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Then　I　turned　and　covered　up　my　eyes。


Next　morning　I　left　Nodwengu　without　saying　good…bye　to　anyone；　for　what
had　happened　there　made　me　desire　a　change。　　My　servant；　Scowl；　and　one
of　my　hunters　remained；　however；　to　collect　some　cattle　that　were　still
due　to　me。

A　month　or　more　later；　when　they　joined　me　in　Natal；　bringing　the
cattle；　they　told　me　that　Mameena；　the　widow　of　Masapo；　had　entered　the
house　of　Saduko　as　his　second　wife。　　In　answer　to　a　question　which　I　put
to　them；　they　added　that　it　was　said　that　the　Princess　Nandie　did　not
approve　of　this　choice　of　Saduko；　which　she　thought　would　not　be
fortunate　for　him　or　bring　him　happiness。　　As　her　husband　seemed　to　be
much　enamoured　of　Mameena；　however；　she　had　waived　her　objections；　and
when　Panda　asked　if　she　gave　her　consent　had　told　him　that；　although　she
would　prefer　that　Saduko　should　choose　some　other　woman　who　had　not　been
mixed　up　with　the　wizard　who　killed　her　child；　she　was　prepared　to　take
Mameena　as　her　sister；　and　would　know　how　to　keep　her　in　her　place。



CHAPTER　XI




THE　SIN　OF　UMBELAZI





About　eighteen　months　had　gone　by；　and　once　again；　in　the　autumn　of　the
year　1856；　I　found　myself　at　old　Umbezi's　kraal；　where　there　seemed　to
be　an　extraordinary　market　for　any　kind　of　gas…pipe　that　could　be　called
a　gun。　　Well；　as　a　trader　who　could　not　afford　to　neglect　profitable
markets；　which　are　hard　things　to　find；　there　I　was。

Now；　in　eighteen　months　many　things　become　a　little　obscured　in　one's
memory；　especially　if　they　have　to　do　with　savages；　in　whom；　after　all；
one　takes　only　a　philosophical　and　a　business　interest。　　Therefore　I　may
perhaps　be　excused　if　I　had　more　or　less　forgotten　a　good　many　of　the
details　of　what　I　may　call　the　Mameena　affair。　　These；　however；　came
back　to　me　very　vividly　when　the　first　person　that　I　metat　some
distance　from　the　kraal；　where　I　suppose　she　had　been　taking　a　country
walkwas　the　beautiful　Mameena　herself。　　There　she　was；　looking　quite
unchanged　and　as　lovely　as　ever；　sitting　under　the　shade　of　a　wild
fig…tree　and　fanning　herself　with　a　handful　of　its　leaves。

Of　course　I　jumped　off　my　wagon…box　and　greeted　her。

〃Siyakubona　＇that　is；　good　morrow＇；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said。　　〃My　heart　is
glad　to　see　you。〃

〃Siyakubona；　Mameena；〃　I　answered；　leaving　out　all　reference　to　_my_
heart。　　Then　I　added；　looking　at　her：　〃Is　it　true　that　you　have　a　new
husband？〃

〃Yes；　Macumazahn；　an　old　lover　of　mine　has　become　a　new　husband。　　You
know　whom　I　meanSaduko。　　After　the　death　of　that　evil…doer；　Masapo；　he
grew　very　urgent；　and　the　King；　also　the　Inkosazana　Nandie；　pressed　it
on　me；　and　so　I　yielded。　　Also；　to　be　honest；　Saduko　was　a　good　match；
or　seemed　to　be　so。〃

By　now　we　were　walking　side　by　side；　for　the　train　of　wagons　had　gone
ahead　to　the　old　outspan。　　So　I　stopped　and　looked　her　in　the　face。

〃'Seemed　to　be；'〃　I　repeated。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　'seemed　to　be'？　　Are
you　not　happy　this　time？〃

