nada the lily(百合娜达)-第49节

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could　gather；　and　twice　he　checked　the　Halakazi　rush；　throwing　them
into　confusion；　till　at　length　company　was　mixed　with　company　and
regiment　with　regiment。　But　it　might　not　endure；　for　now　more　than
half　the　young　men　were　down；　and　the　rest　were　being　pushed　back　up
the　hill；　fighting　madly。

But　all　this　while　Umslopogaas　and　the　veterans　sat　in　their　ranks
upon　the　brow　of　the　slope　and　watched。　〃Those　Swazi　dogs　have　a　fool
for　their　general；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas。　〃He　has　no　men　left　to　fall
back　on；　and　Galazi　has　broken　his　array　and　mixed　his　regiments　as
milk　and　cream　are　mixed　in　a　bowl。　They　are　no　longer　an　impi；　they
are　a　mob。〃

Now　the　veterans　moved　restlessly　on　their　haunches；　pushing　their
legs　out　and　drawing　them　in　again。　They　glanced　at　the　fray；　they
looked　into　each　other's　eyes　and　spoke　a　word　here；　a　word　there；
〃Well　smitten；　Galazi！　Wow！　that　one　is　down！　A　brave　lad！　Ho！　a　good
club　is　the　Watcher！　The　fight　draws　near；　my　brother！〃　And　ever　as
they　spoke　their　faces　grew　fiercer　and　their　fingers　played　with
their　spears。

At　length　a　captain　called　aloud　to　Umslopogaas：

〃Say；　Slaughterer；　is　it　not　time　to　be　up　and　doing？　The　grass　is　wet
to　sit　on；　and　our　limbs　grow　cramped。〃

〃Wait　awhile；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Let　them　weary　of　their　play。
Let　them　weary；　I　tell　you。〃

As　he　spoke　the　Halakazi　huddled　themselves　together；　and　with　a　rush
drove　back　Galazi　and　those　who　were　left　of　the　young　men。　Yes；　at
last　they　were　forced　to　flee；　and　after　them　came　the　Swazis；　and　in
the　forefront　of　the　pursuit　was　their　chief；　ringed　round　with　a
circle　of　his　bravest。

Umslopogaas　saw　it　and　bounded　to　his　feet；　roaring　like　a　bull。　〃At
them　now；　wolves！〃　he　shouted。

Then　the　lines　of　warriors　sprang　up　as　a　wave　springs；　and　their
crests　were　like　foam　upon　the　wave。　As　a　wave　that　swells　to　break
they　rose　suddenly；　like　a　breaking　wave　they　poured　down　the　slope。
In　front　of　them　was　the　Slaughterer；　holding　Groan…Maker　aloft；　and
oh！　his　feet　were　swift。　So　swift　were　his　feet　that；　strive　as　they
would；　he　outran　them　by　the　quarter　of　a　spear's　throw。　Galazi　heard
the　thunder　of　their　rush；　he　looked　round；　and　as　he　looked；　lo！　the
Slaughterer　swept　past　him；　running　like　a　buck。　Then　Galazi；　too；
bounded　forward；　and　the　Wolf…Brethren　sped　down　the　hill；　the　length
of　four　spears　between　them。

The　Halakazi　also　saw　and　heard；　and　strove　to　gather　themselves
together　to　meet　the　rush。　In　front　of　Umslopogaas　was　their　chief；　a
tall　man　hedged　about　with　assegais。　Straight　at　the　shield…hedge
drove　Umslopogaas；　and　a　score　of　spears　were　lifted　to　greet　him；　a
score　of　shields　heaved　into　the　airthis　was　a　fence　that　none　might
pass　alive。　Yet　would　the　Slaughterer　pass　itnot　alone！　See！　he
steadies　his　pace；　he　gathers　himself　together；　and　now　he　leaps！　High
into　the　air　he　leaps；　his　feet　knock　the　heads　of　the　warriors　and
rattle　against　the　crowns　of　their　shields。　They　smite　upwards　with
the　spear；　but　he　has　swept　over　them　like　a　swooping　bird。　He　has
cleared　themhe　has　litand　now　the　shield…hedge　guards　two　chiefs。
But　not　for　long。　Ou！　Groan…Maker　is　aloft；　he　fallsand　neither
shield　nor　axe　may　stay　his　stroke；　both　are　cleft　through；　and　the
Halakazi　lack　a　leader。

