The King's Assegai Part 13

A WILD AND DESPERATE SCHEME.

"Not until I was clear of the mountains did I dare to travel daring the light of day, for it seemed certain we had not entirely stamped out those _abatagati_. Now and then I could see them in small parties creeping warily about the mountainside, and though I was well armed, yet I was but one man and they were many. So by day I lay in some safe hiding-place and rested, travelling only at night. _Whau_! but I liked it not. Those great mountain ranges seemed full of ghosts and the whispers of wizard voices in the darkness. But I had got rid of my enemy Gungana, who was ever striving to turn the King's ear against me, and it seemed that now things would go well. So I sang softly to my guardian serpent as I stepped through that shadowy place, and my heart felt strong again.

"At length I came in sight of Ekupumuleni, lying fair and proud in its immense circle, and I loved the sight, for it spake to me of all that makes the life of a warrior glad--of our nation's greatness, of the mustering of _impis_, of the war dance and the beer-drinking, of our tales and songs round the fires on cold nights, of adventure and of love. I stretched out my hands to the kraal Ekupumuleni, and I cried aloud the praises of the Black Elephant who sat therein.

"As I drew near I met no one at first, for our herds were all feeding on the other side. Then I came upon a group of old _amakehla_ who had just sat down to take snuff, and among them was my father, Ntelani, who, as I have said, loved me not overmuch. And when he saw me he cried out in astonishment, bringing his hand to his mouth and spilling the snuff from his spoon.

"'Ha, it is his ghost!' he said; 'for was he not killed?'

"'No ghost is it, my father,' I answered, sitting down among them. 'I was not killed, but lost myself in the pursuit. The calf of the cow has come home again.'

"Then they questioned me, but I parried all their answers, telling them nothing, for I had determined to keep what I had seen for the ears of the King first, though I was not sure whether I ought not to bury it entirely, and place a flat stone upon it for ever, lest I opened a way to the _iza.n.u.si_ at any time to lay a charge against me of having brought foul _muti_ from among the _abatagati_ of the mountains. But my reserve angered them, and my father said:

"'This calf bleats overload. Perchance he will bleat still louder before long, but not with delight.'

"I liked not his tone as he said this, and his look was one of malice.

Immediately my heart felt heavy again, as though some evil awaited, so I bade them farewell and sped on to the kraal gates.

"Here I was hailed by many, for all thought of me as among the dead, several days having elapsed since the battle. But I spoke to none, pushing past all until I reached the entrance to the _IsiG.o.dhlo_, and there I threw down my shield and weapons, and called loud to those who attended within that the calf had returned to the kraal after strange wanderings. This I was bound in duty to do, for Umzilikazi made a point of being immediately informed when anything occurred; indeed, no event was too trifling and insignificant to be unworthy of his notice, although nine times out of ten he would appear to know nothing about it.

"I had not long stood thus without the fence before I received a summons to enter. Umzilikazi was seated upon a lion-skin in front of his house, and I thought he looked pleased as I drew near and shouted:

"'_Bayete, 'Nkulu, 'nkulu_! The calf has returned to the kraal of the Black Elephant.'

"'Welcome, Untuswa!' said the King. 'I had thought to find another chief-runner--another _inceku_.'

"And then he bade me sit down and tell all that had befallen me.

"Now, _Nkose_, while I was beginning to tell my story, I thought, and thought hard, and, as a consequence, I determined to make no mention whatever of Gungana. If I should narrate his loathsome end, always suppressing how he had got into the hole, there were not wanting those who would a.s.sert that I had brought about his death. Even the King himself might suspect it. Indeed, I would have avoided all mention of the slaughter-cave of the _Izimu_, but my serpent whispered to me that one day it might come about that some of these _abatagati_ would be taken alive and brought before the King, and the whole story would come out. And then where would I be? Apart from the deadly crime of concealing aught from the King, should I not by my reticence have laid myself out to a charge of wizardry of the worst kind? So, except in the matter of Gungana, I told my story to the King, even as I have told it to you, _Nkose_. He listened with the deepest attention, but when I told how my appearance at the end of the line had scared the _Izimu_, who had expected to haul up dead meat, the King laughed as I never heard man laugh before or since.

"'_Whau_! That is a great tale!' he cried. 'In truth, Untuswa, thy doings have been strange. But these Baputi--they fought well! Think you that the _Izimu_ are of their tribe?'

