nada the lily(百合娜达)-第26节

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scream　of　pain；　and　something　galloped　away　into　the　shadows。

〃Now　the　skin　was　off。　I　cast　it　behind　me；　and　seizing　the　carcase
dragged　it　to　the　edge　of　the　rock　and　left　it。　Presently　the　sound　of
howlings　drew　near　again；　and　I　saw　the　grey　shapes　creep　up　one　by
one。　Now　they　gathered　round　the　carcase；　now　they　fell　upon　it　and
rent　it；　fighting　horribly　till　all　was　finished。　Then；　licking　their
red　chops；　they　slunk　back　to　the　forest。

〃Did　I　sleep　or　did　I　wake？　Nay；　I　cannot　tell。　But　I　know　this；　that
of　a　sudden　I　seemed　to　look　up　and　see。　I　saw　a　lightperchance；
Umslopogaas；　it　was　the　light　of　the　moon；　shining　upon　him　that　sat
aloft　at　the　end　of　the　cave。　It　was　a　red　light；　and　he　glowed　in　it
as　glows　a　thing　that　is　rotten。　I　looked；　or　seemed　to　look；　and　then
I　thought　that　the　hanging　jaw　moved；　and　from　it　came　a　voice　that
was　harsh　and　hollow　as　of　one　who　speaks　from　an　empty　belly；　through
a　withered　throat。

〃'Hail；　Galazi；　child　of　Siguyana！'　said　the　voice；　'Galazi　the　Wolf！
Say；　what　dost　thou　here　in　the　Ghost　Mountain；　where　the　stone　Witch
sits　forever；　waiting　for　the　world　to　die？'

〃Then；　Umslopogaas；　I　answered；　or　seemed　to　answer；　and　my　voice；
too；　sounded　strange　and　hollow：

〃'Hail；　Dead　One；　who　sittest　like　a　vulture　on　a　rock！　I　do　this　on
the　Ghost　Mountain。　I　come　to　seek　thy　bones　and　bear　them　to　thy
mother　for　burial。'

〃'Many　and　many　a　year　have　I　sat　aloft；　Galazi；'　answered　the　voice；
'watching　the　ghost…wolves　leap　and　leap　to　drag　me　down；　till　the
rock　grew　smooth　beneath　the　wearing　of　their　feet。　So　I　sat　seven
days　and　nights；　being　yet　alive；　the　hungry　wolves　below；　and　hunger
gnawing　at　my　heart。　So　I　have　sat　many　and　many　a　year；　being　dead　in
the　heart　of　the　old　stone　Witch；　watching　the　moon　and　the　sun　and
the　stars；　hearkening　to　the　howls　of　the　ghost…wolves　as　they　ravened
beneath　me；　and　learning　the　wisdom　of　the　old　witch　who　sits　above　in
everlasting　stone。　Yet　my　mother　was　young　and　fair　when　I　trod　the
haunted　forest　and　climbed　the　knees　of　stone。　How　seems　she　now；
Galazi？'

〃'She　is　white　and　wrinkled　and　very　aged；'　I　answered。　'They　call　her
mad；　yet　at　her　bidding　I　came　to　seek　thee；　Dead　One；　bearing　the
Watcher　that　was　thy　father's　and　shall　be　mine。'

〃'It　shall　be　thine；　Galazi；'　said　the　voice；　'for　thou　alone　hast
dared　the　ghosts　to　me　sleep　and　burial。　Hearken；　thine　also　shall　be
the　wisdom　of　the　old　witch　who　sits　aloft　forever；　frozen　into
everlasting　stonethine　and　one　other's。　These　are　not　wolves　that
thou　hast　seen；　that　is　no　wolf　which　thou　hast　slain；　nay；　they　are
ghostsevil　ghosts　of　men　who　lived　in　ages　gone；　and　who　must　now
live　till　they　be　slain　by　men。　And　knowest　thou　how　they　lived；
Galazi；　and　what　was　the　food　they　ate？　When　the　light　comes　again；
Galazi；　climb　to　the　breasts　of　the　stone　Witch；　and　look　in　the　cleft
which　is　between　her　breasts。　There　shalt　thou　see　how　these　men
lived。　And　now　this　doom　is　on　them：　they　must　wander　gaunt　and　hungry
in　the　shape　of　wolves；　haunting　that　Ghost　Mountain　where　they　once
fed；　till　they　are　led　forth　to　die　at　the　hands　of　men。　Because　of
their　devouring　hunger　they　have　leapt　from　year　to　year；　striving　to
reach　my　bones；　and　he　whom　thou　hast　slain　was　the　king　of　them；　and
she　at　his　side　was　their　queen。

