nada the lily(百合娜达)-第6节

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He　struck　at　me　with　his　stick；　but　I　caught　the　blow　upon　my　little
shield；　and　hit　back。　Wow！　I　did　hit！　The　skull　of　Noma　met　my　kerrie；
and　down　he　fell　dead　at　my　feet。　I　yelled　again；　and　rushed　on　at　the
headman。　He　threw　an　assegai；　but　it　missed　me；　and　next　second　I　hit
him　too。　He　got　up　his　shield；　but　I　knocked　it　down　upon　his　head；
and　over　he　rolled　senseless。　Whether　he　lived　or　died　I　do　not　know；
my　father；　but　his　head　being　of　the　thickest；　I　think　it　likely　that
he　lived。　Then；　while　the　people　stood　astonished；　I　turned　and　fled
like　the　wind。　They　turned　too；　and　ran　after　me；　throwing　spears　at
me　and　trying　to　cut　me　off。　But　none　of　them　could　catch　meno；　not
one。　I　went　like　the　wind；　I　went　like　a　buck　when　the　dogs　wake　it
from　sleep；　and　presently　the　sound　of　their　chase　grew　fainter　and
fainter；　till　at　last　I　was　out　of　sight　and　alone。



CHAPTER　III

MOPO　VENTURES　HOME

I　threw　myself　down　on　the　grass　and　panted　till　my　breath　came　back；
then　I　went　and　hid　in　a　patch　of　reeds　down　by　a　swamp。　All　day　long
I　lay　there　thinking。　What　was　I　to　do？　Now　I　was　a　jackal　without　a
hole。　If　I　went　back　to　my　people；　certainly　they　would　kill　me；　whom
they　thought　a　thief。　My　blood　would　be　given　for　Noma's；　and　that　I
did　not　wish；　though　my　heart　was　sad。　Then　there　came　into　my　mind
the　thought　of　Chaka；　the　boy　to　whom　I　had　given　the　cup　of　water
long　ago。　I　had　heard　of　him：　his　name　was　known　in　the　land；　already
the　air　was　big　with　it；　the　very　trees　and　grass　spoke　it。　The　words
he　had　said　and　the　vision　that　my　mother　had　seen　were　beginning　to
come　true。　By　the　help　of　the　Umtetwas　he　had　taken　the　place　of　his
father　Senzangacona；　he　had　driven　out　the　tribe　of　the　Amaquabe；　now
he　made　war　on　Zweete；　chief　of　the　Endwande；　and　he　had　sworn　that　he
would　stamp　the　Endwande　flat；　so　that　nobody　could　find　them　any
more。　Now　I　remembered　how　this　Chaka　promised　that　he　would　make　me
great；　and　that　I　should　grow　fat　in　his　shadow；　and　I　thought　to
myself　that　I　would　arise　and　go　to　him。　Perhaps　he　would　kill　me；
well；　what　did　it　matter？　Certainly　I　should　be　killed　if　I　stayed
ehre。　Yes；　I　would　go。　But　now　my　heart　pulled　another　way。　There　was
but　one　whom　I　loved　in　the　worldit　was　my　sister　Baleka。　My　father
had　betrothed　her　to　the　chief　of　a　neighbouring　tribe；　but　I　knew
that　this　marriage　was　against　her　wish。　Perhaps　my　sister　would　run
away　with　me　if　I　could　get　near　her　to　tell　her　that　I　was　going。　I
would　tryyes；　I　would　try。

I　waited　till　the　darkness　came　down；　then　I　rose　from　my　bed　of　weeds
and　crept　like　a　jackal　towards　the　kraal。　In　the　mealie　gardens　I

