nada the lily(百合娜达)-第19节

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hush！put　your　ear　closelet　me　speak　low　lest　the　reeds　of　the　hut
speak　it　to　the　king。　He　isdo　you　listen？　He　isthe　son　of　Chaka
and　Baleka；　the　sister　of　Mopo；　the　changeling　whom　Unandi；　Mother　of
the　Heavens；　palmed　off　upon　this　house　to　bring　a　curse　on　it；　and
whom　she　would　lead　out　before　the　people　when　the　land　is　weary　of
the　wickedness　of　the　king；　her　son；　to　take　the　place　of　the　king。〃

〃It　is　false；　O　king！〃　cried　the　two　women。　〃Do　not　listen　to　her；　it
is　false。　The　boy　is　her　own　son；　Moosa；　whom　she　does　not　know　in　her
sickness。〃

But　Chaka　stood　up　in　the　hut　and　laughed　terribly。　〃Truly；　Nobela
prophesied　well；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I　did　ill　to　slay　her。　So　this　is　the
trick　thou　hast　played　upon　me；　my　mother。　Thou　wouldst　give　a　son　to
to　me　who　will　have　no　son：　thou　wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　kill　me。
Good！　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　take　thou　the　doom　of　the　Heavens！　Thou
wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　slay　me　and　rule　in　my　place；　now；　in　turn；
I；　thy　son；　will　rob　me　of　a　mother。　Die；　Unandi！die　at　the　hand
thou　didst　bring　forth！〃　And　he　lifted　the　little　assegai　and　smote　it
through　her。

For　a　moment　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　wife　of　Senzangacona；
stood　uttering　no　cry。　Then　she　put　up　her　hand；　and　drew　the　assegai
from　her　side。

〃So　shalt　thou　die　also；　Chaka　the　Evil！〃　she　cried；　and　fell　down
dead　there　in　the　hut。

Thus；　then；　did　Chaka　murder　his　mother　Unandi。

Now　when　Baleka　saw　what　had　been　done；　she　turned　and　fled　from　the
hut　into　the　Emposeni；　and　so　swiftly　that　the　guards　at　the　gates
could　not　stop　her。　But　when　she　reached　her　own　hut　Baleka's　strength
failed　her；　and　she　fell　senseless　on　the　ground。　But　the　boy　Moosa；
my　son；　being　overcome　with　terror；　stayed　where　he　was；　and　Chaka；
believing　him　to　be　his　son；　murdered　him　also；　and　with　his　own　hand。

Then　he　stalked　out　of　the　hut；　and　leaving　the　three　guards　at　the
gate；　commanded　a　company　of　soldiers　to　surround　the　kraal　and　fire
it。　This　they　did；　and　as　the　people　rushed　out　they　killed　them；　and
those　who　did　not　run　out　were　burned　in　the　fire。　Thus；　then；
perished　all　my　wives；　my　children；　my　servants；　and　those　who　were
within　the　gates　in　their　company。　The　tree　was　burned；　and　the　bees
in　it；　and　I　alone　was　left　livingI　and　Macropha　and　Nada；　who　were
far　away。

Nor　was　Chaka　yet　satisfied　with　blood；　for；　as　has　been　told；　he　sent
messengers　bidding　them　kill　Macropha；　my　wife；　and　Nada；　my　daughter；
and　him　who　was　named　by　son。　But　he　commanded　the　messengers　that
they　should　not　slay　me；　but　bring　me　living　before　them。

