child of storm-第41节

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rolled　his　eyes　first　at　one　and　then　at　the　other；　and　finally　put　his
hands　over　his　ears　that　he　might　hear　no　more。

〃Choose；　choose；　O　King！〃　shouted　the　audience。　　〃Who　is　to　succeed　you；
Cetewayo　or　Umbelazi？〃

Watching　Panda；　I　saw　that　he　fell　into　a　kind　of　agony；　his　fat　sides
heaved；　and；　although　the　day　was　cold；　sweat　ran　from　his　brow。

〃What　would　the　white　men　do　in　such　a　case？〃　he　said　to　me　in　a　hoarse；
low　voice；　whereon　I　answered；　looking　at　the　ground　and　speaking　so
that　few　could　hear　me：

〃I　think；　O　King；　that　a　white　man　would　do　nothing。　　He　would　say　that
others　might　settle　the　matter　after　he　was　dead。〃

〃Would　that　I　could　say　so；　too；〃　muttered　Panda；　〃but　it　is　not
possible。〃

Then　followed　a　long　pause；　during　which　all　were　silent；　for　every　man
there　felt　that　the　hour　was　big　with　doom。　　At　length　Panda　rose　with
difficulty；　because　of　his　unwieldy　weight；　and　uttered　these　fateful
words；　that　were　none　the　less　ominous　because　of　the　homely　idiom　in
which　they　were　couched：

_〃When　two　young　bulls　quarrel　they　must　fight　it　out。〃_

Instantly　in　one　tremendous　roar　volleyed　forth　the　royal　salute　of
〃Bayete〃；　a　signal　of　the　acceptance　of　the　King's　wordthe　word　that
meant　civil　war　and　the　death　of　many　thousands。

Then　Panda　turned　and；　so　feebly　that　I　thought　he　would　fall；　walked
through　the　gateway　behind　him；　followed　by　the　rival　queens。　　Each　of
these　ladies　struggled　to　be　first　after　him　in　the　gate；　thinking　that
it　would　be　an　omen　of　success　for　her　son。　　Finally；　however；　to　the
disappointment　of　the　multitude；　they　only　succeeded　in　passing　it　side
by　side。

When　they　had　gone　the　great　audience　began　to　break　up；　the　men　of　each
party　marching　away　together　as　though　by　common　consent；　without
offering　any　insult　or　molestation　to　their　adversaries。　　I　think　that
this　peaceable　attitude　arose；　however；　from　the　knowledge　that　matters
had　now　passed　from　the　stage　of　private　quarrel　into　that　of　public
war。　　It　was　felt　that　their　dispute　awaited　decision；　not　with　sticks
outside　the　Nodwengu　kraal；　but　with　spears　upon　some　great　battlefield；
for　which　they　went　to　prepare。

Within　two　days；　except　for　those　regiments　which　Panda　kept　to　guard
his　person；　scarcely　a　soldier　was　to　be　seen　in　the　neighbourhood　of
Nodwengu。　　The　princes　also　departed　to　muster　their　adherents；　Cetewayo
establishing　himself　among　the　Mandhlakazi　that　he　commanded；　and
Umbelazi　returning　to　the　kraal　of　Umbezi；　which　happened　to　stand
almost　in　the　centre　of　that　part　of　the　nation　which　adhered　to　him。

Whether　he　took　Mameena　with　him　there　I　am　not　certain。　　I　believe；
however；　that；　fearing　lest　her　welcome　at　her　birthplace　should　be
warmer　than　she　wished；　she　settled　herself　at　some　retired　and　outlying
kraal　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　there　awaited　the　crisis　of　her　fortune。
　At　any　rate；　I　saw　nothing　of　her；　for　she　was　careful　to　keep　out　of
my　way。

With　Umbelazi　and　Saduko；　however；　I　did　have　an　interview。　　Before　they
left　Nodwengu　they　called　on　me　together；　apparently　on　the　best　of
terms；　and　said　in　effect　that　they　hoped　for　my　support　in　the　coming
war。

