nada the lily(百合娜达)-第37节

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but；　though　Chaka　felt　the　touch；　he　did　not　hear　the　words；　that　were
for　my　ears　alone。

〃Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；〃　said　the　low　voice；　〃stay　thy　hand；　the　cup
of　Chaka　is　not　full。　When；　for　the　third　time；　thou　seest　me　riding
down　the　storm；　then　SMITE；　Mopo；　my　child。〃

Thus　she　spoke；　and　a　cloud　swept　over　the　face　of　the　moon。　When　it
passed　she　was　gone；　and　once　more　I　was　alone　with　Chaka；　with　the
night　and　the　dead。

Chaka　looked　up；　and　his　face　was　grey　with　the　sweat　of　fear。

〃Who　was　this；　Mopo？〃　he　said　in　a　hollow　voice。

〃This　was　the　Inkosazana　of　the　Heavens；　she　who　watches　ever　over　the
people　of　our　race；　O　King；　and　who　from　time　to　time　is　seen　of　men
ere　great　things　shall　befall。〃

〃I　have　heard　speak　of　this　queen；〃　said　Chaka。　〃Wherefore　came　she
now；　what　was　the　song　she　sang；　and　why　did　she　touch　me　with　a
spear？〃

〃She　came；　O　King；　because　the　dead　hand　of　Baleka　summoned　her；　as
thou　sawest。　The　song　she　sang　was　of　things　too　high　for　me；　and　why
she　touched　thee　on　the　forehead　with　the　spear　I　do　not　know；　O　King！
Perchance　it　was　to　crown　thee　chief　of　a　yet　greater　realm。〃

〃Yea；　perchance　to　crown　me　chief　of　a　realm　of　death。〃

〃That　thou　art　already；　Black　One；〃　I　answered；　glancing　at　the　silent
multitude　before　us　and　the　cold　shape　of　Baleka。

Again　Chaka　shuddered。　〃Come；　let　us　be　going；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃now　I
have　learnt　what　it　is　to　be　afraid。〃

〃Early　or　late；　Fear　is　a　guest　that　all　must　feast；　even　kings；　O
Earth…Shaker！〃　I　answered；　and　we　turned　and　went　homewards　in
silence。

Now　after　this　night　Chaka　gave　it　out　that　the　kraal　of　Gibamaxegu
was　bewitched；　and　bewitched　was　the　land　of　the　Zulus；　because　he
might　sleep　no　more　in　peace；　but　woke　ever　crying　out　with　fear；　and
muttering　the　name　of　Baleka。　Therefore；　in　the　end　he　moved　his　kraal
far　away；　and　built　the　great　town　of　Duguza　here　in　Natal。

Look　now；　my　father！　There　on　the　plain　far　away　is　a　place　of　the
white　menit　is　called　Stanger。　There；　where　is　the　white　man's　town；
stood　the　great　kraal　Duguza。　I　cannot　see；　for　my　eyes　are　dark；　but
you　can　see。　Where　the　gate　of　the　kraal　was　built　there　is　a　house；
it　is　the　place　where　the　white　man　gives　out　justice；　that　is　the
place　of　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　through　which　Justice　never　walked。
Behind　is　another　house；　where　the　white　men　who　have　sinned　against
Him　pray　to　the　King　of　Heaven　for　forgiveness；　there　on　that　spot
have　I　seen　many　a　one　who　had　done　no　wrong　pray　to　a　king　of　men　for
mercy；　but　I　have　never　seen　but　one　who　found　it。　Ou！　the　words　of
Chaka　have　come　true：　I　will　tell　them　to　you　presently；　my　father。
The　white　man　holds　the　land；　he　goes　to　and　fro　about　his　business　of
peace　where　impis　ran　forth　to　kill；　his　children　laugh　and　gather
flowers　where　men　died　in　blood　by　hundreds；　they　bathe　in　the　waters
of　the　Imbozamo；　where　once　the　crocodiles　were　fed　daily　with　human
flesh；　his　young　men　woo　the　maidens　where　other　maids　have　kissed　the
assegai。　It　is　changed；　nothing　is　the　same；　and　of　Chaka　are　left
only　a　grave　yonder　and　a　name　of　fear。

