nada the lily-第28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！



growling　as　they　came；　till　they　formed　a　deep　circle　round　me。　Yet

they　did　not　spring　on　me；　only　drew　nearer　and　ever　nearer。　Presently

one　sprang；　indeed；　but　not　at　me；　he　sprang　at　that　which　sat　upon　my

shoulders。　I　moved　aside；　and　he　missed　his　aim；　and；　coming　to　the

ground　again；　stood　there　growling　and　whining　like　a　beast　afraid。

Then　I　remembered　the　words　of　my　dream；　if　dream　it　were；　how　that

the　Dead　One　had　given　me　wisdom　that　I　should　be　king　of　the　ghost…

wolvesI　and　another　whom　a　lion　should　bear　to　me。　Was　it　not　so？　If

it　was　not　so；　how　came　it　that　the　wolves　did　not　devour　me？



〃For　a　moment　I　stood　thinking；　then　I　lifted　up　my　voice　and　howled

like　a　wolf；　and　lo！　Umslopogaas；　all　the　wolves　howled　in　answer　with

a　mighty　howling。　I　stretched　out　my　hand　and　called　to　them。　They　ran

to　me；　gathering　round　me　as　though　to　devour　me。　But　they　did　not

harm　me；　they　licked　my　legs　with　their　red　tongues；　and　fighting　to

come　near　me；　pressed　themselves　against　me　as　does　a　cat。　One；

indeed；　snatched　at　him　who　sat　on　my　shoulder；　but　I　struck　him　with

the　Watcher　and　he　slunk　back　like　a　whipped　hound；　moreover；　the

others　bit　him　so　that　he　yelled。　Now　I　knew　that　I　had　no　more　to

fear；　for　I　was　king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　so　I　walked　on；　and　with　me

came　all　the　great　pack　of　them。　I　walked　on　and　on；　and　they　trotted

beside　me　silently；　and　the　fallen　leaves　crackled　beneath　their　feet；

and　the　dust　rose　up　about　them；　till　at　length　I　reached　the　edge　of

the　forest。



〃Now　I　remembered　that　I　must　not　be　seen　thus　by　men；　lest　they

should　think　me　a　wizard　and　kill　me。　Therefore；　at　the　edge　of　the

forest　I　halted　and　made　signs　to　the　wolves　to　go　back。　At　this　they

howled　piteously；　as　though　in　grief；　but　I　called　to　them　that　I

would　come　again　and　be　their　king；　and　it　seemed　as　though　their

brute　hearts　understood　my　words。　Then　they　all　went；　still　howling；

till　presently　I　was　alone。



〃And　now；　Umslopogaas；　it　is　time　to　sleep；　to…morrow　night　I　will　end

my　tale。〃







CHAPTER　XIV



THE　WOLF…BRETHREN



Now；　my　father；　on　the　morrow　night；　once　again　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi

the　wolf　sat　by　the　fire　in　the　mouth　of　their　cave；　as　we　sit　to…

night；　my　father；　and　Galazi　took　up　his　tale。



〃I　passed　on　till　I　came　to　the　river；　it　was　still　full；　but　the

water　had　run　down　a　little；　so　that　my　feet　found　foothold。　I　waded

into　the　river；　using　the　Watcher　as　a　staff；　and　the　stream　reached

to　my　elbows；　but　no　higher。　Now　one　on　the　farther　bank　of　the　river

saw　that　which　sat　upon　my　shoulders；　and　saw　also　the　wolf's　skin　on

my　head；　and　ran　to　the　kraal　crying；　'Here　comes　one　who　walks　the

waters　on　the　back　of　a　wolf。'



