black heart and white heart-第4部分

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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　answer；　but　Hadden　said：



〃A　small　thing；　mother。　I　would　know　if　I　shall　prosper　in　my

hunting。〃



〃In　your　hunting；　White　Man；　what　hunting？　The　hunting　of　game；　of

money；　or　of　women？　Well；　one　of　them；　for　a…hunting　you　must　ever　be；

that　is　your　nature；　to　hunt　and　be　hunted。　Tell　me　now；　how　goes　the

wound　of　that　trader　who　tasted　of　your　steel　yonder　in　the　town　of

the　Maboon　（Boers）？　No　need　to　answer；　White　Man；　but　what　fee；　Chief；

for　the　poor　witch…doctoress　whose　skill　you　seek；〃　she　added　in　a

whining　voice。　〃Surely　you　would　not　that　an　old　woman　should　work

without　a　fee？〃



〃I　have　none　to　offer　you；　mother；　so　I　will　be　going；〃　said　Hadden；

who　began　to　feel　himself　satisfied　with　this　display　of　the　Bee's

powers　of　observation　and　thought…reading。



〃Nay；〃　she　answered　with　an　unpleasant　laugh；　〃would　you　ask　a

question；　and　not　wait　for　the　answer？　I　will　take　no　fee　from　you　at

present；　White　Man；　you　shall　pay　me　later　on　when　we　meet　again；〃　and

once　more　she　laughed。　〃Let　me　look　in　your　face；　let　me　look　in　your

face；〃　she　continued；　rising　and　standing　before　him。



Then　of　a　sudden　Hadden　felt　something　cold　at　the　back　of　his　neck；

and　the　next　instant　the　Bee　had　sprung　from　him；　holding　between　her

thumb　and　finger　a　curl　of　dark　hair　which　she　had　cut　from　his　head。

The　action　was　so　instantaneous　that　he　had　neither　time　to　avoid　nor

to　resent　it；　but　stood　still　staring　at　her　stupidly。



〃That　is　all　I　need；〃　she　cried；　〃for　like　my　heart　my　magic　is　white。

Stayson　of　Zomba；　give　me　also　of　your　hair；　for　those　who　visit　the

Bee　must　listen　to　her　humming。〃



Nahoon　obeyed；　cutting　a　little　lock　from　his　head　with　the　sharp　edge

of　his　assegai；　though　it　was　very　evident　that　he　did　this　not

because　he　wished　to　do　so；　but　because　he　feared　to　refuse。



Then　the　Bee　slipped　back　her　kaross；　and　stood　bending　over　the　fire

before　them；　into　which　she　threw　herbs　taken　from　a　pouch　that　was

bound　about　her　middle。　She　was　still　a　finely…shaped　woman；　and　she

wore　none　of　the　abominations　which　Hadden　had　been　accustomed　to　see

upon　the　persons　of　witch…doctoresses。　About　her　neck；　however；　was　a

curious　ornament；　a　small　live　snake；　red　and　grey　in　hue；　which　her

visitors　recognised　as　one　of　the　most　deadly　to　be　found　in　that　part

of　the　country。　It　is　not　unusual　for　Bantu　witch…doctors　thus　to

decorate　themselves　with　snakes；　though　whether　or　not　their　fangs

have　first　been　extracted　no　one　seems　to　know。



Presently　the　herbs　began　to　smoulder；　and　the　smoke　of　them　rose　up

in　a　thin；　straight　stream；　that；　striking　upon　the　face　of　the　Bee；

clung　about　her　head　enveloping　it　as　though　with　a　strange　blue　veil。

Then　of　a　sudden　she　stretched　out　her　hands；　and　let　fall　the　two

