nada the lily(百合娜达)-第67节

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for　you；　and　so　ordered　things　that　victory　is　yours。　Now　grant　us
this　request；　that　we　may　follow　Dingaan；　who　has　fled　into　hiding；
and　kill　him　wherever　we　find　him；　for　he　has　worked　us　wrong；　and　we
would　avenge　it。〃

Then　the　white　captain　and　Panda　smiled　and　said；　〃Go　children；　and
prosper　in　your　search。　No　one　thing　shall　please　us　more　than　to　know
that　Dingaan　is　dead。〃　And　they　gave　us　men　to　go　with　us。

Then　we　hunted　that　king　week　by　week　as　men　hunt　a　wounded　buffalo。
We　hunted　him　to　the　jungles　of　the　Umfalozi　and　through　them。　But　he
fled　ever；　for　he　knew　that　the　avengers　of　blood　were　on　his　spoor。
After　that　for　awhile　we　lost　him。　Then　we　heard　that　he　had　crossed
the　Pongolo　with　some　of　the　people　who　still　clung　to　him。　We
followed　him　to　the　place　Kwa　Myawo；　and　there　we　lay　hid　in　the　bush
watching。　At　last　our　chance　came。　Dingaan　walked　in　the　bush　and　with
him　two　men　only。　We　stabbed　the　men　and　seized　him。

Dingaan　looked　at　us　and　knew　us；　and　his　knees　trembled　with　fear。
Then　I　spoke：

〃What　was　that　message　which　I　sent　thee；　O　Dingaan；　who　art　no　more　a
kingthat　thou　didst　evil　to　drive　me　away；　was　it　not？　because　I　set
thee　on　thy　throne　and　I　alone　could　hold　thee　there？〃

He　made　no　answer；　and　I　went　on：

〃I；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　set　thee　on　thy　throne；　O　Dingaan；　who　wast
a　king；　and　I；　Mopo；　have　pulled　thee　down　from　thy　throne。　But　my
message　did　not　end　there。　It　said　that；　ill　as　thou　hadst　done　to
drive　me　away；　yet　worse　shouldst　thou　do　to　look　upon　my　face　again；
for　that　day　should　be　thy　day　of　doom。〃

Still　he　made　no　answer。　Then　Umslopogaas　spoke：

〃I　am　that　Slaughterer；　O　Dingaan；　no　more　a　king；　whom　thou　didst
send　Slayers　many　and　fierce　to　eat　up　at　the　kraal　of　the　People　of
the　Axe。　Where　are　thy　Slayers　now；　O　Dingaan？　Before　all　is　done　thou
shalt　look　upon　them。〃

〃Kill　me　and　make　an　end；　it　is　your　hour；〃　said　Dingaan。

〃Not　yet　awhile；　O　son　of　Senzangacona；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃and
not　here。　There　lived　a　certain　woman　and　she　was　named　Nada　the　Lily。
I　was　her　husband；　O　Dingaan；　and　Mopo　here；　he　was　her　father。　But；
alas！　she　died；　and　sadlyshe　lingered　three　days　and　nights　before
she　died。　Thou　shalt　see　the　spot　and　hear　the　tale；　O　Dingaan。　It
will　wring　thy　heart；　which　was　ever　tender。　There　lived　certain
children；　born　of　another　woman　named　Zinita；　little　children；　sweet
and　loving。　I　was　their　father；　O　Elephant　in　a　pit；　and　one　Dingaan
slew　them。　Of　them　thou　shalt　hear　also。　Now　away；　for　the　path　is
far！〃

Two　days　went　by；　my　father；　and　Dingaan　sat　bound　and　alone　in　the
cave　on　Ghost　Mountain。　We　had　dragged　him　slowly　up　the　mountain；　for
he　was　heavy　as　an　ox。　Three　men　pushing　at　him　and　three　others
pulling　on　a　cord　about　his　middle；　we　dragged　him　up；　staying　now　and
again　to　show　him　the　bones　of　those　whom　he　had　sent　out　to　kill　us；
and　telling　him　the　tale　of　that　fight。

Now　at　length　we　were　in　the　cave；　and　I　sent　away　those　who　were　with
us；　for　we　wished　to　be　alone　with　Dingaan　at　the　last。　He　sat　down　on
the　floor　of　the　cave；　and　I　told　him　that　beneath　the　earth　on　which
he　sat　lay　the　bones　of　that　Nada　whom　he　had　murdered　and　the　bones
of　Galazi　the　Wolf。

On　the　third　day　before　the　dawn　we　came　again　and　looked　upon　him。

〃Slay　me；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　Ghosts　torment　me！〃

〃No　longer　art　thou　great；　O　shadow　of　a　king；〃　I　said；　〃who　now　dost
tremble　before　two　Ghosts　out　of　all　the　thousands　that　thou　hast
made。　Say；　then；　how　shall　it　fare　with　thee　presently　when　thou　art
of　their　number？〃

