nada the lily(百合娜达)-第61节

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〃Hearken；　O　King！〃　she　cried；　〃the　tale　is　not　yet　all　told。　This　man；
Bulalio；　plots　against　thy　throne　with　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　who　was
thy　councillor。〃

〃He　plots　against　my　throne；　woman？　The　lizard　plots　against　the　cliff
on　which　it　suns　itself？　Then　let　him　plot；　and　as　for　Mopo；　I　will
catch　him　yet！〃

〃Yes；　O　King！　but　that　is　not　all　the　tale。　This　man　has　another　name
he　is　named　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo。　But　he　is　no　son　of　Mopo：　he
is　son　to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　the　mighty　king　who　was　thy
brother；　by　Baleka；　sister　to　Mopo。　Yes；　I　know　it　from　the　lips　of
Mopo。　I　know　all　the　tale。　He　is　heir　to　thy　throne　by　blood；　O　King；
and　thou　sittest　in　his　place。〃

For　a　little　while　Dingaan　sat　astounded。　Then　he　commanded　Zinita　to
draw　near　and　tell　him　that　tale。

Now　behind　the　stool　on　which　he　sat　stood　two　councillors；　nobles
whom　Dingaan　loved；　and　these　alone　had　heard　the　last　words　of
Zinita。　He　bade　these　nobles　stand　in　front　of　him；　out　of　earshot　and
away　from　every　other　man。　Then　Zinita　drew　near；　and　told　Dingaan　the
tale　of　the　birth　of　Umslopogaas　and　all　that　followed；　and；　by　many　a
token　and　many　a　deed　of　Chaka's　which　he　remembered；　Dingaan　the　king
knew　that　it　was　a　true　story。

When　at　length　she　had　done；　he　summoned　the　captain　of　the　regiment
that　stood　around：　he　was　a　great　man　named　Faku；　and　he　also　summoned
certain　men　who　do　the　king's　bidding。　To　the　captain　of　the　impi　he
spoke　sharply；　saying：

〃Take　three　companies　and　guides；　and　come　by　night　to　the　town　of　the
People　of　the　Axe；　that　is　by　Ghost　Mountain；　and　burn　it；　and　slay
all　the　wizards　who　sleep　therein。　Most　of　all；　slay　the　Chief　of　the
People；　who　is　named　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer　or　Umslopogaas。　Kill　him
by　torture　if　you　may；　but　kill　him　and　bring　his　head　to　me。　Take
that　wife　of　his；　who　is　known　as　Nada　the　Lily；　alive　if　ye　can；　and
bring　her　to　me；　for　I　would　cause　her　to　be　slain　here。　Bring　the
cattle　also。　Now　go；　and　go　swiftly；　this　hour。　If　ye　return　having
failed　in　one　jot　of　my　command；　ye　die；　every　one　of　youye　die；　and
slowly。　Begone！〃

The　captain　saluted；　and；　running　to　his　regiment；　issued　a　command。
Three　full　companies　leapt　forward　at　his　word；　and　ran　after　him
through　the　gates　of　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；　heading　for　the　Ghost
Mountain。

Then　Dingaan　called　to　those　who　do　the　king's　bidding；　and；　pointing
to　the　two　nobles；　his　councillors；　who　had　heard　the　words　of　Zinita；
commanded　that　they　should　be　killed。

The　nobles　heard；　and；　having　saluted　the　king；　covered　their　faces；
knowing　that　they　must　die　because　they　had　learned　too　much。　So　they
were　killed。　Now　it　was　one　of　these　councillors　who　had　said　that
doubtless　meat　would　soon　be　found　to　feed　the　king's　birds。

Then　the　king　commanded　those　who　do　his　bidding　that　they　should　take
the　children　of　Zinita　and　make　away　with　them。

But　when　Zinita　heard　this　she　cried　aloud；　for　she　loved　her
children。　Then　Dingaan　mocked　her。

