child of storm-第13章

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and　tied　with　the　ropes　that　bind　women；　but　with　you　to　cut　those　ropes
and　help　me。　　I　have　a　plan　which　will　not　fail。　　But；　Macumazahn；〃　she
added　in　a　changed　voice；　〃until　I　know　that　you　will　be　my　partner　in
it　I　will　not　tell　it　even　to　you；　for　perhaps　you　might　talkin　your
sleep；　and　then　the　fire　in　my　breast　would　soon　go　outfor　ever。〃

〃I　might　talk　now；　for　the　matter　of　that；　Mameena。〃

〃No；　for　men　like　you　do　not　tell　tales　of　foolish　girls　who　chance　to
love　them。　　But　if　that　plan　began　to　work；　and　you　heard　say　that　kings
or　princes　died；　it　might　be　otherwise。　　You　might　say；　'I　think　I　know
where　the　witch　lives　who　causes　these　evils'in　your　sleep；
Macumazahn。〃

〃Mameena；〃　I　said；　〃tell　me　no　more。　　Setting　your　dreams　on　one　side；
can　I　be　false　to　my　friend；　Saduko；　who　talks　to　me　day　and　night　of
you？〃

〃Saduko！　　Piff！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　that　expressive　gesture　of　her
hand。

〃And　can　I　be　false；〃　I　continued；　seeing　that　Saduko　was　no　good　card
to　play；　〃to　my　friend；　Umbezi；　your　father？〃

〃My　father！　〃　she　laughed。　　〃Why；　would　it　not　please　him　to　grow　great
in　your　shadow？　　Only　yesterday　he　told　me　to　marry　you；　if　I　could；　for
then　he　would　find　a　stick　indeed　to　lean　on；　and　be　rid　of　Saduko's
troubling。〃

Evidently　Umbezi　was　a　worse　card　even　than　Saduko；　so　I　played　another。

〃And　can　I　help　you；　Mameena；　to　tread　a　road　that　at　the　best　must　be
red　with　blood？〃

〃Why　not；〃　she　asked；　〃since　with　or　without　you　I　am　destined　to　tread
that　road；　the　only　difference　being　that　with　you　it　will　lead　to　glory
and　without　you　perhaps　to　the　jackals　and　the　vultures？　　Blood！　　Piff！　
What　is　blood　in　Zululand？〃

This　card　also　having　failed；　I　tabled　my　last。

〃Glory　or　no　glory；　I　do　not　wish　to　share　it；　Mameena。　　I　will　not　make
war　among　a　people　who　have　entertained　me　hospitably；　or　plot　the
downfall　of　their　Great　Ones。　　As　you　told　me　just　now；　I　am
nobodyjust　one　grain　of　sand　upon　a　white　shorebut　I　had　rather　be
that　than　a　haunted　rock　which　draws　the　heavens'　lightnings　and　is
drenched　with　sacrifice。　　I　seek　no　throne　over　white　or　black；　Mameena；
who　walk　my　own　path　to　a　quiet　grave　that　shall　perhaps　not　be　without
honour　of　its　own；　though　other　than　you　seek。　　I　will　keep　your
counsel；　Mameena；　but；　because　you　are　so　beautiful　and　so　wise；　and
because　you　say　you　are　fond　of　mefor　which　I　thank　youI　pray　you
put　away　these　fearful　dreams　of　yours　that　in　the　end；　whether　they
succeed　or　fail；　will　send　you　shivering　from　the　world　to　give　account
of　them　to　the　Watcher…on…high。〃

〃Not　so；　O　Macumazana；〃　she　said；　with　a　proud　little　laugh。　　〃When　your
Watcher　sowed　my　seedif　thus　he　didhe　sowed　the　dreams　that　are　a
part　of　me　also；　and　I　shall　only　bring　him　back　his　own；　with　the
flower　and　the　fruit　by　way　of　interest。　　But　that　is　finished。　　You
refuse　the　greatness。　　Now；　tell　me；　if　I　sink　those　dreams　in　a　great
water；　tying　about　them　the　stone　of　forgetfulness　and　saying：　'Sleep
there；　O　dreams；　it　is　not　your　hour'if　I　do　this；　and　stand　before
you　just　a　woman　who　loves　and　who　swears　by　the　spirits　of　her　fathers
never　to　think　or　do　that　which　has　not　your　blessingwill　you　love　me
a　little；　Macumazahn？〃

Now　I　was　silent；　for　she　had　driven　me　to　the　last　ditch；　and　I　knew
not　what　to　say。　　Moreover；　I　will　confess　my　weaknessI　was　strangely
moved。　　This　beautiful　girl　with　the　〃fire　in　her　heart；〃　this　woman　who
was　different　from　all　other　women　that　I　had　ever　known；　seemed　to　have
twisted　her　slender　fingers　into　my　heart…strings　and　to　be　drawing　me
towards　her。　　It　was　a　great　temptation；　and　I　bethought　me　of　old
Zikali's　saying　in　the　Black　Kloof；　and　seemed　to　hear　his　giant　laugh。

