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"'Mayhap,' said Zikali, laughing after his fashion, 'for I open when I

must and shut when I must Indeed, in my youth, before the Zulus were a

people, they nah one of

those doors, I see so about you, O Son of Matiwane' "'What do you see, my father?' I asked

"'I see two roads, Saduko: the Road of Medicine, that is the spirit

road, and the Road of Spears, that is the blood road I see you

travelling on the Road of Medicine, that is reat, till at last, far, far away, you vanish over the

precipice to which it leads, full of years and honour and wealth, feared

yet beloved by all men, white and black Only that road you must travel

alone, since such wisdom may have no friends, and, above all, no woman

to share its secrets Then I look at the Road of Spears and see you,

Saduko, travelling on that road, and your feet are red with blood, and

women wind their aro

down before you You love much, and sin much for the sake of the love,

and she for whoain And the road is

short, Saduko, and near the end of it are h you

shut your eyes you see theh you fill your ears with clay you

hear thehosts of your slain But the end of your

journeying I see not Now choose which road you will, Son of Matiwane,

and choose swiftly, for I speak no ht a while of the safe and lonely path of

wisdom, also of the blood-red path of spears where I should find love