太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > nada the lily >

第62节

nada the lily-第62节

小说: nada the lily 字数: 每页4000字

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!






〃How is this?〃 he said in a low voice to that captain who was nearest

and who would do battle with him。



For answer the man pointed to the Lily; who stood by。 Then Umslopogaas

understood that because of the medicine of Nada's beauty all men

desired to win her; and; since he who could win the axe would take her

also; he must look to fight with many。 Well; fight he must or be

shamed。



Of the fray there is little to tell。 Umslopogaas killed first one man

and then the other; and swiftly; for; growing fearful; the third did

not come up against him。



〃Ah!〃 said Galazi; who watched; 〃what did I tell you; Mopo? The curse

begins to work。 Death walks ever with that daughter of yours; old

man。〃



〃I fear so;〃 I answered; 〃and yet the maiden is fair and good and

sweet。〃



〃That will not mend matters;〃 said Galazi。



Now on that day Umslopogaas took Nada the Lily to wife; and for awhile

there was peace and quiet。 But this evil thing came upon Umslopogaas;

that; from the day when he wedded Nada; he hated even to look upon

Zinita; and not at her alone; but on all his other wives also。 Galazi

said it was because Nada had bewitched him; but I know well that the

only witcheries she used were the medicine of her eyes; her beauty;

and her love。 Still; it came to pass that henceforward; and until she

had long been dead; the Slaughterer loved her; and her alone; and that

is a strange sickness to come upon a man。



As may be guessed; my father; Zinita and the other women took this

ill。 They waited awhile; indeed; thinking that it would wear away;

then they began to murmur; both to their husband and in the ears of

other people; till at length there were two parties in the town; the

party of Zinita and the party of Nada。



The party of Zinita was made up of women and of certain men who loved

and feared their wives; but that of Nada was the greatest; and it was

all of men; with Umslopogaas at the head of them; and from this

division came much bitterness abroad; and quarrelling in the huts。 Yet

neither the Lily nor Umslopogaas heeded it greatly; nor indeed;

anything; so lost and well content were they in each other's love。



Now on a certain morning; after they had been married three full

moons; Nada came from her husband's hut when the sun was already high;

and went down through the rock gully to the river to bathe。 On the

right of the path to the river lay the mealie…fields of the chief; and

in them laboured Zinita and the other women of Umslopogaas; weeding

the mealie…plants。 They looked up and saw Nada pass; then worked on

sullenly。 After awhile they saw her come again fresh from the bath;

very fair to see; and having flowers twined among her hair; and as she

walked she sang a song of love。 Now Zinita cast down her hoe。



〃Is this to be borne; my sisters?〃 she said。



〃No;〃 answered another; 〃it is not to be borne。 What shall we do

shall we fall upon her and kill her now?〃



〃It would be more just to kill Bulalio; our lord;〃 answered Zinita。

〃Nada is but a woman; and; after the fashion of us women; takes all

that she can gather。 But he is a man and a chief; and should know

wisdom and justice。〃



〃She has bewitched him with her beauty。 Let us kill her;〃 said the

other women。



〃Nay;〃 answered Zinita; 〃I will speak with her;〃 and she went and

stood in the path along which the Lily walked singing; her arms folded

across her breast。



Now Nada saw her and; ceasing her song; stretched out her hand to

welcome her; saying; 〃Greeting; sister。〃 But Zinita did not take it。

〃It is not fitting; sister;〃 she said; 〃that my hand; stained with

toil; should defile yours; fresh with the scent of flowers。 But I am

charged with a message; on my own behalf and the behalf of the other

wives of our Lord Bulalio; the weeds grow thick in yonder corn; and we

women are few; now that your love days are over; will not you come and

help us? If you brought no hoe from your Swazi home; surely we will

buy you one。〃



Now Nada saw what was meant; and the blood poured to her head。 Yet she

answered calmly:



〃I would willingly do this; my sister; though I have never laboured in

the fields; for wherever I have dwelt the men have kept me back from

all work; save such as the weaving of flowers or the stringing of

beads。 But there is this against itUmslopogaas; my husband; charged

me that I should not toil with my hands; and I may not disobey my

husband。〃



〃Our husband charged you so; Nada? Nay; then it is strange。 See; now;

