nada the lily-第29节

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

nigh　hidden　by　their　forms。　Yet　no　fang　pierced　him；　for　as　they　leapt

they　smelt　the　smell　of　the　skin　upon　him。　Then　Umslopogaas　saw　that

the　wolves　leapt　at　him　no　more；　but　the　she…wolves　gathered　round　him

who　wore　the　she…wolf's　skin。　They　were　great　and　gaunt　and　hungry；

all　were　full…grown；　there　were　no　little　ones；　and　their　number　was

so　many　that　he　could　not　count　them　in　the　moonlight。　Umslopogaas；

looking　into　their　red　eyes；　felt　his　heart　become　as　the　heart　of　a

wolf；　and　he；　too；　lifted　up　his　head　and　howled；　and　the　she…wolves

howled　in　answer。



〃The　pack　is　gathered；　now　for　the　hunt！〃　cried　Galazi。　〃Make　your

feet　swift；　my　brother；　for　we　shall　journey　far　to…night。　Ho；

Blackfang！　ho；　Greysnout！　Ho；　my　people　black　and　grey；　away！　away！〃



He　spoke　and　bounded　forward；　and　with　him　went　Umslopogaas；　and　after

him　streamed　the　ghost…wolves。　They　fled　down　the　mountain　sides；

leaping　from　boulder　to　boulder　like　bucks。　Presently　they　stood　by　a

kloof　that　was　thick　with　trees。　Galazi　stopped；　holding　up　the

Watcher；　and　the　wolves　stopped　with　him。



〃I　smell　a　quarry；〃　he　cried；　〃in；　my　people；　in！〃



Then　the　wolves　plunged　silently　into　the　great　kloof；　but　Galazi　and

Umslopogaas　drew　to　the　foot　of　it　and　waited。　Presently　there　came　a

sound　of　breaking　boughs；　and　lo！　before　them　stood　a　buffalo；　a　bull

who　lowed　fiercely　and　sniffed　the　air。



〃This　one　will　give　us　a　good　chase；　my　brother；　see；　he　is　gaunt　and

thin！　Ah！　that　meat　is　tender　which　my　people　have　hunted　to　the

death！〃



As　Galazi　spoke；　the　first　of　the　wolves　drew　from　the　covert　and　saw

the　buffalo；　then；　giving　tongue；　they　sprang　towards　it。　The　bull　saw

also；　and　dashed　down　the　hill；　and　after　him　came　Galazi　and

Umslopogaas；　and　with　them　all　their　company；　and　the　rocks　shook　with

the　music　of　their　hunting。　They　rushed　down　the　mountain　side；　and　it

came　into　the　heart　of　Umslopogaas；　that　he；　too；　was　a　wolf。　They

rushed　madly；　yet　his　feet　were　swift　as　the　swiftest；　no　wolf　could

outstrip　him；　and　in　him　was　but　one　desirethe　desire　of　prey。　Now

they　neared　the　borders　of　the　forest；　and　Galazi　shouted。　He　shouted

to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to　Deathgrip；　and　these

four　leaped　forward　from　the　pack；　running　so　swiftly　that　their

bellies　seemed　to　touch　the　ground。　They　passed　about　the　bull；

turning　him　from　the　forest　and　setting　his　head　up　the　slope　of　the

mountain。　Then　the　chase　wheeled；　the　bull　leaped　and　bounded　up　the

