child of storm-第26章

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by　but　I　have　thought　of　you　several　times　and　wondered　if　we　should
ever　meet　again。　　Where　have　you　been　all　this　while？〃

〃In　many　places；〃　I　answered；　〃amongst　others　at　the　Black　Kloof；　where
I　called　upon　the　dwarf；　Zikali；　and　lost　my　looking…glass。〃

〃The　Nyanga；　Zikali！　　Oh；　how　often　have　I　wished　to　see　him。　　But；　of
course；　I　cannot；　for　I　am　told　he　will　not　receive　any　women。〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　I　replied；　〃but　you　might　try；　perhaps　he
would　make　an　exception　in　your　favour。〃

〃I　think　I　will；　Macumazahn；〃　she　murmured；　whereon　I　collapsed　into
silence；　feeling　that　things　were　getting　beyond　me。

When　I　recovered　myself　a　little　it　was　to　hear　Mameena　greeting　Saduko
with　much　effusion；　and　complimenting　him　on　his　rise　in　life；　which　she
said　she　had　always　foreseen。　　This　remark　seemed　to　bowl　out　Saduko
also；　for　he　made　no　answer　to　it；　although　I　noticed　that　he　could　not
take　his　eyes　off　Mameena's　beautiful　face。　　Presently；　however；　he
seemed　to　become　aware　of　Masapo；　and　instantly　his　whole　demeanour
changed；　for　it　grew　proud　and　even　terrible。　　Masapo　tendered　him　some
greeting；　whereon　Saduko　turned　upon　him　and　said：

〃What；　chief　of　the　Amasomi；　do　you　give　the　good…day　to　an　umfokazana
and　a　mangy　hyena？　　Why　do　you　do　this？　　Is　it　because　the　low
umfokazana　has　become　a　noble　and　the　mangy　hyena　has　put　on　a　tiger's
coat？〃　　And　he　glared　at　him　like　a　veritable　tiger。

Masapo　made　no　answer　that　I　could　catch。　　Muttering　some　inaudible
words；　he　turned　to　depart；　and　in　doing　soquite　innocently；　I
thinkstruck　Nandie；　knocking　her　over　on　to　her　back　and　causing　the
child　to　fall　out　of　her　arms　in　such　fashion　that　its　tender　head
struck　against　a　pebble　with　sufficient　force　to　cause　it　to　bleed。

Saduko　leapt　at　him；　smiting　him　across　the　shoulders　with　the　little
stick　that　he　carried。　　For　a　moment　Masapo　paused；　and　I　thought　that
he　was　going　to　show　fight。　　If　he　had　any　such　intention；　however；　he
changed　his　mind；　for　without　a　word；　or　showing　any　resentment　at　the
insult　which　he　had　received；　he　broke　into　a　heavy　run　and　vanished
among　the　evening　shadows。　　Mameena；　who　had　observed　all；　broke　into
something　else；　namely；　a　laugh。

〃Piff！　　My　husband　is　big　yet　not　brave；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　do　not　think
he　meant　to　hurt　you；　woman。〃

〃Do　you　speak　to　me；　wife　of　Masapo？〃　asked　Nandie　with　gentle　dignity；
as　she　gained　her　feet　and　picked　up　the　stunned　child。　　〃If　so；　my　name
and　titles　are　the　Inkosazana　Nandie；　daughter　of　the　Black　One　and　wife
of　the　lord　Saduko。〃

〃Your　pardon；〃　replied　Mameena　humbly；　for　she　was　cowed　at　once。　　〃I
did　not　know　who　you　were；　Inkosazana。〃

〃It　is　granted；　wife　of　Masapo。　　Macumazahn；　give　me　water；　I　pray　you；
that　I　may　bathe　the　head　of　my　child。〃

The　water　was　brought；　and　presently；　when　the　little　one　seemed　all
right　again；　for　it　had　only　received　a　scratch；　Nandie　thanked　me　and
departed　to　her　own　huts；　saying　with　a　smile　to　her　husband　as　she
passed　that　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　accompany　her；　as　she　had
servants　waiting　at　the　kraal　gate。　　So　Saduko　stayed　behind；　and
Mameena　stayed　also。　　He　talked　with　me　for　quite　a　long　while；　for　he
had　much　to　tell　me；　although　all　the　time　I　felt　that　his　heart　was　not
in　his　talk。　　His　heart　was　with　Mameena；　who　sat　there　and　smiled
continually　in　her　mysterious　way；　only　putting　in　a　word　now　and　again；
as　though　to　excuse　her　presence。

