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brought food for my own men。 As for my business； it is simple。 You
asked a hundred head of cattle as the lobola ＇that is； the marriage
gift＇ of your daughter； Mameena。 They are there。 Go send your servants
to the kraal and count them。〃
〃Oh； with pleasure；〃 Umbezi replied nervously； and he gave some orders
to certain men behind him。 〃I am glad to see that you have become rich
in this sudden fashion； Saduko； though how you have done so I cannot
understand。〃
〃Never mind how I have become rich；〃 answered Saduko。 〃I _am_ rich；
that is enough for the present。 Be pleased to send for Mameena； for I
would talk with her。〃
〃Yes； yes； Saduko； I understand that you would talk with Mameena；
but〃and he looked round him desperately〃I fear that she is still
asleep。 As you know； Mameena was always a late riser； and； what is
more； she hates to be disturbed。 Don't you think that you could come
back； say； to…morrow morning？ She will be sure to be up by then； or；
better still； the day after？〃
〃In which hut is Mameena？〃 asked Saduko sternly； while I； smelling a
rat； began to chuckle to myself。
〃I really do not know； Saduko；〃 replied Umbezi。 〃Sometimes she sleeps
in one； sometimes in another； and sometimes she goes several hours'
journey away to her aunt's kraal for a change。 I should not be in the
least surprised if she had done so last night。 I have no control over
Mameena。〃
Before Saduko could answer； a shrill； rasping voice broke upon our ears；
which after some search I saw proceeded from an ugly and ancient female
seated in the shadow； in whom I recognised the lady who was known by the
pleasing name of 〃Worn…out…Old…Cow。〃
〃He lies！〃 screeched the voice。 〃He lies。 Thanks be to the spirit of
my ancestors that wild cat Mameena has left this kraal for good。 She
slept last night； not with her aunt； but with her husband； Masapo； to
whom Umbezi gave her in marriage two days ago； receiving in payment a
hundred and twenty head of cattle； which was twenty more than _you_ bid；
Saduko。〃
Now when Saduko heard these words I thought that he would really go mad
with rage。 He turned quite grey under his dark skin and for a while
trembled like a leaf； looking as though he were about to fall to the
ground。 Then he leapt as a lion leaps； and seizing Umbezi by the
throat； hurled him backwards； standing over him with raised spear。
〃You dog！〃 he cried in a terrible voice。 〃Tell me the truth or I will
rip you up。 What have you done with Mameena？〃
〃Oh！ Saduko；〃 answered Umbezi in choking tones； 〃Mameena has chosen to
get married。 It was no fault of mine； she would have her way。〃
He got no farther； and had I not intervened by throwing my arms about
Saduko and dragging him back； that moment would have been Umbezi's last；
for Saduko was about to pin him to the earth with his spear。 As it
proved； I was just in time； and Saduko； being weak with emotion； for I
felt his heart going like a sledge…hammer； could not break from my grasp
before his reason returned to him。
At length he recovered himself a little and threw down his spear as
though to put himself out of temptation。 Then he spoke； always in the
same terrible voice； asking：
〃Have you more to say about this business； Umbezi？ I would hear all
before I answer you。〃
〃Only this； Saduko；〃 replied Umbezi； who had risen to his feet and was
shaking like a reed。 〃I did no more than any other father would have
done。 Masapo is a very powerful chief； one who will be a good stick for
me to lean on in my old age。 Mameena declared that she wished to marry
him〃
〃He lies！〃 screeched the 〃Old Cow。〃 〃What Mameena said was that she had
no will towards marriage with any Zulu in the land； so I suppose she is
looking after a white man；〃 and she leered in my direction。 〃She said；
however； that if her father wished to marry her to Masapo； she must be a
dutiful daughter and obey him； but that if blood and trouble came of
that marriage； let it be on his head and not on hers。〃
〃Would you also stick your claws into me； cat？〃 shouted Umbezi； catching
the old woman a savage cut across the back with the light dancing…stick
which he still held in his hand； whereon she fled away screeching and
cursing him。
〃Oh； Saduko；〃 he went on； 〃let not your ears be poisoned by these
falsehoods。 Mameena never said anything of the sort； or if she did it
was not to me。 Well； the moment that my daughter had consented to take
Masapo as her husband his people drove a hundred and twenty of the most
beautiful cattle over the hill； and would you have had me refuse them；
Saduko？ I am sure that when you have seen them you will say that I was
quite right to accept such a splendid lobola in return for one
sharp…tongued girl。 Remember； Saduko； that although you had promised a
hundred head； that is less by twenty； at the time you did not own one；
and where you were to get them from I could not guess。 Moreover；〃 he
added with a last； desperate； imaginative effort； for I think he saw
that his arguments were making no impression； 〃some strangers who called
here told me that both you and Macumazahn had been killed by certain
evil…doers in the mountains。 There； I have spoken； and； Saduko； if you
now have cattle； why； on my part； I have another daughter； not quite so
good…looking perhaps； but a much better worker in the field。 Come and
drink a sup of beer； and I will send for her。〃
〃Stop talking about your other daughter and your beer and listen to me；〃
replied Saduko； looking at the assegai which he had thrown to the ground
so ominously that I set my foot on it。 〃I am now a greater chief than
the boar Masapo。 Has Masapo such a bodyguard as these
Eaters…up…of…Enemies？〃 and he jerked his thumb backwards towards the
serried lines of fierce…faced Amangwane who stood listening behind us。
〃Has Masapo as many cattle as I have； whereof those which you see are
but a tithe brought as a lobola gift to the father of her who had been
promised to me as wife？ Is Masapo Panda's friend？ I think that I have
heard otherwise。 Has Masapo just conquered a countless tribe by his
courage and his wit？ Is Masapo young and of high blood； or is he but an
old； low…born boar of the mountains？
〃You do not answer； Umbezi； and perhaps you do well to be silent。 Now
listen again。 Were it not for Macumazahn here； whom I do not desire to
mix up with my quarrels； I would bid my men take you and beat you to
death with the handles of their spears； and then go on and serve the
Boar in the same fashion in his mountain sty。 As it is； these things
must wait a little while； especially as I have other matters to attend
to first。 Yet the day is not far off when I will attend to them also。
Therefore my counsel to you； Cheat； is to make haste to die or to find
courage to fall upon a spear； unless you would learn how it feels to be
brayed with sticks like a green hide until none can know that you were
once a man。 Send now and tell my words to Masapo the Boar。 And to
Mameena say that soon I will come to take her with spears and not with
cattle。 Do you understand？ Oh！ I see that you do； since already you
weep with fear like a woman。 Then fare