nada the lily-第67节

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Then　the　brethren　hurled　their　spears　at　them　and　killed　three　men。

Now　the　assegais　were　done；　and　the　foe　was　on　them。　Umslopogaas　bends

forward；　his　long　arm　shoots　out；　the　axe　gleams；　and　a　man　who　came

on　falls　back。



〃One！〃　cries　Umslopogaas。



〃One；　my　brother！〃　answers　Galazi；　as　he　draws　back　the　Watcher　from

his　blow。



A　soldier　rushes　forward；　singing。　To　and　fro　he　moves　in　front　of

Umslopogaas；　his　spear　poised　to　strike。　Groan…Maker　swoops　down；　but

the　man　leaps　back；　the　blow　misses；　and　the　Slaughterer's　guard　is

down。



〃A　poor　stroke；　Sorcerer！〃　cries　the　man　as　he　rushes　in　to　stab　him。

Lo！　the　axe　wheels　in　the　air；　it　circles　swiftly　low　down　by　the

ground；　it　smites　upward。　Before　the　spearsman　can　strike　the　horn　of

Groan…Maker　has　sped　from　chin　to　brain。



〃But　a　good　return；　fool！〃　says　Umslopogaas。



〃Two！〃　cries　Galazi；　from　the　right。



〃Two！　my　brother；〃　answers　Umslopogaas。



Again　two　men　come　on；　one　against　each；　to　find　no　better　luck。　The

cry　of　〃Three！〃　passes　from　brother　to　brother；　and　after　it　rises　the

cry　of　〃Four！〃



Now　Faku　bids　the　men　who　are　left　to　hold　their　shields　together　and

push　the　two　from　the　mouths　of　the　paths；　and　this　they　do；　losing

four　more　men　at　the　hands　of　the　brethren　before　it　is　done。



〃Now　we　are　on　the　open！　Ring　them　round　and　down　with　them！〃　cries

Faku。



But　who　shall　ring　round　Groan…Maker　that　shines　on　all　sides　at　once；

Groan…Maker　who　falls　heavily　no　more；　but　pecks　and　pecks　and　pecks

like　a　wood…bird　on　a　tree；　and　never　pecks　in　vain？　Who　shall　ring

round　those　feet　swifter　than　the　Sassaby　of　the　plains？　Wow！　He　is

here！　He　is　there！　He　is　a　sorcerer！　Death　is　in　his　hand；　and　death

looks　out　of　his　eyes！



Galazi　lives　yet；　for　still　there　comes　the　sound　of　the　Watcher　as　it

thunders　on　the　shields；　and　the　Wolf's　hoarse　cry　of　the　number　of

the　slain。　He　has　a　score　of　wounds；　yet　he　fights　on！　his　leg　is

almost　hewn　from　him　with　an　axe；　yet　he　fights　on！　His　back　is

pierced　again　and　again；　yet　he　fights　on！　But　two　are　left　alive

before　him；　one　twists　round　and　spears　him　from　behind。　He　heeds　it

not；　but　smites　down　the　foe　in　front。　Then　he　turns　and；　whirling　the

Watcher　on　high；　brings　him　down　for　the　last　time；　and　so　mightily

that　the　man　before　him　is　crushed　like　an　egg。



Galazi　brushes　the　blood　from　his　eyes　and　glares　round　on　the　dead。

〃All！　Slaughterer；〃　he　cries。



〃All　save　two；　my　brother；〃　comes　the　answer；　sounding　above　the　clash

of　steel　and　the　sound　of　smitten　shields。



Now　the　Wolf　would　come　to　him；　but　cannot；　for　his　life　ebbs。



〃Fare　you　well；　my　brother！　Death　is　good！　Thus；　indeed；　I　would　die；

for　I　have　made　me　a　mat　of　men　to　lie　on；〃　he　cried　with　a　great

voice。



〃Fare　you　well！　Sleep　softly；　Wolf！〃　came　the　answer。　〃All　save　one！〃



Now　Galazi　fell　dying　on　the　dead；　but　he　was　not　altogether　gone；　for

he　still　spoke。　〃All　save　one！　Ha！　ha！　ill　for　that　one　then　when

Groan…Maker　yet　is　up。　It　is　well　to　have　lived　so　to　die。　Victory！

Victory！〃



And　Galazi　the　Wolf　struggled　to　his　knees　and　for　the　last　time　shook

the　Watcher　about　his　head；　then　fell　again　and　died。



Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Chaka；　and　Faku；　the　captain　of　Dingaan；　gazed

