nada the lily-第15节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to be killed； because he carried in his hand a stick of the royal red
wood； which Chaka himself had given him in bygone years。＇1＇
＇1＇ This beautiful wood is known in Natal as 〃red ivory。〃ED。
On the last night before the forming of the Ingomboco； the witch…
doctors； male and female； entered the kraal。 There were a hundred and
a half of them； and they were made hideous and terrible with the white
bones of men； with bladders of fish and of oxen； with fat of wizards；
and with skins of snakes。 They walked in silence till they came in
front of the Intunkulu； the royal house； then they stopped and sang
this song for the king to hear：
We have come； O king； we have come from the caves and the rocks
and the swamps；
To wash in the blood of the slain；
We have gathered our host from the air as vultures are gathered in
war。
When they scent the blood of the slain。
We come not alone； O king： with each Wise One there passes a
ghost；
Who hisses the name of the doomed。
We come not alone； for we are the sons and Indunas of Death；
And he guides our feet to the doomed。
Red rises the moon o'er the plain； red sinks the sun in the west；
Look； wizards； and bid them farewell！
We count you by hundreds； you who cried for a curse on the king。
Ha！ soon shall we bid YOU farewell！
Then they were silent； and went in silence to the place appointed for
them； there to pass the night in mutterings and magic。 But those who
were gathered together shivered with fear when they heard their words；
for they knew well that many a man would be switched with the gnu's
tail before the sun sank once more。 And I； too； trembled； for my heart
was full of fear。 Ah！ my father； those were evil days to live in when
Chaka ruled； and death met us at every turn！ Then no man might call
his life his own； or that of his wife or child； or anything。 All were
the king's； and what war spared that the witch…doctors took。
The morning dawned heavily； and before it was well light the heralds
were out summoning all to the king's Ingomboco。 Men came by hundreds；
carrying short sticks onlyfor to be seen armed was deathand seated
themselves in the great circle before the gates of the royal house。
Oh！ their looks were sad； and they had little stomach for eating that
morning； they who were food for death。 They seated themselves； then
round them on the outside of the circle gathered knots of warriors；
chosen men； great and fierce； armed with kerries only。 These were the
slayers。
When all was ready； the king came out； followed by his indunas and by
me。 As he appeared； wrapped in the kaross of tiger…skins and towering
a head higher than any man there； all the multitudeand it was many
as the game on the hillscast themselves to earth； and from every lip
sharp and sudden went up the royal salute of Bayete。 But Chaka took no
note； his brow was cloudy as a mountain…top。 He cast one glance at the
people and one at the slayers； and wherever his eye fell men turned
grey with fear。 Then he stalked on； and sat himself upon a stool to
the north of the great ring looking toward the open space。
For awhile there was silence； then from the gates of the women's
quarters came a band of maidens arrayed in their beaded dancing…
dresses； and carrying green branches in their hands。 As they came；
they clapped their hands and sang softly：
We are the heralds of the king's feast。 Ai！ Ai！
Vultures shall eat it。 Ah！ Ah！
It is goodit is good to die for the king！
They ceased； and ranged themselves in a body behind us。 Then Chaka
held up his hand； and there was a patter of running feet。 Presently
from behind the royal huts appeared the great company of the Abangoma；
the witch…doctorsmen to the right and women to the left。 In the left
hand of each was the tail of a vilderbeeste； in the right a bundle of
assegais and a little shield。 They were awful to see； and the bones
about them rattled as they ran； the bladders and the snake…skins
floated in the air behind them； their faces shone with the fat of
anointing； their eyes started like the eyes of fishes； and their lips
twitched hungrily as they glared round the death…ring。 Ha！ ha！ little
did those evil children guess who should be the slayers and who should
be the slain before that sun sank！
On they came； like a grey company of the dead。 On they came in silence
