black heart and white heart-第2部分

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to　look　up。　〃Bring　the　stranger　here；〃　he　said。



Hadden　heard　him；　and　coming　forward　offered　Cetywayo　his　hand　in　as

cool　and　nonchalant　a　manner　as　he　could　command。



Somewhat　to　his　surprise　it　was　accepted。　〃At　least；　White　Man；〃　said

the　king；　glancing　at　his　visitor's　tall　spare　form　and　cleanly　cut

face；　〃you　are　no　'/umfagozan/'　（low　fellow）；　you　are　of　the　blood　of

chiefs。〃



〃Yes；　King；〃　answered　Hadden；　with　a　little　sigh；　〃I　am　of　the　blood

of　chiefs。〃



〃What　do　you　want　in　my　country；　White　Man？〃



〃Very　little；　King。　I　have　been　trading　here；　as　I　daresay　you　have

heard；　and　have　sold　all　my　goods。　Now　I　ask　your　leave　to　hunt

buffalo；　and　other　big　game；　for　a　while　before　I　return　to　Natal。〃



〃I　cannot　grant　it；〃　answered　Cetywayo；　〃you　are　a　spy　sent　by

Sompseu；　or　by　the　Queen's　Induna　in　Natal。　Get　you　gone。〃



〃Indeed；〃　said　Hadden；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　〃then　I　hope

that　Sompseu；　or　the　Queen's　Induna；　or　both　of　them；　will　pay　me　when

I　return　to　my　own　country。　Meanwhile　I　will　obey　you　because　I　must；

but　I　should　first　like　to　make　you　a　present。〃



〃What　present？〃　asked　the　king。　〃I　want　no　presents。　We　are　rich　here；

White　Man。〃



〃So　be　it；　King。　It　was　nothing　worthy　of　your　taking；　only　a　rifle。〃



〃A　rifle；　White　Man？　Where　is　it？〃



〃Without。　I　would　have　brought　it；　but　your　servants　told　me　that　it

is　death　to　come　armed　before　the　'Elephant　who　shakes　the　Earth。'〃



Cetywayo　frowned；　for　the　note　of　sarcasm　did　not　escape　his　quick

ear。



〃Let　this　white　man's　offering　be　brought；　I　will　consider　the　thing。〃



Instantly　the　Induna　who　had　accompanied　Hadden　darted　to　the　gateway；

running　with　his　body　bent　so　low　that　it　seemed　as　though　at　every

step　he　must　fall　upon　his　face。　Presently　he　returned　with　the　weapon

in　his　hand　and　presented　it　to　the　king；　holding　it　so　that　the

muzzle　was　pointed　straight　at　the　royal　breast。



〃I　crave　leave　to　say；　O　Elephant；〃　remarked　Hadden　in　a　drawling

voice；　〃that　it　might　be　well　to　command　your　servant　to　lift　the

mouth　of　that　gun　from　your　heart。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　the　king。



〃Only　because　it　is　loaded；　and　at　full　cock；　O　Elephant；　who　probably

desires　to　continue　to　shake　the　Earth。〃



At　these　words　the　〃Elephant〃　uttered　a　sharp　exclamation；　and　rolled

from　his　stool　in　a　most　unkingly　manner；　whilst　the　terrified　Induna；

springing　backwards；　contrived　to　touch　the　trigger　of　the　rifle　and

discharge　a　bullet　through　the　exact　spot　that　a　second　before　had

been　occupied　by　his　monarch's　head。



〃Let　him　be　taken　away；〃　shouted　the　incensed　king　from　the　ground；

but　long　before　the　words　had　passed　his　lips　the　Induna；　with　a　cry

that　the　gun　was　bewitched；　had　cast　it　down　and　fled　at　full　speed

through　the　gate。



〃He　has　already　taken　himself　away；〃　suggested　Hadden；　while　the

audience　tittered。　〃No；　King；　do　not　touch　it　rashly；　it　is　a

repeating　rifle。　Look〃　and　lifting　the　Winchester；　he　fired　the

four　remaining　shots　in　quick　succession　into　the　air；　striking　the

top　of　a　tree　at　which　he　aimed　with　every　one　of　them。



〃/Wow/；　it　is　wonderful！〃　said　the　company　in　astonishment。



〃Has　the　thing　finished？〃　asked　the　king。



〃For　the　present　it　has；〃　answered　Hadden。　〃Look　at　it。〃



Cetywayo　took　the　repeater　in　his　hand；　and　examined　it　with　caution；

swinging　the　muzzle　horizontally　in　an　exact　line　with　the　stomachs　of

some　of　his　most　eminent　Indunas；　who　shrank　to　this　side　and　that　as

the　barrel　was　brought　to　bear　on　them。



〃See　what　cowards　they　are；　White　Man；〃　said　the　king　with

indignation；　〃they　fear　lest　there　should　be　another　bullet　in　this

gun。〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Hadden；　〃they　are　cowards　indeed。　I　believe　that　if