〃'Now；　Galazi　the　Wolf；　this　is　the　wisdom　that　I　give　thee：　thou
shalt　be　king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　thou　and　another；　whom　a　lion　shall
bring　thee。　Gird　the　black　skin　upon　thy　shoulders；　and　the　wolves
shall　follow　thee；　all　the　three　hundred　and　sixty　and　three　of　them
that　are　left；　and　let　him　who　shall　be　brought　to　thee　gird　on　the
skin　of　grey。　Where　ye　twain　lead　them；　there　shall　they　raven；
bringing　you　victory　till　all　are　dead。　But　know　this；　that　there　only
may　they　raven　where　in　life　they　ravened；　seeking　for　their　food。
Yet；　that　was　an　ill　gift　thou　tookest　from　my　motherthe　gift　of　the
Watcher；　for　though　without　the　Watcher　thou　hadst　never　slain　the
king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　yet；　bearing　the　Watcher；　thou　shalt　thyself
be　slain。　Now；　on　the　morrow　carry　me　back　to　my　mother；　so　that　I　may
sleep　where　the　ghost…wolves　leap　no　more。　I　have　spoken；　Galazi。'

〃Now　the　Dead　One's　voice　seemed　to　grow　ever　fainter　and　more　hollow
as　he　spoke；　till　at　the　last　I　could　scarcely　hear　his　words；　yet　I
answered　him；　asking　him　this：

〃'Who　is　it；　then；　that　the　lion　shall　bring　to　me　to　rule　with　me
over　the　ghost…wolves；　and　how　is　he　named？'

〃Then　the　Dead　One　spoke　once　more　very　faintly；　yet　in　the　silence　of
the　place　I　heard　his　words：

〃'He　is　named　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer；　son　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the
Zulu。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　started　up　from　his　place　by　the　fire。

〃I　am　named　Umslopogaas；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　Slaughterer　I　am　not
named；　and　I　am　the　son　of　Mopo；　and　not　the　son　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the
Zulu；　you　have　dreamed　a　dream；　Galazi；　or；　if　it　was　no　dream；　then
the　Dead　One　lied　to　you。〃

〃Perchance　this　was　so；　Umslopogaas；〃　answered　Galazi　the　Wolf。
〃Perhaps　I　dreamed；　of　perhaps　the　Dead　One　lied；　nevertheless；　if　he
lied　in　this　matter；　in　other　matters　he　did　not　lie；　as　you　shall
hear。

〃After　I　had　heard　these　words；　or　had　dreamed　that　I　heard　them；　I
slept　indeed；　and　when　I　woke　the　forest　beneath　was　like　the　clouds
of　mist；　but　the　grey　light　glinted　upon　the　face　of　her　who　sits　in
stone　above。　Now　I　remembered　the　dream　that　I　had　dreamed；　and　I
would　see　if　it　were　all　a　dream。　So　I　rose；　and　leaving　the　cave；
found　a　place　where　I　might　climb　up　to　the　breasts　and　head　of　the
stone　Witch。　I　climbed；　and　as　I　went　the　rays　of　the　sun　lit　upon　her
face；　and　I　rejoiced　to　see　them。　But；　when　I　drew　near；　the　likeness
to　the　face　of　a　woman　faded　away；　and　I　saw　nothing　before　me　but
rugged　heaps　of　piled…up　rock。　For　this；　Umslopogaas；　is　the　way　of
witches；　be　they　of　stone　or　fleshwhen　you　draw　near　to　them　they
change　their　shape。

