black heart and white heart-第7部分

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beautiful。〃



〃I　did　not　think　him　beautiful　when　he　stood　with　his　rifle　pointed　at

my　heart；〃　answered　Nahoon　sulkily。



〃Well；　there　is　this　to　be　said；〃　she　replied；　〃he　wished　to　escape

from　Cetywayo；　and　that　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；〃　and　she　sighed。

〃Moreover　he　asked　you　to　come　with　him；　and　it　might　have　been　well

if　you　had　done　so；　that　is；　if　you　would　have　taken　me　with　you！〃



〃How　could　I　have　done　it；　girl？〃　he　asked　angrily。　〃Would　you　have　me

set　at　nothing　the　order　of　the　king？〃



〃The　king！〃　she　replied　raising　her　voice。　〃What　do　you　owe　to　this

king？　You　have　served　him　faithfully；　and　your　reward　is　that　within　a

few　days　he　will　take　me　from　youme；　who　should　have　been　your　wife；

and　I　mustI　must〃　And　she　began　to　weep　softly；　adding　between

her　sobs；　〃if　you　loved　me　truly；　you　would　think　more　of　me　and　of

yourself；　and　less　of　the　Black　One　and　his　orders。　Oh！　let　us　fly；

Nahoon；　let　us　fly　to　Natal　before　this　spear　pierces　me。〃



〃Weep　not；　Nanea；〃　he　said；　〃why　do　you　tear　my　heart　in　two　between

my　duty　and　my　love？　You　know　that　I　am　a　soldier；　and　that　I　must

walk　the　path　whereon　the　king　has　set　my　feet。　Soon　I　think　I　shall

be　dead；　for　I　seek　death；　and　then　it　will　matter　nothing。〃



〃Nothing　to　you；　Nahoon；　who　are　at　peace；　but　to　me？　Yet；　you　are

right；　and　I　know　it；　therefore　forgive　me；　who　am　no　warrior；　but　a

woman　who　must　also　obeythe　will　of　the　king。〃　And　she　cast　her　arms

about　his　neck；　sobbing　her　fill　upon　his　breast。







CHAPTER　IV



NANEA



Presently；　muttering　something　that　the　listener　could　not　catch；

Nahoon　left　Nanea；　and　crept　out　of　the　hut　by　its　bee…hole　entrance。

Then　Hadden　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　round　him。　The　sun　was　sinking

