child of storm-第51节

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Masapo；　he　was　killed　as　a　wizard。　　Yet　it　may　be　that　it　was　not　he　who
used　the　poison。〃

〃Then　surely　the　King　should　have　thought　of　that　before　he　died；〃
murmured　Mameena。　　〃But　I　forget：　It　is　known　that　Masapo　was　always
hostile　to　the　House　of　Senzangakona。〃

To　this　remark　Panda　made　no　answer；　perhaps　because　it　was
unanswerable；　even　in　a　land　where　it　was　customary　to　kill　the　supposed
wizard　first　and　inquire　as　to　his　actual　guilt　afterwards；　or　not　at
all。　　Or　perhaps　he　thought　it　politic　to　ignore　the　suggestion　that　he
had　been　inspired　by　personal　enmity。　　Only；　he　looked　at　his　daughter；
Nandie；　who　rose　and　said：

〃Have　I　leave　to　call　a　witness　on　this　matter　of　the　poison；　my
Father？〃

Panda　nodded；　whereon　Nandie　said　to　one　of　the　councillors：

〃Be　pleased　to　summon　my　woman；　Nahana；　who　waits　without。〃

The　man　went；　and　presently　returned　with　an　elderly　female　who；　it
appeared；　had　been　Nandie's　nurse；　and；　never　having　married；　owing　to
some　physical　defect；　had　always　remained　in　her　service；　a　person　well
known　and　much　respected　in　her　humble　walk　of　life。

〃Nahana；〃　said　Nandie；　〃you　are　brought　here　that　you　may　repeat　to　the
King　and　his　council　a　tale　which　you　told　to　me　as　to　the　coming　of　a
certain　woman　into　my　hut　before　the　death　of　my　first…born　son；　and
what　she　did　there。　　Say　first；　is　this　woman　present　here？〃

〃Aye；　Inkosazana；〃　answered　Nahana；　〃yonder　she　sits。　　Who　could　mistake
her？〃　and　she　pointed　to　Mameena；　who　was　listening　to　every　word
intently；　as　a　dog　listens　at　the　mouth　of　an　ant…bear　hole　when　the
beast　is　stirring　beneath。

〃Then　what　of　the　woman　and　her　deeds？〃　asked　Panda。

〃Only　this；　O　King。　　Two　nights　before　the　child　that　is　dead　was　taken
ill；　I　saw　Mameena　creep　into　the　hut　of　the　lady　Nandie；　I　who　was
asleep　alone　in　a　corner　of　the　big　hut　out　of　reach　of　the　light　of　the
fire。　　At　the　time　the　lady　Nandie　was　away　from　the　hut　with　her　son。　
Knowing　the　woman　for　Mameena；　the　wife　of　Masapo；　who　was　on　friendly
terms　with　the　Inkosazana；　whom　I　supposed　she　had　come　to　visit；　I　did
not　declare　myself；　nor　did　I　take　any　particular　note　when　I　saw　her
sprinkle　a　little　mat　upon　which　the　babe；　Saduko's　son；　was　wont　to　be
laid；　with　some　medicine；　because　I　had　heard　her　promise　to　the
Inkosazana　a　powder　which　she　said　would　drive　away　insects。　　Only；　when
I　saw　her　throw　some　of　this　powder　into　the　vessel　of　warm　water　that
stood　by　the　fire；　to　be　used　for　the　washing　of　the　child；　and　place
something；　muttering　certain　words　that　I　could　not　catch；　in　the　straw
of　the　doorway；　I　thought　it　strange；　and　was　about　to　question　her　when
she　left　the　hut。　　As　it　happened；　O　King；　but　a　little　while
afterwards；　before　one　could　count　ten　tens　indeed；　a　messenger　came　to
the　hut　to　tell　me　that　my　old　mother　lay　dying　at　her　kraal　four　days'
journey　from　Nodwengu；　and　prayed　to　see　me　before　she　died。　　Then　I
forgot　all　about　Mameena　and　the　powder；　and；　running　out　to　seek　the
Princess　Nandie；　I　craved　her　leave　to　go　with　the　messenger　to　my
mother's　kraal；　which　she　granted　to　me；　saying　that　I　need　not　return
until　my　mother　was　buried。

