nada the lily-第51部分

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the　cave　by　a　blow　of　a　Halakazi　kerrie。　I　saw　him　fall　with　my　own

eyes；　and　slew　the　man　who　smote　him。　One　thing　more；　King　of　the

World；　the　best　of　the　captives　and　the　cattle　are　not　here　for　a　gift

to　theethey　are　at　the　kraal　of　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the

Axe。　I　have　spoken；　O　King；　yes；　because　my　heart　loves　not　lies。　I

have　spoken　the　truth；　and　now　do　thou　protect　me　from　these　Wolf…

Brethren；　O　King；　for　they　are　very　fierce。〃



Now　all　this　while　that　the　traitor　told　his　tale　Umslopogaas；　inch　by

inch；　was　edging　near　to　him　and　yet　nearer；　till　at　length　he　might

have　touched　him　with　an　outstretched　spear。　None　noted　him　except　I；

Mopo；　alone；　and　perhaps　Galazi；　for　all　were　watching　the　face　of

Dingaan　as　men　watch　a　storm　that　is　about　to　burst。



〃Fear　thou　not　the　Wolf…Brethren；　soldier；〃　gasped　Dingaan；　rolling

his　red　eyes；　〃the　paw　of　the　Lion　guards　thee；　my　servant。〃



Ere　the　words　had　left　the　king's　lips　the　Slaughterer　leapt。　He

leaped　full　on　to　the　traitor；　speaking　never　a　word；　and　oh！　his　eyes

were　awful。　He　leaped　upon　him；　he　seized　him　with　his　hands；　lifting

no　weapon；　and　in　his　terrible　might　he　broke　him　as　a　child　breaks　a

sticknay；　I　know　not　how；　it　was　too　swift　to　see。　He　broke　him；

and；　hurling　him　on　high；　cast　him　dead　at　the　feet　of　Dingaan；　crying

in　a　great　voice：



〃Take　thy　servant；　King！　Surely　he　'sleeps　in　thy　shadow'！〃



Then　there　was　silence；　only　through　the　silence　was　heard　a　gasp　of

fear　and　wonder；　for　no　such　deed　as　this　had　been　wrought　in　the

presence　of　the　kingno；　not　since　the　day　of　Senzangacona　the　Root。



Now　Dingaan　spoke；　and　his　voice　came　thick　with　rage；　and　his　limbs

trembled。



〃Slay　him！〃　he　hissed。　〃Slay　the　dog　and　all　those　with　him！〃



〃Now　we　come　to　a　game　which　I　can　play；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Ho；

