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sturdier build。 His eyes were small; and twinkled unceasingly like

little stars; and his look was very wild; for now and again he

grinned; showing his white teeth。



When I saw Umslopogaas; my father; my bowels melted within me; and I

longed to run to him and throw myself upon his neck。 Yet I took

council with myself and did notnay; I dropped the corner of the

kaross I wrote over my eyes; hiding my face lest he should know me。

Presently he stood before me; searching me out with his keen eyes; for

I drew forward to greet him。



〃Greeting; Mouth of Dingaan!〃 he said in a loud voice。 〃You are a

little man to be the mouth of so big a chief。〃



〃The mouth is a little member; even of the body of a great king; O

Chief Bulalio; ruler of the People of the Axe; wizard of the wolves

that are upon the Ghost Mountain; who aforetime was named Umslopogaas;

son of Mopo; son of Makedama。〃



Now when Umslopogaas heard these words he started like a child at a

rustling in the dark and stared hard at me。



〃You are well instructed;〃 he said。



〃The ears of the king are large; if his mouth be small; O Chief

Bulalio;〃 I answered; 〃and I; who am but the mouth; speak what the

ears have heard。〃



〃How know you that I have dwelt with the wolves upon the Ghost

Mountain; O Mouth?〃 he asked。



〃The eyes of the king see far; O Chief Bulalio。 Thus last night they

saw a great chase and a merry。 It seems that they saw a koodoo bull

running at speed; and after him countless wolves making their music;

and with the wolves two men clad in wolves' skins; such men as you;

Bulalio; and he with the club who follows you。〃



Now Umslopogaas lifted the axe Groan…Maker as though he would cut me

down; then let it fall again; while Galazi the Wolf glared at me with

wide…opened eyes。



〃How know you that once I was named Umslopogaas; who have lost that

name these many days? Speak; O Mouth; lest I kill you。〃



〃Slay if you will; Umslopogaas;〃 I answered; 〃but know that when the

brains are scattered the mouth is dumb。 He who scatters brains loses

wisdom。〃



〃Answer!〃 he said。



〃I answer not。 Who are you that I should answer you? I know; it is

enough。 To my business。〃



Now Umslopogaas ground his teeth in anger。 〃I am not wont to be

thwarted here in my own kraal;〃 he said; 〃but do your business。 Speak

it; little Mouth。〃



〃This is my business; little Chief。 When the Black One who is gone yet

lived; you sent him a message by one Masilosuch a message as his

ears had never heard; and that had been your death; O fool puffed up

with pride; but death came first upon the Black One; and his hand was

stayed。 Now Dingaan; whose shadow lies upon the land; the king whom I

serve; and who sits in the place of the Black One who is gone; speaks

to you by me; his mouth。 He would know this: if it is true that you

refuse to own his sovereignty; to pay tribute to him in men and maids

and cattle; and to serve him in his wars? Answer; you little headman!

answer in few words and short!〃



Now Umslopogaas gasped for breath in his rage; and again he fingered

the great axe。 〃It is well for you; O Mouth;〃 he said; 〃that I swore

safe conduct to you; else you had not gone henceelse you had been

served as I served certain soldiers who in bygone years were sent to

search out one Umslopogaas。 Yet I answer you in few words and short。

Look on those spearsthey are but a fourth part of the number I can

muster: that is my answer。 Look now on yonder mountain; the mountain

of ghosts and wolvesunknown; impassable; save to me and one other:

that is my answer。 Spears and mountains shall come togetherthe

mountain shall be alive with spears and with the fangs of beasts。 Let

Dingaan seek his tribute there! I have spoken!〃



Now I laughed shrilly; desiring to try the heart of Umslopogaas; my

fosterling; yet further。



〃Fool!〃 I said。 〃Boy with the brain of a monkey; for every spear you

have Dingaan; whom I serve; can send a hundred; and your mountain

shall be stamped flat; and for your ghosts and wolves; see; with the

mouth of Dingaan I spit upon them!〃 and I spat upon the ground。



Now Umslopogaas shook in his rage; and the great axe glimmered as he

shook。 He turned to the captain who was behind him; and said: 〃Say;

