child of storm-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Bull…who…shuts…his…eyes…to…toss；　〃and　what　have　you　to　tell　me；
'Eater…up…of…Elephants'　and　father　of　Mameena；　whom　the　dead　dog；
Umbelazi；　took　away　from　your　master；　Saduko　the　Cunning？〃

〃This；　O　Mighty　One；　this；　O　Shaker　of　the　Earth；　that　well　am　I　named
'Eater…up…of…Elephants；'　who　have　eaten　up　Indhlovu…ene…Sihlontithe
Elephant　himself。〃

Now　Saduko　seemed　to　awake　from　his　brooding　and　started　from　his　place；
but　Cetewayo　sharply　bade　him　be　silent；　whereon　Umbezi；　the　fool；
noting　nothing；　continued　his　tale。

〃O　Prince；　I　met　Umbelazi　in　the　battle；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　fled　from
me；　yes；　his　heart　grew　soft　as　water　at　the　sight　of　me；　the　warrior
whom　he　had　wronged；　whose　daughter　he　had　stolen。〃

〃I　hear　you；〃　said　Cetewayo。　　〃Umbelazi's　heart　turned　to　water　at　the
sight　of　you　because　he　had　wronged　youyou　who　until　this　morning；
when　you　deserted　him　with　Saduko；　were　one　of　his　jackals。　　Well；　and
what　happened　then？〃

〃He　fled；　O　Lion　with　the　Black　Mane；　he　fled　like　the　wind；　and　I；　I
flew　after　him　likea　stronger　wind。　　Far　into　the　bush　he　fled；　till
at　length　he　came　to　a　rock　above　the　river　and　was　obliged　to　stand。　
Then　there　we　fought。　　He　thrust　at　me；　but　I　leapt　over　his　spear
_thus_；〃　and　he　gambolled　into　the　air。　　〃He　thrust　at　me　again；　but　I
bent　myself　_thus_；〃　and　he　ducked　his　great　head。　　〃Then　he　grew　tired
and　my　time　came。　　He　turned　and　ran　round　the　rock；　and　I；　I　ran　after
him；　stabbing　him　through　the　back；　_thus_；　and　_thus_；　and　_thus_；　till
he　fell；　crying　for　mercy；　and　rolled　off　the　rock　into　the　river；　and
as　he　rolled　I　snatched　away　his　plume。　　See；　is　it　not　the　plume　of　the
dead　dog　Umbelazi？〃

Cetewayo　took　the　ornament　and　examined　it；　showing　it　to　one　or　two　of
the　captains　near　him；　who　nodded　their　heads　gravely。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　the　war　plume　of　Umbelazi；　beloved　of　the　King；
strong　and　shining　pillar　of　the　Great　House；　we　know　it　well；　that　war
plume　at　the　sight　of　which　many　a　knee　has　loosened。　　And　so　you　killed
him；　'Eater…up…of…Elephants；'　father　of　Mameena；　you　who　this　morning
were　one　of　the　meanest　of　his　jackals。　　Now；　what　reward　shall　I　give
you　for　this　mighty　deed；　O　Umbezi？〃

〃A　great　reward；　O　Terrible　One；〃　began　Umbezi；　but　in　an　awful　voice
Cetewayo　bade　him　be　silent。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃a　great　reward。　　Hearken；　Jackal　and　Traitor。　　Your　own
words　bear　witness　against　you。　　You；　_you_　have　dared　to　lift　your　hand
against　the　blood…royal；　and　with　your　foul　tongue　to　heap　lies　and
insults　upon　the　name　of　the　mighty　dead。〃

Now；　understanding　at　last；　Umbezi　began　to　babble　excuses；　yes；　and　to
declare　that　all　his　tale　was　false。　　His　fat　cheeks　fell　in；　he　sank　to
his　knees。

But　Cetewayo　only　spat　towards　the　man；　after　his　fashion　when　enraged；
and　looked　round　him　till　his　eye　fell　upon　Saduko。

