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to play； 〃to my friend； Umbezi； your father？〃
〃My father！ 〃 she laughed。 〃Why； would it not please him to grow great
in your shadow？ Only yesterday he told me to marry you； if I could； for
then he would find a stick indeed to lean on； and be rid of Saduko's
troubling。〃
Evidently Umbezi was a worse card even than Saduko； so I played another。
〃And can I help you； Mameena； to tread a road that at the best must be
red with blood？〃
〃Why not；〃 she asked； 〃since with or without you I am destined to tread
that road； the only difference being that with you it will lead to glory
and without you perhaps to the jackals and the vultures？ Blood！ Piff！
What is blood in Zululand？〃
This card also having failed； I tabled my last。
〃Glory or no glory； I do not wish to share it； Mameena。 I will not make
war among a people who have entertained me hospitably； or plot the
downfall of their Great Ones。 As you told me just now； I am
nobodyjust one grain of sand upon a white shorebut I had rather be
that than a haunted rock which draws the heavens' lightnings and is
drenched with sacrifice。 I seek no throne over white or black； Mameena；
who walk my own path to a quiet grave that shall perhaps not be without
honour of its own； though other than you seek。 I will keep your
counsel； Mameena； but； because you are so beautiful and so wise； and
because you say you are fond of mefor which I thank youI pray you
put away these fearful dreams of yours that in the end； whether they
succeed or fail； will send you shivering from the world to give account
of them to the Watcher…on…high。〃
〃Not so； O Macumazana；〃 she said； with a proud little laugh。 〃When your
Watcher sowed my seedif thus he didhe sowed the dreams that are a
part of me also； and I shall only bring him back his own； with the
flower and the fruit by way of interest。 But that is finished。 You
refuse the greatness。 Now； tell me； if I sink those dreams in a great
water； tying about them the stone of forgetfulness and saying： 'Sleep
there； O dreams； it is not your hour'if I do this； and stand before
you just a woman who loves and who swears by the spirits of her fathers
never to think or do that which has not your blessingwill you love me
a little； Macumazahn？〃
Now I was silent； for she had driven me to the last ditch； and I knew
not what to say。 Moreover； I will confess my weaknessI was strangely
moved。 This beautiful girl with the 〃fire in her heart；〃 this woman who
was different from all other women that I had ever known； seemed to have
twisted her slender fingers into my heart…strings and to be drawing me
towards her。 It was a great temptation； and I bethought me of old
Zikali's saying in the Black Kloof； and seemed to hear his giant laugh。
She glided up to me； she threw her arms about me and kissed me on the
lips； and I think I kissed her back； but really I am not sure what I did
or said； for my head swam。 When it cleared again she was standing in
front of me； looking at me reflectively。
〃Now； Macumazahn；〃 she said； with a little smile that both mocked and
dazzled； 〃the poor black girl has you； the wise； experienced white man；
in her net； and I will show you that she can be generous。 Do you think
that I do not read your heart； that I do not know that you believe I am
dragging you down to shame and ruin？ Well； I spare you； Macumazahn；
since you have kissed me and spoken words which already you may have
forgotten； but which I do not forget。 Go your road； Macumazahn； and I
go mine； since the proud white man shall not be stained with my black
touch。 Go your road； but one thing I forbid youto believe that you
have been listening to lies； and that I have merely played off a woman's
arts upon you for my own ends。 I love you； Macumazahn； as you will
never be loved till you die； and I shall never love any other man；
however many I may marry。 Moreover； you shall promise me one
thingthat once in my life； and once only； if I wish it； you shall kiss
me again before all men。 And now； lest you should be moved to folly and
forget your white man's pride； I bid you farewell； O Macumazana。 When
we meet again it will be as friends only。〃
Then she went； leaving me feeling smaller than ever I felt in my life；
before or sinceeven smaller than when I walked into the presence of
old Zikali the Wise。 Why； I wondered； had she first made a fool of me；
and then thrown away the fruits of my folly？ To this hour I cannot
quite answer the question； though I believe the explanation to be that
she did really care for me； and was anxious not to involve me in trouble
and her plottings； also she may have been wise enough to see that our
natures were as oil and water and would never blend。
CHAPTER V
TWO BUCKS AND THE DOE
It may be thought that； as a sequel to this somewhat remarkable scene in
which I was absolutely bowled overperhaps bowled out would be a better
termby a Kafir girl who； after bending me to her will； had the genius
to drop me before I repented； as she knew I would do so soon as her back
was turned； thereby making me look the worst of fools； that my relations
with that young lady would have been strained。 But not a bit of it。
When next we met； which was on the following morning； she was just her
easy； natural self； attending to my hurts； which by now were almost
well； joking about this and that； inquiring as to the contents of
certain letters which I had received from Natal； and of some newspapers
that came with themfor on all such matters she was very curiousand
so forth。
Impossible； the clever critic will sayimpossible that a savage could
act with such finish。 Well； friend critic； that is just where you are
wrong。 When you come to add it up there's very little difference in all
main and essential matters between the savage and yourself。
To begin with； by what exact right do we call people like the Zulus
savages？ Setting aside the habit of polygamy； which； after all； is
common among very highly civilised peoples in the East； they have a
social system not unlike our own。 They have； or had； their king； their
nobles； and their commons。 They have an ancient and elaborate law； and
a system of morality in some ways as high as our own； and certainly more
generally obeyed。 They have their priests and their doctors； they are
strictly upright； and observe the rites of hospitality。
Where they differ from us mainly is that they do not get drunk until the
white man teaches them so to do； they wear less clothing； the climate
being more genial； their towns at night are not disgraced by the sights
that distinguish ours； they cherish and are never cruel to their
children； although they may occasionally put a deformed infant or a twin
out of the way； and when they go to war； which is often； they carry out
the business with a terrible thoroughness； almost as terrible as that
which prevailed in every nation in Europe a few generations ago。
Of course； there remain their witchcraft and the cruelties which result
from their almost universal belief in the power and efficiency of magic。
Well； since I lived in England I have been reading up this subject； and
I