Now　when　the　soldiers　did　not　kill　me　I　took　counsel　with　myself；　for
it　was　my　belief　that　I　was　saved　alive　only　that　I　might　die　later；
and　in　a　more　cruel　fashion。　Therefore　for　awhile　I　thought　that　it
would　be　well　if　I　did　that　for　myself　which　another　purposed　to　do
for　me。　Why　should　I；　who　was　already　doomed；　wait　to　meet　my　doom？
What　had　I　left　to　keep　me　in　the　place　of　life；　seeing　that　all　whom
I　loved　were　dead　or　gone？　To　die　would　be　easy；　for　I　knew　the　ways
of　death。　In　my　girdle　I　carried　a　secret　medicine；　he　who　eats　of　it；
my　father；　will　see　the　sun's　shadow　move　no　more；　and　will　never　look
upon　the　stars　again。　But　I　was　minded　to　know　the　assegai　or　the
kerrie；　nor　would　I　perish　more　slowly　beneath　the　knives　of　the
tormentors；　nor　be　parched　by　the　pangs　of　thirst；　or　wander　eyeless
to　my　end。　Therefore　it　was　that；　since　I　had　sat　in　the　doom　ring
looking　hour　after　hour　into　the　face　of　death；　I　had　borne　this
medicine　with　me　by　night　and　by　day。　Surely　now　was　the　time　to　use
it。

So　I　thought　as　I　sat　through　the　watches　of　the　night；　ay！　and　drew
out　the　bitter　drug　and　laid　it　on　my　tongue。　But　as　I　did　so　I
remembered　my　daughter　Nada；　who　was　left　to　me；　though　she　sojourned
in　a　far　country；　and　my　wife　Macropha　and　my　sister　Baleka；　who　still
lived；　so　said　the　soldiers；　though　how　it　came　about　that　the　king
had　not　killed　her　I　did　not　know　then。　Also　another　thought　was　born
in　my　heart。　While　life　remained　to　me；　I　might　be　revenged　upon　him
who　had　wrought　me　this　woe；　but　can　the　dead　strike？　Alas！　the　dead
are　strengthless；　and　if　they　still　have　hearts　to　suffer；　they　have
no　hands　to　give　back　blow　for　blow。　Nay；　I　would　live　on。　Time　to　die
when　death　could　no　more　be　put　away。　Time　to　die　when　the　voice　of
Chaka　spoke　my　doom。　Death　chooses　for　himself　and　answers　no
questions；　he　is　a　guest　to　whom　none　need　open　the　door　of　his　hut；
for　when　he　wills　he　can　pass　through　the　thatch　like　air。　Not　yet
would　I　taste　of　that　medicine　of　mine。

So　I　lived　on；　my　father；　and　the　soldiers　led　me　back　to　the　kraal　of
Chaka。　Now　when　we　came　to　the　kraal　it　was　night；　for　the　sun　had
sunk　as　we　passed　through　the　gates。　Still；　as　he　had　been　commanded；
the　captain　of　those　who　watched　me　went　in　before　the　king　and　told
him　that　I　lay　without　in　bonds。　And　the　king　said；　〃Let　him　be
brought　before　me；　who　was　my　physician；　that　I　may　tell　him　how　I
have　doctored　those　of　his　house。〃

So　they　took　me　and　led　me　to　the　royal　house；　and　pushed　me　through
the　doorway　of　the　great　hut。

Now　a　fire　burned　in　the　hut；　for　the　night　was　cold；　and　Chaka　sat　on
the　further　side　of　the　fire；　looking　towards　the　opening　of　the　hut；
and　the　smoke　from　the　fire　wreathed　him　round；　and　its　light　shone
upon　his　face　and　flickered　in　his　terrible　eyes。

At　the　door　of　the　hut　certain　councillors　seized　me　by　the　arms　and
dragged　me　towards　the　fire。　But　I　broke　from　them；　and　prostrating
myself；　for　my　arms　were　free；　I　praised　the　king　and　called　him　by
his　royal　names。　The　councillors　sprang　towards　me　to　seize　me　again；
but　Chaka　said；　〃Let　him　be；　I　would　talk　with　my　servant。〃　Then　the
councillors　bowed　themselves　on　either　side；　and　laid　their　hands　on
their　sticks；　their　foreheads　touching　the　ground。　But　I　sat　down　on
the　floor　of　the　hut　over　against　the　king；　and　we　talked　through　the
fire。

〃Tell　me　of　the　cattle　that　I　sent　thee　to　number；　Mopo；　son　of
Makedama；〃　said　Chaka。　〃Have　my　servants　dealt　honestly　with　my
cattle？〃

