nada the lily-第19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！





〃What　is　it；　king's　men？〃　I　asked　boldly。



〃This；　son　of　Makedama；〃　answered　their　spokesman：　〃give　over　to　us

your　wife　Macropha　and　your　children　Umslopogaas　and　Nada；　that　we　may

do　with　them　as　the　king　commands。〃



〃Umslopogaas；〃　I　answered；　〃has　gone　where　the　king's　arm　cannot

stretch；　for　he　is　dead；　and　for　my　wife　Macropha　and　my　daughter

Nada；　they　are　by　now　in　the　caves　of　the　Swazis；　and　the　king　must

seek　them　there　with　an　army　if　he　will　find　them。　To　Macropha　he　is

welcome；　for　I　hate　her；　and　have　divorced　her；　and　as　for　the　girl；

well；　there　are　many　girls；　and　it　is　no　great　matter　if　she　lives　or

dies；　yet　I　pray　him　to　spare　her。〃



Thus　I　spoke　carelessly；　for　I　knew　well　that　my　wife　and　child　were

beyond　the　reach　of　Chaka。



〃You　do　well　to　ask　the　girl's　life；〃　said　the　soldier；　laughing；　〃for

all　those　born　to　you　are　dead；　by　order　of　the　king。〃



〃Is　it　indeed　so？〃　I　answered　calmly；　though　my　knees　shook　and　my

tongue　clove　to　my　lips。　〃The　will　of　the　king　be　done。　A　cut　stick

puts　out　new　leaves；　I　can　have　more　children。〃



〃Ay；　Mopo；　but　first　you　must　get　new　wives；　for　yours　are　dead　also；

all　five　of　them。〃



〃Is　it　indeed　so？〃　I　answered。　〃The　king's　will　be　done。　I　wearied　of

those　brawling　women。〃



〃So；　Mopo；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃but　to　get　other　wives　and　have　more

children　born　to　you；　you　must　live　yourself；　for　no　children　are　born

to　the　dead；　and　I　think　that　Chaka　has　an　assegai　which　you　shall

kiss。〃



〃Is　it　so？〃　I　answered。　〃The　king's　will　be　done。　The　sun　is　hot；　and

I　tire　of　the　road。　He　who　kisses　the　assegai　sleeps　sound。〃



Thus　I　spoke；　my　father；　and；　indeed；　in　that　hour　I　desired　to　die。

The　world　was　empty　for　me。　Macropha　and　Nada　were　gone；　Umslopogaas

was　dead；　and　my　other　wives　and　children　were　murdered。　I　had　no

heart　to　begin　to　build　up　a　new　house；　none　were　left　for　me　to　love；

and　it　seemed　well　that　I　should　die　also。



The　soldiers　asked　those　with　me　if　that　tale　was　true　which　I　told　of

the　death　of　Umslopogaas　and　of　the　going　of　Macropha　and　Nada　into

Swaziland。　They　said；　Yes；　it　was　true。　Then　the　soldiers　said　that

they　would　lead　me　back　to　the　king；　and　I　wondered　at　this；　for　I

thought　that　they　would　kill　me　where　I　stood。　So　we　went　on；　and

piece　by　piece　I　learned　what　had　happened　at　the　king's　kraal。



On　the　day　after　I　left；　it　came　to　the　ears　of　Chaka；　by　the　mouth　of

his　spies；　that　my　second　wifeAnadiwas　sick　and　spoke　strange

words　in　her　sickness。　Then；　taking　three　soldiers　with　him；　he　went

to　my　kraal　at　the　death　of　the　day。　He　left　the　three　soldiers　by　the

gates　of　the　kraal；　bidding　them　to　suffer　none　to　come　in　or　go　out；

but　Chaka　himself　entered　the　large　hut　where　Anadi　lay　sick；　having

his　toy　assegai；　with　the　shaft　of　the　royal　red　wood；　in　his　hand。

Now；　as　it　chanced；　in　the　hut　were　Unandi；　the　mother　of　Chaka；　and

Baleka；　my　sister；　the　wife　of　Chaka；　for；　not　knowing　that　I　had

taken　away　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Baleka；　according　to　their　custom；

these　two　foolish　women　had　come　to　kiss　and　fondle　the　lad。　But　when

they　entered　the　hut　they　found　it　full　of　my　other　wives　and

children。　These　they　sent　away；　all　except　Moosa；　the　son　of　Anadi

that　boy　who　was　born　eight　days　before　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Chaka。

