child of storm-第30节

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Notwithstanding　all　her　wickednessand　I　suppose　she　was　wickedthere
was　something　horribly　attractive　about　Mameena。

When　she　had　gone；　taking　my　only　looking…glass　with　her；　and　the　lump
in　my　throat　had　gone　also；　I　began　to　wonder　how　much　fact　there　was　in
her　story。　　She　had　protested　so　earnestly　that　she　told　me　all　the
truth　that　I　felt　sure　there　must　be　something　left　behind。　　Also　I
remembered　she　had　said　Zikali　wanted　to　see　me。　　Well；　the　end　of　it
was　I　took　a　moonlight　walk　up　that　dreadful　gorge；　into　which　not　even
Scowl　would　accompany　me；　because　he　declared　that　the　place　was　well
known　to　be　haunted　by　imikovu；　or　spectres　who　have　been　raised　from
the　dead　by　wizards。

It　was　a　long　and　disagreeable　walk；　and　somehow　I　felt　very　depressed
and　insignificant　as　I　trudged　on　between　those　gigantic　cliffs；　passing
now　through　patches　of　bright　moonlight　and　now　through　deep　pools　of
shadow；　threading　my　way　among　clumps　of　bush　or　round　the　bases　of　tall
pillars　of　piled…up　stones；　till　at　length　I　came　to　the　overhanging
cliffs　at　the　end；　which　frowned　down　on　me　like　the　brows　of　some
titanic　demon。

Well；　I　got　to　the　end　at　last；　and　at　the　gate　of　the　kraal　fence　was
met　by　one　of　those　fierce　and　huge　men　who　served　the　dwarf　as　guards。　
Suddenly　he　emerged　from　behind　a　stone；　and　having　scanned　me　for　a
moment　in　silence；　beckoned　to　me　to　follow　him；　as　though　I　were
expected。　　A　minute　later　I　found　myself　face　to　face　with　Zikali；　who
was　seated　in　the　clear　moonlight　just　outside　the　shadow　of　his　hut；
and　engaged；　apparently；　in　his　favourite　occupation　of　carving　wood
with　a　rough　native　knife　of　curious　shape。

For　a　while　he　took　no　notice　of　me；　then　suddenly　looked　up；　shaking
back　his　braided　grey　locks；　and　broke　into　one　of　his　great　laughs。

〃So　it　is　you；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said。　　〃Well；　I　knew　you　were　passing　my
way　and　that　Mameena　would　send　you　here。　　But　why　do　you　come　to　see
the　'Thing…that…should…not…have…been…born'？　　To　tell　me　how　you　fared
with　the　buffalo　with　the　split　horn；　eh？〃

〃No；　Zikali；　for　why　should　I　tell　you　what　you　know　already？　　Mameena
said　you　wished　to　talk　with　me；　that　was　all。〃

〃Then　Mameena　lied；〃　he　answered；　〃as　is　her　nature；　in　whose　throat
live　four　false　words　for　every　one　of　truth。　　Still；　sit　down；
Macumazahn。　　There　is　beer　made　ready　for　you　by　that　stool；　and　give　me
the　knife　and　a　pinch　of　the　white　man's　snuff　that　you　have　brought　for
me　as　a　present。〃

I　produced　these　articles；　though　how　be　knew　that　I　had　them　with　me　I
cannot　tell；　nor　did　I　think　it　worth　while　to　inquire。　　The　snuff；　I
remember；　pleased　him　very　much；　but　of　the　knife　he　said　that　it　was　a
pretty　toy；　but　he　would　not　know　how　to　use　it。　　Then　we　fell　to
talking。

