child of storm-第31节

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Umbelazi。　　But　I　am　sure　that　it　is　the　work　of　neither　of　these；　but　of
Saduko；　your　old　friend；　though　what　his　object　is　I　cannot　tell　you。　　I
only　trust；〃　he　added　uneasily；　〃that　it　will　not　end　in　bloodshed
between　the　Great　Brothers。〃

〃So　Saduko　has　grown　tall；　Maputa？〃

〃Tall　as　a　tree；　Macumazahn。　　His　whisper　in　the　King's　ear　is　louder
than　the　shouts　of　others。　　Moreover；　he　has　become　a　'self…eater'　＇that
is　a　Zulu　term　which　means　one　who　is　very　haughty＇。　　You　will　have　to
wait　on　him；　Macumazahn；　he　will　not　wait　on　you。〃

〃Is　it　so？　〃　I　answered。　　〃Well；　tall　trees　are　blown　down　sometimes。〃

He　nodded　his　wise　old　head。　　〃Yes；　Macumazahn；　I　have　seen　plenty　grow
and　fall　in　my　time；　for　at　last　the　swimmer　goes　with　the　stream。　
Anyhow；　you　will　be　able　to　do　a　good　trade　among　so　many；　and；　whatever
happens；　none　will　harm　you　whom　all　love。　　And　now　farewell；　I　bear
your　messages　to　the　King；　who　sends　an　ox　for　you　to　kill　lest　you
should　grow　hungry　in　his　house。〃

That　same　evening　I　saw　Saduko　and　the　others；　as　I　shall　tell。　　I　had
been　up　to　visit　the　King　and　give　him　my　present；　a　case　of　English
table…knives　with　bone　handles；　which　pleased　him　greatly；　although　he
did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　use　them。　　Indeed；　without　their
accompanying　forks　these　are　somewhat　futile　articles。　　I　found　the　old
fellow　very　tired　and　anxious；　but　as　he　was　surrounded　by　indunas；　I
had　no　private　talk　with　him。　　Seeing　that　he　was　busy；　I　took　my　leave
as　soon　as　I　could；　and　when　I　walked　away　whom　should　I　meet　but
Saduko。

I　saw　him　while　he　was　a　good　way　off；　advancing　towards　the　inner　gate
with　a　train　of　attendants　like　a　royal　personage；　and　knew　very　well
that　he　saw　me。　　Making　up　my　mind　what　to　do　at　once；　I　walked　straight
on　to　him；　forcing　him　to　give　me　the　path；　which　he　did　not　wish　to　do
before　so　many　people；　and　brushed　past　him　as　though　he　were　a
stranger。　　As　I　expected；　this　treatment　had　the　desired　effect；　for
after　we　had　passed　each　other　he　turned　and　said：

〃Do　you　not　know　me；　Macumazahn？〃

〃Who　calls？〃　I　asked。　　〃Why；　friend；　your　face　is　familiar　to　me。　　How
are　you　named？〃

〃Have　you　forgotten　Saduko？〃　he　said　in　a　pained　voice。

〃No；　no；　of　course　not；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　know　you　now；　although　you　seem
somewhat　changed　since　we　went　out　hunting　and　fighting　togetherI
suppose　because　you　are　fatter。　　I　trust　that　you　are　well；　Saduko？　
Good…bye。　　I　must　be　going　back　to　my　wagons。　　If　you　wish　to　see　me　you
will　find　me　there。〃

These　remarks；　I　may　add；　seemed　to　take　Saduko　very　much　aback。　　At　any
rate；　he　found　no　reply　to　them；　even　when　old　Maputa；　with　whom　I　was
walking；　and　some　others　sniggered　aloud。　　There　is　nothing　that　Zulus
enjoy　so　much　as　seeing　one　whom　they　consider　an　upstart　set　in　his
place。