〃So　it　came　about　that　when　I　drew　towards　the　kraal　all　the　people　of

the　kraal　were　gathered　together　to　meet　me；　except　the　old　woman；　who

could　not　walk　so　far。　But　when　they　saw　me　coming　up　the　slope　of　the

hill；　and　when　they　knew　what　it　was　that　sat　upon　my　shoulders；　they

were　smitten　with　fear。　Yet　they　did　not　run；　because　of　their　great

wonder；　only　they　walked　backward　before　me；　clinging　each　to　each　and

saying　nothing。　I　too　came　on　silently；　till　at　length　I　reached　the

kraal；　and　before　its　gates　sat　the　old　woman　basking　in　the　sun　of

the　afternoon。　Presently　she　looked　up　and　cried：



〃'What　ails　you；　people　of　my　house；　that　you　walk　backwards　like　men

bewitched；　and　who　is　that　tall　and　deathly　man　who　comes　toward　you？'



〃But　still　they　drew　on　backward；　saying　no　word；　the　little　children

clinging　to　the　women；　the　women　clinging　to　the　men；　till　they　had

passed　the　old　wife　and　ranged　themselves　behind　her　like　a　regiment

of　soldiers。　Then　they　halted　against　the　fence　of　the　kraal。　But　I

came　on　to　the　old　woman；　and　lifted　him　who　sat　upon　my　shoulders；

and　placed　him　on　the　ground　before　her；　saying；　'Woman；　here　is　your

son；　I　have　snatched　him　with　much　toil　from　the　jaws　of　the　ghosts

and　they　are　many　up　yonderall　save　one　foot；　which　I　could　not

find。　Take　him　now　and　bury　him；　for　I　weary　of　his　fellowship。'



〃She　looked　upon　that　which　sat　before　her。　She　put　out　her　withered

hand　and　drew　the　bandage　from　his　sunken　eyes。　Then　she　screamed

aloud　a　shrill　scream；　and；　flinging　her　arms　about　the　neck　of　the

Dead　One；　she　cried：　'It　is　my　son　whom　I　boremy　very　son；　whom　for

twice　ten　years　and　half　a　ten　I　have　not　looked　upon。　Greeting；　my

son；　greeting！　Now　shalt　thou　find　burial；　and　I　with　threeay；　I

with　thee！'



〃And　once　more　she　cried　aloud；　standing　upon　her　feet　with　arms

outstretched。　Then　of　a　sudden　foam　burst　from　her　lips；　and　she　fell

forward　upon　the　body　of　her　son；　and　was　dead。



〃Now　silence　came　upon　the　place　again；　for　all　were　fearful。　At　last

one　cried：　'How　is　this　man　named　who　has　won　the　body　from　the

ghosts？'



〃'I　am　named　Galazi；'　I　answered。



〃'Nay；'　said　he。　'The　Wolf　you　are　named。　Look　at　the　wolf's　red　hide

upon　his　head！'



〃'I　am　named　Galazi；　and　the　Wolf　you　have　named　me；'　I　said　again。

'So　be　it：　I　am　named　Galazi　the　Wolf。'



〃'Methinks　he　is　a　wolf；'　said　he。　'Look；　now；　at　his　teeth；　how　they

grin！　This　is　no　man；　my　brothers；　but　a　wolf。'



〃'No　wolf　and　no　man；'　said　another；　'but　a　wizard。　None　but　a　wizard

could　have　passed　the　forest　and　won　the　lap　of　her　who　sits　in　stone

forever。'