The　shield…ring　wheels　in　upon　itself。　Fools！　Galazi　is　upon　you！　What
was　that？　Look；　now！　see　how　many　bones　are　left　unbroken　in　him　whom
the　Watcher　falls　on　full！　What！another　down！　Close　up；　shield…men
close　up！　Ai！　are　you　fled？

Ah！　the　wave　has　fallen　on　the　beach。　Listen　to　its　roaringlisten　to
the　roaring　of　the　shields！　Stand；　you　men　of　the　Halakazistand！
Surely　they　are　but　a　few。　So！　it　is　done！　By　the　head　of　Chaka！　they
breakthey　are　pushed　backnow　the　wave　of　slaughter　seethes　along
the　sandsnow　the　foe　is　swept　like　floating　weed；　and　from　all　the
line　there　comes　a　hissing　like　the　hissing　of　thin　waters。　〃S'gee！〃
says　the　hiss。　〃S'gee！　S'gee！〃

There；　my　father；　I　am　old。　What　have　I　do　with　the　battle　any　more；
with　the　battle　and　its　joy？　Yet　it　is　better　to　die　in　such　a　fight
as　that　than　to　live　any　other　way。　I　have　seen　suchI　have　seen　many
such。　Oh！　we　could　fight　when　I　was　a　man；　my　father；　but　none　that　I
knew　could　ever　fight　like　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer；　son　of　Chaka；
and　his　blood…brother　Galazi　the　Wolf！　So；　so！　they　swept　them　away；
those　Halakazi；　they　swept　them　as　a　maid　sweeps　the　dust　of　a　hut；　as
the　wind　sweeps　the　withered　leaves。　It　was　soon　done　when　once　it　was
begun。　Some　were　fled　and　some　were　dead；　and　this　was　the　end　of　that
fight。　No；　no；　not　of　all　the　war。　The　Halakazi　were　worsted　in　the
field；　but　many　lived　to　win　the　great　cave；　and　there　the　work　must
be　finished。　Thither；　then；　went　the　Slaughterer　presently；　with　such
of　his　impi　as　was　left　to　him。　Alas！　many　were　killed；　but　how　could
they　have　died　better　than　in　that　fight？　Also　those　who　were　left
were　as　good　as　all；　for　now　they　knew　that　they　should　not　be
overcome　easily　while　Axe　and　Club　still　led　the　way。

Now　they　stood　before　a　hill；　measuring；　perhaps；　three　thousand　paces
round　its　base。　It　was　of　no　great　height；　and　yet　unclimbable；　for；
after　a　man　had　gone　up　a　little　way；　the　sides　of　it　were　sheer；
offering　no　foothold　except　to　the　rock…rabbits　and　the　lizards。　No
one　was　to　be　seen　without　this　hill；　nor　in　the　great　kraal　of　the
Halakazi　that　lay　to　the　east　of　it；　and　yet　the　ground　about　was
trampled　with　the　hoofs　of　oxen　and　the　feet　of　men；　and　from　within
the　mountain　came　a　sound　of　lowing　cattle。

〃Here　is　the　nest　of　Halakazi；〃　quoth　Galazi　the　Wolf。

〃Here　is　the　nest　indeed；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃but　how　shall　we　come　at
the　eggs　to　suck　them？　There　are　no　branches　on　this　tree。〃

〃But　there　is　a　hole　in　the　trunk；〃　answered　the　Wolf。

Now　he　led　them　a　little　way　till　they　came　to　a　place　where　the　soil
was　trampled　as　it　is　at　the　entrance　to　a　cattle　kraal；　and　they　saw
that　there　was　a　low　cave　which　led　into　the　cliff；　like　an　archway
such　as　you　white　men　build。　but　this　archway　was　filled　up　with　great
blocks　of　stone　placed　upon　each　other　in　such　a　fashion　that　it　could
not　be　forced　from　without。　After　the　cattle　were　driven　in　it　had
been　filled　up。

