nada the lily(百合娜达)-第29节

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Perhaps　he　also　is　a　wizard！　Indeed；　I　have　heard　that　now　there　are
two　of　them　upon　the　Ghost　Mountain；　and　that　they　hunt　there　at　night
with　the　ghost…wolves；　but　I　do　not　know　if　it　is　true。〃

〃Now　I　am　minded　to　kill　you；〃　said　the　captain　in　wrath；　〃because　you
have　suffered　this　youth　to　escape　me。　Without　doubt　it　is
Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo。〃

〃It　is　no　fault　of　mine；〃　said　the　headmen。　〃These　young　men　are
wizards；　who　can　pass　hither　and　thither　at　will。　But　I　say　this　to
you；　captain　of　the　king；　if　you　will　go　on　the　Ghost　Mountain；　you
must　go　there　alone　with　your　soldiers；　for　none　in　these　parts　dare
to　tread　upon　that　mountain。〃

〃Yet　I　shall　dare　to…morrow；〃　said　the　captain。　〃We　grow　brave　at　the
kraal　of　Chaka。　There　men　do　not　fear　spears　or　ghosts　or　wild　beasts
or　magic；　but　they　fear　the　king's　word　alone。　The　sun　setsgive　us
food。　To…morrow　we　will　search　the　mountain。〃

Thus；　my　father；　did　this　captain　speak　in　his　folly；he　who　should
never　see　another　sun。

Now　Umslopogaas　reached　the　mountain；　and　when　he　had　passed　the
forestof　which　he　had　learned　every　secret　waythe　darkness
gathered；　and　the　wolves　awoke　in　the　darkness　and　drew　near　howling。
Umslopogaas　howled　in　answer；　and　presently　that　great　wolf　Deathgrip
came　to　him。　Umslopogaas　saw　him　and　called　him　by　his　name；　but；
behold！　the　brute　did　not　know　him；　and　flew　at　him；　growling。　Then
Umslopogaas　remembered　that　the　she…wolf's　skin　was　not　bound　about
his　shoulders；　and　therefore　it　was　that　the　wolf　Deathgrip　knew　him
not。　For　though　in　the　daytime；　when　the　wolves　slept；　he　might　pass
to　and　fro　without　the　skin；　at　night　it　was　not　so。　He　had　not
brought　the　skin；　because　he　dared　not　wear　it　in　the　sight　of　the　men
of　the　kraal；　lest　they　should　know　him　for　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；
and　it　had　not　been　his　plan　to　seek　the　mountain　again　that　night；
but　rather　on　the　morrow。　Now　Umslopogaas　knew　that　his　danger　was
great　indeed。　He　beat　back　Deathgrip　with　his　kerrie；　but　others　were
behind　him；　for　the　wolves　gathered　fast。　Then　he　bounded　away　towards
the　cave；　for　he　was　so　swift　of　foot　that　the　wolves　could　not　catch
him；　though　they　pressed　him　hard；　and　once　the　teeth　of　one　of　them
tore　his　moocha。　Never　before　did　he　run　so　fast；　and　in　the　end　he
reached　the　cave　and　rolled　the　rock　to；　and　as　he　did　so　the　wolves
dashed　themselves　against　it。　Then　he　clad　himself　in　the　hide　of　the
she…wolf；　and；　pushing　aside　the　stone；　came　out。　And；　lo！　the　eyes　of
the　wolves　were　opened；　and　they　knew　him　for　one　of　the　brethren　who
ruled　over　them；　and　slunk　away　at　his　bidding。

Now　Umslopogaas　sat　himself　down　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave　waiting　for
Galazi；　and　he　thought。　Presently　Galazi　came；　and　in　few　words
Umslopogaas　told　him　all　his　tale。

〃You　have　run　a　great　risk；　my　brother；〃　said　Galazi。　〃What　now？〃

〃This；〃　said　Umslopogaas：　〃these　people　of　ours　are　hungry　for　the
flesh　of　men；　let　us　feed　them　full　on　the　soldiers　of　Chaka；　who　sit
yonder　at　the　kraal　seeking　my　life。　I　would　take　vengeance　for　Mopo；
my　father；　and　all　my　brethren　who　are　dead；　and　for　my　mothers；　the
wives　of　Mopo。　What　say　you？〃

