ve, and it
seemed well that I should die also.

The soldiers asked those with me if that tale was true which I told
of the death of Umslopogaas and of the going of Macropha and Nada into
Swaziland. They said, Yes, it was true. Then the soldiers said that they
would lead me back to the king, and I wondered at this, for I thought
that they would kill me where I stood. So we went on, and piece by piece
I learned what had happened at the king's kraal.

On the day after I left, it came to the ears of Chaka, by the mouth of
his spies, that my second wife--Anadi--was sick and spoke strange words
in her sickness. Then, taking three soldiers with him, he went to my
kraal at the death of the day. He left the three soldiers by the gates
of the kraal, bidding them to suffer none to come in or go out, but
Chaka himself entered the large hut where Anadi lay sick, having his toy
assegai, with the shaft of the royal red wood, in his hand. Now, as it
chanced, in the hut were Unandi, the mother of Chaka, and Baleka,
my sister, the wife of Chaka, for, not knowing that I had taken away
Umslopogaas, the son of Baleka, according to their custom, these two
foolish women had come to kiss and fondle the lad. But when they entered
the hut they found it full of my other wives and children. These they
sent away, all except Moosa, the son of Anadi--that boy who was born
eight days before Umslopogaas, the son of Chaka. But they kept Moosa in
the hut, and kissed him, giving him imphi (1) to eat, fearing lest it
should seem strange to the women, my wives, if, Umslopogaas being gone,
they refused to take notice of any other child.

(1) A variety of sugar-cane.--ED.

Now as they sat this, presently the doorway was darkened, and, behold!
the king himself crept through it, and saw them fondling the child
Moosa. When they knew who it was that entered, the women flung
themselves upon the ground before him and praised him. But he smiled
grimly, and bade them be seated. Then he spoke to them, saying, "You
wonder, Unandi, my mother, and Baleka, my wife, why it is that I am
come here into the hut of Mopo, son of Makedama. I will tell you: it is
because he is away upon my business, and I hear that his wife Anadi
is sick--it is she who lies there, is it not? Therefore, as the first
doctor in the land, I am come to cure her, Unandi, my mother, and
Baleka, my sister."

Thus he spoke, eyeing them as he did so, and taking snuff from the blade
of his little ass