black heart and white heart-第8部分

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〃No；　betrothed　to　Nahoon。〃



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

would　you　not　rather　that　I　should　take　you　than　the　king？〃



〃It　seems　to　be　so；　/Inkoos/；　and　I　would　rather　go　with　you　than　with

the　king；　but　most　of　all　I　desire　to　marry　Nahoon。　It　may　be　that　I

shall　not　be　able　to　marry　him；　but　if　that　is　so；　at　least　I　will

never　become　one　of　the　king's　women。〃



〃How　will　you　prevent　it；　Nanea？〃



〃There　are　waters　in　which　a　maid　may　drown；　and　trees　upon　which　she

can　hang；〃　she　answered　with　a　quick　setting　of　the　mouth。



〃That　were　a　pity；　Nanea；　you　are　too　fair　to　die。〃



〃Fair　or　foul；　yet　I　die；　/Inkoos/。〃



〃No；　no；　come　with　meI　will　find　a　wayand　be　my　wife；〃　and　he　put

her　arm　about　her　waist；　and　strove　to　draw　her　to　him。



Without　any　violence　of　movement；　and　with　the　most　perfect　dignity；

the　girl　disengaged　herself　from　his　embrace。



〃You　have　honoured　me；　and　I　thank　you；　/Inkoos/；〃　she　said　quietly；

〃but　you　do　not　understand。　I　am　the　wife　of　NahoonI　belong　to

Nahoon；　therefore；　I　cannot　look　on　any　other　man　while　Nahoon　lives。

It　is　not　our　custom；　/Inkoos/；　for　we　are　not　as　the　white　women；　but

ignorant　and　simple；　and　when　we　vow　ourselves　to　a　man；　we　abide　by

that　vow　till　death。〃



〃Indeed；〃　said　Hadden；　〃and　so　now　you　go　to　tell　Nahoon　that　I　have

offered　to　make　you　my　wife。〃



〃No；　/Inkoos/；　why　should　I　tell　Nahoon　your　secrets？　I　have　said

'nay'　to　you；　not　'yea；'　therefore　he　has　no　right　to　know；〃　and　she

stooped　to　lift　the　gourd　of　water。



Hadden　considered　the　situation　rapidly；　for　his　repulse　only　made　him

the　more　determined　to　succeed。　Of　a　sudden　under　the　emergency　he

conceived　a　scheme；　or　rather　its　rough　outline。　It　was　not　a　nice

scheme；　and　some　men　might　have　shrunk　from　it；　but　as　he　had　no

intention　of　suffering　himself　to　be　defeated　by　a　Zulu　girl；　he

decidedwith　regret；　it　is　truethat　having　failed　to　attain　his

ends　by　means　which　he　considered　fair；　he　must　resort　to　others　of

more　doubtful　character。



〃Nanea；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　good　and　honest　woman；　and　I　respect　you。

As　I　have　told　you；　I　love　you　also；　but　if　you　refuse　to　listen　to　me

there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said；　and　after　all；　perhaps　it　would　be