locks　of　hair　upon　the　burning　herbs；　where　they　writhed　themselves　to

ashes　like　things　alive。　Next　she　opened　her　mouth；　and　began　to　draw

the　fumes　of　the　hair　and　herbs　into　her　lungs　in　great　gulps；　while

the　snake；　feeling　the　influence　of　the　medicine；　hissed　and；

uncoiling　itself　from　about　her　neck；　crept　upwards　and　took　refuge

among　the　black　/saccaboola/　feathers　of　her　head…dress。



Soon　the　vapours　began　to　do　their　work；　she　swayed　to　and　fro

muttering；　then　sank　back　against　the　hut；　upon　the　straw　of　which　her

head　rested。　Now　the　Bee's　face　was　turned　upwards　towards　the　light；

and　it　was　ghastly　to　behold；　for　it　had　become　blue　in　colour；　and

the　open　eyes　were　sunken　like　the　eyes　of　one　dead；　whilst　above　her

forehead　the　red　snake　wavered　and　hissed；　reminding　Hadden　of　the

Uraeus　crest　on　the　brow　of　statues　of　Egyptian　kings。　For　ten　seconds

or　more　she　remained　thus；　then　she　spoke　in　a　hollow　and　unnatural

voice：



〃O　Black　Heart　and　body　that　is　white　and　beautiful；　I　look　into　your

heart；　and　it　is　black　as　blood；　and　it　shall　be　black　with　blood。

Beautiful　white　body　with　black　heart；　you　shall　find　your　game　and

hunt　it；　and　it　shall　lead　you　into　the　House　of　the　Homeless；　into

the　Home　of　the　Dead；　and　it　shall　be　shaped　as　a　bull；　it　shall　be

shaped　as　a　tiger；　it　shall　be　shaped　as　a　woman　whom　kings　and　waters

cannot　harm。　Beautiful　white　body　and　black　heart；　you　shall　be　paid

your　wages；　money　for　money；　and　blow　for　blow。　Think　of　my　word　when

the　spotted　cat　purrs　above　your　breast；　think　of　it　when　the　battle

roars　about　you；　think　of　it　when　you　grasp　your　great　reward；　and　for

the　last　time　stand　face　to　face　with　the　ghost　of　the　dead　in　the

Home　of　the　Dead。



〃O　White　Heart　and　black　body；　I　look　into　your　heart　and　it　is　white

as　milk；　and　the　milk　of　innocence　shall　save　it。　Fool；　why　do　you

strike　that　blow？　Let　him　be　who　is　loved　of　the　tiger；　and　whose　love

is　as　the　love　of　a　tiger。　Ah！　what　face　is　that　in　the　battle？　Follow

it；　follow　it；　O　swift　of　foot；　but　follow　warily；　for　the　tongue　that

has　lied　will　never　plead　for　mercy；　and　the　hand　that　can　betray　is

strong　in　war。　White　Heart；　what　is　death？　In　death　life　lives；　and

among　the　dead　you　shall　find　the　life　you　lost；　for　there　awaits　you

she　whom　kings　and　waters　cannot　harm。〃



As　the　Bee　spoke；　by　degrees　her　voice　sank　lower　and　lower　till　it

was　almost　inaudible。　Then　it　ceased　altogether　and　she　seemed　to　pass

from　trance　to　sleep。　Hadden；　who　had　been　listening　to　her　with　an

amused　and　cynical　smile；　now　laughed　aloud。



〃Why　do　you　laugh；　White　Man？〃　asked　Nahoon　angrily。



〃I　laugh　at　my　own　folly　in　wasting　time　listening　to　the　nonsense　of

that　lying　fraud。〃



〃It　is　no　nonsense；　White　Man。〃



〃Indeed？　Then　will　you　tell　me　what　it　means？〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you　what　it　means　yet；　but　her　words　have　to　do　with　a

