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〃Hail； Father！〃
〃Hail； my children！〃 answered Chaka。
〃What seekest thou； Father？〃 they cried again。 〃Blood？〃
〃The blood of the guilty；〃 he answered。
They turned and spoke each to each； the company of the men spoke to
the company of the women。
〃The Lion of the Zulu seeks blood。〃
〃He shall be fed！〃 screamed the women。
〃The Lion of the Zulu smells blood。〃
〃He shall see it！〃 screamed the women。
〃His eyes search out the wizards。〃
〃He shall count their dead！〃 screamed the women。
〃Peace！〃 cried Chaka。 〃Waste not the hours in talk； but to the work。
Hearken！ Wizards have bewitched me！ Wizards have dared to smite blood
upon the gateways of the king。 Dig in the burrows of the earth and
find them； ye rats！ Fly through the paths of the air and find them； ye
vultures！ Smell at the gates of the people and name them； ye jackals！
ye hunters in the night！ Drag them from the caves if they be hidden；
from the distance if they be fled； from the graves if they be dead。 To
the work！ to the work！ Show them to me truly； and your gifts shall be
great； and for them； if they be a nation； they shall be slain。 Now
begin。 Begin by companies of ten； for you are many； and all must be
finished ere the sun sink。〃
〃It shall be finished； Father；〃 they answered。
Then ten of the women stood forward； and at their head was the most
famous witch…doctress of that dayan aged woman named Nobela； a woman
to whose eyes the darkness was no evil； whose scent was keen as a
dog's； who heard the voices of the dead as they cried in the night；
and spoke truly of what she heard。 All the other Isanusis； male and
female； sat down in a half…moon facing the king； but this woman drew
forward； and with her came nine of her sisterhood。 They turned east
and west； north and south； searching the heavens； they turned east and
west； north and south； searching the earth； they turned east and west；
north and south； searching the hears of men。 Then they crept round and
round the great ring like cats； then they threw themselves upon the
earth and smelt it。 And all the time there was silence； silence deep
as midnight； and in it men hearkened to the beating of their hearts；
only now and again the vultures shrieked in the trees。
At length Nobela spoke：
〃Do you smell him； sisters？〃
〃We smell him；〃 they answered。
〃Does he sit in the east； sisters？〃
〃He sits in the east；〃 they answered。
〃Is he the son of a stranger； sisters？〃
〃He is the son of a stranger。〃
Then they crept nearer； crept on their hands and knees； till they were
within ten paces of where I sat among the indunas near to the king。
The indunas looked on each other and grew grey with fear； and for me；
my father； my knees were loosened and my marrow turned to water in my
bones。 For I knew well who was that son of a stranger of whom they
spoke。 It was I； my father； I who was about to be smelt out； and if I
was smelt out I should be killed with all my house； for the king's
oath would scarcely avail me against the witch…doctors。 I looked at
the fierce faces of the Isanusis before me； as they crept； crept like
snakes。 I glanced behind and saw the slayers grasping their kerries
for the deed of death； and I say I felt like one for whom the
bitterness is overpast。 Then I remembered the words which the king and
I had whispered together of the cause for which this Ingomboco was
set； and hope crept back to me like the first gleam of the dawn upon a
stormy night。 Still I did not hope overmuch； for it well might happen
that the king had but set a trap to catch me。
Now they were quite near and halted。
〃Have we dreamed falsely； sisters？〃 asked Nobela； the aged。
〃What we dreamed in the night we see in the day；〃 they answered。
〃Shall I whisper his name in your ears； sisters？〃
They lifted their heads from the ground like snakes and nodded； and as
they nodded the necklets of bones rattled on their skinny necks。 Then
they drew their heads to a circle； and Nobela thrust hers into the
centre of the circle and said a word。
〃Ha！ ha！〃 they laughed； 〃we hear you！ His is the name。 Let him be
named by it in the face of Heaven； him and all his house； then let him
hear no other name forever！〃
And suddenly they sprang up and rushed towards me； Nobela； the aged
Isanusi； at their head。 They leaped at me； pointing to me with the
tails of the vilderbeestes in their hands。 Then Nobela switched me in
the face with the tail of the beast； and cried aloud：
〃Greeting； Mopo； son of Makedama！ Thou art the man who smotest blood
on the door…posts of the king to bewitch the king。 Let thy house be
stamped flat！〃
I saw her come； I felt the blow on my face as a man feels in a dream。
I heard the feet of the slayers as they bounded forward to hale me to
the dreadful death； but my tongue clave to the roof of my mouthI
could not say a word。 I glanced at the king； and； as I did so； I
thought that I heard him mutter： 〃Near the mark； not in it。〃
Then he held up his spear； and all was silence。 The slayers stopped in
their stride； the witch…doctors stood with outstretched arms； the
world of men was as though it had been frozen into sleep。
〃Hold！〃 he said。 〃Stand aside； son of Makedama； who art named an
evildoer！ Stand aside； thou； Nobela； and those with thee who have
named him evildoer！ What？ Shall I be satisfied with the life of one
dog？ Smell on； ye vultures； company by company； smell on！ For the day
the labour； at night the feast！〃
I rose； astonished； and stood on one side。 The witch…doctresses also
stood on one side； wonderstruck； since no such smelling out as this
had been seen in the land。 For till this hour； when a man was swept
with the gnu's tail of the Isanusi that was the instant of his death。
Why； then； men asked in their hearts； was the death delayed？ The
witch…doctors asked it also； and looked to the king for light； as men
look to a thunder…cloud for the flash。 But from the Black One there
came no word。
So we stood on one side； and a second party of the Isanusi women began
their rites。 As the others had done； so they did； and yet they worked
otherwise； for this is the fashion of the Isanusis； that no two of
them smell out in the same way。 And this party swept the faces of
certain of the king's councillors； naming them guilty of the witch…
work。
〃Stand ye on one side！〃 said the king to those who had been smelt out；
〃and ye who have hunted out their wickedness； stand ye with those who
named Mopo； son of Makedama。 It well may be that all are guilty。〃
So these stood on one side also； and a third party took up the tale。
And they named certain of the great generals； and were in turn bidden
to stand on one side together with those whom they had named。
So it went on through all the day。 Company by company the women doomed
their victims； till there were no more left in their number； and were
commanded to stand aside together with those whom they had doomed。
Then the male Isanusis began； and I could see well that by this time
their hearts were fearful； for they smelt a snare。 Yet the king's
bidding must be done； and though their magic failed them here； victims
must be found。 So they smelt out this man and that