child of storm-第14部分

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！


that　shows　me　things。　　I　can　be　great；　and　I　long　for　greatness。　　Take
me　to　wife；　Macumazahn；　and　I　swear　to　you　that　in　ten　years　I　will　make
you　king　of　the　Zulus。　　Forget　your　pale　white　women　and　wed　yourself　to
that　fire　which　burns　in　me；　and　it　shall　eat　up　all　that　stands　between
you　and　the　Crown；　as　flame　eats　up　dry　grass。　　More；　I　will　make　you
happy。　　If　you　choose　to　take　other　wives；　I　will　not　be　jealous；
because　I　know　that　I　should　hold　your　spirit；　and　that；　compared　to　me；
they　would　be　nothing　in　your　thought〃

〃But；　Mameena；〃　I　broke　in；　〃I　don't　want　to　be　king　of　the　Zulus。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　you　do；　for　every　man　wants　power；　and　it　is　better　to
rule　over　a　brave；　black　peoplethousands　and　thousands　of　themthan
to　be　no　one　among　the　whites。　　Think；　think！　　There　is　wealth　in　the
land。　　By　your　skill　and　knowledge　the　amabuto　＇regiments＇　could　be
improved；　with　the　wealth　you　would　arm　them　with　gunsyes；　and
'by…and…byes'　also　with　the　throat　of　thunder〃　（that　is；　or　was；　the
Kafir　name　for　cannon）。*　　〃They　would　be　invincible。　　Chaka's　kingdom
would　be　nothing　to　ours；　for　a　hundred　thousand　warriors　would　sleep　on
their　spears；　waiting　for　your　word。　　If　you　wished　it　even　you　could
sweep　out　Natal　and　make　the　whites　there　your　subjects；　too。　　Or
perhaps　it　would　be　safer　to　let　them　be；　lest　others　should　come　across
the　green　water　to　help　them；　and　to　strike　northwards；　where　I　am　told
there　are　great　lands　as　rich　and　fair；　in　which　none　would　dispute　our
sovereignty〃

＇*Cannon　were　called　〃by…and…byes〃　by　the　natives；　because　when
field…pieces　first　arrived　in　Natal　inquisitive　Kafirs　pestered　the
soldiers　to　show　them　how　they　were　fired。　　　The　answer　given　was　always
〃By…and…bye！〃　　Hence　the　name。EDITOR＇

〃But；　Mameena；〃　I　gasped；　for　this　girl's　titanic　ambition　literally
overwhelmed　me；　〃surely　you　are　mad！　　How　would　you　do　all　these
things？〃

〃I　am　not　mad；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　only　what　is　called　great；　and　you
know　well　enough　that　I　can　do　them；　not　by　myself；　who　am　but　a　woman
and　tied　with　the　ropes　that　bind　women；　but　with　you　to　cut　those　ropes
and　help　me。　　I　have　a　plan　which　will　not　fail。　　But；　Macumazahn；〃　she
added　in　a　changed　voice；　〃until　I　know　that　you　will　be　my　partner　in
it　I　will　not　tell　it　even　to　you；　for　perhaps　you　might　talkin　your
sleep；　and　then　the　fire　in　my　breast　would　soon　go　outfor　ever。〃

〃I　might　talk　now；　for　the　matter　of　that；　Mameena。〃

〃No；　for　men　like　you　do　not　tell　tales　of　foolish　girls　who　chance　to
love　them。　　But　if　that　plan　began　to　work；　and　you　heard　say　that　kings
or　princes　died；　it　might　be　otherwise。　　You　might　say；　'I　think　I　know
where　the　witch　lives　who　causes　these　evils'in　your　sleep；
Macumazahn。〃

〃Mameena；〃　I　said；　〃tell　me　no　more。　　Setting　your　dreams　on　one　side；
can　I　be　false　to　my　friend；　Saduko；　who　talks　to　me　day　and　night　of
you？〃

〃Saduko！　　Piff！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　that　expressive　gesture　of　her
hand。

〃And　can　I　be　false；〃　I　continued；　seeing　that　Saduko　was　no　good　card
to　play；　〃to　my　friend；　Umbezi；　your　father？〃

〃My　father！　〃　she　laughed。　　〃Why；　would　it　not　please　him　to　grow　great
in　your　shadow？　　Only　yesterday　he　told　me　to　marry　you；　if　I　could；　for
then　he　would　find　a　stick　indeed　to　lean　on；　and　be　rid　of　Saduko's
troubling。〃

