nada the lily-第56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！





〃It　may　be　so；　O　King；〃　answered　the　Wolf。　〃When　the　hour　is；　then；

without　a　doubt；　the　Watcher　shall　cease　from　his　watching。〃



〃Ye　are　a　strange　pair；〃　quoth　Dingaan。　〃Where　have　you　been　now；　and

what　is　your　business　at　the　Place　of　the　Elephant？〃



〃We　have　been　in　a　far　country；　O　King！〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃We

have　wandered　in　a　distant　land　to　search　for　a　Flower　to　be　a　gift　to

a　king；　and　in　our　searching　we　have　trampled　down　a　Swazi　garden；　and

yonder　are　some　of　those　who　tended　it〃and　he　pointed　to　the

captives〃and　without　are　the　cattle　that　ploughed　it。〃



〃Good；　Slaughterer！　I　see　the　gardeners；　and　I　hear　the　lowing　of　the

cattle；　but　what　of　the　Flower？　Where　is　this　Flower　ye　went　so　far　to

dig　in　Swazi　soil？　Was　it　a　Lily…bloom；　perchance？〃



〃It　was　a　Lily…bloom；　O　King！　and　yet；　alas！　the　Lily　has　withered。

Nothing　is　left　but　the　stalk；　white　and　withered　as　are　the　bones　of

men。〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　Dingaan；　starting　to　his　feet。



〃That　the　king　shall　learn；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　and；　turning；　he

spoke　a　word　to　the　captains　who　were　behind　him。　Presently　the　ranks

opened　up；　and　four　men　ran　forward　from　the　rear　of　the　companies。　On

their　shoulders　they　bore　a　stretcher；　and　upon　the　stretcher　lay

something　wrapped　about　with　raw　ox…hides；　and　bound　round　with

rimpis。　The　men　saluted；　and　laid　their　burden　down　before　the　king。



〃Open！〃　said　the　Slaughterer；　and　they　opened；　and　there　within　the

hides；　packed　in　salt；　lay　the　body　of　a　girl　who　once　was　tall　and

fair。〃



〃Here　lies　the　Lily's　stalk；　O　King！〃　said　Umslopogaas；　pointing　with

the　axe；　〃but　if　her　flower　blooms　on　any　air；　it　is　not　here。〃



Now　Dingaan　stared　at　the　sight　of　death；　and　bitterness　of　heart　took

hold　of　him；　since　he　desired　above　all　things　to　win　the　beauty　of

the　Lily　for　himself。



〃Bear　away　this　carrion　and　cast　it　to　the　dogs！〃　he　cried；　for　thus

he　could　speak　of　her　whom　he　would　have　taken　to　wife；　when　once　he

deemed　her　dead。　〃Take　it　away；　and　thou；　Slaughterer；　tell　me　how　it

came　about　that　the　maid　was　slain。　It　will　be　well　for　thee　if　thou

hast　a　good　answer；　for　know　thy　life　hangs　on　the　words。〃



So　Umslopogaas　told　the　king　all　that　tale　which　had　been　made　ready

against　the　wrath　of　Dingaan。　And　when　he　had　finished　Galazi　told　his

story；　of　how　he　had　seen　the　soldier　kill　the　maid；　and　in　his　wrath

had　killed　the　soldier。　Then　certain　of　the　captains　who　had　seen　the

soldier　and　the　maid　lying　in　one　death　came　forward　and　spoke　to　it。



Now　Dingaan　was　very　angry；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　The

