nada the lily(百合娜达)-第15部分

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account　of　the　tale　of　their　increase。　So　I　bowed　before　the　king；　and
said　that　I　would　run　like　a　dog　to　do　his　bidding；　and　he　gave　me　men
to　go　with　me。

Then　I　returned　to　my　huts　to　bid　farewell　to　my　wives　and　children；
and　there　I　found　that　my　wife；　Anadi；　the　mother　of　Moosa；　my　son；
had　fallen　sick　with　a　wandering　sickness；　for　strange　things　came
into　her　mind；　and　what　came　into　her　mind　that　she　said；　being；　as　I
did　not　doubt；　bewitched　by　some　enemy　of　my　house。

Still；　I　must　go　upon　the　king's　business；　and　I　told　this　to　my　wife
Macropha；　the　mother　of　Nada；　and；　as　it　was　thought；　of　Umslopogaas；
the　son　of　Chaka。　But　when　I　spoke　to　Macropha　of　the　matter　she　burst
into　tears　and　clung　to　me。　I　asked　her　why　she　wept　thus；　and　she
answered　that　the　shadow　of　evil　lay　upon　her　heart；　for　she　was　sure
that　if　I　left　her　at　the　king's　kraal；　when　I　returned　again　I　should
find　neither　her　nor　Nada；　my　child；　nor　Umslopogaas；　who　was　named　my
son；　and　whom　I　loved　as　a　son；　still　in　the　land　of　life。　Then　I
tried　to　calm　her；　but　the　more　I　strove　the　more　she　wept；　saying
that　she　knew　well　that　these　things　would　be　so。

Now　I　asked　her　what　could　be　done；　for　I　was　stirred　by　her　tears；
and　the　dread　of　evil　crept　from　her　to　me　as　shadows　creep　from　the
valley　to　the　mountain。

She　answered；　〃Take　me　with　you；　my　husband；　that　I　may　leave　this
evil　land；　where　the　very　skies　rain　blood；　and　let　me　rest　awhile　in
the　place　of　my　own　people　till　the　terror　of　Chaka　has　gone　by。〃

〃How　can　I　do　this？〃　I　said。　〃None　may　leave　the　king's　kraal　without
the　king's　pass。〃

〃A　man　may　put　away　his　wife；〃　she　replied。　〃The　king　does　not　stand
between　a　man　and　his　wife。　Say；　my　husband；　that　you　love　me　no
longer；　that　I　bear　you　no　more　children；　and　that　therefore　you　send
me　back　whence　I　came。　By…and…bye　we　will　come　together　again　if　we
are　left　among　the　living。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　I　answered。　〃Leave　the　kraal　with　Nada　and　Umslopogaas
this　night；　and　to…morrow　morning　meet　me　at　the　river　bank；　and　we
shall　go　on　together；　and　for　the　rest　may　the　spirits　of　our　fathers
hold　us　safe。〃

So　we　kissed　each　other；　and　Macropha　went　on　secretly　with　the
children。

Now　at　the　dawning　on　the　morrow　I　summoned　the　men　whom　the　king　had
given　me；　and　we　started　upon　our　journey。　When　the　sun　was　well　up　we
came　to　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　there　I　found　my　wife　Macropha；
and　with　her　the　two　children。　They　rose　as　I　came；　but　I　frowned　at
my　wife　and　she　gave　me　no　greeting。　Those　with　me　looked　at　her
askance。

〃I　have　divorced　this　woman；〃　I　said　to　them。　〃She　is　a　withered　tree；
a　worn　out　old　hag；　and　now　I　take　her　with　me　to　send　her　to　the
country　of　the　Swazis；　whence　she　came。　Cease　weeping；〃　I　added　to
Macropha；　〃it　is　my　last　word。〃

〃What　says　the　king？〃　asked　the　men。

〃I　will　answer　to　the　king；〃　I　said。　And　we　went　on。

Now　I　must　tell　how　we　lost　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Chaka；　who　was
then　a　great　lad　drawing　on　to　manhood；　fierce　in　temper；　well　grown
and　broad　for　his　years。

