child of storm-第5节

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〃'Only　what？'　asked　Bangu；　hesitating。

〃'Only　I　wonder；　Bangu；　what　you　will　think　of　the　world　in　which　you
will　find　yourself　before　to…morrow's　moon　arises。　　Come　back　thence　and
tell　me；　Bangu；　for　there　are　so　many　worlds　beyond　the　sun；　and　I　would
learn　for　certain　which　of　them　such　a　one　as　you　inhabits：　a　man　who
for　hatred　and　for　gain　murders　the　father　and　the　mother　and　then
butchers　the　childthe　child　that　could　slay　a　warrior　who　has　seen
warwith　the　spear　hot　from　his　mother's　heart。'

〃'Do　you　mean　that　I　shall　die　if　I　kill　this　lad？'　shouted　Bangu　in　a
great　voice。

〃'What　else？'　answered　Zikali；　taking　another　pinch　of　snuff。

〃'This；　Wizard；　that　we　will　go　together。'

〃'Good；　good！'　laughed　the　dwarf。　　'Let　us　go　together。　　Long　have　I
wished　to　die；　and　what　better　companion　could　I　find　than　Bangu；　Chief
of　the　Amakoba；　Slayer　of　Children；　to　guard　me　on　a　dark　and　terrible
road。　　Come；　brave　Bangu；　come；　kill　me　if　you　can；'　and　again　he
laughed　at　him。

〃Now；　Macumazahn；　the　people　of　Bangu　fell　back　muttering；　for　they
found　this　business　horrible。　　Yes；　even　those　who　held　my　arms　let　go
of　them。

〃'What　will　happen　to　me；　Wizard；　if　I　spare　the　boy？'　asked　Bangu。

〃Zikali　stretched　out　his　hand　and　touched　the　scratch　that　the　assegai
had　made　in　me　here。　　Then　he　held　up　his　finger　red　with　my　blood；　and
looked　at　it　in　the　light　of　the　moon；　yes；　and　tasted　it　with　his
tongue。

〃'I　think　this　will　happen　to　you；　Bangu；'　he　said。　　'If　you　spare　this
boy　he　will　grow　into　a　man　who　will　kill　you　and　many　others　one　day。　
But　if　you　do　not　spare　him　I　think　that　his　spirit；　working　as　spirits
can　do；　will　kill　you　to…morrow。　　Therefore　the　question　is；　will　you
live　a　while　or　will　you　die　at　once；　taking　me　with　you　as　your
companion？　　For　you　must　not　leave　me　behind；　brother　Bangu。'

〃Now　Bangu　turned　and　walked　away；　stepping　over　the　body　of　my　mother；
and　all　his　people　walked　away　after　him；　so　that　presently　Zikali　the
Wise　and　Little　and　I　were　left　alone。

〃'What！　have　they　gone？'　said　Zikali；　lifting　up　his　eyes　from　the
ground。　　'Then　we　had　better　be　going　also；　Son　of　Matiwane；　lest　he
should　change　his　mind　and　come　back。　　Live　on；　Son　of　Matiwane；　that
you　may　avenge　Matiwane。'〃

〃A　nice　tale；〃　I　said。　　〃But　what　happened　afterwards？〃

〃Zikali　took　me　away　and　nurtured　me　at　his　kraal　in　the　Black　Kloof；
where　he　lived　alone　save　for　his　servants；　for　in　that　kraal　he　would
suffer　no　woman　to　set　foot；　Macumazahn。　　He　taught　me　much　wisdom　and
many　secret　things；　and　would　have　made　a　great　doctor　of　me　had　I　so
willed。　　But　I　willed　it　not　who　find　spirits　ill　company；　and　there　are
many　of　them　about　the　Black　Kloof；　Macumazahn。　　So　in　the　end　he　said：
'Go　where　your　heart　calls；　and　be　a　warrior；　Saduko。　　But　know　this：
You　have　opened　a　door　that　can　never　be　shut　again；　and　across　the
threshold　of　that　door　spirits　will　pass　in　and　out　for　all　your　life；
whether　you　seek　them　or　seek　them　not。'

