nada the lily(百合娜达)-第53节

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yonder　fire。　Run　swiftly　and　stamp　it　flat　with　your　feet。　Where　there
was　fire　let　there　be　blackness　and　ashes。〃

Now　the　White　Man　lifted　his　hands　and　prayed　Dingaan　not　to　do　this
thing　that　should　be　the　death　of　many；　but　the　king　bade　him　be
silent。　Then　he　turned　his　eyes　upward　and　prayed　to　his　gods。　For　a
moment　also　the　soldiers　looked　on　each　other　in　doubt；　for　the　fire
raged　furiously；　and　spouts　of　flame　shot　high　toward　the　heaven；　and
above　it　and　about　it　the　hot　air　danced。　But　their　captain　called　to
them　loudly：　〃Great　is　the　king！　Hear　the　words　of　the　king；　who
honours　you！　Yesterday　we　ate　up　the　Amaboonait　was　nothing；　they
were　unarmed。　There　is　a　foe　more　worthy　of　our　valour。　Come；　my
children；　let　us　wash　in　the　firewe　who　are　fiercer　than　the　fire！
Great　is　the　king　who　honours　us！〃

Thus　he　spoke　and　ran　forward；　and；　with　a　roar；　after　him　sprang　the
soldiers；　rank　by　rank。　They　were　brave　men　indeed；　moreover；　they
knew　that　if　death　lay　before　them　death　also　awaited　him　who　lagged
behind；　and　it　is　far　better　to　die　with　honour　than　ashamed。　On　they
went；　as　to　the　joy　of　battle；　their　captain　leading　them；　and　as　they
went　they　sang　the　Ingomo；　the　war…chant　of　the　Zulu。　Now　the　captain
neared　the　raging　fire；　we　saw　him　lift　his　shield　to　keep　off　its
heat。　Then　he　was　gonehe　had　sprung　into　the　heart　of　the　furnace；
and　but　little　of　him　was　ever　found　again。　After　him　went　the　first
company。　In　they　went；　beating　at　the　flames　with　their　ox…hide
shields；　stamping　them　out　with　their　naked　feet；　tearing　down　the
burning　logs　and　casting　them　aside。　Not　one　man　of　that　company
lived；　my　father；　they　fell　down　like　moths　which　flutter　through　a
candle；　and　where　they　fell　they　perished。　But　after　them　came　other
companies；　and　it　was　well　for　those　in　this　fight　who　were　last　to
grapple　with　the　foe。　Now　a　great　smoke　was　mixed　with　the　flame；　now
the　flame　grew　less　and　less；　and　the　smoke　more　and　more；　and　now
blackened　men；　hairless；　naked；　and　blistered；　white　with　the
scorching　of　the　fire；　staggered　out　on　the　farther　side　of　the
flames；　falling　to　earth　here　and　there。　After　them　came　others；　now
there　was　no　flame；　only　a　great　smoke　in　which　men　moved　dimly；　and
presently；　my　father；　it　was　done：　they　had　conquered　the　fire；　and
that　with　but　very　little　hurt　to　the　last　seven　companies；　though
every　man　had　trodden　it。　How　many　perished？nay；　I　know　not；　they
were　never　counted；　but　what　between　the　dead　and　the　injured　that
regiment　was　at　half　strength　till　the　king　drafted　more　men　into　it。

〃See；　Doctor　of　Prayers；〃　said　Dingaan；　with　a　laugh；　〃thus　shall　I
escape　the　fires　of　that　land　of　which　thou　tellest；　if　such　there　be
indeed：　I　will　bid　my　impis　stamp　them　out。〃

Then　the　praying　man　went　from　the　kraal　saying　that　he　would　teach　no
more　among　the　Zulus；　and　afterwards　he　left　the　land。　When　he　had
gone　the　burnt　wood　and　the　dead　were　cleared　away；　the　injured　were
doctored　or　killed　according　to　their　hurts；　and　those　who　had　little
harm　came　before　the　king　and　praised　him。

