child of storm-第46章

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〃Dying！　　What　of；　Tshoza？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered　mysteriously；　〃but　I　think　he　must　be
bewitched。　　For　a　long　while；　a　year　or　more；　he　has　eaten　little　and
cannot　bear　to　be　alone　in　the　dark；　indeed；　ever　since　he　left　Zululand
he　has　been　very　strange　and　moody。〃

Now　I　remembered　what　old　Zikali　had　said　to　me　years　before　to　the
effect　that　Saduko　was　living　with　a　ghost　which　would　kill　him。

〃Does　he　think　much　about　Umbelazi；　Tshoza？〃　I　asked。

〃O　Macumazana；　he　thinks　of　nothing　else；　the　Spirit　of　Umbelazi　is　in
him　day　and　night。〃

〃Indeed；〃　I　said。　　〃Can　I　see　him？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Macumazahn。　　I　will　go　and　ask　the　lady　Nandie　at　once；
for；　if　you　can；　I　believe　there　is　no　time　to　lose。〃　And　he　left　the
hut。

Ten　minutes　later　he　returned　with　a　woman；　Nandie　the　Sweet　herself；
the　same　quiet；　dignified　Nandie　whom　I　used　to　know；　only　now　somewhat
worn　with　trouble　and　looking　older　than　her　years。

〃Greeting；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　pleased　to　see　you；　although　it
is　strange；　very　strange；　that　you　should　come　here　just　at　this　time。　
Saduko　is　leaving　uson　a　long　journey；　Macumazahn。〃

I　answered　that　I　had　heard　so　with　grief；　and　wondered　whether　he　would
like　to　see　me。

〃Yes；　very　much；　Macumazahn；　only　be　prepared　to　find　him　different　from
the　Saduko　whom　you　knew。　　Be　pleased　to　follow　me。〃

So　we　went　out　of　Tshoza's　hut；　across　a　courtyard　to　another　large　hut；
which　we　entered。　　It　was　lit　with　a　good　lamp　of　European　make；　also　a
bright　fire　burned　upon　the　hearth；　so　that　the　place　was　as　light　as
day。　　At　the　side　of　the　hut　a　man　lay　upon　some　blankets；　watched　by　a
woman。　　His　eyes　were　covered　with　his　hand；　and　he　was　moaning：

〃Drive　him　away！　　Drive　him　away！　　Cannot　he　suffer　me　to　die　in　peace？〃

〃Would　you　drive　away　your　old　friend；　Macumazahn；　Saduko？〃　asked　Nandie
very　gently；　〃Macumazahn；　who　has　come　from　far　to　see　you？〃

He　sat　up；　and；　the　blankets　falling　off　him；　showed　me　that　he　was
nothing　but　a　living　skeleton。　　Oh！　how　changed　from　that　lithe　and
handsome　chief　whom　I　used　to　know。　　Moreover；　his　lips　quivered　and　his
eyes　were　full　of　terrors。

〃Is　it　really　you；　Macumazahn？〃　he　said　in　a　weak　voice。　　〃Come；　then；
and　stand　quite　close　to　me；　so　that　he　may　not　get　between　us；〃　and　he
stretched　out　his　bony　hand。

I　took　the　hand；　it　was　icy　cold。

〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　I；　Saduko；〃　I　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　〃and　there　is
no　man　to　get　between　us；　only　the　lady　Nandie；　your　wife；　and　myself
are　in　the　hut；　she　who　watched　you　has　gone。〃

〃Oh；　no；　Macumazahn；　there　is　another　in　the　hut　whom　you　cannot　see。　
There　he　stands；〃　and　he　pointed　towards　the　hearth。　　〃Look！　The　spear
is　through　him　and　his　plume　lies　on　the　ground！〃

〃Through　whom；　Saduko？〃

〃Whom？　　Why；　the　Prince　Umbelazi；　whom　I　betrayed　for　Mameena's　sake。〃

〃Why　do　you　talk　wind；　Saduko？〃　I　asked。　　〃Years　ago　I　saw
Indhlovu…ene…Sihlonti　die。〃