they　were　seated　on　stools　they　would　tumble　off　them　just　as　it

chanced　to　your　Majesty　to　do　just　now。〃



〃Do　you　understand　the　making　of　guns；　White　Man？〃　asked　the　king

hastily；　while　the　Indunas　one　and　all　turned　their　heads；　and

contemplated　the　fence　behind　them。



〃No；　King；　I　cannot　make　guns；　but　I　can　mend　them。〃



〃If　I　paid　you　well；　White　Man；　would　you　stop　here　at　my　kraal；　and

mend　guns　for　me？〃　asked　Cetywayo　anxiously。



〃It　might　depend　on　the　pay；〃　answered　Hadden；　〃but　for　awhile　I　am

tired　of　work；　and　wish　to　rest。　If　the　king　gives　me　the　permission

to　hunt　for　which　I　asked；　and　men　to　go　with　me；　then　when　I　return

perhaps　we　can　bargain　on　the　matter。　If　not；　I　will　bid　the　king

farewell；　and　journey　to　Natal。〃



〃In　order　to　make　report　of　what　he　has　seen　and　learned　here；〃

muttered　Cetywayo。



At　this　moment　the　talk　was　interrupted；　for　the　soldiers　who　had　led

away　the　old　Induna　returned　at　speed；　and　prostrated　themselves

before　the　king。



〃Is　he　dead？〃　he　asked。



〃He　has　travelled　the　king's　bridge；〃　they　answered　grimly；　〃he　died

singing　a　song　of　praise　of　the　king。〃



〃Good；〃　said　Cetywayo；　〃that　stone　shall　hurt　my　feet　no　more。　Go；

tell　the　tale　of　its　casting　away　to　Sompseu　and　to　the　Queen's　Induna

in　Natal；〃　he　added　with　bitter　emphasis。



〃/Baba！/　Hear　our　Father　speak。　Listen　to　the　rumbling　of　the

Elephant；〃　said　the　Indunas　taking　the　point；　while　one　bolder　than

the　rest　added：　〃Soon　we　will　tell　them　another　tale；　the　white

Talking　Ones；　a　red　tale；　a　tale　of　spears；　and　the　regiments　shall

sing　it　in　their　ears。〃



At　the　words　an　enthusiasm　caught　hold　of　the　listeners；　as　the　sudden

flame　catches　hold　of　dry　grass。　They　sprang　up；　for　the　most　of　them

were　seated　on　their　haunches；　and　stamping　their　feet　upon　the　ground

in　unison；　repeated：



　　/Indaba　ibomwuindaba　ye　mikonto

　　Lizo　dunyiswa　nge　impi　ndhlebeni　yaho。/

　　（A　red　tale！　A　red　tale！　A　tale　of　spears；

　　And　the　/impis/　shall　sing　it　in　their　ears。）



One　of　them；　indeed；　a　great　fierce…faced　fellow；　drew　near　to　Hadden

and　shaking　his　fist　before　his　eyesfortunately　being　in　the　royal

presence　he　had　no　assegaishouted　the　sentences　at　him。



The　king　saw　that　the　fire　he　had　lit　was　burning　too　fiercely。



〃Silence；〃　he　thundered　in　the　deep　voice　for　which　he　was　remarkable；

and　instantly　each　man　became　as　if　he　were　turned　to　stone；　only　the

echoes　still　answered　back：　〃And　the　/impis/　shall　sing　it　in　their

earsin　their　ears。〃



〃I　am　growing　certain　that　this　is　no　place　for　me；〃　thought　Hadden；

〃if　that　scoundrel　had　been　armed　he　might　have　temporarily　forgotten

himself。　Hullo！　who's　this？〃



Just　then　there　appeared　through　the　gate　of　the　fence　a　splendid

specimen　of　the　Zulu　race。　The　man；　who　was　about　thirty…five　years　of

age；　was　arrayed　in　a　full　war　dress　of　a　captain　of　the　Umcityu

regiment。　From　the　circlet　of　otter　skin　on　his　brow　rose　his　crest　of

plumes；　round　his　middle；　arms　and　knees　hung　the　long　fringes　of