She　glided　up　to　me；　she　threw　her　arms　about　me　and　kissed　me　on　the
lips；　and　I　think　I　kissed　her　back；　but　really　I　am　not　sure　what　I　did
or　said；　for　my　head　swam。　　When　it　cleared　again　she　was　standing　in
front　of　me；　looking　at　me　reflectively。

〃Now；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　smile　that　both　mocked　and
dazzled；　〃the　poor　black　girl　has　you；　the　wise；　experienced　white　man；
in　her　net；　and　I　will　show　you　that　she　can　be　generous。　　Do　you　think
that　I　do　not　read　your　heart；　that　I　do　not　know　that　you　believe　I　am
dragging　you　down　to　shame　and　ruin？　　Well；　I　spare　you；　Macumazahn；
since　you　have　kissed　me　and　spoken　words　which　already　you　may　have
forgotten；　but　which　I　do　not　forget。　　Go　your　road；　Macumazahn；　and　I
go　mine；　since　the　proud　white　man　shall　not　be　stained　with　my　black
touch。　　Go　your　road；　but　one　thing　I　forbid　youto　believe　that　you
have　been　listening　to　lies；　and　that　I　have　merely　played　off　a　woman's
arts　upon　you　for　my　own　ends。　　I　love　you；　Macumazahn；　as　you　will
never　be　loved　till　you　die；　and　I　shall　never　love　any　other　man；
however　many　I　may　marry。　　Moreover；　you　shall　promise　me　one
thingthat　once　in　my　life；　and　once　only；　if　I　wish　it；　you　shall　kiss
me　again　before　all　men。　　And　now；　lest　you　should　be　moved　to　folly　and
forget　your　white　man's　pride；　I　bid　you　farewell；　O　Macumazana。　　When
we　meet　again　it　will　be　as　friends　only。〃

Then　she　went；　leaving　me　feeling　smaller　than　ever　I　felt　in　my　life；
before　or　sinceeven　smaller　than　when　I　walked　into　the　presence　of
old　Zikali　the　Wise。　　Why；　I　wondered；　had　she　first　made　a　fool　of　me；
and　then　thrown　away　the　fruits　of　my　folly？　　To　this　hour　I　cannot
quite　answer　the　question；　though　I　believe　the　explanation　to　be　that
she　did　really　care　for　me；　and　was　anxious　not　to　involve　me　in　trouble
and　her　plottings；　also　she　may　have　been　wise　enough　to　see　that　our
natures　were　as　oil　and　water　and　would　never　blend。



CHAPTER　V




TWO　BUCKS　AND　THE　DOE





It　may　be　thought　that；　as　a　sequel　to　this　somewhat　remarkable　scene　in
which　I　was　absolutely　bowled　overperhaps　bowled　out　would　be　a　better
termby　a　Kafir　girl　who；　after　bending　me　to　her　will；　had　the　genius
to　drop　me　before　I　repented；　as　she　knew　I　would　do　so　soon　as　her　back
was　turned；　thereby　making　me　look　the　worst　of　fools；　that　my　relations
with　that　young　lady　would　have　been　strained。　　But　not　a　bit　of　it。　
When　next　we　met；　which　was　on　the　following　morning；　she　was　just　her
easy；　natural　self；　attending　to　my　hurts；　which　by　now　were　almost
well；　joking　about　this　and　that；　inquiring　as　to　the　contents　of
certain　letters　which　I　had　received　from　Natal；　and　of　some　newspapers
that　came　with　themfor　on　all　such　matters　she　was　very　curiousand
so　forth。

Impossible；　the　clever　critic　will　sayimpossible　that　a　savage　could
act　with　such　finish。　　Well；　friend　critic；　that　is　just　where　you　are
wrong。　　When　you　come　to　add　it　up　there's　very　little　difference　in　all
main　and　essential　matters　between　the　savage　and　yourself。

To　begin　with；　by　what　exact　right　do　we　call　people　like　the　Zulus
savages？　　Setting　aside　the　habit　of　polygamy；　which；　after　all；　is
common　among　very　highly　civilised　peoples　in　the　East；　they　have　a
social　system　not　unlike　our　own。　　They　have；　or　had；　their　king；　their
nobles；　and　their　commons。　　They　have　an　ancient　and　elaborate　law；　and
a　system　of　morality　in　some　ways　as　high　as　our　own；　and　certainly　more
generally　obeyed。　　They　have　their　priests　and　their　doctors；　they　are
strictly　upright；　and　observe　the　rites　of　hospitality。

