nada the lily(百合娜达)-第39节

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true；　Mopo；〃　said　Chaka：　〃moreover；　know　this；　my　servant：　if　aught
miscarries　thou　shalt　die　no　common　death。　Begone！〃

〃I　hear　the　king；〃　I　answered；　and　went　out。

Now；　my　father；　I　knew　well　that　Chaka　had　doomed　me　to　die；　though
first　he　would　use　me　to　destroy　the　princes。　But　I　feared　nothing；
for　I　knew　this　also；　that　the　hour　of　Chaka　was　come　at　last。

For　a　while　I　sat　in　my　hut　pondering；　then　when　all　men　slept　I　arose
and　crept　like　a　snake　by　many　paths　to　the　hut　of　Dingaan　the　prince；
who　awaited　me　on　that　night。　Following　the　shadow　of　the　hut；　I　came
to　the　door　and　scratched　upon　it　after　a　certain　fashion。　Presently
it　was　opened；　and　I　crawled　in；　and　the　door　was　shut　again。　Now
there　was　a　little　light　in　the　hut；　and　by　its　flame　I　saw　the　two
princes　sitting　side　by　side；　wrapped　about　with　blankets　which　hung
before　their　brows。

〃Who　is　this　that　comes？〃　said　the　Prince　Dingaan。

Then　I　lifted　the　blanket　from　my　head　so　that　they　might　see　my　face；
and　they　also　drew　the　blankets　from　their　brows。　I　spoke；　saying：
〃Hail　to　you；　Princes；　who　to…morrow　shall　be　dust！　Hail　to　you；　sons
of　Senzangacona；　who　to…morrow　shall　be　spirits！〃　and　I　pointed
towards　them　with　my　withered　hand。

Now　the　princes　were　troubled；　and　shook　with　fear。

〃What　meanest　thou；　thou　dog；　that　thou　dost　speak　to　us　words　of　such
ill…omen？〃　said　the　Prince　Dingaan　in　a　low　voice。

〃Where　dost　thou　point　at　us　with　that　white　and　withered　hand　of
thine；　Wizard？〃　hissed　the　Prince　Umhlangana。

〃Have　I　not　told　you；　O　ye　Princes！〃　I　whispered；　〃that　ye　must　strike
or　die；　and　has　not　your　heart　failed　you？　Now　hearken！　Chaka　has
dreamed　another　dream；　now　it　is　Chaka　who　strikes；　and　ye　are　already
dead；　ye　children　of　Senzangacona。〃

〃If　the　slayers　of　the　king　be　without　the　gates；　at　least　thou　shalt
die　first；　thou　who　hast　betrayed　us！〃　quoth　the　Prince　Dingaan；　and
drew　an　assegai　from　under　his　kaross。

〃First　hear　the　king's　dream；　O　Prince；〃　I　said；　〃then；　if　thou　wilt；
kill　me；　and　die。　Chaka　the　king　slept　and　dreamed　that　he　lay　dead；
and　that　one　of　you；　the　princes；　wore　his　royal　kaross。〃

〃Who　wore　the　royal　kaross？〃　asked　Dingaan；　eagerly；　and　both　looked
up；　waiting　on　my　words。

〃The　Prince　Umhlangana　wore　itin　the　dream　of　ChakaO　Dingaan；
shoot　of　a　royal　stock！〃　I　answered　slowly；　taking　snuff　as　I　spoke；
and　watching　the　two　of　them　over　the　edge　of　my　snuff…spoon。

Now　Dingaan　scowled　heavily　at　Umhlangana；　but　the　face　of　Umhlangana
was　as　the　morning　sky。

〃Chaka　dreamed　this　also；〃　I　went　on：　〃that　one　of　you；　the　princes；
held　his　royal　spear。〃

〃Who　held　the　royal　spear？〃　asked　Umhlangana。

〃The　Prince　Dingaan　held　itin　the　dream　of　ChakaO　Umhlangana；
sprung　from　the　root　of　kings！and　it　dripped　blood。〃

Now　the　face　of　Umhlangana　grew　dark　as　night；　but　that　of　Dingaan
brightened　like　the　dawn。

