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upon the tanned ox…hide； and lay there dying。 Once more he spoke； and
once only； saying： 〃Would now that I had hearkened to the voice of
Nobela； who warned me against thee； thou dog！〃
Then he was silent for ever。 But I knelt over him and called in his
ear the names of all those of my blood who had died at his handsthe
names of Makedama； my father； of my mother； of Anadi my wife； of Moosa
my son； and all my other wives and children； and of Baleka my sister。
His eyes and ears were open； and I think； my father； that he saw and
understood； I think also that the hate upon my face as I shook my
withered hand before him was more fearful to him that the pain of
death。 At the least； he turned his head aside； shut his eyes； and
groaned。 Presently they opened again； and he was dead。
Thus then； my father； did Chaka the King； the greatest man who has
ever lived in Zululand； and the most evil； pass by my hand to those
kraals of the Inkosazana where no sleep is。 In blood he died as he had
lived in blood； for the climber at last falls with the tree； and in
the end the swimmer is borne away by the stream。 Now he trod that path
which had been beaten flat for him by the feet of people whom he had
slaughtered； many as the blades of grass upon a mountain…side； but it
is a lie to say； as some do； that he died a coward； praying for mercy。
Chaka died； as he had lived； a brave man。 Ou！ my father； I know it；
for these eyes saw it and this hand let out his life。
Now he was dead and the regiment of the Bees drew near； nor could I
know how they would take this matter； for； though the Prince
Umhlangana was their general； yet all the soldiers loved the king；
because he had no equal in battle； and when he gave he gave with an
open hand。 I looked round； the princes stood like men amazed； the girl
had fled； the chief Umxamama was dead at the hands of dead Masilo； and
the old chief Inguazonca； who had killed Masilo； stood by； hurt and
wondering； there were no others in the kraal。
〃Awake； ye kings；〃 I cried to the brothers； 〃the impi is at the gates！
Swift； now stab that man！〃and I pointed to the old chief〃and leave
the matter to my wit。〃
Then Dingaan roused himself； and springing upon Inguazonca； the
brother of Unandi； smote him a great blow with his spear； so that he
sank down dead without a word。 Then again the princes stood silent and
amazed。
〃This one will tell no tales；〃 I cried； pointing at the fallen chief。
Now a rumour of the slaying had got abroad among the women； who had
heard cries and seen the flashing of spears above the fence； and from
the women it had come to the regiment of the Bees； who advanced to the
gates of the kraal singing。 Then of a sudden they ceased their singing
and rushed towards the hut in front of which we stood。
Then I ran to meet them； uttering cries of woe； holding in my hand the
little assegai of the king red with the king's blood； and spoke with
the captain's in the gate； saying：
〃Lament； ye captains and ye soldiers； weep and lament； for your father
is no more！ He who nursed you is no more！ The king is dead！ now earth
and heaven will come together； for the king is dead！〃
〃How so； Mopo？〃 cried the leader of the Bees。 〃How is our father
dead？〃
〃He is dead by the hand of a wicked wanderer named Masilo； who； when
he was doomed to die by the king； snatched this assegai from the
king's hand and stabbed him； and afterwards； before he could be cut
down himself by us three； the princes and myself； he killed the chiefs
Inguazonca and Umxamama also。 Draw near and look on him who was the
king； it is the command of Dingaan and Umhlangana； the kings； that you
draw near and look on him who was the king； that his death at the hand
of Masilo may be told through all the land。〃
〃You are better at making of kings； Mopo； than at the saving of one
who was your king from the stroke of a wanderer；〃 said the leader of
the Bees； looking at me doubtfully。
But his words passed unheeded； for some of the captains went forward
to look on the Great One who was dead； and some； together with most of
the soldiers； ran this way and that； crying in their fear that now the
heaven and earth would come together； and the race of man would cease
to be； because Chaka； the king； was dead。
Now； my father； how shall I； whose days are few； tell you of all the
matters that happened after the dead of Chaka？ Were I to speak of them
all they would fill many books of the white men； and； perhaps； some of
them are written down there。 For this reason it is； that I may be
brief； I have only spoken of a few of those events which befell in the
reign of Chaka； for my tale is not of the reign of Chaka； but of the
lives of a handful of people who lived in those days； and of whom I
and Umslopogaas alone are left aliveif； indeed； Umslopogaas； the son
of Chaka； is still living on the earth。 Therefore； in a few words I
will pass over all that came about after the fall of Chaka and till I
was sent down by Dingaan； the king； to summon him to surrender to the
king who was called the Slaughterer and who ruled the People of the
Axe。 Ah！ would that I had known for certain that this was none other
than Umslopogaas； for then had Dingaan gone the way that Chaka went
and which Umhlangana followed； and Umslopogaas ruled the people of the
Zulus as their king。 But； alas！ my wisdom failed me。 I paid no heed to
the voice of my heart which told me that this was Umslopogaas who sent
the message to Chaka threatening vengeance for one Mopo； and I knew
nothing till too late； surely； I thought； the man spoke of some other
Mopo。 For thus； my father； does destiny make fools of us men。 We think
that we can shape our fate； but it is fate that shapes us； and nothing
befalls except fate will it。 All things are a great pattern； my
father； drawn by the hand of the Umkulunkulu upon the cup whence he
drinks the water of his wisdom； and our lives； and what we do； and
what we do not do； are but a little bit of the pattern； which is so
big that only the eyes of Him who is above； the Umkulunkulu； can see
it all。 Even Chaka； the slayer of men； and all those he slew； are but
as a tiny grain of dust in the greatness of that pattern。 How； then；
can we be wise； my father； who are but the tools of wisdom？ how can be
build who are but pebbles in a wall？ how can we give life who are
babes in the womb of fate？ or how can we slay who are but spears in
the hands of the slayer？
This came about； my father。 Matters were made straight in the land
after the death of Chaka。 At first people said that Masilo； the
stranger； had stabbed the king； then it was known that Mopo； the wise
man； the doctor and the body…servant of the king； had slain the king；
and that the two great bulls； his brothers Umhlangana and Dingaan；
children of Senzangacona； had also lifted spears against him。 But he
was dead； and earth and heaven had not come together； so what did it
matter？ Moreover； the t