mountain　side；　and　on　one　flank　lay　Greysnout　and　Deathgrip　and　on　the

other　lay　Blood　and　Blackfang；　while　behind　came　the　Wolf…Brethren；

and　after　them　the　wolves　with　lolling　tongues。　Up　the　hill　they　sped；

but　the　feet　of　Umslopogaas　never　wearied；　his　breath　did　not　fail

him。　Once　more　they　drew　near　the　lap　of　the　Grey　Witch　where　the　cave

was。　On　rushed　the　bull；　mad　with　fear。　He　ran　so　swiftly　that　the

wolves　were　left　behind；　since　here　for　a　space　the　ground　was　level

to　his　feet。　Galazi　looked　on　Umslopogaas　at　his　side；　and　grinned。



〃You　do　not　run　so　ill；　my　brother；　who　have　been　sick　of　late。　See

now　if　you　can　outrun　me！　Who　shall　touch　the　quarry　first？〃



Now　the　bull　was　ahead　by　two　spear…throws。　Umslopogaas　looked　and

grinned　back　at　Galazi。　〃Good！〃　he　cried；　〃away！〃



They　sped　forward　with　a　bound；　and　for　awhile　it　seemed　to

Umslopogaas　as　though　they　stood　side　by　side；　only　the　bull　grew

nearer　and　nearer。　Then　he　put　out　his　strength　and　the　swiftness　of

his　feet；　and　lo！　when　he　looked　again　he　was　alone；　and　the　bull　was

very　near。　Never　were　feet　so　swift　as　those　of　Umslopogaas。　Now　he

reached　the　bull　as　he　laboured　on。　Umslopogaas　placed　his　hands　upon

the　back　of　the　bull　and　leaped；　he　was　on　him；　he　sat　him　as　you

white　men　sit　a　horse。　Then　he　lifted　the　spear　in　his　hand；　and　drove

it　down　between　the　shoulders　to　the　spine；　and　of　a　sudden　the　great

buffalo　staggered；　stopped；　and　fell　dead。



Galazi　came　up。　〃Who　now　is　the　swiftest；　Galazi？〃　cried　Umslopogaas；

〃I；　or　you；　or　your　wolf　host？〃



〃You　are　the　swiftest；　Umslopogaas；〃　said　Galazi；　gasping　for　his

breath。　〃Never　did　a　man　run　as　you　run；　nor　ever　shall　again。〃



Now　the　wolves　streamed　up；　and　would　have　torn　the　carcase；　but

Galazi　beat　them　back；　and　they　rested　awhile。　Then　Galazi　said；　〃Let

us　cut　meat　from　the　bull　with　a　spear。〃



So　they　cut　meat　from　the　bull；　and　when　they　had　finished　Galazi

motioned　to　the　wolves；　and　they　fell　upon　the　carcase；　fighting

furiously。　In　a　little　while　nothing　was　left　except　the　larger　bones；

and　yet　each　wolf　had　but　a　little。



Then　they　went　back　to　the　cave　and　slept。



Afterwards　Umslopogaas　told　Galazi　all　his　tale；　and　Galazi　asked　him

if　he　would　abide　with　him　and　be　his　brother；　and　rule　with　him　over

the　wolf…kind；　or　seek　his　father　Mopo　at　the　kraal　of　Chaka。



Umslopogaas　said　that　it　was　rather　in　his　mind　to　seek　his　sister

Nada；　for　he　was　weary　of　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　but　he　thought　of　Nada

