child of storm-第9节

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that　day　comes；　and　when　it　comes　I　think　that　you　and　I；　Macumazahn；
shall　not　be　far　apart；　and　that　is　why　I　have　opened　out　my　heart　to
you；　I　who　have　knowledge　of　the　future。　　There；　I　speak　no　more　of
these　things　that　are　to　be；　who　perchance　have　already　said　too　much　of
them。　　Yet　do　not　forget　my　words。　　Or　forget　them　if　you　will；　for　I
shall　remind　you　of　them；　Macumazahn；　when　the　feet　of　your　people　have
avenged　the　Ndwandes　and　others　whom　it　pleases　the　Zulus　to　treat　as
dirt。〃

Now；　this　strange　man；　who　had　sat　up　in　his　excitement；　shook　his　long
white　hair　which；　after　the　fashion　of　wizards；　be　wore　plaited　into
thin　ropes；　till　it　hung　like　a　veil　about　him；　hiding　his　broad　face
and　deep　eyes。　　Presently　he　spoke　again　through　this　veil　of　hair；
saying：

〃You　are　wondering；　Macumazahn；　what　Saduko　has　to　do　with　all　these
great　events　that　are　to　be。　　I　answer　that　he　must　play　his　part　in
them；　not　a　very　great　part；　but　still　a　part；　and　it　is　for　this
purpose　that　I　saved　him　as　a　child　from　Bangu；　Dingaan's　man；　and
reared　him　up　to　be　a　warrior；　although；　since　I　cannot　lie；　I　warned
him　that　he　would　do　well　to　leave　spears　alone　and　follow　after　wisdom。
　Well；　he　will　slay　Bangu；　who　now　has　quarrelled　with　Panda；　and　a
woman　will　come　into　the　story；　one　Mameena；　and　that　woman　will　bring
about　war　between　the　sons　of　Panda；　and　from　this　war　shall　spring　the
ruin　of　the　Zulus；　for　he　who　wins　will　be　an　evil　king　to　them　and
bring　down　on　them　the　wrath　of　a　mightier　race。　　And　so
'The…thing…that…should…not…have…been…born'　and　the　Ndwandes　and　the
Quabies　and　Twetwas；　whom　it　has　pleased　the　conquering　Zulus　to　name
'Amatefula；'　shall　be　avenged。　　Yes；　yes；　my　Spirit　tells　me　all　these
things；　and　they　are　true。〃

〃And　what　of　Saduko；　my　friend　and　your　fosterling？〃

〃Saduko；　your　friend　and　my　fosterling；　will　take　his　appointed　road；
Macumazahn；　as　I　shall　and　you　will。　　What　more　could　he　desire；　seeing
it　is　that　which　he　has　chosen？　　He　will　take　his　road　and　he　will　play
the　part　which　the　Great…Great　has　prepared　for　him。　　Seek　not　to　know
more。　　Why　should　you；　since　Time　will　tell　you　the　story？　　And　now　go
to　rest；　Macumazahn；　as　I　must　who　am　old　and　feeble。　　And　when　it
pleases　you　to　visit　me　again；　we　will　talk　further。　　Meanwhile；
remember　always　that　I　am　nothing　but　an　old　Kafir　cheat　who　pretends　to
a　knowledge　that　belongs　to　no　man。　　Remember　it　especially；　Macumazahn；
when　you　meet　a　buffalo　with　a　split　horn　in　the　pool　of　a　dried…up
river；　and　afterwards；　when　a　woman　named　Mameena　makes　a　certain　offer
to　you；　which　you　may　be　tempted　to　accept。　　Good　night　to　you；
Watcher…by…Night　with　the　white　heart　and　the　strange　destiny；　good
night　to　you；　and　try　not　to　think　too　hardly　of　the　old　Kafir　cheat　who
just　now　is　called　'Opener…of…Roads。'　　My　servant　waits　without　to　lead
you　to　your　hut；　and　if　you　wish　to　be　back　at　Umbezi's　kraal　by
nightfall　to…morrow；　you　will　do　well　to　start　ere　sunrise；　since；　as
you　found　in　coming；　Saduko；　although　he　may　be　a　fool；　is　a　very　good
walker；　and　you　do　not　like　to　be　left　behind；　Macumazahn；　do　you？〃

