nada the lily(百合娜达)-第7节

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the　other　side　of　the　thatch。　〃Ah；〃　I　thought；　〃that　is　Baleka；　who
weeps　for　her　brother！〃　So　I　put　my　lips　where　the　thatch　was　thinnest
and　whispered：

〃Baleka；　my　sister！　Baleka；　do　not　weep！　I；　Mopo；　am　here。　Say　not　a
word；　but　rise。　Come　out　of　the　hut；　bringing　your　skin　blanket。

Now　Baleka　was　very　clever：　she　did　not　shriek；　as　most　girls　would
have　done。　No；　she　understood；　and；　after　waiting　awhile；　she　rose　and
crept　from　the　hut；　her　blanket　in　her　hand。

〃Why　are　you　here；　Mopo？〃　she　whispered；　as　we　met。　〃Surely　you　will
be　killed！〃

〃Hush！〃　I　said。　And　then　I　told　her　of　the　plan　which　I　had　made。
〃Will　you　come　with　me？〃　I　said；　when　I　had　done；　〃or　will　you　creep
back　into　the　hut　and　bid　me　farewell？〃

She　thought　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃No；　my　brother；　I　will　come；　for　I
love　you　alone　among　our　people；　though　I　believe　that　this　will　be
the　end　of　itthat　you　will　lead　me　to　my　death。〃

I　did　not　think　much　of　her　words　at　the　time；　but　afterwards　they
came　back　to　me。　So　we　slipped　away　together；　followed　by　the　dog
Koos；　and　soon　we　were　running　over　the　veldt　with　our　faces　set
towards　the　country　of　the　Zulu　tribe。



CHAPTER　IV

THE　FLIGHT　OF　MOPO　AND　BALEKA

All　the　rest　of　that　night　we　journeyed；　till　even　the　dog　was　tired。
Then　we　hid　in　a　mealie　field　for　the　day；　as　we　were　afraid　of　being
seen。　Towards　the　afternoon　we　heard　voices；　and；　looking　through　the
stems　of　the　mealies；　we　saw　a　party　of　my　father's　men　pass　searching
for　us。　They　went　on　to　a　neighbouring　kraal　to　ask　if　we　had　been
seen；　and　after　that　we　saw　them　no　more　for　awhile。　At　night　we
travelled　again；　but；　as　fate　would　have　it；　we　were　met　by　an　old
woman；　who　looked　oddly　at　us　but　said　nothing。　After　that　we　pushed
on　day　and　night；　for　we　knew　that　the　old　woman　would　tell　the
pursuers　if　she　met　them；　and　so　indeed　it　came　about。　On　the　third
evening　we　reached　some　mealie　gardens；　and　saw　that　they　had　been
trampled　down。　Among　the　broken　mealies　we　found　the　body　of　a　very
old　man；　as　full　of　assegai　wounds　as　a　porcupine　with　quills。　We
wondered　at　this；　and　went　on　a　little　way。　Then　we　saw　that　the　kraal
to　which　the　gardens　belonged　was　burnt　down。　We　crept　up　to　it；　and
ah！　it　was　a　sad　sight　for　us　to　see！　Afterwards　we　became　used　to
such　sights。　All　about　us　lay　the　bodies　of　dead　people；　scores　of
themold　men；　young　men；　women；　children；　little　babies　at　the　breast
there　they　lay　among　the　burnt　huts；　pierced　with　assegai　wounds。
Red　was　the　earth　with　their　blood；　and　red　they　looked　in　the　red
light　of　the　setting　sun。　It　was　as　though　all　the　land　had　been
smeared　with　the　bloody　hand　of　the　Great　Spirit；　of　the　Umkulunkulu。
Baleka　saw　it　and　began　to　cry；　she　was　weary；　poor　girl；　and　we　had
found　little　to　eat；　only　grass　and　green　corn。