better　that　you　should　marry　one　of　your　own　people。　But；　Nanea；　you

will　never　marry　him；　for　the　king　will　take　you；　and；　if　he　does　not

give　you　to　some　other　man；　either　you　will　become　one　of　his

'sisters；'　or　to　be　free　of　him；　as　you　say；　you　will　die。　Now　hear

me；　for　it　is　because　I　love　you　and　wish　your　welfare　that　I　speak

thus。　Why　do　you　not　escape　into　Natal；　taking　Nahoon　with　you；　for

there　as　you　know　you　may　live　in　peace　out　of　reach　of　the　arm　of

Cetywayo？〃



〃That　is　my　desire；　/Inkoos/；　but　Nahoon　will　not　consent。　He　says

that　there　is　to　be　war　between　us　and　you　white　men；　and　he　will　not

break　the　command　of　the　king　and　desert　from　his　army。〃



〃Then　he　cannot　love　you　much；　Nahoon；　and　at　least　you　have　to　think

of　yourself。　Whisper　into　the　ear　of　your　father　and　fly　together；　for

be　sure　that　Nahoon　will　soon　follow　you。　Ay！　and　I　myself　with　fly

with　you；　for　I　too　believe　that　there　must　be　war；　and　then　a　white

man　in　this　country　will　be　as　a　lamb　among　the　eagles。〃



〃If　Nahoon　will　come；　I　will　go；　/Inkoos/；　but　I　cannot　fly　without

Nahoon；　it　is　better　I　should　stay　here　and　kill　myself。〃



〃Surely　then　being　so　fair　and　loving　him　so　well；　you　can　teach　him

to　forget　his　folly　and　to　escape　with　you。　In　four　days'　time　we　must

start　for　the　king's　kraal；　and　if　you　win　over　Nahoon；　it　will　be

easy　for　us　to　turn　our　faces　southwards　and　across　the　river　that

lies　between　the　land　of　the　Amazulu　and　Natal。　For　the　sake　of　all　of

us；　but　most　of　all　for　your　own　sake；　try　to　do　this；　Nanea；　whom　I

have　loved　and　whom　I　now　would　save。　See　him　and　plead　with　him　as

you　know　how；　but　as　yet　do　not　tell　him　that　I　dream　of　flight；　for

then　I　should　be　watched。〃



〃In　truth；　I　will；　/Inkoos/；〃　she　answered　earnestly；　〃and　oh！　I　thank

you　for　your　goodness。　Fear　not　that　I　will　betray　youfirst　would　I

die。　Farewell。〃



〃Farewell；　Nanea；〃　and　taking　her　hand　he　raised　it　to　his　lips。



*****



Late　that　night；　just　as　Hadden　was　beginning　to　prepare　himself　for

sleep；　he　heard　a　gentle　tapping　at　the　board　which　closed　the

entrance　to　his　hut。



〃Enter；〃　he　said；　unfastening　the　door；　and　presently　by　the　light　of

the　little　lantern　that　he　had　with　him；　he　saw　Nanea　creep　into　the

hut；　followed　by　the　great　form　of　Nahoon。



〃/Inkoos/；〃　she　said　in　a　whisper　when　the　door　was　closed　again；　〃I

have　pleaded　with　Nahoon；　and　he　has　consented　to　fly；　moreover；　my

father　will　come　also。〃



〃Is　it　so；　Nahoon？〃　asked　Hadden。



〃It　is　so；〃　answered　the　Zulu；　looking　down　shamefacedly；　〃to　save

this　girl　from　the　king；　and　because　the　love　of　her　eats　out　my

heart；　I　have　bartered　away　my　honour。　But　I　tell　you；　Nanea；　and　you；

White　Man；　as　I　told　Umgona　just　now；　that　I　think　no　good　will　come

of　this　flight；　and　if　we　are　caught　or　betrayed；　we　shall　be　killed

every　one　of　us。〃



〃Caught　we　can　scarcely　be；〃　broke　in　Nanea　anxiously；　〃for　who　could

betray　us；　except　the　/Inkoos/　here〃



〃Which　he　is　not　likely　to　do；〃　said　Hadden　quietly；　〃seeing　that　he

desires　to　escape　with　you；　and　that　his　life　is　also　at　stake。〃



〃That　is　so；　Black　Heart；〃　said　Nahoon；　〃otherwise　I　tell　you　that　I

should　not　have　trusted　you。〃



Hadden　took　no　notice　of　this　outspoken　saying；　but　until　very　late

that　night　they　sat　there　together　making　their　plans。



*****



On　the　following　morning　Hadden　was　awakened　by　sounds　of　violent

altercation。　Going　out　of　his　hut　he　found　that　the　disputants　were

Umgona　and　a　fat　and　evil…looking　Kaffir　chief　who　had　arrived　at　the

kraal　on　a　pony。　This　chief；　he　soon　discovered；　was　named　Maputa；

being　none　other　than　the　man　who　had　sought　Nanea　in　marriage　and

brought　about　Nahoon's　and　Umgona's　unfortunate　appeal　to　the　king。　At

present　he　was　engaged　in　abusing　Umgona　furiously；　charging　him　with