Where　they　differ　from　us　mainly　is　that　they　do　not　get　drunk　until　the
white　man　teaches　them　so　to　do；　they　wear　less　clothing；　the　climate
being　more　genial；　their　towns　at　night　are　not　disgraced　by　the　sights
that　distinguish　ours；　they　cherish　and　are　never　cruel　to　their
children；　although　they　may　occasionally　put　a　deformed　infant　or　a　twin
out　of　the　way；　and　when　they　go　to　war；　which　is　often；　they　carry　out
the　business　with　a　terrible　thoroughness；　almost　as　terrible　as　that
which　prevailed　in　every　nation　in　Europe　a　few　generations　ago。

Of　course；　there　remain　their　witchcraft　and　the　cruelties　which　result
from　their　almost　universal　belief　in　the　power　and　efficiency　of　magic。
　Well；　since　I　lived　in　England　I　have　been　reading　up　this　subject；　and
I　find　that　quite　recently　similar　cruelties　were　practised　throughout
Europethat　is　in　a　part　of　the　world　which　for　over　a　thousand　years
has　enjoyed　the　advantages　of　the　knowledge　and　profession　of　the
Christian　faith。

Now；　let　him　who　is　highly　cultured　take　up　a　stone　to　throw　at　the
poor；　untaught　Zulu；　which　I　notice　the　most　dissolute　and　drunken
wretch　of　a　white　man　is　often　ready　to　do；　generally　because　he　covets
his　land；　his　labour；　or　whatever　else　may　be　his。

But　I　wander　from　my　point；　which　is　that　a　clever　man　or　woman　among
the　people　whom　we　call　savages　is　in　all　essentials　very　much　the　same
as　a　clever　man　or　woman　anywhere　else。

Here　in　England　every　child　is　educated　at　the　expense　of　the　Country；
but　I　have　not　observed　that　the　system　results　in　the　production　of
more　really　able　individuals。　　Ability　is　the　gift　of　Nature；　and　that
universal　mother　sheds　her　favours　impartially　over　all　who　breathe。　
No；　not　quite　impartially；　perhaps；　for　the　old　Greeks　and　others　were
examples　to　the　contrary。　　Still；　the　general　rule　obtains。

To　return。　　Mameena　was　a　very　able　person；　as　she　chanced　to　be　a　very
lovely　one；　a　person　who；　had　she　been　favoured　by　opportunity；　would
doubtless　have　played　the　part　of　a　Cleopatra　with　equal　or　greater
success；　since　she　shared　the　beauty　and　the　unscrupulousness　of　that
famous　lady　and　was；　I　believe；　capable　of　her　passion。

I　scarcely　like　to　mention　the　matter　since　it　affects　myself；　and　the
natural　vanity　of　man　makes　him　prone　to　conclude　that　he　is　the
particular　object　of　sole　and　undying　devotion。　　Could　he　know　all　the
facts　of　the　case；　or　cases；　probably　he　would　be　much　undeceived；　and
feel　about　as　small　as　I　did　when　Mameena　walked；　or　rather　crawled；　out
of　the　hut　（she　could　even　crawl　gracefully）。　　Still；　to　be　honestand
why　should　I　not；　since　all　this　business　〃went　beyond〃　so　long　ago？I
do　believe　that　there　was　a　certain　amount　of　truth　in　what　she
saidthat；　for　Heaven　knows　what　reason；　she　did　take　a　fancy　to　me；
which　fancy　continued　during　her　short　and　stormy　life。　　But　the　reader
of　her　story　may　judge　for　himself。

Within　a　fortnight　of　the　day　of　my　discomfiture　in　the　hut　I　was　quite
well　and　strong　again；　my　ribs；　or　whatever　part　of　me　it　was　that　the
buffalo　had　injured　with　his　iron　knees；　having　mended　up。　　Also；　I　was
anxious　to　be　going；　having　business　to　attend　to　in　Natal；　and；　as　no
more　had　been　seen　or　heard　of　Saduko；　I　determined　to　trek　homewards；
leaving　a　message　that　he　knew　where　to　find　me　if　he　wanted　me。　　The
truth　is　that　I　was　by　no　means　keen　on　being　involved　in　his　private
war　with　Bangu。　　Indeed；　I　wished　to　wash　my　hands　of　the　whole　matter；
including　the　fair　Mameena　and　her　mocking　eyes。

So　one　morning；　having　already　got　up　my　oxen；　I　told　Scowl　to　inspan
theman　order　which　he　received　with　joy；　for　he　and　the　other　boys
wished　to　be　off　to　civilisation　and　its　delights。　　Just　as　the
operation　was　beginning；　however；　a　message　came　to　me　from　old　Um