〃What？〃　he　said；　〃art　thou　a　fool　as　well　as　wicked？　Thou　sayest　that
thy　husband；　whom　thou　hast　given　to　death；　is　born　of　one　who　is
dead；　and　is　heir　to　my　throne。　Thou　sayest　also　that　these　children
are　born　of　him；　therefore；　when　he　is　dead；　they　will　be　heirs　to　my
throne。　Am　I　then　mad　that　I　should　suffer　them　to　live？　Woman；　thou
hast　fallen　into　thine　own　trap。　Take　them　away！〃

Now　Zinita　tasted　of　the　cup　which　she　had　brewed　for　other　lips；　and
grew　distraught　in　her　misery；　and　wrung　her　hands；　crying　that　she
repented　her　of　the　evil　and　would　warn　Umslopogaas　and　the　Lily　of
that　which　awaited　them。　And　she　turned　to　run　towards　the　gates。　But
the　king　laughed　and　nodded；　and　they　brought　her　back；　and　presently
she　was　dead　also。

Thus；　then；　my　father；　prospered　the　wickedness　of　Zinita；　the　head
wife　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling。

Now　these　were　the　last　slayings　that　were　wrought　at　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu；　for　just　as　Dingaan　had　made　an　end　of　them　and　once
more　grew　weary；　he　lifted　his　eyes　and　saw　the　hillsides　black　with
men；　who　by　their　dress　were　of　his　own　impimen　whom　he　had　sent　out
against　the　Boers。

And　yet　where　was　the　proud　array；　where　the　plumes　and　shields；　where
the　song　of　victory？　Here；　indeed；　were　soldiers；　but　they　walked　in
groups　like　women　and　hung　their　heads　like　chidden　children。

Then　he　learned　the　truth。　The　impi　had　been　defeated　by　the　banks　of
the　Income；　thousands　had　perished　at　the　laager；　mowed　down　by　the
guns　of　the　Boers；　thousands　more　had　been　drowned　in　the　Income；　till
the　waters　were　red　and　the　bodies　of　the　slain　pushed　each　other
under；　and　those　who　still　lived　walked　upon　them。

Dingaan　heard；　and　was　seized　with　fear；　for　it　was　said　that　the
Amaboona　followed　fast　on　the　track　of　the　conquered。

That　day　he　fled　to　the　bush　on　the　Black　Umfolozi　river；　and　that
night　the　sky　was　crimson　with　the　burning　of　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；
where　the　Elephant　should　trumpet　no　more；　and　the　vultures　were
scared　from　the　Hill　of　Slaughter　by　the　roaring　of　the　flames。

*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*

Galazi　sat　on　the　lap　of　the　stone　Witch；　gazing　towards　the　wide
plains　below；　that　were　yet　white　with　the　moon；　though　the　night　grew
towards　the　morning。　Greysnout　whined　at　his　side；　and　Deathgrip
thrust　his　muzzle　into　his　hand；　but　Galazi　took　no　heed；　for　he　was
brooding　on　the　fall　of　Umslopogaas　from　the　man　that　he　had　been　to
the　level　of　a　woman's　slave；　and　on　the　breaking　up　of　the　People　of
the　Axe；　because　of　the　coming　of　Nada。　For　all　the　women　and　the
children　were　gone　to　this　Feast　of　Women；　and　would　not　return　for
long；　and　it　seemed　to　Galazi　that　many　of　the　men　had　slipped　away
also；　as　though　they　smelt　some　danger　from　afar。

〃Ah；　Deathgrip；〃　said　Galazi　aloud　to　the　wild　brute　at　his　side；
〃changed　is　the　Wolf　King　my　brother；　all　changed　because　of　a　woman's
kiss。　Now　he　hunts　no　more；　no　more　shall　Groan…Maker　be　aloft；　it　is
a　woman's　kiss　he　craves；　not　the　touch　of　your　rough　tongue；　it　is　a
woman's　hand　he　holds；　not　the　smooth　haft　of　horn；　he；　who　of　all
men；　was　the　fiercest　and　the　first；　for　this　last　shame　has　overtaken
him。　Surely　Chaka　was　a　great　king　though　an　evil；　and　he　showed　his
greatness　when　he　forbade　marriage　to　the　warriors；　marriage　that
makes　the　heart　soft　and　turns　blood　to　water。〃

