On this space, Goza told me, the King and the Council were to sit when they came to seek light from Zikali.
In my heart I reflected that the light they were likely to get from him would be such as may be supposed to be thrown by hell fire.

For be it remembered I knew what these people never seemed to understand, that Zikali was the most bitter of their enemies.
To begin with, he was of Undwandwe blood, one of the people whom the great king Chaka had destroyed.

Then this same Chaka had robbed him of his wives and murdered his children, in revenge for which he had plotted the slaying of Chaka, as he did that of his brothers, Umhlangana and Dingaan, the latter of whom he involved in a quarrel with the Boers.

Subsequently he brought about the war between the princes Cetewayo and Umbelazi, in which I played a part.
Now I was certain that he intended to bring about another war between the English and the Zulus, knowing well that in the end the latter would be destroyed, and with them the royal House of Senzangacona which he had sworn to level with the dust.

Had he not told me as much years ago, and was he one to go back upon his word?
Had he not used Mameena with her beauty and ambitions as his tool, and when she was of no further service to him, given her to death, as he had used scores of others and in due season given them to death?
Was I not myself perhaps one of those tools destined to be thrown into the pit of doom when my turn came, though in what way I could help his plots was more than I could see, since he knew well that I should do my best to oppose him?
Oh! I had half a mind to go to Cetewayo and tell him all I knew about Zikali, even if it involved the breaking of confidences.
But stay! Even if I were believed, this far-seeing wizard held hostages for my good behaviour, and if I betrayed him what would happen to those hostages?
He sent me messages saying that they were safe, suggesting that they had escaped to Natal.