nada the lily-第9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！



dragging　a　prisoner　by　the　arms。　After　them　walked　a　great　man；　who

wore　a　leopard　skin　on　his　shoulders；　and　was　laughing；　and　with　him

were　five　or　six　ringed　councillors；　and　after　them　again　came　a

company　of　warriors。



The　soldiers　saw　that　killing　was　going　on；　and　ran　up　just　as　the

slayers　reached　us。



〃Who　are　you？〃　they　cried；　〃who　day　to　kill　at　the　gate　of　the

Elephant's　kraal？　Here　the　Elephant　kills　alone。〃



〃We　are　of　the　children　of　Makedama；〃　they　answered；　〃and　we　follow

these　evildoers　who　have　done　wickedness　and　murder　in　our　kraal。　See！

but　now　two　of　us　are　dead　at　their　hands；　and　others　lie　dead　along

the　road。　Suffer　that　we　slay　them。〃



〃Ask　that　of　the　Elephant；〃　said　the　soldiers；　〃ask　too　that　he　suffer

you　should　not　be　slain。〃



Just　then　the　tall　chief　saw　blood　and　heard　words。　He　stalked　up；　and

he　was　a　great　man　to　look　at；　though　still　quite　young　in　years。　For

he　was　taller　by　a　head　than　any　round　him；　and　his　chest　was　big　as

the　chests　of　two；　his　face　was　fierce　and　beautiful；　and　when　he　grew

angry　his　eye　flashed　like　a　smitten　brand。



〃Who　are　these　that　dare　to　stir　up　dust　at　the　gates　of　my　kraal？〃　he

asked；　frowning。



〃O　Chaka；　O　Elephant！〃　answered　the　captain　of　the　soldiers；　bending

himself　double　before　him；　〃the　men　say　that　these　are　evildoers　and

that　they　pursue　them　to　kill　them。〃



〃Good！〃　he　answered。　〃Let　them　slay　the　evildoers。〃



〃O　great　chief！　thanks　be　to　thee；　great　chief！〃　said　those　men　of　my

people　who　sought　to　kill　us。



〃I　hear　you；〃　he　answered；　then　spoke　once　more　to　the　captain。　〃And

when　they　have　slain　the　evildoers；　let　themselves　be　blinded　and

turned　loose　to　seek　their　way　home；　because　they　have　dared　to　lift　a

spear　within　the　Zulu　gates。　Now　praise　on；　my　children！〃　And　he

laughed；　while　the　soldiers　murmured；　〃Ou！　he　is　wise；　he　is　great；

his　justice　is　bright　and　terrible　like　the　sun！〃



But　the　two　men　of　my　people　cried　out　in　fear；　for　they　did　not　seek

such　justice　as　this。



〃Cut　out　their　tongues　also；〃　said　Chaka。　〃What？　shall　the　land　of　the

Zulus　suffer　such　a　noise？　Never！　lest　the　cattle　miscarry。　To　it；　ye

black　ones！　There　lies　the　girl。　She　is　asleep　and　helpless。　Kill　her！

What？　you　hesitate？　Nay；　then；　if　you　will　have　time　for　thought；　I

give　it。　Take　these　men；　smear　them　with　honey；　and　pin　them　over　ant…

heaps；　by　to…morrow's　sun　they　will　know　their　own　minds。　But　first

kill　these　two　hunted　jackals；〃　and　he　pointed　to　Baleka　and　myself。

〃They　seem　tired　and　doubtless　they　long　for　sleep。〃



Then　for　the　first　time　I　spoke；　for　the　soldiers　drew　near　to　slay

us。



〃O　Chaka；〃　I　cried；　〃I　am　Mopo；　and　this　is　my　sister　Baleka。〃



I　stopped；　and　a　great　shout　of　laughter　went　up　from　all　who　stood

round。



〃Very　well；　Mopo　and　thy　sister　Baleka；〃　said　Chaka；　grimly。　〃Good…

morning　to　you；　Mopo　and　Balekaalso；　good…night！〃



〃O　Chaka；〃　I　broke　in；　〃I　am　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama　of　the　Langeni