Well；　a　couple　of　hours　afterwards；　just　as　the　sun　was　sinking；　who
should　walk　up　to　my　wagons　but　Saduko　himself；　accompanied　by　a　woman
whom　I　recognised　at　once　as　his　wife；　the　Princess　Nandie；　who　carried
a　fine　baby　boy　in　her　arms。　　Rising；　I　saluted　Nandie　and　offered　her
my　camp…stool；　which　she　looked　at　suspiciously　and　declined；　preferring
to　seat　herself　on　the　ground　after　the　native　fashion。　　So　I　took　it
back　again；　and　after　I　had　sat　down　on　it；　not　before；　stretched　out　my
hand　to　Saduko；　who　by　this　time　was　quite　humble　and　polite。

Well；　we　talked　away；　and　by　degrees；　without　seeming　too　much
interested　in　them；　I　was　furnished　with　a　list　of　all　the　advancements
which　it　had　pleased　Panda　to　heap　upon　Saduko　during　the　past　year。　　In
their　way　they　were　remarkable　enough；　for　it　was　much　as　though　some
penniless　country　gentleman　in　England　had　been　promoted　in　that　short
space　of　time　to　be　one　of　the　premier　peers　of　the　kingdom　and　endowed
with　great　offices　and　estates。　　When　he　had　finished　the　count　of　them
he　paused；　evidently　waiting　for　me　to　congratulate　him。　　But　all　I　said
was：

〃By　the　Heavens　above　I　am　sorry　for　you；　Saduko！　　How　many　enemies　you
must　have　made！　　What　a　long　way　there　will　be　for　you　to　fall　one
night！〃a　remark　at　which　the　quiet　Nandie　broke　into　a　low　laugh　that
I　think　pleased　her　husband　even　less　than　my　sarcasm。　　〃Well；〃　I　went
on；　〃I　see　that　you　have　got　a　baby；　which　is　much　better　than　all　these
titles。　　May　I　look　at　it；　Inkosazana？〃

Of　course　she　was　delighted；　and　we　proceeded　to　inspect　the　baby；　which
evidently　she　loved　more　than　anything　on　earth。　　Whilst　we　were
examining　the　child　and　chatting　about　it；　Saduko　sitting　by　meanwhile
in　the　sulks；　who　on　earth　should　appear　but　Mameena　and　her　fat　and
sullen…looking　husband；　the　chief　Masapo。

〃Oh；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said；　appearing　to　notice　no　one　else；　〃how
pleased　I　am　to　see　you　after　a　whole　long　year！〃

I　stared　at　her　and　my　jaw　dropped。　　Then　I　recovered　myself；　thinking
she　must　have　made　a　mistake　and　meant　to　say　〃week。〃

〃Twelve　moons；〃　she　went　on；　〃and；　Macumazahn；　not　one　of　them　has　gone
by　but　I　have　thought　of　you　several　times　and　wondered　if　we　should
ever　meet　again。　　Where　have　you　been　all　this　while？〃

〃In　many　places；〃　I　answered；　〃amongst　others　at　the　Black　Kloof；　where
I　called　upon　the　dwarf；　Zikali；　and　lost　my　looking…glass。〃

〃The　Nyanga；　Zikali！　　Oh；　how　often　have　I　wished　to　see　him。　　But；　of
course；　I　cannot；　for　I　am　told　he　will　not　receive　any　women。〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　I　replied；　〃but　you　might　try；　perhaps　he
would　make　an　exception　in　your　favour。〃

〃I　think　I　will；　Macumazahn；〃　she　murmured；　whereon　I　collapsed　into
silence；　feeling　that　things　were　getting　beyond　me。

When　I　recovered　myself　a　little　it　was　to　hear　Mameena　greeting　Saduko
with　much　effusion；　and　complimenting　him　on　his　rise　in　life；　which　she
said　she　had　always　foreseen。　　This　remark　seemed　to　bowl　out　Saduko
also；　for　he　made　no　answer　to　it；　although　I　noticed　that　he　could　not
take　his　eyes　off　Mameena's　beautiful　face。　　Presently；　however；　he
seemed　to　become　aware　of　Masapo；　and　instantly　his　whole　demeanour
changed；　for　it　grew　proud　and　even　terrible。　　Masapo　tendered　him　some
greeting；　whereon　Saduko　turned　upon　him　and　said：

