Part 18 (1/2)
CHAPTER IX ALLAN RETURNS TO ZULULAND
A whole year had gone by, in which I did, or tried to do, various things that have no connection with this story, when once more I found myself in Zululand--at Umbezi's kraal indeed Hither I had trekked in fulfilain, already alluded to, that was concerned with ivory and guns, which I had made with the old fellow, or, rather, with Masapo, his son-in-lahom he represented in this ain I do not enter, since at the moment I cannot recall whether I ever obtained the necessary perh now that I a to sell weapons to natives that may be put to all sorts of unforeseen uses
At any rate, there I was, sitting alone with the Headiven to him, for the ”trade” was finished to our mutual satisfaction, and Scowl, my body servant, with the hunters, had just carried off the ivory--a fine lot of tusks--to ons
”Well, Umbezi,” I said, ”and how has it fared with you since we parted a year ago? Have you seen anything of Saduko, who, you may remember, left you in so of that wildhis fat old head in a fashi+on which showed great anxiety ”Yet I have heard of hie the other day to tell otten what he owed me”
”Did he reen hide?” I inquired innocently
”I think so, Macu else And the worst of it is that, there at Panda's kraal, he has grown like a pureat!”
”And therefore is now one who can pay any debt that he owes, U at him over the top of the pannikin
”Doubtless he can, Macumazahn, and, between you and me, that is the real reason why I--or rather Masapo--was so anxious to get those guns They were not for hunting, as he told you by the ainst Saduko, in case he should attack Well, now I hope we shall be able to hold our own”
”You and Masapo must teach your people to use theotten all about both of you now that he is the husband of a princess of the royal blood Tell oes it with Mameena?”
”Oh, well, well, Macumazahn For is she not the head lady of the A at all, except that as yet she has no child; also that--,” and he paused
”That what?” I asked
”That she hates the very sight of her husband, Masapo, and says that she would rather be ives him offence, after he has paid so many cattle for her
But what of this, Macu upon the finest head of corn Nothing is _quite_ perfect in the world, Macumazahn, and if Maed his shoulders and drank some ”squareface”
”Of course it does not matter in the least, Umbezi, except to Mameena and her husband, who no doubt will settle down in time, now that Saduko is married to a princess of the Zulu House”
”I hope so, Macuuns, for I live ast a terrible lot of people Masapo, who is furious with Mameena because she will have none of hih I could control Mameena; Mameena, who is ave her in e to him; Saduko, who foams at the mouth at the name of Masapo, because he has married Mameena, whom, it is said, he still loves, and therefore at me, because I aive me soet all these things, and especially that uardian spirit made me the father of Maht have done so Oh, Macumazahn, why did you not run aith Mameena, and turn her into a quiet white wos to the 'Great-Great' in the sky--[that is, hymns to the Power above us]--and never thinks of any man who is not her husband?”
”Because if I had done so, Umbezi, I should have ceased to be a quiet white man Yes, yes, my friend, I should have been in so that I wish And now, Uh 'squareface,' so I will take the bottle aithI trekked very early from Umbezi's kraal--before he was up indeed, for the ”squareface” u, Panda's Great Place, where I hoped to do so, but, as I was in no particular hurry, o round by Masapo's, and see for myself how it fared between him and Mameena Indeed, I reached the borders of the A, and caht came reflection, and reflection told me that I should do well to keep clear of Mameena and her doed u by the only route thatway round
That day, owing to the roughness of the road--if road it could be called--and an accident to one of the wagons, we only covered about fifteen ed to outspan at the first spot where we could find water When the oxen had been unyoked I looked about h I had approached it fronised at once as the mouth of the Black Kloof, in which, over a year before, I had interviewed Zikali the Little and Wise There was nothe spot; that blasted valley, with the piled-up colu cliff at the end of it, have, so far as I am aware, no exact counterparts in Africa
I sat upon the box of the first wagon, eatingand biscuit, for I had not bothered to shoot any ga whether Zikali were still alive, also whether I should take the trouble to walk up the kloof and find out On the whole I thought that I would not, as the place repelled me, and I did not particularly wish to hear any more of his prophecies and fierce, ill-o the wonderful effect of the red evening light pouring up between those walls of fantastic rocks
Presently I perceived, far away, a single huure--whether it werethe path which ran at the bottos it looked extraordinarily sh perhaps because of the intense red light in which it was bathed, or perhaps just because it was hu in the ht and focused reatly interested in it; I wondered if it were that ofhere in this haunted valley
The figure drew nearer, and now I saas slender and tall, like that of a lad or of a well-grooed I could not see, because it was draped in a cloak of beautiful grey fur Just then Scowl caon to speak to , which took off ain it was to see the figure standing within three yards of me, its face hidden by a kind of hood which was attached to the fur cloak
”Who are you, and what is your business?” I asked, whereon a gentle voice answered: