But those words were not spoken, since Panda only said: "Let us try the
case of this woman, Mameena."
Thereon the law officer rose again and set out the charges against
Mameena, namely, that it was she who had poisoned Saduko's child, and
not Masapo; that, after marrying Saduko, she had deserted him and gone
to live with the Prince Umbelazi; and that finally she had bewitched the
said Umbelazi and caused him to make civil war in the land.
"The second charge, 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 examined. What do you plead to
that charge, woman?"
Now, understanding that the King did not wish to stir up these other
matters of murder and witchcraft for some reason of his own, we all
turned to hear Mameena's answer.
"O King," 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, who winced. "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 who was cruel to me and threatened
to beat me, because Saduko loved my hut better than her own. Ask
Saduko; he knows more of these matters than I do," and she gazed at him
steadily. Then she went on: "How can a woman tell her reasons, O King,
when she never knows them herself?"--a question at which some of her
hearers smiled.
Now Saduko rose and said slowly: "Hear me, O King, and I will give the reason that Mameena hides. She
left me for Umbelazi because I bade her to do so, for I knew that
Umbelazi desired her, and I wished to tie the cord tighter which bound
me to one who at that time I thought would inherit the Throne. Also,
I was weary of Mameena, who quarrelled night and day with the Princess
Nandie, my Inkosikazi."
Now Nandie gasped in astonishment (and so did I), but Mameena laughed
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 me, because, however kind she might 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 remember that I told him so, and that he agreed with
me."