〃Not　altogether；　Macumazahn；〃　she　answered；　with　a　shrug　of　her
shoulders。　　〃Saduko　is　very　fond　of　mefonder　than　I　like　indeed；　since
it　causes　him　to　neglect　Nandie；　who；　by　the　way；　has　another　son；　and；
although　she　says　little；　that　makes　Nandie　cross。　　In　short；〃　she
added；　with　a　burst　of　truth；　〃I　am　the　plaything；　Nandie　is　the　great
lady；　and　that　place　suits　me　ill。〃

〃If　you　love　Saduko；　you　should　not　mind；　Mameena。〃

〃Love；〃　she　said　bitterly。　　〃Piff！　　What　is　love？　　But　I　have　asked　you
that　question　once　before。〃

〃Why　are　you　here；　Mameena？〃　I　inquired；　leaving　it　unanswered。

〃Because　Saduko　is　here；　and；　of　course；　Nandie；　for　she　never　leaves
him；　and　he　will　not　leave　me；　because　the　Prince　Umbelazi　is　coming；
because　there　are　plots　afoot　and　the　great　war　draws　nearthat　war　in
which　so　many　must　die。〃

〃Between　Cetewayo　and　Umbelazi；　Mameena？〃

〃Aye；　between　Cetewayo　and　Umbelazi。　　Why　do　you　suppose　those　wagons　of
yours　are　loaded　with　guns　for　which　so　many　cattle　must　be　paid？　　Not
to　shoot　game　with；　I　think。　　Well；　this　little　kraal　of　my　father's　is
just　now　the　headquarters　of　the　Umbelazi　faction；　the　Isigqosa；　as　the
princedom　of　Gikazi　is　that　of　Cetewayo。　　My　poor　father！〃　she　added；
with　her　characteristic　shrug；　〃he　thinks　himself　very　great　to…day；　as
he　did　after　he　had　shot　the　elephantbefore　I　nursed　you；
Macumazahnbut　often　I　wonder　what　will　be　the　end　of　itfor　him　and
for　all　of　us；　Macumazahn；　including　yourself。〃

〃I！〃　I　answered。　　〃What　have　I　to　do　with　your　Zulu　quarrels？〃

〃That　you　will　know　when　you　have　done　with　them；　Macumazahn。　　But　here
is　the　kraal；　and　before　we　enter　it　I　wish　to　thank　you　for　trying　to
protect　that　unlucky　husband　of　mine；　Masapo。〃

〃I　only　did　so；　Mameena；　because　I　thought　him　innocent。〃

〃I　know；　Macumazahn；　and　so　did　I；　although；　as　I　always　told　you；　I
hated　him；　the　man　with　whom　my　father　forced　me　to　marry。　　But　I　am
afraid；　from　what　I　have　learned　since；　that　he　was　not　altogether
innocent。　　You　see；　Saduko　had　struck　him；　which　he　could　not　forget。　
Also；　he　was　jealous　of　Saduko；　who　had　been　my　suitor；　and　wished　to
injure　him。　　But　what　I　do　not　understand；〃　she　added；　with　a　burst　of
confidence；　〃is　why　he　did　not　kill　Saduko　instead　of　his　child。〃

〃Well；　Mameena；　you　may　remember　it　was　said　he　tried　to　do　so。〃

〃Yes；　Macumazahn；　I　had　forgotten　that。　　I　suppose　that　he　did　try；　and
failed。　　Oh；　now　I　see　things　with　both　eyes。　　Look；　yonder　is　my
father。　　I　will　go　away。　　But　come　and　talk　to　me　sometimes；　Macumazahn；
for　otherwise　Nandie　will　be　careful　that　I　should　hear　nothingI　who
am　the　plaything；　the　beautiful　woman　of　the　House；　who　must　sit　and
smile；　but　must　not　think。〃

So　she　departed；　and　I　went　on　to　meet　old　Umbezi；　who　came　gambolling
towards　me　like　an　obese　goat；　reflecting　that；　whatever　might　be　the
truth　or　otherwise　of　her　story；　her　advancement　in　the　world　did　not
seem　to　have　brought　Mameena　greater　happiness　and　contentment。

