nada the lily(百合娜达)-第24节

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rose；　'La！；　la！'　she　said；　'the　Watcher　is　not　for　this　one。　This　is
but　a　child；　I　must　seek　me　a　man；　I　must　seek　me　a　man！'

〃'Not　so　fast；　old　wife；'　I　said。　'Will　you　lend　me　this　club　to　hold
in　my　hand　while　I　go　to　find　the　bones　of　your　son　and　to　snatch　them
from　the　people　of　the　ghosts？'

〃'Lend　you　the　Watcher；　boy？　Nay；　nay！　I　should　see　little　of　you
again　or　of　the　good　club　either。'

〃'I　am　no　thief；'　I　answered。　'If　the　ghosts　kill　me；　you　will　see　me
no　more；　or　the　club　either；　but　if　I　live　I　will　bring　you　back　the
bones；　or；　if　I　do　not　find　them；　I　will　render　the　Watcher　into　your
hands　again。　At　the　least　I　say　that　if　you　will　not　lend　me　the　club；
then　I　will　not　go　into　the　haunted　place。'

〃'Boy；　your　eyes　are　honest；'　she　said；　still　peering　at　me。　'Take　the
Watcher；　go　seek　the　bones。　If　you　die；　let　the　club　be　lost　with　you；
if　you　fail；　bring　it　back　to　me；　but　if　you　win　the　bones；　then　it　is
yours；　and　it　shall　bring　you　glory　and　you　shall　die　a　man's　death　at
last　holding　him　aloft　among　the　dead。'

〃So　on　the　morrow　at　dawn　I　took　the　club　Watcher　in　my　hand　and　a
little　dancing　shield；　and　made　ready　to　start。　The　old　woman　blessed
me　and　bade　me　farewell；　but　the　other　people　of　the　kraal　mocked；
saying：　'A　little　man　for　so　big　a　club！　Beware；　little　man；　lest　the
ghosts　use　the　club　on　you！'　So　they　spoke；　but　one　girl　in　the　kraal
she　is　a　granddaughter　of　the　old　womanled　me　aside；　praying　me
not　to　go；　for　the　forest　on　the　Ghost　Mountain　had　an　evil　name：　none
dared　walk　there；　since　it　was　certainly　full　of　spirits；　who　howled
like　wolves。　I　thanked　the　girl；　but　to　the　others　I　said　nothing；
only　I　asked　of　the　path　to　the　Ghost　Mountain。

〃Now　stranger；　if　you　have　strength；　come　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and
look　out；　for　the　moon　is　bright。〃

So　Umslopogaas　rose　and　crept　through　the　narrow　mouth　of　the　cave。
There；　above　him；　a　great　grey　peak　towered　high　into　the　air；　shaped
like　a　seated　woman；　her　chin　resting　upon　her　breast；　the　place　where
the　cave　was　being；　as　it　were；　on　the　lap　of　the　woman。　Below　this
place　the　rock　sloped　sharply；　and　was　clothed　with　little　bushes。
Lower　down　yet　was　a　forest；　great　and　dense；　that　stretched　to　the
top　of　a　cliff；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff；　beyond　the　waters　of　the
river；　lay　the　wide　plains　of　Zululand。

