太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > nada the lily >

第67节

nada the lily-第67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!






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

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的