nada the lily(百合娜达)-第45节

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〃So！　Now　you　speak　from　your　heart；　young　man；　and　by　digging　I　have
reached　the　root　of　the　matter。　It　is　because　of　this　dead　dog　of　a
Mopo　that　you　defy　the　king。〃

Umslopogaas　heard　the　voice；　and　trembled　no　more　with　anger；　but
rather　with　fear　and　wonder。　He　looked　at　me　hard；　answering　nothing。

〃Have　you　a　hut　near　by；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　foe　of　Dingaan　the　king；
where　I；　the　mouth　of　the　king；　may　speak　with　you　a　while　apart；　for
I　would　learn　your　message　word　by　word　that　I　may　deliver　it　without
fault。　Fear　not；　Slaughterer；　to　sit　alone　with　me　in　an　empty　hut！　I
am　unarmed　and　old；　and　there　is　that　in　your　hand　which　I　should
fear；〃　and　I　pointed　to　the　axe。

Now　Umslopogaas；　still　shaking　in　his　limbs；　answered　〃Follow　me；　O
Mouth；　and　you；　Galazi；　stay　with　these　men。〃

So　I　followed　Umslopogaas；　and　presently　we　came　to　a　large　hut。　He
pointed　to　the　doorway；　and　I　crept　through　it　and　he　followed　after
me。　Now　for　a　while　it　seemed　dark　in　the　hut；　for　the　sun　was　sinking
without　and　the　place　was　full　of　shadow；　so　I　waited　while　a　man
might　count　fifty；　till　our　eyes　could　search　the　darkness。　Then　of　a
sudden　I　threw　the　blanket　from　my　face　and　looked　into　the　yes　of
Umslopogaas。

〃Look　on　me　now；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　O　Slaughterer；　who　once　was　named
Umslopogaaslook　on　me　and　say　who　am　I？〃　Then　he　looked　at　me　and
his　jaw　fell。

〃Either　you　are　Mopo　my　father　grown　oldMopo；　who　is　dead；　or　the
Ghost　of　Mopo；〃　he　answered　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　am　Mopo；　your　father；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　said。　〃You　have　been　long　in
knowing　me；　who　knew　you　from　the　first。〃

Then　Umslopogaas　cried　aloud；　but　yet　softly；　and　letting　fall　the　axe
Groan…Maker；　he　flung　himself　upon　my　breast　and　wept　there。　And　I
wept　also。

〃Oh！　my　father；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　that　you　were　dead　with　the
others；　and　now　you　have　come　back　to　me；　and　I；　I　would　have　lifted
the　axe　against　you　in　my　folly。　Oh；　it　is　well　that　I　have　lived；　and
not　died；　since　once　more　I　look　upon　your　facethe　face　that　I
thought　dead；　but　which　yet　lives；　though　it　be　sorely　changed；　as
though　by　grief　and　years。〃

〃Peace；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；〃　I　said。　〃I　also　deemed　you　dead　in　the
lion's　mouth；　though　in　truth　it　seemed　strange　to　me　that　any　other
man　than　Umslopogaas　could　have　wrought　the　deeds　which　I　have　heard
of　as　done　by　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axeay；　and　thrown
defiance　in　the　teeth　of　Chaka。　But　you　are　not　dead；　and　I；　I　am　not
dead。　It　was　another　Mopo　whom　Chaka　killed；　I　slew　Chaka；　Chaka　did
not　slay　me。〃

〃And　of　Nada；　what　of　Nada；　my　sister？〃　he　said。

〃Macropha；　your　mother；　and　Nada；　your　sister；　are　dead；　Umslopogaas。
They　are　dead　at　the　hands　of　the　people　of　the　Halakazi；　who　dwell　in
Swaziland。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　that　people；〃　he　answered　presently；　〃and　so　has
Galazi　the　Wolf；　yonder。　He　has　a　hate　to　satisfy　against　themthey
murdered　his　father；　now　I　have　two；　for　they　have　murdered　my　mother
and　my　sister。　Ah；　Nada；　my　sister！　Nada；　my　sister！〃　and　the　great
man　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　rocked　himself　to　and　fro　in
his　grief。