on　each　other。　They　alone　were　left　standing　upon　the　mountain；　for

the　rest　were　all　down。　Umslopogaas　had　many　wounds。　Faku　was　unhurt；

he　was　a　strong　man；　also　armed　with　an　axe。



Faku　laughed　aloud。　〃So　it　has　come　to　this；　Slaughterer；〃　he　said；

〃that　you　and　I　must　settle　whether　the　king's　word　be　done　or　no。

Well；　I　will　say　that　however　it　should　fall　out；　I　count　it　a　great

fortune　to　have　seen　this　fight；　and　the　highest　of　honours　to　have

had　to　do　with　two　such　warriors。　Rest　you　a　little；　Slaughterer；

before　we　close。　That　wolf…brother　of　yours　died　well；　and　if　it　is

given　me　to　conquer　in　this　bout；　I　will　tell　the　tale　of　his　end　from

kraal　to　kraal　throughout　the　land；　and　it　shall　be　a　tale　forever。〃







CHAPTER　XXXIV



THE　LILY'S　FAREWELL



Umslopogaas　listened；　but　he　made　no　answer　to　the　words　of　Faku　the

captain；　though　he　liked　them　well；　for　he　would　not　waste　his　breath

in　talking；　and　the　light　grew　low。



〃I　am　ready；　Man　of　Dingaan；〃　he　said；　and　lifted　his　axe。



Now　for　awhile　the　two　circled　round　and　round；　each　waiting　for　a

chance　to　strike。　Presently　Faku　smote　at　the　head　of　Umslopogaas；　but

the　Slaughterer　lifted　Groan…Maker　to　ward　the　blow。　Faku　crooked　his

arm　and　let　the　axe　curl　downwards；　so　that　its　keen　edge　smote

Umslopogaas　upon　the　head；　severing　his　man's　ring　and　the　scalp

beneath。



Made　mad　with　the　pain；　the　Slaughterer　awoke；　as　it　were。　He　grasped

Groan…maker　with　both　hands　and　struck　thrice。　The　first　blow　hewed

away　the　plumes　and　shield　of　Faku；　and　drive　him　back　a　spear's

length；　the　second　missed　its　aim；　the　third　and　mightiest　twisted　in

his　wet　hands；　so　that　the　axe　smote　sideways。　Nevertheless；　it　fell

full　on　the　breast　of　the　captain　Faku；　shattering　his　bones；　and

sweeping　him　from　the　ledge　of　rock　on　to　the　slope　beneath；　where　he

lay　still。



〃It　is　finished　with　the　daylight；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　smiling　grimly。

