child of storm-第7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！



Once；　long　years　before；　I　had　heard　that　laugh；　when　I　was　a　prisoner
in　Dingaan's　kraal；　after　the　massacre　of　Retief　and　his　company；　and　I
recognised　it　again。

While　I　was　searching　for　some　answer　in　the　same　vein；　and　not　finding
it；　though　I　thought　of　plenty　afterwards；　ceasing　of　a　sudden　from　his
unseemly　mirth；　he　went　on：

〃Do　not　let　us　waste　time　in　jests；　for　it　is　a　precious　thing；　and
there　is　but　little　of　it　left　for　any　one　of　us。　　Your　business；　son
Saduko？〃

〃Baba！〃　（that　is　the　Zulu　for　father）；　said　Saduko；　〃this　white　Inkoosi；
for；　as　you　know　well　enough；　he　is　a　chief　by　nature；　a　man　of　a　great
heart　and　doubtless　of　high　blood　＇this；　I　believe；　is　true；　for　I　have
been　told　that　my　ancestors　were　more　or　less　distinguished；　although；
if　this　is　so；　their　talents　did　not　lie　in　the　direction　of
money…making＇；　has　offered　to　take　me　upon　a　shooting　expedition　and　to
give　me　a　good　gun　with　two　mouths　in　payment　of　my　services。　　But　I
told　him　I　could　not　engage　in　any　fresh　venture　without　your　leave；
andhe　is　come　to　see　whether　you　will　grant　it；　my　father。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　the　dwarf；　nodding　his　great　head。　　〃This　clever
white　man　has　taken　the　trouble　of　a　long　walk　in　the　sun　to　come　here
to　ask　me　whether　he　may　be　allowed　the　privilege　of　presenting　you　with
a　weapon　of　great　value　in　return　for　a　service　that　any　man　of　your
years　in　Zululand　would　love　to　give　for　nothing　in　such　company？

〃Son　Saduko；　because　my　eye…holes　are　hollow；　do　you　think　it　your　part
to　try　to　fill　them　up　with　dust？　　Nay；　the　white　man　has　come　because
he　desires　to　see　him　who　is　named　Opener…of…Roads；　of　whom　he　heard　a
great　deal　when　he　was　but　a　lad；　and　to　judge　whether　in　truth　he　has
wisdom；　or　is　but　a　common　cheat。　　And　you　have　come　to　learn　whether　or
no　your　friendship　with　him　will　be　fortunate；　whether　or　no　he　will　aid
you　in　a　certain　enterprise　that　you　have　in　your　mind。〃

〃True；　O　Zikali；〃　I　said。　　〃That　is　so　far　as　I　am　concerned。〃

But　Saduko　answered　nothing。

〃Well；〃　went　on　the　dwarf；　〃since　I　am　in　the　mood　I　will　try　to　answer
both　your　questions；　for　I　should　be　a　poor　Nyanga〃　＇that　is　doctor＇　〃if
I　did　not　when　you　have　travelled　so　far　to　ask　them。　　Moreover；　O
Macumazana；　be　happy；　for　I　seek　no　fee　who；　having　made　such　fortune　as
I　need　long　ago；　before　your　father　was　born　across　the　Black　Water；
Macumazahn；　no　longer　work　for　a　rewardunless　it　be　from　the　hand　of
one　of　the　House　of　Senzangakonaand　therefore；　as　you　may　guess；　work
but　seldom。〃

Then　he　clapped　his　hands；　and　a　servant　appeared　from　somewhere　behind
the　hut；　one　of　those　fierce…looking　men　who　had　stopped　us　at　the　gate。
　He　saluted　the　dwarf　and　stood　before　him　in　silence　and　with　bowed
head。

〃Make　two　fires；〃　said　Zikali；　〃and　give　me　my　medicine。〃

The　man　fetched　wood；　which　he　built　into　two　little　piles　in　front　of
Zikali。　　These　piles　he　fired　with　a　brand　brought　from　behind　the　hut。　
Then　he　handed　his　master　a　catskin　bag。

