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at the kraal of your grandmother； for instanceyour grandmother the
great Inkosikazi； when myself I escaped with my life because I was so
old； but never do I remember a merrier than that which this moon shines
on；' and he pointed to the White Lady who just then broke through the
clouds。 'But； great Chief Bangu； lord loved by the son of Senzangakona；
brother of the Black One （Chaka） who has ridden hence on the assegai；
what is the meaning of _this_ play？' and he pointed to me and to the two
soldiers who held out my little arms。
〃'I kill the wizard's cub； Zikali； that is all；' answered Bangu。
〃'I see； I see；' laughed Zikali。 'A gallant deed！ You have butchered
the father and the mother； and now you would butcher the child who has
slain one of your grown warriors in fair fight。 A very gallant deed；
well worthy of the chief of the Amakoba！ Well； loose his spiritonly'
He stopped and took a pinch of snuff from a box which he drew from a
slit in the lobe of his great ear。
〃'Only what？' asked Bangu； hesitating。
〃'Only I wonder； Bangu； what you will think of the world in which you
will find yourself before to…morrow's moon arises。 Come back thence and
tell me； Bangu； for there are so many worlds beyond the sun； and I would
learn for certain which of them such a one as you inhabits： a man who
for hatred and for gain murders the father and the mother and then
butchers the childthe child that could slay a warrior who has seen
warwith the spear hot from his mother's heart。'
〃'Do you mean that I shall die if I kill this lad？' shouted Bangu in a
great voice。
〃'What else？' answered Zikali； taking another pinch of snuff。
〃'This； Wizard； that we will go together。'
〃'Good； good！' laughed the dwarf。 'Let us go together。 Long have I
wished to die； and what better companion could I find than Bangu； Chief
of the Amakoba； Slayer of Children； to guard me on a dark and terrible
road。 Come； brave Bangu； come； kill me if you can；' and again he
laughed at him。
〃Now； Macumazahn； the people of Bangu fell back muttering； for they
found this business horrible。 Yes； even those who held my arms let go
of them。
〃'What will happen to me； Wizard； if I spare the boy？' asked Bangu。
〃Zikali stretched out his hand and touched the scratch that the assegai
had made in me here。 Then he held up his finger red with my blood； and
looked at it in the light of the moon； yes； and tasted it with his
tongue。
〃'I think this will happen to you； Bangu；' he said。 'If you spare this
boy he will grow into a man who will kill you and many others one day。
But if you do not spare him I think that his spirit； working as spirits
can do； will kill you to…morrow。 Therefore the question is； will you
live a while or will you die at once； taking me with you as your
companion？ For you must not leave me behind； brother Bangu。'
〃Now Bangu turned and walked away； stepping over the body of my mother；
and all his people walked away after him； so that presently Zikali the
Wise and Little and I were left alone。
〃'What！ have they gone？' said Zikali； lifting up his eyes from the
ground。 'Then we had better be going also； Son of Matiwane； lest he
should change his mind and come back。 Live on； Son of Matiwane； that
you may avenge Matiwane。'〃
〃A nice tale；〃 I said。 〃But what happened afterwards？〃
〃Zikali took me away and nurtured me at his kraal in the Black Kloof；
where he lived alone save for his servants； for in that kraal he would
suffer no woman to set foot； Macumazahn。 He taught me much wisdom and
many secret things； and would have made a great doctor of me had I so
willed。 But I willed it not who find spirits ill company； and there are
many of them about the Black Kloof； Macumazahn。 So in the end he said：
'Go where your heart calls； and be a warrior； Saduko。 But know this：
You have opened a door that can never be shut again； and across the
threshold of that door spirits will pass in and out for all your life；
whether you seek them or seek them not。'
〃'It was you who opened the door； Zikali；' I answered angrily。
〃'Mayhap；' said Zikali； laughing after his fashion； 'for I open when I
must and shut when I must。 Indeed； in my youth； before the Zulus were a
people； they named me Opener of Doors； and now； looking through one of
those doors； I see something about you； O Son of Matiwane。'
〃'What do you see； my father？' I asked。
〃'I see two roads； Saduko： the Road of Medicine； that is the spirit
road； and the Road of Spears； that is the blood road。 I see you
travelling on the Road of Medicine； that is my own road； Saduko； and
growing wise and great； till at last； far； far away； you vanish over the
precipice to which it leads； full of years and honour and wealth； feared
yet beloved by all men； white and black。 Only that road you must travel
alone； since such wisdom may have no friends； and； above all； no woman
to share its secrets。 Then I look at the Road of Spears and see you；
Saduko； travelling on that road； and your feet are red with blood； and
women wind their arms about your neck； and one by one your enemies go
down before you。 You love much； and sin much for the sake of the love；
and she for whom you sin comes and goes and comes again。 And the road
is short； Saduko； and near the end of it are many spirits； and though
you shut your eyes you see them； and though you fill your ears with clay
you hear them； for they are the ghosts of your slain。 But the end of
your journeying I see not。 Now choose which road you will； Son of
Matiwane； and choose swiftly； for I speak no more of this matter。'
〃Then； Macumazahn； I thought a while of the safe and lonely path of
wisdom； also of the blood…red path of spears where I should find love
and war； and my youth rose up in me andI chose the path of spears and
the love and the sin and the unknown death。〃
〃A foolish choice； Saduko； supposing that there is any truth in this
tale of roads； which there is not。〃
〃Nay； a wise one； Macumazahn； for since then I have seen Mameena and
know why I chose that path。〃
〃Ah！〃 I said。 〃MameenaI forgot her。 Well； after all； perhaps there
is some truth in your tale of roads。 When _I_ have seen Mameena I will
tell you what I think。〃
〃When you have seen Mameena； Macumazahn； you will say that the choice
was very wise。 Well； Zikali； Opener of Doors； laughed loudly when he
heard it。 'The ox seeks the fat pasture； but the young bull the rough
mountainside where the heifers graze；' he said； 'and after all； a bull
is better than an ox。 Now begin to travel your own road； Son of
Matiwane； and from time to time return to the Black Kloof and tell me
how it fares with you。 I will promise you not to die before I know the
end of it。'
〃Now； Macumazahn； I have told you things that hitherto have lived in my
own heart only。 And； Macumazahn； Bangu is in ill favour with Panda；
whom he defies in his mountain； and I have a promisenever mind
howthat he who kills him will be called to no account and may keep his
cattle。 Will you come with me and share those cattle； O
Watcher…by…Night？〃
〃Get thee behind me； Satan；〃 I said in English； then added in Zulu： 〃I
don't know。 If y