People　of　the　Axe！　Will　you　stand　to　be　slaughtered　by　these　singed

rats？〃　and　he　pointed　with　Groan…Maker　at　those　warriors　who　had

escaped　without　hurt　in　the　fire；　but　whose　faces　the　fire　had

scorched。



Then　for　answer　a　great　shout　went　up；　a　shout　and　a　roar　of　laughter。

And　this　was　the　shout：



〃No；　Slaughterer；　not　so　are　we　minded！〃　and　right　and　left　they　faced

to　meet　the　foe；　while　from　all　along　the　companies　came　the　crackling

of　the　shaken　shields。



Back　sprang　Umslopogaas　to　head　his　men；　forward　leaped　the　soldiers

of　the　king　to　work　the　king's　will；　if　so　they　might。　And　Galazi　the

Wolf　also　sprang　forward；　towards　Dingaan；　and；　as　he　sprang；　swung　up

the　Watcher；　crying　in　a　great　voice：



〃Hold！〃



Again　there　was　silence；　for　men　saw　that　the　shadow　of　the　Watcher

lay　dark　upon　the　head　of　Dingaan。



〃It　is　a　pity　that　many　should　die　when　one　will　suffice；〃　cried　the

Wolf　again。　〃Let　a　blow　be　struck；　and　where　his　shadow　lies　there

shall　the　Watcher　be；　and　lo！　the　world　will　lack　a　king。　A　word；

King！〃



Now　Dingaan　looked　up　at　the　great　man　who　stood　above　him；　and　felt

the　shadow　of　the　shining　club　lie　cold　upon　his　brow；　and　again　he

shookthis　time　it　was　with　fear。



〃Begone　in　peace！〃　he　said。



〃A　good　word　for　thee；　King；〃　said　the　Wolf；　grinning；　and　slowly　he

drew　himself　backwards　towards　the　companies；　saying；　〃Praise　the

king！　The　king　bids　his　children　go　in　peace。〃



But　when　Dingaan　felt　that　his　brow　was　no　longer　cold　with　the　shadow

of　death　his　rage　came　back　to　him；　and　he　would　have　called　to　the

soldiers　to　fall　upon　the　People　of　the　Axe；　only　I　stayed　him；

saying：



〃Thy　death　is　in　it；　O　King；　the　Slaughterer　will　grind　such　men　as

thou　hast　here　beneath　his　feet；　and　then　once　more　shall　the　Watcher

look　upon　thee。〃



Now　Dingaan　saw　that　this　was　true；　and　gave　no　command；　for　he　had

only　those　men　with　him　whom　the　fire　had　left。　All　the　rest　were　gone

to　slaughter　the　Boers　in　Natal。　Still；　he　must　have　blood；　so　he

turned　on　me。



〃Thou　art　a　traitor；　Mopo；　as　I　have　known　for　long；　and　I　will　serve

thee　as　yonder　dog　served　his　faithless　servant！〃　and　he　thrust　at　me

with　the　assegai　in　his　hand。



But　I　saw　the　stroke；　and；　springing　high　into　the　air；　avoided　it。

Then　I　turned　and　fled　very　swiftly；　and　after　me　came　certain　of　the

soldiers。　The　way　was　not　far　to　the　last　company　of　the　People　of　the

Axe；　moreover；　it　saw　me　coming；　and；　headed　by　Umslopogaas；　who

walked　behind　them　all；　ran　to　meet　me。　Then　the　soldiers　who　followed

to　kill　me　hung　back　out　of　reach　of　the　axe。



〃Here　with　the　king　is　no　place　for　me　any　more；　my　son；〃　I　said　to

Umslopogaas。



〃Fear　not；　my　father；　I　will　find　you　a　place；〃　he　answered。



Then　I　called　a　message　to　the　soldiers　who　followed　me；　saying：



〃Tell　this　to　the　king：　that　he　has　done　ill　to　drive　me　from　him；　for

I；　Mopo；　set　him　on　the　throne　and　I　alone　can　hold　him　there。　Tell

him　this　also；　that　he　will　do　yet　worse　to　seek　me　where　I　am；　for

that　day　when　we　are　once　more　face　to　face　shall　be　his　day　of　death。

Thus　speaks　Mopo　the　inyanga；　Mopo　the　doctor；　who　never　yet

prophesied　that　which　should　not　be。〃



Then　we　marched　from　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；　and　when　next　I　saw　that

kraal　it　was　to　burn　all　of　it　which　Dingaan　had　left　unburnt；　and

when　next　I　saw　Dingaanah！　that　is　to　be　told　of；　my　father。



We　marched　from　the　kraal；　none　hindering　us；　for　there　were　none　to

hinder；　and　after　we　had　gone　a　little　way　Umslopogaas　halted　and

said：



〃Now　it　is　in　my　mind　to　return　whence　we　came　and　slay　this　Dingaan；

ere　he　slay　me。〃



〃Yet　it　is　well　to　leave　a　frightened　lion　in　his　thicket；　my　son；　for

a　lion　at　bay　is　hard　to　handle。　Doubt　not　that　every　man；　young　and

old；　in　Umgugundhlovu　now　stands　armed　about　the　gates；　lest　such　a

thought　should　take　you；　my　son；　and　though　just　now　he　was　afraid；

yet　Dingaan　will　strike　for　his　life。　When　you　might　have　killed　you

did　not　kill；　now　the　hour　has　gone。〃



〃Wise　words！〃　said　Galazi。　〃I　would　that　the　Watcher　had　fallen　where

his　shadow　fell。〃



〃What　is　your　counsel　now；　father？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。



