nada the lily(百合娜达)-第59节

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all　eyes　watched　for　her。

〃Wow！〃　said　the　men　as　she　passed　smiling；　looking　neither　to　the
right　nor　to　the　left；　yet　seeing　all〃Wow！　but　this　flower　is　fair！
Little　wonder　that　the　Halakazi　died　for　her！〃

The　women　looked　also；　but　they　said　nothing　of　the　beauty　of　Nada；
they　scarcely　seemed　to　see　it。

〃That　is　she　for　whose　sake　so　many　of　our　people　lie　unburied；〃　said
one。

〃Where；　then；　does　she　find　her　fine　clothes？〃　quoth　another；　〃she　who
came　here　last　night　a　footsore　wanderer？〃

〃Feathers　are　not　enough　for　her：　look！　she　must　bear　flowers　also。
Surely　they　are　fitter　to　her　hands　than　the　handle　of　a　hoe；〃　said　a
third。

〃Now　I　think　that　the　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　will　find　one　to
worship　above　the　axe；　and　that　some　will　be　left　mourning；〃　put　in　a
fourth；　glancing　at　Zinita　and　the　other　women　of　the　household　of　the
Slaughterer。

Thus　they　spoke；　throwing　words　like　assegais；　and　Nada　heard　them
all；　and　knew　their　meaning；　but　she　never　ceased　from　smiling。　Only
Zinita　said　nothing；　but　stood　looking　at　Nada　from　beneath　her　bent
brows；　while　by　one　hand　she　held　the　little　daughter　of　Umslopogaas；
her　child；　and　with　the　other　played　with　the　beads　about　her　neck。
Presently；　we　passed　her；　and　Nada；　knowing　well　who　this　must　be；
turned　her　eyes　full　upon　the　angry　eyes　of　Zinita；　and　held　them
there　awhile。　Now　what　there　was　in　the　glance　of　Nada　I　cannot　say；
but　I　know　that　Zinita；　who　was　afraid　of　few　things；　found　something
to　fear　in　it。　At　the　least；　it　was　she　who　turned　her　head　away；　and
the　Lily　passed　on　smiling；　and　greeted　Umslopogaas　with　a　little　nod。

〃Hail；　Nada！〃　said　the　Slaughterer。　Then　he　turned　to　his　headmen　and
spoke：　〃This　is　she　whom　we　went　to　the　caves　of　the　Halakazi　to　seek
for　Dingaan。　Ou！　the　story　is　known　now；　one　told　it　up　at　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu　who　shall　tell　it　no　more。　She　prayed　me　to　save　her
from　Dingaan；　and　so　I　did；　and　all　would　have　gone　well　had　it　not
been　for　a　certain　traitor　who　is　done　with；　for　I　took　another　to
Dingaan。　Look　on　her　now；　my　friends；　and　say　if　I　did　not　well　to　win
herthe　Lily　flower；　such　as　there　is　no　other　in　the　world；　to　be
the　joy　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　a　wife　to　me。〃

With　one　accord　the　headmen　answered：　〃Indeed　you　did　well；
Slaughterer；〃　for　the　glamour　of　Nada　was　upon　them　and　they　would
cherish　her　as　others　had　cherished　her。　Only　Galazi　the　Wolf　shook
his　head。　But　he　said　nothing；　for　words　do　not　avail　against　fate。
Now　as　I　found　afterwards；　since　Zinita；　the　head　wife　of　Umslopogaas；
had　learned　of　what　stock　he　was；　she　had　known　that　Nada　was　no
sister　to　him。　Yet　when　she　heard　him　declare　that　he　was　about　to
take　the　Lily　to　wife　she　turned　upon　him；　saying：

〃How　can　this　be；　Lord？〃

〃Why　do　you　ask；　Zinita？〃　he　answered。　〃Is　it　not　allowed　to　a　man　to
take　another　wife　if　he　will？〃

〃Surely；　Lord；〃　she　said；　〃but　men　do　not　wed　their　sisters；　and　I
have　heard　that　it　was　because　this　Nada　was　your　sister　that　you
saved　her　from　Dingaan；　and　brought　the　wrath　of　Dingaan　upon　the
People　of　the　Axe；　the　wrath　that　shall　destroy　them。〃

