child of storm-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


asked；　and　sat　down；　whereon　Nandie　became　suddenly　silent。

This；　however；　did　not　trouble　Mameena；　who　talked　away　about　anything
and　everything；　completely　ignoring　the　head…wife。　　For　a　while　Nandie
bore　it　with　patience；　but　at　length　she　took　advantage　of　a　pause　in
the　conversation　to　say　in　her　firm；　low　voice：

〃This　is　my　hut；　daughter　of　Umbezi；　a　thing　which　you　remember　well
enough　when　it　is　a　question　whether　Saduko；　our　husband；　shall　visit
you　or　me。　　Can　you　not　remember　it　now　when　I　would　speak　with　the
white　chief；　Watcher…by…Night；　who　has　been　so　good　as　to　take　the
trouble　to　come　to　see　me？〃

On　hearing　these　words　Mameena　leapt　up　in　a　rage；　and　I　must　say　I
never　saw　her　look　more　lovely。

〃You　insult　me；　daughter　of　Panda；　as　you　always　try　to　do；　because　you
are　jealous　of　me。〃

〃Your　pardon；　sister；〃　replied　Nandie。　　〃Why　should　I；　who　am　Saduko's
Inkosikazi；　and；　as　you　say；　daughter　of　Panda；　the　King；　be　jealous　of
the　widow　of　the　wizard；　Masapo；　and　the　daughter　of　the　headman；
Umbezi；　whom　it　has　pleased　our　husband　to　take　into　his　house　to　be　the
companion　of　his　leisure？〃

〃Why？　　Because　you　know　that　Saduko　loves　my　little　finger　more　than　he
does　your　whole　body；　although　you　are　of　the　King's　blood　and　have
borne　him　brats；〃　she　answered；　looking　at　the　infant　with　no　kindly
eye。

〃It　may　be　so；　daughter　of　Umbezi；　for　men　have　their　fancies；　and
without　doubt　you　are　fair。　　Yet　I　would　ask　you　one　thingif　Saduko
loves　you　so　much；　how　comes　it　he　trusts　you　so　little　that　you　must
learn　any　matter　of　weight　by　listening　at　my　door；　as　I　found　you　doing
the　other　day？〃

〃Because　you　teach　him　not　to　do　so；　O　Nandie。　　Because　you　are　ever
telling　him　not　to　consult　with　me；　since　she　who　has　betrayed　one
husband　may　betray　another。　　Because　you　make　him　believe　my　place　is
that　of　his　toy；　not　that　of　his　companion；　and　this　although　I　am
cleverer　than　you　and　all　your　House　tied　into　one　bundle；　as　you　may
find　out　some　day。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Nandie；　quite　undisturbed；　〃I　do　teach　him　these　things；
and　I　am　glad　that　in　this　matter　Saduko　has　a　thinking　head　and　listens
to　me。　　Also　I　agree　that　it　is　likely　I　shall　learn　many　more　ill
things　through　and　of　you　one　day；　daughter　of　Umbezi。　　And　now；　as　it
is　not　good　that　we　should　wrangle　before　this　white　lord；　again　I　say
to　you　that　this　is　my　hut；　in　which　I　wish　to　speak　alone　with　my
guest。〃

〃I　go；　I　go！〃　gasped　Mameena；　〃but　I　tell　you　that　Saduko　shall　hear　of
this。〃

〃Certainly　he　will　hear　of　it；　for　I　shall　tell　him　when　he　comes
to…night。〃

Another　instant　and　Mameena　was　gone；　having　shot　out　of　the　hut　like　a
rabbit　from　its　burrow。

〃I　ask　your　pardon；　Macumazahn；　for　what　has　happened；〃　said　Nandie；
〃but　it　had　become　necessary　that　I　should　teach　my　sister；　Mameena；
upon　which　stool　she　ought　to　sit。　　I　do　not　trust　her；　Macumazahn。　　I
think　that　she　knows　more　of　the　death　of　my　child　than　she　chooses　to
say；　she　who　wished　to　be　rid　of　Masapo　for　a　reason　you　can　guess。　　I
think　also　she　will　bring　shame　and　trouble　upon　Saduko；　whom　she　has
bewitched　with　her　beauty；　as　she　bewitches　all　menperhaps　even
yourself　a　little；　Macumazahn。　　And　now　let　us　talk　of　other　matters。〃