〃What　was　Mameena　doing　here？〃　I　asked　boldly。

〃What　was　she　doing　at　your　wagons？〃　he　asked。　　〃Oh；　do　not　stop　to　tell
me；　I　know；　I　know。　　That　is　a　very　good　Snake　of　yours；　Macumazahn；
which　always　just　lets　you　slip　through　her　fingers；　when；　if　she　chose
to　close　her　hand　Well；　well；　I　do　not　betray　the　secrets　of　my
clients；　but　I　say　this　to　yougo　on　to　the　kraal　of　the　son　of
Senzangakona；　and　you　will　see　things　happen　that　will　make　you　laugh；
for　Mameena　will　be　there；　and　the　mongrel　Masapo；　her　husband。　　Truly
she　hates　him　well；　and；　after　all；　I　would　rather　be　loved　than　hated
by　Mameena；　though　both　are　dangerous。　　Poor　Mongrel！　　Soon　the　jackals
will　be　chewing　his　bones。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　I　asked。

〃Only　because　Mameena　tells　me　that　he　is　a　great　wizard；　and　the
jackals　eat　many　wizards　in　Zululand。　　Also　he　is　an　enemy　of　Panda's
House；　is　he　not？〃

〃You　have　been　giving　her　some　bad　counsel；　Zikali；〃　I　said；　blurting
out　the　thought　in　my　mind。

〃Perhaps；　perhaps；　Macumazahn；　only　I　may　call　it　good　counsel。　　I　have
my　own　road　to　walk；　and　if　I　can　find　some　to　clear　away　the　thorns
that　would　prick　my　feet；　what　of　it？　　Also　she　will　get　her　pay；　who
finds　life　dull　up　there　among　the　Amasomi；　with　one　she　hates　for　a
hut…fellow。　　Go　you　and　watch；　and　afterwards；　when　you　have　an　hour　to
spare；　come　and　tell　me　what　happensthat　is；　if　I　do　not　chance　to　be
there　to　see　for　myself。〃

〃Is　Saduko　well？〃　I　asked　to　change　the　subject；　for　I　did　not　wish　to
become　privy　to　the　plots　that　filled　the　air。

〃I　am　told　that　his　tree　grows　great；　that　it　overshadows　all　the　royal
kraal。　　I　think　that　Mameena　wishes　to　sleep　in　the　shade　of　it。　　And
now　you　are　weary；　and　so　am　I。　　Go　back　to　your　wagons；　Macumazahn；　for
I　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　you　to…night。　　But　be　sure　to　return　and
tell　me　what　chances　at　Panda's　kraal。　　Or；　as　I　have　said；　perhaps　I
shall　meet　you　there。　　Who　knows；　who　knows？〃

Now；　it　will　be　observed　that　there　was　nothing　very　remarkable　in　this
conversation　between　Zikali　and　myself。　　He　did　not　tell　me　any　deep
secrets　or　make　any　great　prophecy。　　It　may　be　wondered；　indeed；　when
there　is　so　much　to　record；　why　I　set　it　down　at　all。

My　answer　is；　because　of　the　extraordinary　impression　that　it　produced
upon　me。　　Although　so　little　was　said；　I　felt　all　the　while　that　those
few　words　were　a　veil　hiding　terrible　events　to　be。　　I　was　sure　that
some　dreadful　scheme　had　been　hatched　between　the　old　dwarf　and　Mameena
whereof　the　issue　would　soon　become　apparent；　and　that　he　had　sent　me
away　in　a　hurry　after　he　learned　that　she　had　told　me　nothing；　because
he　feared　lest　I　should　stumble　on　its　cue　and　perhaps　cause　it　to　fail。

At　any　rate；　as　I　walked　back　to　my　wagons　by　moonlight　down　that
dreadful　gorge；　the　hot；　thick　air　seemed　to　me　to　have　a　physical　taste
and　smell　of　blood；　and　the　dank　foliage　of　the　tropical　trees　that　grew
there；　when　now　and　again　a　puff　of　wind　stirred　them；　moaned　like　the
fabled　imikovu；　or　as　men　might　do　in　their　last　faint　agony。　　The
effect　upon　my　nerves　was　quite　strange；　for　when　at　last　I　reached　my
wagons　I　was　shaking　like　a　reed；　and　a　cold　perspiration；　unnatural
enough　upon　that　hot　night；　poured　from　my　face　and　body。