having　stolen　certain　of　his　oxen　and　bewitched　his　cows　so　that　they

would　not　give　milk。　The　alleged　theft　it　was　comparatively　easy　to

disprove；　but　the　wizardry　remained　a　matter　of　argument。



〃You　are　a　dog；　and　a　son　of　a　dog；〃　shouted　Maputa；　shaking　his　fat

fist　in　the　face　of　the　trembling　but　indignant　Umgona。　〃You　promised

me　your　daughter　in　marriage；　then　having　vowed　her　to　that

/umfagozan/that　low　lout　of　a　soldier；　Nahoon；　the　son　of　Zombayou

went；　the　two　of　you；　and　poisoned　the　king's　ear　against　me；　bringing

me　into　trouble　with　the　king；　and　now　you　have　bewitched　my　cattle。

Well；　wait；　I　will　be　even　with　you；　Wizard；　wait　till　you　wake　up　in

the　cold　morning　to　find　your　fence　red　with　fire；　and　the　slayers

standing　outside　your　gates　to　eat　up　you　and　yours　with　spears〃



At　this　juncture　Nahoon；　who　till　now　had　been　listening　in　silence；

intervened　with　effect。



〃Good；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　wait；　but　not　in　your　company；　Chief　Maputa。

/Hamba！/　（go）〃　and　seizing　the　fat　old　ruffian　by　the　scruff　of

his　neck；　he　flung　him　backwards　with　such　violence　that　he　rolled

over　and　over　down　the　little　slope。



Hadden　laughed；　and　passed　on　towards　the　stream　where　he　proposed　to

bathe。　Just　as　he　reached　it；　he　caught　sight　of　Maputa　riding　along

the　footpath；　his　head…ring　covered　with　mud；　his　lips　purple　and　his

black　face　livid　with　rage。



〃There　goes　an　angry　man；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃Now；　how　would　it

be〃　and　he　looked　upwards　like　one　seeking　an　inspiration。　It

seemed　to　come；　perhaps　the　devil　finding　it　open　whispered　in　his

ear；　at　any　ratein　a　few　seconds　his　plan　was　formed；　and　he　was

walking　through　the　bush　to　meet　Maputa。



〃Go　in　peace；　Chief；〃　he　said；　〃they　seem　to　have　treated　you　roughly

up　yonder。　Having　no　power　to　interfere；　I　came　away　for　I　could　not

bear　the　sight。　It　is　indeed　shameful　that　an　old　and　venerable　man　of

rank　should　be　struck　into　the　dirt；　and　beaten　by　a　soldier　drunk

with　beer。〃



〃Shameful；　White　Man！〃　gasped　Maputa；　〃your　words　are　true　indeed。　But

wait　a　while。　I；　Maputa；　will　roll　that　stone　over；　I　will　throw　that

bull　upon　its　back。　When　next　the　harvest　ripens；　this　I　promise；　that

neither　Nahoon　nor　Umgona；　nor　any　of　his　kraal　shall　be　left　to

gather　it。〃



〃And　how　will　you　manage　that；　Maputa？〃



〃I　do　not　know；　but　I　will　find　a　way。　Oh！　I　tell　you；　a　way　shall　be

found。〃



Hadden　patted　the　pony's　neck　meditatively；　then　leaning　forward；　he

looked　the　chief　in　the　eyes　and　said：



〃What　will　you　give　me；　Maputa；　if　I　show　you　that　way；　a　sure　and

certain　one；　whereby　you　may　be　avenged　to　the　death　upon　Nahoon；

whose　violence　I　also　have　seen；　and　upon　Umgona；　whose　witchcraft

brought　sore　sickness　upon　me？〃



〃What　reward　do　you　seek；　White　Man？〃　asked　Maputa　eagerly。



〃A　little　thing；　Chief；　a　thing　of　no　account；　only　the　girl　Nanea；　to

whom　as　it　chances　I　have　taken　a　fancy。〃



〃I　wanted　her　for　myself；　White　Man；　but　he　who　sits　at　Ulundi　has

laid　his　hand　upon　her。〃



〃That　is　nothing；　Chief；　I　can　arrange　with　him　who　'sits　at　Ulundi。'

It　is　with　you　who　are　great　here　that　I　wish　to　come　to　terms。

Listen：　if　you　grant　my　desire；　not　only　will　I　fulfil　yours　upon　your

foes；　but　when　the　girl　is　delivered　into　my　hands　I　will　give　you

this　rifle　and　a　hundred　rounds　of　cartridges。〃



Maputa　looked　at　the　sporting　Martini；　and　his　eyes　glistened。



〃It　is　good；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　very　good。　Often　have　I　wished　for　such

a　gun　that　will　enable　me　to　shoot　game；　and　to　talk　with　my　enemies

from　far　away。　Promise　it　to　me；　White　Man；　and　you　shall　take　the

girl　if　I　can　give　her　to　you。〃



〃You　swear　it；　Maputa？〃



〃I　swear　it　by