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live with any other man。 Does she say so？〃
〃Inkoosi； Mameena's thought works in the dark； it is like a white ant in
its tunnel of mud。 You see the tunnel which shows that she is thinking；
but you do not see the thought within。 Still； sometimes； when she
believes that no one beholds or hears her〃here I bethought me of the
young lady's soliloquy over my apparently senseless self〃or when she
is surprised； the true thought peeps out of its tunnel。 It did so the
other day； when I pleaded with her after she had heard that I killed the
buffalo with the cleft horn。
〃'Do I love you？' she said。 'I know not for sure。 How can I tell？ It
is not our custom that a maiden should love before she is married； for
is she did so most marriages would be things of the heart and not of
cattle； and then half the fathers of Zululand would grow poor and refuse
to rear girl…children who would bring them nothing。 You are brave； you
are handsome； you are well…born； I would sooner live with you than with
any other man I knowthat is； if you were rich and； better still；
powerful。 Become rich and powerful； Saduko； and I think that I shall
love you。'
〃'I will； Mameena；' I answered； 'but you must wait。 The Zulu nation was
not fashioned from nothing in a day。 First Chaka had to come。'
〃'Ah！' she said； and； my father； her eyes flashed。 'Ah！ Chaka！ There
was a man！ Be another Chaka； Saduko； and I will love you moremore
than you can dream ofthus and thus；' and she flung her arms about me
and kissed me as I was never kissed before； which； as you know； among us
is a strange thing for a girl to do。 Then she thrust me from her with a
laugh； and added： 'As for the waiting； you must ask my father of that。
Am I not his heifer； to be sold； and can I disobey my father？' And she
was gone； leaving me empty； for it seemed as though she took my vitals
with her。 Nor will she talk thus any more； the white ant who has gone
back into its tunnel。〃
〃And did you speak to her father？〃
〃Yes； I spoke to him； but in an evil moment； for he had but just killed
the cattle to furnish Panda's shields。 He answered me very roughly。 He
said： 'You see these dead beasts which I and my people must slay for the
king； or fall under his displeasure？ Well； bring me five times their
number； and we will talk of your marriage with my daughter； who is a
maid in some request。'
〃I answered that I understood and would try my best； whereon he became
more gentle； for Umbezi has a kindly heart。
〃'My son；' he said； 'I like you well； and since I saw you save
Macumazahn； my friend； from that mad wild beast of a buffalo I like you
better than before。 Yet you know my case。 I have an old name and am
called the chief of a tribe； and many live on me。 But I am poor； and
this daughter of mine is worth much。 Such a woman few men have bred。
Well； I must make the best of her。 My son…in…law must be one who will
prop up my old age； one to whom； in my need or trouble； I could always
go as to a dry log；* to break off some of its bark to make a fire to
comfort me； not one who treads me into the mire as the buffalo did to
Macumazahn。 Now I have spoken； and I do not love such talk。 Come back
with the cattle； and I will listen to you； but meanwhile understand that
I am not bound to you or to anyone； I shall take what my spirit sends
me； which； if I may judge the future by the past； will not be much。 One
word more： Do not linger about this kraal too long； lest it should be
said that you are the accepted suitor of Mameena。 Go hence and do a
man's work； and return with a man's reward； or not at all。'〃
＇*In Zululand a son…in…law is known as 〃isigodo so mkwenyana〃； the
〃son…in…law log；〃 for the reason stated in the text。EDITOR。＇
〃Well； Saduko； that spear has an edge on it； has it not？〃 I answered。
〃And now； what is your plan？〃
〃My plan is； Macumazahn；〃 he said； rising from his seat； 〃to go hence
and gather those who are friendly to me because I am my father's son and
still the chief of the Amangwane； or those who are left of them；
although I have no kraal and no hoof of kine。 Then； within a moon； I
hope； I shall return here to find you strong again and once more a man；
and we will start out against Bangu； as I have whispered to you； with
the leave of a High One； who has said that； if I can take any cattle； I
may keep them for my pains。〃
〃I don't know about that； Saduko。 I never promised you that I would
make war upon Banguwith or without the king's leave。〃
〃No； you never promised； but Zikali the Dwarf； the Wise Little One； said
that you wouldand does Zikali lie？ Ask yourself； who will remember a
certain saying of his about a buffalo with a cleft horn； a pool and a
dry river…bed。 Farewell； O my father Macumazahn； I walk with the dawn；
and I leave Mameena in your keeping。〃
〃You mean that you leave me in Mameena's keeping；〃 I began； but already
he was crawling through the hole in the hut。
Well； Mameena kept me very comfortably。 She was always in evidence； yet
not too much so。
Heedless of her malice and abuse； she headed off the 〃Worn…out…old…Cow；〃
whom she knew I detested； from my presence。 She saw personally to my
bandages； as well as to the cooking of my food； over which matter she
had several quarrels with the bastard； Scowl； who did not like her； for
on him she never wasted any of her sweet looks。 Also； as I grew
stronger； she sat with me a good deal； talking； since； by common
consent； Mameena the fair was exempted from all the field； and even the
ordinary household labours that fall to the lot of Kafir women。 Her
place was to be the ornament and； I may add； the advertisement of her
father's kraal。 Others might do the work； and she saw that they did it。
We discussed all sorts of things； from the Christian and other religions
and European policy down； for her thirst for knowledge seemed to be
insatiable。 But what really interested her was the state of affairs in
Zululand； with which she knew I was well acquainted； as a person who had
played a part in its history and who was received and trusted at the
Great House； and as a white man who understood the designs and plans of
the Boers and of the Governor of Natal。
Now； if the old king； Panda； should chance to die； she would ask me；
which of his sons did I think would succeed himUmbelazi or Cetewayo；
or another？ Or； if he did not chance to die； which of them would he
name his heir？
I replied that I was not a prophet； and that she had better ask Zikali
the Wise。
〃That is a very good idea；〃 she said； 〃only I have no one to take me to
him； since my father would not allow me to go with Saduko； his ward。〃
Then she clapped her hands and added： 〃Oh； Macumazahn； will you take me？
My father would trust me with you。〃
〃Yes； I dare say；〃 I answered； 〃but the question is； could I trust
myself with you？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she asked。 〃Oh； I understand。 Then； after all； I
am more to you than a black stone to play with？〃
I think it was that unlucky joke of mine which first set Mameena
thinking； 〃like a white ant in its tunnel；〃 as Saduko said。 At least；
after it her manner towards me changed； she became very d