Part 33 (1/2)
Then Panda asked hi to say in excuse of his conduct
”Nothing, O King, except that I was Uiven the word that he and the Prince yonder ht, I, like many others, some of whoers that he ht have the victory”
”Then why did you desert my son the Prince in the battle?” asked Panda
”Because I saw that the Prince Ceteas the stronger bull and wished to be on the winning side, as all men do--for no other reason,” answered Saduko cal Cetewayo Panda, who, like the rest of us, had heard a very different tale, looked extrereat laughs
After a long pause, at length the King, as suprean to pass sentence At least, I suppose that was his intention, but before three words had left his lips Nandie rose and said:
”My Father, ere you speak that which cannot be unspoken, hear me It is well known that Saduko, eneral and councillor, and if he is to be killed for clinging to the Prince, then I should be killed also, and countless others in Zululand who still remain alive because they were not in or escaped the battle It is well known also,that battle Saduko went over to ht about the defeat of Uo over? He tells you because he wished to be on the winning side It is not true He went over in order to be revenged upon Umbelazi, who had taken froer at Mameena--”yonder witch, whom he loved and still loves, and whoh to do so he must make his own name shameful Saduko sinned; I do not deny it, my Father, but there sits the real traitress, red with the blood of Umbelazi and with that of thousands of others who have '_tshonile'd_'
[gone down to keep hi, I beseech you, spare the life of Saduko, hter, will die with hi”
And very proudly and quietly she sat herself down again, waiting for the fateful words
But those words were not spoken, since Panda only said: ”Let us try the case of this woain and set out the charges against Mameena, namely, that it was she who had poisoned Saduko's child, and not Masapo; that, after one to live with the Prince Umbelazi; and that finally she had bewitched the said Umbelazi and caused hie, if proved, namely, that this woman deserted her husband for another man, is a crime of death,” broke in Panda abruptly as the officer finished speaking; ”therefore, what need is there to hear the first and the third until that is exae, wo did not wish to stir up these other matters of murder and witchcraft for some reason of his oe all turned to hear Ma,” she said in her low, silvery voice, ”I cannot deny that I left Saduko for Umbelazi the Handsome, any more than Saduko can deny that he left Umbelazi the beaten for Cetewayo the conqueror”
”Why did you leave Saduko?” asked Panda
”O King, perhaps because I loved Umbelazi; for was he not called the Handsome? Also _you_ know that the Prince, your son, was one to be loved” Here she paused, looking at poor Panda, inced ”Or, perhaps, because I wished to be great; for was he not of the Blood Royal, and, had it not been for Saduko, would he not one day have been a king? Or, perhaps, because I could no longer bear the treatment that the Princess Nandie dealt out to me; she as cruel to me and threatened to beat me, because Saduko loved my hut better than her own Ask Saduko; he knows azed at him steadily Then she went on: ”How can a wo, when she never knows them herself?”--a question at which some of her hearers smiled
Now Saduko rose and said slowly:
”Hear ive the reason that Mameena hides She left me for Umbelazi because I bade her to do so, for I knew that Uhter which bound ht would inherit the Throne Also, I eary of Maht and day with the Princess Nandie, asped in astonishhed and said:
”Yes, O King, those were the two real reasons that I had forgotten I left Saduko because he bade me, as he wished to make a present to the Prince Also, he was tired of me; for many days at a time he would scarcely speak to ht be, I could not help quarrelling with the Princess Nandie Moreover, there was another reason which I have forgotten: I had no child, and not having any child I did not think it mattered whether I went or stayed If Saduko searches, he will rereed with ain she looked at Saduko, who said hurriedly:
”Yes, yes, I told her so; I told her that I wished for no barren cows in ht, but Panda frowned
”It seeh which of these two tells them I cannot say Well, if the woht be furthered, as he says, he had put her away, and therefore the fault, if any, is his, not hers
So that charge is ended Nooman, what have you to tell us of the witchcraft which it is said you practised upon the Prince who is gone, thereby causing him to make war in the land?”
”Little that you would wish to hear, O King, or that it would be see her head modestly ”The only witchcraft that ever I practised upon Umbelazi lies here”--and she touched her beautiful eyes--”and here”--and she touched her curving lips--”and in this poor shape of ht so fair
As for the hat had I to do ho never spoke to Umbelazi, as so dear todown her face--”save of love? O King, is there ayou all ould fear the witcheries of such a one as I; and because the Heavens made me beautiful with the beauty that men must follow, aument neither Panda nor anyone else seemed to find an answer, especially as it ell known that U before he reatest of the three proceeded with; namely, that it was she, Mameena, and not her husband, Masapo, who had murdered Nandie's child
When this accusation was ainst her, for the first time I saw a little shade of trouble flit across Ma,” she said, ”that reat Nyanga, sht hiain?”