Very soon Rachel found this out and warned
her against obeying him, since if she did so it would come to her
knowledge, and then great evil would fall on one who betrayed the words of
the Inkosazana.
Mami answered that she knew it, and that Rachel need not be afraid. Any
tale would do for Ishmael, whom she hated. Then, saying little herself,
Rachel encouraged her to talk, which Mami did freely. So she heard some
news. She learned, for instance, that the whole town of Mafooti, whereof
Ibubesi was chief, which counted some sixty or seventy heads of families,
was much disturbed by the events of the last few days. They did not like
the Inkosazana being brought there, thinking that where she went the Zulus
would follow, and as they were of Zulu blood themselves, they knew what
that meant. They were alarmed at the deaths of the white sky-doctor, who
was called Shouter, and his wife, with which Ibubesi had something to do,
for they feared lest they should be held responsible for their blood. They
objected to the imprisonment of the white chief, Dario, among them,
because "he had hurt no one, and was under the mantle of the Inkosazana,
who was a spirit, not a woman," and who had warned them that if any harm
came to her or to him, death would be their reward.
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