〃They　have　dealt　honestly；　O　king；〃　I　answered。

〃Tell　me；　then；　of　the　number　of　the　cattle　and　of　their　markings；
Mopo；　forgetting　none。〃

So　I　sat　and　told　him；　ox　by　ox；　cow　by　cow；　and　heifer　by　heifer；
forgetting　none；　and　Chaka　listened　silently　as　one　who　is　asleep。　But
I　knew　that　he　did　not　sleep；　for　all　the　while　the　firelight
flickered　in　his　fierce　eyes。　Also　I　knew　that　he　did　but　torment　me；
or　that；　perhaps；　he　would　learn　of　the　cattle　before　he　killed　me。　At
length　all　the　tale　was　told。

〃So；〃　said　the　king；　〃it　goes　well。　There　are　yet　honest　men　left　in
the　land。　Knowest　thou；　Mopo；　that　sorrow　has　come　upon　thy　house
while　thou　wast　about　my　business。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　as　one　who　speaks　of　a　small
matter。

〃Yes；　Mopo；　sorrow　has　come　upon　thy　house；　the　curse　of　Heaven　has
fallen　upon　thy　kraal。　They　tell　me；　Mopo；　that　the　fire　from　above
ran　briskly　through　they　huts。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　I　king！〃

〃They　tell　me；　Mopo；　that　those　within　thy　gates　grew　mad　at　the　sight
of　the　fire；　and　dreaming　there　was　no　escape；　that　they　stabbed
themselves　with　assegais　or　leaped　into　the　flames。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　O　king！　What　of　it？　Any　river　is　deep　enough　to
drown　a　fool！〃

〃Thou　hast　heard　these　things；　Mopo；　but　thou　hast　not　yet　heard　all。
Knowest　thou；　Mopo；　that　among　those　who　died　in　thy　kraal　was　she　who
bore　me；　she　who　was　named　Mother　of　the　Heavens？〃

Then；　my　father；　I；　Mopo；　acted　wisely；　because　of　the　thought　which
my　good　spirit　gave　me；　for　I　cast　myself　upon　the　ground；　and　wailed
aloud　as　though　in　utter　grief。

〃Spare　my　ears；　Black　One！〃　I　wailed。　〃Tell　me　not　that　she　who　bore
thee　is　dead；　O　Lion　of　the　Zulu。　For　the　others；　what　is　it？　It　is　a
breath　of　wind；　it　is　a　drop　of　water；　but　this　trouble　is　as　the　gale
or　as　the　sea。〃

〃Cease；　my　servant；　cease！〃　said　the　mocking　voice　of　Chaka；　〃but　know
this；　thou　hast　done　well　to　grieve　aloud；　because　the　Mother　of　the
Heavens　is　no　more；　and　ill　wouldst　thou　have　done　to　grieve　because
the　fire　from　above　has　kissed　thy　gates。　For　hadst　thou　done　this
last　thing　or　left　the　first　undone；　I　should　have　known　that　thy
heart　was　wicked；　and　by　now　thou　wouldst　have　wept　indeedtears　of
blood；　Mopo。　It　is　well　for　thee；　then；　that　thou　hast　read　my　riddle
aright。〃

Now　I　saw　the　depths　of　the　pit　that　Chaka　had　dug　for　me；　and　blessed
my　Ehlose　who　had　put　into　my　heart　those　words　which　I　should　answer。
I　hoped　also　that　Chaka　would　now　let　me　go；　but　it　was　not　to　be；　for
this　was　but　the　beginning　of　my　trial。

〃Knowest　thou；　Mopo；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　as　my　mother　died　yonder　in
the　flames　of　thy　kraal　she　cried　out　strange　and　terrible　words　which
came　to　my　ears　through　the　singing　of　the　fire。　These　were　her　words：
that　thou；　Mopo；　and　thy　sister　Baleka；　and　thy　wives；　had　conspired
together　to　give　a　child　to　me　who　would　be　childless。　These　were　her
words；　the　words　that　came　to　me　through　the　singing　of　the　fire。　Tell
me　now；　Mopo；　where　are　those　childr