stopped　awhile；　for　I　was　very　hungry；　and　filled　myself　with　the
half…ripe　mealies。　Then　I　went　on　till　I　came　to　the　kraal。　Some　of　my
people　were　seated　outside　of　a　hut；　talking　together　over　a　fire。　I
crept　near；　silently　as　a　snake；　and　hid　behind　a　little　bush。　I　knew
that　they　could　not　see　me　outside　the　ring　of　the　firelight；　and　I
wanted　to　hear　what　they　said。　As　I　guessed；　they　were　talking　of　me
and　called　me　many　names。　They　said　that　I　should　bring　ill…luck　on
the　tribe　by　having　killed　so　great　a　witch…doctor　as　Noma；　also　that
the　people　of　the　headman　would　demand　payment　for　the　assault　on　him。
I　learned；　moreover；　that　my　father　had　ordered　out　all　the　men　of　the
tribe　to　hunt　for　me　on　the　morrow　and　to　kill　me　wherever　they　found
me。　〃Ah！〃　I　thought；　〃you　may　hunt；　but　you　will　bring　nothing　home　to
the　pot。〃　Just　then　a　dog　that　was　lying　by　the　fire　got　up　and　began
to　sniff　the　air。　I　could　not　see　what　dog　it　wasindeed；　I　had
forgotten　all　about　the　dogs　when　I　drew　near　the　kraal；　that　is　what
comes　of　want　of　experience；　my　father。　The　dog　sniffed　and　sniffed；
then　he　began　to　growl；　looking　always　my　way；　and　I　grew　afraid。

〃What　is　the　dog　growling　at？〃　said　one　man　to　another。　〃Go　and　see。〃
But　the　other　man　was　taking　snuff　and　did　not　like　to　move。　〃Let　the
dog　go　and　see　for　himself；〃　he　answered；　sneezing；　〃what　is　the　good
of　keeping　a　dog　if　you　have　to　catch　the　thief？〃

〃Go　on；　then；〃　said　the　first　man　to　the　dog。　And　he　ran　forward；
barking。　Then　I　saw　him：　it　was　my　own　dog；　Koos；　a　very　good　dog。
Presently；　as　I　lay　not　knowing　what　to　do；　he　smelt　my　smell；　stopped
barking；　and　running　round　the　bush　he　found　me　and　began　to　lick　my
face。　〃Be　quiet；　Koos！〃　I　whispered　to　him。　And　he　lay　down　by　my
side。

〃Where　has　that　dog　gone　now？〃　said　the　first　man。　〃Is　he　bewitched；
that　he　stops　barking　suddenly　and　does　not　come　back？〃

〃We　will　see；〃　said　the　other；　rising；　a　spear　in　his　hand。

Now　once　more　I　was　terribly　afraid；　for　I　thought　that　they　would
catch　me；　or　I　must　run　for　my　life　again。　But　as　I　sprang　up　to　run；
a　big　black　snake　glided　between　the　men　and　went　off　towards　the
huts。　They　jumped　aside　in　a　great　fright；　then　all　of　them　turned　to
follow　the　snake；　saying　that　this　was　what　the　dog　was　barking　at。
That　was　my　good　Ehlose；　my　father；　which　without　any　doubt　took　the
shape　of　a　snake　to　save　my　life。