Well；　I　took　a　couple　of　stiff　tots　of　〃squareface〃　to　pull　myself
together；　and　at　length　went　to　sleep；　to　awake　before　dawn　with　a
headache。　　Looking　out　of　the　wagon；　to　my　surprise　I　saw　Scowl　and　the
hunters；　who　should　have　been　snoring；　standing　in　a　group　and　talking
to　each　other　in　frightened　whispers。　　I　called　Scowl　to　me　and　asked
what　was　the　matter。

〃Nothing；　Baas；〃　he　said　with　a　shamefaced　air；　〃only　there　are　so　many
spooks　about　this　place。　　They　have　been　passing　in　and　out　of　it　all
night。〃

〃Spooks；　you　idiot！〃　I　answered。　　〃Probably　they　were　people　going　to
visit　the　Nyanga；　Zikali。〃

〃Perhaps；　Baas；　only　then　we　do　not　know　why　they　should　all　look　like
dead　peopleprinces；　some　of　them；　by　their　dressand　walk　upon　the
air　a　man's　height　from　the　ground。〃

〃Pooh！〃　I　replied。　　〃Do　you　not　know　the　difference　between　owls　in　the
mist　and　dead　kings？　　Make　ready；　for　we　trek　at　once；　the　air　here　is
full　of　fever。〃

〃Certainly；　Baas；〃　he　said；　springing　off　to　obey；　and　I　do　not　think　I
ever　remember　two　wagons　being　got　under　way　quicker　than　they　were　that
morning。

I　merely　mention　this　nonsense　to　show　that　the　Black　Kloof　could　affect
other　people's　nerves　as　well　as　my　own。


In　due　course　I　reached　Nodwengu　without　accident；　having　sent　forward
one　of　my　hunters　to　report　my　approach　to　Panda。　　When　my　wagons
arrived　outside　the　Great　Place　they　were　met　by　none　other　than　my　old
friend；　Maputa；　he　who　had　brought　me　back　the　pills　before　our　attack
upon　Bangu。

〃Greeting；　Macumazahn；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　sent　by　the　King　to　say　that　you
are　welcome　and　to　point　you　out　a　good　place　to　outspan；　also　to　give
you　permission　to　trade　as　much　as　you　will　in　this　town；　since　he　knows
that　your　dealings　are　always　fair。〃

I　returned　my　thanks　in　the　usual　fashion；　adding　that　I　had　brought　a
little　present　for　the　King　which　I　would　deliver　when　it　pleased　him　to
receive　me。　　Then　I　invited　Maputa；　to　whom　I　also　offered　some　trifle
which　delighted　him　very　much；　to　ride　with　me　on　the　wagon…box　till　we
came　to　the　selected　outspan。

This；　by　the　way；　proved；　to　be　a　very　good　place　indeed；　a　little
valley　full　of　grass　for　the　cattlefor　by　the　King's　order　it　had　not
been　grazedwith　a　stream　of　beautiful　water　running　down　it。　　Moreover
it　overlooked　a　great　open　space　immediately　in　front　of　the　main　gate
of　the　town；　so　that　I　could　see　everything　that　went　on　and　all　who
arrived　or　departed。

〃You　will　be　comfortable　here；　Macumazahn；〃　said　Maputa；　〃during　your
stay；　which　we　hope　will　be　long；　since；　although　there　will　soon　be　a
mighty　crowd　at　Nodwengu；　the　King　has　given　orders　that　none　except
your　own　servants　are　to　enter　this　valley。〃

〃I　thank　the　King；　but　why　will　there　be　a　crowd；　Maputa？〃

〃Oh！〃　he　answered　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　〃because　of　a　new
thing。　　All　the　tribes　of　the　Zulus　are　to　come　up　to　be　reviewed。　　Some
say　that　Cetewayo　has　brought　this　about；　and　some　say　that　it　is
Umbelazi。　　But　I　am　sure　that　it　is　the　work　of　neither　of　these；　but　of
Saduko；　your　old　friend；　th