child of storm-第14章
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wished to be off to civilisation and its delights。 Just as the
operation was beginning; however; a message came to me from old Umbezi;
who begged me to delay my departure till after noon; as a friend of his;
a big chief; had come to visit him who wished much to have the honour of
making my acquaintance。 Now; I wished the big chief farther off; but;
as it seemed rude to refuse the request of one who had been so kind to
me; I ordered the oxen to be unyoked but kept at hand; and in an
irritable frame of mind walked up to the kraal。 This was about half a
mile from my place of outspan; for as soon as I was sufficiently
recovered I had begun to sleep in my wagon; leaving the big hut to the
〃Worn…out…Old…Cow。〃
There was no particular reason why I should be irritated; since time in
those days was of no great account in Zululand; and it did not much
matter to me whether I trekked in the morning or the afternoon。 But the
fact was that I could not get over the prophecy of Zikali; 〃the Little
and Wise;〃 that I was destined to share Saduko's expedition against
Bangu; and; although he had been right about the buffalo and Mameena; I
was determined to prove him wrong in this particular。
If I had left the country; obviously I could not go against Bangu; at
any rate at present。 But while I remained in it Saduko might return at
any moment; and then; doubtless; I should find it hard to escape from
the kind of half…promise that I had given to him。
Well; as soon as I reached the kraal I saw that some kind of festivity
was in progress; for an ox had been killed and was being cooked; some of
it in pots and some by roasting; also there were several strange Zulus
present。 Within the fence of the kraal; seated in its shadow; I found
Umbezi and some of his headmen; and with them a great; brawny 〃ringed〃
native; who wore a tiger…skin moocha as a mark of rank; and some of
_his_ headmen。 Also Mameena was standing near the gate; dressed in her
best beads and holding a gourd of Kafir beer which; evidently; she had
just been handing to the guests。
〃Would you have run away without saying good…bye to me; Macumazahn?〃 she
whispered to me as I came abreast of her。 〃That is unkind of you; and I
should have wept much。 However; it was not so fated。〃
〃I was going to ride up and bid farewell when the oxen were inspanned;〃
I answered。 〃But who is that man?〃
〃You will find out presently; Macumazahn。 Look; my father is beckoning
to us。〃
So I went on to the circle; and as I advanced Umbezi rose and; taking me
by the hand; led me to the big man; saying:
〃This is Masapo; chief of the Amansomi; of the Quabe race; who desires
to know you; Macumazahn。〃
〃Very kind of him; I am sure;〃 I replied coolly; as I threw my eye over
Masapo。 He was; as I have said; a big man; and of about fifty years of
age; for his hair was tinged with grey。 To be frank; I took a great
dislike to him at once; for there was something in his strong; coarse
face; and his air of insolent pride; which repelled me。 Then I was
silent; since among the Zulus; when two strangers of more or less equal
rank meet; he who speaks first acknowledges inferiority to the other。
Therefore I stood and contemplated this new suitor of Mameena; waiting
on events。
Masapo also contemplated me; then made some remark to one of his
attendants; that I did not catch; which caused the fellow to laugh。
〃He has heard that you are an ipisi〃 (a great hunter); broke in Umbezi;
who evidently felt that the situation was growing strained; and that it
was necessary to say something。
〃Has he?〃 I answered。 〃Then he is more fortunate than I am; for I have
never heard of him or what he is。〃 This; I am sorry to say; was a fib;
for it will be remembered that Mameena had mentioned him in the hut as
one of her suitors; but among natives one must keep up one's dignity
somehow。 〃Friend Umbezi;〃 I went on; 〃I have come to bid you farewell;
as I am about to trek for Durban。〃
At this juncture Masapo stretched out his great hand to me; but without
rising; and said:
〃Siyakubona 'that is; good…day'; White Man。〃
〃Siyakubona; Black Man;〃 I answered; just touching his fingers; while
Mameena; who had come up again with her beer; and was facing me; made a
little grimace and tittered。
Now I turned on my heel to go; whereon Masapo said in a coarse; growling
voice:
〃O Macumazana; before you leave us I wish to speak with you on a certain
matter。 Will it please you to sit aside with me for a while?〃
〃Certainly; O Masapo。〃 And I walked away a few yards out of hearing;
whither he followed me。
〃Macumazahn;〃 he said (I give the gist of his remarks; for he did not
come to the point at once); 〃I need guns; and I am told that you can
provide them; being a trader。〃
〃Yes; Masapo; I dare say that I can; at a price; though it is a risky
business smuggling guns into Zululand。 But might I ask what you need
them for? is it to shoot elephants?〃
〃Yes; to shoot elephants;〃 he replied; rolling his big eyes round him。
〃Macumazahn; I am told that you are discreet; that you do not shout from
the top of a hut what you hear within it。 Now; hearken to me。 Our
country is disturbed; we do not all of us love the seed of Senzangakona;
of whom the present king; Panda; is one。 For instance; you may know
that we Quabiesfor my tribe; the Amansomi; are of that racesuffered
at the spear of Chaka。 Well; we think that a time may come when we who
live on shrubs like goats may again browse on tree…tops like giraffes;
for Panda is no strong king; and he has sons who hate each other; one of
whom may need our spears。 Do you understand?〃
〃I understand that you want guns; O Masapo;〃 I answered dryly。 〃Now; as
to the price and place of delivery。〃
Then we bargained for a while; but the details of that business
transaction of long ago will interest no one。 Indeed; I only mention
the matter to show that Masapo was plotting to bring trouble on the
ruling house; whereof Panda was the representative at that time。
When we had concluded our rather nefarious negotiations; which were to
the effect that I was to receive so many cattle in return for so many
guns; if I could deliver them at a certain spot; namely; Umbezi's kraal;
I returned to the circle where Umbezi; his followers and guests were
sitting; purposing to bid him farewell。 By now; however; meat had been
served; and as I was hungry; having had little breakfast that morning; I
stayed to eat。 When I had finished my meal; and washed it down with a
draught of tshwala (that is; Kafir beer); I rose to go; but just at that
moment who should walk through the gate but Saduko?
