child of storm-第39节

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rob　him　of　his　beautiful　Mameena；　I　thought　I　could　have　done　so　long
agoa　remark　that　staggered　him　a　little。

Then　Nandie　rose　also；　and　spoke　in　her　quiet　voice。

〃Saduko；　my　husband；〃　she　said；　〃I；　a　Princess　of　the　Zulu　House；
married　you　who　are　not　of　royal　blood　because　I　loved　you；　and　although
Panda　the　King　and　Umbelazi　the　Prince　wished　it；　for　no　other　reason
whatsoever。　　Well；　I　have　been　faithful　to　you　through　some　trials；　even
when　you　set　the　widow　of　a　wizardif；　indeed；　as　I　have　reason　to
suspect；　she　was　not　herself　the　wizardbefore　me；　and　although　that
wizard　had　killed　our　son；　lived　in　her　hut　rather　than　in　mine。　　Now
this　woman　of　whom　you　thought　so　much　has　deserted　you　for　your　friend
and　my　brother；　the　Prince　UmbelaziUmbelazi　who　is　called　the
Handsome；　and　who；　if　the　fortune　of　war　goes　with　him；　as　it　may　or　may
not；　will　succeed　to　Panda；　my　father。　　This　she　has　done　because　she
alleges　that　I；　your　Inkosikazi　and　the　King's　daughter；　treated　her　as
a　servant；　which　is　a　lie。　　I　kept　her　in　her　place；　no　more；　who；　if
she　could　have　had　her　will；　would　have　ousted　me　from　mine；　perhaps　by
death；　for　the　wives　of　wizards　learn　their　arts。　　On　this　pretext　she
has　left　you；　but　that　is　not　her　real　reason。　　She　has　left　you　because
the　Prince；　my　brother；　whom　she　has　befooled　with　her　tricks　and
beauty；　as　she　has　befooled　others；　or　tried　to〃and　she　glanced　at
me〃is　a　bigger　man　than　you　are。　　You；　Saduko；　may　become　great；　as　my
heart　prays　that　you　will；　but　my　brother　may　become　a　king。　　She　does
not　love　him　any　more　than　she　loved　you；　but　she　does　love　the　place
that　may　be　his；　and　therefore　hersshe　who　would　be　the　first　doe　of
the　herd。　　My　husband；　I　think　that　you　are　well　rid　of　Mameena；　for　I
think　also　that　if　she　had　stayed　with　us　there　would　have　been　more
deaths　in　our　House；　perhaps　mine；　which　would　not　matter；　and　perhaps
yours；　which　would　matter　much。　　All　this　I　say　to　you；　not　from
jealousy　of　one　who　is　fairer　than　I；　but　because　it　is　the　truth。　
Therefore　my　counsel　to　you　is　to　let　this　business　pass　over　and　keep
silent。　　Above　all；　seek　not　to　avenge　yourself　upon　Umbelazi；　since　I
am　sure　that　he　has　taken　vengeance　to　dwell　with　him　in　his　own　hut。　　I
have　spoken。〃

That　this　moderate　and　reasoned　speech　of　Nandie's　produced　a　great
effect　upon　Saduko　I　could　see；　but　at　the　time　the　only　answer　he　made
to　it　was：

〃Let　the　name　of　Mameena　be　spoken　no　more　within　hearing　of　my　ears。　
Mameena　is　dead。〃

So　her　name　was　heard　no　more　in　the　Houses　of　Saduko　and　of　Umbezi；　and
when　it　was　necessary　for　any　reason　to　refer　to　her；　she　was　given　a
new　name；　a　composite　Zulu　word；　〃O…we…Zulu〃；　I　think　it　was；　which　is
〃Storm…child〃　shortly　translated；　for　〃Zulu〃　means　a　storm　as　well　as
the　sky。