Evidently　Umbezi　was　a　worse　card　even　than　Saduko；　so　I　played　another。

〃And　can　I　help　you；　Mameena；　to　tread　a　road　that　at　the　best　must　be
red　with　blood？〃

〃Why　not；〃　she　asked；　〃since　with　or　without　you　I　am　destined　to　tread
that　road；　the　only　difference　being　that　with　you　it　will　lead　to　glory
and　without　you　perhaps　to　the　jackals　and　the　vultures？　　Blood！　　Piff！　
What　is　blood　in　Zululand？〃

This　card　also　having　failed；　I　tabled　my　last。

〃Glory　or　no　glory；　I　do　not　wish　to　share　it；　Mameena。　　I　will　not　make
war　among　a　people　who　have　entertained　me　hospitably；　or　plot　the
downfall　of　their　Great　Ones。　　As　you　told　me　just　now；　I　am
nobodyjust　one　grain　of　sand　upon　a　white　shorebut　I　had　rather　be
that　than　a　haunted　rock　which　draws　the　heavens'　lightnings　and　is
drenched　with　sacrifice。　　I　seek　no　throne　over　white　or　black；　Mameena；
who　walk　my　own　path　to　a　quiet　grave　that　shall　perhaps　not　be　without
honour　of　its　own；　though　other　than　you　seek。　　I　will　keep　your
counsel；　Mameena；　but；　because　you　are　so　beautiful　and　so　wise；　and
because　you　say　you　are　fond　of　mefor　which　I　thank　youI　pray　you
put　away　these　fearful　dreams　of　yours　that　in　the　end；　whether　they
succeed　or　fail；　will　send　you　shivering　from　the　world　to　give　account
of　them　to　the　Watcher…on…high。〃

〃Not　so；　O　Macumazana；〃　she　said；　with　a　proud　little　laugh。　　〃When　your
Watcher　sowed　my　seedif　thus　he　didhe　sowed　the　dreams　that　are　a
part　of　me　also；　and　I　shall　only　bring　him　back　his　own；　with　the
flower　and　the　fruit　by　way　of　interest。　　But　that　is　finished。　　You
refuse　the　greatness。　　Now；　tell　me；　if　I　sink　those　dreams　in　a　great
water；　tying　about　them　the　stone　of　forgetfulness　and　saying：　'Sleep
there；　O　dreams；　it　is　not　your　hour'if　I　do　this；　and　stand　before
you　just　a　woman　who　loves　and　who　swears　by　the　spirits　of　her　fathers
never　to　think　or　do　that　which　has　not　your　blessingwill　you　love　me
a　little；　Macumazahn？〃

Now　I　was　silent；　for　she　had　driven　me　to　the　last　ditch；　and　I　knew
not　what　to　say。　　Moreover；　I　will　confess　my　weaknessI　was　strangely
moved。　　This　beautiful　girl　with　the　〃fire　in　her　heart；〃　this　woman　who
was　different　from　all　other　women　that　I　had　ever　known；　seemed　to　have
twisted　her　slender　fingers　into　my　heart…strings　and　to　be　drawing　me
towards　her。　　It　was　a　great　temptation；　and　I　bethought　me　of　old
Zikali's　saying　in　the　Black　Kloof；　and　seemed　to　hear　his　giant　laugh。

She　glided　up　to　me；　she　threw　her　arms　about　me　and　kissed　me　on　the
lips；　and　I　think　I　kissed　her　back；　but　really　I　am　not　sure　what　I　did
or　said；　for　my　head　swam。　　When　it　cleared　again　she　was　standing　in
front　of　me；　looking　at　me　reflectively。