Galazi the Wolf; shall we kill this man and those with him?〃



〃Nay;〃 answered the Wolf; grinning; 〃do not kill them; you have given

them safe conduct。 Moreover; let them go back to their dog of a king;

that he may send out his puppies to do battle with our wolves。 It will

be a pretty fight。〃



〃Get you gone; O Mouth;〃 said Umslopogaas; 〃get you gone swiftly; lest

mischief befall you! Without my gates you shall find food to satisfy

your hunger。 Eat of it and begone; for if to…morrow at the noon you

are found within a spear's throw of this kraal; you and those with you

shall bide there forever; O Mouth of Dingaan the king!〃



Now I made as though I would depart; then; turning suddenly; I spoke

once more; saying:



〃There were words in your message to the Black One who is dead of a

certain mannay; how was he named?of a certain Mopo。〃



Now Umslopogaas started as one starts who is wounded by a spear; and

stared at me。



〃Mopo! What of Mopo; O Mouth; whose eyes are veiled? Mopo is dead;

whose son I was!〃



〃Ah!〃 I said; 〃yes; Mopo is deadthat is; the Black One who is gone

killed a certain Mopo。 How came it; O Bulalio; that you were his son?〃



〃Mopo is dead;〃 quoth Umslopogaas again; 〃he is dead with all his

house; his kraal is stamped flat; and that is why I hated the Black

One; and therefore I hate Dingaan; his brother; and will be as are

Mopo and the house of Mopo before I pay him tribute of a single ox。〃



All this while I had spoken to Umslopogaas in a feigned voice; my

father; but now I spoke again and in my own voice; saying:



〃So! Now you speak from your heart; young man; and by digging I have

reached the root of the matter。 It is because of this dead dog of a

Mopo that you defy the king。〃



Umslopogaas heard the voice; and trembled no more with anger; but

rather with fear and wonder。 He looked at me hard; answering nothing。



〃Have you a hut near by; O Chief Bulalio; foe of Dingaan the king;

where I; the mouth of the king; may speak with you a while apart; for

I would learn your message word by word that I may deliver it without

fault。 Fear not; Slaughterer; to sit alone with me in an empty hut! I

am unarmed and old; and there is that in your hand which I should

fear;〃 and I pointed to the axe。



Now Umslopogaas; still shaking in his limbs; answered 〃Follow me; O

Mouth; and you; Galazi; stay with these men。〃



So I followed Umslopogaas; and presently we came to a large hut。 He

pointed to the doorway; and I crept through it and he followed after

me。 Now for a while it seemed dark in the hut; for the sun was sinking

without and the place was full of shadow; so I waited while a man

might count fifty; till our eyes could search the darkness。 Then of a

sudden I threw the blanket from my face and looked into the yes of

Umslopogaas。



〃Look on me now; O Chief Bulalio; O Slaughterer; who once was named

Umslopogaaslook on me and say who am I?〃 Then he looked at me and

his jaw fell。



〃Either you are Mopo my father grown oldMopo; who is dead; or the

Ghost of Mopo;〃 he answered in a low voice。



〃I am Mopo; your father; Umslopogaas;〃 I said。 〃You have been long in

knowing me; who knew you from the first。〃



Then Umslopogaas cried aloud; but yet softly; and letting fall the axe

Groan…Maker; he flung himself upon my breast and wept there。 And I

wept also。



〃Oh! my father;〃 he said; 〃I thought that you were dead with the

others; and now you have come back to me; and I; I would have lifted

the axe against you in my folly。 Oh; it is well that I have lived; and

not died; since once more I look upon your facethe face that I

thought dead; but which yet lives; though it be sorely changed; as

though by grief and years。〃



〃Peace; Umslopogaas; my son;〃 I said。 〃I also deemed you dead in the

lion's mouth; though in truth it seemed strange to me that any other

man than Umslopogaas could have wrought the deeds which I have heard

of as done by Bulalio; Chief of the People of the Axeay; and thrown

defiance in the teeth of Chaka。 But you are not dead; and I; I am not

dead。 It was another Mopo whom Chaka killed; I slew Chaka; Chaka did

not slay me。〃



〃And of Nada; what of Nada; my sister?〃 he said。



〃Macropha; your mother; and Nada; your sister; are dead; Umslopogaas。

They are dead at the hands of the people of the Halakazi; who dwell in

Swaziland。〃



〃I have heard of that people;〃 he answered presently; 〃and so has

Galazi the Wolf; yonder。 He has a hate to satisfy against themthey

murdered his father; now I have two; for they have murdered my mother

and my sister。 Ah; Nada; my sister! Nada; my sister!〃 and the great

man

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