child of storm-第54节

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and；　after　all　is　said；　it　is　well　to　die；　who　go　hence　awaited　by
thousands　upon　thousands　that　I　have　sent　before　me；　and　who　shall　be
greeted　presently　by　your　son；　Indhlovu…ene…Sihlonti；　and　his　warriors；
greeted　as　the　Inkosazana　of　Death；　with　red；　lifted　spears　and　with　the
royal　salute！

〃Now；　I　have　spoken。　　Walk　your　little　road；　O　King　and　Prince　and
Councillors；　till　you　reach　the　gulf　into　which　I　sink；　that　yawns　for
all　of　you。　　O　King；　when　you　meet　me　again　at　the　bottom　of　that　gulf；
what　a　tale　you　will　have　to　tell　me；　you　who　are　but　the　shadow　of　a
king；　you　whose　heart　henceforth　must　be　eaten　out　by　a　worm　that　is
called　_Love…of…the…Lost_。　　O　Prince　and　Conqueror　Cetewayo；　what　a　tale
you　will　have　to　tell　me　when　I　greet　you　at　the　bottom　of　that　gulf；
you　who　will　bring　your　nation　to　a　wreck　and　at　last　die　as　I　must
dieonly　the　servant　of　others　and　by　the　will　of　others。　　Nay；　ask　me
not　how。　　Ask　old　Zikali；　my　master；　who　saw　the　beginning　of　your　House
and　will　see　its　end。　　Oh；　yes；　as　you　say；　I　am　a　witch；　and　I　know；　I
know！　　Come；　I　am　spent。　　You　men　weary　me；　as　men　have　always　done；
being　but　fools　whom　it　is　so　easy　to　make　drunk；　and　who　when　drunk　are
so　unpleasing。　　Piff！　　I　am　tired　of　you　sober　and　cunning；　and　I　am
tired　of　you　drunken　and　brutal；　you　who；　after　all；　are　but　beasts　of
the　field　to　whom　Mvelingangi；　the　Creator；　has　given　heads　which　can
think；　but　which　always　think　wrong。

〃Now；　King；　before　you　unchain　your　dogs　upon　me；　I　ask　one　moment。　　I
said　that　I　hated　all　men；　yet；　as　you　know；　no　woman　can　tell　the
truthquite。　　There　is　a　man　whom　I　do　not　hate；　whom　I　never　hated；
whom　I　think　I　love　because　he　would　not　love　me。　　He　sits　there；〃　and
to　my　utter　dismay；　and　the　intense　interest　of　that　company；　she
pointed　at　me；　Allan　Quatermain！

〃Well；　once　by　my　'magic；'　of　which　you　have　heard　so　much；　I　got　the
better　of　this　man　against　his　will　and　judgment；　and；　because　of　that
soft　heart　of　mine；　I　let　him　go；　yes；　I　let　the　rare　fish　go　when　he
was　on　my　hook。　　It　is　well　that　I　should　have　let　him　go；　since；　had　I
kept　him；　a　fine　story　would　have　been　spoiled　and　I　should　have　become
nothing　but　a　white　hunter's　servant；　to　be　thrust　away　behind　the　door
when　the　white　Inkosikazi　came　to　eat　his　meatI；　Mameena；　who　never
loved　to　stand　out　of　sight　behind　a　door。　　Well；　when　he　was　at　my　feet
and　I　spared　him；　he　made　me　a　promise；　a　very　small　promise；　which　yet
I　think　he　will　keep　now　when　we　part　for　a　little　while。　　Macumazahn；
did　you　not　promise　to　kiss　me　once　more　upon　the　lips　whenever　and
wherever　I　should　ask　you？〃

〃I　did；〃　I　answered　in　a　hollow　voice；　for　in　truth　her　eyes　held　me　as
they　had　held　Saduko。

〃Then　come　now；　Macumazahn；　and　give　me　that　farewell　kiss。　　The　King
will　permit　it；　and　since　I　have　now　no　husband；　who　take　Death　to
husband；　there　is　none　to　say　you　nay。〃