〃We　cannot　enter　here；〃　said　Galazi。　〃Follow　me。〃

So　they　followed　him；　and　came　to　the　north　side　of　the　mountain；　and
there；　two　spear…casts　away；　a　soldier　was　standing。　But　when　he　saw
them　he　vanished　suddenly。

〃There　is　the　place；〃　said　Galazi；　〃and　the　fox　has　gone　to　earth　in
it。〃

Now　they　ran　to　the　spot　and　saw　a　little　hole　in　the　rock；　scarcely
bigger　than　an　ant…bear's　burrow；　and　through　the　hole　came　sounds　and
some　light。

〃Now　where　is　the　hyena　who　will　try　a　new　burrow？〃　cried　Umslopogaas。
〃A　hundred　head　of　cattle　to　the　man　who　wins　through　and　clears　the
way！〃

Then　two　young　men　sprang　forward　who　were　flushed　with　victory　and
desired　nothing　more　than　to　make　a　great　name　and　win　cattle；
crying：

〃Here　are　hyenas；　Bulalio。〃

〃To　earth；　then！〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃and　let　him　who　wins　through　hold
the　path　awhile　till　others　follow。〃

The　two　young　men　sprang　at　the　hole；　and　he　who　reached　it　first　went
down　upon　his　hands　and　knees　and　crawled　in；　lying　on　his　shield　and
holding　his　spear　before　him。　For　a　little　while　the　light　in　the
burrow　vanished；　and　they　heard　the　sound　of　his　crawling。　Then　came
the　noise　of　blows；　and　once　more　light　crept　through　the　hole。　The
man　was　dead。

〃This　one　had　a　bad　snake；〃　said　the　second　soldier；　〃his　snake
deserted　him。　Let　me　see　if　mine　is　better。〃

So　down　he　went　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　crawled　as　the　first　had
done；　only　he　put　his　shield　over　his　head。　For　awhile　they　heard　him
crawling；　then　once　more　came　the　sound　of　blows　echoing　on　the
ox…hide　shield；　and　after　the　blows　groans。　He　was　dead　also；　yet　it
seemed　that　they　had　left　his　body　in　the　hole；　for　now　no　light　came
through。　This　was　the　cause；　my　father：　when　they　struck　the　man　he
had　wriggled　back　a　little　way　and　died　there；　and　none　had　entered
from　the　farther　side　to　drag　him　out。

Now　the　soldiers　stared　at　the　mouth　of　the　passage　and　none　seemed　to
love　the　look　of　it；　for　this　was　but　a　poor　way　to　die。　Umslopogaas
and　Galazi　also　looked　at　it；　thinking。

〃Now　I　am　named　Wolf；〃　said　Galazi；　〃and　a　wolf　should　not　fear　the
dark；　also；　these　are　my　people；　and　I　must　be　the　first　to　visit
them；〃　and　he　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　without　more　ado。　But
Umslopogaas；　having　peered　once　more　down　the　burrow；　said：　〃Hold；
Galazi；　I　will　go　first！　I　have　a　plan。　Do　you　follow　me。　And　you；　my
children；　shout　loudly；　so　that　none　may　hear　us　move；　and；　if　we　win
through；　follow　swiftly；　for　we　cannot　hold　the　mouth　of　that　place
for　long。　Hearken；　also！　this　is　my　counsel　to　you：　if　I　fall　choose
another　chiefGalazi　the　Wolf；　if　he　is　still　living。〃

〃Nay；　Slaughterer；　do　not　name　me；〃　said　the　Wolf；　〃for　together　we
live　or　die。〃

〃So　let　it　be；　Galazi。　Then　choose　you　some　other　man　and　try　this
road　no　more；　for　if　we　cannot　pass　it　none　can；　but　seek　food　and　sit
down　here　till　those　jackals