When　they　had　gone　I　crept　off　the　other　way；　and　Koos　followed　me。　At
first　I　thought　that　I　would　kill　him；　lest　he　should　betray　me；　but
when　I　called　to　him　to　knock　him　on　the　head　with　my　kerrie；　he　sat
down　upon　the　ground　wagging　his　tail；　and　seemed　to　smile　in　my　face；
and　I　could　not　do　it。　So　I　thought　that　I　would　take　my　chance；　and
we　went　on　together。　This　was　my　purpose：　first　to　creep　into　my　own
hut　and　get　my　assegais　and　a　skin　blanket；　then　to　gain　speech　with
Baleka。　My　hut；　I　thought；　would　be　empty；　for　nobody　sleeps　there
except　myself；　and　the　huts　of　Noma　were　some　paces　away　to　the　right。
I　came　to　the　reed　fence　that　surrounded　the　huts。　Nobody　was　to　be
seen　at　the　gate；　which　was　not　shut　with　thorns　as　usual。　It　was　my
duty　to　close　it；　and　I　had　not　been　there　to　do　so。　Then；　bidding　the
dog　lie　down　outside；　I　stepped　through　boldly；　reached　the　door　of　my
hut；　and　listened。　It　was　empty；　there　was　not　even　a　breath　to　be
heard。　So　I　crept　in　and　began　to　search　for　my　assegais；　my　water…
gourd；　and　my　wood　pillow；　which　was　so　nicely　carved　that　I　did　not
like　to　leave　it。　Soon　I　found　them。　Then　I　felt　about　for　my　skin
rug；　and　as　I　did　so　my　hand　touched　something　cold。　I　started；　and
felt　again。　It　was　a　man's　facethe　face　of　a　dead　man；　of　Noma；　whom
I　had　killed　and　who　had　been　laid　in　my　hut　to　await　burial。　Oh！　then
I　was　frightened；　for　Noma　dead　and　in　the　dark　was　worse　than　Noma
alive。　I　made　ready　to　fly；　when　suddenly　I　heard　the　voices　of　women
talking　outside　the　door　of　the　hut。　I　knew　the　voices；　they　were
those　of　Noma's　two　wives；　and　one　of　them　said　she　was　coming　in　to
watch　by　her　husband's　body。　Now　I　was　in　a　trap　indeed；　for　before　I
could　do　anything　I　saw　the　light　go　out　of　a　hole　in　the　hut；　and
knew　by　the　sound　of　a　fat　woman　puffing　as　she　bent　herself　up　that
Noma's　first　wife　was　coming　through　it。　Presently　she　was　in；　and；
squatting　by　the　side　of　the　corpse　in　such　a　fashion　that　I　could　not
get　to　the　door；　she　began　to　make　lamentations　and　to　cal　down　curses
on　me。　Ah！　she　did　not　know　that　I　was　listening。　I　too　squatted　by
Noma's　head；　and　grew　quick…witted　in　my　fear。　Now　that　the　woman　was
there　I　was　not　so　much　afraid　of　the　dead　man；　and　I　remembered；　too；
that　he　had　been　a　great　cheat；　so　I　thought　I　would　make　him　cheat
for　the　last　time。　I　placed　my　hands　beneath　his　shoulders　and　pushed
him　up　so　that　he　sat　upon　the　ground。　The　woman　heard　the　noise　and
made　a　sound　in　her　throat。

〃Will　you　not　be　quiet；　you　old　hag？〃　I　said　in　Noma's　voice。　〃Can　you
not　let　me　be　at　peace；　even　now　when　I　am　dead？〃

She　heard；　and；　falling　backwards　in　fear；　drew　in　her　breath　to
shriek　aloud。

〃What！　will　you　also　dare　to　shriek？〃　I　said　again　in　Noma's　voice；
〃then　I　must　teach　you　silence。〃　And　I　tumbled　him　over　on　to　the　top
of　her。

Then　her　senses　left　her；　and　whether　she　ever　found　them　again　I　do
not　know。　At　least　she　grew　quiet　for　that　time。　For　me；　I　snatched　up
the　rugafterwards　I　found　it　was　Noma's　best　kaross；　made　by　Basutos
of　chosen　cat…skins；　and　worth　three　oxenand　I　fled；　followed　by
Koos。

Now　the　kraal　of　the　chief；　my　father；　Makedama；　was　two　hundred　paces
away；　and　I　must　go　thither；　for　there　Baleka　slept。　Also　I　dared　not
enter　by　the　gate；　because　a　man　was　always　on　guard　there。　So　I　cut
my　way　through　the　reed　fence　with　my　assegai　and　crept　to　the　hut
where　Baleka　was　with　some　of　her　half…sisters。　I　knew　on　which　side
of　the　hut　it　was　her　custom　to　lie；　and　where　her　head　would　be。　So　I
lay　down　on　my　side　and　gently；　very　gently；　began　to　bore　a　hole　in
the　grass　covering　of　the　hut。　It　took　a　long　while；　for　the　thatch
was　thick；　but　at　last　I　was　nearly　through　it。　Then　I　stopped；　for　it
came　into　my　mind　that　Baleka　might　have　changed　her　place；　and　that　I
might　wake　the　wrong　girl。　I　almost　gave　it　over；　thinking　that　I
would　fly　alone；　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　girl　wake　and　begin　to　cry　on
the　other　side　of　the　thatch。　〃Ah；〃　I　thought；　〃that　is　Baleka；　who
weeps　for　her　brother！〃　So　I　put