So　I　rose　to　go；　but　as　I　went　some　impulse　seemed　to　take　him　and　he
called　me　back　and　made　me　sit　down　again。

〃Macumazahn；〃　he　said；　〃I　would　add　a　word。　　When　you　were　quite　a　lad
you　came　into　this　country　with　Retief；　did　you　not？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered　slowly；　for　this　matter　of　the　massacre　of　Retief　is
one　of　which　I　have　seldom　cared　to　speak；　for　sundry　reasons；　although
I　have　made　a　record　of　it　in　writing。*　　Even　my　friends　Sir　Henry
Curtis　and　Captain　Good　have　heard　little　of　the　part　I　played　in　that
tragedy。　　〃But　what　do　you　know　of　that　business；　Zikali？〃

＇*Published　under　the　title　of　〃Marie。〃EDITOR。＇

〃All　that　there　is　to　know；　I　think；　Macumazahn；　seeing　that　I　was　at
the　bottom　of　it；　and　that　Dingaan　killed　those　Boers　on　my　advicejust
as　he　killed　Chaka　and　Umhlangana。〃

〃You　cold…blooded　old　murderer〃　I　began；　but　he　interrupted　me　at
once。

〃Why　do　you　throw　evil　names　at　me；　Macumazahn；　as　I　threw　the　stone　of
your　fate　at　you　just　now？　　Why　am　I　a　murderer　because　I　brought　about
the　death　of　some　white　men　that　chanced　to　be　your　friends；　who　had
come　here　to　cheat　us　black　folk　of　our　country？〃

〃Was　it　for　_this_　reason　that　you　brought　about　their　deaths；　Zikali？〃
I　asked；　staring　him　in　the　face；　for　I　felt　that　he　was　lying　to　me。

〃Not　altogether；　Macumazahn；〃　he　answered；　letting　his　eyes；　those
strange　eyes　that　could　look　at　the　sun　without　blinking；　fall　before　my
gaze。　　〃Have　I　not　told　you　that　I　hate　the　House　of　Senzangakona？　　And
when　Retief　and　his　companions　were　killed；　did　not　the　spilling　of
their　blood　mean　war　to　the　end　between　the　Zulus　and　the　White　Men？　
Did　it　not　mean　the　death　of　Dingaan　and　of　thousands　of　his　people；
which　is　but　a　beginning　of　deaths？　　Now　do　you　understand？〃

〃I　understand　that　you　are　a　very　wicked　man；〃　I　answered　with
indignation。

〃At　least　_you_　should　not　say　so；　Macumazahn；〃　he　replied　in　a　new
voice；　one　with　the　ring　of　truth　in　it。

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　saved　your　life　on　that　day。　　You　escaped　alone　of　the　White
Men；　did　you　not？　　And　you　never　could　understand　why；　could　you？〃

