nada the lily(百合娜达)-第20节

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words；　the　words　that　came　to　me　through　the　singing　of　the　fire。　Tell
me　now；　Mopo；　where　are　those　children　that　thou　leddest　from　thy
kraal；　the　boy　with　the　lion　eyes　who　is　named　Umslopogaas；　and　the
girl　who　is　named　Nada？〃

〃Umslopogaas　is　dead　by　the　lion's　mouth；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　〃and
Nada　sits　in　the　Swazi　caves。〃　And　I　told　him　of　the　death　of
Umslopogaas　and　of　how　I　had　divorced　Macropha；　my　wife。

〃The　boy　with　the　lion　eyes　to　the　lion's　mouth！〃　said　Chaka。　〃Enough
of　him；　he　is　gone。　Nada　may　yet　be　sought　for　with　the　assegai　in　the
Swazi　caves；　enough　of　her。　Let　us　speak　of　this　song　that　my　mother
who；　alas！　is　dead；　Mopothis　song　she　sang　through　the　singing　of
the　flames。　Tell　me；　Mopo；　tell　me　now；　was　it　a　true　tale。〃

〃Nay；　O　king！　surely　the　Mother　of　the　Heavens　was　maddened　by　the
Heavens　when　she　sang　that　song；〃　I　answered。　〃I　know　nothing　of　it；　O
king。〃

〃Thou　knowest　naught　of　it；　Mopo？〃　said　the　king。　And　again　he　looked
at　me　terribly　through　the　reek　of　the　fire。　〃Thou　knowest　naught　of
it；　Mopo？　Surely　thou　art　a…cold；　thy　hands　shake　with　cold。　Nay；　man；
fear　notwarm　them；　warm　them；　Mopo。　See；　now；　plunge　that　hand　of
thine　into　the　heart　of　the　flame！〃　And　he　pointed　with　his　little
assegai；　the　assegai　handled　with　the　royal　wood；　to　where　the　fire
glowed　reddestay；　he　pointed　and　laughed。

Then；　my　father；　I　grew　cold　indeedyes；　I　grew　cold　who　soon　should
be　hot；　for　I　saw　the　purpose　of　Chaka。　He　would　put　me　to　the　trial
by　fire。

For　a　moment　I　sat　silent；　thinking。　Then　the　king　spoke　again　in　a
great　voice：　〃Nay；　Mopo；　be　not　so　backward；　shall　I　sit　warm　and　see
thee　suffer　cold？　What；　my　councillors；　rise；　take　the　hand　of　Mopo；
and　hold　it　to　the　flame；　that　his　heart　may　rejoice　in　the　warmth　of
the　flame　while　we　speak　together　of　this　matter　of　the　child　that
was；　so　my　mother　sang；　born　to　Baleka；　my　wife；　the　sister　of　Mopo；
my　servant。〃

〃There　is　little　need　for　that；　O　king；〃　I　answered；　being　made　bold
by　fear；　for　I　saw　that　if　I　did　nothing　death　would　swiftly　end　my
doubts。　Once；　indeed；　I　bethought　me　of　the　poison　that　I　bore；　and
was　minded　to　swallow　it　and　make　an　end；　but　the　desire　to　live　is
great；　and　keen　is　the　thirst　for　vengeance；　so　I　said　to　my　heart；
〃Not　yet　awhile；　I　will　endure　this　also；　afterwards；　if　need　be；　I
can　die。〃

〃I　thank　the　king　for　his　graciousness；　and　I　will　warm　me　at　the
fire。　Speak　on；　O　king；　while　I　warm　myself；　and　thou　shalt　hear　true
words；〃　I　said　boldly。

Then；　my　father；　I　stretched　out　my　left　hand　and　plunged　it　into　the
firenot　into　the　hottest　of　the　fire；　but　where　the　smoke　leapt　from
the　flame。　Now　my　flesh　was　wet　with　the　sweat　of　fear；　and　for　a
little　moment　the　flames　curled　round　it　and　did　not　burn　me。　But　I
knew　that　the　torment　was　to　come。

For　a　short　while　Chaka　watched　me；　smiling。　Then　he　spoke　slowly；
that　the　fire　might　find　time　to　do　its　work。