Now；　after　Chaka　had　come　to　the　Duguza　kraal；　for　a　while　he　sat
quiet；　then　the　old　thirst　of　blood　came　on　him；　and　he　sent　his　impis
against　the　people　of　the　Pondos；　and　they　destroyed　that　people；　and
brought　back　their　cattle。　But　the　warriors　might　not　rest；　again　they
were　doctored　for　war；　and　sent　out　by　tens　of　thousands　to　conquer
Sotyangana；　chief　of　the　people　who　live　north　of　the　Limpopo。　They
went　singing；　after　the　king　had　looked　upon　them　and　bidden　them
return　victorious　or　not　at　all。　Their　number　was　so　great　that　from
the　hour　of　dawn　till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　they　passed　the
gates　of　the　kraal　like　countless　herds　of　cattlethey　the
unconquered。　Little　did　they　know　that　victory　smiled　on　them　no　more；
that　they　must　die　by　thousands　of　hunger　and　fever　in　the　marshes　of
the　Limpopo；　and　that　those　of　them　who　returned　should　come　with
their　shields　in　their　bellies；　having　devoured　their　shields　because
of　their　ravenous　hunger！　But　what　of　them？　They　were　nothing。　〃Dust〃
was　the　name　of　one　of　the　great　regiments　that　went　out　against
Sotyangana；　and　dust　they　weredust　to　be　driven　to　death　by　the
breath　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the　Zulu。

Now　few　men　remained　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　for　nearly　all　had　gone　with
the　impi；　and　only　women　and　aged　people　were　left。　Dingaan　and
Umhlangana；　brothers　of　the　king；　were　there；　for　Chaka　would　not
suffer　them　to　depart；　fearing　lest　they　should　plot　against　him；　and
he　looked　on　them　always　with　an　angry　eye；　so　that　they　trembled　for
their　lives；　though　they　dared　not　show　their　fear　lest　fate　should
follow　fear。　But　I　guessed　it；　and　like　a　snake　I　wound　myself　into
their　secrets；　and　we　talked　together　darkly　and　in　hints。　But　of　that
presently；　my　father；　for　I　must　tell　of　the　coming　of　Masilo；　he　who
would　have　wed　Zinita；　and　whom　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　had　driven
out　from　the　kraals　of　the　People　of　the　Axe。

It　was　on　the　day　after　the　impi　had　left　that　Masilo　came　to　the
kraal　Duguza；　craving　leave　to　speak　with　the　king。　Chaka　sat　before
his　hut；　and　with　him　were　Dingaan　and　Umhlangana；　his　royal　brothers。
I　was　there　also；　and　certain　of　the　indunas；　councillors　of　the　king。
Chaka　was　weary　that　morning；　for　he　had　slept　badly；　as　now　he　always
did。　Therefore；　when　one　told　him　that　a　certain　wanderer　named　Masilo
would　speak　with　him；　he　did　not　command　that　the　man　should　be
killed；　but　bade　them　bring　him　before　him。　Presently　there　was　a
sound　of　praising；　and　I　saw　a　fat　man；　much　worn　with　travel；　who
crawled　through　the　dust　towards　us　giving　the　sibonga；　that　is；
naming　the　king　by　his　royal　names。　Chaka　bade　him　cease　from　praising
and　tell　his　business。　Then　the　man　sat　up　and　told　all　that　tale
which　you　have　heard；　my　father；　of　how　a　young　man；　great　and　strong；
came　to　the　place　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　conquered　Jikiza；　the
holder　of　the　axe；　and　become　chief　of　that　people；　and　of　how　he　had
taken　the　cattle　of　Masilo　and　driven　him　away。　Now　Chaka　knew　nothing
of　this　People　of　the　Axe；　for　the　land　was　great　in　those　days；　my
father；　and　there　were　many　little　tribes　in　it；　living　far　away；　of
whom　the　king　had　not　even　heard；　so　he　questioned　Masilo　about　them；
and　of　the　number　of　their　fighting…men；　of　their　wealth　in　cattle；　of
the　name　of　the　young　man　who　ruled　them；　and　especially　as　to　the
tribute　which　they　paid　to　the　king。

