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Updated: July 18, 2025
"Much, I think," broke in Cetewayo. "I hold that it is out of place that this little man, who has but conquered a little tribe by borrowing the wit of Macumazahn here, should be rewarded not only with a chieftainship, but with the hand of the wisest and most beautiful of the King's daughters, even though Umbelazi," he added, with a sneer, "should be willing to throw him his own sister like a bone to a passing dog."
"O Calf of the Black Cow, I am Umbezi, 'Eater-up-of-Elephants, chief captain of Saduko the Cunning, he who won you the battle, father of Mameena the Beautiful, whom Saduko wed and whom the dead dog, Umbelazi, stole away from him."
Tell me then, Macumazahn, you whose heart is honest, what must I do?" So he spoke, wringing his hands, with tears starting to his eyes, and upon my word, although I never liked Cetewayo as I had liked his father, Panda, perhaps because I loved his brother, Umbelazi, whom he killed, and had known him do many cruel deeds, my heart bled for him.
"Yes," I answered, "she looks pretty against the red sky, does she not?" By now we were drawing near to Mameena, and I greeted her, asking if she wanted anything. "Nothing, Macumazahn," she answered in her delicate, modest way, for never did I know anyone who could seem quite so modest as Mameena, and with a swift glance of her shy eyes at the tall and splendid Umbelazi, "nothing.
Also, as I learned afterwards, he was very pleased with me for the reason that I had refused my share of the Amakoba cattle, and that he knew I had no part in this proposed marriage between Saduko and Nandie, of which, indeed, I now heard for the first time. "My Father," said Umbelazi, when Cetewayo had gone, "is this to be borne? Am I to blame in the matter?
Thereon the law officer rose again and set out the charges against Mameena, namely, that it was she who had poisoned Saduko's child, and not Masapo; that, after marrying Saduko, she had deserted him and gone to live with the Prince Umbelazi; and that finally she had bewitched the said Umbelazi and caused him to make civil war in the land.
"Because Saduko is here, and, of course, Nandie, for she never leaves him, and he will not leave me; because the Prince Umbelazi is coming; because there are plots afoot and the great war draws near that war in which so many must die." "Between Cetewayo and Umbelazi, Mameena?" "Aye, between Cetewayo and Umbelazi.
"Who is it that you see? Who has the fire sent to be my shield? Ghosts are so thick here that I do not know. I cannot tell one of them from the other. Who is it? Who, who of all that you have slain and who therefore are your foes?" "Umbelazi, my brother," groaned Cetewayo. "My brother Umbelazi stands before me with spear raised; he whom I brought to his death at the battle of the Tugela.
Talk of a "damnosa hereditas," a terrible and mischievous inheritance why, this was the worst that ever I heard of. A servant in my house indeed, knowing what I did about her! Why, I had sooner share the "good fortune" which Umbelazi anticipated beneath the sod.
"Through whom, Saduko?" "Whom? Why, the Prince Umbelazi, whom I betrayed for Mameena's sake." "Why do you talk wind, Saduko?" I asked. "Years ago I saw Indhlovu-ene-Sihlonti die." "Die, Macumazahn! We do not die; it is only our flesh that dies. Yes, yes, I have learned that since we parted.
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