woman　and　a　leopard；　and　with　your　fate　and　my　fate。〃



Hadden　shrugged　his　shoulders；　not　thinking　the　matter　worth　further

argument；　and　at　that　moment　the　Bee　woke　up　shivering；　drew　the　red

snake　from　her　head…dress　and　coiling　it　about　her　throat　wrapped

herself　again　in　the　greasy　kaross。



〃Are　you　satisfied　with　my　wisdom；　/Inkoos/？〃　she　asked　of　Hadden。



〃I　am　satisfied　that　you　are　one　of　the　cleverest　cheats　in　Zululand；

mother；〃　he　answered　coolly。　〃Now；　what　is　there　to　pay？〃



The　Bee　took　no　offence　at　this　rude　speech；　though　for　a　second　or

two　the　look　in　her　eyes　grew　strangely　like　that　which　they　had　seen

in　those　of　the　snake　when　the　fumes　of　the　fire　made　it　angry。



〃If　the　white　lord　says　I　am　a　cheat；　it　must　be　so；〃　she　answered；

〃for　he　of　all　men　should　be　able　to　discern　a　cheat。　I　have　said　that

I　ask　no　fee；yes；　give　me　a　little　tobacco　from　your　pouch。〃



Hadden　opened　the　bag　of　antelope　hide　and　drawing　some　tobacco　from

it；　gave　it　to　her。　In　taking　it　she　clasped　his　hand　and　examined　the

gold　ring　that　was　upon　the　third　finger；　a　ring　fashioned　like　a

snake　with　two　little　rubies　set　in　the　head　to　represent　the　eyes。



〃I　wear　a　snake　about　my　neck；　and　you　wear　one　upon　your　hand；

/Inkoos/。　I　should　like　to　have　this　ring　to　wear　upon　my　hand；　so

that　the　snake　about　my　neck　may　be　less　lonely　there。〃



〃Then　I　am　afraid　you　will　have　to　wait　till　I　am　dead；〃　said　Hadden。



〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　answered　in　a　pleased　voice；　〃it　is　a　good　word。　I

will　wait　till　you　are　dead　and　then　I　will　take　the　ring；　and　none

can　say　that　I　have　stolen　it；　for　Nahoon　there　will　bear　me　witness

that　you　gave　me　permission　to　do　so。〃



For　the　first　time　Hadden　started；　since　there　was　something　about　the

Bee's　tone　that　jarred　upon　him。　Had　she　addressed　him　in　her

professional　manner；　he　would　have　thought　nothing　of　it；　but　in　her

cupidity　she　had　become　natural；　and　it　was　evident　that　she　spoke

from　conviction；　believing　her　own　words。



She　saw　him　start；　and　instantly　changed　her　note。



〃Let　the　white　lord　forgive　the　jest　of　a　poor　old　witch…doctoress；〃

she　said　in　a　whining　voice。　〃I　have　so　much　to　do　with　Death　that　his

name　leaps　to　my　lips；〃　and　she　glanced　first　at　the　circle　of　skulls

about　her；　then　towards　the　waterfall　that　fed　the　gloomy　pool　upon

whose　banks　her　hut　was　placed。



〃Look；〃　she　said　simply。



Following　the　line　of　her　outstretched　hand　Hadden's　eyes　fell　upon

two　withered　mimosa　trees　which　grew　over　the　fall　almost　at　right

angles　to　its　rocky　edge。　These　trees　were　joined　together　by　a　rude

platform　made　of　logs　of　wood　lashed　down　with　/riems/　of　hide。　Upon

this　platform　stood　three　figures；　notwithstanding　the　distance　and

the　spray　of　the　fall；　he　could　see　that　they　were　those　of　two　men

and　a　girl；　for　their　shapes　stood　out　distinctly　against　the　fiery

red　of　the　sunset　sky。　One　instant　there　were　three；　the　next　there

were　twofor　the　girl　had　gone；　and　something　dark　rushing　down　the

face　of　the　fall；　struck　the　surface　of　the　pool　with　a　heavy　thud；

while　a　faint　and　piteous　cry　broke　upon　his　ear。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　that？〃　he　asked；　horrified　and　amazed。



〃Nothing；〃　answered　the　Bee　with　a　laugh。　〃Do　you　not　know；　then；　that

this　is　the　place　where　faithless　women；　or　girls　who　have　loved

without　the　leave　of　the　king；　are　brought　to　meet　their　death；　and

with　them　their　accomplices。　Oh！　they　die　here　thus　each　day；　and　I

watch　them　die　and　keep　the　count　of　the　number　of　them；〃　and　drawing

a　tally…stick　from　the　thatch　of　the　hut；　she　took　a　knife　and　added　a

notch　to　the　many　that　appeared　upon　it；　looking　at　Nahoon　the　while

with　a　half…questioning；　half…warning　gaze。



〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　a　place　of　death；〃　she　muttered。　〃Up　yonder　the　quick

die　day　by　day　and　down　there〃and　she　pointed　along　the　course　of

the　river　beyond　the　pool　to　where　the　forest　began　some　two　hundred

yards　from　her　hut〃the　ghosts　of　them　have　their　home。　Listen！〃



As　she　sp