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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。〃