child of storm-第52节

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of　mountains；　and　woe　be　to　the　ox　that　eats　thereof。　　They　have　been
boiled　in　gall　and　blood；　and　ill　will　befall　the　hut　in　which　they　are
hidden　by　one　who　can　speak　the　words　of　power。　　This　is　the　bone　of　a
babe　that　has　never　lived　to　cut　its　teethI　think　of　a　babe　that　was
left　to　die　alone　in　the　bush　because　it　was　hated；　or　because　none
would　father　it。　　Such　a　bone　has　strength　to　work　ill　against　other
babes；　moreover；　it　is　filled　with　a　charmed　medicine。　　Look！〃　and；
pulling　out　the　plug　of　wood；　he　scattered　some　grey　powder　from　the
bone；　then　stopped　it　up　again。　　〃This；〃　he　added；　picking　up　the　fang；
〃is　the　tooth　of　a　deadly　serpent；　that；　after　it　has　been　doctored；　is
used　by　women　to　change　the　heart　of　a　man　from　another　to　herself。　　I
have　spoken。〃

And　he　turned　to　go。

〃Stay！〃　said　the　King。　　〃Who　set　these　foul　charms　in　the　doorway　of
Saduko's　hut？〃

〃How　can　I　tell；　O　King；　unless　I　make　preparation　and　cast　the　bones
and　smell　out　the　evil…doer？　　You　have　heard　the　story　of　the　woman
Nahana。　　Accept　it　or　reject　it　as　your　heart　tells　you。〃

〃If　that　story　be　true；　O　Zikali；　how　comes　it　that　you　yourself　smelt
out；　not　Mameena；　the　wife　of　Masapo；　but　Masapo；　her　husband；　himself；
and　caused　him　to　be　slain　because　of　the　poisoning　of　the　child　of
Nandie？〃

〃You　err；　O　King。　　I；　Zikali；　smelt　out　the　House　of　Masapo。　　Then　I
smelt　out　the　poison；　searching　for　it　first　in　the　hair　of　Mameena；　and
finding　it　in　the　kaross　of　Masapo。　　I　never　smelt　out　that　it　was
Masapo　who　gave　the　poison。　　That　was　the　judgment　of　you　and　of　your
Council；　O　King。　　Nay；　I　knew　well　that　there　was　more　in　the　matter；
and　had　you　paid　me　another　fee　and　bade　me　to　continue　to　use　my
wisdom；　without　doubt　I　should　have　found　this　magic　stuff　hidden　in　the
hut；　and　mayhap　have　learned　the　name　of　the　hider。　　But　I　was　weary；
who　am　very　old；　and　what　was　it　to　me　if　you　chose　to　kill　Masapo　or
chose　to　let　him　go？　　Masapo；　who；　being　your　secret　enemy；　was　a　man
who　deserved　to　dieif　not　for　this　matter；　then　for　others。〃

Now；　all　this　while　I　had　been　watching　Mameena；　who　sat；　in　the　Zulu
fashion；　listening　to　this　deadly　evidence；　a　slight　smile　upon　her
face；　and　without　attempting　any　interruption　or　comment。　　Only　I　saw
that　while　Zikali　was　examining　the　medicine；　her　eyes　were　seeking　the
eyes　of　Saduko；　who　remained　in　his　place；　also　silent；　and；　to　all
appearance；　the　least　interested　of　anyone　present。　　He　tried　to　avoid
her　glance；　turning　his　head　uneasily；　but　at　length　her　eyes　caught　his
and　held　them。　　Then　his　heart　began　to　beat　quickly；　his　breast　heaved；
and　on　his　face　there　grew　a　look　of　dreamy　content；　even　of　happiness。　
From　that　moment　forward；　till　the　end　of　the　scene；　Saduko　never　took
his　eyes　off　this　strange　woman；　though　I　think　that；　with　the　exception
of　the　dwarf；　Zikali；　who　saw　everything；　and　of　myself；　who　am　trained
to　observation；　none　noted　this　curious　by…play　of　the　drama。