〃No；　I　could　not；　Zikali。　　I　put　it　down　to　what　you　would　call　'the
spirits。'〃

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you。　　Those　spirits　of　yours　wore　my　kaross；〃　and　he
laughed。　　〃I　saw　you　with　the　Boers；　and　saw；　too；　that　you　were　of
another　peoplethe　people　of　the　English。　　You　may　have　heard　at　the
time　that　I　was　doctoring　at　the　Great　Place；　although　I　kept　out　of　the
way　and　we　did　not　meet；　or　at　least　you　never　knew　that　we　met；　for　you
wereasleep。　　Also　I　pitied　your　youth；　for；　although　you　do　not
believe　it；　I　had　a　little　bit　of　heart　left　in　those　days。　　Also　I　knew
that　we　should　come　together　again　in　the　after　years；　as　you　see　we
have　done　to…day　and　shall　often　do　until　the　end。　　So　I　told　Dingaan
that　whoever　died　you　must　be　spared；　or　he　would　bring　up　the　'people
of　George'　＇i。e。　the　English＇　to　avenge　you；　and　your　ghost　would　enter
into　him　and　pour　out　a　curse　upon　him。　　He　believed　me　who　did　not
understand　that　already　so　many　curses　were　gathered　about　his　head　that
one　more　or　less　made　no　matter。　　So　you　see　you　were　spared；
Macumazahn；　and　afterwards　you　helped　to　pour　out　a　curse　upon　Dingaan
without　becoming　a　ghost；　which　is　the　reason　why　Panda　likes　you　so
well　to…day；　Panda；　the　enemy　of　Dingaan；　his　brother。　　You　remember　the
woman　who　helped　you？　　Well；　I　made　her　do　so。　　How　did　it　go　with　you
afterwards；　Macumazahn；　with　you　and　the　Boer　maiden　across　the　Buffalo
River；　to　whom　you　were　making　love　in　those　days？〃

〃Never　mind　how　it　went；〃　I　replied；　springing　up；　for　the　old　wizard's
talk　had　stirred　sad　and　bitter　memories　in　my　heart。　　〃That　time　is
dead；　Zikali。〃

〃Is　it；　Macumazahn？　　Now；　from　the　look　upon　your　face　I　should　have
said　that　it　was　still　very　much　alive；　as　things　that　happened　in　our
youth　have　a　way　of　keeping　alive。　　But　doubtless　I　am　mistaken；　and　it
is　all　as　dead　as　Dingaan；　and　as　Retief；　and　as　the　others；　your
companions。　　At　least；　although　you　do　not　believe　it；　I　saved　your　life
on　that　red　day；　for　my　own　purposes；　of　course；　not　because　one　white
life　was　anything　among　so　many　in　my　count。　　And　now　go　to　rest；
Macumazahn；　go　to　rest；　for　although　your　heart　has　been　awakened　by
memories　this　evening；　I　promise　that　you　shall　sleep　well　to…night；〃
and　throwing　the　long　hair　back　off　his　eyes　he　looked　at　me　keenly；
wagging　his　big　head　to　and　fro；　and　burst　into　another　of　his　great
laughs。

So　I　went。　　But；　ah！　as　I　went　I　wept。

Anyone　who　knew　all　that　story　would　understand　why。　　But　this　is　not
the　place　to　tell　it；　that　tale　of　my　first　love　and　of　the　terrible
events　which　befell　us　in　the　time　of　Dingaan。　　Still；　as　I　say；　I　have
written　it　down；　and　perhaps　one　day　it　will　be　read。



CHAPTER　III




THE　BUFFALO　WITH　THE　CLEFT　HORN





I　slept　very　well　that　night；　I　suppose　because　I　was　so　dog…tired　I
could　not　help　it；　but　next　day；　on　our　long　walk　back　to　Umbezi's
kraal；　I　thought　a　great　deal。

Without　doubt　I　had　seen　and　heard　very　strange　things；　both　of　the　past
and　the　presentthings　that　I　could　not　in　the　least　understand。　
Moreover；　they　were　mixed　up　with　all　sorts　of　questions　of　high　Zulu
policy；　and　threw　a　new　light　upon　events　that　happened　to　me　and　others
in　my　youth。

Now；　in　the　clear　sunlight；　was　the　time　to　analyse　these　things；　and
this　I　did　in　the　most　logical　fashion　I　could　command；　although　without
the　slightest　assistance　from　Saduko；　who；　when　I　asked　him　questions；
merely　shrugged　his　shoulders。

These　questions；　he　said；　did　not　interest　him；　I　had　wished　to　see　the
magic　of　Zikali；　and　Zikali　had　been　pleased　to　show　me　some　very　good
magic；　quite　of　his　best　indeed。　　Also　he　had　conversed　alone　with　me
afterwards；　doubtless　on　high　mattersso　high　that　he；　Saduko；　was　not
admitted　to　share　the　conversationwhich　was　an　honour　he　accorded　to
very　few。　　I　could　form　my　own　conclusions　in　the