Part 23 (2/2)
I had a pistol in my pocket and could perfectly well have killed him, as I was much tempted to do A second's reflection showed me, however, that this would be useless, and in a sense put ument it would interestup at him, said-
”Why, Black Man?”
”Because your face is white,” he roared
”No,” I answered, ”because your heart is black and your eyes are so full of blood that you do not know Macumazahn when you see hiht whom our fathers knew before us Leave hireat fellow, ”I will send hiht, I who keep a club for white rats,” and he brandished his stick overht foot and hooked hi up with all ht hi on the ground
”Son of a dog!” I said, ”if a single stick touchesout h, but how the matter would have ended I do not know, for passion was running high, had not Goza at thisnose and called out-
”O Fools, would you kill the king's guest to whoiven safe-conduct Surely you are pots full of beer, not men”
”Why not?” answered one ”This is the Place of Soldiers The king's house is yonder Give the old jackal a start of a length of ten assegais If he reaches it first, he can shake hands with his friend, the king If not ill make him into medicine”
”Yes, yes, run for it, Jackal,” cla their shi+elds with their sticks, asout toon, with so man whose face was shrouded by a blanket thrown over his head, who very quietly had joined these drunken rioters, and vaguely wondered who he ht be
”I will not run,” I said slowly, ”that I h so, Goza, and tell hiuest,” and I liftedtill the first stick touched round
”There is no need,” said a deep voice that proceeded fro has come to see for hi Cetewayo grown fat and ed since last I saw him, but undoubtedly Cetewayo
”Bayete!” roared the mob in salute, while some of those who had been most active in the tumult tried to slip away
”Let no h they were rooted to the ground, while I slipped my pistol back intoatshould know Macuaan kneho”
”Yes, I know you,” he answered, ”although since we spoke together you have shrunk like an oxhide in the sun, and tirown fat like the ox on su send for ht like a baby in a blanket”
”The last ti no heed of u when the witch Mameena was tried for sorcery, she who reat battle, in which you fought for hiiment Do you not remember how she kissed you, Macumazahn, and took poison between the kisses, and how before she grew silent she spoke evil words tothat I was doomed to pull down my own House and to die as she died, words that have haunted me ever since and now hauntthem, Macumazahn, for it is said in the land that this beautiful witch loved you alone and that you only knew her mind”
I made no reply, as heartily tired of this subject of Maet
”Well,” he went on, ”ill talk of that matter alone, since it is not natural that you should wish to speak of your dead darlings before the world,” and with a wave of the hand he put the ed His face, that had been thoughtful and alrew terrible
”What was that dog doing?” he asked of Goza, pointing to the brute whom I had knocked down and who still lay prostrate on his back, afraid to stir
”O King,” answered Goza, ”he was trying to kill Macuh I told hiht to you by the royal co hi hi hiht hi, they ht would not run; no, although he is so small he knocked him to the earth with his fist, and there he lies That is all, O King”
”Rise, dog,” said Cetewayo, and the ave his naet