To　this　proposition　I　agreed　cordially；　since；　to　tell　the　truth；　if　I
could　have　managed　to　do　so　with　any　decent　grace；　I　should　have　been
out　of　that　hut　long　before　Mameena。　　So　we　fell　to　conversing　on　the
condition　of　Zululand　and　the　dangers　that　lay　ahead　for　all　who　were
connected　with　the　royal　Housea　state　of　affairs　which　troubled　Nandie
much；　for　she　was　a　clear…headed　woman；　and　one　who　feared　the　future。

〃Ah！　Macumazahn；〃　she　said　to　me　as　we　parted；　〃I　would　that　I　were　the
wife　of　some　man　who　did　not　desire　to　grow　great；　and　that　no　royal
blood　ran　in　my　veins。〃

On　the　next　day　the　Prince　Umbelazi　arrived；　and　with　him　Saduko　and　a
few　other　notable　men。　　They　came　quite　quietly　and　without　any
ostensible　escort；　although　Scowl；　my　servant；　told　me　he　heard　that　the
bush　at　a　little　distance　was　swarming　with　soldiers　of　the　Isigqosa
party。　　If　I　remember　rightly；　the　excuse　for　the　visit　was　that　Umbezi
had　some　of　a　certain　rare　breed　of　white　cattle　whereof　the　prince
wished　to　secure　young　bulls　and　heifers　to　improve　his　herd。

Once　inside　the　kraal；　however；　Umbelazi；　who　was　a　very　open…natured
man；　threw　off　all　pretence；　and；　after　greeting　me　heartily　enough；
told　me　with　plainness　that　he　was　there　because　this　was　a　convenient
spot　on　which　to　arrange　the　consolidation　of　his　party。

Almost　every　hour　during　the　next　two　weeks　messengersmany　of　whom
were　chiefs　disguisedcame　and　went。　　I　should　have　liked　to　follow
their　examplethat　is；　so　far　as　their　departure　was　concernedfor　I
felt　that　I　was　being　drawn　into　a　very　dangerous　vortex。　　But；　as　a
matter　of　fact；　I　could　not　escape；　since　I　was　obliged　to　wait　to
receive　payment　for　my　stuff；　which；　as　usual；　was　made　in　cattle。

Umbelazi　talked　with　me　a　good　deal　at　that　time；　impressing　upon　me　how
friendly　he　was　towards　the　English　white　men　of　Natal；　as　distinguished
from　the　Boers；　and　what　good　treatment　he　was　prepared　to　promise　to
them；　should　he　ever　attain　to　authority　in　Zululand。　　It　was　during　one
of　the　earliest　of　these　conversations；　which；　of　course；　I　saw　had　an
ultimate　object；　that　he　met　Mameena；　I　think；　for　the　first　time。

We　were　walking　together　in　a　little　natural　glade　of　the　bush　that
bordered　one　side　of　the　kraal；　when；　at　the　end　of　it；　looking　like
some　wood　nymph　of　classic　fable　in　the　light　of　the　setting　sun；
appeared　the　lovely　Mameena；　clothed　only　in　her　girdle　of　fur；　her
necklace　of　blue　beads　and　some　copper　ornaments；　and　carrying　upon　her
head　a　gourd。

Umbelazi　noted　her　at　once；　and；　ceasing　his　political　talk；　of　which　he
was　obviously　tired；　asked　me　who　that　beautiful　intombi　（that　is；　girl）
might　be。

She　is　not　an　intombi；　Prince；〃　I　answered。　　〃She　is　a　widow　who　is
again　a　wife；　the　second　wife　of　your　friend　and　councillor；　Saduko；　and
the　daughter　of　your　host；　Umbezi。〃