But　they　kept　Moosa　in　the　hut；　and　kissed　him；　giving　him　imphi＇1＇　to

eat；　fearing　lest　it　should　seem　strange　to　the　women；　my　wives；　if；

Umslopogaas　being　gone；　they　refused　to　take　notice　of　any　other

child。



＇1＇　A　variety　of　sugar…cane。ED。



Now　as　they　sat　this；　presently　the　doorway　was　darkened；　and；　behold！

the　king　himself　crept　through　it；　and　saw　them　fondling　the　child

Moosa。　When　they　knew　who　it　was　that　entered；　the　women　flung

themselves　upon　the　ground　before　him　and　praised　him。　But　he　smiled

grimly；　and　bade　them　be　seated。　Then　he　spoke　to　them；　saying；　〃You

wonder；　Unandi；　my　mother；　and　Baleka；　my　wife；　why　it　is　that　I　am

come　here　into　the　hut　of　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama。　I　will　tell　you：　it

is　because　he　is　away　upon　my　business；　and　I　hear　that　his　wife　Anadi

is　sickit　is　she　who　lies　there；　is　it　not？　Therefore；　as　the　first

doctor　in　the　land；　I　am　come　to　cure　her；　Unandi；　my　mother；　and

Baleka；　my　sister。〃



Thus　he　spoke；　eyeing　them　as　he　did　so；　and　taking　snuff　from　the

blade　of　his　little　assegai；　and　though　his　words　were　gentle　they

shook　with　fear；　for　when　Chaka　spoke　thus　gently　he　meant　death　to

many。　But　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　answered；　saying　that　it　was

well　that　the　king　had　come；　since　his　medicine　would　bring　rest　and

peace　to　her　who　lay　sick。



〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　well。　It　is　pleasant；　moreover；　my　mother

and　sister；　to　see　you　kissing　yonder　child。　Surely；　were　he　of　your

own　blood　you　could　not　love　him　more。〃



Now　they　trembled　again；　and　prayed　in　their　hearts　that　Anadi；　the

sick　woman；　who　lay　asleep；　might　not　wake　and　utter　foolish　words　in

her　wandering。　But　the　prayer　was　answered　from　below　and　not　from

above；　for　Anadi　woke；　and；　hearing　the　voice　of　the　king；　her　sick

mind　flew　to　him　whom　she　believed　to　be　the　king's　child。



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　sitting　upon　the　ground　and　pointing　to　her　own　son；

Moosa；　who　squatted　frightened　against　the　wall　of　the　hut。　〃Kiss　him；

Mother　of　the　Heavens；　kiss　him！　Whom　do　they　call　him；　the　young　cub

who　brings　ill…fortune　to　our　doors？　They　call　him　the　son　of　Mopo　and

Macropha！〃　And　she　laughed　wildly；　stopped　speaking；　and　sank　back

upon　the　bed　of　skins。



〃They　call　him　the　son　of　Mopo　and　Macropha；〃　said　the　king　in　a　low

voice。　〃Whose　son　is　he；　then；　woman？〃



〃Oh；　ask　her　not；　O　king；〃　cried　his　mother　and　his　wife；　casting

themselves　upon　the　ground　before　him；　for　they　were　mad　with　fear。

〃Ask　her　not；　she　has　strange　fancies　such　as　are　not　meet　for　your

ears　to　hear。　She　is　bewitched；　and　has　dreams　and　fancies。〃



〃Peace！〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　listen　to　this　woman's　wanderings。