I　answered　that；　however　well　I　might　like　them　personally；　a　Zulu　civil
war　was　no　affair　of　mine；　and　that；　indeed；　for　every　reason；　including
the　supreme　one　of　my　own　safety；　I　had　better　get　out　of　the　way　at
once。

They　argued　with　me　for　a　long　while；　making　great　offers　and　promises
of　reward；　till　at　length；　when　he　saw　that　my　determination　could　not
be　shaken；　Umbelazi　said：

〃Come；　Saduko；　let　us　humble　ourselves　no　more　before　this　white　man。　
After　all；　he　is　right；　the　business　is　none　of　his；　and　why　should　we
ask　him　to　risk　his　life　in　our　quarrel；　knowing　as　we　do　that　white　men
are　not　like　us；　they　think　a　great　deal　of　their　lives。　　Farewell；
Macumazahn。　　If　I　conquer　and　grow　great　you　will　always　be　welcome　in
Zululand；　whereas　if　I　fail　perhaps　you　will　be　best　over　the　Tugela
river。〃

Now；　I　felt　the　hidden　taunt　in　this　speech　very　keenly。　　Still；　being
determined　that　for　once　I　would　be　wise　and　not　allow　my　natural
curiosity　and　love　of　adventure　to　drag　me　into　more　risks　and　trouble；
I　replied：

〃The　Prince　says　that　I　am　not　brave　and　love　my　life；　and　what　he　says
is　true。　　I　fear　fighting；　who　by　nature　am　a　trader　with　the　heart　of　a
trader；　not　a　warrior　with　the　heart　of　a　warrior；　like　the　great
Indhlovu…ene…Sihlonti〃words　at　which　I　saw　the　grave　Saduko　smile
faintly。　　〃So　farewell　to　you；　Prince；　and　may　good　fortune　attend　you。〃

Of　course；　to　call　the　Prince　to　his　face　by　this　nickname；　which
referred　to　a　defect　in　his　person；　was　something　of　an　insult；　but　I
had　been　insulted；　and　meant　to　give　him　〃a　Roland　for　his　Oliver。〃　
However；　he　took　it　in　good　part。

〃What　is　good　fortune；　Macumazahn？〃　Umbelazi　replied　as　he　grasped　my
hand。　　〃Sometimes　I　think　that　to　live　and　prosper　is　good　fortune；　and
sometimes　I　think　that　to　die　and　sleep　is　good　fortune；　for　in　sleep
there　is　neither　hunger　nor　thirst　of　body　or　of　spirit。　　In　sleep　there
come　no　cares；　in　sleep　ambitions　are　at　rest；　nor　do　those　who　look　no
more　upon　the　sun　smart　beneath　the　treacheries　of　false　women　or　false
friends。　　Should　the　battle　turn　against　me；　Macumazahn；　at　least　that
good　fortune　will　be　mine；　for　never　will　I　live　to　be　crushed　beneath
Cetewayo's　heel。〃

Then　he　went。　　Saduko　accompanied　him　for　a　little　way；　but；　making　some
excuse　to　the　Prince；　came　back　and　said　to　me：