〃Yonder；　stranger；〃　said　Galazi；　pointing　with　the　club　Watcher　of　the
Fords　far　away　to　the　plain　beneath；　〃yonder　is　the　kraal　where　the
aged　woman　dwelt。　There　is　a　cliff　rising　from　the　plain；　up　which　I
must　climb；　there　is　the　forest　where　dwell　the　Amatongo；　the　people
of　the　ghosts；　there；　on　the　hither　side　of　the　forest；　runs　the　path
to　the　cave；　and　here　is　the　cave　itself。　See　this　stone　lying　at　the
mouth　of　the　cave；　it　turns　thus；　shutting　up　the　entrance　holeit
turns　gently；　though　it　is　so　large；　a　child　may　move　it；　for　it　rests
upon　a　sharp　point　of　rock。　Only　mark　this；　the　stone　must　be　pushed
too　far；　for；　look！　if　it　came　to　here；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　mark　in
the　mouth　of　the　cave；　〃then　that　man　need　be　strong　who　can　draw　it
back　again；　though　I　have　done　it　myself；　who　am　not　a　man　full　grown。
But　if　it　pass　beyond　this　mark；　then；　see；　it　will　roll　down　the　neck
of　the　cave　like　a　pebble　down　the　neck　of　a　gourd；　and　I　think　that
two　men；　one　striving　from　within　and　one　dragging　from　without；
scarcely　could　avail　to　push　it　clear。　Look　now；　I　close　the　stone；　as
is　my　custom　of　a　night；　so；〃and　he　grasped　the　rock　and　swung　it
round　upon　its　pivot；　on　which　it　turned　as　a　door　turns。　〃Thus　I
leave　it；　and　though；　except　those　to　whom　the　secret　is　know；　none
would　guess　that　a　cave　was　here；　yet　it　can　be　rolled　back　again　with
a　push　of　the　hand。　But　enough　of　the　stone。　Enter　again；　wanderer；
and　I　will　go　forward　with　my　tale；　for　it　is　long　and　strange。

〃I　started　from　the　kraal　of　the　old　woman；　and　the　people　of　the
kraal　followed　me　to　the　brink　of　the　river。　It　was　in　flood；　and　few
had　dared　to　cross　it。

〃'Ha！　ha！'　they　cried；　'now　your　journey　is　done；　little　man；　watch　by
the　ford　you　who　would　win　the　Watcher　of　the　Ford！　Beat　the　water
with　the　club；　perhaps　so　it　shall　grow　gentle　that　your　feet　may　pass
it！'

〃I　answered　nothing　to　their　mocking；　only　I　bound　the　shield　upon　my
shoulders　with　a　string；　and　the　bag　that　I　had　brought　I　made　fast
about　my　middle；　and　I　held　the　great　club　in　my　teeth　by　the　thong。
Then　I　plunged　into　the　river　and　swam。　Twice；　stranger；　the　current
bore　me　under；　and　those　on　the　bank　shouted　that　I　was　lost；　but　I
rose　again；　and　in　the　end　I　won　the　farther　shore。

〃Now　those　on　the　bank　mocked　no　more；　they　stood　still　wondering；　and
I　walked　on　till　I　came　to　the　foot　of　the　cliff。　That　cliff　is　hard
to　climb；　stranger；　when　you　are　strong　upon　your　feet；　I　will　show
you　the　path。　Yet　I　found　a　way　up　it；　and　by　midday　I　came　to　the
forest。　Here；　on　the　edge　of　the　forest；　I　rested　awhile；　and　ate　a
little　food　that　I　had　brought　with　me　in　the　bag；　for　now　I　must
gather　up　my　strength　to　meet　the　ghosts；　if　ghosts　there　were。　Then　I
rose　and　plunged　into　the　forest。　The　trees　were　great　that　grow
there；　stranger；　and　their　leaves　are　so　think　that　in　certain　places
the　light　is　as　that　of　night　when　the　moon　is　young。　Still；　I　wended
on；　often　losing　my　path。　But　from　time　to　time　between　the　tops　of
the　trees　I　saw　the　figure　of　the　grey　stone　woman　who　sits　on　the　top
of　Ghost　Mountain；　and　shaped　my　course　towards　her　knees。　My　heart
beat　as　I　travelled　through　the　forest　in　dark　and　loneliness　like
that　of　the　night；　and　ever　I　looked　round　searching　for　the　eyes　of
the　Amatongo。　But　I　saw　no　spirits；　though　at　times　great　spotted
snakes　crept　from　before　my　feet；　and　perhaps　these　were　the　Amatongo。
At　times；　also；　I　caught　glimpses　of　some　grey　wolf　as　he　slunk　from
tree　to　tree　watching　me；　and　always　high　above　my　head　the　wind
sighed　in　the　great　boughs　with　a　sound　like　the　sighing　of　women。