〃New　shields　and　headresses　must　be　found　for　you；　my　children；〃　said
Dingaan；　for　the　shields　were　black　and　shrivelled；　and　of　heads　of
hair　and　plumes　there　were　but　few　left　among　that　regiment。

〃Wow！〃　said　Dingaan　again；　looking　at　the　soldiers　who　still　lived：
〃shaving　will　be　easy　and　cheap　in　that　place　of　fire　of　which　the
white　man　speaks。〃

Then　he　ordered　bear　to　be　brought　to　the　men；　for　the　heat　had　made
them　thirsty。

Now　though　you　may　not　guess　it；　my　father；　I　have　told　you　this　tale
because　it　has　something　to　do　with　my　story；　for　scarcely　had　the
matter　been　ended　when　messengers　came；　saying　that　Bulalio；　chief　of
the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　his　impi　were　without；　having　returned　with
much　spoil　from　the　slaying　of　the　Halakazi　in　Swaziland。　Now　when　I
heard　this　my　heart　leapt　for　joy；　seeing　that　I　had　feared　greatly
for　the　fate　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling。　Dingaan　also　was　very
glad；　and；　springing　up；　danced　to　and　fro　like　a　child。

〃Now　at　last　we　have　good　tidings；〃　he　said；　at　once　forgetting　the
stamping　of　the　fire；　〃and　now　shall　my　eyes　behold　that　Lily　whom　my
hand　has　longed　to　pluck。　Let　Bulalio　and　his　people　enter　swiftly。〃

For　awhile　there　was　silence；　then　from　far　away；　without　the　high
fence　of　the　great　place；　there　came　a　sound　of　singing；　and　through
the　gates　of　the　kraal　rushed　two　great　men；　wearing　black　plumes　upon
their　heads；　having　black　shields　in　their　left　hands；　and　in　their
right；　one　an　axe　and　one　a　club；　while　about　their　shoulders　were
bound　wolf…skins。　They　ran　low；　neck　and　neck；　with　outstretched
shields　and　heads　held　forward；　as　a　buck　runs　when　he　is　hard　pressed
by　dogs；　and　no　such　running　had　been　seen　in　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu
as　the　running　of　the　Wolf…Brethren。　Half　across　the　space　they　ran；
and　halted　suddenly；　and；　as　they　halted；　the　dead　ashes　of　the　fire
flew　up　before　their　feet　in　a　little　cloud。

〃By　my　head！　look；　these　come　armed　before　me！〃　said　Dingaan；
frowning；　〃and　to　do　this　is　death。　Now　say　who　is　that　man；　great　and
fierce；　who　bears　an　axe　aloft？　Did　I　not　know　him　dead　I　should　say
it　was　the　Black　One；　my　brother；　as　he　was　in　the　days　of　the　smiting
of　Zwide：　so　was　his　head　set　on　his　shoulders　and　so　he　was　wont　to
look　round；　like　a　lion。〃

〃I　think　that　is　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　chief　of　the　People　of　the
Axe；　O　King；〃　I　answered。

〃And　who　is　the　other　with　him？　He　is　a　great　man　also。　Never　have　I
seen　such　a　pair！〃

〃I　think　that　is　Galazi　the　Wolf；　he　who　is　blood…brother　to　the
Slaughterer；　and　his　general；〃　I　said　again。

Now　after　these　two　came　the　soldiers　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　armed
with　short　sticks　alone。　Four　by　four　they　came；　all　holding　their
heads　low；　and　with　black　shields　outstretched；　and　formed　themselves
into　companies　behind　the　Wolf…Brethren；　till　all　were　there。　Then；
after　them；　the　crowd　of　the　Halakazi　slaves　were　driven　in；women；
boys；　and　maids；　a　great　numberand　they　stood　behind　the　ranks
huddled　together　like　frightened　calves。