〃Withdraw；〃　said　Zikali；　〃and　return　no　more　till　I　summon　you；　for　I　am
about　to　prophesy。　　If；　however；　I　should　seem　to　die；　bury　me　to…morrow
in　the　place　you　know　of　and　give　this　white　man　a　safe…conduct　from　my
kraal。〃

The　man　saluted　again　and　went　without　a　word。

When　he　had　gone　the　dwarf　drew　from　the　bag　a　bundle　of　twisted　roots；
also　some　pebbles；　from　which　he　selected　two；　one　white　and　the　other
black。

〃Into　this　stone；〃　he　said；　holding　up　the　white　pebble　so　that　the
light　from　the　fire　shone　on　itsince；　save　for　the　lingering　red　glow；
it　was　now　growing　dark〃into　this　stone　I　am　about　to　draw　your
spirit；　O　Macumazana；　and　into　this　one〃and　he　held　up　the　black
pebble〃yours；　O　Son　of　Matiwane。　　Why　do　you　look　frightened；　O　brave
White　Man；　who　keep　saying　in　your　heart；　'He　is　nothing　but　an　ugly　old
Kafir　cheat'？　　If　I　am　a　cheat；　why　do　you　look　frightened？　　Is　your
spirit　already　in　your　throat；　and　does　it　choke　you；　as　this　little
stone　might　do　if　you　tried　to　swallow　it？〃　and　he　burst　into　one　of　his
great；　uncanny　laughs。

I　tried　to　protest　that　I　was　not　in　the　least　frightened；　but　failed；
for；　in　fact；　I　suppose　my　nerves　were　acted　on　by　his　suggestion；　and　I
did　feel　exactly　as　though　that　stone　were　in　my　throat；　only　coming
upwards；　not　going　downwards。　　〃Hysteria；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃the
result　of　being　overtired；〃　and　as　I　could　not　speak；　sat　still　as
though　I　treated　his　gibes　with　silent　contempt。

〃Now；〃　went　on　the　dwarf；　〃perhaps　I　shall　seem　to　die；　and　if　so　do　not
touch　me　lest　you　should　really　die。　　Wait　till　I　wake　up　again　and　tell
you　what　your　spirits　have　told　me。　　Or　if　I　do　not　wake　upfor　a　time
must　come　when　I　shall　go　on　sleepingwellfor　as　long　as　I　have
livedafter　the　fires　are　quite　out；　not　before；　lay　your　hands　upon　my
breast；　and　if　you　find　me　turning　cold；　get　you　gone　to　some　other
Nyanga　as　fast　as　the　spirits　of　this　place　will　let　you；　O　ye　who　would
peep　into　the　future。〃

As　he　spoke　he　threw　a　big　handful　of　the　roots　that　I　have　mentioned　on
to　each　of　the　fires；　whereon　tall　flames　leapt　up　from　them；　very
unholy…looking　flames　which　were　followed　by　columns　of　dense；　white
smoke　that　emitted　a　most　powerful　and　choking　odour　quite　unlike
anything　that　I　had　ever　smelt　before。　　It　seemed　to　penetrate　all
through　me；　and　that　accursed　stone　in　my　throat　grew　as　large　as　an
apple　and　felt　as　though　someone　were　poking　it　upwards　with　a　stick。

Next　he　threw　the　white　pebble　into　the　right…hand　fire；　that　which　was
opposite　to　me；　saying：

〃Enter；　Macumazahn；　and　look；〃　and　the　black　pebble　he　threw　into　the
left…hand　fire　saying：　〃Enter；　Son　of　Matiwane；　and　look。　　Then　come
back　both　of　you　and　make　report　to　me；　your　master。〃