The　King　began　to　speak。　　〃Mameena；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　heard。　　Have　you
aught　to　say？　　For　if　not　it　would　seem　that　you　are　a　witch　and　a
murderess；　and　one　who　must　die。〃

〃Yea；　a　little　word；　O　King；〃　she　answered　quietly。　　〃Nahana　speaks
truth。　　It　is　true　that　I　entered　the　hut　of　Nandie　and　set　the　medicine
there。　　I　say　it　because　by　nature　I　am　not　one　who　hides　the　truth　or
would　attempt　to　throw　discredit　even　upon　a　humble　serving…woman；〃　and
she　glanced　at　Nahana。

〃Then　from　between　your　own　teeth　it　is　finished；〃　said　Panda。

〃Not　altogether；　O　King。　　I　have　said　that　I　set　the　medicine　in　the
hut。　　I　have　not　said；　and　I　will　not　say；　how　and　why　I　set　it　there。　
That　tale　I　call　upon　Saduko　yonder　to　tell　to　you；　he　who　was　my
husband；　that　I　left　for　Umbelazi；　and　who；　being　a　man；　must　therefore
hate　me。　　By　the　words　he　says　I　will　abide。　　If　he　declares　that　I　am
guilty；　then　I　am　guilty；　and　prepared　to　pay　the　price　of　guilt。　　But
if　he　declares　that　I　am　innocent；　then；　O　King　and　O　Prince　Cetewayo；
without　fear　I　trust　myself　to　your　justness。　　Now　speak；　O　Saduko；
speak　the　whole　truth；　whatever　it　may　be；　if　that　is　the　King's　will。〃

〃It　is　my　will；〃　said　Panda。

〃And　mine　also；〃　added　Cetewayo；　who；　I　could　see；　like　everyone　else；
was　much　interested　in　this　matter。

Saduko　rose　to　his　feet；　the　same　Saduko　that　I　had　always　known；　and
yet　so　changed。　　All　the　life　and　fire　had　gone　from　him；　his　pride　in
himself　was　no　more；　none　could　have　known　him　for　that　ambitious；
confident　man　who；　in　his　day　of　power；　the　Zulus　named　the
〃Self…Eater。〃　He　was　a　mere　mask　of　the　old　Saduko；　informed　by　some
new；　some　alien；　spirit。　　With　dull；　lack…lustre　eyes　fixed　always　upon
the　lovely　eyes　of　Mameena；　in　slow　and　hesitating　tones　he　began　his
tale。

〃It　is　true；　O　Lion；〃　he　said；　〃that　Mameena　spread　the　poison　upon　my
child's　mat。　　It　is　true　that　she　set　the　deadly　charms　in　the　doorway
of　Nandie's　hut。　　These　things　she　did；　not　knowing　what　she　did；　and　it
was　I　who　instructed　her　to　do　them。　　This　is　the　case。　　From　the
beginning　I　have　always　loved　Mameena　as　I　have　loved　no　other　woman　and
as　no　other　woman　was　ever　loved。　　But　while　I　was　away　with　Macumazahn；
who　sits　yonder；　to　destroy　Bangu；　chief　of　the　Amakoba；　he　who　had
killed　my　father；　Umbezi；　the　father　of　Mameena；　he　whom　the　Prince
Cetewayo　gave　to　the　vultures　the　other　day　because　he　had　lied　as　to
the　death　of　Umbelazi；　he；　I　say；　forced　Mameena；　against　her　will；　to
marry　Masapo　the　Boar；　who　afterwards　was　executed　for　wizardry。　　Now；
here　at　your　feast；　when　you　reviewed　the　people　of　the　Zulus；　O　King；
after　you　had　given　me　the　lady　Nandie　as　wife；　Mameena　and　I　met　again
and　loved　each　other　more　than　we　had　ever　done　before。　　But；　being　an
upright　woman；　Mameena　thrust　me　away　from　her；　saying：