〃A　gallant　sight；　truly！〃　said　Dingaan；　as　he　looked　upon　the
companies　of　black…plumed　and　shielded　warriors。　〃I　have　no　better
soldiers　in　my　impis；　and　yet　my　eyes　behold　these　for　the　first
time；〃　and　again　he　frowned。

Now　suddenly　Umslopogaas　lifted　his　axe　and　started　forward　at　full
speed；　and　after　him　thundered　the　companies。　On　they　rushed；　and
their　plumes　lay　back　upon　the　wind；　till　it　seemed　as　though　they
must　stamp　us　flat。　But　when　he　was　within　ten　paces　of　the　king
Umslopogaas　lifted　Groan…Maker　again；　and　Galazi　held　the　Watcher　on
high；　and　every　man　halted　where　he　was；　while　once　more　the　dust　flew
up　in　clouds。　They　halted　in　long；　unbroken　lines；　with　outstretched
shields　and　heads　held　low；　no　man's　head　rose　more　than　the　length　of
a　dance　kerrie　from　the　earth。　So　they　stood　one　minute；　then；　for　the
third　time；　Umslopogaas　lifted　Groan…Maker；　and　in　an　instant　every
man　straightened　himself；　each　shield　was　tossed　on　high；　and　from
every　throat　was　roared　the　royal　salute；　〃Bayete！〃

〃A　pretty　sight　forsooth；〃　quoth　Dingaan；　〃but　these　soldiers　are　too
well　drilled　who　have　never　done　me　service　nor　the　Black　One　who　was
before　me；　and　this　Slaughterer　is　too　good　a　captain；　I　say。　Come
hither；　ye　twain！〃　he　cried　aloud。

Then　the　Wolf…Brethren　strode　forward　and　stood　before　the　king；　and
for　awhile　they　looked　upon　each　other。



CHAPTER　XXVIII

THE　LILY　IS　BROUGHT　TO　DINGAAN

〃How　are　you　named？〃　said　Dingaan。

〃We　are　named　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer　and　Galazi　the　Wolf；　O　King；〃
answered　Umslopogaas。

〃Was　it　thou　who　didst　send　a　certain　message　to　the　Black　One　who　is
dead；　Bulalio？〃

〃Yea；　O　King；　I　sent　a　message；　but　from　all　I　have　heard；　Masilo；　my
messenger；　gave　more　than　the　message；　for　he　stabbed　the　Black　One。
Masilo　had　an　evil　heart。〃

Now　Dingaan　winced；　for　he　knew　well　that　he　himself　and　one　Mopo　had
stabbed　the　Black　One；　but　he　thought　that　this　outland　chief　had　not
heard　the　tale；　so　he　said　no　more　of　the　message。

〃How　is　it　that　ye　dare　to　come　before　me　armed？　Know　ye　not　the　rule
that　he　who　appears　armed　before　the　king　dies？〃

〃We　have　not　heard　that　law；　O　King；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Moreover；
there　is　this　to　be　told：　my　virtue　of　the　axe　I　bear　I　rule　alone。　If
I　am　seen　without　the　axe；　then　any　man　may　take　my　place　who　can；　for
the　axe　is　chieftainess　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　he　who　holds　it
is　its　servant。〃

〃A　strange　custom；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃but　let　it　pass。　And　thou；　Wolf；
what　hast　thou　to　say　of　that　great　club　of　thine？〃

〃There　is　this　to　be　told　of　the　club；　O　King；〃　answered　Galazi：　〃by
virtue　of　the　club　I　guard　my　life。　If　I　am　seen　without　the　club；
then　may　any　man　take　my　life　who　can；　for　the　club　is　my　Watcher；　not
I　Watcher　of　the　club。〃

〃Never　wast　thou　nearer　to　the　losing　of　both　club　and　life；〃　said
Dingaan；　angrily。

〃It　may　be　so；　O　King；〃　answered　the　Wolf。　〃When　the　hour　is；　then；
without　a　doubt；　the　Watcher　shall　cease　from　his　watching。〃

〃Ye　are　a　strange　p