〃So　I　thought　then；　Zinita；〃　he　answered；　〃now　I　know　otherwise。　Nada
is　daughter　to　Mopo　yonder　indeed；　but　he　is　no　father　to　me；　though
he　has　been　named　so；　nor　was　the　mother　of　Nada　my　mother。　That　is
so；　Councillors。〃

Then　Zinita　looked　at　me　and　muttered；　〃O　fool　of　a　Mouth；　not　for
nothing　did　I　fear　evil　at　your　hands。〃

I　heard　the　words　and　took　no　note；　and　she　poke　again　to　Umslopogaas；
saying：　〃Here　is　a　mystery；　O　Lord　Bulalio。　Will　it　then　please　you　to
declare　to　us　who　is　your　father？〃

〃I　have　no　father；〃　he　answered；　waxing　wroth；　〃the　heavens　above　are
my　father。　I　am　born　of　Blood　and　Fire；　and　she；　the　Lily；　is　born　of
Beauty　to　be　my　mate。　Now；　woman；　be　silent。〃　He　thought　awhile；　and
added；　〃Nay；　if　you　will　know；　my　father　was　Indabazimbi　the　Witch…
finder；　the　smeller…out　of　the　king；　the　son　of　Arpi。〃　This
Umslopogaas　said　at　a　hazard；　since；　having　denied　me；　he　must　declare
a　father；　and　dared　not　name　the　Black　One　who　was　gone。　But　in　after
years　the　saying　was　taken　up　in　the　land；　and　it　was　told　that
Umslopogaas　was　the　son　of　Indabazimbi　the　Witch…finder；　who　had　long
ago　fled　the　land；　nor　did　he　deny　it。　For　when　all　this　game　had　been
played　out　he　would　not　have　it　known　that　he　was　the　son　of　Chaka；　he
who　no　longer　sought　to　be　a　king；　lest　he　should　bring　down　the　wrath
of　Panda　upon　him。

When　the　people　heard　this　they　thought　that　Umslopogaas　mocked
Zinita；　and　yet　in　his　anger　he　spoke　truth　when　he　said　first　that　he
was　born　of　the　〃heavens　above；〃　for　so　we　Zulus　name　the　king；　and　so
the　witch…doctor　Indabazimbi　named　Chaka　on　the　day　of　the　great
smelling　out。　But　they　did　not　take　it　in　this　sense。　They　held　that
he　spoke　truly　when　he　gave　it　out　that　he　was　born　of　Indabazimbi　the
Witch…doctor；　who　had　fled　the　land；　whither　I　do　not　know。

Then　Nada　turned　to　Zinita　and　spoke　to　her　in　a　sweet　and　gentle
voice：　〃If　I　am　not　sister　to　Bulalio；　yet　I　shall　soon　be　sister　to
you　who　are　the　Chief's　Inkosikaas；　Zinita。　Shall　that　not　satisfy
you；　and　will　you　not　greet　me　kindly　and　with　a　kiss　of　peace；　who
have　come　from　far　to　be　your　sister；　Zinita？〃　and　Nada　held　out　her
hands　towards　her；　though　whether　she　did　this　from　the　heart　or
because　she　would　put　herself　in　the　right　before　the　people　I　do　not
know。　But　Zinita　scowled；　and　jerked　at　her　necklace　of　beads；
breaking　the　string　on　which　they　were　threaded；　so　that　the　beads
rolled　upon　the　black　earthen　floor　this　way　and　that。

〃Keep　your　kisses　for　our　lord；　girl；〃　Zinita　said　roughly。　〃As　my
beads　are　scattered　so　shall　you　scatter　this　People　of　the　Axe。〃

Now　Nada　turned　away　with　a　little　sigh；　and　the　people　murmured；　for
they　thought　that　Zinita　had　treated　her　badly。　Then　she　stretched　out
her　hand　again；　and　gave　the　lily　in　it　to　Umslopogaas；　saying：