〃Saduko；〃　he　said；　〃take　away　this　slayer　of　the　Prince；　who　boasts　that
he　is　red　with　my　own　blood；　and　when　he　is　dead　cast　him　into　the　river
from　that　rock　on　which　he　says　he　stabbed　Panda's　son。〃

Saduko　looked　round　him　wildly　and　hesitated。

〃Take　him　away；〃　thundered　Cetewayo；　〃and　return　ere　dark　to　make　report
to　me。〃

Then；　at　a　sign　from　the　Prince；　soldiers　flung　themselves　upon　the
miserable　Umbezi　and　dragged　him　thence；　Saduko　going　with　them；　nor　was
the　poor　liar　ever　seen　again。　　As　he　passed　by　me　he　called　to　me；　for
Mameena's　sake；　to　save　him；　but　I　could　only　shake　my　head　and　bethink
me　of　the　warning　I　had　once　given　to　him　as　to　the　fate　of　traitors。

It　may　be　said　that　this　story　comes　straight　from　the　history　of　Saul
and　David；　but　I　can　only　answer　that　it　happened。　　Circumstances　that
were　not　unlike　ended　in　a　similar　tragedy；　that　is　all。　　What　David's
exact　motives　were；　naturally　I　cannot　tell；　but　it　is　easy　to　guess
those　of　Cetewayo；　who；　although　he　could　make　war　upon　his　brother　to
secure　the　throne；　did　not　think　it　wise　to　let　it　go　abroad　that　the
royal　blood　might　be　lightly　spilt。　　Also；　knowing　that　I　was　a　witness
of　the　Prince's　death；　he　was　well　aware　that　Umbezi　was　but　a　boastful
liar　who　hoped　thus　to　ingratiate　himself　with　an　all…powerful
conqueror。

Well；　this　tragic　incident　had　its　sequel。　　It　seemsto　his　honour；　be
it　saidthat　Saduko　refused　to　be　the　executioner　of　his　father…in…law；
Umbezi；　so　those　with　him　performed　this　office　and　brought　him　back　a
prisoner　to　Cetewayo。

When　the　Prince　learned　that　his　direct　order；　spoken　in　the　accustomed
and　fearful　formula　of　_〃Take　him　away；〃_　had　been　disobeyed；　his　rage
was；　or　seemed　to　be；　great。　　My　own　conviction　is　that　he　was　only
seeking　a　cause　of　quarrel　against　Saduko；　who；　he　thought；　was　a　very
powerful　man；　who　would　probably　treat　him；　should　opportunity　arise；　as
he　had　treated　Umbelazi；　and　perhaps　now　that　the　most　of　Panda's　sons
were　dead；　except　himself　and　the　lads　M'tonga；　Sikota　and　M'kungo；　who
had　fled　into　Natal；　might　even　in　future　days　aspire　to　the　throne　as
the　husband　of　the　King's　daughter。　　Still；　he　was　afraid　or　did　not
think　it　politic　at　once　to　put　out　of　his　path　this　master　of　many
legions；　who　had　played　so　important　a　part　in　the　battle。　　Therefore　he
ordered　him　to　be　kept　under　guard　and　taken　back　to　Nodwengu；　that　the
whole　matter　might　be　investigated　by　Panda　the　King；　who　still　ruled
the　land；　though　henceforth　only　in　name。　　Also　he　refused　to　allow　me
to　depart　into　Natal；　saying　that　I；　too；　must　come　to　Nodwengu；　as
there　my　testimony　might　be　needed。

So；　having　no　choice；　I　went；　it　being　fated　that　I　should　see　the　end
of　the　drama。



CHAPTER　XV




MAMEENA　CLAIMS　THE　KISS





When　I　reached　Nodwengu　I　was　taken　ill　and　laid　up　in　my　wagon　for
about　a　fortnight。　　What　my　exact　sickness　was　I　do　not　know；　for　I　had
no　doctor　at　hand　to　tell　me；　as　even　the　missionaries　had　fled　the
country。　　Fever　resulting　from　fatigue；　exposure　and　excitement；　and
complicated　with　fearful　headachecaused；　I　presume；　by　the　blow　which
I　received　in　the　battlewere　its　principal　symptoms。

