For this reason, that he told Mr. Quatermain when he
laughed at him about his divinations that he would make no more magic
for him or any of you, and that he will die rather than break his
word. That's all, Mr. Somers, and I dare say you will think--quite
enough, too."
"I understand," replied Stephen. "Tell the chief, Mavovo" (I observed
he laid an emphasis on the word, /chief/) "that I /quite/ understand,
and that I thank him very much for explaining things to me so fully.
Then ask him whether, as the matter is so important, there is no way
out of this trouble?"
Sammy translated into Zulu, which he spoke perfectly, as I noted
without interpolations or additions.
"Only one way," answered Mavovo in the intervals of taking snuff. "It
is that Macumazana himself shall ask me to do this thing, Macumazana
is my old chief and friend, and for his sake I will forget what in the
case of others I should always remember. If he will come and ask me,
without mockery, to exercise my skill on behalf of all of us, I will
try to exercise it, although I know very well that he believes it to
be but as an idle little whirlwind that stirs the dust, that raises
the dust and lets it fall again without purpose or meaning,
forgetting, as the wise white men forget, that even the wind which
blows the dust is the same that breathes in our nostrils, and that to
it, we also are as is the dust.
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