We　had　journeyed　seven　days；　for　the　way　was　long；　and　on　the　night　of
the　seventh　day　we　came　to　a　mountainous　country　in　which　there　were
few　kraals；　for　Chaka　had　eaten　them　all　up　years　before。　Perhaps　you
know　the　place；　my　father。　In　it　is　a　great　and　strange　mountain。　It
is　haunted　also；　and　named　the　Ghost　Mountain；　and　on　the　top　of　it　is
a　grey　peak　rudely　shaped　like　the　head　of　an　aged　woman。　Here　in　this
wild　place　we　must　sleep；　for　darkness　drew　on。　Now　we　soon　learned
that　there　were　many　lions　in　the　rocks　around；　for　we　heard　their
roaring　and　were　much　afraid；　all　except　Umslopogaas；　who　feared
nothing。　So　we　made　a　circle　of　thorn…bushes　and　sat　in　it；　holding
our　assegais　ready。　Presently　the　moon　came　upit　was　a　full…grown
moon　and　very　bright；　so　bright　that　we　could　see　everything　for　a
long　way　round。　Now　some　six　spear…throws　from　where　we　sat　was　a
cliff；　and　at　the　top　of　the　cliff　was　a　cave；　and　in　this　cave　lived
two　lions　and　their　young。　When　the　moon　grew　bright　we　saw　the　lions
come　out　and　stand　upon　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　with　them　were　two
little　ones　that　played　about　like　kittens；　so　that　had　we　not　been
frightened　it　would　have　been　beautiful　to　see　them。

〃Oh！　Umslopogaas；〃　said　Nada；　〃I　wish　that　I　had　one　of　the　little
lions　for　a　dog。〃

The　boy　laughed；　saying；　〃Then；　shall　I　fetch　you　one；　sister？〃

〃Peace；　boy；〃　I　said。　〃No　man　may　take　young　lions　from　their　lair　and
live。〃

〃Such　things　have　been　done；　my　father；〃　he　answered；　laughing。　And　no
more　was　said　of　the　matter。

Now　when　the　cubs　had　played　awhile；　we　saw　the　lioness　take　up　the
cubs　in　her　mouth　and　carry　them　into　the　cave。　Then　she　came　out
again；　and　went　away　with　her　mate　to　seek　food；　and　soon　we　heard
them　roaring　in　the　distance。　Now　we　stacked　up　the　fire　and　went　to
sleep　in　our　enclosure　of　thorns　without　fear；　for　we　knew　that　the
lions　were　far　away　eating　game。　But　Umslopogaas　did　not　sleep；　for　he
had　determined　that　he　would　fetch　the　cub　which　Nada　had　desired；
and；　being　young　and　foolhardy；　he　did　not　think　of　the　danger　which
he　would　bring　upon　himself　and　all　of　us。　He　knew　no　fear；　and　now；
as　ever；　if　Nada　spoke　a　word；　nay；　even　if　she　thought　of　a　thing　to
desire　it；　he　would　not　rest　till　it　was　won　for　her。　So　while　we
slept　Umslopogaas　crept　like　a　snake　from　the　fence　of　thorns；　and；
taking　an　assegai　in　his　hand；　he　slipped　away　to　the　foot　of　the
cliff　where　the　lions　had　their　den。　Then　he　climbed　the　cliff；　and；
coming　to　the　cave；　entered　there　and　groped　his　way　into　it。　The　cubs
heard　him；　and；　thinking　that　it　was　their　mother　who　returned；　began
to　whine　and　purr　for　food。　Guided　by　the　light　of　their　yellow　eyes；
he　crept　over　the　bones；　of　which　there　were　many　in　the　cave；　and
came　to　where　they　lay。　Then　he　put　out　his　hands　and　seized　one　of
the　cubs；　killing　the　other　with　his　assegai；　because　he　could　not
carry　both　of　them。　Now　he　made　haste　thence　before　the　lions
returned；　and　came　back　to　the　thorn　fence　where　we　lay　just　as　dawn
as　breaking。

I　awoke　at　the　coming　of　the　dawn；　and；　standing　up；　I　looked　out。　Lo！
there；　on　the　farther　side　of　the　thorn　fence；　looking　large　in　the
grey　mist；　stood　the　lad　Umslopogaas；　laughing。　In　his　teeth　he　held
the　assegai；　yet　dripping　with　blood；　and　in　his　hands　the　lion　cub
that；　despite　its　whines　and　struggles；　he　grasped　by　the　skin　of　the
neck　and　the　hind　legs。

〃Awake；　my　sister！〃　he　cried；　〃here　is　the　dog　you　seek。　Ah！　he　bites
now；　but　he　will　soon　grow　tame。〃

Nada　awoke；　and　rising；　cried　out　with　joy　at　the　sight　of　the　cub；
but　for　a　moment　I　stood　astonished。

