child of storm-第6节

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another　glint　of　light　which　I　guessed　came　from　the　spear　of　Saduko；
who　was　seated　by　the　ashes　of　the　cooking　fire　wrapped　in　his　kaross　of
wildcatskins。　　Slipping　from　the　voorkisse；　or　driving…box；　I　came
behind　him　softly　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。　　He　leapt　up　with　a
start　which　revealed　his　nervous　nature；　then　recognising　me　through　the
soft　grey　gloom；　said：

〃You　are　early；　Macumazahn。〃

〃Of　course；〃　I　answered；　〃am　I　not　named　Watcher…by…Night？　　Now　let　us
go　to　Umbezi　and　tell　him　that　I　shall　be　ready　to　start　on　our　hunting
trip　on　the　third　morning　from　to…day。〃

So　we　went；　to　find　that　Umbezi　was　in　a　hut　with　his　last　wife　and
asleep。　　Fortunately　enough；　however；　as　under　the　circumstances　I　did
not　wish　to　disturb　him；　outside　the　hut　we　found　the　Old　Cow；　whose
sore　ear　had　kept　her　very　wide　awake；　who；　for　purposes　of　her　own；
although　etiquette　did　not　allow　her　to　enter　the　hut；　was　waiting　for
her　husband　to　emerge。

Having　examined　her　wound　and　rubbed　some　ointment　on　it；　with　her　I
left　my　message。　　Next　I　woke　up　my　servant　Scowl；　and　told　him　that　I
was　going　on　a　short　journey；　and　that　he　must　guard　all　things　until　my
return；　and　while　I　did　so；　took　a　nip　of　raw　rum　and　made　ready　a　bag
of　biltong；　that　is　sun…dried　flesh；　and　biscuits。

Then；　taking　with　me　a　single…barrelled　gun；　that　same　little　Purdey
rifle　with　which　I　shot　the　vultures　on　the　Hill　of　Slaughter　at
Dingaan's　Kraal；*　we　started　on　foot；　for　I　would　not　risk　my　only　horse
on　such　a　journey。

＇*For　the　story　of　this　shooting　of　the　vultures　by　Allan　Quatermain；
see　the　book　called　〃Marie。〃EDITOR。＇

A　rough　journey　it　proved　to　be　indeed；　over　a　series　of　bush…clad　hills
that　at　their　crests　were　covered　with　rugged　stones　among　which　no
horse　could　have　travelled。　　Up　and　down　these　hills　we　went；　and　across
the　valleys　that　divided　them；　following　some　path　which　I　could　not
see；　for　all　that　live…long　day。　　I　have　always　been　held　a　good　walker；
being　by　nature　very　light　and　active；　but　I　am　bound　to　say　that　my
companion　taxed　my　powers　to　the　utmost；　for　on　he　marched　for　hour
after　hour；　striding　ahead　of　me　at　such　a　rate　that　at　times　I　was
forced　to　break　into　a　run　to　keep　up　with　him。　　Although　my　pride　would
not　suffer　me　to　complain；　since　as　a　matter　of　principle　I　would　never
admit　to　a　Kafir　that　he　was　my　master　at　anything；　glad　enough　was　I
when；　towards　evening；　Saduko　sat　himself　down　on　a　stone　at　the　top　of
a　hill　and　said：

〃Behold　the　Black　Kloof；　Macumazahn；〃　which　were　almost　the　first　words
he　had　uttered　since　we　started。

Truly　the　spot　was　well　named；　for　there；　cut　out　by　water　from　the
heart　of　a　mountain　in　some　primeval　age；　lay　one　of　the　most　gloomy
places　that　ever　I　had　beheld。　　It　was　a　vast　cleft　in　which　granite
boulders　were　piled　up　fantastically；　perched　one　upon　another　in　great
columns；　and　upon　its　sides　grew　dark　trees　set　sparsely　among　the
rocks。　　It　faced　towards　the　west；　but　the　light　of　the　sinking　sun　that
flowed　up　it　served　only　to　accentuate　its　vast　loneliness；　for　it　was　a
big　cleft；　the　best　part　of　a　mile　wide　at　its　mouth。

