Part 37 (2/2)
Then I took Galazi fully into my mind, and told him all that he did not know of Umslopogaas, and that was little. Also, I told him of my plans to bring the Slaughterer to the throne, and of what I had done to that end, and of what I proposed to do, and this was to go in person on a journey to certain of the great chiefs and win them over.
Galazi listened, and said that it was well or ill, as the chance might be. For his part, he believed that the daughter would pull down faster than I, the father, could build up, and he pointed to Nada, who walked past us, following Umslopogaas.
Yet I determined to go, and that was on the day before Zinita won leave to celebrate the feast of women. So I sought Umslopogaas and told him, and he listened indifferently, for he would be going after Nada, and wearied of my talk of policy. I bade him farewell and left him; to Nada also I bade farewell. She kissed me, yet the name of her husband was mingled with her good-bye.
”Now madness has come upon these two,” I said to myself. ”Well, it will wear off, they will be changed before I come again.”
I guessed little, my father, how changed they would be.
CHAPTER x.x.xII. ZINITA COMES TO THE KING
Dingaan the king sat upon a day in the kraal Umgugundhlovu, waiting till his impis should return from the Income that is now named the Blood River. He had sent them thither to destroy the laager of the Boers, and thence, as he thought, they would presently return with victory. Idly he sat in the kraal, watching the vultures wheel above the Hill of Slaughter, and round him stood a regiment.
”My birds are hungry,” he said to a councillor.
”Doubtless there shall soon be meat to feed them, O King!” the councillor answered.
As he spoke one came near, saying that a woman sought leave to speak to the king upon some great matter.
”Let her come,” he answered; ”I am sick for tidings, perhaps she can tell of the impi.”
Presently the woman was led in. She was tall and fair, and she held two children by the hand.
”What is thine errand?” asked Dingaan.
”Justice, O King,” she answered.
”Ask for blood, it shall be easier to find.”
”I ask blood, O King.”
”The blood of whom?”
”The blood of Bulalio the Slaughterer, Chief of the People of the Axe, the blood of Nada the Lily, and of all those who cling to her.”
Now Dingaan sprang up and swore an oath by the head of the Black One who was gone.
”What?” he cried, ”does the Lily, then, live as the soldier thought?”
”She lives, O King. She is wife to the Slaughterer, and because of her witchcraft he has put me, his first wife, away against all law and honour. Therefore I ask vengeance on the witch and vengeance also on him who was my husband.”
”Thou art a good wife,” said the king. ”May my watching spirit save me from such a one. Hearken! I would gladly grant thy desire, for I, too, hate this Slaughterer, and I, too, would crush this Lily. Yet, woman, thou comest in a bad hour. Here I have but one regiment, and I think that the Slaughterer may take some killing. Wait till my impis return from wiping out the white Amaboona, and it shall be as thou dost desire.
Whose are those children?”
”They are my children and the children of Bulalio, who was my husband.”
”The children of him whom thou wouldst cause to be slain.”
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