〃Here　is　a　token　of　our　betrothal；　Lord；　for　never　a　head　of　cattle
have　my　father　and　I　to　sendwe　who　are　outcasts；　and；　indeed；　the
bridegroom　must　pay　the　cattle。　May　I　bring　you　peace　and　love；　my
Lord！〃

Umslopogaas　took　the　flower；　and　looked　somewhat　foolish　with　ithe
who　was　wont　to　carry　the　axe；　and　not　a　flower；　and　so　that　talk　was
ended。

Now　as　it　chanced；　this　was　that　day　of　the　year　when；　according　to
ancient　custom；　the　Holder　of　the　Axe　must　challenge　all　and　sundry　to
come　up　against　him　to　fight　in　single　combat　for　Groan…Maker　and　the
chieftainship　of　the　people。　Therefore；　when　the　talk　was　done；
Umslopogaas　rose　and　went　through　the　challenge；　not　thinking　that　any
would　answer　him；　since　for　some　years　none　had　dared　to　stand　before
his　might。　Yet　three　men　stepped　forward；　and　of　these　two　were
captains；　and　men　whom　the　Slaughterer　loved。　With　all　the　people；　he
looked　at　them　astonished。

〃How　is　this？〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　to　that　captain　who　was　nearest
and　who　would　do　battle　with　him。

For　answer　the　man　pointed　to　the　Lily；　who　stood　by。　Then　Umslopogaas
understood　that　because　of　the　medicine　of　Nada's　beauty　all　men
desired　to　win　her；　and；　since　he　who　could　win　the　axe　would　take　her
also；　he　must　look　to　fight　with　many。　Well；　fight　he　must　or　be
shamed。

Of　the　fray　there　is　little　to　tell。　Umslopogaas　killed　first　one　man
and　then　the　other；　and　swiftly；　for；　growing　fearful；　the　third　did
not　come　up　against　him。

〃Ah！〃　said　Galazi；　who　watched；　〃what　did　I　tell　you；　Mopo？　The　curse
begins　to　work。　Death　walks　ever　with　that　daughter　of　yours；　old
man。〃

〃I　fear　so；〃　I　answered；　〃and　yet　the　maiden　is　fair　and　good　and
sweet。〃

〃That　will　not　mend　matters；〃　said　Galazi。

Now　on　that　day　Umslopogaas　took　Nada　the　Lily　to　wife；　and　for　awhile
there　was　peace　and　quiet。　But　this　evil　thing　came　upon　Umslopogaas；
that；　from　the　day　when　he　wedded　Nada；　he　hated　even　to　look　upon
Zinita；　and　not　at　her　alone；　but　on　all　his　other　wives　also。　Galazi
said　it　was　because　Nada　had　bewitched　him；　but　I　know　well　that　the
only　witcheries　she　used　were　the　medicine　of　her　eyes；　her　beauty；
and　her　love。　Still；　it　came　to　pass　that　henceforward；　and　until　she
had　long　been　dead；　the　Slaughterer　loved　her；　and　her　alone；　and　that
is　a　strange　sickness　to　come　upon　a　man。

As　may　be　guessed；　my　father；　Zinita　and　the　other　women　took　this
ill。　They　waited　awhile；　indeed；　thinking　that　it　would　wear　away；
then　they　began　to　murmur；　both　to　their　husband　and　in　the　ears　of
other　people；　till　at　length　there　were　two　parties　in　the　town；　the
party　of　Zinita　and　the　party　of　Nada。

The　party　of　Zinita　was　made　up　of　women　and　of　certain　men　who　loved
and　feared　their　wives；　but　that　of　Nada　was　the　greatest；　and　it　was
all　of　men；　with　Umslopogaas　at　the　head　of　them；　and　from　this
division　came　much　bitterness　abroad；　and　quarrelling　in　the　huts。　Yet
neither　the　Lily　nor　Umslopogaas　heeded　it　greatly；　nor　indeed；
anything；　so　lost　and　well　content　were　they　in　each　other's　love。

Now　on　a　certain　morning；　after　they　had　been　married　three　full
moons；　Nada　came　from　her　husband's　hut　when　the