nada the lily(百合娜达)-第13节

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moocha；　he　made　ropes　of　them；　and　with　the　ropes　he　bound　Nada　on　his
back　and　started　for　the　king's　kraal。　He　could　never　have　reached　it；
for　the　way　was　long；　yet　at　evening　some　messengers　running　through
the　forest　came　upon　a　naked　lad　with　a　girl　bound　to　his　back　and　a
staff　in　his　hand；　who　staggered　along　slowly　with　starting　eyes　and
foam　upon　his　lips。　He　could　not　speak；　he　was　so　weary；　and　the　ropes
had　cut　through　the　skin　of　his　shoulders；　yet　one　of　the　messengers
knew　him　for　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Mopo；　and　they　bore　him　to　the
kraal。　They　would　have　left　the　girl　Nada；　thinking　her　dead；　but　he
pointed　to　her　breast；　and；　feeling　it；　they　found　that　her　heart
still　beat；　so　they　brought　her　also；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　both
recovered　and　loved　each　other　more　than　ever　before。

Now　after　this；　I；　Mopo；　bade　Umslopogaas　stay　at　home　within　the
kraal；　and　not　lead　his　sister　to　the　wilds。　But　the　boy　loved　roaming
like　a　fox；　and　where　he　went　there　Nada　followed。　So　it　came　about
that　one　day　they　slipped　from　the　kraal　when　the　gates　were　open；　and
sought　out　a　certain　deep　glen　which　had　an　evil　name；　for　it　was　said
that　spirits　haunted　it　and　put　those　to　death　who　entered　there。
Whether　this　was　true　I　do　not　know；　but　I　know　that　in　the　glen　dwelt
a　certain　woman　of　the　woods；　who　had　her　habitation　in　a　cave　and
lived　upon　what　she　could　kill　or　steal　or　dig　up　with　her　hands。　Now
this　woman　was　mad。　For　it　had　chanced　that　her　husband　had　been
〃smelt　out〃　by　the　witch…doctors　as　a　worker　of　magic　against　the
king；　and　slain。　Then　Chaka；　according　to　custom；　despatched　the
slayers　to　eat　up　his　kraal；　and　they　came　to　the　kraal　and　killed　his
people。　Last　of　all　they　killed　his　children；　three　young　girls；　and
would　have　assegaied　their　mother；　when　suddenly　a　spirit　entered　into
her　at　the　sight；　and　she　went　mad；　so　that　they　let　her　go；　being
afraid　to　touch　her　afterwards。　So　she　fled　and　took　up　her　abode　in
the　haunted　glen；　and　this　was　the　nature　of　her　madness；　that
whenever　she　saw　children；　and　more　especially　girl　children；　a
longing　came　upon　her　to　kill　them　as　her　own　had　been　killed。　This；
indeed；　she　did　often；　for　when　the　moon　was　full　and　her　madness　at
its　highest；　she　would　travel　far　to　find　children；　snatching　them
away　from　the　kraals　like　a　hyena。　Still；　none　would　touch　her　because
of　the　spirit　in　her；　not　even　those　whose　children　she　had　murdered。

So　Umslopogaas　and　Nada　came　to　the　glen　where　the　child…slayer　lived；
and　sat　down　by　a　pool　of　water　not　far　from　the　mouth　of　her　cave；
weaving　flowers　into　a　garland。　Presently　Umslopogaas　left　Nada；　to
search　for　rock　lilies　which　she　loved。　As　he　went　he　called　back　to
her；　and　his　voice　awoke　the　woman　who　was　sleeping　in　her　cave；　for
she　came　out　by　night　only；　like　a　jackal。　Then　the　woman　stepped
forth；　smelling　blood　and　having　a　spear　in　her　hand。　Presently　she
saw　Nada　seated　upon　the　grass　weaving　flowers；　and　crept　towards　her
to　kill　her。　Now　as　she　cameso　the　child　told　mesuddenly　a　cold
wind　seemed　to　breathe　upon　Nada；　and　fear　took　hold　of　her；　though
she　did　not　see　the　woman　who　would　murder　her。　She　let　fall　the
flowers；　and　looked　before　her　into　the　pool；　and　there；　mirrored　in
the　pool；　she　saw　the　greedy　face　of　the　child…slayer；　who　crept　down
upon　her　from　above；　her　hair　hanging　about　her　brow　and　her　eyes
shining　like　the　eyes　of　a　lion。