and　a　ray　of　its　red　light　streaming　through　the　little　opening　filled

the　place　with　a　soft　and　crimson　glow。　In　the　centre　of　the　hut

supporting　itstood　a　thorn…wood　roof…tree　coloured　black　by　the

smoke　of　the　fire；　and　against　this；　the　rich　light　falling　full　upon

her；　leaned　the　girl　Naneaa　very　picture　of　gentle　despair。



As　is　occasionally　the　case　among　Zulu　women；　she　was　beautifulso

beautiful　that　the　sight　of　her　went　straight　to　the　white　man's

heart；　for　a　moment　causing　the　breath　to　catch　in　his　throat。　Her

dress　was　very　simple。　On　her　shoulders；　hanging　open　in　front；　lay　a

mantle　of　soft　white　stuff　edged　with　blue　beads；　about　her　middle　was

a　buck…skin　moocha；　also　embroidered　with　blue　beads；　while　round　her

forehead　and　left　knee　were　strips　of　grey　fur；　and　on　her　right　wrist

a　shining　bangle　of　copper。　Her　naked　bronze…hued　figure　was　tall　and

perfect　in　its　proportions；　while　her　face　had　little　in　common　with

that　of　the　ordinary　native　girl；　showing　as　it　did　strong　traces　of

the　ancestral　Arabian　or　Semitic　blood。　It　was　oval　in　shape；　with

delicate　aquiline　features；　arched　eyebrows；　a　full　mouth；　that

drooped　a　little　at　the　corners；　tiny　ears；　behind　which　the　wavy

coal…black　hair　hung　down　to　the　shoulders；　and　the　very　loveliest

pair　of　dark　and　liquid　eyes　that　it　is　possible　to　imagine。



For　a　minute　or　more　Nanea　stood　thus；　her　sweet　face　bathed　in　the

sunbeam；　while　Hadden　feasted　his　eyes　upon　its　beauty。　Then　sighing

heavily；　she　turned；　and　seeing　that　he　was　awake；　started；　drew　her

mantle　over　her　breast　and　came；　or　rather　glided；　towards　him。



〃The　chief　is　awake；〃　she　said　in　her　soft　Zulu　accents。　〃Does　he　need

aught？〃



〃Yes；　Lady；〃　he　answered；　〃I　need　to　drink；　but　alas！　I　am　too　weak。〃



She　knelt　down　beside　him；　and　supporting　him　with　her　left　arm；　with

her　right　held　the　gourd　to　his　lips。



How　it　came　about　Hadden　never　knew；　but　before　that　draught　was

finished　a　change　passed　over　him。　Whether　it　was　the　savage　girl's

touch；　or　her　strange　and　fawn…like　loveliness；　or　the　tender　pity　in

her　eyes；　matters　notthe　issue　was　the　same。　She　struck　some　cord　in

his　turbulent　uncurbed　nature；　and　of　a　sudden　it　was　filled　full　with

passion　for　hera　passion　which　if；　not　elevated；　at　least　was　real。

He　did　not　for　a　moment　mistake　the　significance　of　the　flood　of

feeling　that　surged　through　his　veins。　Hadden　never　shirked　facts。



〃By　Heaven！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　have　fallen　in　love　with　a　black

beauty　at　first　sightmore　in　love　than　I　have　ever　been　before。　It's

awkward；　but　there　will　be　compensations。　So　much　the　worse　for

Nahoon；　or　for　Cetywayo；　or　for　both　of　them。　After　all；　I　can　always

get　rid　of　her　if　she　becomes　a　nuisance。〃



Then；　in　a　fit　of　renewed　weakness；　brought　about　by　the　turmoil　of

his　blood；　he　lay　back　upon　the　pillow　of　furs；　watching　Nanea's　face

while　with　a　native　salve　of　pounded　leaves　she　busied　herself

dressing　the　wounds　that　the　leopard　had　made。



It　almost　seemed　as　though　something　of　what　was　passing　in　his　mind

communicated　itself　to　that　of　the　girl。　At　least；　her　hand　shook　a

little　at　her　task；　and　getting　done　with　it　as　quickly　as　she　could；

she　rose　from　her　knees　with　a　courteous　〃It　is　finished；　/Inkoos/；〃

and　once　more　took　up　her　position　by　the　roof…tree。



〃I　thank　you；　Lady；〃　he　said；　〃your　hand　is　kind。〃



〃You　must　not　call　me　lady；　/Inkoos/；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　no