〃What；　chief　of　the　Amasomi；　do　you　give　the　good…day　to　an　umfokazana
and　a　mangy　hyena？　　Why　do　you　do　this？　　Is　it　because　the　low
umfokazana　has　become　a　noble　and　the　mangy　hyena　has　put　on　a　tiger's
coat？〃　　And　he　glared　at　him　like　a　veritable　tiger。

Masapo　made　no　answer　that　I　could　catch。　　Muttering　some　inaudible
words；　he　turned　to　depart；　and　in　doing　soquite　innocently；　I
thinkstruck　Nandie；　knocking　her　over　on　to　her　back　and　causing　the
child　to　fall　out　of　her　arms　in　such　fashion　that　its　tender　head
struck　against　a　pebble　with　sufficient　force　to　cause　it　to　bleed。

Saduko　leapt　at　him；　smiting　him　across　the　shoulders　with　the　little
stick　that　he　carried。　　For　a　moment　Masapo　paused；　and　I　thought　that
he　was　going　to　show　fight。　　If　he　had　any　such　intention；　however；　he
changed　his　mind；　for　without　a　word；　or　showing　any　resentment　at　the
insult　which　he　had　received；　he　broke　into　a　heavy　run　and　vanished
among　the　evening　shadows。　　Mameena；　who　had　observed　all；　broke　into
something　else；　namely；　a　laugh。

〃Piff！　　My　husband　is　big　yet　not　brave；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　do　not　think
he　meant　to　hurt　you；　woman。〃

〃Do　you　speak　to　me；　wife　of　Masapo？〃　asked　Nandie　with　gentle　dignity；
as　she　gained　her　feet　and　picked　up　the　stunned　child。　　〃If　so；　my　name
and　titles　are　the　Inkosazana　Nandie；　daughter　of　the　Black　One　and　wife
of　the　lord　Saduko。〃

〃Your　pardon；〃　replied　Mameena　humbly；　for　she　was　cowed　at　once。　　〃I
did　not　know　who　you　were；　Inkosazana。〃

〃It　is　granted；　wife　of　Masapo。　　Macumazahn；　give　me　water；　I　pray　you；
that　I　may　bathe　the　head　of　my　child。〃

The　water　was　brought；　and　presently；　when　the　little　one　seemed　all
right　again；　for　it　had　only　received　a　scratch；　Nandie　thanked　me　and
departed　to　her　own　huts；　saying　with　a　smile　to　her　husband　as　she
passed　that　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　accompany　her；　as　she　had
servants　waiting　at　the　kraal　gate。　　So　Saduko　stayed　behind；　and
Mameena　stayed　also。　　He　talked　with　me　for　quite　a　long　while；　for　he
had　much　to　tell　me；　although　all　the　time　I　felt　that　his　heart　was　not
in　his　talk。　　His　heart　was　with　Mameena；　who　sat　there　and　smiled
continually　in　her　mysterious　way；　only　putting　in　a　word　now　and　again；
as　though　to　excuse　her　presence。

At　length　she　rose　and　said　with　a　sigh　that　she　must　be　going　back　to
where　the　Amasomi　were　in　camp；　as　Masapo　would　need　her　to　see　to　his
food。　　By　now　it　was　quite　dark；　although　I　remember　that　from　time　to
time　the　sky　was　lit　up　by　sheet　lightning；　for　a　storm　was　brewing。　　As
I　expected；　Saduko　rose　also；　saying　that　he　would　see　me　on　the　morrow；
and　went　away　with　Mameena；　walking　like　one　who　dreams。

A　few　minutes　later　I　had　occasion　to　leave　the　wagons　in　order　to
inspect　one　of　the　oxen　which　was　tied　up　by　itself　at　a　distance；
because　it　had　shown　signs　of　some　sickness　that　might　or　might　not　be
catching。　　Moving　quietly；　as　I　always　do　from　a　hunter's　habit；　I
walked　alone　to　th