；　Macumazahn；　that　makes　it　big。〃　　（Sob。）　　〃I　used　to
like　Saduko　before　that；　but　afterwards　I　did　not　like　him　at　allno；
nor　Masapo　eitheryou　know；　he　is　the　big　chief　who　lives　over　the
mountain；　a　very　rich　and　powerful　man；　who；　I　believe；　would　like　to
marry　me。　　Well；　as　I　went　on　nursing　you　my　heart　grew　bigger　and
bigger；　and　now　you　see　it　has　burst。〃　　（Sob。）　　〃Nay；　stay　still　and　do
not　try　to　speak。　　You　_shall_　hear　me　out。　　It　is　the　least　you　can　do；
seeing　that　you　have　caused　me　all　this　pain。　　If　you　did　not　want　me　to
love　you；　why　did　you　not　curse　at　me　and　strike　me；　as　I　am　told　white
men　do　to　Kafir　girls？〃　　She　rose　and　went　on：

〃Now；　hearken。　　Although　I　am　the　colour　of　copper；　I　am　comely。　　I　am
well…bred　also；　there　is　no　higher　blood　than　ours　in　Zululand；　both　on
my　father's　and　my　mother's　side；　and；　Macumazahn；　I　have　a　fire　in　me
that　shows　me　things。　　I　can　be　great；　and　I　long　for　greatness。　　Take
me　to　wife；　Macumazahn；　and　I　swear　to　you　that　in　ten　years　I　will　make
you　king　of　the　Zulus。　　Forget　your　pale　white　women　and　wed　yourself　to
that　fire　which　burns　in　me；　and　it　shall　eat　up　all　that　stands　between
you　and　the　Crown；　as　flame　eats　up　dry　grass。　　More；　I　will　make　you
happy。　　If　you　choose　to　take　other　wives；　I　will　not　be　jealous；
because　I　know　that　I　should　hold　your　spirit；　and　that；　compared　to　me；
they　would　be　nothing　in　your　thought〃

〃But；　Mameena；〃　I　broke　in；　〃I　don't　want　to　be　king　of　the　Zulus。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　you　do；　for　every　man　wants　power；　and　it　is　better　to
rule　over　a　brave；　black　peoplethousands　and　thousands　of　themthan
to　be　no　one　among　the　whites。　　Think；　think！　　There　is　wealth　in　the
land。　　By　your　skill　and　knowledge　the　amabuto　＇regiments＇　could　be
improved；　with　the　wealth　you　would　arm　them　with　gunsyes；　and
'by…and…byes'　also　with　the　throat　of　thunder〃　（that　is；　or　was；　the
Kafir　name　for　cannon）。*　　〃They　would　be　invincible。　　Chaka's　kingdom
would　be　nothing　to　ours；　for　a　hundred　thousand　warriors　would　sleep　on
their　spears；　waiting　for　your　word。　　If　you　wished　it　even　you　could
sweep　out　Natal　and　make　the　whites　there　your　subjects；　too。　　Or
perhaps　it　would　be　safer　to　let　them　be；　lest　others　should　come　across
the　green　water　to　help　them；　and　to　strike　northwards；　where　I　am　told
there　are　great　lands　as　rich　and　fair；　in　which　none　would　dispute　our
sovereignty〃

＇*Cannon　were　called　〃by…and…byes〃　by　the　natives；　because　when
field…pieces　first　arrived　in　Natal　inquisitive　Kafirs　pestered　the
soldiers　to　show　them　how　they　were　fired。　　　The　answer　given　was　always
〃By…and…bye！〃　　Hence　the　name。EDITOR＇

〃But；　Mameena；〃　I　gasped；　for　this　girl's　titanic　ambition　literally
overwhelmed　me；　〃surely　you　are　mad！　　How　would　you　do　all　these
things？〃