Up　this　dreary　gorge　we　marched；　mocked　at　by　chattering　baboons　and
following　a　little　path　not　a　foot　wide　that　led　us　at　length　to　a　large
hut　and　several　smaller　ones　set　within　a　reed　fence　and　overhung　by　a
gigantic　mass　of　rock　that　looked　as　though　it　might　fall　at　any　moment。
　At　the　gate　of　the　fence　two　natives　of　I　know　not　what　tribe；　men　of
fierce　and　forbidding　appearance；　suddenly　sprang　out　and　thrust　their
spears　towards　my　breast。

〃Whom　bring　you　here；　Saduko？〃　asked　one　of　them　sternly。

〃A　white　man　that　I　vouch　for；〃　he　answered。　　〃Tell　Zikali　that　we　wait
on　him。〃

〃What　need　to　tell　Zikali　that　which　he　knows　already？〃　said　the　sentry。
　〃Your　food　and　that　of　your　companion　is　already　cooked　in　yonder　hut。　
Enter；　Saduko；　with　him　for　whom　you　vouch。〃

So　we　went　into　the　hut　and　ate；　also　I　washed　myself；　for　it　was　a
beautifully　clean　hut；　and　the　stools；　wooden　bowls；　etc。；　were　finely
carved　out　of　red　ivory　wood；　this　work；　Saduko　informed　me；　being　done
by　Zikali's　own　hand。　　just　as　we　were　finishing　our　meal　a　messenger
came　to　tell　us　that　Zikali　waited　our　presence。　　We　followed　him　across
an　open　space　to　a　kind　of　door　in　the　tall　reed　fence；　passing　which　I
set　eyes　for　the　first　time　upon　the　famous　old　witch…doctor　of　whom　so
many　tales　were　told。

Certainly　he　was　a　curious　sight　in　those　strange　surroundings；　for　they
were　very　strange；　and　I　think　their　complete　simplicity　added　to　the
effect。　　In　front　of　us　was　a　kind　of　courtyard　with　a　black　floor　made
of　polished　ant…heap　earth　and　cow…dung；　two…thirds　of　which　at　least
was　practically　roofed　in　by　the　huge　over…hanging　mass　of　rock　whereof
I　have　spoken；　its　arch　bending　above　at　a　height　of　not　less　than　sixty
or　seventy　feet　from　the　ground。　　Into　this　great；　precipice…backed
cavity　poured　the　fierce　light　of　the　setting　sun；　turning　it　and　all
within　it；　even　the　large　straw　hut　in　the　background；　to　the　deep　hue
of　blood。　　Seeing　the　wonderful　effect　of　the　sunset　in　that　dark　and
forbidding　place；　it　occurred　to　me　at　once　that　the　old　wizard　must
have　chosen　this　moment　to　receive　us　because　of　its　impressiveness。

Then　I　forgot　these　scenic　accessories　in　the　sight　of　the　man　himself。　
There　he　sat　on　a　stool　in　front　of　his　hut；　quite　unattended；　and
wearing　only　a　cloak　of　leopard　skins　open　in　front；　for　he　was
unadorned　with　the　usual　hideous　trappings　of　a　witch…doctor；　such　as
snake…skins；　human　bones；　bladders　full　of　unholy　compounds；　and　so
forth。