Umbezi；　who　greeted　me　warmly；　was　in　high　spirits　and　full　of
importance。　　He　informed　me　that　the　marriage　of　Mameena　to　Saduko；
after　the　death　of　the　wizard；　her　husband；　whose　tribe　and　cattle　had
been　given　to　Saduko　in　compensation　for　the　loss　of　his　son；　was　a　most
fortunate　thing　for　him。

I　asked　why。

〃Because　as　Saduko　grows　great　so　I；　his　father…in…law；　grow　great　with
him；　Macumazahn；　especially　as　he　has　been　liberal　to　me　in　the　matter
of　cattle；　passing　on　to　me　a　share　of　the　herds　of　Masapo；　so　that　I；
who　have　been　poor　so　long；　am　getting　rich　at　last。　　Moreover；　my　kraal
is　to　be　honoured　with　a　visit　from　Umbelazi　and　some　of　his　brothers
to…morrow；　and　Saduko　has　promised　to　lift　me　up　high　when　the　Prince　is
declared　heir　to　the　throne。〃

〃Which　prince？〃　I　asked。

〃Umbelazi；　Macumazahn。　　Who　else？　　Umbelazi；　who　without　doubt　will
conquer　Cetewayo。〃

〃Why　without　doubt；　Umbezi？　　Cetewayo　has　a　great　following；　and　if　_he_
should　conquer　I　think　that　you　will　only　be　lifted　up　in　the　crops　of
the　vultures。〃

At　this　rough　suggestion　Umbezi's　fat　face　fell。

〃O　Macumazana；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　thought　that；　I　would　go　over　to
Cetewayo；　although　Saduko　is　my　son…in…law。　　But　it　is　not　possible；
since　the　King　loves　Umbelazi's　mother　most　of　all　his　wives；　and；　as　I
chance　to　know；　has　sworn　to　her　that　he　favours　Umbelazi's　cause；　since
he　is　the　dearest　to　him　of　all　his　sons；　and　will　do　everything　that　he
can　to　help　him；　even　to　the　sending　of　his　own　regiment　to　his
assistance；　if　there　should　be　need。　　Also；　it　is　said　that　Zikali；
Opener…of…Roads；　who　has　all　wisdom；　has　prophesied　that　Umbelazi　will
win　more　than　he　ever　hoped　for。〃

〃The　King！〃　I　said；　〃a　straw　blown　hither　and　thither　between　two　great
winds；　waiting　to　be　wafted　to　rest　by　that　which　is　strongest！　　The
prophecy　of　Zikali！　　It　seems　to　me　that　it　can　be　read　two　ways；　if；
indeed；　he　ever　made　one。　　Well；　Umbezi；　I　hope　that　you　are　right；　for；
although　it　is　no　affair　of　mine；　who　am　but　a　white　trader　in　your
country；　I　like　Umbelazi　better　than　Cetewayo；　and　think　that　he　has　a
kinder　heart。　　Also；　as　you　have　chosen　his　side；　I　advise　you　to　stick
to　it；　since　traitors　to　a　cause　seldom　come　to　any　good；　whether　it
wins　or　loses。　　And　now；　will　you　take　count　of　the　guns　and　powder
which　I　have　brought　with　me？〃

Ah！　better　would　it　have　been　for　Umbezi　if　he　had　listened　to　my　advice
and　remained　faithful　to　the　leader　he　had　chosen；　for　then；　even　if　he
had　lost　his　life；　at　least　he　would　have　kept　his　good　name。　　But　of
him　presently；　as　they　say　in　pedigrees。

Next　day　I　went　to　pay　my　respects　to　Nandie；　whom　I　found　engaged　in
nursing　her　new　baby　and　as　quiet　and　stately　in　her　demeanour　as　ever。　
Still；　I　think　that　she　was　very　glad　to　see　me；　because　I　had　tried　to
save　the　life　of　her　first　child；　whom　she　could　not　forget；　if　for　no
other　reason。　　Whilst　I　was　talking　to　her　of　that　sad　matter；　also　of
the　political　state　of　the　country；　as　to　which　I　think　she　wished　to
say　something　to　me；　Mameena　entered　the　hut；　without　waiting　to　be
asked；　and　sat　down；　whereon　Nandie　became　suddenly　silent。

Th