Child of Storm

"Between Cetewayo and Umbelazi, Mameena?"

"Aye, between Cetewayo and Umbelazi. Why do you suppose those wagons of

yours are loaded with guns for which so many cattle must be paid? Not to

shoot game with, I think. Well, this little kraal of my father's is

just now the headquarters of the Umbelazi faction, the Isigqosa, as the

princedom of Gikazi is that of Cetewayo. My poor father!" she added,

with her characteristic shrug, "he thinks himself very great to-day,

as he did after he had shot the elephant--before I nursed you,

Macumazahn--but often I wonder what will be the end of it--for him and

for all of us, Macumazahn, including yourself."

"I!" I answered. "What have I to do with your Zulu quarrels?"

"That you will know when 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 mine, Masapo."

"I only did so, Mameena, because I thought him innocent."

"I know, Macumazahn; and so did I, although, as I always told you, I

hated him, the man with whom my father forced me to marry. But I am

afraid, from what I have learned since, that he was not altogether

innocent. You see, Saduko had struck him, which he could not forget.

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, Macumazahn; I had forgotten that. I suppose that he did try, and

failed. Oh, now I see things with both eyes. Look, yonder is my father.

I will go away. But come and talk to me sometimes, Macumazahn, for

otherwise Nandie will be careful that I should hear nothing--I who am

the plaything, the beautiful woman of the House, who must sit and smile,

but must not think."

So she departed, and I went on to meet old Umbezi, who came gambolling

towards me like an obese goat, reflecting that, whatever might be the

truth or otherwise of her story, her advancement in the world did not

seem to have brought Mameena greater happiness and contentment.

Umbezi, who greeted me warmly, was in high spirits and full of

importance. He informed me that the marriage of Mameena to Saduko, after

the death of the wizard, her husband, whose tribe and cattle had been

given to Saduko in compensation for the loss of his son, was a most

fortunate thing for him.

I asked why.

"Because as Saduko grows great so I, his father-in-law, grow great with

him, Macumazahn, especially as he has been liberal to me in the matter

of cattle, passing on to me a share of the herds of Masapo, so that I,

who have been poor so long, am getting rich at last. Moreover, my kraal

is to be honoured with a visit from Umbelazi and some of his brothers

to-morrow, and Saduko has promised to lift me up high when the Prince is

declared heir to the throne."