〃I　am　not　mad；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　only　what　is　called　great；　and　you
know　well　enough　that　I　can　do　them；　not　by　myself；　who　am　but　a　woman
and　tied　with　the　ropes　that　bind　women；　but　with　you　to　cut　those　ropes
and　help　me。　　I　have　a　plan　which　will　not　fail。　　But；　Macumazahn；〃　she
added　in　a　changed　voice；　〃until　I　know　that　you　will　be　my　partner　in
it　I　will　not　tell　it　even　to　you；　for　perhaps　you　might　talkin　your
sleep；　and　then　the　fire　in　my　breast　would　soon　go　outfor　ever。〃

〃I　might　talk　now；　for　the　matter　of　that；　Mameena。〃

〃No；　for　men　like　you　do　not　tell　tales　of　foolish　girls　who　chance　to
love　them。　　But　if　that　plan　began　to　work；　and　you　heard　say　that　kings
or　princes　died；　it　might　be　otherwise。　　You　might　say；　'I　think　I　know
where　the　witch　lives　who　causes　these　evils'in　your　sleep；
Macumazahn。〃

〃Mameena；〃　I　said；　〃tell　me　no　more。　　Setting　your　dreams　on　one　side；
can　I　be　false　to　my　friend；　Saduko；　who　talks　to　me　day　and　night　of
you？〃

〃Saduko！　　Piff！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　that　expressive　gesture　of　her
hand。

〃And　can　I　be　false；〃　I　continued；　seeing　that　Saduko　was　no　good　card
to　play；　〃to　my　friend；　Umbezi；　your　father？〃

〃My　father！　〃　she　laughed。　　〃Why；　would　it　not　please　him　to　grow　great
in　your　shadow？　　Only　yesterday　he　told　me　to　marry　you；　if　I　could；　for
then　he　would　find　a　stick　indeed　to　lean　on；　and　be　rid　of　Saduko's
troubling。〃

Evidently　Umbezi　was　a　worse　card　even　than　Saduko；　so　I　played　another。

〃And　can　I　help　you；　Mameena；　to　tread　a　road　that　at　the　best　must　be
red　with　blood？〃

〃Why　not；〃　she　asked；　〃since　with　or　without　you　I　am　destined　to　tread
that　road；　the　only　difference　being　that　with　you　it　will　lead　to　glory
and　without　you　perhaps　to　the　jackals　and　the　vultures？　　Blood！　　Piff！　
What　is　blood　in　Zululand？〃

This　card　also　having　failed；　I　tabled　my　last。

〃Glory　or　no　glory；　I　do　not　wish　to　share　it；　Mameena。　　I　will　not　make
war　among　a　people　who　have　entertained　me　hospitably；　or　plot　the
downfall　of　their　Great　Ones。　　As　you　told　me　just　now；　I　am
nobodyjust　one　grain　of　sand　upon　a　white　shorebut　I　had　rather　be
that　than　a　haunted　rock　which　draws　the　heavens'　lightnings　and　is
drenched　with　sacrifice。　　I　seek　no　throne　over　white　or　black；　Mameena；
who　walk　my　own　path　to　a　quiet　grave　that　shall　perhaps　not　be　without
honour　of　its　own；　though　other　than　you　seek。　　I　will　keep　your
counsel；　Mameena；　but；　because　you　are　so　beautiful　and　so　wise；　and
because　you　say　you　are　fond　of　mefor　which　I　thank　youI　pray　you
put　away　these　fearful　dreams　of　yours　that　in　the　end；　whether　they
succeed　or　fail；　will　send　you　shivering　from　the　world　to　give　account
of　them　to　the　Watcher…on…high。〃

〃Not　so；　O　Macumazana；〃　she　said；　with　a　proud　little　laugh。　　〃When　your
Watcher　sowed　my　seedif　thus　he　didhe　sowed　the　dreams　that　are　a
part　of　me　also；　and　I　shall　only　bring　him　back　his　own；　with　the
flower　and　the　fruit　by　way　of　interest。　　But　that　is　finished。　　You
refuse　the　greatness。　　Now；　tell　me；　if　I　sink　those　dreams　in　a　great
water；　tying　about　them　the　stone　of　forgetfulness　and　saying：　'Sleep
there；　O　dreams；　it　is　not　your　hour'if　I　do　this；　and　stand　before
you　just　a　woman　who　loves　and　who　swears　by　the　spirit