nada the lily(百合娜达)-第47节

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Still；　he　made　no　answer；　but　dismissed　the　council。

On　the　morrow　the　king　promised　to　sign　the　paper　giving　the　lands
they　asked　for　to　the　Boers；　and　all　was　smooth　as　water　when　there　is
no　wind。　Before　the　paper　was　signed　the　king　gave　a　great　dance；　for
there　were　many　regiments　gathered　at　the　kraal；　and　for　three　days
this　dance　went　on；　but　on　the　third　day　he　dismissed　the　regiments；
all　except　one；　an　impi　of　lads；　who　were　commanded　to　stay。　Now　all
this　while　I　wondered　what　was　in　the　mind　of　Dingaan　and　was　afraid
for　the　Amaboona。　But　he　was　secret；　and　told　nothing　except　to　the
captains　of　the　regiment　aloneno；　not　even　to　one　of　his　council。
Yet　I　knew　that　he　planned　evil；　and　was　half　inclined　to　warn　the
Captain　Retief；　but　did　not；　fearing　to　make　myself　foolish。　Ah！　my
father；　if　I　had　spoken；　how　many　would　have　lived　who　were　soon　dead！
But　what　does　it　matter？　In　any　case　most　of　them　would　have　been　dead
by　now。

On　the　fourth　morning；　early；　Dingaan　sent　a　messenger　to　the　Boers；
bidding　them　meet　him　in　the　cattle　kraal；　for　there　he　would　mark　the
paper。　So　they　came；　stacking　their　guns　at　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　for
it　was　death　for　any　man；　white　or　black；　to　come　armed　before　the
presence　of　the　king。　Now；　my　father；　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu　was
built　in　a　great　circle；　after　the　fashion　of　royal　kraals。　First　came
the　high　outer　fence；　then　the　thousands　of　huts　that　ran　three　parts
round　between　the　great　fence　and　the　inner　one。　Within　this　inner
fence　was　the　large　open　space；　big　enough　to　hold　five　regiments；　and
at　the　top　of　itopposite　the　entrancestood　the　cattle　kraal
itself；　that　cut　off　a　piece　of　the　open　space　by　another　fence　bent
like　a　bow。　Behind　this　again　were　the　Emposeni；　the　place　of　the
king's　women；　the　guard…house；　the　labyrinth；　and　the　Intunkulu；　the
house　of　the　king。　Dingaan　came　out　on　that　day　and　sat　on　a　stool　in
front　of　the　cattle　kraal；　and　by　him　stood　a　man　holding　a　shield
over　his　head　to　keep　the　sun　from　him。　Also　we　of　the　Amapakati；　the
council；　were　there；　and　ranged　round　the　fence　of　the　space；　armed
with　short　sticks　onlynot　with　kerries；　my　fatherwas　that　regiment
of　young　men　which　Dingaan　had　not　sent　away；　the　captain　of　the
regiment　being　stationed　near　to　the　king；　on　the　right。

Presently　the　Boers　came　in　on　foot　and　walked　up　to　the　king　in　a
body；　and　Dingaan　greeted　them　kindly　and　shook　hands　with　Retief；
their　captain。　Then　Retief　drew　the　paper　from　a　leather　pouch；　which
set　out　the　boundaries　of　the　grant　of　land；　and　it　was　translated　to
the　king　by　an　interpreter。　Dingaan　said　that　it　was　good；　and　put　his
mark　upon　it；　and　Retief　and　all　the　Boers　were　pleased；　and　smiled
across　their　faces。　Now　they　would　have　said　farewell；　but　Dingaan
forbade　them；　saying　that　they　must　not　go　yet：　first　they　must　eat
and　see　the　soldiers　dance　a　little；　and　he　commanded　dishes　of　boiled
flesh　which　had　been　made　ready　and　bowls　of　milk　to　be　brought　to
them。　The　Boers　said　that　they　had　already　eaten；　still；　they　drank
the　milk；　passing　the　bowls　from　hand　to　hand。