〃An　enemy　has　been　here；〃　I　said；　and　as　I　spoke　I　thought　that　I
heard　a　groan　from　the　other　side　of　a　broken　reed　hedge。　I　went　and
looked。　There　lay　a　young　woman：　she　was　badly　wounded；　but　still
alive；　my　father。　A　little　way　from　her　lay　a　man　dead；　and　before　him
several　other　men　of　another　tribe：　he　had　died　fighting。　In　front　of
the　woman　were　the　bodies　of　three　children；　another；　a　little　one；
lay　on　her　body。　I　looked　at　the　woman；　and；　as　I　looked；　she　groaned
again；　opened　her　eyes　and　saw　me；　and　that　I　had　a　spear　in　my　hand。

〃Kill　me　quickly！〃　she　said。　〃Have　you　not　tortured　me　enough？〃

I　said　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　did　not　want　to　kill　her。

〃Then　bring　me　water；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　a　spring　there　behind　the
kraal。〃

I　called　to　Baleka　to　come　to　the　woman；　and　went　with　my　gourd　to　the
spring。　There　were　bodies　in　it；　but　I　dragged　them　out；　and　when　the
water　had　cleared　a　little　I　filled　the　gourd　and　brought　it　back　to
the　woman。　She　drank　deep；　and　her　strength　came　back　a　littlethe
water　gave　her　life。

〃How　did　you　come　to　this？〃　I　asked。

〃It　was　an　impi　of　Chaka；　Chief　of　the　Zulus；　that　ate　us　up；〃　she
answered。　〃They　burst　upon　as　at　dawn　this　morning　while　we　were
asleep　in　our　huts。　Yes；　I　woke　up　to　hear　the　sound　of　killing。　I　was
sleeping　by　my　husband；　with　him　who　lies　there；　and　the　children。　We
all　ran　out。　My　husband　had　a　spear　and　shield。　He　was　a　brave　man。
See！　he　died　bravely：　he　killed　three　of　the　Zulu　devils　before　he
himself　was　dead。　Then　they　caught　me；　and　killed　my　children；　and
stabbed　me　till　they　thought　that　I　was　dead。　Afterwards；　they　went
away。　I　don't　know　why　they　came；　but　I　think　it　was　because　our　chief
would　not　send　men　to　help　Chaka　against　Zweete。〃

She　stopped；　gave　a　great　cry；　and　died。

My　sister　wept　at　the　sight；　and　I　too　was　stirred　by　it。　〃Ah！〃　I
thought　to　myself；　〃the　Great　Spirit　must　be　evil。　If　he　is　not　evil
such　things　would　not　happen。〃　That　is　how　I　thought　then；　my　father；
now　I　think　differently。　I　know　that　we　had　not　found　out　the　path　of
the　Great　Spirit；　that　is　all。　I　was　a　chicken　in　those　days；　my
father；　afterwards　I　got　used　to　such　sights。　They　did　not　stir　me　any
more；　not　one　whit。　But　then　in　the　days　of　Chaka　the　rivers　ran　blood
yes；　we　had　to　look　at　the　water　to　see　if　it　was　clean　before　we
drank。　People　learned　how　to　die　then　and　not　make　a　noise　about　it。
What　does　it　matter？　They　would　have　been　dead　now　anyway。　It　does　not
matter；　nothing　matters；　except　being　born。　That　is　a　mistake；　my
father。

We　stopped　at　the　kraal　that　night；　but　we　could　not　sleep；　for　we
heard　the　Itongo；　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　people；　moving　about　and
calling　to　each　other。　It　was　natural　that　they　should　do　so；　men　were
looking　for　their　wives；　and　mothers　for　their　children。　But　we　were
afraid　that　they　might　be　angry　with　us　for　being　there；　so　we　clung
together　and　trembled　in　each　other's　arms。　Koos　also　trembled；　and
from　time　to　time　he　howled　loudly。　But　they　did　not　seem　to　see　us；
and　towards　morning　their　cries　grew　fainter。

