as
the great Zulu King; indeed, this it was that aroused the jealousy of
Tshaka, as I have told you, and led to the building up of a new nation.
And although, for necessity's sake, as regards other tribes, Umzilikazi
was ruthless and unsparing, among us, his followers, he was merciful, if
strict, and rarely spilt blood. Yet, while we loved him, we feared
him--oh yes, we feared him.

"Now, although I had the King's promise, I felt sorely perplexed; for
how was I to fulfil its conditions? For days and nights I thought and
dreamed of nought else; saying nothing, however, to my father, Ntelani,
who was already jealous of the great; favour Umzilikazi had shown me,
and might have devised some means of thwarting me.

"It happened that on the evening after I had obtained the King's promise
I was returning alone from a hunt. I was empty-handed; for although my
fleetness of foot enabled me to traverse long distances, yet game was
scarce in our neighbourhood, owing to the passage of such an immense
body of people, which had scared it. Tired and dispirited, I threw down
my assegais and small shield, and sank down against a rock to rest.
Suddenly my tawny, black-muzzled hound leaped up and dashed round the
rock with a growl. But this was soon changed to a whine of pleasure.

"Clearly the intruder was known to him. Raising my eyes, I beheld a
girl.

"I am an old man now, _Nkose_, and have lived to learn that women, like
assegais, are all made very much on the same lines--like assegais, are
keen and sharp to cut and destroy. But, old man as I am, I cannot even
now quite forget that evening after I had talked with the King.

"`Of what are your thoughts that they are so heavy, O son of Ntelani?'
she said, with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"I gazed upon her for a moment without replying; for I knew who she was,
though we had never before spoken. Picture to yourself, _Nkose_, a tall
fine girl--indeed, nearly as tall as myself--as straight as a
spear-shaft and as strong and firm as a yellow-wood tree, with large and
rounded limbs, and a face all sparkling with intelligence and mirth.
She was rather light-coloured, though, and we Zulus, _Nkose_, prefer our
women very black.

"`Perhaps it was of you I was thinking, Nangeza,' I answered. `Is not
that enough to produce heavy thoughts?'

"`_Yau_!' she cried. `It may be that there are those who think the
reverse. _They_ do not feel heavy when their thoughts are of me.'