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！
〃Will you do this？〃 he asked； still pricking me with the knife。 〃Will
you get up； go to find the dog's cattle and drive them to a certain
place； and hide them there？〃 And he named a secret valley that was
known to very few。 〃If you do that； I will spare you and give you
three of the cows。 If you refuse or play my false； then； by my
father's spirit； I will find a way to kill you！〃
〃Certainly I will do it； my uncle；〃 I answered。 〃Why did you not trust
me before？ Had I known that you wanted to keep the cattle； I would
never have smelt them out。 I only did so fearing lest you should lose
the presents。〃
〃You are not so wicked as I thought；〃 he growled。 〃Get up； then； and
do my bidding。 You can be back here two hours after dawn。〃
So I got up； thinking all the while whether I should try to spring on
him。 But I was without arms； and he had the knife； also if； by chance；
I prevailed and killed him； it would have been thought that I had
murdered him； and I should have tasted the assegai。 So I made another
plan。 I would go and find the cattle in the valley where I had smelt
them out； but I would not bring them to the secret hiding…place。 No； I
would drive them straight to the kraal； and denounce Noma before the
chief； my father； and all the people。 But I was young in those days；
and did not know the heart of Noma。 He had not been a witch…doctor
till he grew old for nothing。 Oh！ he was evil！he was cunning as a
jackal； and fierce like a lion。。 He had planted me by him like a tree；
but he meant to keep me clipped like a bush。 Now I had grown tall and
overshadowed him； therefore he would root me up。
I went to the corner of my hut； Noma watching me all the while； and
took a kerrie and my small shield。 Then I started through the
moonlight。 Till I was past the kraal I glided along quietly as a
shadow。 After that； I began to run； singing to myself as I went； to
frighten away the ghosts； my father。
For an hour I travelled swiftly over the plain； till I came to the
hillside where the bush began。 Here it was very dark under the shade
of the trees； and I sang louder than ever。 At last I found the little
buffalo path I sought； and turned along it。 Presently I came to an
open place； where the moonlight crept in between the trees。 I knelt
down and looked。 Yes！ my snake had not lied to me； there was the spoor
of the cattle。 Then I went on gladly till I reached a dell through
which the water ran softly； sometimes whispering and sometimes talking
out loud。 Here the trail of the cattle was broad： they had broken down
the ferns with their feet and trampled the grass。 Presently I came to
a pool。 I knew itit was the pool my snake had shown me。 And there at
the edge of the pool floated the drowned ox； its foot caught in a
forked root。 All was just as I had seen it in my heart。
I stepped forward and looked round。 My eye caught something； it was
the faint grey light of the dawn glinted on the cattle's horns。 As I
looked； one of them snorted； rose and shook the dew from his hide。 He
seemed big as an elephant in the mist and twilight。
Then I collected them allthere were seventeenand drove them before
me down the narrow path back towards the kraal。 Now the daylight came
quickly； and the sun had been up an hour when I reached the spot where
I must turn if I wished to hide the cattle in the secret place； as
Noma had bid me。 But I would not do this。 No； I would go on to the
kraal with them； and tell all men that Noma was a thief。 Still； I sat
down and rested awhile； for I was tired。 As I sat； I heard a noise；
and looked up。 There； over the slope of the rise； came a crowd of men；
and leading them was Noma； and by his side the headman who owned the
cattle。 I rose and stood still； wondering； but as I stood； they ran
towards me shouting and waving sticks and spears。
〃There he is！〃 screamed Noma。 〃There he is！the clever boy whom I
have brought up to bring shame on me。 What did I tell you？ Did I not
tell you that he was a thief？ Yesyes！ I know your tricks； Mopo； my
child！ See！ he is stealing the cattle！ He knew where they were all the
time； and now he is taking them away to hide them。 They would be
useful to buy a wife with； would they not； my clever boy？〃 And he made
a rush at me； with his stick lifted； and after him came the headman；
grunting with rage。
I understood now； my father。 My heart went mad in me； everything began
to swim round； a red cloth seemed to lift itself up and down before my
eyes。 I have always seen it thus when I was forced to fight。 I
screamed out one word only； 〃Liar！〃 and ran to meet him。 On came Noma。
He struck at me with his stick； but I caught the blow upon my little
shield； and hit back。 Wow！ I did hit！ The skull of Noma met my kerrie；
and down he fell dead at my feet。 I yelled again； and rushed on at the
headman。 He threw an assegai； but it missed me； and next second I hit
him too。 He got up his shield； but I knocked it down upon his head；
and over he rolled senseless。 Whether he lived or died I do not know；
my father； but his head being of the thickest； I think it likely that
he lived。 Then； while the people stood astonished； I turned and fled
like the wind。 They turned too； and ran after me； throwing spears at
me and trying to cut me off。 But none of them could catch meno； not
one。 I went like the wind； I went like a buck when the dogs wake it
from sleep； and presently the sound of their chase grew fainter and
fainter； till at last I was out of sight and alone。
CHAPTER III
MOPO VENTURES HOME
I threw myself down on the grass and panted till my breath came back；
then I went and hid in a patch of reeds down by a swamp。 All day long
I lay there thinking。 What was I to do？ Now I was a jackal without a
hole。 If I went back to my people； certainly they would kill me； whom
they thought a thief。 My blood would be given for Noma's； and that I
did not wish； though my heart was sad。 Then there came into my mind
the thought of Chaka； the boy to whom I had given the cup of water
long ago。 I had heard of him： his name was known in the land； already
the air was big with it； the very trees and grass spoke it。 The words
he had said and the vision that my mother had seen were beginning to
come true。 By the help of the Umtetwas he had taken the place of his
father Senzangacona； he had driven out the tribe of the Amaquabe； now
he made war on Zweete； chief of the Endwande； and he had sworn that he
would stamp the Endwande flat； so that nobody could find them any
more。 Now I remembered how this Chaka promised that he would make me
great； and that I should grow fat in his shadow； and I thought to
myself that I would arise and go to him。 Perhaps he would kill me；
well； what did it matter？ Certainly I should be killed if I stayed
ehre。 Yes； I would go。 But now my heart pulled another way。 There was
but one whom I loved in the worldit was my sister Baleka。 My father
had betrothed her to the chief of a ne