this； thou hast done well to grieve aloud； because the Mother of the
Heavens is no more； and ill wouldst thou have done to grieve because
the fire from above has kissed thy gates。 For hadst thou done this
last thing or left the first undone； I should have known that thy
heart was wicked； and by now thou wouldst have wept indeedtears of
blood； Mopo。 It is well for thee； then； that thou hast read my riddle
aright。〃
Now I saw the depths of the pit that Chaka had dug for me； and blessed
my Ehlose who had put into my heart those words which I should answer。
I hoped also that Chaka would now let me go； but it was not to be； for
this was but the beginning of my trial。
〃Knowest thou； Mopo；〃 said the king； 〃that as my mother died yonder in
the flames of thy kraal she cried out strange and terrible words which
came to my ears through the singing of the fire。 These were her words：
that thou； Mopo； and thy sister Baleka； and thy wives； had conspired
together to give a child to me who would be childless。 These were her
words； the words that came to me through the singing of the fire。 Tell
me now； Mopo； where are those children that thou leddest from thy
kraal； the boy with the lion eyes who is named Umslopogaas； and the
girl who is named Nada？〃
〃Umslopogaas is dead by the lion's mouth； O king！〃 I answered； 〃and
Nada sits in the Swazi caves。〃 And I told him of the death of
Umslopogaas and of how I had divorced Macropha； my wife。
〃The boy with the lion eyes to the lion's mouth！〃 said Chaka。 〃Enough
of him； he is gone。 Nada may yet be sought for with the assegai in the
Swazi caves； enough of her。 Let us speak of this song that my mother
who； alas！ is dead； Mopothis song she sang through the singing of
the flames。 Tell me； Mopo； tell me now； was it a true tale。〃
〃Nay； O king！ surely the Mother of the Heavens was maddened by the
Heavens when she sang that song；〃 I answered。 〃I know nothing of it； O
king。〃
〃Thou knowest naught of it； Mopo？〃 said the king。 And again he looked
at me terribly through the reek of the fire。 〃Thou knowest naught of
it； Mopo？ Surely thou art a…cold； thy hands shake with cold。 Nay； man；
fear notwarm them； warm them； Mopo。 See； now； plunge that hand of
thine into the heart of the flame！〃 And he pointed with his little
assegai； the assegai handled with the royal wood； to where the fire
glowed reddestay； he pointed and laughed。
Then； my father； I grew cold indeedyes； I grew cold who soon should
be hot； for I saw the purpose of Chaka。 He would put me to the trial
by fire。
For a moment I sat silent； thinking。 Then the king spoke again in a
great voice： 〃Nay； Mopo； be not so backward； shall I sit warm and see
thee suffer cold？ What； my councillors； rise； take the hand of Mopo；
and hold it to the flame； that his heart may rejoice in the warmth of
the flame while we speak together of this matter of the child that
was； so my mother sang； born to Baleka； my wife； the sister of Mopo；
my servant。〃
〃There is little need for that； O king；〃 I answered； being made bold
by fear； for I saw that if I did nothing death would swiftly end my
doubts。 Once； indeed； I bethought me of the poison that I bore； and
was minded to swallow it and make an end； but the desire to live is
great； and keen is the thirst for vengeance； so I said to my heart；
〃Not yet awhile； I will endure this also； afterwards； if need be； I
can die。〃
〃I thank the king for his graciousness； and I will warm me at the
fire。 Speak on； O king； while I warm myself； and thou shalt hear true
words；〃 I said boldly。
Then； my father； I stretched out my left hand and plunged it into the
firenot into the hottest of the fire； but where the smoke leapt from
the flame。 Now my flesh was wet with the sweat of fear； and for a
little moment the flames curled round it and did not burn me。 But I
knew that the torment was to come。
For a short while Chaka watched me； smiling。 Then he spoke slowly；
that the fire might find time to do its work。
〃Say； then； Mopo； thou knowest nothing of this matter of the birth of
a son to thy sister Baleka？〃
〃I know this only； O king！〃 I answered； 〃that a son was born in past
years to thy wife Baleka； that I killed the child in obedience to thy
word； and laid its body before thee。〃
Now； my father； the steam from my flesh had been drawn from my hand by
the heat； and the flame got hold of me and ate into my flesh； and its
torment was great。 But of this I showed no sign upon my face； for I
knew well that if I showed sign or uttered cry； then； having failed in
the trial； death would be my portion。
Then the king spoke again； 〃Dost thou swear by my head； Mopo； that no
son of mine was suckled in thy kraals？〃
〃I swear it； O king！ I swear it by thy head；〃 I answered。
And now； my father； the agony of the fire was such as may not be told。
I felt my eyes start forward in their sockets； my blood seemed to boil
within me； it rushed into my head； and down my face their ran two
tears of blood。 But yet I held my hand in the fire and made no sign；
while the king and his councillors watched me curiously。 Still； for a