〃Macumazahn；　my　friend；　I　dare　say　that　we　part　for　the　last　time；　and
therefore　I　make　a　request　to　you。　　It　is　as　to　one　who　is　dead　to　me。　
Macumazahn；　I　believe　that　Umbelazi　the　thief〃these　words　broke　from
his　lips　with　a　hiss〃has　given　her　many　cattle　and　hidden　her　away
either　in　the　kloof　of　Zikali　the　Wise；　or　near　to　it；　under　his　care。　
Now；　if　the　war　should　go　against　Umbelazi　and　I　should　be　killed　in　it；
I　think　evil　will　fall　upon　that　woman's　head；　I　who　have　grown　sure
that　it　was　she　who　was　the　wizard　and　not　Masapo　the　Boar。　　Also；　as
one　connected　with　Umbelazi；　who　has　helped　him　in　his　plots；　she　will
be　killed　if　she　is　caught。　　Macumazahn；　hearken　to　me。　　I　will　tell　you
the　truth。　　My　heart　is　still　on　fire　for　that　woman。　　She　has　bewitched
me；　her　eyes　haunt　my　sleep　and　I　hear　her　voice　in　the　wind。　　She　is
more　to　me　than　all　the　earth　and　all　the　sky；　and　although　she　has
wronged　me　I　do　not　wish　that　harm　should　come　to　her。　　Macumazahn；　I
pray　you　if　I　die；　do　your　best　to　befriend　her；　even　though　it　be　only
as　a　servant　in　your　house；　for　I　think　that　she　cares　more　for　you　than
for　anyone；　who　only　ran　away　with　him〃and　he　pointed　in　the　direction
that　Umbelazi　had　taken〃because　he　is　a　prince；　who；　in　her　folly；　she
believes　will　be　a　king。　　At　least　take　her　to　Natal；　Macumazahn；　where；
if　you　wish　to　be　free　of　her；　she　can　marry　whom　she　will　and　will　live
safe　until　night　comes。　　Panda　loves　you　much；　and；　whoever　conquers　in
the　war；　will　give　you　her　life　if　you　ask　it　of　him。〃

Then　this　strange　man　drew　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　from
which　I　saw　the　tears　were　running；　and；　muttering；　〃If　you　would　have
good　fortune　remember　my　prayer；〃　turned　and　left　me　before　I　could
answer　a　single　word。

As　for　me；　I　sat　down　upon　an　ant…heap　and　whistled　a　whole　hymn　tune
that　my　mother　had　taught　me　before　I　could　think　at　all。　　To　be　left
the　guardian　of　Mameena！　　Talk　of　a　〃damnosa　hereditas；〃　a　terrible　and
mischievous　inheritancewhy；　this　was　the　worst　that　ever　I　heard　of。　
A　servant　in　my　house　indeed；　knowing　what　_I_　did　about　her！　　Why；　I
had　sooner　share　the　〃good　fortune〃　which　Umbelazi　anticipated　beneath
the　sod。　　However；　that　was　not　in　the　question；　and　without　it　the
alternative　of　acting　as　her　guardian　was　bad　enough；　though　I　comforted
myself　with　the　reflection　that　the　circumstances　in　which　this　would
become　necessary　might　never　arise。　　For；　alas！　I　was　sure　that　if　they
did　arise　I　should　have　to　live　up　to　them。　　True；　I　had　made　no　promise
to　Saduko　with　my　lips；　but　I　felt；　as　I　knew　he　felt；　that　this　promise
had　passed　from　my　heart　to　his。

〃That　thief　Umbelazi！〃　　Strange　words　to　be　uttered　by　a　great　vassal　of
his　lord；　and　both　of　them　about　to　enter　upon　a　desperate　enterprise。　
〃A　prince　whom　in　her　folly　she　believes　will　be　a　king。〃　　Stranger
words　still。　　Then　Saduko　did　not　believe　that　he　_would_　be　a　king！　
And　yet　he　was　about　to　share　the　fortunes　of　his　fight　for　the　throne；
he　who　said　that　his　heart　was　still　on　fire　for　the　woman　whom
〃Umbelazi　the　thief〃　had　stolen。　　Well；　if　I　were　Umbelazi；　thought　I　to
myself；　I　would　rather　that　Saduko　were　not　my　chief　councillor　and
general。　　But；　thank　Heaven！　I　was　not　Umbelazi；　or　Saduko；　or　any　of
them！　　And；　thank　Heaven　still　more；　I　was　going　to　begin　my　trek　from
Zululand　on　the　morrow！

Man　proposes　but　God　disposes。　　I　did　not　trek　from　Zululand　for　many　a
long　day。　　When　I　got　back　to　my　wagons　it　was　to　find　that　my　oxen　had
mysteriously　disappeared　from　the　veld　on　which　they　were　accustomed　to
graze。　　They　were　lost；