〃Now；　Macumazahn；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　smile　that　both　mocked　and
dazzled；　〃the　poor　black　girl　has　you；　the　wise；　experienced　white　man；
in　her　net；　and　I　will　show　you　that　she　can　be　generous。　　Do　you　think
that　I　do　not　read　your　heart；　that　I　do　not　know　that　you　believe　I　am
dragging　you　down　to　shame　and　ruin？　　Well；　I　spare　you；　Macumazahn；
since　you　have　kissed　me　and　spoken　words　which　already　you　may　have
forgotten；　but　which　I　do　not　forget。　　Go　your　road；　Macumazahn；　and　I
go　mine；　since　the　proud　white　man　shall　not　be　stained　with　my　black
touch。　　Go　your　road；　but　one　thing　I　forbid　youto　believe　that　you
have　been　listening　to　lies；　and　that　I　have　merely　played　off　a　woman's
arts　upon　you　for　my　own　ends。　　I　love　you；　Macumazahn；　as　you　will
never　be　loved　till　you　die；　and　I　shall　never　love　any　other　man；
however　many　I　may　marry。　　Moreover；　you　shall　promise　me　one
thingthat　once　in　my　life；　and　once　only；　if　I　wish　it；　you　shall　kiss
me　again　before　all　men。　　And　now；　lest　you　should　be　moved　to　folly　and
forget　your　white　man's　pride；　I　bid　you　farewell；　O　Macumazana。　　When
we　meet　again　it　will　be　as　friends　only。〃

Then　she　went；　leaving　me　feeling　smaller　than　ever　I　felt　in　my　life；
before　or　sinceeven　smaller　than　when　I　walked　into　the　presence　of
old　Zikali　the　Wise。　　Why；　I　wondered；　had　she　first　made　a　fool　of　me；
and　then　thrown　away　the　fruits　of　my　folly？　　To　this　hour　I　cannot
quite　answer　the　question；　though　I　believe　the　explanation　to　be　that
she　did　really　care　for　me；　and　was　anxious　not　to　involve　me　in　trouble
and　her　plottings；　also　she　may　have　been　wise　enough　to　see　that　our
natures　were　as　oil　and　water　and　would　never　blend。



CHAPTER　V




TWO　BUCKS　AND　THE　DOE





It　may　be　thought　that；　as　a　sequel　to　this　somewhat　remarkable　scene　in
which　I　was　absolutely　bowled　overperhaps　bowled　out　would　be　a　better
termby　a　Kafir　girl　who；　after　bending　me　to　her　will；　had　the　genius
to　drop　me　before　I　repented；　as　she　knew　I　would　do　so　soon　as　her　back
was　turned；　thereby　making　me　look　the　worst　of　fools；　that　my　relations
with　that　young　lady　would　have　been　strained。　　But　not　a　bit　of　it。　
When　next　we　met；　which　was　on　the　following　morning；　she　was　just　her
easy；　natural　self；　attending　to　my　hurts；　which　by　now　were　almost
well；　joking　about　this　and　that；　inquiring　as　to　the　contents　of
certain　letters　which　I　had　received　from　Natal；　and　of　some　newspapers
that　came　with　themfor　on　all　such　matters　she　was　very　curiousand
so　forth。

Impossible；　the　clever　critic　will　sayimpossible　that　a　savage　could
act　with　such　finish。　　Well；　friend　critic；　that　is　just　where　you　are
wrong。　　When　you　come　to　add　it　up　there's　very　little　difference　in　all
main　and　essential　matters　between　the　savage　and　yourself。

To　begin　with；　by　what　exact　right　do　we　call　people　like　the　Zulus
savages？　　Setting　aside　the　habit　of　polygamy；　which；　after　all；　is
common　among　very　highly　civilised　peoples　in　the　East；　they　have　a
social　system　not　unlike　our　own。　　They　have；　or　had；　their　king；　their
nobles；　and　their　commons。　　They　have　an　ancient　and　elaborate　law；　and
a　system　of　morality　in　some　ways　as　high　as　our　own；　and　certainly　more
generally　obeyed。　　They　have　their　priests　and　their　doctors；　they　are
strictly　upright；　and　observe　the　rites　of　hospitality。

Where　they　differ　from　us　mainly　is　that　they　do　not　get　drunk　until　the
white　man　teaches　them　so　to　do；　they　wear　less　clothing；　the　climate
being　more　genial；　their　towns　at　night　are　not　disgraced　by　the　sights
that　distinguish　ours；　they　cherish　and　are　never　cruel　to　their
children；　although　they　may　occasionally　put　a　deformed　infant　or　a　twin
out　of　the　way；　and　when　they　go　to　war；　which　is　often；　they　carry　out
the　business　with　a　terrible　thoroughness；　almost　as　terrible　as　that
which　prevailed　in　every　nation　in　Europe　a　few　generations　ago。

Of　course；　there　remain　their　witchcraft　and　the　cruelties　which　result
from　their　almost　universal　belief　in　the　power　and　efficiency　of　magic。
　Well；　since　I　lived　in　England　I　have　been