〃Fool！〃　I　cried　at　last；　〃let　the　cub　go　before　the　lions　come　to　rend
us！〃

〃I　will　not　let　it　go；　my　father；〃　he　answered　sullenly。　〃Are　there
not　five　of　us　with　spears；　and　can　we　not　fight　two　cats？　I　was　not
afraid　to　go　alone　into　their　den。　Are　you　all　afraid　to　meet　them　in
the　open？〃

〃You　are　mad；〃　I　said；　〃let　the　cub　go！〃　And　I　ran　towards　Umslopogaas
to　take　it　from　him。　But　he　sprang　aside　and　avoided　me。

〃I　will　never　let　that　go　of　which　I　have　got　hold；〃　he　said；　〃at
least　not　living！〃　And　suddenly　he　seized　the　head　of　the　cub　and
twisted　its　neck；　then　threw　it　on　to　the　ground；　and　added；　〃See；　now
I　have　done　your　bidding；　my　father！〃

As　he　spoke　we　heard　a　great　sound　of　roaring　from　the　cave　in　the
cliff。　The　lions　had　returned　and　found　one　cub　dead　and　the　other
gone。

〃Into　the　fence！back　into　the　fence！〃　I　cried；　and　we　sprang　over
the　thorn…bushes　where　those　with　us　were　making　ready　their　spears；
trembling　as　they　handled　them　with　fear　and　the　cold　of　the　morning。
We　looked　up。　There；　down　the　side　of　the　cliff；　came　the　lions；
bounding　on　the　scent　of　him　who　had　robbed　them　of　their　young。　The
lion　ran　first；　and　as　he　came　he　roared；　then　followed　the　lioness；
but　she　did　not　roar；　for　in　her　mouth　was　the　cub　that　Umslopogaas
had　assegaied　in　the　cave。　Now　they　drew　near；　mad　with　fury；　their
manes　bristling；　and　lashing　their　flanks　with　their　long　tails。

〃Curse　you　for　a　fool；　son　of　Mopo；〃　said　one　of　the　men　with　me　to
Umslopogaas；　〃presently　I　will　beat　you　till　the　blood　comes　for　this
trick。〃

〃First　beat　the　lions；　then　beat　me　if　you　can；〃　answered　the　lad；
〃and　wait　to　curse　till　you　have　done　both。〃

Now　the　lions　were　close　to　us；　they　came　to　the　body　of　the　second
cub；　that　lay　outside　the　fence　of　thorns。　The　lion　stopped　and
sniffed　it。　Then　he　roaredah！　he　roared　till　the　earth　shook。　As　for
the　lioness；　she　dropped　the　dead　cub　which　she　was　carrying；　and　took
the　other　into　her　mouth；　for　she　could　not　carry　both。

〃Get　behind　me；　Nada；〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　brandishing　his　spear；　〃the
lion　is　about　to　spring。〃

As　the　words　left　his　mouth　the　great　brute　crouched　to　the　ground。
Then　suddenly　he　sprang　from　it　like　a　bird；　and　like　a　bird　he
travelled　through　the　air　towards　us。

〃Catch　him　on　the　spears！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　and　by　nature；　as　it
were；　we　did　the　boy's　bidding；　for　huddling　ourselves　together；　we
held　out　the　assegais　so　that　the　lion　fell　upon　them　as　he　sprang；
and　their　blades　sank　far　into　him。　But　the　weight　of　his　charge
carried　us　to　the　ground；　and　he　fell　on　to　us；　striking　at　us　and　at
the　spears；　and　roaring　with　pain　and　fury　as　he　struck。　Presently　he
was　on　his　legs　biting　at　the　spears　in　his　breast。　Then　Umslopogaas；
who　alone　did　not　wait　his　onslaught；　but　had　stepped　aside　for　his
own　ends；　uttered　a　loud　cry　and　drove　his　assegai　into　the　lion
behind　the　shoulder；　so　that　with　a　groan　the　brute　rolled　over　dead。

Meanwhile；　the　lioness　stood　without　the　fence；　the　second　dead　cub　in
her　mouth；　for　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　leave　either　of　them。
But　when　she　heard　her　mate's　last　groan　she　dropped　the　cub　and
gathered　herself　together　to　spring。　Umslopogaas　alone　stood　up　to
face　her；　for　he　only　had　withdrawn　his　assegai　from　the　carcass　of
the　lion。　She　swept　on　towards　the　lad；　who　stood　like　a　stone　to　meet
her。　Now　she　met　his　spear；　it　sunk　in；　it　snapped；　and　down　fell
Umslopo