Lily　was　dead；　and　by　no　fault　of　any　except　of　one；　who　was　also　dead

and　beyond　his　reach。



〃Get　you　hence；　you　and　your　people；〃　he　said　to　the　Wolf…Brethren。　〃I

take　the　cattle　and　the　captives。　Be　thankful　that　I　do　not　take　all

your　lives　alsofirst；　because　ye　have　dared　to　make　war　without　my

word；　and　secondly；　because；　having　made　war；　ye　have　so　brought　it

about　that；　though　ye　bring　me　the　body　of　her　I　sought；　ye　do　not

bring　the　life。〃



Now　when　the　king　spoke　of　taking　the　lives　of　all　the　People　of　the

Axe；　Umslopogaas　smiled　grimly　and　glanced　at　his　companies。　Then

saluting　the　king；　he　turned　to　go。　But　as　he　turned　a　man　sprang

forwards　from　the　ranks　and　called　to　Dingaan；　saying：



〃Is　it　granted　that　I　may　speak　truth　before　the　king；　and　afterwards

sleep　in　the　king's　shadow？〃



Now　this　was　that　man　who　had　been　captain　of　the　guard　on　the　night

when　three　passed　out　through　the　archway　and　two　returned；　that　same

man　whom　Umslopogaas　had　degraded　from　his　rank。



〃Speak　on；　thou　art　safe；〃　answered　Dingaan。



〃O　King；　thy　ears　have　been　filled　with　lies；〃　said　the　soldier。

〃Hearken；　O　King！　I　was　captain　of　the　guard　of　the　gate　on　that　night

of　the　slaying　of　the　Halakazi。　Three　came　to　the　gate　of　the　mountain

they　were　Bulalio；　the　Wolf　Galazi；　and　another。　That　other　was　tall

and　slim；　bearing　a　shield　highso。　As　the　third　passed　the　gate；　the

kaross　he　wore　brushed　against　me　and　slipped　aside。　Beneath　that

kaross　was　no　man's　breast；　O　King；　but　the　shape　of　a　woman；　almost

white　in　colour；　and　very　fair。　In　drawing　back　the　kaross　this　third

one　moved　the　shield。　Behind　that　shield　was　no　man's　face；　O　King；

but　the　face　of　a　girl；　lovelier　than　the　moon；　and　having　eyes

brighter　than　the　stars。　Three　went　out　at　the　mountain　gate；　O　King；

only　two　returned；　and；　peeping　after　them；　it　seemed　that　I　saw　the

third　running　swiftly　across　the　plains；　as　a　young　maid　runs；　O　King。

This　also；　Elephant；　Bulalio　yonder　denied　me　when；　as　captain　of　the

guard；　I　asked　for　the　third　who　had　passed　the　gate；　saying　that　only

two　had　passed。　Further；　none　of　the　captives　were　called　to　swear　to

the　body　of　the　maid；　and　now　it　is　too　late；　and　that　man　who　lay

beside　her　was　not　killed　by　Galazi　in　the　cave。　He　was　killed　outside

the　cave　by　a　blow　of　a　Halakazi　kerrie。　I　saw　him　fall　with　my　own

eyes；　and　slew　the　man　who　smote　him。　One　thing　more；　King　of　the

World；　the　best　of　the　captives　and　the　cattle　are　not　here　for　a　gift

to　theethey　are　at　the　kraal　of　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the