Now；　my　father；　it　came　into　my　thoughts　to　make　the　truth　plain　to
Umslopogaas；　and　tell　him　that　Nada　was　no　sister　of　his；　and　that　he
was　no　son　of　mine；　but　rather　of　that　Chaka　whom　my　hand　had
finished。　And　yet　I　did　not；　though　now　I　would　that　I　had　done　so。
For　I　saw　well　how　great　was　the　pride　and　how　high　was　the　heart　of
Umslopogaas；　and　I　saw　also　that　if　once　he　should　learn　that　the
throne　of　Zululand　was　his　by　right；　nothing　could　hold　him　back；　for
he　would　swiftly　break　into　open　rebellion　against　Dingaan　the　king；
and　in　my　judgment　the　time　was　not　ripe　for　that。　Had　I　known；
indeed；　but　one　short　year　before　that　Umslopogaas　still　lived；　he　had
sat　where　Dingaan　sat　this　day；　but　I　did　not　know　it；　and　the　chance
had　gone　by　for　a　while。　Now　Dingaan　was　king　and　mustered　many
regiments　about　him；　for　I　had　held　him　back　from　war；　as　in　the　case
of　the　raid　that　he　wished　to　make　upon　the　Swazis。　The　chance　had
gone　by；　but　it　would　come　again；　and　till　it　came　I　must　say　nothing。
I　would　do　this　rather；　I　would　bring　Dingaan　and　Umslopogaas
together；　that　Umslopogaas　might　become　known　in　the　land　as　a　great
chief　and　the　first　of　warriors。　Then　I　would　cause　him　to　be　advanced
to　be　an　induna；　and　a　general　ready　to　lead　the　impis　of　the　king；
for　he　who　leads　the　impis　is　already　half　a　king。


So　I　held　my　peace　upon　this　matter；　but　till　the　dawn　was　grey
Umslopogaas　and　I　sat　together　and　talked；　each　telling　the　tale　of
those　years　that　had　gone　since　he　was　borne　from　me　in　the　lion's
mouth。　I　told　him　how　all　my　wives　and　children　had　been　killed；　how　I
had　been　put　to　the　torment；　and　showed　him　my　white　and　withered
hand。　I　told　him　also　of　the　death　of　Baleka；　my　sister；　and　of　all　my
people　of　the　Langeni；　and　of　how　I　had　revenged　my　wrongs　upon　Chaka；
and　made　Dingaan　to　be　king　in　his　place；　and　was　now　the　first　man　in
the　land　under　the　king；　though　the　king　feared　me　much　and　loved　me
little。　But　I　did　not　tell　him　that　Baleka；　my　sister；　was　his　own
mother。

When　I　had　done　my　tale；　Umslopogaas　told　me　his：　how　Galazi　had
rescued　him　from　the　lioness；　how　he　became　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；
how　he　had　conquered　Jikiza　and　the　sons　of　Jikiza；　and　become　chief
of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　taken　Zinita　to　wife；　and　grown　great　in
the　land。

I　asked　him　how　it　came　about　that　he　still　hunted　with　the　wolves　as
he　had　done　last　night。　He　answered　that　now　he　was　great　and　there
was　nothing　more　to　win；　and　at　times　a　weariness　of　life　came　upon
him；　and　then　he　must　up；　and　together　with　Galazi　hunt　and　harry　with
the　wolves；　for　thus　only　could　he　find　rest。