〃Is　it　so；　Macumazahn？　　Oh；　then　I　have　heard　of　her；　though；　as　it
chances；　I　have　never　met　her　before。　　No　wonder　that　my　sister　Nandie
is　jealous；　for　she　is　beautiful　indeed。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃she　looks　pretty　against　the　red　sky；　does　she　not？〃

By　now　we　were　drawing　near　to　Mameena；　and　I　greeted　her；　asking　if　she
wanted　anything。

〃Nothing；　Macumazahn；〃　she　answered　in　her　delicate；　modest　way；　for
never　did　I　know　anyone　who　could　seem　quite　so　modest　as　Mameena；　and
with　a　swift　glance　of　her　shy　eyes　at　the　tall　and　splendid　Umbelazi；
〃nothing。　　Only；〃　she　added；　〃I　was　passing　with　the　milk　of　one　of　the
few　cows　my　father　gave　me；　and　saw　you；　and　I　thought　that　perhaps；　as
the　day　has　been　so　hot；　you　might　like　a　drink　of　it。〃

Then；　lifting　the　gourd　from　her　head；　she　held　it　out　to　me。

I　thanked　her；　drank　somewho　could　do　less？and　returned　it　to　her；
whereon　she　made　as　though　she　would　hasten　to　depart。

〃May　I　not　drink　also；　daughter　of　Umbezi？〃　asked　Umbelazi；　who　could
scarcely　take　his　eyes　off　her。

〃Certainly；　sir；　if　you　are　a　friend　of　Macumazahn；〃　she　replied；
handing　him　the　gourd。

〃I　am　that；　Lady；　and　more　than　that；　since　I　am　a　friend　of　your
husband；　Saduko；　also；　as　you　will　know　when　I　tell　you　that　my　name　is
Umbelazi。〃

〃I　thought　it　must　be　so；〃　she　replied；　〃because　of　yourof　your
stature。　　Let　the　Prince　accept　the　offering　of　his　servant；　who　one　day
hopes　to　be　his　subject；〃　and；　dropping　upon　her　knee；　she　held　out　the
gourd　to　him。　　Over　it　I　saw　their　eyes　meet。　　He　drank；　and　as　he
handed　back　the　vessel　she　said：

〃O　Prince；　may　I　be　granted　a　word　with　you？　　I　have　that　to　tell　which
you　would　perhaps　do　well　to　hear；　since　news　sometimes　reaches　the　ears
of　humble　women　that　escapes　those　of　the　men；　our　masters。〃

He　bowed　his　head　in　assent；　whereon；　taking　a　hint　which　Mameena　gave
me　with　her　eyes；　I　muttered　something　about　business　and　made　myself
scarce。　　I　may　add　that　Mameena　must　have　had　a　great　deal　to　tell
Umbelazi。　　Fully　an　hour　and　a　half　had　gone　by　before；　by　the　light　of
the　moon；　from　a　point　of　vantage　on　my　wagon…box；　whence；　according　to
my　custom；　I　was　keeping　a　lookout　on　things　in　general；　I　saw　her　slip
back　to　the　kraal　silently　as　a　snake；　followed　at　a　little　distance　by
the　towering　form　of　Umbelazi。

Apparently　Mameena　continued　to　be　the　recipient　of　information　which
she　found　it　necessary　to　communicate　in　private　to　the　prince。　　At　any
rate；　on　sundry　subsequent　evenings　the　dullness　of　my　vigil　on　the
wagon…box　was　relieved　by　the　sight　of　her　graceful　figure　gliding　home
from　the　kloof　that　Umbelazi　seemed　to　find　a　very　suitable　spot　for
reflection　after　sunset。　　On　one　of　the　last　of　these　occasions　I
remember　that　Nandie　chanced　to　be　with　me；　having　come　to　my　wagon　for
some　medicine　for　her　baby。

〃What　does　it　mean；　Macumazahn？〃　she　asked；　when　the　pair　had　gone　by；
as　they　thought　unobserved；　since　we　were　standing　where　they　could　not
see　us。

〃I　don't　know；　and