Now　Dingaan　prayed　for　mercy。

〃Mercy；　thou　hyena！〃　I　answered；　〃thou　prayest　for　mercy　who　showed
none　to　any！　Give　me　back　my　daughter。　Give　this　man　back　his　wife　and
children；　then　we　will　talk　of　mercy。　Come　forth；　coward；　and　die　the
death　of　cowards。〃

So；　my　father；　we　dragged　him　out；　groaning；　to　the　cleft　that　is
above　in　the　breast　of　the　old　Stone　Witch；　that　same　cleft　where
Galazi　had　found　the　bones。　There　we　stood；　waiting　for　the　moment　of
the　dawn；　that　hour　when　Nada　had　died。　Then　we　cried　her　name　into
his　ears　and　the　names　of　the　children　of　Umslopogaas；　and　cast　him
into　the　cleft。

This　was　the　end　of　Dingaan；　my　fatherDingaan；　who　had　the　fierce
heart　of　Chaka　without　its　greatness。



CHAPTER　XXXVI

MOPO　ENDS　HIS　TALE

That　is　the　tale　of　Nada　the　Lily；　my　father；　and　of　how　we　avenged
her。　A　sad　taleyes；　a　sad　tale；　but　all　was　sad　in　those　days。　It
was　otherwise　afterwards；　when　Panda　reigned；　for　Panda　was　a　man　of
peace。

There　is　little　more　to　tell。　I　left　the　land　where　I　could　stay　no
longer　who　had　brought　about　the　deaths　of　two　kings；　and　came　here　to
Natal　to　live　near　where　the　kraal　Duguza　once　had　stood。

The　bones　of　Dingaan　as　they　lay　in　the　cleft　were　the　last　things　my
eyes　beheld；　for　after　that　I　became　blind；　and　saw　the　sun　no　more；
nor　any　lightwhy　I　do　not　know；　perhaps　from　too　much　weeping；　my
father。　So　I　changed　my　name；　lest　a　spear　might　reach　the　heart　that
had　planned　the　death　of　two　kings　and　a　princeChaka；　Dingaan；　and
Umhlangana　of　the　blood　royal。　Silently　and　by　night　Umslopogaas；　my
fosterling；　led　me　across　the　border；　and　brought　me　here　to　Stanger；
and　here　as　an　old　witch…doctor　I　have　lived　for　many；　many　years。　I
am　rich。　Umslopogaas　craved　back　from　Panda　the　cattle　of　which
Dingaan　had　robbed　me；　and　drove　them　hither。　But　none　were　here　who
had　lived　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　none　knew；　in　Zweete　the　blind　old
witch…doctor；　that　Mopo　who　stabbed　Chaka；　the　Lion　of　the　Zulu。　None
know　it　now。　You　have　heard　the　tale；　and　you　alone；　my　father。　Do　not
tell　it　again　till　I　am　dead。

Umslopogaas？　Yes；　he　went　back　to　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　ruled
them；　but　they　were　never　so　strong　again　as　they　had　been　before　they
smote　the　Halakazi　in　their　caves；　and　Dingaan　ate　them　up。　Panda　let
him　be　and　liked　him　well；　for　Panda　did　not　know　that　the　Slaughterer
was　son　to　Chaka　his　brother；　and　Umslopogaas　let　that　dog　lie；　for
when　Nada　died　he　lost　his　desire　to　be　great。　Yet　he　became　captain
of　the　Nkomabakosi　regiment；　and　fought　in　many　battles；　doing　mighty
deeds；　and　stood　by　Umbulazi；　son　of　Panda；　in　the　great　fray　on　the
Tugela；　when　Cetywayo　slew　his　brother　Umbulazi。

After　that　also　he　plotted　against　Cetywayo；　whom　he　hated；　and　had　it
not　been　for　a　certain　white　man；　a　hunter　named　Macumazahn；
Umslopogaas　would　have　been　killed。　But　the　white　man　saved　him　by　his
wit。　Yes；　and　at　times　he　came　to　visit　me；　for　he　still　loved　me　as
of　old；　but　now　he　has　fled　north；　and　I　shall　hear　his　voice　no　more。
Nay；　I　do　not　know　all　the　tale；　there　was　a　woman　in　it。　Women　were
ever　the　bane　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fostering。　I　forget　the　story　of　that
woman；　for　I　remember　only　these　things　that　happened　long　ago；　before
I　grew　very　old。

Look　on　this　right　hand　of　mine；　my　father！　I　cannot　see　it　now；　and
yet　I；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　seem　to　see　it　as　once　I　saw；　red　with
the　blood　of　two　kings。　Look　on

Suddenly　the　old　man　ceased；　his　head　fell　forward　upon　his　withered
breast。　When　the　White　Man　to　whom　he　told　this　story　lifted　it　and
looked　at　him；　he　was　dead！





End