Part 24 (1/2)
”Siyakubona [that is, good lad to see you”
”Siyakubona, Ma out all reference to _ at her: ”Is it true that you have a new husband?”
”Yes, Macumazahn, an old lover of mine has become a new husband You knohom I rew very urgent, and the King, also the Inkosazana Nandie, pressed it on oodside by side, for the train of wagons had gone ahead to the old outspan So I stopped and looked her in the face
”'Seemed to be,'” I repeated ”What do you mean by 'seeether, Macu of her shoulders ”Saduko is very fond of lect Nandie, who, by the way, has another son, and, although she says little, that makes Nandie cross In short,” she added, with a burst of truth, ”I areat lady, and that place suits me ill”
”If you love Saduko, you should not mind, Mameena”
”Love,” she said bitterly ”Piff! What is love? But I have asked you that question once before”
”Why are you here, Ma it unanswered
”Because Saduko is here, and, of course, Nandie, for she never leaves him, and he will not leave ; because there are plots afoot and the great war draws near--that war in which so many must die”
”Between Cetewayo and Umbelazi, Mameena?”
”Aye, between Cetewayo and Uons of yours are loaded with guns for which so ame with, I think Well, this little kraal of my father's is just now the headquarters of the Uqosa, as the princedom of Gikazi is that of Cetewayo My poor father!” she added, with her characteristic shrug, ”he thinks hireat to-day, as he did after he had shot the elephant--before I nursed you, Macumazahn--but often I wonder ill be the end of it--for hi yourself”
”I!” I answered ”What have I to do with your Zulu quarrels?”
”That you will knohen you have done with them, Macumazahn But here is the kraal, and before we enter it I wish to thank you for trying to protect that unlucky husband of ht him innocent”
”I know, Macuh, as I always told you, I hated him, the man hom my father forced me to marry But I am afraid, froether innocent You see, Saduko had struck hiet
Also, he was jealous of Saduko, who had been my suitor, and wished to injure him But what I do not understand,” she added, with a burst of confidence, ”is why he did not kill Saduko instead of his child”
”Well, Mameena, you may remember it was said he tried to do so”
”Yes, Macuotten that I suppose that he did try, and failed Oh, now I see things with both eyes Look, yonder is o away But come and talk to me sometimes, Macumazahn, for otherwise Nandie will be careful that I should hear nothing--I who a, the beautiful woman of the House, who must sit and smile, but must not think”
So she departed, and I went on totowards ht be the truth or otherwise of her story, her advancereater happiness and contenth spirits and full of ie of Mameena to Saduko, after the death of the wizard, her husband, whose tribe and cattle had been given to Saduko in co for hireat so I, his father-in-law, grow great with him, Macumazahn, especially as he has been liberal toon to me a share of the herds of Masapo, so that I, who have been poor so long, a rich at last Moreover, my kraal is to be honoured with a visit from Umbelazi and some of his brothers to-h when the Prince is declared heir to the throne”
”Which prince?” I asked
”Umbelazi, Macumazahn Who else? Umbelazi, ithout doubt will conquer Cetewayo”