〃Chaka　dreamed　this　also：　that　I；　Mopo；　your　dog；　who　am　not　worthy　
to　be　mentioned　with　such　names；　came　up　and　gave　the　royal　salute；
even　the　Bayete。〃

〃To　whom　didst　thou　give　the　Bayete；　O　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？〃　asked
both　of　the　princes　as　with　one　breath；　waiting　on　my　words。

〃I　gave　it　to　both　of　you；　O　twin　stars　of　the　morning；　princes　of　the
Zuluin　the　dream　of　Chaka　I　gave　it　to　both　of　you。〃

Now　the　princes　looked　this　way　and　that；　and　were　silent；　not　knowing
what　to　say；　for　these　princes　hated　each　other；　though　adversity　and
fear　had　brought　them　to　one　bed。

〃But　what　avails　it　to　talk　thus；　ye　lords　of　the　land；〃　I　went　on；
〃seeing　that；　both　of　you；　ye　are　already　as　dead　men；　and　that
vultures　which　are　hungry　to…night　to…morrow　shall　be　filled　with　meat
of　the　best？　Chaka　the　king　is　now　a　Doctor　of　Dreams；　and　to　clear
away　such　a　dream　as　this　he　has　a　purging　medicine。〃

Now　the　brows　of　these　brothers　grew　black　indeed；　for　they　saw　that
their　fate　was　on　them。

〃These　are　the　words　of　Chaka　the　king；　O　ye　bulls　who　lead　the　herd！
All　are　doomed；　ye　twain　and　I；　and　many　another　man　who　loves　us。　In
the　great　kraal　beyond　the　river　there　sits　a　regiment：　it　is　summoned
and　thengood…night！　Have　ye　any　words　to　say　to　those　yet　left
upon　the　earth？　Perhaps　it　will　be　given　to　me　to　live　a　little　while
after　ye　are　gone；　and　I　may　bring　them　to　their　ears。〃

〃Can　we　not　rise　up　now　and　fall　upon　Chaka？〃　asked　Dingaan。

〃It　is　not　possible；〃　I　said；　〃the　king　is　guarded。〃

〃Hast　thou　no　plan；　Mopo？〃　groaned　Umhlangana。　〃Methinks　thou　hast　a
plan　to　save　us。〃

〃And　if　I　have　a　plan；　ye　Princes；　what　shall　be　my　reward？　It　must　be
great；　for　I　am　weary　of　life；　and　I　will　not　use　my　wisdom　for　a
little　thing。〃

Now　both　the　princes　offered　me　good　things；　each　of　them　promising
more　than　the　other；　as　two　young　men　who　are　rivals　promise　to　the
father　of　a　girl　whom　both　would　wed。　I　listened；　saying　always　that
it　was　not　enough；　till　in　the　end　both　of　them　swore　by　their　heads；
and　by　the　bones　of　Senzangacona；　their　father；　and　by　many　other
things；　that　I　should　be　the　first　man　in　the　land；　after　them；　its
kings；　and　should　command　the　impis　of　the　land；　if　I　would　but　show
them　a　way　to　kill　Chaka　and　become　kings。　Then；　when　they　had　done
swearing；　I　spoke；　weighing　my　words：

〃In　the　great　kraal　beyond　the　river；　O　ye　Princes；　there　sit；　not　one
regiment　but　two。　One　is　named　the　Slayers　and　loves　Chaka　the　king；
who　has　done　well　by　them；　giving　them　cattle　and　wives。　The　other　is
named　the　Bees；　and　that　regiment　is　hungry　and　longs　for　cattle　and
girls；　moreover；　of　that　regiment　the　Prince　Umhlangana　is　the
general；　and　it　loves　him。　Now　this　is　my　planto　summon　the　Bees　in
the　name　of　Umhlangana；　not　the　Slayers　in　the　name　of　Chaka。　Bend
forward；　O　Princes；　that　I　may　whisper　in　your　ears。〃

So　they　bent　forward；　and　I　whispered　awhile　of　the　death　of　a　king；
and　the　sons　of　Senzangacona　nodded　their　heads　as　one　man　in　answer。
Then　I　rose　up；　and　crept　from　the　hut　as　I　had　entered　it；　and
rousing　certain　trusty　messengers；　I　dispatched　them；　running　swiftly
through　the　night。