When　the　first　light　came　we　rose　and　picked　our　way　through　the　dead
down　to　the　plain。　Now　we　had　an　easy　road　to　follow　to　Chaka's　kraal；
for　there　was　the　spoor　of　the　impi　and　of　the　cattle　which　they　had
stolen；　and　sometimes　we　came　to　the　body　of　a　warrior　who　had　been
killed　because　his　wounds　prevented　him　from　marching　farther。　But　now
I　was　doubtful　whether　it　was　wise　for　us　to　go　to　Chaka；　for　after
what　we　had　seen　I　grew　afraid　lest　he　should　kill　us。　Still；　we　had
nowhere　to　turn；　so　I　said　that　we　would　walk　along　till　something
happened。　Now　we　grew　faint　with　hunger　and　weariness；　and　Baleka　said
that　we　had　better　sit　down　and　die；　for　then　there　would　be　no　more
trouble。　So　we　sat　down　by　a　spring。　But　I　did　not　wish　to　die　yet；
thought　Baleka　was　right；　and　it　would　have　been　well　to　do　so。　As　we
sat；　the　dog　Koos　went　to　a　bush　that　was　near；　and　presently　I　heard
him　spring　at　something　and　the　sound　of　struggling。　I　ran　to　the　bush
he　had　caught　hold　of　a　duiker　buck；　as　big　as　himself；　that　was
asleep　in　it。　Then　I　drove　my　spear　into　the　buck　and　shouted　for　joy；
for　here　was　food。　When　the　buck　was　dead　I　skinned　him；　and　we　took
bits　of　the　flesh；　washed　them　in　the　water；　and　ate　them；　for　we　had
no　fire　to　cook　them　with。　It　is　not　nice　to　eat　uncooked　flesh；　but
we　were　so　hungry　that　we　did　not　mind；　and　the　good　refreshed　us。
When　we　had　eaten　what　we　could；　we　rose　and　washed　ourselves　at　the
spring；　but；　as　we　washed；　Baleka　looked　up　and　gave　a　cry　of　fear。
For　there；　on　the　crest　of　the　hill；　about　ten　spear…throws　away；　was
a　party　of　six　armed　men；　people　of　my　own　tribechildren　of　my
father　Makedamawho　still　pursued　us　to　take　us　or　kill　us。　They　saw
usthey　raised　a　shout；　and　began　to　run。　We　too　sprang　up　and　ran
ran　like　bucks；　for　fear　had　touched　our　feet。

Now　the　land　lay　thus。　Before　us　the　ground　was　open　and　sloped　down
to　the　banks　of　the　White　Umfolozi；　which　twisted　through　the　plain
like　a　great　and　shining　snake。　On　the　other　side　the　ground　rose
again；　and　we　did　not　know　what　was　beyond；　but　we　thought　that　in
this　direction　lay　the　kraal　of　Chaka。　We　ran　for　the　riverwhere
else　were　we　to　run？　And　after　us　came　the　warriors。　They　gained　on
us；　they　were　strong；　and　they　were　angry　because　they　had　come　so
far。　Run　as　we　would；　still　they　gained。　Now　we　neared　the　banks　of
the　river；　it　was　full　and　wide。　Above　us　the　waters　ran　angrily；
breaking　into　swirls　of　white　where　they　passed　over　sunken　rocks；
below　was　a　rapid；　in　which　none　might　live；　between　the　two　a　deep
pool；　where　the　water　was　quiet　but　the　stream　strong。

〃Ah！　my　brother；　what　shall　we　do？〃　gasped　Baleka。

〃There　is　this　to　choose；〃　I　answered；　〃perish　on　the　spears　of　our
people　or　try　the　river。〃

〃Easier　to　die　by　water　than　on　iron；〃　she　answered。

〃Good！〃　I　said。　〃Now　may　our　snakes　look　towards　us　and　the　spirits　of
our　fathers　be　with　us！　At　the　least　we　can　swim。〃　And　I　led　her　to
the　head　of　the　pool。　We　threw　away　our　blanketseverything　except　an
assegai；　which　I　held　in　my　teethand　we　plunged　in；　wading　as　far　as
we　could。　Now　we　were　up　to　our　breasts；　now　we　had　lost　the　earth　and
were　swimming　towards　the　middle　of　the　river；　the　dog　Koos　leadi