〃'It　was　you　who　opened　the　door；　Zikali；'　I　answered　angrily。

〃'Mayhap；'　said　Zikali；　laughing　after　his　fashion；　'for　I　open　when　I
must　and　shut　when　I　must。　　Indeed；　in　my　youth；　before　the　Zulus　were　a
people；　they　named　me　Opener　of　Doors；　and　now；　looking　through　one　of
those　doors；　I　see　something　about　you；　O　Son　of　Matiwane。'

〃'What　do　you　see；　my　father？'　I　asked。

〃'I　see　two　roads；　Saduko：　the　Road　of　Medicine；　that　is　the　spirit
road；　and　the　Road　of　Spears；　that　is　the　blood　road。　　I　see　you
travelling　on　the　Road　of　Medicine；　that　is　my　own　road；　Saduko；　and
growing　wise　and　great；　till　at　last；　far；　far　away；　you　vanish　over　the
precipice　to　which　it　leads；　full　of　years　and　honour　and　wealth；　feared
yet　beloved　by　all　men；　white　and　black。　　Only　that　road　you　must　travel
alone；　since　such　wisdom　may　have　no　friends；　and；　above　all；　no　woman
to　share　its　secrets。　　Then　I　look　at　the　Road　of　Spears　and　see　you；
Saduko；　travelling　on　that　road；　and　your　feet　are　red　with　blood；　and
women　wind　their　arms　about　your　neck；　and　one　by　one　your　enemies　go
down　before　you。　　You　love　much；　and　sin　much　for　the　sake　of　the　love；
and　she　for　whom　you　sin　comes　and　goes　and　comes　again。　　And　the　road
is　short；　Saduko；　and　near　the　end　of　it　are　many　spirits；　and　though
you　shut　your　eyes　you　see　them；　and　though　you　fill　your　ears　with　clay
you　hear　them；　for　they　are　the　ghosts　of　your　slain。　　But　the　end　of
your　journeying　I　see　not。　　Now　choose　which　road　you　will；　Son　of
Matiwane；　and　choose　swiftly；　for　I　speak　no　more　of　this　matter。'

〃Then；　Macumazahn；　I　thought　a　while　of　the　safe　and　lonely　path　of
wisdom；　also　of　the　blood…red　path　of　spears　where　I　should　find　love
and　war；　and　my　youth　rose　up　in　me　andI　chose　the　path　of　spears　and
the　love　and　the　sin　and　the　unknown　death。〃

〃A　foolish　choice；　Saduko；　supposing　that　there　is　any　truth　in　this
tale　of　roads；　which　there　is　not。〃

〃Nay；　a　wise　one；　Macumazahn；　for　since　then　I　have　seen　Mameena　and
know　why　I　chose　that　path。〃

〃Ah！〃　I　said。　　〃MameenaI　forgot　her。　　Well；　after　all；　perhaps　there
is　some　truth　in　your　tale　of　roads。　　When　_I_　have　seen　Mameena　I　will
tell　you　what　I　think。〃

〃When　you　have　seen　Mameena；　Macumazahn；　you　will　say　that　the　choice
was　very　wise。　　Well；　Zikali；　Opener　of　Doors；　laughed　loudly　when　he
heard　it。　　'The　ox　seeks　the　fat　pasture；　but　the　young　bull　the　rough
mountainside　where　the　heifers　graze；'　he　said；　'and　after　all；　a　bull
is　better　than　an　ox。　　Now　begin　to　travel　your　own　road；　Son　of
Matiwane；　and　from　time　to　time　return　to　the　Black　Kloof　and　tell　me
how　it　fares　with　you。　　I　will　promise　you　not　to　die　before　I　know　the
end　of　it。'

〃Now；　Macumazahn；　I　have　told　you　things　that　hitherto　have　lived　in　my
own　heart　only。　　And；　Macumazahn；　Bangu　is　in　ill　favour　with　Panda；
whom　he　defies　in　his　mountain；　and　I　have　a　promisenever　mind
howthat　he　who　kills　him　will　be　called　to　no　account　and　may　keep　his
cattle。　　Will　you　come　with　me　and　share　those　cattle；　O
Watcher…by…Night？〃