At　length　she　rose　and　said　with　a　sigh　that　she　must　be　going　back　to
where　the　Amasomi　were　in　camp；　as　Masapo　would　need　her　to　see　to　his
food。　　By　now　it　was　quite　dark；　although　I　remember　that　from　time　to
time　the　sky　was　lit　up　by　sheet　lightning；　for　a　storm　was　brewing。　　As
I　expected；　Saduko　rose　also；　saying　that　he　would　see　me　on　the　morrow；
and　went　away　with　Mameena；　walking　like　one　who　dreams。

A　few　minutes　later　I　had　occasion　to　leave　the　wagons　in　order　to
inspect　one　of　the　oxen　which　was　tied　up　by　itself　at　a　distance；
because　it　had　shown　signs　of　some　sickness　that　might　or　might　not　be
catching。　　Moving　quietly；　as　I　always　do　from　a　hunter's　habit；　I
walked　alone　to　the　place　where　the　beast　was　tethered　behind　some
mimosa　thorns。　　Just　as　I　reached　these　thorns　the　broad　lightning　shone
out　vividly；　and　showed　me　Saduko　holding　the　unresisting　shape　of
Mameena　in　his　arms　and　kissing　her　passionately。

Then　I　turned　and　went　back　to　the　wagons　even　more　quietly　than　I　had
come。

I　should　add　that　on　the　morrow　I　found　out　that；　after　all；　there　was
nothing　serious　the　matter　with　my　ox。



CHAPTER　X




THE　SMELLING…OUT





After　these　events　matters　went　on　quietly　for　some　time。　　I　visited
Saduko's　hutsvery　fine　hutsabout　the　doors　of　which　sat　quite　a
number　of　his　tribesmen；　who　seemed　glad　to　see　me　again。　　Here　I
learned　from　the　Lady　Nandie　that　her　babe；　whom　she　loved　dearly；　was
none　the　worse　for　its　little　accident。　　Also　I　learned　from　Saduko
himself；　who　came　in　before　I　left；　attended　like　a　prince　by　several
notable　men；　that　he　had　made　up　his　quarrel　with　Masapo；　and；　indeed；
apologised　to　him；　as　he　found　that　he　had　not　really　meant　to　insult
the　princess；　his　wife；　having　only　thrust　her　over　by　accident。　　Saduko
added　indeed　that　now　they　were　good　friends；　which　was　well　for　Masapo；
a　man　whom　the　King　had　no　cause　to　like。　　I　said　that　I　was　glad　to
hear　it；　and　went　on　to　call　upon　Masapo；　who　received　me　with
enthusiasm；　as　also　did　Mameena。

Here　I　noted　with　pleasure　that　this　pair　seemed　to　be　on　much　better
terms　than　I　understood　had　been　the　case　in　the　past；　for　Mameena　even
addressed　her　husband　on　two　separate　occasions　in　very　affectionate
language；　and　fetched　something　that　he　wanted　without　waiting　to　be
asked。　　Masapo；　too；　was　in　excellent　spirits；　because；　as　he　told　me；
the　old　quarrel　between　him　and　Saduko　was　thoroughly　made　up；　their
reconciliation　having　been　sealed　by　an　interchange　of　gifts。　　He　added
that　he　was　very　glad　that　this　was　the　case；　since　Saduko　was　now　one
of　the　most　powerful　men　in　the　country；　who　could　harm　him　much　if　he
chose；　especially　as　some　secret　enemy　had　put　it　about　of　late　that　he；
Masapo；　was　an　enemy　of　the　King's　House；　and　an　evil…doer　who　practised
witchcraft。　　In　proof　of　his　new　friendship；　however；　Saduko　had
promised　that　these　slanders　should　be　looked　into　and　their　originator
punished；　if　he　or　she　could　be　found。

Well；　I　congratulated　him　and　took　my　departure；　〃thinking　furiously；〃
as　the　Frenchman　says。　　That　there　was　a　tragedy　pending　I　was　sure；
this　weather　was　too　calm　to　last；　the　water　ran　so　still　because　it　was
preparing　to　leap　down　some　hidden　precipice。

Yet　what　could　I　do？　　Tell　Masapo　I　had　seen　his　wife　being　embraced　by
another　man？　　Surely　that　was　not　my　business；　it　was　Masapo's　business
to　attend　to　her　conduct。　　Also　they　would　both　deny　it；　and　I　had　no
witness。　　Tell　him　that　Saduko's　reconciliation　with　him　was　not
sincere；　and　that　he　had　better　look　to　himself？　　How　did　I　know　it　was
not　sincere？　　It　might　suit　Saduko's　book　to　make　friends　with　Masapo；
and　if　I　interfered　I　should　only　make　enemies　and　be　called　a　liar　who
was　working　for　some　secret　end。