I am his head wife; his Inkosikaasit was I who taught him how to win

the axe。 Yet he has laid no command on me that I should not labour in

the fields after the fashion of women; I who have borne him children;

nor; indeed; has he laid such a command upon any of our sisters; his

other wives。 Can it then be that Bulalio loves you better than us;

Nada?〃



Now the Lily was in a trap; and she knew it。 So she grew bold。



〃One must be most loved; Zinita;〃 she said; 〃as one must be most fair。

You have had your hour; leave me mine; perhaps it will be short。

Moreover this: Umslopogaas and I loved each other much long years

before you or any of his wives saw him; and we love each other to the

end。 There is no more to say。〃



〃Nay; Nada; there is still something to say; there is this to say:

Choose one of two things。 Go and leave us to be happy with our lord;

or stay and bring death on all。〃



Now Nada thought awhile; and answered: 〃Did I believe that my love

would bring death on him I love; it might well chance that I would go

and leave him; though to do so would be to die。 But; Zinita; I do not

believe it。 Death chiefly loves the weak; and if he falls it will be

on the Flower; not on the Slayer of Men;〃 and she slipped past Zinita

and went on; singing no more。



Zinita watched her till she was over the ridge; and her face grew evil

as she watched。 Then she returned to the women。



〃The Lily flouts us all; my sisters;〃 she said。 〃Now listen: my

counsel is that we declare a feast of women to be held at the new moon

in a secret place far away。 All the women and the children shall come

to it except Nada; who will not leave her lover; and if there be any

man whom a woman loves; perhaps; my sisters; that man would do well to

go on a journey about the time of the new moon; for evil things may

happen at the town of the People of the Axe while we are away

celebrating our feast。〃



〃What; then; shall befall; my sister?〃 asked one。



〃Nay; how can I tell?〃 she answered。 〃I only know that we are minded

to be rid of Nada; and thus to be avenged on a man who has scorned our

loveay; and on those men who follow after the beauty of Nada。 Is it

not so; my sisters?〃



〃It is so;〃 they answered。



〃Then be silent on the matter; and let us give out our feast。〃



Now Nada told Umslopogaas of those words which she had bandied with

Zinita; and the Slaughterer was troubled。 Yet; because of his

foolishness and of the medicine of Nada's eyes; he would not turn from

his way; and was ever at her side; thinking of little else except of

her。 Thus; when Zinita came to him; and asked leave to declare a feast

of women that should be held far away; he consented; and gladly; for;

above all things; he desired to be free from Zinita and her angry

looks for awhile; nor did he suspect a plot。 Only he told her that

Nada should not go to the feast; and in a breath both Zinita and Nada

answered that is word was their will; as indeed it was; in this

matter。



Now I; Mopo; saw the glamour that had fallen upon my fosterling; and

spoke of it with Galazi; saying that a means must be found to wake

him。 Then I took Galazi fully into my mind; and told him all that he

did not know of Umslopogaas; and that was little。 Also; I told him of

my plans to bring the Slaughterer to the throne; and of what I had

done to that end; and of what I proposed to do; and this was to go in

person on a journey to certain of the great chiefs and win them over。



Galazi listened; and said that it was well or ill; as the chance might

be。 For his part; he believed that the daughter would pull down faster

than I; the father; could build up; and he pointed to Nada; who walked

past us; following Umslopogaas。



Yet I determined to go; and that was on the day before Zinita won

leave to celebrate the feast of women。 So I sought Umslopogaas and

told him; and he listened indifferently; for he would be going after

Nada; and wearied of my talk of policy。 I bade him farewell and left

him; to Nada also I bade farewell。 She kissed me; yet the name of her

husband was mingled with her good…bye。



〃Now madness has come upon these two;〃 I said to myself。 〃Well; it

will wear off; they will be changed before I come again。〃



I guessed little; my father; how changed they would be。







CHAPTER XXXII



ZINITA COMES TO THE KING



Dingaan the king sat upon a day in the

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的