nada the lily-第11章

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eaten　they　fell　asleep。　In　the　night　they　woke　to　find　a　great　wind

blowing　and　a　cold　rain　falling　on　them；　for　it　was　the　beginning　of

winter；　when　fruits　are　ripe。



〃Up；　Nada！〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃we　must　seek　the　kraal　or　the　cold　will

kill　us。〃



So　Nada　rose；　frightened；　and　hand　in　hand　they　stumbled　through　the

darkness。　But　in　the　wind　and　the　night　they　lost　their　path；　and　when

at　length　the　dawn　came　they　were　in　a　forest　that　was　strange　to

them。　They　rested　awhile；　and　finding　berries　ate　them；　then　walked

again。　All　that　day　they　wandered；　till　at　last　the　night　came　down；

and　they　plucked　branches　of　trees　and　piled　the　branches　over　them

for　warmth；　and　they　were　so　weary　that　they　fell　asleep　in　each

other's　arms。　At　dawn　they　rose；　but　now　they　were　very　tired　and

berries　were　few；　sot　hat　by　midday　they　were　spent。　Then　they　lay

down　on　the　side　of　a　steep　hill；　and　Nada　laid　her　head　upon　the

breast　of　Umslopogaas。



〃Here　let　us　die；　my　brother；〃　she　said。



But　even　then　the　boy　had　a　great　spirit；　and　he　answered；　〃Time　to

die；　sister；　when　Death　chooses　us。　See；　now！　Do　you　rest　here；　and　I

will　climb　the　hill　and　look　across　the　forest。〃



So　he　left　her　and　climbed　the　hill；　and　on　its　side　he　found　many

berries　and　a　root　that　is　good　for　food；　and　filled　himself　with

them。　At　length　he　came　to　the　crest　of　the　hill　and　looked　out　across

the　sea　of　green。　Lo！　there；　far　away　to　the　east；　he　saw　a　line　of

white　that　lay　like　smoke　against　the　black　surface　of　a　cliff；　and

knew　it　for　the　waterfall　beyond　the　royal　town。　Then　he　came　down　the

hill；　shouting　for　joy　and　bearing　roots　and　berries　in　his　hand。　But

when　he　reached　the　spot　where　Nada　was；　he　found　that　her　senses　had

left　her　through　hunger；　cold；　and　weariness。　She　lay　upon　the　ground

like　one　asleep；　and　over　her　stood　a　jackal　that　fled　as　he　drew

nigh。　Now　it　would　seem　that　there　but　two　shoots　to　the　stick　of

Umslopogaas。　One　was　to　save　himself；　and　the　other　to　lie　down　and

die　by　Nada。　Yet　he　found　a　third；　for；　undoing　the　strips　of　his

moocha；　he　made　ropes　of　them；　and　with　the　ropes　he　bound　Nada　on　his

back　and　started　for　the　king's　kraal。　He　could　never　have　reached　it；

for　the　way　was　long；　yet　at　evening　some　messengers　running　through

the　forest　came　upon　a　naked　lad　with　a　girl　bound　to　his　back　and　a

staff　in　his　hand；　who　staggered　along　slowly　with　starting　eyes　and

foam　upon　his　lips。　He　could　not　speak；　he　was　so　weary；　and　the　ropes

had　cut　through　the　skin　of　his　shoulders；　yet　one　of　the　messengers

knew　him　for　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Mopo；　and　they　bore　him　to　the

kraal。　They　would　have　left　the　girl　Nada；　thinking　her　dead；　but　he

pointed　to　her　breast；　and；　feeling　it；　they　found　that　her　heart

still　beat；　so　they　brought　her　also；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　both

