black heart and white heart-第3部分

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

Know　that　but　yesterday　for　this　crime　I　commanded　that　twenty　girls

who　had　dared　without　my　leave　to　marry　men　of　the　Undi　regiment；

should　be　strangled　and　their　bodies　laid　upon　the　cross…roads　and

with　them　the　bodies　of　their　fathers；　that　all　might　know　their　sin

and　be　warned　thereby。　Ay；　Umgona；　it　is　well　for　you　and　for　your

daughter　that　you　sought　my　word　before　she　was　given　in　marriage　to

this　man。　Now　this　is　my　award：　I　refuse　your　prayer；　Nahoon；　and

since　you；　Umgona；　are　troubled　with　one　whom　you　would　not　take　as

son…in…law；　the　old　chief　Maputa；　I　will　free　you　from　his

importunity。　The　girl；　says　Nahoon；　is　fairgood；　I　myself　will　be

gracious　to　her；　and　she　shall　be　numbered　among　the　wives　of　the

royal　house。　Within　thirty　days　from　now；　in　the　week　of　the　next　new

moon；　let　her　be　delivered　to　the　/Sigodhla/；　the　royal　house　of　the

women；　and　with　her　those　cattle；　the　cows　and　the　calves　together；

that　Nahoon　has　given　you；　of　which　I　fine　him　because　he　has　dared　to

think　of　marriage　without　the　leave　of　the　king。〃







CHAPTER　II



THE　BEE　PROPHESIES



〃'A　Daniel　come　to　judgment'　indeed；〃　reflected　Hadden；　who　had　been

watching　this　savage　comedy　with　interest；　〃our　love…sick　friend　has

got　more　than　he　bargained　for。　Well；　that　comes　of　appealing　to

C？sar；〃　and　he　turned　to　look　at　the　two　suppliants。



The　old　man；　Umgona；　merely　started；　then　began　to　pour　out　sentences

of　conventional　thanks　and　praise　to　the　king　for　his　goodness　and

condescension。　Cetywayo　listened　to　his　talk　in　silence；　and　when　he

had　done　answered　by　reminding　him　tersely　that　if　Nanea　did　not

appear　at　the　date　named；　both　she　and　he；　her　father；　would　in　due

course　certainly　decorate　a　cross…road　in　their　own　immediate

neighbourhood。



The　captain；　Nahoon；　afforded　a　more　curious　study。　As　the　fatal　words

crossed　the　king's　lips；　his　face　took　an　expression　of　absolute

astonishment；　which　was　presently　replaced　by　one　of　furythe　just

fury　of　a　man　who　suddenly　has　suffered　an　unutterable　wrong。　His

whole　frame　quivered；　the　veins　stood　out　in　knots　on　his　neck　and

forehead；　and　his　fingers　closed　convulsively　as　though　they　were

grasping　the　handle　of　a　spear。　Presently　the　rage　passed　awayfor　as

well　might　a　man　be　wroth　with　fate　as　with　a　Zulu　despotto　be

succeeded　by　a　look　of　the　most　hopeless　misery。　The　proud　dark　eyes

grew　dull；　the　copper…coloured　face　sank　in　and　turned　ashen；　the

mouth　drooped；　and　down　one　corner　of　it　there　trickled　a　little　line

of　blood　springing　from　the　lip　bitten　through　in　the　effort　to　keep

silence。　Lifting　his　hand　in　salute　to　the　king；　the　great　man　rose

and　staggered　rather　than　walked　towards　the　gate。



As　he　reached　it；　the　voice　of　Cetywayo　commanded　him　to　stop。　〃Stay；〃

he　said；　〃I　have　a　service　for　you；　Nahoon；　that　shall　drive　out　of

your　head　these　thoughts　of　wives　and　marriage。　You　see　this　white　man

here；　he　is　my　guest；　and　would　hunt　buffalo　and　big　game　in　the　bush

country。　I　put　him　in　your　charge；　take　men　with　you；　and　see　that　he

comes　to　no　hurt。　So　also　that　you　bring　him　before　me　within　a　month；

or　your　life　shall　answer　for　it。　Let　him　be　here　at　my　royal　kraal　in

the　first　week　of　the　new　moonwhen　Nanea　comesand　then　I　will　tell