I　rose。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　could　not　help　myself。　　I　went　to　her；
this　woman　surrounded　by　implacable　enemies；　this　woman　who　had　played
for　great　stakes　and　lost　them；　and　who　knew　so　well　how　to　lose。　　I
stood　before　her；　ashamed　and　yet　not　ashamed；　for　something　of　her
greatness；　evil　though　it　might　be；　drove　out　my　shame；　and　I　knew　that
my　foolishness　was　lost　in　a　vast　tragedy。

Slowly　she　lifted　her　languid　arm　and　threw　it　about　my　neck；　slowly　she
bent　her　red　lips　to　mine　and　kissed　me；　once　upon　the　mouth　and　once
upon　the　forehead。　　But　between　those　two　kisses　she　did　a　thing　so
swiftly　that　my　eyes　could　scarcely　follow　what　she　did。　　It　seemed　to
me　that　she　brushed　her　left　hand　across　her　lips；　and　that　I　saw　her
throat　rise　as　though　she　swallowed　something。　　Then　she　thrust　me　from
her；　saying：

〃Farewell；　O　Macumazana；　you　will　never　forget　this　kiss　of　mine；　and
when　we　meet　again　we　shall　have　much　to　talk　of；　for　between　now　and
then　your　story　will　be　long。　　Farewell；　Zikali。　　I　pray　that　all　your
plannings　may　succeed；　since　those　you　hate　are　those　I　hate；　and　I　bear
you　no　grudge　because　you　told　the　truth　at　last。　　Farewell；　Prince
Cetewayo。　　You　will　never　be　the　man　your　brother　would　have　been；　and
your　lot　is　very　evil；　you　who　are　doomed　to　pull　down　a　House　built　by
One　who　was　great。　　Farewell；　Saduko　the　fool；　who　threw　away　your
fortune　for　a　woman's　eyes；　as　though　the　world　were　not　full　of　women。　
Nandie　the　Sweet　and　the　Forgiving　will　nurse　you　well　until　your
haunted　end。　　Oh！　why　does　Umbelazi　lean　over　your　shoulder；　Saduko；　and
look　at　me　so　strangely？　　Farewell；　Panda　the　Shadow。　　Now　let　loose
your　slayers。　　Oh！　let　them　loose　swiftly；　lest　they　should　be　balked　of
my　blood！〃

Panda　lifted　his　hand　and　the　executioners　leapt　forward；　but　ere　ever
they　reached　her；　Mameena　shivered；　threw　wide　her　arms　and　fell
backdead。　　The　poisonous　drug　she　had　taken　worked　well　and　swiftly。


Such　was　the　end　of　Mameena；　Child　of　Storm。


A　deep　silence　followed；　a　silence　of　awe　and　wonderment；　till　suddenly
it　was　broken　by　a　sound　of　dreadful　laughter。　　It　came　from　the　lips　of
Zikali　the　Ancient；　Zikali；　the
〃Thing…that…should…never…have…been…born。〃



CHAPTER　XVI




MAMEENAMAMEENAMAMEENA！





That　evening　at　sunset；　just　as　I　was　about　to　trek；　for　the　King　had
given　me　leave　to　go；　and　at　that　time　my　greatest　desire　in　life　seemed
to　be　to　bid　good…bye　to　Zululand　and　the　ZulusI　saw　a　strange；
beetle…like　shape　hobbling　up　the　hill　towards　me；　supported　by　two　big
men。　　It　was　Zikali。

He　passed　me　without　a　word；　merely　making　a　motion　that　I　was　to　follow
him；　which　I　did　out　of　curiosity；　I　suppose；　for　Heaven　knows　I　had
seen　enough　of　the　old　wizard　to　last　me　for　a　lifetime。　　He　reached　a
flat　stone　about　a　hundred　yards　above　my　camp；　where　there　was　no　bush
in　which　anyone　could　hide；　and　sat　himself　down；　pointing　to　another
stone　in　front　of　him；　on　which　I　sat　myself　down。　　Then　the　two　men
retired　out　of　earshot；　and；　indeed；　of　sight；　leaving　us　quite　alone。