Perhaps　some　star　of　truth　shines　in　her　darkness；　and　I　would　see

light。　Who；　then；　is　he；　woman？〃



〃Who　is　he？〃　she　answered。　〃Are　you　a　fool　that　ask　who　he　is？　He　is

hush！put　your　ear　closelet　me　speak　low　lest　the　reeds　of　the　hut

speak　it　to　the　king。　He　isdo　you　listen？　He　isthe　son　of　Chaka

and　Baleka；　the　sister　of　Mopo；　the　changeling　whom　Unandi；　Mother　of

the　Heavens；　palmed　off　upon　this　house　to　bring　a　curse　on　it；　and

whom　she　would　lead　out　before　the　people　when　the　land　is　weary　of

the　wickedness　of　the　king；　her　son；　to　take　the　place　of　the　king。〃



〃It　is　false；　O　king！〃　cried　the　two　women。　〃Do　not　listen　to　her；　it

is　false。　The　boy　is　her　own　son；　Moosa；　whom　she　does　not　know　in　her

sickness。〃



But　Chaka　stood　up　in　the　hut　and　laughed　terribly。　〃Truly；　Nobela

prophesied　well；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I　did　ill　to　slay　her。　So　this　is　the

trick　thou　hast　played　upon　me；　my　mother。　Thou　wouldst　give　a　son　to

to　me　who　will　have　no　son：　thou　wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　kill　me。

Good！　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　take　thou　the　doom　of　the　Heavens！　Thou

wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　slay　me　and　rule　in　my　place；　now；　in　turn；

I；　thy　son；　will　rob　me　of　a　mother。　Die；　Unandi！die　at　the　hand

thou　didst　bring　forth！〃　And　he　lifted　the　little　assegai　and　smote　it

through　her。



For　a　moment　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　wife　of　Senzangacona；

stood　uttering　no　cry。　Then　she　put　up　her　hand；　and　drew　the　assegai

from　her　side。



〃So　shalt　thou　die　also；　Chaka　the　Evil！〃　she　cried；　and　fell　down

dead　there　in　the　hut。



Thus；　then；　did　Chaka　murder　his　mother　Unandi。



Now　when　Baleka　saw　what　had　been　done；　she　turned　and　fled　from　the

hut　into　the　Emposeni；　and　so　swiftly　that　the　guards　at　the　gates

could　not　stop　her。　But　when　she　reached　her　own　hut　Baleka's　strength

failed　her；　and　she　fell　senseless　on　the　ground。　But　the　boy　Moosa；

my　son；　being　overcome　with　terror；　stayed　where　he　was；　and　Chaka；

believing　him　to　be　his　son；　murdered　him　also；　and　with　his　own　hand。



Then　he　stalked　out　of　the　hut；　and　leaving　the　three　guards　at　the

gate；　commanded　a　company　of　soldiers　to　surround　the　kraal　and　fire

it。　This　they　did；　and　as　the　people　rushed　out　they　killed　them；　and

those　who　did　not　run　out　were　burned　in　the　fire。　Thus；　then；

perished　all　my　wives；　my　children；　my　servants；　and　those　who　were

within　the　gates　in　their　company。　The　tree　was　burned；　and　the　bees

in　it；　and　I　alone　was　left　livingI　and　Macropha　and　Nada；　who　were

far　away。



Nor　was　Chaka　yet　satisfied　with　blood；　for；　as　has　been　told；　he　sent

messengers　bidding　them　kill　Macropha；　my　wife；　and　Nada；　my　daughter；

and　him　who　was　named　by　son。　But　he　commanded　the　messengers　that

they　should　not　slay　me；　but　bring　me　living　before　them。



Now　when　the　soldiers　did　not　kill　me　I　took　counsel　with　myself；　for

it　was　my　belief　that　I　was　saved　alive　only　tha