nada the lily(百合娜达)-第16节

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did　the　deed！　I　smote　blood　upon　the　gateways　of　my　kraal；　with　my　own
hand　I　smote　it；　that　I　might　learn　who　were　the　true　doctors　and　who
were　the　false！　Now　it　seems　that　in　the　land　of　the　Zulu　there　is　one
true　doctorthis　young　manand　of　the　false；　look　at　them　and　count
them；　they　are　like　the　leaves。　See！　there　they　stand；　and　by　them
stand　those　whom　they　have　doomedthe　innocent　whom；　with　their　wives
and　children；　they　have　doomed　to　the　death　of　the　dog。　Now　I　ask　you；
my　people；　what　reward　shall　be　given　to　them？〃

Then　a　great　roar　went　up　from　all　the　multitude；　〃Let　them　die；　O
king！〃

〃Ay！〃　he　answered。　〃Let　them　die　as　liars　should！〃

Now　the　Isanusis；　men　and　women；　screamed　aloud　in　fear；　and　cried　for
mercy；　tearing　themselves　with　their　nails；　for　least　of　all　things
did　they　desire　to　taste　of　their　own　medicine　of　death。　But　the　king
only　laughed　the　more。

〃Hearken　ye！〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　crowd　of　us　who　had　been　smelt
out。　〃Ye　were　doomed　to　death　by　these　false　prophets。　Now　glut
yourselves　upon　them。　Slay　them；　my　children！　slay　them　all！　wipe　them
away！　stamp　them　out！all！　all；　save　this　young　man！〃

Then　we　bounded　from　the　ground；　for　our　hearts　were　fierce　with　hate
and　with　longing　to　avenge　the　terrors　we　had　borne。　The　doomed　slew
the　doomers；　while　from　the　circle　of　the　Ingomboco　a　great　roar　of
laughter　went　up；　for　men　rejoiced　because　the　burden　of　the　witch…
doctors　had　fallen　from　them。

At　last　it　was　done；　and　we　drew　back　from　the　heap　of　the　dead。
Nothing　was　heard　there　nowno　more　cries　or　prayers　or　curses。　The
witch…fingers　travelled　the　path　on　which　they　had　set　the　feet　of
many。　The　king　drew　near　to　look。　He　came　alone；　and　all　who　had　done
his　bidding　bent　their　heads　and　crept　past　him；　praising　him　as　they
went。　Only　I　stood　still；　covered；　as　I　was　with　mire　and　filth；　for　I
did　not　fear　to　stand　in　the　presence　of　the　king。　Chaka　drew　near；
and　looked　at　the　piled…up　heaps　of　the　slain　and　the　cloud　of　dust
that　yet　hung　over　them。

〃There　they　lie；　Mopo；〃　he　said。　〃There　lie　those　who　dared　to
prophecy　falsely　to　the　king！　That　was　a　good　word　of　thine；　Mopo；
which　taught　me　to　set　the　snare　for　them；　yet　methought　I　saw　thee
start　when　Nobela；　queen　of　the　witch…doctresses；　switched　death　on
thee。　Well；　they　are　dead；　and　the　land　breathes　more　freely；　and　for
the　evil　which　they　have　done；　it　is　as　yonder　dust；　that　shall　soon
sink　again　to　earth　and　there　be　lost。〃

Thus　he　spoke；　then　ceasedfor　lo！　something　moved　beneath　the　cloud
of　dust；　something　broke　a　way　through　the　heap　of　the　dead。　Slowly　it
forced　its　path；　pushing　the　slain　this　way　and　that；　till　at　length
it　stood　upon　its　feet　and　tottered　towards　usa　thing　dreadful　to
look　on。　The　shape　was　the　shape　of　an　aged　woman；　and　even　through
the　blood　and　mire　I　knew　her。　It　was　Nobela；　she　who　had　doomed　me；
she　whom　but　now　I　had　smitten　to　earth；　but　who　had　come　back　from
the　dead　to　curse　me！

On　she　tottered；　her　apparel　hanging　round　her　in　red　rags；　a　hundred
wounds　upon　her　face　and　form。　I　saw　that　she　was　dying；　but　life
still　flickered　in　her；　and　the　fire　of　hate　burned　in　her　snaky　eyes。

〃Hail；　king！〃　she　screamed。

〃Peace；　liar！〃　he　answered；　〃thou　art　dead！〃

〃Not　yet；　king。　I　heard　thy　voice　and　the　voice　of　yonder　dog；　whom　I
would　have　given　to　the　jackals；　and　I　will　not　die　till　I　have
spoken。　I　smelt　him　out　this　morning　when　I　was　alive；　now　that　I　am
as　one　already　dead；　I　smell　him　out　again。　He　shall　bewitch　thee　with
blood　indeed；　Chakahe　and　Unandi；　thy　mother；　and　Baleka；　thy　wife。
Think　of　my　words　when　the　assegai　reddens　before　thee　for　the　last
time；　king！　Farewell！〃　And　she　uttered　a　great　cry　and　rolled　upon　the
ground　dead。

〃The　witch　lies　hard　and　dies　hard；〃　said　the　king　carelessly；　and
turned　upon　his　heel。　But　those　words　of　dead　Nobela　remained　fixed　in
his　memory；　or　so　much　of　them　as　had　been　spoken　of　Unandi　and
Baleka。　There　they　remained　like　seeds　in　the　earth；　there　they　grew
to　bring　forth　fruit　in　their　season。

And　thus　ended　the　great　Ingomboco　of　Chaka；　the　greatest　Ingomboco
that　ever　was　held　in　Zululand。



CHAPTER　IX

THE　LOSS　OF　UMSLOPOGAAS

Now；　after　the　smelling　out　of　the　witch…doctors；　Chaka　caused　a　watch
to　be　kept　upon　his　mother　Unandi；　and　his　wife　Baleka；　my　sister；　and
report　was　brought　to　him　by　those　who　watched；　that　the　two　women
came　to　my　huts　by　stealth；　and　there　kissed　and　nursed　a　boyone　of
my　children。　Then　Chaka　remembered　the　prophecy　of　Nobela；　the　dead
Isanusi；　and　his　heart　grew　dark　with　doubt。　But　to　me　he　said　nothing
of　the　matter；　for　then；　as　always；　his　eyes　looked　over　my　head。　He
did　not　fear　me　or　believe　that　I　plotted　against　him；　I　who　was　his
dog。　Still；　he　did　this；　though　whether　by　chance　or　design　I　do　not
know：　he　bade　me　go　on　a　journey　to　a　distant　tribe　that　lived　near
the　borders　of　the　Amaswazi；　there　to　take　count　of　certain　of　the
king's　cattle　which　were　in　the　charge　of　that　tribe；　and　to　bring　him
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　st