Now　it　is　a　fact　that　as　he　said　these　words　I　experienced　a　sensation
as　though　a　stone　had　come　out　of　my　throat；　so　readily　do　our　nerves
deceive　us　that　I　even　thought　it　grated　against　my　teeth　as　I　opened　my
mouth　to　give　it　passage。　　At　any　rate　the　choking　was　gone；　only　now　I
felt　as　though　I　were　quite　empty　and　floating　on　air；　as　though　I　were
not　I；　in　short；　but　a　mere　shell　of　a　thing；　all　of　which　doubtless　was
caused　by　the　stench　of　those　burning　roots。　　Still　I　could　look　and
take　note；　for　I　distinctly　saw　Zikali　thrust　his　huge　head；　first　into
the　smoke　of　what　I　will　call　my　fire；　next　into　that　of　Saduko's　fire；
and　then　lean　back；　blowing　the　stuff　in　clouds　from　his　mouth　and
nostrils。　　Afterwards　I　saw　him　roll　over　on　to　his　side　and　lie　quite
still　with　his　arms　outstretched；　indeed；　I　noticed　that　one　of　his
fingers　seemed　to　be　in　the　left…hand　fire　and　reflected　that　it　would
be　burnt　off。　　In　this；　however；　I　must　have　been　mistaken；　since　I
observed　subsequently　that　it　was　not　even　scorched。

Thus　Zikali　lay　for　a　long　while　till　I　began　to　wonder　whether　he　were
not　really　dead。　　Dead　enough　he　seemed　to　be；　for　no　corpse　could　have
stayed　more　stirless。　　But　that　night　I　could　not　keep　my　thoughts　fixed
on　Zikali　or　anything。　　I　merely　noted　these　circumstances　in　a
mechanical　way；　as　might　one　with　whom　they　had　nothing　whatsoever　to
do。　　They　did　not　interest　me　at　all；　for　there　appeared　to　be　nothing
in　me　to　be　interested；　as　I　gathered　according　to　Zikali；　because　I　was
not　there；　but　in　a　warmer　place　than　I　hope　ever　to　occupy；　namely；　in
the　stone　in　that　unpleasant…looking；　little　right…hand　fire。

So　matters　went　as　they　might　in　a　dream。　　The　sun　had　sunk　completely；
not　even　an　after…glow　was　left。　　The　only　light　remaining　was　that　from
the　smouldering　fires；　which　just　sufficed　to　illumine　the　bulk　of
Zikali；　lying　on　his　side；　his　squat　shape　looking　like　that　of　a　dead
hippopotamus　calf。　　What　was　left　of　my　consciousness　grew　heartily　sick
of　the　whole　affair；　I　was　tired　of　being　so　empty。

At　length　the　dwarf　stirred。　　He　sat　up；　yawned；　sneezed；　shook　himself；
and　began　to　rake　among　the　burning　embers　of　my　fire　with　his　naked
hand。　　Presently　he　found　the　white　stone；　which　was　now　red…hotat　any
rate　it　glowed　as　though　it　wereand　after　examining　it　for　a　moment
finally　popped　it　into　his　mouth！　　Then　he　hunted　in　the　other　fire　for
the　black　stone；　which　he　treated　in　a　similar　fashion。　　The　next　thing
I　remember　was　that　the　fires；　which　had　died　away　almost　to　nothing；
were　burning　very　brightly　again；　I　suppose　because　someone　had　put　fuel
on　them；　and　Zikali　was　speaking。

〃Come　here；　O　Macumazana　and　O　Son　of　Matiwane；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will
repeat　to　you　what　your　spirits　have　been　telling　me。〃

We　drew　near　into　the　light　of　the　fires；　which　for　some　reason　or　other
was　extremely　vivid。　　Then　he　spat　the　white　stone　from　his　mouth　into
his　big　hand；　and　I　saw　that　now　it　was　covered　with　lines　and　patches
like　a　bird's　egg。

〃You　cannot　read　the　signs？〃　he　said；　holding　it　towards　me；　and　when　I
shook　my　head　went　on：　〃Well；　I　can；　as　you　white　men　read　a　book。　　All
your　history　is　written　here；　Macumazahn；　but　there　is　no　need　to　tell
you　that；　since　you　know　it；　as　I　do　well　enough；　having　learned　it　in
other　days；　the　days　of　Dingaan；　Macumazahn。