〃'Yes；　yes！　he　is　a　wolfhe　is　a　wizard！'　they　screamed。　'Kill　him！

Kill　the　wolf…wizard　before　he　brings　the　ghosts　upon　us！'　And　they

ran　towards　me　with　uplifted　spears。



〃'I　am　a　wolf　indeed；'　I　cried；　'and　I　am　a　wizard　indeed；　and　I　will

bring　wolves　and　ghosts　upon　you　ere　all　is　done。'　And　I　turned　and

fled　so　swiftly　that　soon　they　were　left　behind　me。　Now　as　I　ran　I　met

a　girl；　a　basket　of　mealies　was　on　her　head；　and　she　bore　a　dead　kid

in　her　hand。　I　rushed　at　her　howling　like　a　wolf；　and　I　snatched　the

mealies　from　her　head　and　the　kid　from　her　hand。　Then　I　fled　on；　and

coming　to　the　river；　I　crossed　it；　and　for　that　night　I　hid　myself　in

the　rocks　beyond；　eating　the　mealies　and　the　flesh　of　the　kid。



〃On　the　morrow　at　dawn　I　rose　and　shook　the　dew　from　the　wolf…hide。

Then　I　went　on　into　the　forest　and　howled　like　a　wolf。　They　knew　my

voice；　the　ghost…wolves；　and　howled　in　answer　from　far　and　near。　Then

I　heard　the　pattering　of　their　feet；　and　they　came　round　me　by　tens

and　by　twenties；　and　fawned　upon　me。　I　counted　their　number；　they

numbered　three　hundred　and　sixty　and　three。



〃Afterwards；　I　went　on　to　the　cave；　and　I　have　lived　there　in　the

cave；　Umslopogaas；　for　nigh　upon　twelve　moons；　and　I　have　become　a

wolf…man。　For　with　the　wolves　I　hunt　and　raven；　and　they　know　me；　and

what　I　bid　them　that　they　do。　Stay；　Umslopogaas；　now　you　are　strong

again；　and；　if　your　courage　does　not　fail　you；　you　shall　see　this　very

night。　Come　now；　have　you　the　heart；　Umslopogaas？〃



Then　Umslopogaas　rose　and　laughed　aloud。　〃I　am　young　in　years；〃　he

cried；　〃and　scarcely　come　to　the　full　strength　of　men；　yet　hitherto　I

have　not　turned　my　back　on　lion　or　witch；　on　wolf　or　man。　Now　let　us

see　this　impi　of　yoursthis　impi　black　and　grey；　that　runs　on　four

legs　with　fangs　for　spears！〃



〃You　must　first　bind　on　the　she…wolf's　hide；　Umslopogaas；〃　quoth

Galazi；　〃else；　before　a　man　could　count　his　fingers　twice　there　would

be　little　enough　left　of　you。　Bind　it　about　the　neck　and　beneath　the

arms；　and　see　that　the　fastenings　do　not　burst；　lest　it　be　the　worse

for　you。〃



So　Umslopogaas　took　the　grey　wolf's　hide　and　bound　it　on　with　thongs

of　leather；　and　its　teeth　gleamed　upon　his　head；　and　he　took　a　spear

in　his　hand。　Galazi　also　bound　on　the　hide　of　the　king　of　the　wolves；

and　they　went　out　on　to　the　space　before　the　cave。　Galazi　stood　there

awhile；　and　the　moonlight　fell　upon　him；　and　Umslopogaas　saw　that　his

face　grew　wild　and　beastlike；　that　his　eyes　shone；　and　his　teeth

grinned　beneath　his　curling　lips。　He　lifted　up　his　head　and　howled　out

upon　the　night。　Thrice　Galazi　lifted　his　head　and　thrice　he　howled

loudly；　and　yet　more　loud。　But　before　ever　the　echoes　had　died　in　the

air；　from　the　heights　of　the　rocks　above　and　the　depths　of　the　forest

beneath；　there　came　howlings　in　answer。　Nearer　they　grew　and　nearer；

now　there　was　a　sound　of　feet；　and　a　wolf；　great　and　grey；　bounded

towards　them；　and　after　him　many　another。　They　came　to　Galazi；　they

sprang　upon　him；　fawning　round　him；　but　he　beat　them　down　with　the

Watcher。　Then　of　a　sudden　they　saw　Umslopogaas；　and　rushed　at　him

open…mouthed。



〃Stand　and　do　not　move！〃　cried　Galazi。　〃Be　not　afraid！〃



〃I　have　always　fondled　dogs；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃shall　I　learn　to

fear　them　now？〃



Yet　though　he　spoke　boldly；　in　his　heart　he　was　afraid；　for　this　was

the　most　terrible　of　all　sights。　The　wolves　rushed　on　him　open…

mouthed；　from　before　and　from　behind；　so　that　in　a　breath　he　was　well…

nigh　hi