〃Still；　I　went　on；　singing　to　myself　as　I　went；　that　my　heart　might
not　be　faint　with　fear；　and　at　length；　towards　the　end　of　the　second
hour；　the　trees　grew　fewer；　the　ground　sloped　upwards；　and　the　light
poured　down　from　the　heavens　again。　But；　stranger；　you　are　weary；　and
the　night　wears　on；　sleep　now；　and　to…morrow　I　will　end　the　tale。　Say；
first；　how　are　you　named？〃

〃I　am　named　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；〃　he　answered；　〃and　my　tale　shall
be　told　when　yours　is　done；　let　us　sleep！〃

Now　when　Galazi　heard　this　name　he　started　and　was　troubled；　but　said
nothing。　So　they　laid　them　down　to　sleep；　and　Galazi　wrapped
Umslopogaas　with　the　skins　of　bucks。

But　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　so　hardy　that　he　lay　on　the　bare　ground　and
had　no　covering。　So　they　slept；　and　without　the　door　of　the　cave　the
wolves　howled；　scenting　the　blood　of　men。



CHAPTER　XIII

GALAZI　BECOMES　KING　OF　THE　WOLVES

On　the　morrow　Umslopogaas　awoke；　and　knew　that　strength　was　growing　on
him　fast。　Still；　all　that　day　he　rested　in　the　cave；　while　Galazi　went
out　to　hunt。　In　the　evening　he　returned；　bearing　a　buck　upon　his
shoulders；　and　they　skinned　the　buck　and　ate　of　it　as　they　sat　by　the
fire。　And　when　the　sun　was　down　Galazi　took　up　his　tale。

〃Now　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；　hear！　I　had　passed　the　forest；　and　had
come；　as　it　were；　to　the　legs　of　the　old　stone　Witch　who　sits　up　aloft
there　forever　waiting　for　the　world　to　die。　Here　the　sun　shone
merrily；　here　lizards　ran　and　birds　flew　to　and　fro；　and　though　it
grew　towards　the　eveningfor　I　had　wandered　long　in　the　forestI　was
afraid　no　more。　So　I　climbed　up　the　steep　rock；　where　little　bushes
grow　like　hair　on　the　arms　of　a　man；　till　at　last　I　came　to　the　knees
of　the　stone　Witch；　which　are　the　space　before　the　cave。　I　lifted　by
head　over　the　brink　of　the　rock　and　looked；　and　I　tell　you；
Umslopogaas；　my　blood　ran　cold　and　my　heart　turned　to　water；　for
there；　before　the　cave；　rolled　wolves；　many　and　great。　Some　slept　and
growled　in　their　sleep；　some　gnawed　at　the　skulls　of　dead　game；　some
sat　up　like　dogs　and　their　tongues　hung　from　their　grinning　jaws。　I
looked；　I　saw；　and　beyond　I　discovered　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　where
the　bones　of　the　boy　should　be。　But　I　had　no　wish　to　come　there；　being
afraid　of　the　wolves；　for　now　I　knew　that　these　were　the　ghosts　who
live　upon　the　mountain。　So　I　bethought　me　that　I　would　fly；　and　turned
to　go。　And；　Umslopogaas；　even　as　I　turned；　the　great　club　Watcher　of
the　Fords　swung　round　and　smote　me　on　the　back　with　such　a　blow　as　a
man　smites　upon　a　coward。　Now　whether　this　was　by　chance　or　whether
the　Watcher　would　shame　him　who　bore　it；　say　you；　for　I　do　not　know。
At　the　least；　shame　entered　into　me。　Should　I　go　back　to　be　mocked　by
the　people　of　the　kraal　and　by　the　old　woman？　And　if　I　wished　to　go；
should　I　not　be　killed　by　the　ghosts　at　night　in　the　forest？　Nay；　it
was　better　to　die　in　the　jaws　of　the　wolves；　and　at　once。

〃Thus　I　thought　in　my　heart；　then；　tarrying　not；　lest　fear　should　come
upon　me　again；　I　swung　up　the　Watcher；　and　crying　aloud　the　war…cry　of
the　Halakazi；　I　sprang　over　the　brink　of　the　rock　and　rushed　upon　the
wolves。　They；　too；