black　oxtails；　and　in　one　hand　he　bore　a　little　dancing　shield；　also

black　in　colour。　The　other　was　empty；　since　he　might　not　appear　before

the　king　bearing　arms。　In　countenance　the　man　was　handsome；　and　though

just　now　they　betrayed　some　anxiety；　his　eyes　were　genial　and　honest；

and　his　mouth　sensitive。　In　height　he　must　have　measured　six　foot　two

inches；　yet　he　did　not　strike　the　observer　as　being　tall；　perhaps

because　of　his　width　of　chest　and　the　solidity　of　his　limbs；　that　were

in　curious　contrast　to　the　delicate　and　almost　womanish　hands　and　feet

which　so　often　mark　the　Zulu　of　noble　blood。　In　short　the　man　was　what

he　seemed　to　be；　a　savage　gentleman　of　birth；　dignity　and　courage。



In　company　with　him　was　another　man　plainly　dressed　in　a　moocha　and　a

blanket；　whose　grizzled　hair　showed　him　to　be　over　fifty　years　of　age。

His　face　also　was　pleasant　and　even　refined；　but　the　eyes　were

timorous；　and　the　mouth　lacked　character。



〃Who　are　these？〃　asked　the　king。



The　two　men　fell　on　their　knees　before　him；　and　bowed　till　their

foreheads　touched　the　groundthe　while　giving　him　his　/sibonga/　or

titles　of　praise。



〃Speak；〃　he　said　impatiently。



〃O　King；〃　said　the　young　warrior；　seating　himself　Zulu　fashion；　〃I　am

Nahoon；　the　son　of　Zomba；　a　captain　of　the　Umcityu；　and　this　is　my

uncle　Umgona；　the　brother　of　one　of　my　mothers；　my　father's　youngest

wife。〃



Cetywayo　frowned。　〃What　do　you　here　away　from　your　regiment；　Nahoon？〃



〃May　it　please　the　king；　I　have　leave　of　absence　from　the　head

captains；　and　I　come　to　ask　a　boon　of　the　king's　bounty。〃



〃Be　swift；　then；　Nahoon。〃



〃It　is　this；　O　King；〃　said　the　captain　with　some　embarrassment：　〃A

while　ago　the　king　was　pleased　to　make　a　/keshla/　of　me　because　of

certain　service　that　I　did　out　yonder〃　and　he　touched　the　black

ring　which　he　wore　in　the　hair　of　his　head。　〃Being　now　a　ringed　man

and　a　captain；　I　crave　the　right　of　a　man　at　the　hands　of　the　king

the　right　to　marry。〃



〃Right？　Speak　more　humbly；　son　of　Zomba；　my　soldiers　and　my　cattle

have　no　rights。〃



Nahoon　bit　his　lip；　for　he　had　made　a　serious　mistake。



〃Pardon；　O　King。　The　matter　stands　thus：　My　uncle　Umgona　here　has　a

fair　daughter　named　Nanea；　whom　I　desire　to　wife；　and　who　desires　me

to　husband。　Awaiting　the　king's　leave　I　am　betrothed　to　her　and　in

earnest　of　it　I　have　paid　to　Umgona　a　/lobola/　of　fifteen　head　of

cattle；　cows　and　calves　together。　But　Umgona　has　a　powerful　neighbour；

an　old　chief　named　Maputa；　the　warden　of　the　Crocodile　Drift；　who

doubtless　is　known　to　the　king；　and　this　chief　also　seeks　Nanea　in

marriage　and　harries　Umgona；　threatening　him　with　many　evils　if　he

will　not　give　the　girl　to　him。　But　Umgona's　heart　is　white　towards　me；

and　towards　Maputa　it　is　black；　therefore　together　we　come　to　crave

this　boon　of　the　king。〃



〃It　is　so；　he　speaks　the　truth；〃　said　Umgona。



〃Cease；〃　answered　Cetywayo　angrily。　〃Is　this　a　time　that　my　soldiers

should　seek　wives　in　marriage；　wives　to　turn　their　hearts　to　water？

Know　that　but　yesterday　for