nada the lily-第70节

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into　the　cleft。



This　was　the　end　of　Dingaan；　my　fatherDingaan；　who　had　the　fierce

heart　of　Chaka　without　its　greatness。







CHAPTER　XXXVI



MOPO　ENDS　HIS　TALE



That　is　the　tale　of　Nada　the　Lily；　my　father；　and　of　how　we　avenged

her。　A　sad　taleyes；　a　sad　tale；　but　all　was　sad　in　those　days。　It

was　otherwise　afterwards；　when　Panda　reigned；　for　Panda　was　a　man　of

peace。



There　is　little　more　to　tell。　I　left　the　land　where　I　could　stay　no

longer　who　had　brought　about　the　deaths　of　two　kings；　and　came　here　to

Natal　to　live　near　where　the　kraal　Duguza　once　had　stood。



The　bones　of　Dingaan　as　they　lay　in　the　cleft　were　the　last　things　my

eyes　beheld；　for　after　that　I　became　blind；　and　saw　the　sun　no　more；

nor　any　lightwhy　I　do　not　know；　perhaps　from　too　much　weeping；　my

father。　So　I　changed　my　name；　lest　a　spear　might　reach　the　heart　that

had　planned　the　death　of　two　kings　and　a　princeChaka；　Dingaan；　and

Umhlangana　of　the　blood　royal。　Silently　and　by　night　Umslopogaas；　my

fosterling；　led　me　across　the　border；　and　brought　me　here　to　Stanger；

and　here　as　an　old　witch…doctor　I　have　lived　for　many；　many　years。　I

am　rich。　Umslopogaas　craved　back　from　Panda　the　cattle　of　which

Dingaan　had　robbed　me；　and　drove　them　hither。　But　none　were　here　who

had　lived　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　none　knew；　in　Zweete　the　blind　old

witch…doctor；　that　Mopo　who　stabbed　Chaka；　the　Lion　of　the　Zulu。　None

know　it　now。　You　have　heard　the　tale；　and　you　alone；　my　father。　Do　not

tell　it　again　till　I　am　dead。



Umslopogaas？　Yes；　he　went　back　to　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　ruled

them；　but　they　were　never　so　strong　again　as　they　had　been　before　they

smote　the　Halakazi　in　their　caves；　and　Dingaan　ate　them　up。　Panda　let

him　be　and　liked　him　well；　for　Panda　did　not　know　that　the　Slaughterer

was　son　to　Chaka　his　brother；　and　Umslopogaas　let　that　dog　lie；　for

when　Nada　died　he　lost　his　desire　to　be　great。　Yet　he　became　captain

of　the　Nkomabakosi　regiment；　and　fought　in　many　battles；　doing　mighty

deeds；　and　stood　by　Umbulazi；　son　of　Panda；　in　the　great　fray　on　the

Tugela；　when　Cetywayo　slew　his　brother　Umbulazi。



After　that　also　he　plotted　against　Cetywayo；　whom　he　hated；　and　had　it

not　been　for　a　certain　white　man；　a　hunter　named　Macumazahn；

Umslopogaas　would　have　been　killed。　But　the　white　man　saved　him　by　his

wit。　Yes；　and　at　times　he　came　to　visit　me；　for　he　still　loved　me　as

of　old；　but　now　he　has　fled　north；　and　I　shall　hear　his　voice　no　more。

Nay；　I　do　not　know　all　the　tale；　there　was　a　woman　in　it。　Women　were

ever　the　bane　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fostering。　I　forget　the　story　of　that

woman；　for　I　remember　only　these　things　that　happened　long　ago；　before

I　grew　very　old。



Look　on　this　right　hand　of　mine；　my　father！　I　cannot　see　it　now；　and

yet　I；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　seem　to　see　it　as　once　I　saw；　red　with

the　blood　of　two　kings。　Look　on



Suddenly　the　old　man　ceased；　his　head　fell　forward　upon　his　withered

breast。　When　the　White　Man　to　whom　he　told　this　story　lifted　it　and

looked　at　him；　he　was　dead！











End