〃So　I　went。　　But；　oh！　my　mother　took　long　to　die。　　Whole　moons　passed
before　I　shut　her　eyes；　and　all　this　while　she　would　not　let　me　go；　nor；
indeed；　did　I　wish　to　leave　her　whom　I　loved。　　At　length　it　was　over；
and　then　came　the　days　of　mourning；　and　after　those　some　more　days　of
rest；　and　after　them　again　the　days　of　the　division　of　the　cattle；　so
that　in　the　end　six　moons　or　more　had　gone　by　before　I　returned　to　the
service　of　the　Princess　Nandie；　and　found　that　Mameena　was　now　the
second　wife　of　the　lord　Saduko。　　Also　I　found　that　the　child　of　the　lady
Nandie　was　dead；　and　that　Masapo；　the　first　husband　of　Mameena；　had　been
smelt　out　and　killed　as　the　murderer　of　the　child。　　But　as　all　these
things　were　over　and　done　with；　and　as　Mameena　was　very　kind　to　me；
giving　me　gifts　and　sparing　me　tasks；　and　as　I　saw　that　Saduko　my　lord
loved　her　much；　it　never　came　into　my　head　to　say　anything　of　the　matter
of　the　powder　that　I　saw　her　sprinkle　on　the　mat。

〃After　she　had　run　away　with　the　Prince　who　is　dead；　however；　I　did　tell
the　lady　Nandie。　　Moreover；　the　lady　Nandie；　in　my　presence；　searched　in
the　straw　of　the　doorway　of　the　hut　and　found　there；　wrapped　in　soft
hide；　certain　medicines　such　as　the　Nyangas　sell；　wherewith　those　who
consult　them　can　bewitch　their　enemies；　or　cause　those　whom　they　desire
to　love　them　or　to　hate　their　wives　or　husbands。　　That　is　all　I　know　of
the　story；　O　King。〃

〃Do　my　ears　hear　a　true　tale；　Nandie？〃　asked　Panda。　　〃Or　is　this　woman　a
liar　like　others？〃

〃I　think　not；　my　Father；　see；　here　is　the　muti　＇medicine＇　which　Nahana
and　I　found　hid　in　the　doorway　of　the　hut　that　I　have　kept　unopened　till
this　day。〃

And　she　laid　on　the　ground　a　little　leather　bag；　very　neatly　sewn　with
sinews；　and　fastened　round　its　neck　with　a　fibre　string。

Panda　directed　one　of　the　councillors　to　open　the　bag；　which　the　man　did
unwillingly　enough；　since　evidently　he　feared　its　evil　influence；
pouring　out　its　contents　on　to　the　back　of　a　hide　shield；　which　was　then
carried　round　so　that　we　might　all　look　at　them。　　These；　so　far　as　I
could　see；　consisted　of　some　withered　roots；　a　small　piece　of　human
thigh　bone；　such　as　might　have　come　from　the　skeleton　of　an　infant；　that
had　a　little　stopper　of　wood　in　its　orifice；　and　what　I　took　to　be　the
fang　of　a　snake。

Panda　looked　at　them　and　shrank　away；　saying：

〃Come　hither；　Zikali　the　Old；　you　who　are　skilled　in　magic；　and　tell　us
what　is　this　medicine。〃

Then　Zikali　rose　from　the　corner　where　he　had　been　sitting　so　silently；
and　waddled　heavily　across　the　open　space　to　where　the　shield　lay　in
front　of　the　King。　　As　he　passed　Mameena；　she　bent　down　over　the　dwarf
and　began　to　whisper　to　him　swiftly；　but　he　placed　his　hands　upon　his
big　head；　covering　up　his　ears；　as　I　suppose；　that　he　might　not　hear　her
words。