you　whether　or　no　I　agree　with　you　that　she　is　fair。　Go　now；　my　child；

and　you；　White　Man；　go　also；　those　who　are　to　accompany　you　shall　be

with　you　at　the　dawn。　Farewell；　but　remember　we　meet　again　at　the　new

moon；　when　we　will　settle　what　pay　you　shall　receive　as　keeper　of　my

guns。　Do　not　fail　me；　White　Man；　or　I　shall　send　after　you；　and　my

messengers　are　sometimes　rough。〃



〃This　means　that　I　am　a　prisoner；〃　thought　Hadden；　〃but　it　will　go

hard　if　I　cannot　manage　to　give　them　the　slip　somehow。　I　don't　intend

to　stay　in　this　country　if　war　is　declared；　to　be　pounded　into　/mouti/

（medicine）；　or　have　my　eyes　put　out；　or　any　little　joke　of　that　sort。〃



*****



Ten　days　had　passed；　and　one　evening　Hadden　and　his　escort　were

encamped　in　a　wild　stretch　of　mountainous　country　lying　between　the

Blood　and　Unvunyana　Rivers；　not　more　than　eight　miles　from　that　〃Place

of　the　Little　Hand〃　which　within　a　few　weeks　was　to　become　famous

throughout　the　world　by　its　native　name　of　Isandhlwana。　For　three　days

they　had　been　tracking　the　spoor　of　a　small　herd　of　buffalo　that　still

inhabited　the　district；　but　as　yet　they　had　not　come　up　with　them。　The

Zulu　hunters　had　suggested　that　they　should　follow　the　Unvunyana　down

towards　the　sea　where　game　was　more　plentiful；　but　this　neither

Hadden；　nor　the　captain；　Nahoon；　had　been　anxious　to　do；　for　reasons

which　each　of　them　kept　secret　to　himself。　Hadden's　object　was　to　work

gradually　down　to　the　Buffalo　River　across　which　he　hoped　to　effect　a

retreat　into　Natal。　That　of　Nahoon　was　to　linger　in　the　neighbourhood

of　the　kraal　of　Umgona；　which　was　situated　not　very　far　from　their

present　camping　place；　in　the　vague　hope　that　he　might　find　an

opportunity　of　speaking　with　or　at　least　of　seeing　Nanea；　the　girl　to

whom　he　was　affianced；　who　within　a　few　weeks　must　be　taken　from　him；

and　given　over　to　the　king。



A　more　eerie…looking　spot　than　that　where　they　were　encamped　Hadden

had　never　seen。　Behind　them　lay　a　tract　of　landhalf…swamp　and　half…

bushin　which　the　buffalo　were　supposed　to　be　hiding。　Beyond；　in

lonely　grandeur；　rose　the　mountain　of　Isandhlwana；　while　in　front　was

an　amphitheatre　of　the　most　gloomy　forest；　ringed　round　in　the

distance　by　sheer…sided　hills。　Into　this　forest　there　ran　a　river

which　drained　the　swamp；　placidly　enough　upon　the　level。　But　it　was

not　always　level；　for　within　three　hundred　yards　of　them　it　dashed

suddenly　over　a　precipice；　of　no　great　height　but　very　steep；　falling

into　a　boiling　rock…bound　pool　that　the　light　of　the　sun　never　seemed

to　reach。



〃What　is　the　name　of　that　forest；　Nahoon？〃　asked　Hadden。



〃It　is　named　/Emagudu/；　The　Home　of　the　Dead；〃　the　Zulu　replied

absently；　for　he　was　looking　towards　the　kraal　of　Nanea；　which　was

situated　at　an　hour's　walk　away　over　the　ridge　to　the　right。



〃The　Home　of　the　Dead！　Why？〃



〃Because　the　dead　live　there；　those　whom　we　name　the　/Esemkofu/；　the

Speechless　Ones；　and　with　them　other　Spirits；　the　/Amahlosi/；　from

whom　the　breath　of　life　has　passed　away；　and　who　yet　live　on。〃



〃Indeed；〃　said　Hadden；　〃and　have　you　ever　seen　these　ghosts？〃



〃Am　I　mad　that　I　should　go　to　look　for　them；　White　Man？　Only　the　dead

enter　that　forest；　and　it　is　on　the　borders　of　it　that　our　people　make

offerings　to　the　dead。〃



Followed　by　Nahoon；　Hadden　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff　and　looked