moment Chaka said nothing； and that moment seemed to me as all the
years of my life。
〃Ah！〃 he said at length； 〃I see that thou growest warm； Mopo！ Withdraw
thy hand from the flame。 I am answered； thou hast passed the trial；
thy heart is clean； for had there been lies in it the fire had given
them tongue； and thou hadst cried aloud； making thy last music； Mopo！〃
Now I took my hand from the flame； and for awhile the torment left me。
〃It is well； O king；〃 I said calmly。 〃Fire has no power of hurt on
those whose heart is pure。〃
But as I spoke I looked at my left hand。 It was black； my father
black as a charred stick； and the nails were gone from the twisted
fingers。 Look at it now； my father； you can see； though my eyes are
blind。 The hand is white； like yoursit is white and dead and
shrivelled。 These are the marks of the fire in Chaka's hutthe fire
that kissed me many； many years ago； I have had but little use of that
hand since this night of torment。 But my right arm yet remained to me；
my father； and； ah！ I used it。
〃It seems that Nobela； the doctress； who is dead； lied when she
prophesied evil on me from thee； Mopo；〃 said Chaka again。 〃It seems
that thou art innocent of this offence； and that Baleka； thy sister；
is innocent； and that the song which the Mother of the Heavens sang
through the singing flames was no true song。 It is well for thee；
Mopo； for in such a matter my oath had not helped thee。 But my mother
is deaddead in the flames with thy wives and children； Mopo； and in
this there is witchcraft。 We will have a mourning； Mopo； thou and I；
such a mourning as has not been seen in Zululand； for all the people
on the earth shall weep at it。 And there shall be a 'smelling out' at
this mourning； Mopo。 But we will summon no witch…doctors； thou and I
will be witch…doctors； and ourselves shall smell out those who have
brought these woes upon us。 What！ shall my mother die unavenged； she
who bore me and has perished by witchcraft； and shall thy wives and
children die unavengedthou being innocent？ Go forth； Mopo； my
faithful servant； whom I have honoured with the warmth of my fire； go
forth！〃 And once again he stared at me through the reek of the flame；
and pointed with his assegai to the door of the hut。
CHAPTER XI
THE COUNSEL OF BALEKA
I rose； I praised the king with a loud voice； and I went from the
Intunkulu； the house of the king。 I walked slowly through the gates；
but when I was without the gates the anguish that took me because of
my burnt hand was more than I could bear。 I ran to and fro groaning
till I came to the hut of one whom I knew。 There I found fat； and
having plunged my hand in the fat； I wrapped it round with a skin and
passed out again； for I could not stay still。 I went to and fro； till
at length I reached the spot where my huts had been。 The outer fence
of the huts still stood； the fire had not caught it。 I passed through
the fence； there within were the ashes of the burnt hutsthey lay
ankle…deep。 I walked in among the ashes； my feet struck upon things
that were sharp。 The moon was bright； and I looked； they were the
blackened bones of my wives and children。 I flung myself down in the
ashes in bitterness of heart； I covered myself over with the ashes of
my kraal and with the bones of my wives and children。 Yes； my father；
there I lay； and on me were the ashes； and among the ashes were the
bones。 Thus； then； did I lie for the last time in my kraal； and was
sheltered from the frost of the night by the dust of those to whom I
had given life。 Such were the things that befell us in the days of
Chaka； my father； yes； not to me alone； but to many another also。
I lay among the ashes and groaned with the pain of my burn； and
groaned also from the desolation of my heart。 Why had I not tasted the
poison； there in the hut of Chaka； and before the eyes of Chaka？ Why
did I not taste it now and make an end？ Nay； I had endured the agony；
I would not give him this last triumph over me。 Now； having passed the
fire； once more I should be great in the land； and I would become
great。 Yes； I would bear my sorrows； and become great； that in a day
to be I might wreak vengeance on the king。 Ah！ my father； there； as I
rolled among the ashes； I prayed to the Amatongo； to the ghosts of my
ancestors。 I prayed to my Ehlose； to the spirit that watches meay；
and I even dared to pray to the Umkulunkulu； the great soul of the
world； who moves through the heavens and the earth unseen and unheard。
And thus I prayed； that I might yet live to kill Chaka as he had
killed those who were dear to me。 And while I prayed I slept； or； if I
did not sleep； the light of thought went out of me； and I became as
one dead。 Then there came a vision to me； a vision that was sent in
answer to my prayer； or； perchance； it was a madness born of my
sorrows。 For； my father； it seemed to me that I stood upon the bank of
a great and wide river。 It was gloomy there； the light lay low upon
the face of the river； but far away on the farther side was a glow
like the glow of a stormy dawn； and in the glow I saw a mighty b