波波小说

第52部分（第1页）

th　your　letter　one　from　the　editor　of　Greater　Britain；　calling　my　attention　to　an　article　in　the　July　number　of　that　periodical　entitled　“Many　Lands；　One　People”　and　asking　my　views　upon　it。　I　shall　write　him　a　very　short　answer；　for　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　am　as　yet　unable　to　see　anything　practical　in　the　proposals　of　Imperial　Federation。　I　am　afraid　you　will　think　me　old…fashioned　and　heterodox；　but　I　cannot　as　yet　see　anything　stronger　than　the　bond　which　ties　the　members　of　a　family　together。　Love　to　you　both　from　yours　always　sincerely；

T。　Shepstone。

In　due　course　the　dedication　was　finished　and　sent。　Charles　Longman　always　thought　it　one　of　the　best　things　I　had　ever　written；　and；　when　I　told　him　the　other　day　that　I　was　engaged　upon　this　task；　he　especially　asked　me　to　insert　it　here。　Therefore　I　do　so。

DEDICATION

Sompseu：

For　I　will　call　you　by　the　name　that　for　fifty　years　has　been　honoured　by　every　tribe　between　the　Zambesi　and　Cape　Agulhas；　—　I　greet　you！

Sompseu；　my　father；　I　have　written　a　book　that　tells　of　men　and　matters　of　which　you　know　the　most　of　any　who　still　look　upon　the　light；　therefore；　I　set　your　name　within　that　book　and；　such　as　it　is；　I　offer　it　to　you。

If　you　knew　not　Chaka；　you　and　he　have　seen　the　same　suns　shine；　you　knew　his　brother　Panda　and　his　captains；　and　perhaps　even　that　very　Mopo　who　tells　this　tale；　his　servant；　who　slew　him　with　the　Princes。　You　have　seen　the　circle　of　the　witch…doctors　and　the　unconquerable　Zulu　impis　rushing　to　war；　you　have　crowned　their　kings　and　shared　their　counsels；　and　with　your　son’s　blood　you　have　expiated　a　statesman’s　error　and　a　general’s　fault。

Sompseu；　a　song　has　been　sung　in　my　ears　of　how　first　you　mastered　this　people　of　the　Zulu。　Is　it　not　true；　my　father；　that　for　long　hours　you　lay　silent　and　alone；　while　three　thousand　warriors　shouted　for　your　life？　And　when　they　grew　weary；　did　you　not　stand　and　say；　pointing　towards　the　ocean：　“Kill　me　if　you　wish；　men　of　Cetywayo；　but　I　tell　you　that　for　every　drop　of　my　blood　a　hundred　avengers　shall　rise　from　yonder　sea！”

Then；　so　it　was　told　me；　the　regiments　turned　staring　towards　the　Black　Water；　as　though　the　day　of　Ulundi　had　already　e　and　they　saw　the　white　slayers　creeping　across　the　plains。

Thus；　Sompseu；　your　name　became　great　among　the　people　of　the　Zulu；　as　already　it　was　great　among　many　another　tribe；　and　their　nobles　did　you　homage；　and　they　gave　you　the　Bayete；　the　royal　salute；　declaring　by　the　mouth　of　their　Council　that　in　you　dwelt　the　spirit　of　Chaka。

Many　years　have　gone　by　since　then；　and　now　you　are　old；　my　father。　It　is　many　years　even　since　I　was　a　boy；　and　followed　you　when　you　went　up　among　the　Boers　and　took　their　country　for　the　Queen。

Why　did　you　do　this；　my　father？　I　will　answer；　who　know　the　truth。　You　did　it　because；　had　it　not　been　done；　the　Zulus　would　have　stamped　out　the　Boers。　Were　not　Cetywayo’s　impis　gathered　against　the　land；　and　was　it　not　because　it　became　the　Queen’s　land　that　at　your　word　he　sent　them　murmuring　to　their　kraals？　To　save　bloodshed　you　annexed　the　country　beyond　the　Vaal。　Perhaps　it　had　been　better　to　leave　it；　since　“Death　chooses　for　himself；”　and　after　all　there　was　killing　—　of　our　own　people；　and　with　the　killing；　shame。　But　in　those　days　we　did　not　guess　what　we　should　live　to　see；　and　of　Majuba　we　thought　only　as　a　little　hill。

Enemies　have　borne　false　witness　against　you　on　this　matter；　Sompseu；　you　who　never　erred　except　through　over　kindness。　Yet　what　does　that　avail？　When　you　have　“gone　beyond”　it　will　be　forgotten；　since　the　sting　of　ingratitude　passes　and　lies　must　wither　like　the　winter　veldt。　Only　your　name　will　not　be　forgotten；　as　it　was　heard　in　life　so　it　shall　be　heard　in　story；　and　I　pray　that；　however　humbly；　mine　may　pass　down　with　it。　Chance　has　taken　me　by　another　path；　and　I　must　leave　the　ways　of　action　that　I　love　and　bury　myself　in　books；　but　the　old　days　and　friends　are　in　my　mind；　nor　while　I　have　memory　shall　I　forget　them　and　you。

Therefore；　though　it　be　for　the　last　time；　from　far　across　the　seas　I　speak　to　you；　and　lifting　my　hand　I　give　you　your　“Sibonga”18　and　that　royal　salute；　to　which；　now　that　its　kings　are　gone　and　the　“People　of　Heaven”　are　no　more　a　nation；　with　Her　Majesty　you　are　alone　entitled：

Bayete！　Baba；　Nkosi　ya　makosi！

Ngonyama！　Indhlovu　ai　pendulwa！

Wen’　o　wa　vela　wasi　pata！

Wen’　o　was　hlul’　izizwe　zonke　za　patwa　nguive！

Wa　geina　nge　la　Mabun’　o　wa　ba　hlul’　u　yedwa！

Umsizi　we　zintandane　e　zihlupekayo！

Si　ya　kuleka　Baba！

Bayete；　T’Sompseu！19

and　farewell！

H。　Rider　Haggard。

To　Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone；　K。C。M。G。；　Natal。

13th　September　1891。

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