Nahana。 Accept it or reject it as your heart tells you。〃
〃If that story be true； O Zikali； how comes it that you yourself smelt
out； not Mameena； the wife of Masapo； but Masapo； her husband； himself；
and caused him to be slain because of the poisoning of the child of
Nandie？〃
〃You err； O King。 I； Zikali； smelt out the House of Masapo。 Then I
smelt out the poison； searching for it first in the hair of Mameena； and
finding it in the kaross of Masapo。 I never smelt out that it was
Masapo who gave the poison。 That was the judgment of you and of your
Council； O King。 Nay； I knew well that there was more in the matter；
and had you paid me another fee and bade me to continue to use my
wisdom； without doubt I should have found this magic stuff hidden in the
hut； and mayhap have learned the name of the hider。 But I was weary；
who am very old； and what was it to me if you chose to kill Masapo or
chose to let him go？ Masapo； who； being your secret enemy； was a man
who deserved to dieif not for this matter； then for others。〃
Now； all this while I had been watching Mameena； who sat； in the Zulu
fashion； listening to this deadly evidence； a slight smile upon her
face； and without attempting any interruption or comment。 Only I saw
that while Zikali was examining the medicine； her eyes were seeking the
eyes of Saduko； who remained in his place； also silent； and； to all
appearance； the least interested of anyone present。 He tried to avoid
her glance； turning his head uneasily； but at length her eyes caught his
and held them。 Then his heart began to beat quickly； his breast heaved；
and on his face there grew a look of dreamy content； even of happiness。
From that moment forward； till the end of the scene； Saduko never took
his eyes off this strange woman； though I think that； with the exception
of the dwarf； Zikali； who saw everything； and of myself； who am trained
to observation； none noted this curious by…play of the drama。
The King began to speak。 〃Mameena；〃 he said； 〃you have heard。 Have you
aught to say？ For if not it would seem that you are a witch and a
murderess； and one who must die。〃
〃Yea； a little word； O King；〃 she answered quietly。 〃Nahana speaks
truth。 It is true that I entered the hut of Nandie and set the medicine
there。 I say it because by nature I am not one who hides the truth or
would attempt to throw discredit even upon a humble serving…woman；〃 and
she glanced at Nahana。
〃Then from between your own teeth it is finished；〃 said Panda。
〃Not altogether； O King。 I have said that I set the medicine in the
hut。 I have not said； and I will not say； how and why I set it there。
That tale I call upon Saduko yonder to tell to you； he who was my
husband； that I left for Umbelazi； and who； being a man； must therefore
hate me。 By the words he says I will abide。 If he declares that I am
guilty； then I am guilty； and prepared to pay the price of guilt。 But
if he declares that I am innocent； then； O King and O Prince Cetewayo；
without fear I trust myself to your justness。 Now speak； O Saduko；
speak the whole truth； whatever it may be； if that is the King's will。〃
〃It is my will；〃 said Panda。
〃And mine also；〃 added Cetewayo； who； I could see； like everyone else；
was much interested in this matter。
Saduko rose to his feet； the same Saduko that I had always known； and
yet so changed。 All the life and fire had gone from him； his pride in
himself was no more； none could have known him for that ambitious；
confident man who； in his day of power； the Zulus named the
〃Self…Eater。〃 He was a mere mask of the old Saduko； informed by some
new； some alien； spirit。 With dull； lack…lustre eyes fixed always upon
the lovely eyes of Mameena； in slow and hesitating tones he began his
tale。
〃It is true； O Lion；〃 he said； 〃that Mameena spread the poison upon my
child's mat。 It is true that she set the deadly charms in the doorway
of Nandie's hut。 These things she did； not knowing what she did； and it
was I who instructed her to do them。 This is the case。 From the
beginning I have always loved Mameena as I have loved no other woman and
as no other woman was ever loved。 But while I was away with Macumazahn；
who sits yonder； to destroy Bangu； chief of the Amakoba； he who had
killed my father； Umbezi； the father of Mameena； he whom the Prince
Cetewayo gave to the vultures the other day because he had lied as to
the death of Umbelazi； he； I say； forced Mameena； against her will； to
marry Masapo the Boar； who afterwards was executed for wizardry。 Now；
here at your feast； when you reviewed the people of the Zulus； O King；
after you had given me the lady Nandie as wife； Mameena and I met again
and loved each other more than we had ever done before。 But； being an
upright woman； Mameena thrust me away from her； saying：
〃'I have a husband； who； if he is not dear to me； still is my husband；
and while he lives to him I will be true。' Then； O King； I took counsel
with the evil in my heart； and made a plot in myself to be rid of the
Boar； Masapo； so that when he was dead I might marry Mameena。 This was
