按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
But Saduko answered nothing。
〃Well；〃 went on the dwarf； 〃since I am in the mood I will try to answer
both your questions； for I should be a poor Nyanga〃 ＇that is doctor＇ 〃if
I did not when you have travelled so far to ask them。 Moreover； O
Macumazana； be happy； for I seek no fee who； having made such fortune as
I need long ago； before your father was born across the Black Water；
Macumazahn； no longer work for a rewardunless it be from the hand of
one of the House of Senzangakonaand therefore； as you may guess； work
but seldom。〃
Then he clapped his hands； and a servant appeared from somewhere behind
the hut； one of those fierce…looking men who had stopped us at the gate。
He saluted the dwarf and stood before him in silence and with bowed
head。
〃Make two fires；〃 said Zikali； 〃and give me my medicine。〃
The man fetched wood； which he built into two little piles in front of
Zikali。 These piles he fired with a brand brought from behind the hut。
Then he handed his master a catskin bag。
〃Withdraw；〃 said Zikali； 〃and return no more till I summon you； for I am
about to prophesy。 If； however； I should seem to die； bury me to…morrow
in the place you know of and give this white man a safe…conduct from my
kraal。〃
The man saluted again and went without a word。
When he had gone the dwarf drew from the bag a bundle of twisted roots；
also some pebbles； from which he selected two； one white and the other
black。
〃Into this stone；〃 he said； holding up the white pebble so that the
light from the fire shone on itsince； save for the lingering red glow；
it was now growing dark〃into this stone I am about to draw your
spirit； O Macumazana； and into this one〃and he held up the black
pebble〃yours； O Son of Matiwane。 Why do you look frightened； O brave
White Man； who keep saying in your heart； 'He is nothing but an ugly old
Kafir cheat'？ If I am a cheat； why do you look frightened？ Is your
spirit already in your throat； and does it choke you； as this little
stone might do if you tried to swallow it？〃 and he burst into one of his
great； uncanny laughs。
I tried to protest that I was not in the least frightened； but failed；
for； in fact； I suppose my nerves were acted on by his suggestion； and I
did feel exactly as though that stone were in my throat； only coming
upwards； not going downwards。 〃Hysteria；〃 thought I to myself； 〃the
result of being overtired；〃 and as I could not speak； sat still as
though I treated his gibes with silent contempt。
〃Now；〃 went on the dwarf； 〃perhaps I shall seem to die； and if so do not
touch me lest you should really die。 Wait till I wake up again and tell
you what your spirits have told me。 Or if I do not wake upfor a time
must come when I shall go on sleepingwellfor as long as I have
livedafter the fires are quite out； not before； lay your hands upon my
breast； and if you find me turning cold； get you gone to some other
Nyanga as fast as the spirits of this place will let you； O ye who would
peep into the future。〃
As he spoke he threw a big handful of the roots that I have mentioned on
to each of the fires； whereon tall flames leapt up from them； very
unholy…looking flames which were followed by columns of dense； white
smoke that emitted a most powerful and choking odour quite unlike
anything that I had ever smelt before。 It seemed to penetrate all
through me； and that accursed stone in my throat grew as large as an
apple and felt as though someone were poking it upwards with a stick。
Next he threw the white pebble into the right…hand fire； that which was
opposite to me； saying：
〃Enter； Macumazahn； and look；〃 and the black pebble he threw into the
left…hand fire saying： 〃Enter； Son of Matiwane； and look。 Then come
back both of you and make report to me； your master。〃
Now it is a fact that as he said these words I experienced a sensation
as though a stone had come out of my throat； so readily do our nerves
deceive us that I even thought it grated against my teeth as I opened my
mouth to give it passage。 At any rate the choking was gone； only now I
felt as though I were quite empty and floating on air； as though I were
not I； in short； but a mere shell of a thing； all of which doubtless was
caused by the stench of those burning roots。 Still I could look and
take note； for I distinctly saw Zikali thrust his huge head； first into
the smoke of what I will call my fire； next into that of Saduko's fire；
and then lean back； blowing the stuff in clouds from his mouth and
nostrils。 Afterwards I saw him roll over on to his side and lie quite
still with his arms outstretched； indeed； I noticed that one of his
fingers seemed to be in the left…hand fire and reflected that it would
be burnt off。 In this； however； I must have been mistaken； since I
observed subsequently that it was not even scorched。
Thus Zikali lay for a long while till I began to wonder whether he were
not really dead。 Dead enough he seemed to be； for no corpse could have
stayed more stirless。 But that night I could not keep my thoughts fixed
on Zikali or anything。 I merely noted these circumstances in a
mechanical way； as might one with whom they had nothing whatsoever to
do。 They did not interest me at all； for there appeared to be nothing
in me to be interested； as I gathered according to Zikali； because I was
not there； but in a warmer place than I hope ever to occupy； namely； in
the stone in that unpleasant…looking； little right…hand fire。
So matters went as they might in a dream。 The sun had sunk completely；
not even an after…glow was left。 The only light remaining was that from
the smouldering fires； which just sufficed to illumine the bulk of
Zikali； lying on his side； his squat shape looking like that of a dead
hippopotamus calf。 What was left of my consciousness grew heartily sick
of the whole affair； I was tired of being so empty。
At length the dwarf stirred。 He sat up； yawned； sneezed； shook himself；
and began to rake among the burning embers of my fire with his naked
hand。 Presently he found the white stone； which was now red…hotat any
rate it glowed as though it wereand after examining it for a moment
finally popped it into his mouth！ Then he hunted in the other fire for
the black stone； which he treated in a similar fashion。 The next thing
I remember was that the fires； which had died away almost to nothing；
were burning very brightly again； I suppose because someone had put fuel
on them； and Zikali was speaking。
〃Come here； O Macumazana and O Son of Matiwane；〃 he said； 〃and I will
repeat to you what your spirits have been telling me。〃
We drew near into the light of the fires； which for some reason or other
was extremely vivid。 Then he spat the white stone from his mouth into
his big hand； and I saw that now it was covered with lines and patches
like a bird's egg。
〃You cannot read the signs？〃 he said； holding it towards me； and when I
shook my head went on： 〃Well； I can； as you white men read a book。 All
your history is written here； Macumazahn； but there is no need to tell
you that； since you know it； as I do well enough； having learned it in
other days； the days of Dingaan； Macumazah