〃This；　then：　that　you　two　should　abide　no　more　beneath　the　shadow　of

the　Ghost　Mountain；　but　should　gather　your　people　and　your　cattle；　and

pass　to　the　north　on　the　track　of　Mosilikatze　the　Lion；　who　broke　away

from　Chaka。　There　you　may　rule　apart　or　together；　and　never　dream　of

Dingaan。〃



〃I　will　not　do　that；　father；〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　dwell　beneath　the

shadow　of　the　Ghost　Mountain　while　I　may。〃



〃And　so　will　I；〃　said　Galazi；　〃or　rather　among　its　rocks。　What！　shall

my　wolves　lack　a　master　when　they　would　go　a…hunting？　Shall　Greysnout

and　Blackfang；　Blood　and　Deathgrip；　and　their　company　black　and　grey；

howl　for　me　in　vain？〃



〃So　be　it；　children。　Ye　are　young　and　will　not　listen　to　the　counsel

of　the　old。　Let　it　befall　as　it　chances。〃



I　spoke　thus；　for　I　did　not　know　then　why　Umslopogaas　would　not　leave

his　kraals。　It　was　for　this　reason：　because　he　had　bidden　Nada　to　meet

him　there。



Afterwards；　when　he　found　her　he　would　have　gone；　but　then　the　sky　was

clear；　the　danger…clouds　had　melted　for　awhile。



Oh！　that　Umslopogaas　my　fosterling　had　listened　to　me！　Now　he　would

have　reigned　as　a　king；　not　wandered　an　outcast　in　strange　lands　I

know　not　where；　and　Nada　should　have　lived；　not　died；　nor　would　the

People　of　the　Axe　have　ceased　to　be　a　people。



This　of　Dingaan。　When　he　heard　my　message　he　grew　afraid　once　more；

for　he　knew　me　to　be　no　liar。



Therefore　he　held　his　hand　for　awhile；　sending　no　impi　to　smite

Umslopogaas；　lest　it　might　come　about　that　I　should　bring　him　his

death　as　I　had　promised。　And　before　the　fear　had　worn　away；　it

happened　that　Dingaan's　hands　were　full　with　the　war　against　the

Amaboona；　because　of　his　slaughter　of　the　white　people；　and　he　had　no

soldiers　to　spare　with　whom　to　wreak　vengeance　on　a　petty　chief　living

far　away。



Yet　his　rage　was　great　because　of　what　had　chanced；　and；　after　his

custom；　he　murdered　many　innocent　people　to　satisfy　it。







CHAPTER　XXIX



MOPO　TELLS　HIS　TALE



Now　afterwards；　as　we　went　upon　our　road；　Umslopogaas　told　me　all

there　was　to　tell　of　the　slaying　of　the　Halakazi　and　of　the　finding　of

Nada。



When　I　heard　that　Nada；　my　daughter；　still　lived；　I　wept　for　joy；

though　like　Umslopogaas　I　was　torn　by　doubt　and　fear；　for　it　is　far

for　an　unaided　maid　to　travel　from　Swaziland　to　the　Ghost　Mountain。

Yet　all　this　while　I　said　nothing　to　Umslopogaas　of　the　truth　as　to

his　birth；　because　on　the　journey　there　were　many　around　us；　and　the

very　trees　have　ears；　and　the　same　wind　to　which　we　whispered　might

whisper　to　the　king。　Still　I　knew　that　the　hour　had　come　now　when　I

must　speak；　for　it　was　in　my　mind　to　bring　it　about　that　Umslopogaas

should　be　proclaimed　the　son　of　Chaka；　and　be　made　king　of　the　Zulus

in　the　place　of　Dingaan；　his　uncle。　Yet　all　these　things　had　gone

cross　for　us；　because　it　was　fated　so；　my　father。　Had　I　known　that

Umslopogaas　still　lived　when　I　slew　Chaka；　then　I　think　that　I　could

have　brought　it　about　that　he　should　be　king。　Or　had　things　fallen　out

as　I　planned；　and　the　Lily　maid　been　brought　to　Dingaan；　and

Umslopogaas　grew　great　in　his　sight；　then；　perhaps；　I　could　have

brought　it　about。　But　all　things　had　gone　wrong。　The　Lily　was　none

other　than　Nada；　and　how　could　Umslopogaas　give　Nada；　whom　he　thought

his　sister；　and　who　was　my　daughter；　to　Dingaan　against　her　will？

Also；　because　of　Nada；　Dingaan　and　Umslopogaas　were　now　at　bitter

enmity；　and　for　this　same　cause　I　was　disgraced　and　a　fugitive；　and　my

counsels　would　no　longer　be　heard　in　the　ear　of　the　king。



So　everything　must　be　begun　afresh：　and　as　I　walked　with　the　impi

towards　the　Ghost　Mountain；　I　thought　much　and　often　of　the　manner　in

which　this　might　be　done。　But　as　yet　I　said　nothing。



Now　at　last　we　were　beneath　the　Ghost　Mountain；　and　looked　up