day　and　night。



〃Where；　then；　is　Nada；　your　sister？〃　asked　Galazi。



〃She　sleeps　in　the　caves　of　your　people；　Galazi；　she　tarries　with　the

Halakazi。〃



〃Stay　awhile；　Umslopogaas；〃　cried　Galazi；　〃stay　till　we　are　men

indeed。　Then　we　will　seek　this　sister　of　yours　and　snatch　her　from　the

caves　of　the　Halakazi。〃



Now　the　desire　of　this　wolf…life　had　entered　into　the　heart　of

Umslopogaas；　and　he　said　that　it　should　be　so；　and　on　the　morrow　they

made　them　blood…brethren；　to　be　one　till　death；　before　all　the　company

of　ghost…wolves；　and　the　wolves　howled　when　they　smelt　the　blood　of

men。　In　all　things　thenceforth　these　two　were　equal；　and　the　ghost…

wolves　hearkened　to　the　voice　of　both　of　them。　And　on　many　a　moonlight

night　they　and　the　wolves　hunted　together；　winning　their　food。　At

times　they　crossed　the　river；　hunting　in　the　plains；　for　game　was

scarce　on　the　mountain；　and　the　people　of　the　kraal　would　come　out；

hearing　the　mighty　howling；　and　watch　the　pack　sweep　across　the　veldt；

and　with　them　a　man　or　men。　Then　they　would　say　that　the　ghosts　were

abroad　and　creep　into　their　huts　shivering　with　fear。　But　as　yet　the

Wolf…Brethren　and　their　pack　killed　no　men；　but　game　only；　or；　at

times；　elephants　and　lions。



Now　when　Umslopogaas　had　abode　some　moons　in　the　Watch　Mountain；　on　a

night　he　dreamed　of　Nada；　and　awakening　soft　at　heart；　bethought

himself　that　he　would　learn　tidings　concerning　me；　his　father；　Mopo；

and　what　had　befallen　me　and　her　whom　he　deemed　his　mother；　and　Nada；

his　sister；　and　his　other　brethren。　So　he　clothed　himself；　hiding　his

nakedness；　and；　leaving　Galazi；　descended　to　that　kraal　where　the　old

woman　had　dwelt；　and　there　gave　it　out　that　he　was　a　young　man；　a

chief's　son　from　a　far　place；　who　sought　a　wife。　The　people　of　the

kraal　listened　to　him；　though　they　held　that　his　look　was　fierce　and

wild；　and　one　asked　if　this　were　Galazi　the　Wolf；　Galazi　the　Wizard。

But　another　answered　that　this　was　not　Galazi；　for　their　eyes　had　seen

him。　Umslopogaas　said　that　he　knew　nothing　of　Galazi；　and　little　of

wolves；　and　lo！　while　he　spoke　there　came　an　impi　of　fifty　men　and

entered　the　kraal。　Umslopogaas　looked　at　the　leaders　of　the　impi　and

knew　them　for　captains　of　Chaka。　At　first　he　would　have　spoken　to

them；　but　his　Ehlose　bade　him　hold　his　peace。　So　he　sat　in　a　corner　of

the　big　hut　and　listened。　Presently　the　headman　of　the　kraal；　who

trembled　with　fear；　for　he　believed　that　the　impi　had　been　sent　to

destroy　him　and　all　that　were　his；　asked　the　captain　what　was　his

will。



〃A　little　matter；　and　a　vain；〃　said　the　captain。　〃We　are　sent　by　the

king　to　search　for　a　certain　youth；　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Mopo；　the

king's　doctor。　Mopo　gave　it　out　that　the　youth　was　killed　by　a　lion

near　these　mountains；　and　Chaka　would　learn　if　this　is　true。〃



〃We　know　nothing　of　the　youth；〃　said　the　headman。　〃But　what　would　ye

with　him？〃



〃Only　this；〃　answered　the　captain；　〃to　kill　him。〃



〃That　is　yet　to　do；〃　thought　Umslopogaas。



〃Who　is　this　Mopo？〃　asked　the　headman。



〃An　evildoer；　whose　house　the　king　has　eaten　upman；　woman；　and

child；〃　answered　the　captain。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DEATH　OF　THE　KING'S　SLAYERS



When　Umslopogaas　heard　these　words　his　heart　was　heavy；　and　a　great

anger　burned　in　his　breast；　for　he　thought　that　I；　Mopo；　was　dead　with

the　rest　of　his　house；　and　he　loved　me。　But　he　said　nothing；　only；

watching　till　none　were　looking；　he　slipped　past　the　backs　of　the

captains　and　won　the　door　of　the　hut。　Soon　he　was　clear　of　the　kraal；

and；　running　swiftly；　crossed　the　river　and　came　to　the　Ghost

Mountain。　Meanwhile；　the　captain　asked　the　headman　of　the　kraal　if　he

knew　anything　of　such　a　youth　as　him　for　whom　they　sought。　The　headman

told　the　captain　of　Galazi　the　Wolf；　but　the　capta