〃Die；　Macumazahn！　　We　do　not　die；　it　is　only　our　flesh　that　dies。　　Yes；
yes；　I　have　learned　that　since　we　parted。　　Do　you　not　remember　his　last
words：　'I　will　haunt　you　while　you　live；　and　when　you　cease　to　live；　ah！
then　we　shall　meet　again'？　　Oh！　from　that　hour　to　this　he　_has_　haunted
me；　Macumazahnhe　and　the　others；　and　now；　now　we　are　about　to　meet　as
he　promised。〃

Then　once　more　he　hid　his　eyes　and　groaned。

〃He　is　mad；〃　I　whispered　to　Nandie。

〃Perhaps。　　Who　knows？〃　she　answered；　shaking　her　head。

Saduko　uncovered　his　eyes。

〃Make　'the…thing…that…burns'　brighter；〃　he　gasped；　〃for　I　do　not
perceive　him　so　clearly　when　it　is　bright。　　Oh！　Macumazahn；　he　is
looking　at　you　and　whispering。　　To　whom　is　he　whispering？　　I　see！　to
Mameena；　who　also　looks　at　you　and　smiles。　　They　are　talking。　　Be
silent。　　I　must　listen。〃

Now；　I　began　to　wish　that　I　were　out　of　that　hut；　for　really　a　little　of
this　uncanny　business　went　a　long　way。　　Indeed；　I　suggested　going；　but
Nandie　would　not　allow　it。

〃Stay　with　me　till　the　end；〃　she　muttered。　　So　I　had　to　stay；　wondering
what　Saduko　heard　Umbelazi　whispering　to　Mameena；　and　on　which　side　of
me　he　saw　her　standing。

He　began　to　wander　in　his　mind。

〃That　was　a　clever　pit　you　dug　for　Bangu；　Macumazahn；　but　you　would　not
take　your　share　of　the　cattle；　so　the　blood　of　the　Amakoba　is　not　on
your　head。　　Ah！　what　a　fight　was　that　which　the　Amawombe　made　at
Endondakusuka。　　You　were　with　them；　you　remember；　Macumazahn；　and　why
was　I　not　at　your　side？　　Oh！　then　we　would　have　swept　away　the　Usutu　as
the　wind　sweeps　ashes。　　Why　was　I　not　at　your　side　to　share　the　glory？　
I　remember　nowbecause　of　the　Daughter　of　Storm。　　She　betrayed　me　for
Umbelazi；　and　I　betrayed　Umbelazi　for　her；　and　now　he　haunts　me；　whose
greatness　I　brought　to　the　dust；　and　the　Usutu　wolf；　Cetewayo；　curls
himself　up　in　his　form　and　grows　fat　on　his　food。　　Andand；　Macumazahn；
it　has　all　been　done　in　vain；　for　Mameena　hates　me。　　Yes；　I　can　read　it
in　her　eyes。　　She　mocks　and　hates　me　worse　in　death　than　she　did　in
life；　and　she　says　thatthat　it　was　not　all　her　faultbecause　she
lovesbecause　she　loves〃

A　look　of　bewilderment　came　upon　his　facehis　poor；　tormented　face；
then　suddenly　Saduko　threw　his　arms　wide；　and　sobbed　in　an
ever…weakening　voice：

〃Allall　done　in　vain！　　Oh！　　_Mameena；　Mameena；　Mameena！_〃　and
fell　back　dead。


〃Saduko　has　gone　away；〃　said　Nandie；　as　she　drew　a　blanket　over　his
face。　　〃But　I　wonder；〃　she　added　with　a　little　hysterical　smile；　〃oh！
how　I　wonder　who　it　was　the　Spirit　of　Mameena　told　him　that　she
lovedMameena；　who　was　born　without　a　heart？〃


I　made　no　answer；　for　at　that　moment　I　heard　a　very　curious　sound；　which
seemed　to　me　to　proceed　from　somewhere　above　the　hut。　　Of　what　did　it
remind　me？　　Ah！　I　knew。　　It　was　like　the　sound　of　the　dreadful　laughter
of　Zikali；　Opener…of…RoadsZikali；　the
〃Thing…that…should…never…have…been…born。〃

Doubtless；　however；　it　was　only　the　cry　of　some　storm…driven　night　bird。
Or　perhaps　it　was　an　hyena　that　laughedan　hyena　that　scented　death。







End