〃Say；　then；　Mopo；　thou　knowest　nothing　of　this　matter　of　the　birth　of
a　son　to　thy　sister　Baleka？〃

〃I　know　this　only；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　〃that　a　son　was　born　in　past
years　to　thy　wife　Baleka；　that　I　killed　the　child　in　obedience　to　thy
word；　and　laid　its　body　before　thee。〃

Now；　my　father；　the　steam　from　my　flesh　had　been　drawn　from　my　hand　by
the　heat；　and　the　flame　got　hold　of　me　and　ate　into　my　flesh；　and　its
torment　was　great。　But　of　this　I　showed　no　sign　upon　my　face；　for　I
knew　well　that　if　I　showed　sign　or　uttered　cry；　then；　having　failed　in
the　trial；　death　would　be　my　portion。

Then　the　king　spoke　again；　〃Dost　thou　swear　by　my　head；　Mopo；　that　no
son　of　mine　was　suckled　in　thy　kraals？〃

〃I　swear　it；　O　king！　I　swear　it　by　thy　head；〃　I　answered。

And　now；　my　father；　the　agony　of　the　fire　was　such　as　may　not　be　told。
I　felt　my　eyes　start　forward　in　their　sockets；　my　blood　seemed　to　boil
within　me；　it　rushed　into　my　head；　and　down　my　face　their　ran　two
tears　of　blood。　But　yet　I　held　my　hand　in　the　fire　and　made　no　sign；
while　the　king　and　his　councillors　watched　me　curiously。　Still；　for　a
moment　Chaka　said　nothing；　and　that　moment　seemed　to　me　as　all　the
years　of　my　life。

〃Ah！〃　he　said　at　length；　〃I　see　that　thou　growest　warm；　Mopo！　Withdraw
thy　hand　from　the　flame。　I　am　answered；　thou　hast　passed　the　trial；
thy　heart　is　clean；　for　had　there　been　lies　in　it　the　fire　had　given
them　tongue；　and　thou　hadst　cried　aloud；　making　thy　last　music；　Mopo！〃

Now　I　took　my　hand　from　the　flame；　and　for　awhile　the　torment　left　me。

〃It　is　well；　O　king；〃　I　said　calmly。　〃Fire　has　no　power　of　hurt　on
those　whose　heart　is　pure。〃

But　as　I　spoke　I　looked　at　my　left　hand。　It　was　black；　my　father
black　as　a　charred　stick；　and　the　nails　were　gone　from　the　twisted
fingers。　Look　at　it　now；　my　father；　you　can　see；　though　my　eyes　are
blind。　The　hand　is　white；　like　yoursit　is　white　and　dead　and
shrivelled。　These　are　the　marks　of　the　fire　in　Chaka's　hutthe　fire
that　kissed　me　many；　many　years　ago；　I　have　had　but　little　use　of　that
hand　since　this　night　of　torment。　But　my　right　arm　yet　remained　to　me；
my　father；　and；　ah！　I　used　it。

〃It　seems　that　Nobela；　the　doctress；　who　is　dead；　lied　when　she
prophesied　evil　on　me　from　thee；　Mopo；〃　said　Chaka　again。　〃It　seems
that　thou　art　innocent　of　this　offence；　and　that　Baleka；　thy　sister；
is　innocent；　and　that　the　song　which　the　Mother　of　the　Heavens　sang
through　the　singing　flames　was　no　true　song。　It　is　well　for　thee；
Mopo；　for　in　such　a　matter　my　oath　had　not　helped　thee。　But　my　mother
is　deaddead　in　the　flames　with　thy　wives　and　children；　Mopo；　and　in
this　there　is　witchcraft。　We　will　have　a　mourning；　Mopo；　thou　and　I；
such　a　mourning　as　has　not　been　seen　in　Zululand；　for　all　the　people
on　the　earth　shall　weep　at　it。　And　there　shall　be　a　'smelling　out'　at
this　mourning；　Mopo。　But　we　will　summon　no　witch…doctors；　thou　and　I
will　be　witch…doctors；　and　ourselves　shall　smell　out　those　who　have
brought　these　woes　upon　us。　What！　shall　my　mother　die　unavenged；　she
who　bore　me　and　has　perished　by　witchcraft；　and　shall　thy　wives　and
children　die　unavengedthou　being　innocent？　Go　forth；　Mopo；　my
faithful　servant；　whom　I　have　honoured　with　the　warmth　of　my　fire；　go
forth！〃　And　once　again　he　stared　at　me　through　the　reek　of　the　flame；
and　pointed　with　his　assegai　to　the　door　of　the　hut。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　COUNSEL　OF　BALEKA