tribe。　It　was　I　who　gave　thee　a　gourd　of　water　many　years　ago；　when　we

were　both　little。　Then　thou　badest　me　come　to　thee　when　thou　hadst

grown　great；　vowing　that　thou　wouldst　protect　me　and　never　do　me　harm。

So　I　have　come；　bringing　my　sister　with　me；　and　now；　I　pray　thee；　do

not　eat　up　the　words　of　long　ago。〃



As　I　spoke；　Chaka's　face　changed；　and　he　listened　earnestly；　as　a　man

who　holds　his　hand　behind　his　ear。　〃Those　are　no　liars；〃　he　said。

〃Welcome；　Mopo！　Thou　shalt　be　a　dog　in　my　hut；　and　feed　from　my　hand。

But　of　thy　sister　I　said　nothing。　Why；　then；　should　she　not　be　slain

when　I　swore　vengeance　against　all　thy　tribe；　save　thee　alone？〃



〃Because　she　is　too　fair　to　slay；　O　Chief！〃　I　answered；　boldly；　〃also

because　I　love　her；　and　ask　her　life　as　a　boon！〃



〃Turn　the　girl　over；〃　said　Chaka。　And　they　did　so；　showing　her　face。



〃Again　thou　speakest　no　lie；　son　of　Makedama；〃　said　the　chief。　〃I

grant　thee　the　boon。　She　also　shall　lie　in　my　hut；　and　be　of　the

number　of　my　'sisters。'　Now　tell　me　thy　tale；　speaking　only　the

truth。〃



So　I　sat　down　and　told　him　all。　Nor　did　he　grow　weary　of　listening。

But；　when　I　had　done；　he　said　but　one　thingthat　he　would　that　the

dog　Koos　had　not　been　killed；　since；　if　he　had　still　been　alive；　he

would　have　set　him　on　the　hut　of　my　father　Makedama；　and　made　him

chief　over　the　Langeni。



Then　he　spoke　to　the　captain　of　the　soldiers。　〃I　take　back　my　words；〃

he　said。　〃Let　not　these　men　of　the　Langeni　be　mutilated。　One　shall　die

and　the　other　shall　go　free。　Here；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　man　whom　we