Then　with　a　cry　Nada　sprang　up　and　fled　along　the　path　which
Umslopogaas　had　taken；　and　after　her　leapt　and　ran　the　mad　woman。
Umslopogaas　heard　her　cry。　He　turned　and　rushed　back　over　the　brow　of
the　hill；　and；　lo！　there　before　him　was　the　murderess。　Already　she　had
grasped　Nada　by　the　hair；　already　her　spear　was　lifted　to　pierce　her。
Umslopogaas　had　no　spear；　he　had　nothing　but　a　little　stick　without　a
knob；　yet　with　it　he　rushed　at　the　mad　woman　and　struck　her　so　smartly
on　the　arm　that　she　let　go　of　the　girl　and　turned　on　him　with　a　yell。
Then；　lifting　her　spear；　she　struck　at　him；　but　he　leapt　aside。　Again
she　struck；　but　he　sprang　into　the　air；　and　the　spear　passed　beneath
him。　A　third　time　the　woman　struck；　and；　though　he　fell　to　earth　to
avoid　the　blow；　yet　the　assegai　pierced　his　shoulder。　But　the　weight
of　his　body　as　he　fell　twisted　it　from　her　hand；　and　before　she　could
grasp　him　he　was　up；　and　beyond　her　reach；　the　spear　still　fast　in　his
shoulder。

Then　the　woman　turned；　screaming　with　rage　and　madness；　and　ran　at
Nada　to　kill　her　with　her　hands。　But　Umslopogaas　set　his　teeth；　and；
drawing　the　spear　from　his　wound；　charged　her；　shouting。　She　lifted　a
great　stone　and　hurled　it　at　himso　hard　that　it　flew　into　fragments
against　another　stone　which　it　struck；　yet　he　charged　on；　and　smote　at
her　so　truly　that　he　drove　the　spear　through　her；　and　she　fell　down
dead。　After　that　Nada　bound　up　his　wound；　which　was　deep；　and　with
much　pain　he　reached　the　king's　kraal　and　told　me　this　story。

Now　there　were　some　who　cried　that　the　boy　must　be　put　to　death；
because　he　had　killed　one　possessed　with　a　spirit。　But　I　said　no；　he
should　not　be　touched。　He　had　killed　the　woman　in　defence　of　his　own
life　and　the　life　of　his　sister；　and　every　one　had　a　right　to　slay　in
self…defence；　except　as　against　the　king　or　those　who　did　the　king's
bidding。　Moreover；　I　said；　if　the　woman　had　a　spirit；　it　was　an　evil
one；　for　no　good　spirit　would　ask　the　lives　of　children；　but　rather
those　of　cattle；　for　it　is　against　our　custom　to　sacrifice　human
beings　to　the　Amatonga　even　in　war；　though　the　Basuta　dogs　do　so。
Still；　the　tumult　grew；　for　the　witch…doctors　were　set　upon　the　boy's
death；　saying　that　evil　would　come　of　it　if　he　was　allowed　to　live；
having　killed　one　inspired；　and　at　last　the　matter　came　to　the　ears　of
the　king。　Then　Chaka　summoned　me　and　the　boy　before　him；　and　he　also
summoned　the　witch…doctors。