I　said　that　I　would　show　him　better　game　to　hunt　before　all　was　done；
and　asked　him　further　if　he　loved　his　wife；　Zinita。　Umslopogaas
answered　that　he　would　love　her　better　if　she　loved　him　not　so　much；
for　she　was　jealous　and　quick　to　anger；　and　that　was　a　sorrow　to　him。
Then；　when　he　had　slept　awhile；　he　led　me　from　the　hut；　and　I　and
my　people　were　feasted　with　the　best；　and　I　spoke　with　Zinita　and　with
Galazi　the　Wolf。　For　the　last；　I　liked　him　well。　This　was　a　good　man
to　have　at　one's　back　in　battle；　but　my　heart　spoke　to　me　against
Zinita。　She　was　handsome　and　tall；　but　with　fierce　eyes　which　always
watched　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling；　and　I　noted　that　he　who　was
fearless　of　all　other　things　yet　seemed　to　fear　Zinita。　Neither　did
she　love　me；　for　when　she　saw　how　the　Slaughterer　clung　to　me；　as　it
wee；　instantly　she　grew　jealousas　already　she　was　jealous　of　Galazi
and　would　have　been　rid　of　me　if　she　might。　Thus　it　came　about　that
my　heart　spoke　against　Zinita；　nor　did　it　tell　me　worse　things　of　her
than　those　which　she　was　to　do。



CHATPER　XXIV

THE　SLAYING　OF　THE　BOERS

On　the　morrow　I　led　Umslopogaas　apart；　and　spoke　to　him　thus：

〃My　son；　yesterday；　when　you　did　not　know　me　except　as　the　Mouth　of
Dingaan；　you　charged　me　with　a　certain　message　for　Dingaan　the　king；
that；　had　it　been　delivered　into　the　ears　of　the　king；　had　surely
brought　death　upon　you　and　all　your　people。　The　tree　that　stands　by
itself　on　a　plain；　Umslopogaas；　thinks　itself　tall　and　that　there　is
no　shade　to　equal　its　shade。　Yet　are　there　other　and　bigger　trees。　You
are　such　a　solitary　tree；　Umslopogaas；　but　the　topmost　branches　of　him
whom　I　serve　are　thicker　than　your　trunk；　and　beneath　his　shadow　live
many　woodcutters；　who　go　out　to　lop　those　that　would　grow　too　high。
You　are　no　match　for　Dingaan；　though；　dwelling　here　alone　in　an　empty
land；　you　have　grown　great　in　your　own　eyes　and　in　the　eyes　of　those
about　you。　Moreover；　Umslopogaas；　know　this：　Dingaan　already　hates　you
because　of　the　words　which　in　bygone　years　you　sent　by　Masilo　the　fool
to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　for　he　heard　those　words；　and　it　is　his
will　to　eat　you　up。　He　has　sent　me　hither　for　one　reason　only；　to　be
rid　of　me　awhile；　and；　whatever　the　words　I　bring　back　to　him；　the　end
will　be　the　samethat　night　shall　come　when　you　will　find　an　impi　at
your　gates。〃

〃Then　what　need　to　talk　more　of　the　matter；　my　father？〃　asked
Umslopogaas。　〃That　will　come　which　must　come。　Let　me　wait　here　for　the
impi　of　Dingaan；　and　fight　till　I　do。〃

〃Not　so；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；　there　are　more　ways　of　killing　a　man
than　by　the　assegai；　and　a　crooked　stick　can　still　be　bent　straight　in
the　stream。　It　is　my　desire；　Umslopogaas；　that　instead　of　hate　Dingaan
should　give　you　love；　instead　of　death；　advancement；　and　that　you
shall　grow　great　in　his　shadow。　Listen！　Dingaan　is　not　what　Chaka　was；
though；　like　Chaka；　he　is　cruel。　This　Dingaan　is　a　fool；　and　it　may
well　come　about　that　a　man　can　be　found　who；　growing　up　in　his　shadow；
in　the　end　shall　overshadow　him。　I　might　do　itI　myself；　but　I　am
old；　and；　being　worn　with　sorrow；　have　no　longing　to　rule。　But　you　are
young；　Umslopogaas；　and　there　is　no　man　like　you　in　the　land。
Moreover；　there　are　other　matters　of　which　it　is　not　well　to　speak；
that　shall　serve　you　as　a　raft　whereon　to　swim　to　power。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　glanced　up　sharply；　for　in　those　days　he　was
am