Go　to　Panda　and　confide　my　suspicions　to　him？　　He　was　far　too　anxious
and　busy　about　great　matters　to　listen　to　me；　and　if　he　did；　would　only
laugh　at　this　tale　of　a　petty　flirtation。　　No；　there　was　nothing　to　be
done　except　sit　still　and　wait。　　Very　possibly　I　was　mistaken；　after
all；　and　things　would　smooth　themselves　out；　as　they　generally　do。

Meanwhile　the　〃reviewing；〃　or　whatever　it　may　have　been；　was　in
progress；　and　I　was　busy　with　my　own　affairs；　making　hay　while　the　sun
shone。　　So　great　were　the　crowds　of　people　who　came　up　to　Nodwengu　that
in　a　week　I　had　sold　everything　I　had　to　sell　in　the　two　wagons；　that
were　mostly　laden　with　cloth；　beads；　knives　and　so　forth。　　Moreover；　the
prices　I　got　were　splendid；　since　the　buyers　bid　against　each　other；　and
before　I　was　cleared　out　I　had　collected　quite　a　herd　of　cattle；　also　a
quantity　of　ivory。　　These　I　sent　on　to　Natal　with　one　of　the　wagons；
remaining　behind　myself　with　the　other；　partly　because　Panda　asked　me　to
do　sofor　now　and　again　he　would　seek　my　advice　on　sundry
questionsand　partly　from　curiosity。

There　was　plenty　to　be　curious　about　up　at　Nodwengu　just　then；　since　no
one　was　sure　that　civil　war　would　not　break　out　between　the　princes
Cetewayo　and　Umbelazi；　whose　factions　were　present　in　force。

It　was　averted　for　the　time；　however；　by　Umbelazi　keeping　away　from　the
great　gathering　under　pretext　of　being　sick；　and　leaving　Saduko　and　some
others　to　watch　his　interests。　　Also　the　rival　regiments　were　not
allowed　to　approach　the　town　at　the　same　time。　　So　that　public　cloud
passed　over；　to　the　enormous　relief　of　everyone；　especially　of　Panda　the
King。　　As　to　the　private　cloud　whereof　this　history　tells；　it　was
otherwise。

As　the　tribes　came　up　to　the　Great　Place　they　were　reviewed　and　sent
away；　since　it　was　impossible　to　feed　so　vast　a　multitude　as　would　have
collected　had　they　all　remained。　　Thus　the　Amasomi；　a　small　people　who
were　amongst　the　first　to　arrive；　soon　left。　　Only；　for　some　reason
which　I　never　quite　understood；　Masapo；　Mameena　and　a　few　of　Masapo's
children　and　headmen　were　detained　there；　though　perhaps；　if　she　had
chosen；　Mameena　could　have　given　an　explanation。

Well；　things　began　to　happen。　　Sundry　personages　were　taken　ill；　and
some　of　them　died　suddenly；　and　soon　it　was　noted　that　all　these　people
either　lived　near　to　where　Masapo's　family　was　lodged　or　had　at　some
time　or　other　been　on　bad　terms　with　him。　　Thus　Saduko　himself　was　taken
ill；　or　said　he　was；　at　any　rate；　he　vanished　from　public　gaze　for　three
days；　and　reappeared　looking　very　sorry　for　himself；　though　I　could　not
observe　that　he　had　lost　strength　or　weight。　　These　catastrophes　I　pass
over；　however；　in　order　to　come　to　the　greatest　of　them；　which　is　one　of
the　turning　points　of　this　chronicle。

After　recovering　from　his　alleged　sickness　Saduko　gave　a　kind　of
thanksgiving　feast；　at　which　several　oxen　were　killed。　　I　was　present　at
this　feast；　or　rather　at　the　last　part　of　it；　for　I　only　put　in　what　may
be　called　a　complimentary　appearance；　having　no　taste　for　such　native
gorgings。　　As　it　drew　near　its　close　Saduko　sent　for　Nandie；　who　at
first　refused　to　come　as　there　were　no　women　presentI　think　because　he
wished　to　show　his　friends　that　he　had　a　princess　of　the　royal　blood　for
his　wife；　who　had　borne　him　a　son　that　one　day　would　be　great　in　the
land。　　For　Saduko；　as　I　have　said；　had　become　a　〃self…eater；〃　and　this
day　his　pride　was　inflamed　by　the　adulation　of　the　company　and　by　the
beer　that　he　had　drunk。

At　length　Nandie　did　come；　carrying　her　babe；　from　which　she　never　would
be　parted。　　In　her　dignified；　ladylike　fashion　（although　it　seems　an　odd
term　to　apply　to　a　savage；　I　know　none　that　describes　her　better）　she
greeted　first　me　and　then　sundry　of　the　other　guests；　saying　a　few　words
to　each　of　them。　　At　length　she　came　opposite　to　Masapo；　who　had　dined
not　wisely　but　too　well；　and　to　him；