〃Now；　Dingaan；　send　more　Slayers　to　seek　your　slain；〃　and　he　turned　to

find　Nada　in　the　cave。



But　Faku　the　captain　was　not　yet　dead；　though　he　was　hurt　to　death。　He

sat　up；　and　with　his　last　strength　he　hurled　the　axe　in　his　hand　at

him　whose　might　had　prevailed　against　him。　The　axe　sped　true；　and

Umslopogaas　did　not　see　it　fly。　It　sped　true；　and　its　point　struck　him

on　the　left　temple；　driving　in　the　bone　and　making　a　great　hole。　Then

Faku　fell　back　dying；　and　Umslopogaas　threw　up　his　arms　and　dropped

like　an　ox　drops　beneath　the　blow　of　the　butcher；　and　lay　as　one　dead；

under　the　shadow　of　a　stone。



All　day　long　Nada　crouched　in　the　cave　listening　to　the　sounds　of　war

that　crept　faintly　up　the　mountain　side；　howling　of　wolves；　shouting

of　men；　and　the　clamour　of　iron　on　iron。　All　day　long　she　sat；　and　now

evening　came　apace；　and　the　noise　of　battle　drew　near；　swelled；　and

sank；　and　died　away。　She　heard　the　voices　of　the　Wolf…Brethren　as　they

called　to　each　other　like　bucks；　naming　the　number　of　the　slain。　She

heard　Galazi's　cry　of　〃Victory！〃　and　her　heart　leapt　to　it；　though　she

knew　that　there　was　death　in　the　cry。　Then　for　the　last　time　she　heard

the　faint　ringing　of　iron　on　iron；　and　the　light　went　out　and　all　grew

still。



All　grew　still　as　the　night。　There　came　no　more　shouting　of　men　and　no

more　clash　of　arms；　no　howlings　of　wolves；　no　cries　of　pain　or　triumph

all　was　quiet　as　death；　for　death　had　taken　all。



For　awhile　Nada　the　Lily　sat　in　the　dark　of　the　cave；　saying　to

herself；　〃Presently　he　will　come；　my　husband；　he　will　surely　come；　the

Slayers　are　slainhe　does　not　but　tarry　to　bind　his　wounds；　a

scratch；　perchance；　here　and　there。　Yes；　he　will　come；　and　it　is　well；

for　I　am　weary　of　my　loneliness；　and　this　place　is　grim　and　evil。〃



Thus　she　spoke　to　herself　in　hope；　but　nothing　came　except　the

silence。　Then　she　spoke　again；　and　her　voice　echoed　in　the　hollow

cave。　〃Now　I　will　be　bold；　I　will　fear　nothing；　I　will　push　aside　the

stone　and　go　out　to　find　him。　I　know　well　he　does　but　linger　to　tend

some　who　are　wounded；　perhaps　Galazi。　Doubtless　Galazi　is　wounded。　I

must　go　and　nurse　him；　though　he　never　loved　me；　and　I　do　not　love　him

overmuch　who　would　stand　between　me　and　my　husband。　This　wild　wolf…man

is　a　foe　to　women；　and；　most　of　all；　a　foe　to　me；　yet　I　will　be　kind

to　him。　Come；　I　will　go　at　once；〃　and　she　rose　and　pushed　at　the　rock。



Why；　what　was　this？　It　did　not　stir。　Then　she　remembered　that　she　had

pulled　it　beyond　the　socket　because　of　her　fear　of　the　wolf；　and　that

the　rock　had　slipped　a　little　way　down　the　neck　of　the　cave。

Umslopogaas　had　told　her　that　she　must　not　do　this；　and　she　had

forgotten　his　words　in　her　foolishness。　Perhaps　she　could　move　the

stone；　no；　not　by　the　breadth　of　a　grain　of　corn。　She　was　shut　in；

without　food　or　water；　and　here　she　must　bide　till　Umslopogaas　came。

And　if　he　did　not　come？　Then　she　must　surely　die。



Now　she　shrieked　aloud　in　her　fear；　calling　on　the　name　of

Umslopogaas。　The　walls　of　the　cave　answered　〃Umslopogaas！

Umslopogaas！〃　and　that　was　all。



Afterwards　madness　fell　upon　Nada；　my　daughter；　and　she　lay　in　the

cave　for　days　and　nights；　nor　knew　ever　how　long　she　lay。　And　with　her

madness　came　visions；　for　she　dreamed　that　the　dead　One　whom　Galazi

had　told　her　of　sat　once　more　aloft　in　his　niche　at　the　end　of　the

cave　and　spoke　to　her；　saying：



〃Galazi　is　dead！　The　fate　of　him　who　bears　the　Watcher　has　fallen　on

him。　Dead　are　the　ghost…wolves；　I　also　am　of　hunger　in　this　cave；　and

as　I　died　so　shall　you　die；　Nada　the　Lily！　Nada；　Star　of　Death！

because　of　whose　beauty　and　foolishness　all　this　death　ha