〃Piff!〃 said Mameena; who was standing near me; speaking in a voice that
none but I could hear。 〃When two bucks meet; what happens; Macumazahn?〃
〃Sometimes they fight and sometimes one runs away。 It depends very much
on the doe;〃 I answered in the same low voice; looking at her。
She shrugged her shoulders; folded her arms beneath her breast; nodded
to Saduko as he passed; then leaned gracefully against the fence and
awaited events。
〃Greeting; Umbezi;〃 said Saduko in his proud manner。 〃I see that you
feast。 Am I welcome here?〃
〃Of course you are always welcome; Saduko;〃 replied Umbezi uneasily;
〃although; as it happens; I am entertaining a great man。〃 And he looked
towards Masapo。
〃I see;〃 said Saduko; eyeing the strangers。 〃But which of these may be
the great man? I ask that I may salute him。〃
〃You know well enough; umfokazana〃 (that is; low fellow); exclaimed
Masapo angrily。
〃I know that if you were outside this fence; Masapo; I would cram that
word down your throat at the point of my assegai;〃 replied Saduko in a
fierce voice。 〃Oh; I can guess your business here; Masapo; and you can
guess mine;〃 and he glanced towards Mameena。 〃Tell me; Umbezi; is this
little chief of the Amansomi your daughter's accepted suitor?〃
〃Nay; nay; Saduko;〃 said Umbezi; 〃no one is her accepted suitor。 Will
you not sit down and take food with us? Tell us where you have been;
and why you return here thus suddenly; anduninvited?〃
〃I return here; O Umbezi; to speak with the white chief; Macumazahn。 As
to where I have been; that is my affair; and not yours or Masapo's。〃
〃Now; if I were chief of this kraal;〃 said Masapo; 〃I would hunt out of
it this hyena with a mangy coat and without a hole who comes to devour
your meat and; perhaps;〃 he added with meaning; 〃to steal away your
child。〃
〃Did I not tell you; Macumazahn; that when two bucks met they would
fight?〃 whispered Mameena suavely into my ear。
〃Yes; Mameena; you didor rather I told you。 But you did not tell me
what the doe would do。〃
〃The doe; Macumazahn; will crouch in her form and see what happensas
is the fashion of does;〃 and again she laughed softly。
〃Why not do your own hunting; Masapo?〃 asked Saduko。 〃Come; now; I will
promise you good sport。 Outside this kraal there are other hyenas
waiting who call me chiefa hundred or two of themassembled for a
certain purpose by the royal leave of King Panda; whose House; as we all
know; you hate。 Come; leave that beef and beer and begin your hunting
of hyenas; O Masapo。〃
Now Masapo sat silent; for he saw that he who thought to snare a baboon
had caught a tiger。
〃You do not speak; O Chief of the little Amansomi;〃 went on Saduko; who
was beside himself with rage and jealousy。 〃You will not leave your
beef and beer to hunt the hyenas who are captained by an umfokazana!
Well; then; the umfokazana will speak;〃 and; stepping up to Masapo; with
the spear he carried poised in his right hand; Saduko grasped his
rival's short beard with his left。
〃Listen; Chief;〃 he said。 〃You and I are enemies。 You seek the woman I
seek; and; mayhap; being rich; you will buy her。 But if so; I tell you
that I will kill you and all your House; you sneaking; half…bred dog!〃
With these fierce words he spat in his face and tumbled him backwards。
Then; before anyone could stop him; for Umbezi; and even Masapo's
headmen; seemed paralysed with surprise; he stalked through the kraal
gate; saying as he passed me:
〃Inkoosi; I have words for you when you are at liberty。〃
〃You shall pay for this;〃 roared Umbezi after him; turning almost green
with rage; for Masapo still lay upon his broad back; speechless; 〃you
who dare to insult my guest in my own house。〃
〃Somebody must pay;〃 cried back Saduko from the gate; 〃but who it is
only the unborn moons will see。〃
〃Mameena;〃 I said as I followed him; 〃you have set fire to the grass;
and men will be burned in it。〃
〃I meant to; Macumazahn;〃 she answered calmly。 〃Did I not tell you that
there was a flame in me; and it will break out sometimes? But;
Macumazahn; it is you who have set fire to the grass; not I。 Remember
that when half Zululand is in ashes。 Farewell; O Macumazana; till we
meet again; and;〃 she added softly; 〃whoever else must burn; may the
spirits have _you_ in their keeping。〃
At the gate; remembering my manners; I turned to bid that company a
polite farewell。 By now Masapo had gained his feet; and was roaring out
like a bull:
〃Kill him! Kill the hyena! Umbezi; will you sit still and see me; your
gu