had　seen　led　out　of　the　kraal…gate；　〃here；　Mopo；　we　have　a　man　who　has

proved　himself　a　coward。　Yesterday　a　kraal　of　wizards　yonder　was　eaten

up　by　my　orderperhaps　you　two　saw　it　as　you　travelled。　This　man　and

three　others　attacked　a　soldier　of　that　kraal　who　defended　his　wife

and　children。　The　man　fought　wellhe　slew　three　of　my　people。　Then

this　dog　was　afraid　to　meet　him　face　to　face。　He　killed　him　with　a

throwing　assegai；　and　afterwards　he　stabbed　the　woman。　That　is

nothing；　but　he　should　have　fought　the　husband　hand　to　hand。　Now　I

will　do　him　honour。　He　shall　fight　to　the　death　with　one　of　these　pigs

from　thy　sty；〃　and　he　pointed　with　his　spear　to　the　men　of　my　father's

kraal；　〃and　the　one　who　survives　shall　be　run　down　as　they　tried　to

run　you　down。　I　will　send　back　the　other　pig　to　the　sty　with　a

message。　Choose；　children　of　Makedama；　which　of　you　will　live。〃



Now　the　two　men　of　my　tribe　were　brothers；　and　loved　one　another；　and

each　of　them　was　willing　to　die　that　the　other　might　go　free。

Therefore；　both　of　them　stepped　forward；　saying　that　they　would　fight

the　Zulu。



〃What；　is　there　honour　among　pigs？〃　said　Chaka。　〃Then　I　will　settle

it。　See　this　assegai？　I　throw　it　into　the　air；　if　the　blade　falls

uppermost　the　tall　man　shall　go　free；　if　the　shaft　falls　uppermost；

then　life　is　to　the　short　one；　so！〃　And　he　sent　the　little　spear

whirling　round　and　round　in　the　air。　Every　eye　watched　it　as　it

wheeled　and　fell。　The　haft　struck　the　ground　first。



〃Come　hither；　thou；〃　said　Chaka　to　the　tall　brother。　〃Hasten　back　to

the　kraal　of　Makedama；　and　say　to　him；　Thus　says　Chaka；　the　Lion　of

the　Zulu…ka…Malandela；　'Years　ago　thy　tribe　refused　me　milk。　To…day

the　dog　of　thy　son　Mopo　howls　upon　the　roof　of　thy　hut。'　Begone！〃＇1＇



＇1＇　Among　the　Zulus　it　is　a　very　bad　omen　for　a　dog　to　climb　the　roof

　　　　of　a　hut。　The　saying　conveyed　a　threat　to　be　appreciated　by　every

　　　　Zulu。ED。



The　man　turned；　shook　his　brother　by　the　hand；　and　went；　bearing　the

words　of　evil　omen。



Then　Chaka　called　to　the　Zulu　and　the　last　of　those　who　had　followed

us　to　kill　us；　bidding　them　fight。　So；　when　they　had　praised　the

prince　they　fought　fiercely；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　the　man　of　my

people　conquered　the　Zulu。　But　as　soon　as　he　had　found　his　breath

again　he　was　set　to　run　for　his　life；　and　after　him　ran　five　chosen

men。



Still；　it　came　about　that　he　outran　them；　doubling　like　a　hare；　and

got　away　safely。　Nor　was　Chaka　angry　at　this；　for　I　think　that　he　bade

the　men　who　hunted　him　to　make　speed　slowly。　There　was　only　one　good

thing　in　the　cruel　heart　of　Chaka；　that　he　would　always　save　the　life

of　a　brave　man　if　he　could　do　so　without　making　his　word　nothing。　And

for　my　part；　I　was　glad　to　think　that　the　man　of　my　people　had

conquered　him　who　murdered　the　children　of　the　dying　woman　that　we

found　at　the　kraal　beyond　the　river。







CHAPTER　V



MOPO　BECOMES　THE　KING'S　DOCTOR



These；　then；　my　father；　were　the　events　that　ended　in　the　coming　of

me；　Mopo；　and　of　my　sister　Baleka　to　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　the　Lion　of

the　Zulu。　Now　you　may　ask　why　have　I　kept　you　so　long　with　this　tale；

which　is　as　are　other　tales　of　our　people。　But　that　shall　be　seen；　for

from　these　matters；　as　a　tree　from　a　seed；　grew　the　birth　of

Umslopogaas　Bulalio；　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer；　and　Nada　the

Beautiful；　of　whose　love　my　story　has　to　tell。　For　Nada　was　my

daughter；　and　Umslopogaas；　though　few　knew　it；　was　none　other　than　the

son　of　Chaka；　born　of　my　sister　Baleka。



Now　when　Baleka　recovered　from　the　weariness　of　our　flight；　and　had

her　beauty　again；　Chaka　took　her　to　wife；　numbering　her　among　his

women；　whom　he　named　his　〃sisters。〃　And　me　Chaka　took　to　be　one　of　his

doctors；　of　his　izinyanga　of　medicine；　and　he　was　so　well　pleased　with

my　medicine　that　in　the　end　I　became　his　head　doctor。　Now　this　was　a

great　post；　in　which；　during　the　course　of　years；　I　grew　fat　in　cattle

and　in　wives；　but　also　it　was　one　of　much　danger。　For　when　I　rose

strong　and　well　in　the　morning；　I　could　never　know　but　that　at　night　I

should　sleep　stiff　and　red。　Many　were　the　doctors　whom　Chaka　slew；

doctored　they　never　so　well；　they　were　killed　at　last。　For　a　day　would

surely　come　when　the　king　felt　ill　in　his　body　or　heavy　in　his　mind；

and　then　to　the　assegai　or　the　torment　with　the