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Now when the soldiers did not kill me I took counsel with myself; for

it was my belief that I was saved alive only that I might die later;

and in a more cruel fashion。 Therefore for awhile I thought that it

would be well if I did that for myself which another purposed to do

for me。 Why should I; who was already doomed; wait to meet my doom?

What had I left to keep me in the place of life; seeing that all whom

I loved were dead or gone? To die would be easy; for I knew the ways

of death。 In my girdle I carried a secret medicine; he who eats of it;

my father; will see the sun's shadow move no more; and will never look

upon the stars again。 But I was minded to know the assegai or the

kerrie; nor would I perish more slowly beneath the knives of the

tormentors; nor be parched by the pangs of thirst; or wander eyeless

to my end。 Therefore it was that; since I had sat in the doom ring

looking hour after hour into the face of death; I had borne this

medicine with me by night and by day。 Surely now was the time to use

it。



So I thought as I sat through the watches of the night; ay! and drew

out the bitter drug and laid it on my tongue。 But as I did so I

remembered my daughter Nada; who was left to me; though she sojourned

in a far country; and my wife Macropha and my sister Baleka; who still

lived; so said the soldiers; though how it came about that the king

had not killed her I did not know then。 Also another thought was born

in my heart。 While life remained to me; I might be revenged upon him

who had wrought me this woe; but can the dead strike? Alas! the dead

are strengthless; and if they still have hearts to suffer; they have

no hands to give back blow for blow。 Nay; I would live on。 Time to die

when death could no more be put away。 Time to die when the voice of

Chaka spoke my doom。 Death chooses for himself and answers no

questions; he is a guest to whom none need open the door of his hut;

for when he wills he can pass through the thatch like air。 Not yet

would I taste of that medicine of mine。



So I lived on; my father; and the soldiers led me back to the kraal of

Chaka。 Now when we came to the kraal it was night; for the sun had

sunk as we passed through the gates。 Still; as he had been commanded;

the captain of those who watched me went in before the king and told

him that I lay without in bonds。 And the king said; 〃Let him be

brought before me; who was my physician; that I may tell him how I

have doctored those of his house。〃



So they took me and led me to the royal house; and pushed me through

the doorway of the great hut。



Now a fire burned in the hut; for the night was cold; and Chaka sat on

the further side of the fire; looking towards the opening of the hut;

and the smoke from the fire wreathed him round; and its light shone

upon his face and flickered in his terrible eyes。



At the door of the hut certain councillors seized me by the arms and

dragged me towards the fire。 But I broke from them; and prostrating

myself; for my arms were free; I praised the king and called him by

his royal names。 The councillors sprang towards me to seize me again;

but Chaka said; 〃Let him be; I would talk with my servant。〃 Then the

councillors bowed themselves on either side; and laid their hands on

their sticks; their foreheads touching the ground。 But I sat down on

the floor of the hut over against the king; and we talked through the

fire。



〃Tell me of the cattle that I sent thee to number; Mopo; son of

Makedama;〃 said Chaka。 〃Have my servants dealt honestly with my

cattle?〃



〃They have dealt honestly; O king;〃 I answered。



〃Tell me; then; of the number of the cattle and of their markings;

Mopo; forgetting none。〃



So I sat and told him; ox by ox; cow by cow; and heifer by heifer;

forgetting none; and Chaka listened silently as one who is asleep。 But

I knew that he did not sleep; for all the while the firelight

flickered in his fierce eyes。 Also I knew that he did but torment me;

