Child of Storm

"Wait a while, O King. I say that Saduko has spoken not with his own

voice, but with the voice of Mameena. I say that she is the greatest

witch in all the land, and that she has drugged him with the medicine

of her eyes, so that he knows not what he says, even as she drugged the

Prince who is dead."

"Then prove it, or he dies!" exclaimed the King.

Now the dwarf went to Panda and whispered in his ear, whereon Panda

whispered in turn into the ears of two of his councillors. These men,

who were unarmed, rose and made as though to leave the isi-gohlo. But

as they passed Mameena one of them suddenly threw his arms about her,

pinioning her arms, the other tearing off the kaross he wore--for the

weather was cold--flung it over her head and knotted it behind her so

that she was hidden except for her ankles and feet. Then, although she

did not move or struggle, they caught hold of her and stood still.

Now Zikali hobbled to Saduko and bade him rise, which he did. Then he

looked at him for a long while and made certain movements with his hands

before his face, after which Saduko uttered a great sigh and stared

about him.

"Saduko," said Zikali, "I pray you tell me, your foster-father, whether

it is true, as men say, that you sold your wife, Mameena, to the Prince

Umbelazi in order that his favour might fall on you like heavy rain?"

"Wow! Zikali," said Saduko, with a start of rage, "If were you as others

are I would kill you, you toad, who dare to spit slander on my name.

She ran away with the Prince, having beguiled him with the magic of her

beauty."

"Strike me not, Saduko," went on Zikali, "or at least wait to strike

until you have answered one more question. Is it true, as men say, that

in the battle of Endondakusuka you went over to the Usutu with your

regiments because you thought that Indhlovu-ene-Sihlonti would be

beaten, and wished to be on the side of him who won?"

"What, Toad! More slander?" cried Saduko. "I went over for one reason

only--to be revenged upon the Prince because he had taken from me

her who was more to me than life or honour. Aye, and when I went over

Umbelazi was winning; it was because I went that he lost and died, as I

meant that he should die, though now," he added sadly, "I would that I

had not brought him to ruin and the dust, who think that, like myself,

he was but wet clay in a woman's fingers.

"O King," he added, turning to Panda, "kill me, I pray you, who am not

worthy to live, since to him whose hand is red with the blood of his

friend, death alone is left, who, while he breathes, must share his

sleep with ghosts that watch him with their angry eyes."