broken only by the patter of their feet and the dry rattling of their
bony necklets； till they stood in long ranks before the Black One。
Awhile they stood thus； then suddenly every one of them thrust forward
the little shield in his hand； and with a single voice they cried；
〃Hail； Father！〃
〃Hail； my children！〃 answered Chaka。
〃What seekest thou； Father？〃 they cried again。 〃Blood？〃
〃The blood of the guilty；〃 he answered。
They turned and spoke each to each； the company of the men spoke to
the company of the women。
〃The Lion of the Zulu seeks blood。〃
〃He shall be fed！〃 screamed the women。
〃The Lion of the Zulu smells blood。〃
〃He shall see it！〃 screamed the women。
〃His eyes search out the wizards。〃
〃He shall count their dead！〃 screamed the women。
〃Peace！〃 cried Chaka。 〃Waste not the hours in talk； but to the work。
Hearken！ Wizards have bewitched me！ Wizards have dared to smite blood
upon the gateways of the king。 Dig in the burrows of the earth and
find them； ye rats！ Fly through the paths of the air and find them； ye
vultures！ Smell at the gates of the people and name them； ye jackals！
ye hunters in the night！ Drag them from the caves if they be hidden；
from the distance if they be fled； from the graves if they be dead。 To
the work！ to the work！ Show them to me truly； and your gifts shall be
great； and for them； if they be a nation； they shall be slain。 Now
begin。 Begin by companies of ten； for you are many； and all must be
finished ere the sun sink。〃
〃It shall be finished； Father；〃 they answered。
Then ten of the women stood forward； and at their head was the most
famous witch…doctress of that dayan aged woman named Nobela； a woman
to whose eyes the darkness was no evil； whose scent was keen as a
dog's； who heard the voices of the dead as they cried in the night；
and spoke truly of what she heard。 All the other Isanusis； male and
female； sat down in a half…moon facing the king； but this woman drew
forward； and with her came nine of her sisterhood。 They turned east
and west； north and south； searching the heavens； they turned east and
west； north and south； searching the earth； they turned east and west；
north and south； searching the hears of men。 Then they crept round and
round the great ring like cats； then they threw themselves upon the
earth and smelt it。 And all the time there was silence； silence deep
as midnight； and in it men hearkened to the beating of their hearts；
only now and again the vultures shrieked in the trees。
At length Nobela spoke：
〃Do you smell him； sisters？〃
〃We smell him；〃 they answered。
〃Does he sit in the east； sisters？〃
〃He sits in the east；〃 they answered。
〃Is he the son of a stranger； sisters？〃
〃He is the son of a stranger。〃
Then they crept nearer； crept on their hands and knees； till they were
within ten paces of where I sat among the indunas near to the king。
The indunas looked on each other and grew grey with fear； and for me；
my father； my knees were loosened and my marrow turned to water in my
bones。 For I knew well who was that son of a stranger of whom they
spoke。 It was I； my father； I who was about to be smelt out； and if I
was smelt out I should be killed with all my house； for the king's
oath would scarcely avail me against the witch…doctors。 I looked at
the fierce faces of the Isanusis before me； as they crept； crept like
snakes。 I glanced behind and saw the slayers grasping their kerries
for the deed of death； and I say I felt like one for whom the
bitterness is overpast。 Then I remembered the words which the king and
I had whispered together of the cause for which this Ingomboco was
set； and hope crept back to me like the first gleam of the dawn upon a
stormy night。 Still I did not hope overmuch； for it well might happen
that the king had but set a trap to catch me。
Now they were quite near and halted。
〃Have we dreamed falsely； sisters？〃 asked Nobela； the aged。
〃What we dreamed in the night we see in the day；〃 they answered。
〃Shall I whisper his name in your ears； sisters？〃
They lifted their heads from the ground like snakes and nodded； and as
they nodded the necklets of bones rattled on their skinny necks。 Then
they drew their heads to a circle； and Nobela thrust hers into the
centre of the circle and said a word。
〃Ha！ ha！〃 they laughed； 〃we hear you！ His is the name。 Let him be
named by it in the face of Heav