〃Now　I　was　on　the　breast　of　the　mountain；　and　wandered　to　and　for
awhile　between　the　great　heaps　of　stone。　At　length　I　found；　as　it
were；　a　crack　in　the　stone　thrice　as　wide　as　a　man　can　jump；　and　in
length　half　a　spear's　throw；　and　near　this　crack　stood　great　stones
blackened　by　fire；　and　beneath　them　broken　pots　and　a　knife　of　flint。
I　looked　down　into　the　crackit　was　very　deep；　and　green　with　moss；
and　tall　ferns　grew　about　in　it；　for　the　damp　gathered　there。　There
was　nothing　else。　I　had　dreamed　a　lying　dream。　I　turned　to　go；　then
found　another　mind；　and　climbed　down　into　the　cleft；　pushing　aside　the
ferns。　Beneath　the　ferns　was　moss；　I　scraped　it　away　with　the　Watcher。
Presently　the　iron　of　the　club　struck　on　something　that　was　yellow　and
round　like　a　stone；　and　from　the　yellow　thing　came　a　hollow　sound。　I
lifted　it；　Umslopogaas；　it　was　the　skull　of　a　child。

〃I　dug　deeper　and　scraped　away　more　moss；　till　presently　I　saw。
Beneath　the　moss　was　nothing　but　the　bones　of　menold　bones　that　had
lain　there　many　years；　the　little　ones　had　rotted；　the　larger　ones
remainedsome　were　yellow；　some　black；　and　others　still　white。　They
were　not　broken；　as　are　those　that　hyenas　and　wolves　have　worried；　yet
on　some　of　them　I　could　see　the　marks　of　teeth。　Then；　Umslopogaas；　I
went　back　to　the　cave；　never　looking　behind　me。

〃Now　when　I　was　come　to　the　cave　I　did　this：　I　skinned　the　she…wolf
also。　When　I　had　finished　the　sun　was　up；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　time
to　go。　But　I　could　not　go　alonehe　who　sat　aloft　in　the　cleft　of　the
cave　must　go　with　me。　I　greatly　feared　to　touch　himthis　Dead　One；
who　had　spoken　to　me　in　a　dream；　yet　I　must　do　it。　So　I　brought　stones
and　piled　them　up　till　I　could　reach　him；　then　I　lifted　him　down；　for
he　was　very　light；　being　but　skin　and　bones。　When　he　was　down；　I　bound
the　hides　of　the　wolves　about　me；　then　leaving　the　leather　bag；　into
which　he　could　not　enter；　I　took　the　Dead　One　and　placed　him　on　my
shoulders　as　a　man　might　carry　a　child；　for　his　legs　were　fixed
somewhat　apart；　and　holding　him　by　the　foot　which　was　left　on　him；　I
set　out　for　the　kraal。　Down　the　slope　I　went　as　swiftly　as　I　could；
for　now　I　knew　the　way；　seeing　and　hearing　nothing；　except　once；　when
there　came　a　rush　of　wings；　and　a　great　eagle　swept　down　at　that　which
sat　upon　my　shoulders。　I　shouted；　and　the　eagle　flew　away；　then　I
entered　the　dark　of　the　forest。　Here　I　must　walk　softly；　lest　the　head
of　him　I　carried　should　strike　against　the　boughs　and　be　smitten　from
him。

〃For　awhile　I　went　on　thus；　till　I　drew　near　to　the　heart　of　the
forest。　Then　I　heard　a　wolf　howl　on　my　right；　and　from　the　left　came
answering　howls；　and　these；　again；　were　answered　by　others　in　front　of
and　behind　me。　I　walked　on　boldly；　for　I　dared　not　stay；　guiding
myself　by　the　sun；　which　from　time　to　time　shone　down　on　me　redly
through　the　boughs　of　the　great　trees。　Now　I　could　see　forms　grey　and
black　slinking　near　my　path；　sniffing　at　the　air　as　they　went；　and　now
I　came　to　a　little　open　place；　and；　behold！　all　the　wolves　in　the
world　were　gathered　together　there。　My　heart　melted；　my　legs　trembled
beneath　me。　On　every　side　were　the　brutes；　great　and　hungry。　And　I
stood　s