Galazi　laughed　aloud。　〃That　will　be　merry；　my　brother；〃　he　said。　〃I
weary　of　hunting　beasts；　let　us　hunt　men　to…night。〃

〃Ay；　to…night；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　nodding。　〃I　long　to　look　upon　that
captain　as　a　maid　longs　for　her　lover's　kiss。　But　first　let　us　rest
and　eat；　for　the　night　is　young；　then；　Galazi；　summon　our　impi。〃

So　they　rested　and　ate；　and　afterwards　went　out　armed；　and　Galazi
howled　to　the　wolves；　and　they　came　in　tens　and　twenties　till　all　were
gathered　together。　Galazi　moved　among　them；　shaking　the　Watcher；　as
they　sat　upon　their　haunches；　and　followed　him　with　their　fiery　eyes。

〃We　do　not　hunt　game　to…night；　little　people；〃　he　cried；　〃but　men；　and
you　love　the　flesh　of　men。〃

Now　all　the　wolves　howled　as　though　they　understood。　Then　the　pack
divided　itself　as　was　its　custom；　the　she…wolves　following
Umslopogaas；　the　dog…wolves　following　Galazi；　and　in　silence　they
moved　swiftly　down　towards　the　plain。　They　came　to　the　river　and　swam
it；　and　there；　eight　spear　throws　away；　on　the　farther　side　of　the
river　stood　the　kraal。　Now　the　Wolf…Brethren　took　counsel　together；
and　Galazi；　with　the　dog…wolves；　went　to　the　north　gate；　and
Umslopogaas　with　the　she…wolves　to　the　south　gate。　They　reached　them
safely　and　in　silence；　for　at　the　bidding　of　the　brethren　the　wolves
ceased　from　their　howlings。　The　gates　were　stopped　with　thorns；　but
the　brethren　pulled　out　the　thorns　and　made　a　passage。　As　they　did
this　it　chanced　that　certain　dogs　in　the　kraal　heard　the　sound　of　the
stirred　boughs；　and　awakening；　caught　the　smell　of　the　wolves　that
were　with　Umslopogaas；　for　the　wind　blew　from　that　quarter。　These　dogs
ran　out　barking；　and　presently　they　came　to　the　south　gate　of　the
kraal；　and　flew　at　Umslopogaas；　who　pulled　away　the　thorns。　Now　when
the　wolves　saw　the　dogs　they　could　be　restrained　no　longer；　but　sprang
on　them　and　tore　them　to　fragments；　and　the　sound　of　their　worrying
came　to　the　ears　of　the　soldiers　of　Chaka　and　of　the　dwellers　in　the
kraal；　so　that　they　sprang　from　sleep；　snatching　their　arms。　And　as
they　came　out　of　the　huts　they　saw　in　the　moonlight　a　man　wearing　a
wolf's　hide　rushing　across　the　empty　cattle　kraal；　for　the　grass　was
long　and　the　cattle　were　out　at　graze；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；
black　and　grey。　Then　they　cried　aloud　in　terror；　saying　that　the
ghosts　were　on　them；　and　turned　to　flee　to　the　north　gate　of　the
kraal。　But；　behold！　here　also　they　met　a　man　clad　in　a　wolf's　skin
only；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；　black　and　grey。