First；　the　witch…doctors　set　out　their　case；　demanding　the　death　of
Umslopogaas。　Chaka　asked　them　what　would　happen　if　the　boy　was　not
killed。　They　answered　that　the　spirit　of　the　dead　woman　would　lead　him
to　bring　evil　on　the　royal　house。　Chaka　asked　if　he　would　bring　evil
on　him；　the　king。　They　in　turn　asked　the　spirits；　and　answered　no；　not
on　him；　but　on　one　of　the　royal　house　who　should　be　after　him。　Chaka
said　that　he　cared　nothing　what　happened　to　those　who　came　after　him；
or　whether　good　or　evil　befell　them。　Then　he　spoke　to　Umslopogaas；　who
looked　him　boldly　in　the　face；　as　an　equal　looks　at　an　equal。

〃Boy；〃　he　said；　〃what　hast　thou　to　say　as　to　why　thou　shouldst　not　be
killed　as　these　men　demand？〃

〃This；　Black　One；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃that　I　stabbed　the　woman　in
defence　of　my　own　life。〃

〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I；　the　king；　wished　to　kill　thee；
mightest　thou　therefore　kill　me　or　those　whom　I　sent？　The　Itongo　in
the　woman　was　a　Spirit　King　and　ordered　her　to　kill　thee；　thou
shouldst　then　have　let　thyself　be　killed。　Hast　thou　no　other　reason？〃

〃This；　Elephant；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃the　woman　would　have　murdered
my　sister；　whom　I　love　better　than　my　life。〃

〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I　ordered　thee　to　be　killed　for　any
cause；　should　I　not　also　order　all　within　thy　gates　to　be　killed　with
thee？　May　not；　then；　a　Spirit　King　do　likewise？　If　thou　hast　nothing
more　to　say　thou　must　die。〃

Now　I　grew　afraid；　for　I　feared　lest　Chaka　should　slay　him　who　was
called　my　son　because　of　the　word　of　the　doctors。　But　the　boy
Umslopogaas　looked　up　and　answered　boldly；　not　as　one　who　pleads　for
his　life；　but　as　one　who　demands　a　right：

〃I　have　this　to　say；　Eater…up　of　Enemies；　and　if　it　is　not　enough；　let
us　stop　talking；　and　let　me　be　killed。　Thou；　O　king；　didst　command
that　this　woman　should　be　slain。　Those　whom　thou　didst　send　to　destroy
her　spared　her；　because　they　thought　her　mad。　I　have　carried　out　the
commandment　of　the　king；　I　have　slain　her；　mad　or　sane；　whom　the　king
commanded　should　be　killed；　and　I　have　earned　not　death；　but　a
reward。〃

〃Well　said；　Umslopogaas！〃　answered　Chaka。　〃Let　ten　head　of　cattle　be
given　to　this　boy　with　the　heart　of　a　man；　his　father　shall　guard　them
for　him。　Art　thou　satisfied　now；　Umslopogaas？〃

〃I　take　that　which　is　due　to　me；　and　I　thank　the　king　because　he　need
not　pay　unless　he　will；〃　Umslopogaas　answered。

Chaka　stared　awhile；　began　to　grow　angry；　then　burst　out　laughing。

〃Why；　this　calf　is　such　another　one　as　was　dropped　long　ago　in　the
kraal　of　Senzangacona！〃　he　said。　〃As　I　was；　so　is　this　boy。　Go　on；
lad；　in　that　path；　and　thou　mayst　find　those　who　shall　cry　the　royal
salute　of　Bayete　to　thee　at　the　end　of　it。　Only　keep　out　of　my　way；
for　two　of　a　kind　might　not　agree。　Now　begone！〃

So　we　went　out；　but　as　we　passed　them　I　saw　the　doctors　muttering
together；　for　they　were　ill…pleased　and　foreboded　evil。　Also　they　were
jealous　of　me；　and　wished　to　smite　me　through　the　heart　of　him　who　was
called　my　son。



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　GREAT　INGOMBOCO

After　this　there　was　quiet　until　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits　was
ended。　But　few　people　were　killed　at　these　feast；　though　there　was　a
great　Ingomboco；　or　witch…hunt；　and　many　were　smelt　out　by　the　witch…
doctors　a