recovered　and　loved　each　other　more　than　ever　before。



Now　after　this；　I；　Mopo；　bade　Umslopogaas　stay　at　home　within　the

kraal；　and　not　lead　his　sister　to　the　wilds。　But　the　boy　loved　roaming

like　a　fox；　and　where　he　went　there　Nada　followed。　So　it　came　about

that　one　day　they　slipped　from　the　kraal　when　the　gates　were　open；　and

sought　out　a　certain　deep　glen　which　had　an　evil　name；　for　it　was　said

that　spirits　haunted　it　and　put　those　to　death　who　entered　there。

Whether　this　was　true　I　do　not　know；　but　I　know　that　in　the　glen　dwelt

a　certain　woman　of　the　woods；　who　had　her　habitation　in　a　cave　and

lived　upon　what　she　could　kill　or　steal　or　dig　up　with　her　hands。　Now

this　woman　was　mad。　For　it　had　chanced　that　her　husband　had　been

〃smelt　out〃　by　the　witch…doctors　as　a　worker　of　magic　against　the

king；　and　slain。　Then　Chaka；　according　to　custom；　despatched　the

slayers　to　eat　up　his　kraal；　and　they　came　to　the　kraal　and　killed　his

people。　Last　of　all　they　killed　his　children；　three　young　girls；　and

would　have　assegaied　their　mother；　when　suddenly　a　spirit　entered　into

her　at　the　sight；　and　she　went　mad；　so　that　they　let　her　go；　being

afraid　to　touch　her　afterwards。　So　she　fled　and　took　up　her　abode　in

the　haunted　glen；　and　this　was　the　nature　of　her　madness；　that

whenever　she　saw　children；　and　more　especially　girl　children；　a

longing　came　upon　her　to　kill　them　as　her　own　had　been　killed。　This；

indeed；　she　did　often；　for　when　the　moon　was　full　and　her　madness　at

its　highest；　she　would　travel　far　to　find　children；　snatching　them

away　from　the　kraals　like　a　hyena。　Still；　none　would　touch　her　because

of　the　spirit　in　her；　not　even　those　whose　children　she　had　murdered。



So　Umslopogaas　and　Nada　came　to　the　glen　where　the　child…slayer　lived；

and　sat　down　by　a　pool　of　water　not　far　from　the　mouth　of　her　cave；

weaving　flowers　into　a　garland。　Presently　Umslopogaas　left　Nada；　to

search　for　rock　lilies　which　she　loved。　As　he　went　he　called　back　to

her；　and　his　voice　awoke　the　woman　who　was　sleeping　in　her　cave；　for

she　came　out　by　night　only；　like　a　jackal。　Then　the　woman　stepped

forth；　smelling　blood　and　having　a　spear　in　her　hand。　Presently　she

saw　Nada　seated　upon　the　grass　weaving　flowers；　and　crept　towards　her

to　kill　her。　Now　as　she　cameso　the　child　told　mesuddenly　a　cold

wind　seemed　to　breathe　upon　Nada；　and　fear　took　hold　of　her；　though

she　did　not　see　the　woman　who　would　murder　her。　She　let　fall　the

flowers；　and　looked　before　her　into　the　pool；　and　there；　mirrored　in

the　pool；　she　saw　the　greedy　face　of　the　child…slayer；　who　crept　down

upon　her　from　above；　her　hair　hanging　about　her　brow　and　her　eyes

shining　like　the　eyes　of　a　lion。



Then　with　a　cry　Nada　sprang　up　and　fled　along　the　path　which

Umslopogaas　had　taken；　and　after　her　leapt　and　ran　the　mad　woman。

Umslopogaas　heard　her　cry。　He　turned　and　rushed　back　over　the　brow　of

the　hill；　and；　lo！　there　before　him　was　the　murderess。　Already　she　had

grasped　Nada　by　the　hair；　already　her　spear　was　lifted　to　pierce　her。

Umslopogaas　had　no　spear；　he　had　nothing　but　a　little　stick　without　a

knob；　yet　with　it　he　rushed　at　the　mad　woman　and　struck　her　so　smartly

on　the　arm　that　she　let　go　of　the　girl　and　turned　on　him　with　a　yell。

Then；　lifting　her　spear；　she　struck　at　him；　but　he　leapt　aside。　Again

she　struck；　but　he　sprang　into　the　air；　and　the　spear　passed　beneath

him。　A　third　time　the　woman　struck；　and；　though　he　fell　to　earth　to

avoid　the　blow；　yet　the　assegai　pierced　his　shoulder。　But　the　weight

of　his　body　as　he　fell　twisted　it　from　her　hand；　and　before　she　could

grasp　him　he　was　up；　and　beyond　her　reach；　the　spear　still　fast　in　his

shoulder。



Then　the　woman　turned；　screaming　with　rage　and　madness；　and　ran　at

Nada　to　kill　her　with　her　hands。　But　Umslopogaas　set　his　teeth；　and；

drawing　the　spear　from　his　wound；　charged　her；　shouting。　She　lifted　a

great　stone　and　hurled　it　at　himso　hard　that　it　flew　into　fragments

against　another　stone　which　it　struck；　yet　he　charged　on；　and　smote　at

her　so　truly　that　he　drove　the　spear　through　her；　and　she　fell　down