When　I　began　to　get　better；　Scowl　and　some　Zulu　friends　who　came　to　see
me　informed　me　that　the　whole　land　was　in　a　fearful　state　of　disorder；
and　that　Umbelazi's　adherents；　the　Isigqosa；　were　still　being　hunted　out
and　killed。　　It　seems　that　it　was　even　suggested　by　some　of　the　Usutu
that　I　should　share　their　fate；　but　on　this　point　Panda　was　firm。　
Indeed；　he　appears　to　have　said　publicly　that　whoever　lifted　a　spear
against　me；　his　friend　and　guest；　lifted　it　against　him；　and　would　be
the　cause　of　a　new　war。　　So　the　Usutu　left　me　alone；　perhaps　because
they　were　satisfied　with　fighting　for　a　while；　and　thought　it　wisest　to
be　content　with　what　they　had　won。

Indeed；　they　had　won　everything；　for　Cetewayo　was　now　supremeby　right
of　the　assegaiand　his　father　but　a　cipher。　　Although　he　remained　the
〃Head〃　of　the　nation；　Cetewayo　was　publicly　declared　to　be　its　〃Feet；〃
and　strength　was　in　these　active　〃Feet；〃　not　in　the　bowed　and　sleeping
〃Head。〃　　In　fact；　so　little　power　was　left　to　Panda　that　he　could　not
protect　his　own　household。　　Thus　one　day　I　heard　a　great　tumult　and
shouting　proceeding　apparently　from　the　Isigodhlo；　or　royal　enclosure；
and　on　inquiring　what　it　was　afterwards；　was　told　that　Cetewayo　had　come
from　the　Amangwe　kraal　and　denounced　Nomantshali；　the　King's　wife；　as
〃umtakati〃；　or　a　witch。　　More；　in　spite　of　his　father's　prayers　and
tears；　he　had　caused　her　to　be　put　to　death　before　his　eyesa　dreadful
and　a　savage　deed。　　At　this　distance　of　time　I　cannot　remember　whether
Nomantshali　was　the　mother　of　Umbelazi　or　of　one　of　the　other　fallen
princes。*

＇*On　re…reading　this　history　it　comes　back　to　me　that　she　was　the
mother　of　M'tonga；　who　was　much　younger　than　Umbelazi。　A。　Q。＇

A　few　days　later；　when　I　was　up　and　about　again；　although　I　had　not
ventured　into　the　kraal；　Panda　sent　a　messenger　to　me　with　a　present　of
an　ox。　　On　his　behalf　this　man　congratulated　me　on　my　recovery；　and　told
me　that；　whatever　might　have　happened　to　others；　I　was　to　have　no　fear
for　my　own　safety。　　He　added　that　Cetewayo　had　sworn　to　the　King　that
not　a　hair　of　my　head　should　be　harmed；　in　these　words：

〃Had　I　wished　to　kill　Watcher…by…Night　because　he　fought　against　me；　I
could　have　done　so　down　at　Endondakusuka；　but　then　I　ought　to　kill　you
also；　my　father；　since　you　sent　him　thither　against　his　will　with　your
own　regiment。　　But　I　like　him　well；　who　is　brave　and　who　brought　me　good
tidings　that　the　Prince；　my　enemy；　was　dead　of　a　broken　heart。　
Moreover；　I　wish　to　have　no　quarrel　with　the　White　House　＇the　English＇
on　account　of　Macumazahn；　so　tell　him　that　he　may　sleep　in　peace。〃

The　messenger　said　further　that　Saduko；　the　husband　of　the　King's
daughter；　Nandie；　and　Umbelazi's　chief　induna；　was　to　be　put　upon　his
trial　on　the　morrow　before　the　King　and　his　council；　together　with
Mameena；　daughter　of　Umbezi；　and　that　my　presence　was　desired　at　this
trial。

I　asked　what　was　the　charge　against　them。　　He　replied　that；　so　far　as
Saduko　was　concerned；　there　were　two：　first；　that　he　had　stirred　up
civil　war　in　the　land；　and；　secondly；　that　having　p