CHAPTER　XXI

THE　DEATH　OF　CHAKA

Now；　on　the　morrow；　two　hours　before　midday；　Chaka　came　from　the　hut
where　he　had　sat　through　the　night；　and　moved　to　a　little　kraal
surrounded　by　a　fence　that　was　some　fifty　paces　distant　from　the　hut。
For　it　was　my　duty；　day　by　day；　to　choose　that　place　where　the　king
should　sit　to　hear　the　counsel　of　his　indunas；　and　give　judgment　on
those　whom　he　would　kill；　and　to…day　I　had　chosen　this　place。　Chaka
went　alone　from　his　hut　to　the　kraal；　and；　for　my　own　reasons；　I
accompanied　him；　walking　after　him。　As　we　went　the　king　glanced　back
at　me　over　his　shoulder；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：

〃Is　all　prepared；　Mopo？〃

〃All　is　prepared；　Black　One；〃　I　answered。　〃The　regiment　of　the　Slayers
will　be　here　by　noon。〃

〃Where　are　the　princes；　Mopo？〃　asked　the　king　again。

〃The　princes　sit　with　their　wives　in　the　houses　of　their　women；　O
King；〃　I　answered；　〃they　drink　beer　and　sleep　in　the　laps　of　their
wives。〃

Chaka　smiled　grimly；　〃For　the　last　time；　Mopo！〃

〃For　the　last　time；　O　King。〃

We　came　to　the　kraal；　and　Chaka　sat　down　in　the　shade　of　the　reed
fence；　upon　an　ox…hide　that　was　brayed　soft。　Near　to　him　stood　a　girl
holding　a　gourd　of　beer；　there　were　also　present　the　old　chief
Inguazonca；　brother　of　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　and　the　chief
Umxamama；　whom　Chaka　loved。　When　we　had　sat　a　little　while　in　the
kraal；　certain　men　came　in　bearing　cranes'　feathers；　which　the　king
had　sent　them　to　gather　a　month's　journey　from　the　kraal　Duguza；　and
they　were　admitted　before　the　king。　These　men　had　been　away　long　upon
their　errand；　and　Chaka　was　angry　with　them。　Now　the　leader　of　the　men
was　an　old　captain　of　Chaka's；　who　had　fought　under　him　in　many
battles；　but　whose　service　was　done；　because　his　right　hand　had　been
shorn　away　by　the　blow　of　an　axe。　He　was　a　great　man　and　very　brave。

Chaka　asked　the　man　why　he　had　been　so　long　in　finding　the　feathers；
and　he　answered　that　the　birds　had　flown　from　that　part　of　the　country
whither　he　was　sent；　and　he　must　wait　there　till　they　returned；　that
he　might　snare　them。

〃Thou　shouldst　have　followed　the　cranes；　yes；　if　they　flew　through　the
sunset；　thou　disobedient　dog！〃　said　the　king。　〃Let　him　be　taken　away；
and　all　those　who　were　with　him。〃

Now　some　of　the　men　prayed　a　little　for　mercy；　but　the　captain　did　but
salute　the　king；　calling　him　〃Father；〃　and　craving　a　boon　before　he
died。

〃What　wouldst　thou？〃　asked　Chaka。

〃My　father；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　would　ask　thee　two　things。　I　have　fought
many　times　at　thy　side　in　battle　while　we　both　were　young；　nor　did　I
ever　turn　my　back　upon　the　foe。　The　blow　that　shore　the　hand　from　off
this　arm　was　aimed　at　thy　head；　O　King；　I　stayed　it　with　my　naked　arm。
It　is　nothing；　at　thy　will　I　live；　and　at　thy　will　I　die。　Who　am　I
that　I　should　question　the　word　of　the　king？　Yet　I　would　ask　this；
that　thou　wilt　withdraw　the　kaross　from　about　thee；　O　King；　that　for
the　last　time　my　eyes　may　feast　themselves　upon　the　body　of　him　whom；
above　all　men；　I　love。〃

〃Thou　art　long…winded；〃　said　the　king；　〃what　more？〃