I　do　not　think　that　Saduko　spoke　of　her　to　me　again　until　towards　the
climax　of　this　history；　and　certainly　I　did　not　mention　her　to　him。　　But
from　that　day　forward　I　noted　that　he　was　a　changed　man。　　His　pride　and
open　pleasure　in　his　great　success；　which　had　caused　the　Zulus　to　name
him　the　〃Self…eater；〃　were　no　longer　marked。　　He　became　cold　and　silent；
like　a　man　who　is　thinking　deeply；　but　who　shutters　his　thoughts　lest
some　should　read　them　through　the　windows　of　his　eyes。　　Moreover；　he
paid　a　visit　to　Zikali　the　Little　and　Wise；　as　I　found　out　by　accident；
but　what　advice　that　cunning　old　dwarf　gave　to　him　I　did　not　find
outthen。

The　only　other　event　which　happened　in　connection　with　this　elopement
was　that　a　message　came　from　Umbelazi　to　Saduko；　brought　by　one　of　the
princes；　a　brother　of　Umbelazi；　who　was　of　his　party。　　As　I　know；　for　I
heard　it　delivered；　it　was　a　very　humble　message　when　the　relative
positions　of　the　two　men　are　consideredthat　of　one　who　knew　that　he
had　done　wrong；　and；　if　not　repentant；　was　heartily　ashamed　of　himself。

〃Saduko；〃　it　said；　〃I　have　stolen　a　cow　of　yours；　and　I　hope　you　will
forgive　me；　since　that　cow　did　not　love　the　pasture　in　your　kraal；　but
in　mine　she　grows　fat　and　is　content。　　Moreover；　in　return　I　will　give
you　many　other　cows。　　Everything　that　I　have　to　give；　I　will　give　to　you
who　are　my　friend　and　trusted　councillor。　　Send　me　word；　O　Saduko；　that
this　wall　which　I　have　built　between　us　is　broken　down；　since　ere　long
you　and　I　must　stand　together　in　war。〃

To　this　message　Saduko's　answer　was：

〃O　Prince；　you　are　troubled　about　a　very　little　thing。　　That　cow　which
you　have　taken　was　of　no　worth　to　me；　for　who　wishes　to　keep　a　beast
that　is　ever　tearing　and　lowing　at　the　gates　of　the　kraal；　disturbing
those　who　would　sleep　inside　with　her　noise？　　Had　you　asked　her　of　me；　I
would　have　given　her　to　you　freely。　　I　thank　you　for　your　offer；　but　I
need　no　more　cows；　especially　if；　like　this　one；　they　have　no　calves。　
As　for　a　wall　between　us；　there　is　none；　for　how　can　two　men　who；　if　the
battle　is　to　be　won；　must　stand　shoulder　to　shoulder；　fight　if　divided
by　a　wall？　　O　Son　of　the　King；　I　am　dreaming　by　day　and　night　of　the
battle　and　the　victory；　and　I　have　forgotten　all　about　the　barren　cow
that　ran　away　after　you；　the　great　bull　of　the　herd。　　Only　do　not　be
surprised　if　one　day　you　find　that　this　cow　has　a　sharp　horn。〃



CHAPTER　XII




PANDA'S　PRAYER





About　six　weeks　later；　in　the　month　of　November；　1856；　I　chanced　to　be
at　Nodwengu　when　the　quarrel　between　the　princes　came　to　a　head。　
Although　none　of　the　regiments　was　actually　allowed　to　enter　the
townthat　is；　as　a　regimentthe　place　was　full　of　people；　all　of　them
in　a　state　of　great　excitement；　who　came　in　during　the　daytime　and　went
to　sleep　in　the　neighbouring　military　kraals　at　night。　　One　evening；　as
some　of　these　soldiersabout　a　thousand　of　them；　if　I　remember
rightwere　returning　to　the　Ukubaza　kraal；　a　fight　occurred　between
them；　which　led　to　the　final　outbreak。

