The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-21

| Jhat was low and awful.
"Chaka. king of the Zulus," answered
the voice of Unandi. "Chaka. my
| SON."
MANY have come to ask for venge-
ance on that head" said the voice of
the Queen of the Heavens, land many
more shall come. Fear not, Unandi, it
| shall fall Fear not, Anadi and We
wives and children of Mopo, it shall fall,
say. With the spear that pierced thy
breast, Unandi, shall the breast of
Chaka be also pierced, and, we wives and
children OF Mopo, the hand that pierces
shall be the hand of Mopo. AS | guide
him, SO shall he go. Pass in, childrsn
OF my people-pass in to the judgment,
for the doom of Chaka is writtenr'
Thus dreamed, my father. | woke
when the sky was gray with the morn
ing light, shaking the ashes from me, and
went without the kraal to wash myself
from the detilement. Then | returned
and sat without the gates of the Empo-
semi, waiting till the kings women,
whom he named his sisters, should come
to draw water, according to their Gus
tom. AT last they came, and sitting
with my kaross thrown over my face to
hide it, | looked for the passing of Ba-
leka. Presently saw her: she was sad
faced and walked slowly, her pitcher on
her head. Whispered her name and
she drew aside behind an aloe bush, and
making pretense that her foot was
pierced with thorn she fingered till the
other women were gone by. Then she
came up to me and we greeted one an
other. gazing heavily into each others
eyes.
in an i'll day did l hearken to you,
Baleka, said, Ito you and to the Mother
of the Heavens and save your child alive.
Dead are all my house. dead is the
Mother of the Heavens-all are dead
and myself have been put to the tor
ment by fire" and held out my wither-
ed hand toward her.
"Ay, Mopo, my brother" she answered,
''but flesh is nearest to flesh and should
think little of it were not my son
Umslopogaas also dead. as have heard
but now"
"You speak as a woman, Baleka. Is
it, then. nothing to you that |, your
brother, have lost-all love?"
Fresh seed can yet be raised up to
you my brother, but for me there is no
hope, for the king looks on me no more.
grieve for you, but ! had this one
alone, and flesh is nearest to flesh.
Think You that shall escape? am but
spared for little, then go where the
others have gone. Chaka has marked
me for the grave; Icare not; am weary.
but grieve for the boy; there was no
such boy in the land. Would that
might die swiftly and go to seek him!"
"And if the boy is not dead, Baleka,
what then?"
"What is that you said?' she answer
ed. turning on me with wild eyes. ''Oh,
say it again-again, Mopo! l would
gladly die hundred deaths to know
that Umslopogaas yet ivesl"
'Nay, Baleka, know nothing. But
last night | dreamed Dream and l
told her all my dream and also of that
which had gone before the dream.
II think that there is wisdom in your
dreams, Mopo, she said at length. "You
We're ever a strange man. Now it is
borne in upon my heart that Umslopo-
gaas still lives, and now | shall die
happy. Yes, gainsay me not; shall
die. But what is it2 1t is nothing, if
only the Prince Umslopogaas yet lives. :"
"Your love is great, woman" said.
Say now, what shall do? Shall l fly or
shall abide here, taking the chance of
thingsy'
"You must abide here, Mopo. See
now! This is in the kings mind. He
fears because of the death of his mother
at his own hand-yes, even he-he fears
lest the people should turn upon him
who killed his own mother. Therefore he
will do this: He will give it out that he
did not kill her, but that she persisted in
the fire which was called down upon
your kraals by witchcraft, and though
all men know the lie yet none shall dare
to gainsay him. AS he said to you,
there will be smelling out, but a smell
ing out of new sort, for he and you
shall be the witch finders, and at that
smelling out he will give to death all
those whom he fears, all those whom he
knows hate him for his wickedness and
because with his own hand he slew his
mother. For this cause then he will
save you alive, Mopo-yes. and make
you to be great in the land; for if indeed
his mother Unandi died through witch
craft, as he shall say, are you not also
wronged with him, and did not your
wives and children also perish by witch
craft? Therefore do not fly: abide here
and become great become great to the
great end Of vengeance, Mopo. my
brother. You have much wrong to
wreak; soon you will have more, for l,
too. shall be gone, and my blood also
shall cry TOR vengeance to you. Hearken,
Mopo. Are there not other princes in
the land? What of Dingaan, what of
Umhlangana, what of Umpanda, BROTH
ers to the kingl Do not these also desire
to be kings? Do they not day by day
rise from sleep feeling their limbs. to
know if they yet live? Do they not night
by night lie down to sleep not knowing
If it shall be their wives that they shall
kiss ere dawn or the red assegai of the
king? Draw near to them, my brother;
creep into their hearts and learn their