dead。　After　that　Nada　bound　up　his　wound；　which　was　deep；　and　with

much　pain　he　reached　the　king's　kraal　and　told　me　this　story。



Now　there　were　some　who　cried　that　the　boy　must　be　put　to　death；

because　he　had　killed　one　possessed　with　a　spirit。　But　I　said　no；　he

should　not　be　touched。　He　had　killed　the　woman　in　defence　of　his　own

life　and　the　life　of　his　sister；　and　every　one　had　a　right　to　slay　in

self…defence；　except　as　against　the　king　or　those　who　did　the　king's

bidding。　Moreover；　I　said；　if　the　woman　had　a　spirit；　it　was　an　evil

one；　for　no　good　spirit　would　ask　the　lives　of　children；　but　rather

those　of　cattle；　for　it　is　against　our　custom　to　sacrifice　human

beings　to　the　Amatonga　even　in　war；　though　the　Basuta　dogs　do　so。

Still；　the　tumult　grew；　for　the　witch…doctors　were　set　upon　the　boy's

death；　saying　that　evil　would　come　of　it　if　he　was　allowed　to　live；

having　killed　one　inspired；　and　at　last　the　matter　came　to　the　ears　of

the　king。　Then　Chaka　summoned　me　and　the　boy　before　him；　and　he　also

summoned　the　witch…doctors。



First；　the　witch…doctors　set　out　their　case；　demanding　the　death　of

Umslopogaas。　Chaka　asked　them　what　would　happen　if　the　boy　was　not

killed。　They　answered　that　the　spirit　of　the　dead　woman　would　lead　him

to　bring　evil　on　the　royal　house。　Chaka　asked　if　he　would　bring　evil

on　him；　the　king。　They　in　turn　asked　the　spirits；　and　answered　no；　not

on　him；　but　on　one　of　the　royal　house　who　should　be　after　him。　Chaka

said　that　he　cared　nothing　what　happened　to　those　who　came　after　him；

or　whether　good　or　evil　befell　them。　Then　he　spoke　to　Umslopogaas；　who

looked　him　boldly　in　the　face；　as　an　equal　looks　at　an　equal。



〃Boy；〃　he　said；　〃what　hast　thou　to　say　as　to　why　thou　shouldst　not　be

killed　as　these　men　demand？〃



〃This；　Black　One；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃that　I　stabbed　the　woman　in

defence　of　my　own　life。〃



〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I；　the　king；　wished　to　kill　thee；

mightest　thou　therefore　kill　me　or　those　whom　I　sent？　The　Itongo　in

the　woman　was　a　Spirit　King　and　ordered　her　to　kill　thee；　thou

shouldst　then　have　let　thyself　be　killed。　Hast　thou　no　other　reason？〃



〃This；　Elephant；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃the　woman　would　have　murdered

my　sister；　whom　I　love　better　than　my　life。〃



〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I　ordered　thee　to　be　killed　for　any

cause；　should　I　not　also　order　all　within　thy　gates　to　be　killed　with

thee？　May　not；　then；　a　Spirit　King　do　likewise？　If　thou　hast　nothing

more　to　say　thou　must　die。〃



Now　I　grew　afraid；　for　I　feared　lest　Chaka　should　slay　him　who　was

called　my　son　because　of　the　word　of　the　doctors。　But　the　boy

Umslopogaas　looked　up　and　answered　boldly；　not　as　one　who　pleads　for

his　life；　but　as　one　who　demands　a　right：



〃I　have　this　to　say；　Eater…up　of　Enemies；　and　if　it　is　not　enough；　let

us　stop　talking；　and　let　me　be　killed。　Thou；　O　king；　didst　command

that　this　woman　should　be　slain。　Those　whom　thou　didst　send　to　destroy

her　spared　her；　because　they　thought　her　mad。　I　have　carried　out　the

commandment　of　the　king；　I　have　slain　her；　mad　or　sane；　whom　the　king

commanded　should　be　killed；　and　I　have　earned　not　death；　but　a

reward。〃



〃Well　said；　Umslopogaas！〃　answered　Chaka。　〃Let　ten　head　of　cattle　be

given　to　this　boy　with　the　heart　of　a　man；　his　father　shall　guard　them

for　him。　Art　thou　satisfied　now；　Umslopogaas？〃



〃I　take　that　which　is　due　to　me；　and　I　thank　the　king　because　he　need

not　pay　unless　he　will；〃　Umslopogaas　answered。



Chaka　stared　awhile；　began　to　grow　angry；　then　burst　out　laughing。



〃Why；　this　calf　is　such　another　one　as　was　dropped　long　ago　in　the

kraal　of　Senzangacona！〃　he　said。　〃As　I　was；　so　is　this　boy。　Go　on；

lad；　in　that　path；　and　thou　mayst　find　those　who　shall　cry　the　royal

salute　of　Bayete　to　thee　at　the　end　of　it。　Only　keep　out　of　my　way；

for　two　of　a　kind　might　not　agree。　Now　begone！〃



So　we　went　out；　but　as　we　passed　them　I　saw　the　doctor