Now, all this while I had been watching Mameena, who sat, in the Zulu
fashion, listening to this deadly evidence, a slight smile upon her
face, and without attempting any interruption or comment. Only I saw
that while Zikali was examining the medicine, her eyes were seeking
the eyes of Saduko, who remained in his place, also silent, and, to all
appearance, the least interested of anyone present. He tried to avoid
her glance, turning his head uneasily; but at length her eyes caught his
and held them. Then his heart began to beat quickly, his breast heaved,
and on his face there grew a look of dreamy content, even of happiness.
From that moment forward, till the end of the scene, Saduko never took
his eyes off this strange woman, though I think that, with the exception
of the dwarf, Zikali, who saw everything, and of myself, who am trained
to observation, none noted this curious by-play of the drama.
The King began to speak. "Mameena," he said, "you have heard. Have
you aught to say? For if not it would seem that you are a witch and a
murderess, and one who must die."
"Yea, a little word, O King," she answered quietly. "Nahana speaks
truth. It is true that I entered the hut of Nandie and set the medicine
there. I say it because by nature I am not one who hides the truth or
would attempt to throw discredit even upon a humble serving-woman," and
she glanced at Nahana.
"Then from between your own teeth it is finished," said Panda.
"Not altogether, O King. I have said that I set the medicine in the hut.
I have not said, and I will not say, how and why I set it there. That
tale I call upon Saduko yonder to tell to you, he who was my husband,
that I left for Umbelazi, and who, being a man, must therefore hate me.
By the words he says I will abide. If he declares that I am guilty, then
I am guilty, and prepared to pay the price of guilt. But if he declares
that I am innocent, then, O King and O Prince Cetewayo, without fear
I trust myself to your justness. Now speak, O Saduko; speak the whole
truth, whatever it may be, if that is the King's will."
"It is my will," said Panda.
"And mine also," added Cetewayo, who, I could see, like everyone else,
was much interested in this matter.
Saduko rose to his feet, the same Saduko that I had always known, and
yet so changed. All the life and fire had gone from him; his pride
in himself was no more; none could have known him for that ambitious,
confident man who, in his day of power, the Zulus named the
"Self-Eater." He was a mere mask of the old Saduko, informed by some
new, some alien, spirit. With dull, lack-lustre eyes fixed always upon
the lovely eyes of Mameena, in slow and hesitating tones he began his
tale.