Now　the　regiment　began　to　dance；　singing　the　Ingomo；　that　is　the　war
chant　of　us　Zulus；　my　father；　and　the　Boers　drew　back　towards　the
centre　of　the　space　to　give　the　soldiers　room　to　dance　in。　It　was　at
this　moment　that　I　heard　Dingaan　give　an　order　to　a　messenger　to　run
swiftly　to　the　white　Doctor　of　Prayers；　who　was　staying　without　the
kraal；　telling　him　not　to　be　afraid；　and　I　wondered　what　this　might
mean；　for　why　should　the　Prayer　Doctor　fear　a　dance　such　as　he　had
often　seen　before？　Presently　Dingaan　rose；　and；　followed　by　all；
walked　through　the　press　to　where　the　Captain　Retief　stood；　and　bade
him　good…bye；　shaking　him　by　the　hand　and　bidding　him　hambla　gachle；
to　go　in　peace。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　back　again　towards　the
gateway　which　led　to　his　royal　house；　and　I　saw　that　near　this
entrance　stood　the　captain　of　the　regiments；　as　one　stands　by　who
waits　for　orders。

Now；　of　a　sudden；　my　father；　Dingaan　stopped　and　cried　with　a　loud
voice；　〃Bulalani　Abatakati！〃　（slay　the　wizards）；　and　having　cried　it；
he　covered　his　face　with　the　corner　of　his　blanket；　and　passed　behind
the　fence。

We；　the　councillors；　stood　astounded；　like　men　who　had　become　stone；
but　before　we　could　speak　or　act　the　captain　of　the　regiment　had　also
cried　aloud；　〃Bulalani　Abatakati！〃　and　the　signal　was　caught　up　from
every　side。　Then；　my　father；　came　a　yell　and　a　rush　of　thousands　of
feet；　and　through　the　clouds　of　dust　we　saw　the　soldiers　hurl
themselves　upon　the　Amaboona；　and　above　the　shouting　we　heard　the
sound　of　falling　sticks。　The　Amaboona　drew　their　knives　and　fought
bravely；　but　before　a　man　could　count　a　hundred　twice　it　was　done；　and
they　were　being　dragged；　some　few　dead；　but　the　most　yet　living；
towards　the　gates　of　the　kraal　and　out　on　to　the　Hill　of　Slaughter；
and　there；　on　the　Hill　of　Slaughter；　they　were　massacred；　every　one　of
them。　How？　Ah！　I　will　not　tell　youthey　were　massacred　and　piled　in　a
heap；　and　that　was　the　end　of　their　story；　my　father。

Now　I　and　the　other　councillors　turned　away　and　walked　silently
towards　the　house　of　the　king。　We　found　him　standing　before　his　great
hut；　and；　lifting　our　hands；　we　saluted　him　silently；　saying　no　word。
It　was　Dingaan　who　spoke；　laughing　a　little　as　he　spoke；　like　a　man
who　is　uneasy　in　his　mind。

〃Ah；　my　captains；〃　he　said；　〃when　the　vultures　plumed　themselves　this
morning；　and　shrieked　to　the　sky　for　blood；　they　did　not　look　for　such
a　feast　as　I　have　given　them。　And　you；　my　captains；　you　little　guessed
how　great　a　king　the　Heavens　have　set　to　rule　over　you；　nor　how　deep
is　the　mind　of　the　king　that　watches　ever　over　his　people's　welfare。
Now　the　land　is　free　from　the　White　Wizards　of　whose　footsteps　the
Black　One　croaked　as　he　gave　up　his　life；　or　soon　shall　be；　for　this
is　but　a　beginning。　Ho！　Messengers！〃　and　he　turned　to　some　men　who
stood　behind　him；　〃away　swiftly　to　the　regiments　that　are　gathered
behind　the　mountains；　away　to　them；　bearing　the　king's　words　to　the
captains。　This　is　the　king's　word：　that　the　impi　shall　run　to　the　land
of　Natal　and　slay　the　Boers　there；　wiping　them　out；　man；　woman；　and
child。　Away！〃