Masilo　answered；　saying　that　the　number　of　their　fighting…men　was
perhaps　the　half　of　a　full　regiment；　that　their　cattle　were　many；　for
they　were　rich；　that　they　paid　no　tribute；　and　that　the　name　of　the
young　man　was　Bulalio　the　Slaughtererat　the　least；　he　was　known　by
that　name；　and　he　had　heard　no　other。

Then　the　king　grew　wroth。　〃Arise；　Masilo；〃　he　said；　〃and　run　to　this
people；　and　speak　in　the　ear　of　the　people；　and　of　him　who　is　named
the　Slaughterer；　saying：　'There　is　another　Slaughterer；　who　sits　in　a
kraal　that　is　named　Duguza；　and　this　is　his　word　to　you；　O　People　of
the　Axe；　and　to　thee；　thou　who　holdest　the　axe。　Rise　up　with　all　the
people；　and　with　all　the　cattle　of　your　people；　and　come　before　him
who　sits　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　and　lay　in　his　hands　the　great　axe
Groan…Maker。　Rise　up　swiftly　and　do　this　bidding；　lest　ye　sit　down
shortly　and　for　the　last　time　of　all。'〃＇1＇

＇1＇　The　Zulu　are　buried　sitting。

Masilo　heard；　and　said　that　it　should　be　so；　though　the　way　was　far；
and　he　feared　greatly　to　appear　before　him　who　was　called　the
Slaughterer；　and　who　sat　twenty　days'　journey　to　the　north；　beneath
the　shadow　of　the　Witch　Mountain。

〃Begone；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　stand　before　me　on　the　thirtieth　day
from　now　with　the　answer　of　this　boy　with　an　axe！　If　thou　standest　not
before　me；　then　some　shall　come　to　seek　thee　and　the　boy　with　an　axe
also。〃

So　Masilo　turned　and　fled　swiftly　to　do　the　bidding　of　the　king；　and
Chaka　spoke　no　more　of　that　matter。　But　I　wondered　in　my　heart　who
this　young　man　with　an　axe　might　be；　for　I　thought　that　he　had　dealt
with　Jikiza　and　with　the　sons　of　Jikiza　as　Umslopogaas　would　have
dealt　with　them　had　he　come　to　the　years　of　his　manhood。　But　I　also
said　nothing　of　the　matter。

Now　on　this　day　also　there　came　to　me　news　that　my　wife　Macropha　and
my　daughter　Nada　were　dead　among　their　people　in　Swaziland。　It　was
said　that　the　men　of　the　chief　of　the　Halakazi　tribe　had　fallen　on
their　kraal　and　put　all　in　it　to　the　assegai；　and　among　them　Macropha
and　Nada。　I　heard　the　news；　but　I　wept　no　tear；　for；　my　father；　I　was
so　lost　in　sorrows　that　nothing　could　move　me　any　more。



CHAPTER　XX

MOPO　BARGAINS　WITH　THE　PRINCES

Eight…and…twenty　days　went　by；　my　father；　and　on　the　nine…and…
twentieth　it　befell　that　Chaka；　having　dreamed　a　dream　in　his　troubled
sleep；　summoned　before　him　certain　women　of　the　kraal；　to　the　number
of　a　hundred　or　more。　Some　of　these　were　his　women；　whom　he　named　his
〃sisters；〃　and　some　were　maidens　not　yet　given　in　marriage；　but　all
were　young　and　fair。　Now　what　this　dream　of　Chaka　may　have　been　I　do
not　know；　or　have　forg