Axe。　I　have　spoken；　O　King；　yes；　because　my　heart　loves　not　lies。　I

have　spoken　the　truth；　and　now　do　thou　protect　me　from　these　Wolf…

Brethren；　O　King；　for　they　are　very　fierce。〃



Now　all　this　while　that　the　traitor　told　his　tale　Umslopogaas；　inch　by

inch；　was　edging　near　to　him　and　yet　nearer；　till　at　length　he　might

have　touched　him　with　an　outstretched　spear。　None　noted　him　except　I；

Mopo；　alone；　and　perhaps　Galazi；　for　all　were　watching　the　face　of

Dingaan　as　men　watch　a　storm　that　is　about　to　burst。



〃Fear　thou　not　the　Wolf…Brethren；　soldier；〃　gasped　Dingaan；　rolling

his　red　eyes；　〃the　paw　of　the　Lion　guards　thee；　my　servant。〃



Ere　the　words　had　left　the　king's　lips　the　Slaughterer　leapt。　He

leaped　full　on　to　the　traitor；　speaking　never　a　word；　and　oh！　his　eyes

were　awful。　He　leaped　upon　him；　he　seized　him　with　his　hands；　lifting

no　weapon；　and　in　his　terrible　might　he　broke　him　as　a　child　breaks　a

sticknay；　I　know　not　how；　it　was　too　swift　to　see。　He　broke　him；

and；　hurling　him　on　high；　cast　him　dead　at　the　feet　of　Dingaan；　crying

in　a　great　voice：



〃Take　thy　servant；　King！　Surely　he　'sleeps　in　thy　shadow'！〃



Then　there　was　silence；　only　through　the　silence　was　heard　a　gasp　of

fear　and　wonder；　for　no　such　deed　as　this　had　been　wrought　in　the

presence　of　the　kingno；　not　since　the　day　of　Senzangacona　the　Root。



Now　Dingaan　spoke；　and　his　voice　came　thick　with　rage；　and　his　limbs

trembled。



〃Slay　him！〃　he　hissed。　〃Slay　the　dog　and　all　those　with　him！〃



〃Now　we　come　to　a　game　which　I　can　play；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Ho；

People　of　the　Axe！　Will　you　stand　to　be　slaughtered　by　these　singed

rats？〃　and　he　pointed　with　Groan…Maker　at　those　warriors　who　had

escaped　without　hurt　in　the　fire；　but　whose　faces　the　fire　had

scorched。



Then　for　answer　a　great　shout　went　up；　a　shout　and　a　roar　of　laughter。

And　this　was　the　shout：



〃No；　Slaughterer；　not　so　are　we　minded！〃　and　right　and　left　they　faced

to　meet　the　foe；　while　from　all　along　the　companies　came　the　crackling

of　the　shaken　shields。



Back　sprang　Umslopogaas　to　head　his　men；　forward　leaped　the　soldiers

of　the　king　to　work　the　king's　will；　if　so　they　might。　And　Galazi　the

Wolf　also　sprang　forward；　towards　Dingaan；　and；　as　he　sprang；　swung　up

the　Watcher；　crying　in　a　great　voice：



〃Hold！〃



Again　there　was　silence；　for　men　saw　that　the　shadow　of　the　Watcher

lay　dark　upon　the　head　of　Dingaan。



〃It　is　a　pity　that　many　should　die　when　one　will　suffice；〃　cried　the

Wolf　again。　〃Let　a　blow　be　struck；　and　where　his　shadow　lies　there

shall　the　Watcher　be；　and　lo！　the　world　will　lack　a　king。　A　word；

King！〃



Now　Dingaan　looked　up　at　the　great　man　who　stood　above　him；　and　felt

the　shadow　of　the　shining　club　lie　cold　upon　his　brow；　and　again　he

shookthis　time　it　was　with　fear。



〃Begone　in　peace！〃　he　said。



〃A　good　word　for　thee；　King；〃　said　the　Wolf；　grinning；　and　slowly　he

drew　himself　backwards　towards　the　companies；　saying；　〃Praise　the

king！　The　king　bids　his　children　go　in　peace。〃



But　when　Dingaan　felt　that　his　brow　was　no　longer　cold　with　the　shadow

of　death　his　rage　came　back　to　him；　and　he　would　have　called　to　the

soldiers　to　fall　upon　the　People　of　the　Axe；　only　I　stayed　him；

saying：



〃Thy　death　is　in　it；　O　King；　the　Slaughterer　will　grind　such　men　as

thou　hast　here　beneath　his　feet；　and　then　once　more　shall　the　Watcher

look　upon　thee。〃



Now　Dingaan　saw　that　this　was　true；　and　gave　no　command；　for　he　had

only　those　men　with　him　whom　the　fire　had　left。　All　the　rest　were　gone

to　slaughter　the　Boers　in　Natal。　Still；　he　must　have　blood；　so　he

turned　on　me。



〃Thou　art　a　traitor；　Mopo；　as　I　have　known　for　long；　a