That evening at sunset, just as I was about to trek, for the King had
given me leave to go, and at that time my greatest desire in life
seemed to be to bid good-bye to Zululand and the Zulus--I saw a strange,
beetle-like shape hobbling up the hill towards me, supported by two big
men. It was Zikali.
He passed me without a word, merely making a motion that I was to follow
him, which I did out of curiosity, I suppose, for Heaven knows I had
seen enough of the old wizard to last me for a lifetime. He reached a
flat stone about a hundred yards above my camp, where there was no bush
in which anyone could hide, and sat himself down, pointing to another
stone in front of him, on which I sat myself down. Then the two men
retired out of earshot, and, indeed, of sight, leaving us quite alone.
"So you are going away, O Macumazana?" he said.
"Yes, I am," I answered with energy, "who, if I could have had my will,
would have gone away long ago."
"Yes, yes, I know that; but it would have been a great pity, would it
not? If you had gone, Macumazahn, you would have missed seeing the end
of a strange little story, and you, who love to study the hearts of men
and women, would not have been so wise as you are to-day."
"No, nor as sad, Zikali. Oh! the death of that woman!" And I put my hand
before my eyes.
"Ah! I understand, Macumazahn; you were always fond of her, were you
not, although your white pride would not suffer you to admit that black
fingers were pulling at your heartstrings? She was a wonderful witch,
was Mameena; and there is this comfort for you--that she pulled at other
heartstrings as well. Masapo's, for instance; Saduko's, for instance;
Umbelazi's, for instance, none of whom got any luck from her
pulling--yes, and even at mine."
Now, as I did not think it worth while to contradict his nonsense so far
as I was concerned personally, I went off on this latter point.
"If you show affection as you did towards Mameena to-day, Zikali, I pray
my Spirit that you may cherish none for me," I said.
He shook his great head pityingly as he answered: "Did you never love a lamb and kill it afterwards when you were hungry,
or when it grew into a ram and butted you, or when it drove away your
other sheep, so that they fell into the hands of thieves? Now, I am very
hungry for the fall of the House of Senzangakona, and the lamb, Mameena,
having grown big, nearly laid me on my back to-day within the reach of
the slayer's spear. Also, she was hunting my sheep, Saduko, into an evil
net whence he could never have escaped. So, somewhat against my will, I
was driven to tell the truth of that lamb and her tricks."