Now Sigwe gave an order to some attendants waiting upon him, who went away to return presently leading with them a woman.  This woman was about fifty years of age, very fat in person, sour-faced, yellow-toothed, and with one eye only.

“There is the cause,” exclaimed the chief, at the same time turning his back upon the woman and spitting upon the ground as though in disgust.

“I do not understand,” said Suzanne.

“Then listen, Lady Swallow.  Sikonyana, the chief of the Endwandwe, has a sister named Batwa, whose beauty is famous throughout all the world, and for her by my envoys I made an offer of marriage, intending that she should be my head wife, for I desired to be the husband of the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“I saw Batwa when she was still a child,” broke in Sihamba; “indeed, she is my cousin, and it is true that she is most beautiful.”

“The chief Sikonyana,” went on Sigwe, “answered me that he was much honoured by my offer since he knew me to be the greatest man of all this country, but that at the same time his sister was not to be won with a small price; yet if I would send a thousand head of cattle, half of them black and half white, she should be mine.  Then with much pain I collected these cattle, two years did it take me to gather them together, for here oxen and cows pure white and pure black are not common, and I sent them with an impi to guard them, for nothing less would suffice, to the kraal of the chief of the Endwandwe.

“Four moons was that impi gone, while I awaited its return, eating out my heart with impatience.  At length it did return, bringing with it my bride.  At nightfall it marched into the town hungry and tired, for it had suffered much upon the journey, and twice had been forced to give battle to the armies of other chiefs, but although I was eager to see her I did not look upon my new wife that night.  No, I sent out messengers and gathered together all my army and all the people young and old, yonder in the plain of assembly.  Then when they were mustered from far and near, I commanded that Batwa, the sister of Sikonyana, should be produced in the face of the people that her loveliness might shine upon me and upon them as the sun shines equally upon us all.

“Lady Swallow, the moment came, and this old woman was brought out; yes, she strutted before us proudly, this one-eyed hag, this cat of the mountains.  For her I had sent an impi, for her I had paid a thousand head of cattle, half of them pure black and half pure white——­” and Sigwe ceased, gasping with rage.

Now at this story Suzanne, who had not smiled for days, laughed aloud, while even Sihamba the wise looked down studying the earth.  But there was one who did not laugh, and it was the one-eyed woman.  No, she sprang up and screamed aloud: 

“Dog of a red Kaffir, who are you that dare to talk thus of a princess of the blood of the Endwandwe, a princess whom Chaka, the great king, wished to take to wife?  You asked for Batwa in marriage, Batwa, the sister to Sikonyana, and I am Batwa the sister of Sikonyana.”