the plot that I madethat my son and Princess Nandie's should be
poisoned； and that Masapo should seem to poison him； so that he might be
killed as a wizard and I marry Mameena。〃
Now； at this astounding statement； which was something beyond the
experience of the most cunning and cruel savage present there； a gasp of
astonishment went up from the audience； even old Zikali lifted his head
and stared。 Nandie； too； shaken out of her usual calm； rose as though
to speak； then； looking first at Saduko and next at Mameena； sat herself
down again and waited。 But Saduko went on again in the same cold；
measured voice：
〃I gave Mameena a powder which I had bought for two heifers from a great
doctor who lived beyond the Tugela； but who is now dead； which powder I
told her was desired by Nandie； my Inkosikazi； to destroy the little
beetles than ran about the hut； and directed her where she was to spread
it。 Also； I gave her the bag of medicine； telling her to thrust it into
the doorway of the hut； that it might bring a blessing upon my House。
These things she did ignorantly to please me； not knowing that the
powder was poison； not knowing that the medicine was bewitched。 So my
child died； as I wished it to die； and； indeed； I myself fell sick
because by accident I touched the powder。
〃Afterwards Masapo was smelt out as a wizard by old Zikali； I having
caused a bag of the poison to be sewn in his kaross in order to deceive
Zikali； and killed by your order； O King； and Mameena was given to me as
a wife； also by your order； O King； which was what I desired。 Later on；
as I have told you； I wearied of her； and wishing to please the Prince
who has wandered away； I commanded her to yield herself to him； which
Mameena did out of her love for me and to advance my fortunes； she who
is blameless in all things。〃
Saduko finished speaking and sat down again； as an automaton might do
when a wire is pulled； his lack…lustre eyes still fixed upon Mameena's
face。
〃You have heard； O King；〃 said Mameena。 〃Now pass judgment； knowing
that； if it be your will； I am ready to die for Saduko's sake。〃
But Panda sprang up in a rage。
_〃Take him away！〃_ he said； pointing to Saduko。 〃Take away that dog who
is not fit to live； a dog who eats his own child that thereby he may
cause another to be slain unjustly and steal his wife。〃
The executioners leapt forward； and； having something to say； for I
could bear this business no longer； I began to rise to my feet。 Before
I gained them； however； Zikali was speaking。
〃O King；〃 he said； 〃it seems that you have killed one man unjustly on
this matter； namely； Masapo。 Would you do the same by another？〃 and he
pointed to Saduko。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Panda angrily。 〃Have you not heard this low
fellow； whom I made great； giving him the rule over tribes and my
daughter in marriage； confess with his own lips that he murdered his
child； the child of my blood； in order that he might eat a fruit which
grew by the roadside for all men to nibble at？〃 and he glared at
Mameena。
〃Aye； Child of Senzangakona；〃 answered Zikali； 〃I heard Saduko say this
with his own lips； but the voice that spoke from the lips was not the
voice of Saduko； as； were you a skilled Nyanga like me； you would have
known as well as I do； and as well as does the white man；
Watcher…by…Night； who is a reader of hearts。
〃Hearken now； O King； and you great ones around the King； and I will
tell you a story。 Matiwane； the father of Saduko； was my friend； as he
was yours； O King； and when Bangu slew him and his people； by leave of
the Wild Beast ＇Chaka＇； I saved the child； his son； aye； and brought him
up in my own House； having learned to love him。 Then； when he became a
man； I； the Opener…of…Roads； showed him two roads； down either of which
he might choose to walkthe Road of Wisdom and the Road of War and
Women： the white road that runs through peace to knowledge； and the red
road that runs through blood to death。
〃But already there stood one upon this red road who beckoned him； she
who sits yonder； and he followed after her； as I knew he would。 From
the beginning she was false to him； taking a richer man for her husband。
Then； when Saduko grew great； she grew sorry； and came to ask my
counsel as to how she might be rid of Masapo； whom she swore she hated。
I told her that she could leave him for another man； or wait till her
Spirit moved him from her path； but I never put evil into her heart；
seeing that it was there already。
〃Then she and no other； having first made Saduko love her more than
ever； murdered the child of Nandie； his Inkosikazi； and so brought about
the death of Masapo and crept into Saduko's arms。 Here she slept a
while； till a new shadow fell upon her； that of the
'Elephant…with…the…tuft…of…hair；' who will walk the woods no more。 Him
she beguiled that she might grow great the quicker； and left the house
of Saduko； taking his heart with her； she who was destined to be the
doom of men。
〃Now； into Saduko's breast； where his heart had been； entered an evil
spirit of jealous