or that; perhaps; he would learn of the cattle before he killed me。 At

length all the tale was told。



〃So;〃 said the king; 〃it goes well。 There are yet honest men left in

the land。 Knowest thou; Mopo; that sorrow has come upon thy house

while thou wast about my business。〃



〃I have heard it; O king!〃 I answered; as one who speaks of a small

matter。



〃Yes; Mopo; sorrow has come upon thy house; the curse of Heaven has

fallen upon thy kraal。 They tell me; Mopo; that the fire from above

ran briskly through they huts。〃



〃I have heard it; I king!〃



〃They tell me; Mopo; that those within thy gates grew mad at the sight

of the fire; and dreaming there was no escape; that they stabbed

themselves with assegais or leaped into the flames。〃



〃I have heard it; O king! What of it? Any river is deep enough to

drown a fool!〃



〃Thou hast heard these things; Mopo; but thou hast not yet heard all。

Knowest thou; Mopo; that among those who died in thy kraal was she who

bore me; she who was named Mother of the Heavens?〃



Then; my father; I; Mopo; acted wisely; because of the thought which

my good spirit gave me; for I cast myself upon the ground; and wailed

aloud as though in utter grief。



〃Spare my ears; Black One!〃 I wailed。 〃Tell me not that she who bore

thee is dead; O Lion of the Zulu。 For the others; what is it? It is a

breath of wind; it is a drop of water; but this trouble is as the gale

or as the sea。〃



〃Cease; my servant; cease!〃 said the mocking voice of Chaka; 〃but know

this; thou hast done well to grieve aloud; because the Mother of the

Heavens is no more; and ill wouldst thou have done to grieve because

the fire from above has kissed thy gates。 For hadst thou done this

last thing or left the first undone; I should have known that thy

heart was wicked; and by now thou wouldst have wept indeedtears of

blood; Mopo。 It is well for thee; then; that thou hast read my riddle

aright。〃



Now I saw the depths of the pit that Chaka had dug for me; and blessed

my Ehlose who had put into my heart those words which I should answer。

I hoped also that Chaka would now let me go; but it was not to be; for

this was but the beginning of my trial。



〃Knowest thou; Mopo;〃 said the king; 〃that as my mother died yonder in

the flames of thy kraal she cried out strange and terrible words which

came to my ears through the singing of the fire。 These were her words:

that thou; Mopo; and thy sister Baleka; and thy wives; had conspired

together to give a child to me who would be childless。 These were her

words; the words that came to me through the singing of the fire。 Tell

me now; Mopo; where are those children that thou leddest from thy

kraal; the boy with the lion eyes who is named Umslopogaas; and the

girl who is named Nada?〃



〃Umslopogaas is dead by the lion's mouth; O king!〃 I answered; 〃and

Nada sits in the Swazi caves。〃 And I told him of the death of

Umslopogaas and of how I had divorced Macropha; my wife。



〃The boy with the lion eyes to the lion's mouth!〃 said Chaka。 〃Enough

of him; he is gone。 Nada may yet be sought for with the assegai in the

Swazi caves; enough of her。 Let us speak of this song that my mother

who; alas! is dead; Mopothis song she sang through the singing of

the flames。 Tell me; Mopo; tell me now; was it a true tale。〃



〃Nay; O king! surely the Mother of the Heavens was maddened by the

Heavens when she sang that song;〃 I answered。 〃I know nothing of it; O

king。〃



〃Thou knowest naught of it; Mopo?〃 said the king。 And again he looked

at me terribly through the reek of the fire。 〃Thou knowest naught of

it; Mopo? Surely thou art a…cold; thy hands shake with cold。 Nay; man;

fear notwarm them; warm them; Mopo。 See; now; plunge that hand of

thine into the heart of the flame!〃 And he pointed with his little

assegai; the assegai handled with the royal wood; to where the fire

glowed reddestay; he pointed and laughed。



Then; my father; I grew cold indeedyes; I grew cold who soon should

be hot; for I saw the purpose of Chaka。 He would put me to the trial

by fire。



For a moment I sat silent; thinking。 Then the king spoke again in a

great voice: 〃Nay; Mopo; be not so backward; shall I sit warm and see

thee suffer cold? What; my councillors; rise; take the hand of Mopo;

and hold it to the flame; that his heart may rejoice in the warmth of

the flame while we speak together of this matter of the child that

was; so my mother sang; born to Baleka; my wife; the sister of Mopo;

my servant。〃



〃There is little need for that; O king;〃 I answered; being made bold

by fear; for I saw that if I did nothing death would swiftly end my

doubts。 Once; indeed; I bethought me of the poison that I bore; and

was minded to swallow it and make an end; but the desire to live is

great; and keen is the thirst for vengeance; so I said to my heart;

〃Not yet awhile; I will endure this also; afterwards; if need be; I

can die。〃



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