chieftainess；　but　only　the　daughter　of　a　headman；　Umgona。〃



〃And　named　Nanea；〃　he　said。　〃Nay；　do　not　be　surprised；　I　have　heard　of

you。　Well；　Nanea；　perhaps　you　will　soon　become　a　chieftainessup　at

the　king's　kraal　yonder。〃



〃Alas！　and　alas！〃　she　said；　covering　her　face　with　her　hands。



〃Do　not　grieve；　Nanea；　a　hedge　is　never　so　tall　and　thick　but　that　it

cannot　be　climbed　or　crept　through。〃



She　let　fall　her　hands　and　looked　at　him　eagerly；　but　he　did　not

pursue　the　subject。



〃Tell　me；　how　did　I　come　here；　Nanea？〃



〃Nahoon　and　his　companions　carried　you；　/Inkoos/。〃



〃Indeed；　I　begin　to　be　thankful　to　the　leopard　that　struck　me　down。

Well；　Nahoon　is　a　brave　man；　and　he　has　done　me　a　great　service。　I

trust　that　I　may　be　able　to　repay　itto　you；　Nanea。〃



*****



This　was　the　first　meeting　of　Nanea　and　Hadden；　but；　although　she　did

not　seek　them；　the　necessities　of　his　sickness　and　of　the　situation

brought　about　many　another。　Never　for　a　moment　did　the　white　man　waver

in　his　determination　to　get　into　his　keeping　the　native　girl　who　had

captivated　him；　and　to　attain　his　end　he　brought　to　bear　all　his

powers　and　charm　to　detach　her　from　Nahoon；　and　win　her　affections　for

himself。　He　was　no　rough　wooer；　however；　but　proceeded　warily；　weaving

her　about　with　a　web　of　flattery　and　attention　that　must；　he　thought；

produce　the　desired　effect　upon　her　mind。　Without　a　doubt；　indeed；　it

would　have　done　sofor　she　was　but　a　woman；　and　an　untutored　onehad

it　not　been　for　a　simple　fact　which　dominated　her　whole　nature。　She

loved　Nahoon；　and　there　was　no　room　in　her　heart　for　any　other　man；

white　or　black。　To　Hadden　she　was　courteous　and　kindly　but　no　more；

nor　did　she　appear　to　notice　any　of　the　subtle　advances　by　which　he

attempted　to　win　a　foothold　in　her　heart。　For　a　while　this　puzzled

him；　but　he　remembered　that　the　Zulu　women　do　not　usually　permit

themselves　to　show　feeling　towards　an　undeclared　suitor。　Therefore　it

became　necessary　that　he　should　speak　out。



His　mind　once　made　up；　he　had　not　to　wait　long　for　an　opportunity。　He

was　now　quite　recovered　from　his　hurts；　and　accustomed　to　walk　in　the

neighbourhood　of　the　kraal。　About　two　hundred　yards　from　Umgona's　huts

rose　a　spring；　and　thither　it　was　Nanea's　habit　to　resort　in　the

evening　to　bring　back　drinking…water　for　the　use　of　her　father's

household。　The　path　between　this　spring　and　the　kraal　ran　through　a

patch　of　bush；　where　on　a　certain　afternoon　towards　sundown　Hadden

took　his　seat　under　a　tree；　having　first　seen　Nanea　go　down　to　the

little　stream　as　was　her　custom。　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　she

reappeared　carrying　a　large　gourd　upon　her　head。　She　wore　no　garment

now　except　her　moocha；　for　she　had　but　one　mantle　and　was　afraid　lest

the　water　should　splash　it。　He　watched　her　advancing　along　the　path；

her　hands　resting　on　her　hips；　her　splendid　naked　figure　outlined

against　the　westering　sun；　and　wondered　what　excuse　he　could　make　to

talk　with　her。　As　it　chanced　fortune　favoured　him；　for　when　she　was

near　him　a　snake　glided　across　the　path　in　front　of　the　girl's　feet；

causing　her　to　spring　backwards　in　alarm　and　overset　the　gourd　of

water。　He　came　forward；　and　picked　it　up。



〃Wait　here；〃　he　said　laughing；　〃I　will　bring　it　to　you　full。〃



〃Nay；　/Inkoos/；〃　she　remonstrated；　〃that　is　a　woman's　work。〃



〃Among　my　people；〃　he　said；　〃the　men　love　to　work　for　the　women；〃　and

he　started　for　the　spring；　leaving　her　wondering。



Before　he　reached　her　again；　he　regretted　his　gallantry；　for　it　was

necessary　to　carry　the　handleless　gourd　upon　his　shoulder；　and　the

contents　of　it　spilling　over　the　edge　soaked　him。　Of　this；　however；　he

said　nothing　to　Nanea。



〃There　is　your　water；　Nanea；　shall　I　carry　it　for　you　to　the　kraal？〃



〃Nay；　/Inkoos/；　I　thank　you；　but　give　it　to　me；　you　are　weary　with　its

weight。〃



〃Stay　awhile；　and　I　will　accompany　you。　Ah！　Nanea；　I　am　still　weak；

and　had　it　not　been　for　you　I　think　that　I　should　be　dead。〃



〃It　was　Nahoon　who　saved　younot　I；　/Inkoos/。〃



〃Nahoon　saved　my　body；　but　you；　Nanea；　you　alone　can　save　my　heart。〃



〃You　talk　darkly；　/Inkoos/。〃



〃Then　I　must　make　my　meaning　clear；　Nanea。　I　love　you。〃



She　opened　her　brown　eyes　wide。



〃You；　a　white　lord；　love　me；　a　Zulu　girl？　How　can　that　be？〃



〃I　do　not　know；　Nanea；　but　it　is　so；　and　were　you　not　blind　you　would

have　seen　it。　I　love　you；　and　I　wish　to　take　you　to　wife。〃



〃Nay；　/Inkoos/；　it　is　impossible。　I　am　already　betrothed。〃



〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　〃betrothed　to　the　king。〃



〃No；　betrothed　to　Nahoon。〃



〃But　it　is　the　king　who　will　take　you　within　a　week；　is　it　not　so？　And

w