I　rose；　I　praised　the　king　with　a　loud　voice；　and　I　went　from　the
Intunkulu；　the　house　of　the　king。　I　walked　slowly　through　the　gates；
but　when　I　was　without　the　gates　the　anguish　that　took　me　because　of
my　burnt　hand　was　more　than　I　could　bear。　I　ran　to　and　fro　groaning
till　I　came　to　the　hut　of　one　whom　I　knew。　There　I　found　fat；　and
having　plunged　my　hand　in　the　fat；　I　wrapped　it　round　with　a　skin　and
passed　out　again；　for　I　could　not　stay　still。　I　went　to　and　fro；　till
at　length　I　reached　the　spot　where　my　huts　had　been。　The　outer　fence
of　the　huts　still　stood；　the　fire　had　not　caught　it。　I　passed　through
the　fence；　there　within　were　the　ashes　of　the　burnt　hutsthey　lay
ankle…deep。　I　walked　in　among　the　ashes；　my　feet　struck　upon　things
that　were　sharp。　The　moon　was　bright；　and　I　looked；　they　were　the
blackened　bones　of　my　wives　and　children。　I　flung　myself　down　in　the
ashes　in　bitterness　of　heart；　I　covered　myself　over　with　the　ashes　of
my　kraal　and　with　the　bones　of　my　wives　and　children。　Yes；　my　father；
there　I　lay；　and　on　me　were　the　ashes；　and　among　the　ashes　were　the
bones。　Thus；　then；　did　I　lie　for　the　last　time　in　my　kraal；　and　was
sheltered　from　the　frost　of　the　night　by　the　dust　of　those　to　whom　I
had　given　life。　Such　were　the　things　that　befell　us　in　the　days　of
Chaka；　my　father；　yes；　not　to　me　alone；　but　to　many　another　also。

I　lay　among　the　ashes　and　groaned　with　the　pain　of　my　burn；　and
groaned　also　from　the　desolation　of　my　heart。　Why　had　I　not　tasted　the
poison；　there　in　the　hut　of　Chaka；　and　before　the　eyes　of　Chaka？　Why
did　I　not　taste　it　now　and　make　an　end？　Nay；　I　had　endured　the　agony；
I　would　not　give　him　this　last　triumph　over　me。　Now；　having　passed　the
fire；　once　more　I　should　be　great　in　the　land；　and　I　would　become
great。　Yes；　I　would　bear　my　sorrows；　and　become　great；　that　in　a　day
to　be　I　might　wreak　vengeance　on　the　king。　Ah！　my　father；　there；　as　I
rolled　among　the　ashes；　I　prayed　to　the　Amatongo；　to　the　ghosts　of　my
ancestors。　I　prayed　to　my　Ehlose；　to　the　spirit　that　watches　meay；
and　I　even　dared　to　pray　to　the　Umkulunkulu；　the　great　soul　of　the
world；　who　moves　through　the　heavens　and　the　earth　unseen　and　unheard。
And　thus　I　prayed；　that　I　might　yet　live　to　kill　Chaka　as　he　had
killed　those　who　were　dear　to　me。　And　while　I　prayed　I　slept；　or；　if　I
did　not　sleep；　the　light　of　thought　went　out　of　me；　and　I　became　as
one　dead。　Then　there　came　a　vision　to　me；　a　vision　that　was　sent　in
answer　to　my　prayer；　or；　perchance；　it　was　a　madness　born　of　my
sorrows。　For；　my　father；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　stood　upon　the　bank　of
a　great　and　wide　river。　It　was　gloomy　there；　the　light　lay　low　upon
the　face　of　the　river；　but　far　away　on　the　farther　side　was　a　glow
like　the　glow　of　a　stormy　dawn；　and　in　the　glow　I　saw　a　mighty　bed　of
reeds　that