〃What　have　I　to　do　with　this　matter；　O　King？〃　he　asked。

〃Much；　it　seems；　O　Opener…of…Roads；〃　said　Panda　sternly；　〃seeing　that
you　were　the　doctor　who　smelt　out　Masapo；　and　that　it　was　in　your　kraal
that　yonder　woman　hid　herself　while　her　lover；　the　Prince；　my　son；　who
is　dead；　went　down　to　the　battle；　and　that　she　was　brought　thence　with
you。　　Tell　us；　now；　the　nature　of　this　muti；　and；　being　wise；　as　you
are；　be　careful　to　tell　us　truly；　lest　it　should　be　said；　O　Zikali；　that
you　are　not　a　Nyanga　only；　but　an　umtakati　as　well。　　For　then；〃　he　added
with　meaning；　and　choosing　his　words　carefully；　〃perchance；　O　Zikali；　I
might　be　tempted　to　make　trial　of　whether　or　no　it　is　true　that　you
cannot　be　killed　like　other　men；　especially　as　I　have　heard　of　late　that
your　heart　is　evil　towards　me　and　my　House。〃

For　a　moment　Zikali　hesitatedI　think　to　give　his　quick　brain　time　to
work；　for　he　saw　his　great　danger。　　Then　he　laughed　in　his　dreadful
fashion　and　said：

〃Oho！　the　King　thinks　that　the　otter　is　in　the　trap；〃　and　he　glanced　at
the　fence　of　the　isi…gohlo　and　at　the　fierce　executioners；　who　stood
watching　him　sternly。　　〃Well；　many　times　before　has　this　otter　seemed　to
be　in　a　trap；　yes；　ere　your　father　saw　light；　O　Son　of　Senzangakona；　and
after　it　also。　　Yet　here　he　stands　living。　　Make　no　trial；　O　King；　of
whether　or　no　I　be　mortal；　lest　if　Death　should　come　to　such　a　one　as　I；
he　should　take　many　others　with　him　also。　　Have　you　not　heard　the　saying
that　when　the　Opener…of…Roads　comes　to　the　end　of　his　road　there　will　be
no　more　a　King　of　the　Zulus；　as　when　he　began　his　road　there　was　no　King
of　the　Zulus；　since　the　days　of　his　manhood　are　the　days　of　_all_　the
Zulu　kings？〃

Thus　he　spoke；　glaring　at　Panda　and　at　Cetewayo；　who　shrank　before　his
gaze。

〃Remember；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　the　Black　One　who　is　'gone　down'　long　ago；
the　Wild　Beast　who　fathered　the　Zulu　herd；　threatened　him　whom　he　named
the　'Thing…that…should…not…have…been…born；'　aye；　and　slew　those　whom　he
loved；　and　afterwards　was　slain　by　others；　who　also　are　'gone　down；'　and
that　you　alone；　O　Panda；　did　not　threaten　him；　and　that　you　alone；　O
Panda；　have　not　been　slain。　　Now；　if　you　would　make　trial　of　whether　I
die　as　other　men　die；　bid　your　dogs　fall　on；　for　Zikali　is　ready；〃　and
he　folded　his　arms　and　waited。

Indeed；　all　of　us　waited　breathlessly；　for　we　understood　that　the
terrible　dwarf　was　matching　himself　against　Panda　and　Cetewayo　and
defying　them　both。　　Presently　it　became　obvious　that　he　had　won　the
game；　since　Panda　only　said：

〃Why　should　I　slay　one　whom　I　have　befriended　in　the　past；　and　why　do
you　speak　such　heavy　words　of　death　in　my　ears；　O；　Zikali　the　Wise；
which　of　late　have　heard　so　much　of　death？〃　　He　sighed；　adding：　〃Be
pleased　now；　to　tell　us　of　this　medicine；　or；　if　you　will　not；　go；　and　I
will　send　for　other　Nyangas。〃

〃Why　should　I　not　tell　you；　when　you　ask　me　softly　and　without　threats；
O　King？　　See〃and　Zikali　took　up　some　of　the　twisted　roots〃these　are
the　roots　of　a　certain　poisonous　herb　that　blooms　at　night　on　the　tops
of　mountains；　and　woe　be　to　the　ox　that　eats　thereof。　　They　have　been
boiled　in　gall　a