Now　the　messengers　cried　out　the　royal　salute　of　Bayete；　and；　leaping
forward　like　spears　from　the　hand　of　the　thrower；　were　gone　at　once。
But　we；　the　councillors；　the　members　of　the　Amapakati；　still　stood
silent。

Then　Dingaan　spoke　again；　addressing　me：

〃Is　thy　heart　at　rest　now；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？　Ever　hast　thou
bleated　in　my　ear　of　this　white　people　and　of　the　deeds　that　they
shall　do；　and　lo！　I　have　blown　upon　them　with　my　breath　and　they　are
gone。　Say；　Mopo；　are　the　Amaboona　wizards　yonder　all　dead？　If　any　be
left　alive；　I　desire　to　speak　with　one　of　them。〃

Then　I　looked　Dingaan　in　the　face　and　spoke。

〃They　are　all　dead；　and　thou；　O　King；　thou　also　art　dead。〃

〃It　were　well　for　thee；　thou　dog；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃that　thou　shouldst
make　thy　meaning　plain。〃

〃Let　the　king　pardon　me；〃　I　answered；　〃this　is　my　meaning。　Thou　canst
not　kill　this　white　men；　for　they　are　not　of　one　race；　but　of　many
races；　and　the　sea　is　their　home；　they　rise　out　of　the　black　water。
Destroy　those　that　are　here；　and　others　shall　come　to　avenge　them；
more　and　more　and　more！　Now　thou　hast　smitten　in　thy　hour；　in　theirs
they　shall　smite　in　turn。　Now　THEY　lie　low　in　blood　at　thy　hand；　in　a
day　to　come；　O　King；　THOU　shalt　lie　low　in　blood　at　theirs。　Madness
has　taken　hold　of　thee；　O　King；　that　thou　hast　done　this　thing；　and
the　fruit　of　thy　madness　shall　be　thy　death。　I　have　spoken；　I；　who　am
the　king's　servant。　Let　the　will　of　the　king　be　done。〃

Then　I　stood　still　waiting　to　be　killed；　for；　my　father；　in　the　fury
of　my　heart　at　the　wickedness　which　had　been　worked　I　could　not　hold
back　my　words。　Thrice　Dingaan　looked　on　me　with　a　terrible　face；　and
yet　there　was　fear　in　his　face　striving　with　its　rage；　and　I　waited
calmly　to　see　which　would　conquer；　the　fear　or　the　rage。　When　at　last
he　spoke；　it　was　one　word；　〃Go！〃　not　three　words；　〃Take　him　away。〃　So
I　went　yet　living；　and　with　me　the　councillors；　leaving　the　king
alone。

I　went　with　a　heavy　heart；　my　father；　for　of　all　the　evil　sights　that
I　have　seen　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　was　the　most　evilthat　the
Amaboona　should　be　slaughtered　thus　treacherously；　and　that　the　impis
should　be　sent　out　treacherously　to　murder　those　who　were　left　of
them；　together　with　their　women　and　children。　Ay；　and　they　slewsix
hundred　of　them　did　they　slayyonder　in　Weenen；　the　land　of　weeping。

Say；　my　father；　why　does　the　Umkulunkulu　who　sits　in　the　Heavens　above
allow　such　things　to　be　done　on　the　earth　beneath？　I　have　heard　the
preaching　of　the　white　men；　and　they　say　that　they　know　all　about　Him
that　His　names　are　Power　and　Mercy　and　Love。　Why；　then；　does　He
suffer　these　things　to　be　donewhy　does　He　suffer　such　men　as　Chaka
and　Dingaan　to　torment　the　people　of　the　earth；　and　in　the　end　pay
them　but　one　death　for　all　the　thousands　that　they　have　given　to
others？　Because　of　the　wickedness　of　the　peoples；　you　say；　but　no；　no；
that　cannot　be；　for　do　not　the　guil