“Worthy to be wielded by Tshaka himself,” she muttered. “A splendid spear! A royal weapon,” examining the haft, which was dark-red then, although it is now black with age. “Truly a royal weapon!”
“And a royal weapon it is,” I answered, “for I had it from Umzilikazi’s own hand.”
“Ha! And how was that?” she asked eagerly. But I looked knowing and laughed.
“Nothing for nothing, Lalusini,” I said. “Tell me thine own tale; then thou shalt have that of the King’s Assegai. And I promise thee that it is a stirring one.”
But she would not. Nevertheless, I told her my own tale, or a part of it. At the mention of Nangeza she looked up quickly. “How many wives have you, Untúswa?” she asked.
“Only three. But my inkosikazi is more trouble than any thirty ordinary women, for she wants to be chief over me, too.”
Lalusini laughed.
“And that is Nangeza for whom you deserted your nation and incurred death under its most terrible form?” she said.
I answered that it was.
“And you want me to go and be second to your inkosikazi, Untúswa!”