Now　Galazi　ceased；　and　gazed　idly　towards　the　kraal　of　the　People　of
the　Axe；　and　as　he　looked　his　eyes　caught　a　gleam　of　light　that　seemed
to　travel　in　and　out　of　the　edge　of　the　shadow　of　Ghost　Mountain　as　a
woman's　needle　travels　through　a　skin；　now　seen　and　now　lost　in　the
skin。

He　started　and　watched。　Ah！　there　the　light　came　out　from　the　shadow。
Now；　by　Chaka's　head；　it　was　the　light　of　spears！

One　moment　more　Galazi　watched。　It　was　a　little　impi；　perhaps　they
numbered　two　hundred　men；　running　silently；　but　not　to　battle；　for
they　wore　no　plumes。　Yet　they　went　out　to　kill；　for　they　ran　in
companies；　and　each　man　carried　assegais　and　a　shield。

Now　Galazi　had　heard　tell　of　such　impis　that　hunt　by　night；　and　he
knew　well　that　these　were　the　king's　dogs；　and　their　game　was　men；　a
big　kraal　of　sleeping　men；　otherwise　there　had　been　fewer　dogs。　Is　a
whole　pack　sent　out　to　catch　an　antelope　on　its　form？　Galazi　wondered
whom　they　sought。　Ah！　now　they　turned　to　the　ford；　and　he　knew。　It　was
his　brother　Umslopogaas　and　Nada　the　Lily　and　the　People　of　the　Axe。
These　were　the　king's　dogs；　and　Zinita　had　let　them　slip。　For　this
reason　she　had　called　a　feast　of　women；　and　taken　the　children　with
her；　for　this　reason　so　many　had　been　summoned　from　the　kraal　by　one
means　or　another：　it　was　that　they　might　escape　the　slaughter。

Galazi　bounded　to　his　feet。　For　one　moment　he　thought。　Might　not　these
hunters　be　hunted？　Could　he　not　destroy　them　by　the　jaws　of　the　wolves
as　once　before　they　had　destroyed　a　certain　impi　of　the　king's？　Ay；　if
he　had　seen　them　but　one　hour　before；　then　scarcely　a　man　of　them
should　have　lived　to　reach　the　stream；　for　he　would　have　waylaid　them
with　his　wolves。　But　now　it　might　not　be；　the　soldiers　neared　the
ford；　and　Galazi　knew　well　that　his　grey　people　would　not　hunt　on　the
further　plain；　though　for　this　he　had　heard　one　reason　only；　that
which　was　given　him　by　the　lips　of　the　dead　in　a　dream。

What；　then；　might　be　done？　One　thing　alone：　warn　Umslopogaas。　Yet　how？
For　him　who　could　swim　a　rushing　river；　there　was；　indeed；　a　swifter
way　to　the　place　of　the　People　of　the　Axea　way　that　was　to　the　path
of　the　impi　as　is　the　bow…string　to　the　strung　bow。　And　yet　they　had
travelled　well…nigh　half　the　length　of　the　bow。　Still；　he　might　do　it；
he　whose　feet　were　the　swiftest　in　the　land；　except　those　of
Umslopogaas。　At　the　least；　he　would　try。　Mayhap；　the　impi　would　tarry
to　drink　at　the　ford。

So　Galazi　thought　in　his　heart；　and　his　thought　was　swift　as　the
light。　Then　with　a　bound　he　was　away　down　the　mountain　side。　From
boulder　to　boulder　he　leapt　like　a　buck；　he　crashed　through　the　brake
like　a　bull；　he　skimmed　the　level　like　a　swallow。　The　mountain　was
travelled　now；　there　in　front　of　him　lay　the　yellow　rive