over　it。　To　the　left　lay　the　deep　and　dreadful…looking　pool；　while

close　to　the　bank　of　it；　placed　upon　a　narrow　strip　of　turf　between

the　cliff　and　the　commencement　of　the　forest；　was　a　hut。



〃Who　lives　there？〃　asked　Hadden。



〃The　great　/Isanusi/she　who　is　named　/Inyanga/　or　Doctoress；　she　who

is　named　Inyosi　（the　Bee）；　because　she　gathers　wisdom　from　the　dead

who　grow　in　the　forest。〃



〃Do　you　think　that　she　could　gather　enough　wisdom　to　tell　me　whether　I

am　going　to　kill　any　buffalo；　Nahoon？〃



〃Mayhap；　White　Man；　but；〃　he　added　with　a　little　smile；　〃those　who

visit　the　Bee's　hive　may　hear　nothing；　or　they　may　hear　more　than　they

wish　for。　The　words　of　that　Bee　have　a　sting。〃



〃Good；　I　will　see　if　she　can　sting　me。〃



〃So　be　it；〃　said　Nahoon；　and　turning；　he　led　the　way　along　the　cliff

till　he　reached　a　native　path　which　zig…zagged　down　its　face。



By　this　path　they　climbed　till　they　came　to　the　sward　at　the　foot　of

the　descent；　and　walked　up　it　to　the　hut　which　was　surrounded　by　a　low

fence　of　reeds；　enclosing　a　small　court…yard　paved　with　ant…heap　earth

beaten　hard　and　polished。　In　this　court…yard　sat　the　Bee；　her　stool

being　placed　almost　at　the　mouth　of　the　round　opening　that　served　as　a

doorway　to　the　hut。　At　first　all　that　Hadden　could　see　of　her；

crouched　as　she　was　in　the　shadow；　was　a　huddled　shape　wrapped　round

with　a　greasy　and　tattered　catskin　kaross；　above　the　edge　of　which

appeared　two　eyes；　fierce　and　quick　as　those　of　a　leopard。　At　her　feet

smouldered　a　little　fire；　and　ranged　around　it　in　a　semi…circle　were　a

number　of　human　skulls；　placed　in　pairs　as　though　they　were　talking

together；　whilst　other　bones；　to　all　appearance　also　human；　were

festooned　about　the　hut　and　the　fence　of　the　courtyard。



〃I　see　that　the　old　lady　is　set　up　with　the　usual　properties；〃　thought

Hadden；　but　he　said　nothing。



Nor　did　the　witch…doctoress　say　anything；　she　only　fixed　her　beady

eyes　upon　his　face。　Hadden　returned　the　compliment；　staring　at　her

with　all　his　might；　till　suddenly　he　became　aware　that　he　was

vanquished　in　this　curious　duel。　His　brain　grew　confused；　and　to　his

fancy　it　seemed　that　the　woman　before　him　had　shifted　shape　into　the

likeness　of　colossal　and　horrid　spider　sitting　at　the　mouth　of　her

trap；　and　that　these　bones　were　the　relics　of　her　victims。



〃Why　do　you　not　speak；　White　Man？〃　she　said　at　last　in　a　slow　clear

voice。　〃Well；　there　is　no　need；　since　I　can　read　your　thoughts。　You

are　thinking　that　I　who　am　called　the　Bee　should　be　better　named　the

Spider。　Have　no　fear；　I　did　not　kill　these　men。　What　would　it　profit

me　when　the　dead　are　so　many？　I　suck　the　souls　of　men；　not　their

bodies；　White　Man。　It　is　their　living　hearts　I　love　to　look　on；　for

therein　I　read　much　and　thereby　I　grow　wise。　Now　what　would　you　of　the

Bee；　White　Man；　the　Bee　that　labours　in　this　Garden　of　Death；　and

what　brings　/you/　here；　son　of　Zomba？　Why　are　you　not　with　the　Umcityu

now　that　they　doctor　themselves　for　the　great　warthe　last　warthe

war　of　the　white　and　the　blackor　if　you　have　no　stomach　for

fighting；　why　are　you　not　at　the　side　of　Nanea　the　tall；　Nanea　the

fair？〃



Nahoon　made　no