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 arms about your neck, and one by one your enemies go down before you.

You love much, and sin much for the sake of the love, and she for whom you sin comes and goes and comes again.

And the road is short, Saduko, and near the end of it are many spirits; and though you shut your eyes you see them, and though you fill your ears with clay you hear them, for they are the ghosts 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 more of this matter.' "Then, Macumazahn, I thought a while of the safe and lonely path of wisdom, also of the blood-red path of spears where I should find love and war, and my youth rose up in me and--I chose the path of spears and the love and the sin and the unknown death." "A foolish choice, Saduko, supposing that there is any truth in this tale of roads, which there is not." "Nay, a wise one, Macumazahn, for since then I have seen Mameena and know why I chose that path." "Ah!" I said.