〃'I　have　a　husband；　who；　if　he　is　not　dear　to　me；　still　is　my　husband；
and　while　he　lives　to　him　I　will　be　true。'　　Then；　O　King；　I　took　counsel
with　the　evil　in　my　heart；　and　made　a　plot　in　myself　to　be　rid　of　the
Boar；　Masapo；　so　that　when　he　was　dead　I　might　marry　Mameena。　　This　was
the　plot　that　I　madethat　my　son　and　Princess　Nandie's　should　be
poisoned；　and　that　Masapo　should　seem　to　poison　him；　so　that　he　might　be
killed　as　a　wizard　and　I　marry　Mameena。〃

Now；　at　this　astounding　statement；　which　was　something　beyond　the
experience　of　the　most　cunning　and　cruel　savage　present　there；　a　gasp　of
astonishment　went　up　from　the　audience；　even　old　Zikali　lifted　his　head
and　stared。　　Nandie；　too；　shaken　out　of　her　usual　calm；　rose　as　though
to　speak；　then；　looking　first　at　Saduko　and　next　at　Mameena；　sat　herself
down　again　and　waited。　　But　Saduko　went　on　again　in　the　same　cold；
measured　voice：

〃I　gave　Mameena　a　powder　which　I　had　bought　for　two　heifers　from　a　great
doctor　who　lived　beyond　the　Tugela；　but　who　is　now　dead；　which　powder　I
told　her　was　desired　by　Nandie；　my　Inkosikazi；　to　destroy　the　little
beetles　than　ran　about　the　hut；　and　directed　her　where　she　was　to　spread
it。　　Also；　I　gave　her　the　bag　of　medicine；　telling　her　to　thrust　it　into
the　doorway　of　the　hut；　that　it　might　bring　a　blessing　upon　my　House。　
These　things　she　did　ignorantly　to　please　me；　not　knowing　that　the
powder　was　poison；　not　knowing　that　the　medicine　was　bewitched。　　So　my
child　died；　as　I　wished　it　to　die；　and；　indeed；　I　myself　fell　sick
because　by　accident　I　touched　the　powder。

〃Afterwards　Masapo　was　smelt　out　as　a　wizard　by　old　Zikali；　I　having
caused　a　bag　of　the　poison　to　be　sewn　in　his　kaross　in　order　to　deceive
Zikali；　and　killed　by　your　order；　O　King；　and　Mameena　was　given　to　me　as
a　wife；　also　by　your　order；　O　King；　which　was　what　I　desired。　　Later　on；
as　I　have　told　you；　I　wearied　of　her；　and　wishing　to　please　the　Prince
who　has　wandered　away；　I　commanded　her　to　yield　herself　to　him；　which
Mameena　did　out　of　her　love　for　me　and　to　advance　my　fortunes；　she　who
is　blameless　in　all　things。〃

Saduko　finished　speaking　and　sat　down　again；　as　an　automaton　might　do
when　a　wire　is　pulled；　his　lack…lustre　eyes　still　fixed　upon　Mameena's
face。

〃You　have　heard；　O　King；〃　said　Mameena。　　〃Now　pass　judgment；　knowing
that；　if　it　be　your　will；　I　am　ready　to　die　for　Saduko's　sake。〃

But　Panda　sprang　up　in　a　rage。

_〃Take　him　away！〃_　he　said；　pointing　to　Saduko。　　〃Take　away　that　dog　who
is　not　fit　to　live；　a　dog　who　eats　his　own　child　that　thereby　he　may
cause　another　to　be　slain　unjustly　and　steal　his　wife。〃

The　executioners　leapt　forward；　and；　having　something　to　say；　for　I
could　bear　this　business　no　longer；　I　began　to　rise　to　my　feet。　　Before
I　gained　them；　however；　Zikali　was　speaking。

〃O　King；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems　that　you　have　killed　one　man　unjustly　on
this　matter；　namely；　Masapo。　　Would　you　do　the　same　by　another？〃　and　he
pointed　to　Saduko。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Panda　angrily。　　〃Have　you　not　heard　this　low
fellow；　whom　I　made　great；　giving　him　the　rule　over　tribes　and　my
daughter　in　marriage；　confess　with　his　own　lips　that　he　murdered　his
child；　the　child　of　my　blood；　in　order　that　he　might　eat　a　fruit　which
grew　by　the　roadside　for　all　men　to　nibble　at？〃　and　he　glared