As　it　happened；　at　that　time　there　were　two　separate　regiments　stationed
at　this　kraal。　　I　think　that　they　were　the　Imkulutshana　and　the　Hlaba；
one　of　which　favoured　Cetewayo　and　the　other　Umbelazi。　　As　certain
companies　of　each　of　these　regiments　marched　along　together　in　parallel
lines；　two　of　their　captains　got　into　dispute　on　the　eternal　subject　of
the　succession　to　the　throne。　　From　words　they　came　to　blows；　and　the
end　of　it　was　that　he　who　favoured　Umbelazi　killed　him　who　favoured
Cetewayo　with　his　kerry。　　Thereon　the　comrades　of　the　slain　man；　raising
a　shout　of　〃Usutu；〃　which　became　the　war…cry　of　Cetewayo's　party；　fell
upon　the　others；　and　a　dreadful　combat　ensued。　　Fortunately　the　soldiers
were　only　armed　with　sticks；　or　the　slaughter　would　have　been　very
great；　but　as　it　was；　after　an　indecisive　engagement；　about　fifty　men
were　killed　and　many　more　injured。

Now；　with　my　usual　bad　luck；　I；　who　had　gone　out　to　shoot　a　few　birds
for　the　potpauw；　or　bustard；　I　think　they　werewas　returning　across
this　very　plain　to　my　old　encampment　in　the　kloof　where　Masapo　had　been
executed；　and　so　ran　into　the　fight　just　as　it　was　beginning。　　I　saw　the
captain　killed　and　the　subsequent　engagement。　　Indeed；　as　it　happened；　I
did　more。　　Not　knowing　where　to　go　or　what　to　do；　for　I　was　quite　alone；
I　pulled　up　my　horse　behind　a　tree　and　waited　till　I　could　escape　the
horrors　about　me；　for　I　can　assure　anyone　who　may　ever　read　these　words
that　it　is　a　very　horrible　sight　to　see　a　thousand　men　engaged　in　fierce
and　deadly　combat。　　In　truth；　the　fact　that　they　had　no　spears；　and
could　only　batter　each　other　to　death　with　their　heavy　kerries；　made　it
worse；　since　the　duels　were　more　desperate　and　prolonged。

Everywhere　men　were　rolling　on　the　ground；　hitting　at　each　other's
heads；　until　at　last　some　blow　went　home　and　one　of　them　threw　out　his
arms　and　lay　still；　either　dead　or　senseless。　　Well；　there　I　sat
watching　all　this　shocking　business　from　the　saddle　of　my　trained
shooting　pony；　which　stood　like　a　stone；　till　presently　I　became　aware
of　two　great　fellows　rushing　at　me　with　their　eyes　starting　out　of　their
heads　and　shouting　as　they　came：

〃Kill　Umbelazi's　white　man！　　Kill！　　Kill！〃

Then；　seeing　that　the　matter　was　urgent　and　that　it　was　a　question　of　my
life　or　theirs；　I　came　into　action。

In　my　hand　I　held　a　double…barrelled　shotgun　loaded　with　what　we　used　to
call　〃loopers；〃　or　B。B。　shot；　of　which　but　a　few　went　to　each　charge；
for　I　had　hoped　to　meet　with　a　small　buck　on　my　way　to　camp。　　So；　as
these　soldiers　came；　I　lifted　the　gun　and　fired；　the　right　barrel　at　one
of　them　and　the　left　barrel　at　the　other；　aiming　in　each　case　at　the
centre　of　the　small　dancing　shields；　which　from　force　of　habit　they　held
stretched　out　to　protect　their　throats　and　breasts。　　At　that　distance；
of　course；　the　loopers　sank　through　the　soft　hide　of　the　shields　and
deep　into　the　bodies　of　those　who　carried　them；　so　that　both　of　them
dropped　dead；　the　left…hand　man　being　so　close　that　he　fell　against　my
pony；　his　uplifted　kerry　striking　me　upon　the　thigh　and　bruising　me。

When　I　saw　what　I　had　done；　and　that　my　danger　was　over　for　the　moment；
without　waiting　to　reload　I　dug　the　spurs　into　my　horse's　sides　and
galloped　off　to　Nodwengu；　passing　between　the　groups　of　str