"'That I know not, O Great Great One. They seemed to me of the same race.'

"'Ha! I like not these wizards who hide behind rocks. I lose too many warriors for their wretched cattle and women, and their own miserable carcases slain. I have a mind to leave them in peace now.'

"Thus the King talked on familiarly with me, as was his wont. At last he bade me depart. But I, noting his good-humour, and that he seemed glad to see me once more, reckoned the moment a favourable one, and renewed my request to be allowed to _tunga_. Immediately the countenance of the Great Great One grew stern and his speech changed.

"'What was the condition I named the first time you asked this, son of Ntelani?' he said. 'What was my "word" to you then?'

"'The "word" of the King was: "Perform some act bolder than any act I have ever heard tell of."' I answered. 'Thus did the Great Great One speak.'

"'Thus did I speak, Untuswa. And it seems to me that the condition has not yet been accomplished. Now go.'

"I was of a different opinion, but not another word did I say. I cried out '_Bayete_.' and left the King.

"Then those among whom I moved hailed me joyfully, and would have heard my story; but in truth I was ill inclined for mirth and chatter. I felt sore at heart and revengeful. Thrice had the King put me off, and who had fought his battles more bravely than I--who had slain more of his enemies in open fight? So I left my comrades, being minded to wander alone.

"'Greeting, son of Ntelani!'

"I turned quickly at the harsh, quavering croak. I was pa.s.sing the hut of old Masuka. He it was who had hailed me.

"'Ha-ha!' he chuckled. 'Do you desire to behold more _muti_, O traveller through the heart of the earth?'

"I answered him roughly, for he seemed but to mock me.

"'An _induna's_ head-ring upon a floor of bones,' he went on, speaking softly as though to himself. 'The dead _within_ the living.'

"'_Hau_!' I cried, bringing my hand to my mouth and fairly leaping, so astounded was I. But the old man met my glance with ever so faint a grin as I stared wildly at him. This was too marvellous. What did not this terrible old wizard know? The grim secret of Gungana's end could not have been more exhaustively described.

"'What is not possible to thee, O my father!' I exclaimed. 'Help me to gain my heart's desire, thou who didst promise that I should obtain it.

For again has the King refused it.'

"'What was the condition the King attached to the fulfilment of his promise, Untuswa?' he said, fixing his snake-like eyes upon my face.

"'That I should perform some act braver than any he had ever heard tell of.'

"'Then--perform it. Perform such an act, son of Ntelani;' and, laughing softly, Masuka turned and went into his hut.

"Angry that he should mock me, yet dreading his knowledge and power, I left him. Then, for solitude, I wandered out of the kraal, and unconsciously directed my way towards where the cattle were being herded--unconsciously, because in my then mood I had no desire to encounter Nangeza. Of what avail was it, since my head-ring was as far distant as ever?

"Soon I came upon one I recognised. This was Nangeza's little sister, Sitele. But she was alone, and it seemed to me that on beholding me she wished to avoid speech with me, for she immediately began driving calves in a direction where it was not in the least necessary, or even desirable, they should go. So I called out to her, and she stopped.

"'Why are you alone, Sitele?' I said. 'Where is Nangeza?'

"'Can I see people at a distance?' was the answer. 'She is not here.'

"I could see her manner was full of confusion, and now I began to fear I knew not what.

"'Where is she, Sitele?' I cried again.

"'_Au_! I know not. She dwells in my father's house no more.'

"That was quick work! Who could have sent _lobola_ and taken her away in those few days during which I had been absent?

"'Who has taken her, Sitele? Gungana is dead.'

"'There is a greater than Gungana.'

"'Kalipe?' I cried, my thoughts flying to the King's favourite war-chief. 'Is it Kalipe?'

"'There is a greater than Kalipe.'

"'Ha! the King!'

"'She is in the _IsiG.o.dhlo_,' said the child, fixing her eyes in fear upon my face. And well she might, for I forgot all control, and my eyes blazed furiously as I gripped my a.s.segai and poured forth words which had any man heard, I should have seen not another sun to set. For I was mad. Not only had the King been making a mock of me all this time, but now he had put forth his hand and taken her upon whom my heart was set.

I was young then, _Nkose_, and therefore a fool, and did not reason as I should have done that there were other girls among the Amandebili as good as Nangeza.