What　a　man　he　was；　if　indeed　he　could　be　called　quite　human。　　His
stature；　though　stout；　was　only　that　of　a　child；　his　head　was　enormous；
and　from　it　plaited　white　hair　fell　down　on　to　his　shoulders。　　His　eyes
were　deep　and　sunken；　his　face　was　broad　and　very　stern。　　Except　for
this　snow…white　hair；　however；　he　did　not　look　ancient；　for　his　flesh
was　firm　and　plump；　and　the　skin　on　his　cheeks　and　neck　unwrinkled；
which　suggested　to　me　that　the　story　of　his　great　antiquity　was　false。　
A　man　who　was　over　a　hundred　years　old；　for　instance；　surely　could　not
boast　such　a　beautiful　set　of　teeth；　for　even　at　that　distance　I　could
see　them　gleaming。　　On　the　other　hand；　evidently　middle　age　was　far
behind　him；　indeed；　from　his　appearance　it　was　quite　impossible　to　guess
even　approximately　the　number　of　his　years。　　There　he　sat；　red　in　the
red　light；　perfectly　still；　and　staring　without　a　blink　of　his　eyes　at
the　furious　ball　of　the　setting　sun；　as　an　eagle　is　said　to　be　able　to
do。

Saduko　advanced；　and　I　walked　after　him。　　My　stature　is　not　great；　and　I
have　never　considered　myself　an　imposing　person；　but　somehow　I　do　not
think　that　I　ever　felt　more　insignificant　than　on　this　occasion。　　The
tall　and　splendid　native　beside；　or　rather　behind　whom　I　walked；　the
gloomy　magnificence　of　the　place；　the　blood…red　light　in　which　it　was
bathed；　and　the　solemn；　solitary；　little　figure　with　wisdom　stamped　upon
its　face　before　me；　all　tended　to　induce　humility　in　a　man　not　naturally
vain。　　I　felt　myself　growing　smaller　and　smaller；　both　in　a　moral　and　a
physical　sense；　I　wished　that　my　curiosity　had　not　prompted　me　to　seek
an　interview　with　yonder　uncanny　being。

Well；　it　was　too　late　to　retreat；　indeed；　Saduko　was　already　standing
before　the　dwarf　and　lifting　his　right　arm　above　his　head　as　he　gave　him
the　salute　of　〃Makosi！〃*　whereon；　feeling　that　something　was　expected　of
me；　I　took　off　my　shabby　cloth　hat　and　bowed；　then；　remembering　my　white
man's　pride；　replaced　it　on　my　head。

＇*〃Makosi〃；　the　plural　of　〃Inkoosi〃；　is　the　salute　given　to　Zulu
wizards；　because　they　are　not　one　but　many；　since　in　them　（as　in　the
possessed　demoniac　in　the　Bible）　dwell　an　unnumbered　horde　of
spirits。EDITOR。＇

The　wizard　suddenly　seemed　to　become　aware　of　our　presence；　for；　ceasing
his　contemplation　of　the　sinking　sun；　he　scanned　us　both　with　his　slow；
thoughtful　eyes；　which　somehow　reminded　me　of　those　of　a　chameleon；
although　they　were　not　prominent；　but；　as　I　have　said；　sunken。

〃Greeting；　son　Saduko！〃　he　said　in　a　deep；　rumbling　voice。　　〃Why　are　you
back　here　so　soon；　and　why　do　you　bring　this　flea　of　a　white　man　with
you？〃

Now　this　was　more　than　I　could　bear；　so　without　waiting　for　my
companion's　answer　I　broke　in：

〃You　give　me　a　poor　name；　O　Zikali。　　What　would　you　think　of　me　if　I
called　you　a　beetle　of　a　wizard？〃

〃I　should　think　you　clever；〃　he　answered　after　reflection；　〃for　after
all　I　must　look　something　like　a　beetle　with　a　white　head。　　But　why
should　you　mind　being　compared　to　a　flea？　　A　flea　works　by　night　and　so
do　you；　Macumazahn；　a　flea　is　active　and　so　are　you；　a　flea　is　very　hard
to　catch　and　kill　and　so　are　you；　and　lastly　a　flea　drinks　its　fill　of
that　which　it　desires；　the　blood　of　man　and　beast；　and　so　you　have　done；
do；　and　will；　Macumazahn；〃　and　he　broke　into　a　great　laugh　that　rolled
and　echoed　about　the　rocky　roof　above。

Once；　long　years　before；　I　had　heard　that　laugh；　when　I　was　a　prisoner
in　Dingaan's　kraal；　after　the　massacre　o