〃Get　thee　behind　me；　Satan；〃　I　said　in　English；　then　added　in　Zulu：　〃I
don't　know。　　If　your　story　is　true　I　should　have　no　objection　to　helping
to　kill　Bangu；　but　I　must　learn　lots　more　about　this　business　first。　
Meanwhile　I　am　going　on　a　shooting　trip　to…morrow　with　Umbezi　the　Fat；
and　I　like　you；　O　Chooser　of　the　Road　of　Spears　and　Blood。　　Will　you　be
my　companion　and　earn　the　gun　with　two　mouths　in　payment？〃

〃Inkoosi；〃　he　said；　lifting　his　hand　in　salute　with　a　flash　of　his　dark
eyes；　〃you　are　generous；　you　honour　me。　　What　is　there　that　I　should
love　better？　　Yet；〃　he　added；　and　his　face　fell；　〃first　I　must　ask
Zikali　the　Little；　Zikali　my　foster…father。〃

〃Oh！〃　I　said；　〃so　you　are　still　tied　to　the　Wizard's　girdle；　are　you？〃

〃Not　so；　Macumazahn；　but　I　promised　him　not　long　ago　that　I　would
undertake　no　enterprise；　save　that　you　know　of；　until　I　had　spoken　with
him。〃

〃How　far　off　does　Zikali　live？〃　I　asked　Saduko。

〃One　day's　journeying。　　Starting　at　sunrise　I　can　be　there　by　sunset。〃

〃Good！　　Then　I　will　put　off　the　shooting　for　three　days　and　come　with
you　if　you　think　that　this　wonderful　old　dwarf　will　receive　me。〃

〃I　believe　that　he　will；　Macumazahn；　for　this　reasonhe　told　me　that　I
should　meet　you　and　love　you；　and　that　you　would　be　mixed　up　in　my
fortunes。〃

〃Then　he　poured　moonshine　into　your　gourd　instead　of　beer；〃　I　answered。　
〃Would　you　keep　me　here　till　midnight　listening　to　such　foolishness　when
we　must　start　at　dawn？　　Begone　now　and　let　me　sleep。〃

〃I　go；〃　he　answered　with　a　little　smile。　　〃But　if　this　is　so；　O
Macumazana；　why　do　you　also　wish　to　drink　of　the　moonshine　of　Zikali？〃
and　he　went。

Yet　I　did　not　sleep　very　well　that　night；　for　Saduko　and　his　strange　and
terrible　story　had　taken　a　hold　of　my　imagination。　　Also；　for　reasons　of
my　own；　I　greatly　wished　to　see　this　Zikali；　of　whom　I　had　heard　a　great
deal　in　past　years。　　I　wished　further　to　find　out　if　he　was　a　common
humbug；　like　so　many　witch…doctors；　this　dwarf　who　announced　that　my
fortunes　were　mixed　up　with　those　of　his　foster…son；　and　who　at　least
could　tell　me　something　true　or　false　about　the　history　and　position　of
Bangu；　a　person　for　whom　I　had　conceived　a　strong　dislike；　possibly
quite　unjustified　by　the　facts。　　But　more　than　all　did　I　wish　to　see
Mameena；　whose　beauty　or　talents　produced　so　much　impression　upon　the
native　mind。　　Perhaps　if　I　went　to　see　Zikali　she　would　be　back　at　her
father's　kraal　before　we　started　on　our　shooting　trip。

Thus　it　was　then　that　fate　wove　me　and　my　doings　into　the　web　of　some
very　strange　events；　terrible；　tragic　and　complete　indeed　as　those　of　a
Greek　play；　as　it　has　often　done　both　before　and　since　those　days。



CHAPTER　II




THE　MOONSHINE　OF　ZIKALI





On　the　following　morning　I　awoke；　as　a　good　hunter　always　should　do；
just　at　that　time　when；　on　looking　out　of　the　wagon；　nothing　can　be　seen
but　a　little　grey　glint　of　light　which　he　knows　is　reflected　from　the
horns　of　the　cattle　tied　to　the　trek…tow。　　Presently；　however；　I　saw
another　glint　of　light　which　I　guessed　came　from　the　s