nada the lily(百合娜达)-第17节

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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
Umslopogaas　dead　or　senseless　beneath　the　mass　of　the　lioness。　She
sprang　up；　the　broken　spear　standing　in　her　breast；　sniffed　at
Umslopogaas；　then；　as　though　she　knew　that　it　was　he　who　had　robbed
her；　she　seized　him　by　the　loins　and　moocha；　and　sprang　with　him　over
the　fence。

〃Oh；　save　him！〃　cried　the　girl　Nada　in　bitter　woe。　And　we　rushed　after
the　lioness　shouting。

For　a　moment　she　stood　over　her　dead　cubs；　Umslopogaas　hanging　from
her　mouth；　and　looked　at　them　as　though　she　wondered；　and　we　hoped
that　she　might　let　him　fall。　Then；　hearing　our　cries；　she　turned　and
bounded　away　towards　the　bush；　bearing　Umslopogaas　in　her　mouth。　We
seized　our　spears　and　followed；　but　the　ground　grew　stony；　and；　search
as　we　would；　we　could　find　no　trace　of　Umslopogaas　or　of　the　lioness。
They　had　vanished　like　a　cloud。　So　we　came　back；　and；　ah！　my　heart　was
sore；　for　I　loved　the　lad　as　though　he　had　indeed　been　my　son。　But　I
knew　that　he　was　dead；　and　there　was　an　end。

〃Where　is　my　brother？〃　cried　Nada　when　we　came　back。

〃Lost；〃　I　answered。　〃Lost；　never　to　be　found　again。〃

Then　the　girl　gave　a　great　and　bitter　cry；　and　fell　to　the　earth
saying；　〃I　would　that　I　were　dead　with　my　brother！〃

〃Let　us　be　going；〃　said　Macropha；　my　wife。

〃Have　you　no　tears　to　weep　for　your　son？〃　asked　a　man　of　our　company。

〃What　is　the　use　of　weeping　over　the　dead？　Does　it；　then；　bring　them
back？〃　she　answered。　〃Let　us　be　going！〃

The　man　thought　these　words　strange；　but　he　did　not　know　that
Umslopogaas　was　not　born　of　Macropha。

Still；　we　waited　in　that　place　a　day；　thinking　that；　perhaps；　the
lioness　would　return　to　her　den　and　that；　at　least；　we　might　kill　her。
But　she　came　back　no　more。　So　on　the　next　morning　we　rolled　up　our
blankets　and　started　forward　on　our　journey；　sad　at　heart。　In　truth；
Nada　was　so　weak　from　grief　that　she　could　hardly　travel；　but　I　never
heard　the　name　of　Umslopogaas　pass　her　lips　again　during　that　journey。
She　buried　him　in　her　heart　and　said　nothing。　And　I　too　said　nothing；
but　I　wondered　why　it　had　been　brought　about　that　I　should　save　the
life　of　Umslopogaas　from　the　jaws　of　the　Lion　of　Zulu；　that　the
lioness　of　the　rocks　might　devour　him。

And　so　the　time　went　on　till　we　reached　the　kraal　where　the　king's
business　must　be　done；　and　where　I　and　my　wife　should　part。

On　the　morning　after　we　came　to　the　kraal；　having　kissed　in　secret；
though　in　public　we　looked　sullenly　on　one　another；　we　parted　as　those
part　who　meet　no　more；　for　it　was　in　our　thoughts；　that　we　should
never　see　each　other's　face　again；　nor；　indeed；　did　we　do　so。　And　I
drew　Nada　aside　and　spoke　to　her　thus：　〃We　part；　my　daughter；　nor　do　I
know　when　we　shall　meet　again；　for　the　times　are　troubled　and　it　is
for　your　safety　and　that　of　your　mother　that　I　rob　my　eyes　of　the
sight　of　you。　Nada；　you　will　soon　be　a　woman；　and　you　will　be　fairer
than　any　woman　among　our　people；　and　it　may　come　about　that　many　great
men　will　seek　you　in　marriage；　and；　perhaps；　that　I；　your　father；
shall　not　be　there　to　c