〃So　you　are　going　away；　O　Macumazana？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　I　answered　with　energy；　〃who；　if　I　could　have　had　my　will；
would　have　gone　away　long　ago。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　that；　but　it　would　have　been　a　great　pity；　would　it
not？　　If　you　had　gone；　Macumazahn；　you　would　have　missed　seeing　the　end
of　a　strange　little　story；　and　you；　who　love　to　study　the　hearts　of　men
and　women；　would　not　have　been　so　wise　as　you　are　to…day。〃

〃No；　nor　as　sad；　Zikali。　　Oh！　the　death　of　that　woman！〃　　And　I　put　my
hand　before　my　eyes。

〃Ah！　I　understand；　Macumazahn；　you　were　always　fond　of　her；　were　you
not；　although　your　white　pride　would　not　suffer　you　to　admit　that　black
fingers　were　pulling　at　your　heartstrings？　　She　was　a　wonderful　witch；
was　Mameena；　and　there　is　this　comfort　for　youthat　she　pulled　at　other
heartstrings　as　well。　　Masapo's；　for　instance；　Saduko's；　for　instance；
Umbelazi's；　for　instance；　none　of　whom　got　any　luck　from　her
pullingyes；　and　even　at　mine。〃

Now；　as　I　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　contradict　his　nonsense　so　far
as　I　was　concerned　personally；　I　went　off　on　this　latter　point。

〃If　you　show　affection　as　you　did　towards　Mameena　to…day；　Zikali；　I　pray
my　Spirit　that　you　may　cherish　none　for　me；〃　I　said。

He　shook　his　great　head　pityingly　as　he　answered：

〃Did　you　never　love　a　lamb　and　kill　it　afterwards　when　you　were　hungry；
or　when　it　grew　into　a　ram　and　butted　you；　or　when　it　drove　away　your
other　sheep；　so　that　they　fell　into　the　hands　of　thieves？　　Now；　I　am
very　hungry　for　the　fall　of　the　House　of　Senzangakona；　and　the　lamb；
Mameena；　having　grown　big；　nearly　laid　me　on　my　back　to…day　within　the
reach　of　the　slayer's　spear。　　Also；　she　was　hunting　my　sheep；　Saduko；
into　an　evil　net　whence　he　could　never　have　escaped。　　So；　somewhat
against　my　will；　I　was　driven　to　tell　the　truth　of　that　lamb　and　her
tricks。〃

〃I　daresay；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃but；　at　any　rate；　she　is　done　with；　so　what
is　the　use　of　talking　about　her？〃

〃Ah！　Macumazahn；　she　is　done　with；　or　so　you　think；　though　that　is　a
strange　saying　for　a　white　man　who　believes　in　much　that　we　do　not　know；
but　at　least　her　work　remains；　and　it　has　been　a　great　work。　　Consider
now。　　Umbelazi　and　most　of　the　princes；　and　thousands　upon　thousands　of
the　Zulus；　whom　I；　the　Dwande；　hate；　dead；　dead！　　_Mameena's　work_；
Macumazahn！　　Panda's　hand　grown　strengthless　with　sorrow　and　his　eyes
blind　with　tears。　　_Mameena's　work_；　Macumazahn！　　Cetewayo；　king　in　all
but　name；　Cetewayo；　who　shall　bring　the　House　of　Senzangakona　to　the
dust。　　_Mameena's　work_；　Macumazahn！　　Oh！　a　mighty　work。　　Surely　she　has
lived　a　great　and　worthy　life；　and　she　died　a　great　and　worthy　death！　
And　how　well　she　did　it！　　Had　you　eyes　to　see　her　take　the　poison　which
I　gave　hera　good　poison；　was　it　not？between　her　kisses；　Macumazahn？〃

〃I　believe　it　was　your　work；　and　not　hers；〃　I　blurted　out；　ignoring　his
mocking　questions。　　〃You　pulled　the　strings；　you　were　the　wind　that
caused　the　grass　to　bend　till　the　fire　caught　it　and　set　the　town　in
flamesthe　town　of　your　foes。〃

〃How　clever　you　are；　Macumazahn！　　If　your　wits　grow　so　sharp；　one　day
they　will　cut　your　t