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〃Yes； I am；〃 I answered with energy； 〃who； if I could have had my will；
would have gone away long ago。〃
〃Yes； yes； I know that； but it would have been a great pity； would it
not？ If you had gone； Macumazahn； you would have missed seeing the end
of a strange little story； and you； who love to study the hearts of men
and women； would not have been so wise as you are to…day。〃
〃No； nor as sad； Zikali。 Oh！ the death of that woman！〃 And I put my
hand before my eyes。
〃Ah！ I understand； Macumazahn； you were always fond of her； were you
not； although your white pride would not suffer you to admit that black
fingers were pulling at your heartstrings？ She was a wonderful witch；
was Mameena； and there is this comfort for youthat she pulled at other
heartstrings as well。 Masapo's； for instance； Saduko's； for instance；
Umbelazi's； for instance； none of whom got any luck from her
pullingyes； and even at mine。〃
Now； as I did not think it worth while to contradict his nonsense so far
as I was concerned personally； I went off on this latter point。
〃If you show affection as you did towards Mameena to…day； Zikali； I pray
my Spirit that you may cherish none for me；〃 I said。
He shook his great head pityingly as he answered：
〃Did you never love a lamb and kill it afterwards when you were hungry；
or when it grew into a ram and butted you； or when it drove away your
other sheep； so that they fell into the hands of thieves？ Now； I am
very hungry for the fall of the House of Senzangakona； and the lamb；
Mameena； having grown big； nearly laid me on my back to…day within the
reach of the slayer's spear。 Also； she was hunting my sheep； Saduko；
into an evil net whence he could never have escaped。 So； somewhat
against my will； I was driven to tell the truth of that lamb and her
tricks。〃
〃I daresay；〃 I exclaimed； 〃but； at any rate； she is done with； so what
is the use of talking about her？〃
〃Ah！ Macumazahn； she is done with； or so you think； though that is a
strange saying for a white man who believes in much that we do not know；
but at least her work remains； and it has been a great work。 Consider
now。 Umbelazi and most of the princes； and thousands upon thousands of
the Zulus； whom I； the Dwande； hate； dead； dead！ _Mameena's work_；
Macumazahn！ Panda's hand grown strengthless with sorrow and his eyes
blind with tears。 _Mameena's work_； Macumazahn！ Cetewayo； king in all
but name； Cetewayo； who shall bring the House of Senzangakona to the
dust。 _Mameena's work_； Macumazahn！ Oh！ a mighty work。 Surely she has
lived a great and worthy life； and she died a great and worthy death！
And how well she did it！ Had you eyes to see her take the poison which
I gave hera good poison； was it not？between her kisses； Macumazahn？〃
〃I believe it was your work； and not hers；〃 I blurted out； ignoring his
mocking questions。 〃You pulled the strings； you were the wind that
caused the grass to bend till the fire caught it and set the town in
flamesthe town of your foes。〃
〃How clever you are； Macumazahn！ If your wits grow so sharp； one day
they will cut your throat； as； indeed； they have nearly done several
times already。 Yes； yes； I know how to pull strings till the trap
falls； and to blow grass until the flame catches it； and how to puff at
that flame until it burns the House of Kings。 And yet this trap would
have fallen without me； only then it might have snared other rats； and
this grass would have caught fire if I had not blown； only then it might
have burnt another House。 I did not make these forces； Macumazahn； I
did but guide them towards a great end； for which the White House ＇that
is； the English＇ should thank me one day。〃 He brooded a while； then
went on： 〃But what need is there to talk to you of these matters；
Macumazahn； seeing that in a time to come you will have your share in
them and see them for yourself？ After they are finished； then we will
talk。〃
〃I do not wish to talk of them；〃 I answered。 〃I have said so already。
But for what other purpose did you take the trouble to come here？〃
〃Oh； to bid you farewell for a little while； Macumazahn。 Also to tell
you that Panda； or rather Cetewayo； for now Panda is but his Voice；
since the Head must go where the Feet carry it； has spared Saduko at the
prayer of Nandie and banished him from the land； giving him his cattle
and any people who care to go with him to wherever he may choose to live
from henceforth。 At least； Cetewayo says it was at Nandie's prayer； and
at mine and yours； but what he means is that； after all that has
happened； he thought it wise that Saduko should die of himself。〃
〃Do you mean that he should kill himself； Zikali？〃
〃No； no； I mean that his own idhlozi； his Spirit； should be left to kill
him； which it will do in time。 You see； Macumazahn； Saduko is now
living with a ghost； which he calls the ghost of Umbelazi； whom he
betrayed。〃
〃Is that your way of saying he is mad； Zikali？〃
〃Oh； yes； he lives with a ghost； or the ghost lives in him； or he is
madcall it which you will。 The mad have a way of living with ghosts；
and ghosts have a way of sharing their food with the mad。 Now you
understand everything； do you not？〃
〃Of course；〃 I answered； 〃it is as plain as the sun。〃
〃Oh！ did I not say you were clever； Macumazahn； you who know where
madness ends and ghosts begin； and why they are just the same thing？
Well； the sun is no longer plain。 Look； it has sunk； and you would be
on your road who wish to be far from Nodwengu before morning。 You will
pass the plain of Endondakusuka； will you not； and cross the Tugela by
the drift？ Have a look round； Macumazahn； and see if you can recognise
any old friends。 Umbezi； the knave and traitor； for instance； or some
of the princes。 If so； I should like to send them a message。 What！
You cannot wait？ Well； then； here is a little present for you； some of
my own work。 Open it when it is light again； Macumazahn； it may serve
to remind you of the strange little tale of Mameena with the Heart of
Fire。 I wonder where she is now？ Sometimes； sometimes〃 And he
rolled his great eyes about him and sniffed at the air like a hound。
〃Farewell till we meet again。 Farewell； Macumazahn。 Oh！ if you had
only run away with Mameena； how different things might have been
to…day！〃
I jumped up and fled from that terrible old dwarf； whom I verily
believe No； where is the good of my saying what I believe？ I fled
from him； leaving him seated on the stone in the shadows； and as I fled；
out of the darkness behind me there arose the sound of his loud and
eerie laughter。
Next morning I opened the packet which he had given me； after wondering
once or twice whether I should not thrust it down an ant…bear hole as it
was。 But this； somehow； I could not find the heart to do； though now I
wish I had。 Inside； cut from the black core of the umzimbiti wood； with
just a little of the white sap left on it to mark the eyes； teeth and
nails； was a likeness of Mameena。 Of course； it was rudely executed；
but it wasor rather is； for I have it stilla wonderfully good
portrait of her； for whether Zikali was or was not a wizard； he