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before you do？〃
〃Oh！ I should be smelt out and killed before one moon dies； should I？
Then I wonder that this has not happened during all the moons that are
gone。 Well； I tell the story to you； Macumazahn； who have had so much
to do with the tale of the Zulus since the days of Dingaan； because I
wish that someone should know it and perhaps write it down when
everything is finished。 Because； too； I have just been reading your
spirit and see that it is still a white spirit； and that you will not
whisper it to a 'talking…bird。'〃
Now I leant forward and looked at him。
〃What is the end at which you aim； O Zikali？〃 I asked。 〃You are not one
who beats the air with a stick； on whom do you wish the stick to fall at
last？〃
〃On whom？〃 he answered in a new voice； a low； hissing voice。 〃Why； on
these proud Zulus； this little family of men who call themselves the
'People of Heaven；' and swallow other tribes as the great tree…snake
swallows kids and small bucks； and when it is fat with them cries to the
world； 'See how big I am！ Everything is inside of me。' I am a Ndwande；
one of those peoples whom it pleases the Zulus to call 'Amatefula'poor
hangers…on who talk with an accent； nothing but bush swine。 Therefore I
would see the swine tusk the hunter。 Or； if that may not be； I would
see the black hunter laid low by the rhinoceros； the white rhinoceros of
your race； Macumazahn； yes； even if it sets its foot upon the Ndwande
boar as well。 There； I have told you； and this is the reason that I
live so long； for I will not die until these things have come to pass；
as come to pass they will。 What did Chaka； Senzangakona's son； say when
the little red assegai； the assegai with which he slew his mother； aye
and others； some of whom were near to me； was in his liver？ What did he
say to Mbopa and the princes？ Did he not say that he heard the feet of
a great white people running； of a people who should stamp the Zulus
flat？ Well； I； 'The…thing…who…should…not…have…been…born；' live on until
that day comes； and when it comes I think that you and I； Macumazahn；
shall not be far apart； and that is why I have opened out my heart to
you； I who have knowledge of the future。 There； I speak no more of
these things that are to be； who perchance have already said too much of
them。 Yet do not forget my words。 Or forget them if you will； for I
shall remind you of them； Macumazahn； when the feet of your people have
avenged the Ndwandes and others whom it pleases the Zulus to treat as
dirt。〃
Now； this strange man； who had sat up in his excitement； shook his long
white hair which； after the fashion of wizards； be wore plaited into
thin ropes； till it hung like a veil about him； hiding his broad face
and deep eyes。 Presently he spoke again through this veil of hair；
saying：
〃You are wondering； Macumazahn； what Saduko has to do with all these
great events that are to be。 I answer that he must play his part in
them； not a very great part； but still a part； and it is for this
purpose that I saved him as a child from Bangu； Dingaan's man； and
reared him up to be a warrior； although； since I cannot lie； I warned
him that he would do well to leave spears alone and follow after wisdom。
Well； he will slay Bangu； who now has quarrelled with Panda； and a
woman will come into the story； one Mameena； and that woman will bring
about war between the sons of Panda； and from this war shall spring the
ruin of the Zulus； for he who wins will be an evil king to them and
bring down on them the wrath of a mightier race。 And so
'The…thing…that…should…not…have…been…born' and the Ndwandes and the
Quabies and Twetwas； whom it has pleased the conquering Zulus to name
'Amatefula；' shall be avenged。 Yes； yes； my Spirit tells me all these
things； and they are true。〃
〃And what of Saduko； my friend and your fosterling？〃
〃Saduko； your friend and my fosterling； will take his appointed road；
Macumazahn； as I shall and you will。 What more could he desire； seeing
it is that which he has chosen？ He will take his road and he will play
the part which the Great…Great has prepared for him。 Seek not to know
more。 Why should you； since Time will tell you the story？ And now go
to rest； Macumazahn； as I must who am old and feeble。 And when it
pleases you to visit me again； we will talk further。 Meanwhile；
remember always that I am nothing but an old Kafir cheat who pretends to
a knowledge that belongs to no man。 Remember it especially； Macumazahn；
when you meet a buffalo with a split horn in the pool of a dried…up
river； and afterwards； when a woman named Mameena makes a certain offer
to you； which you may be tempted to accept。 Good night to you；
Watcher…by…Night with the white heart and the strange destiny； good
night to you； and try not to think too hardly of the old Kafir cheat who
just now is called 'Opener…of…Roads。' My servant waits without to lead
you to your hut； and if you wish to be back at Umbezi's kraal by
nightfall to…morrow； you will do well to start ere sunrise； since； as
you found in coming； Saduko； although he may be a fool； is a very good
walker； and you do not like to be left behind； Macumazahn； do you？〃
So I rose to go； but as I went some impulse seemed to take him and he
called me back and made me sit down again。
〃Macumazahn；〃 he said； 〃I would add a word。 When you were quite a lad
you came into this country with Retief； did you not？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered slowly； for this matter of the massacre of Retief is
one of which I have seldom cared to speak； for sundry reasons； although
I have made a record of it in writing。* Even my friends Sir Henry
Curtis and Captain Good have heard little of the part I played in that
tragedy。 〃But what do you know of that business； Zikali？〃
＇*Published under the title of 〃Marie。〃EDITOR。＇
〃All that there is to know； I think； Macumazahn； seeing that I was at
the bottom of it； and that Dingaan killed those Boers on my advicejust
as he killed Chaka and Umhlangana。〃
〃You cold…blooded old murderer〃 I began； but he interrupted me at
once。
〃Why do you throw evil names at me； Macumazahn； as I threw the stone of
your fate at you just now？ Why am I a murderer because I brought about
the death of some white men that chanced to be your friends； who had
come here to cheat us black folk of our country？〃
〃Was it for _this_ reason that you brought about their deaths； Zikali？〃
I asked； staring him in the face； for I felt that he was lying to me。
〃Not altogether； Macumazahn；〃 he answered； letting his eyes； those
strange eyes that could look at the sun without blinking； fall before my
gaze。 〃Have I not told you that I hate the House of Senzangakona？ And
when Retief and his companions were killed； did not the spilling of
their blood mean war to the end between the Zulus and the White Men？
Did it not mean the death of Dingaan and of thousands of his people；
which is but a beginning of deaths？ Now do you understand？〃
〃I understand that you are a very wicked man；〃 I answered with
indignation。
〃At least _you_ should not say so； Macumazahn；〃 he replied in a new
voice； one with the ring of truth in it。
〃Why not？〃