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"I do not blame you, Macumazahn; indeed now I see that you were wise, for what right has a poor black doctoress to seek the love, or even to look upon the face of the great white lady whom for a little while Fate has caused to walk upon the same path with her? But yesterday I forgot that, Macumazahn, for you see we are all of us, not one self, but many selves, and each self has its times of rule.
With the exception of some calves, which had been trampled to death in the rush, the herd had gone. Now, like the Roman emperor I think he was an emperor I began to wonder what had become of my legions. "Umbezi," I shouted, or, rather, sneezed through the smoke, "are you dead, Umbezi?" "Yes, yes, Macumazahn," replied a choking and melancholy voice from the top of the rock, "I am dead, quite dead.
"That will certainly happen to you," I said, yawning again, "if you insist upon my taking a week's trek to visit the Black One, or interfere with me in any way now or afterwards," and I lifted my hand towards the talisman, looking him steadily in the face. "Perhaps after all, Macumazahn, it is not necessary for you to visit the King," he said in an uncertain voice.
The man, who was something of a humourist replied "Certainly if you wish, Macumazahn. That is to say, I will let your spirit pass, but to do this, if you come one step nearer I must first make a hole in you with my spear out of which it can fly." I thanked him for his information and gave him some snuff, which he took gratefully, being bored by his long vigil.
Stand forward, Indaba-zimbi, and tell the people what came about last night in the hut of Macumazahn." Accordingly old Indaba-zimbi came forward, and, squatting down, told his moving tale with much descriptive force and many gestures, finishing up by producing the great knife from which his watchfulness had saved me.
Again I looked at him doubtfully. The man knew too much. "You need not fear me, Macumazahn," he said, interpreting my look. "I dig no holes for you to fall in. I make no plots. If ever we cross those mountains behind the sun I will tell what I know. But Death sits upon them. Be wise and turn back. Go and hunt elephants, my masters. I have spoken."
I thought a moment and answered, "I think that if I were you, I would leave this Lousta to sit in my place for a while as Chief of the People of the Axe, and take a journey north, Umslopogaas. Then if trouble comes from the Great House where a king sits, it will come to Lousta who can show that the People of the Axe are innocent and that you are far away." "That is cunning, Macumazahn.
"Because you brought me, Zikali, partly through your messenger, Nombe, and partly by means of a dream which she says you sent." "Did I, Macumazahn? If so, I have forgotten it. Dreams are as many as gnats by the water; they bite us while we sleep, but when we wake up we forget them. Also it is foolishness to say that one man can send a dream to another."
He pulls the strings and the Great-ones of the country dance. If he wishes war, there will be war. If he wishes peace, there will be peace." "And which does he wish, Goza?" "I thought perhaps you could tell me that, Macumazahn, who, he says, are such an old friend of his; also why he chooses to sojourn in a dark hole among the dead instead of in the sunshine among the living, here at Ulundi."
He is a savage fellow, but one of high blood and higher courage, a great captain in his way, though he will never come to anything, save a glorious death in your company, I think, Macumazahn." "I have heard of him," I answered cautiously. "It is said in the land that he is a son of Chaka, the great king of the Zulus." "Is it, Macumazahn?
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