Now；　some　flung　themselves　to　earth　screaming　in　their　fear；　and　some
strove　to　run　away；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　soldiers；　and　with
them　many　of　the　men　of　the　kraal；　came　together　in　knots；　being
minded　to　die　like　men　at　teeth　of　the　ghosts；　and　that　though　they
shook　with　fear。　Then　Umslopogaas　howled　aloud；　and　howled　Galazi；　and
they　flung　themselves　upon　the　soldiers　and　the　people　of　the　kraal；
and　with　them　came　the　wolves。　Then　a　crying　and　a　baying　rose　up　to
heaven　as　the　grey　wolves　leaped　and　bit　and　tore。　Little　they　heeded
the　spears　and　kerries　of　the　soldiers。　Some　were　killed；　but　the　rest
did　not　stay。　Presently　the　knots　of　men　broke　up；　and　to　each　man
wolves　hung　by　twos　and　threes；　dragging　him　to　earth。　Some　few　fled；
indeed；　but　the　wolves　hunted　them　by　gaze　and　scent；　and　pulled　them
down　before　they　passed　the　gates　of　the　kraal。

The　Wolf…Brethren　also　ravened　with　the　rest。　Busy　was　the　Watcher；
and　many　bowed　beneath　him；　and　often　the　spear　of　Umslopogaas　flashed
in　the　moonlight。　It　was　finished；　none　were　left　living　in　that
kraal；　and　the　wolves　growled　sullenly　as　they　took　their　fill；　they
who　had　been　hungry　for　many　days。　Now　the　brethren　met；　and　laughed
in　their　wolf　joy；　because　they　had　slaughtered　those　who　were　sent
out　to　slaughter。　They　called　to　the　wolves；　bidding　them　search　the
huts；　and　the　wolves　entered　the　huts　as　dogs　enter　a　thicket；　and
killed　those　who　lurked　there；　or　drove　them　forth　to　be　slain
without。　Presently　a　man；　great　and　tall；　sprang　from　the　last　of　the
huts；　where　he　had　hidden　himself；　and　the　wolves　outside　rushed　on
him　to　drag　him　down。　But　Umslopogaas　beat　them　back；　for　he　had　seen
the　face　of　the　man：　it　was　that　captain　whom　Chaka　had　sent　out　to
kill　him。　He　beat　them　back；　and　stalked　up　to　the　captain；　saying：
〃Greeting　to　you；　captain　of　the　king！　Now　tell　us　what　is　your　errand
here；　beneath　the　shadow　of　her　who　sits　in　stone？〃　And　he　pointed
with　his　spear　to　the　Grey　Witch　on　the　Ghost　Mountain；　on　which　the
moon　shone　bright。

Now　the　captain　had　a　great　heart；　though　he　had　hidden　from　the
wolves；　and　answered　boldly：

〃What　is　that　to　you；　wizard？　Your　ghost　wolves　had　made　an　end　of　my
errand。　Let　them　make　an　end　of　me　also。〃

〃Be　not　in　haste；　captain；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Say；　did　you　not　seek　a
certain　youth；　the　son　of　Mopo？〃

〃That　is　so；〃　answered　the　captain。　〃I　sought　one　youth；　and　I　have
found　many　evil　spirits。〃　And　he　looked　at　the　wolves　tearing　their
prey；　and　shuddered。

〃Say；　captain；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas；　drawing　back　his　hood　of　wolf's
hide　so　that　the　moonlight　fell　upon　his　face；　〃is　this　the　face　of
that　youth　whom　you　sought？〃

〃It　is　the　face；〃　answered　the　captain；　astonished。

〃Ay；〃　laughed　Umslopogaas；　〃it　is　the　face。　Fool！　I　knew　your　errand
and　heard　your　words；　and　thus　have　I　answered　them。〃　And　he　pointed
to　the　dead。　〃Now　choose；　and　swiftly。　Will　you　run　for　your　life
against　my　wolves？　Will　you　do　battle　for　your　life　against　these
four？〃　And　he　pointed　to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to
Deathgrip；　who　watched　him　with　slavering　lips；　〃or　will　you　stand
face　to　face　with　me；　and　if　I　am　slain；　with　him　who　bears　the　club；
and　with　whom　I　rule　this　people　black　and　grey？〃

〃I　fear　ghosts；　but　of　men　I　have　no　fear；　though　they　be　wizards；〃
answered　the　captain。

〃Good！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　shaking　his　spear。

Then　they　rushed　together；　and　that　fray　was　fierce。　For　presen