nada the lily-第31章

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and　slunk　away。



Presently　he　spoke　again；　laughing　loudly　as　he　spoke：　〃Thou　shouldst

sleep　well　this　night；　my　mother；　for　I　have　sent　many　to　hush　thee　to

rest。　Ah；　people　of　the　Langeni　tribe；　you　forgot；　but　I　remembered！

You　forgot　how　a　woman　and　a　boy　came　to　you　seeking　food　and　shelter；

and　you　would　give　them　noneno；　not　a　gourd　of　milk。　What　did　I

promise　you　on　that　day；　people　of　the　Langeni　tribe？　Did　I　not

promise　you　that　for　every　drop　the　gourd　I　craved　would　hold　I　would

take　the　life　of　a　man？　And　have　I　not　kept　my　promise？　Do　not　men　lie

here　more　in　number　than　the　drops　of　water　in　a　gourd；　and　with　them

woman　and　children　countless　as　the　leaves？　O　people　of　the　Langeni

tribe；　who　refused　me　milk　when　I　was　little；　having　grown　great；　I　am

avenged　upon　you！　Having　grown　great！　Ah！　who　is　there　so　great　as　I？

The　earth　shakes　beneath　my　feet；　when　I　speak　the　people　tremble；

when　I　frown　they　diethey　die　in　thousands。　I　have　grown　great；　and

great　I　shall　remain！　The　land　is　mine；　far　as　the　feet　of　man　can

travel　the　land　is　mine；　and　mine　are　those　who　dwell　in　it。　And　I

shall　grow　greater　yetgreater；　ever　greater。　Is　it　thy　face；　Baleka；

that　stares　upon　me　from　among　the　faces　of　the　thousands　whom　I　have

slain？　Thou　didst　promise　me　that　I　should　sleep　ill　henceforth。

Baleka；　I　fear　thee　notat　the　least；　thou　sleepest　sound。　Tell　me；

Balekarise　from　thy　sleep　and　tell　me　whom　there　is　that　I　should

fear！〃and　suddenly　he　ceased　the　ravings　of　his　pride。



Now；　my　father；　while　Chaka　the　king　spoke　thus；　it　came　into　my　mind

to　make　an　end　of　things　and　kill　him；　for　my　heart　was　made　with　rage

and　the　thirst　of　vengeance。　Already　I　stood　behind　him；　already　the

stick　in　my　hand　was　lifted　to　strike　out　his　brains；　when　I　stopped

also；　for　I　saw　something。　There；　in　the　midst　of　the　dead；　I　saw　an

arm　stir。　It　stirred；　it　lifted　itself；　it　beckoned　towards　the　shadow

which　hid　the　head　of　the　cleft　and　the　piled…up　corpses　that　lay

there；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　arm　was　the　arm　of　Baleka。

Perchance　it　was　not　her　arm；　perchance　it　was　but　the　arm　of　one　who

yet　lived　among　the　thousands　of　the　dead；　say　you；　my　father！　At　the

least；　the　arm　rose　at　her　side；　and　was　ringed　with　such　bracelets　as

Baleka　wore；　and　it　beckoned　from　her　side；　though　her　cold　face

changed　not　at　all。　Thrice　the　arm　rose；　thrice　it　stood　awhile　in

air；　thrice　it　beckoned　with　crooked　finger；　as　though　it　summoned

something　from　the　depths　of　the　shadow；　and　from　the　multitudes　of

the　dead。　Then　it　fell　down；　and　in　the　utter　silence　I　heard　its　fall

and　a　clank　of　brazen　bracelets。　And　as　it　fell　there　rose　from　the

shadow　a　sound　of　singing；　of　singing　wild　and　sweet；　such　as　I　had

never　heard。　The　words　of　that　song　came　to　me　then；　my　father；　but

afterwards　they　passed　from　me；　and　I　remember　them　no　more。　Only　I

know　this；　that　the　song　was　of　the　making　of　Things；　and　of　the

beginning　and　the　end　of　Peoples。　It　told　of　how　the　black　folk　grew；

and　of　how　the　white　folk　should　eat　them　up；　and　wherefore　they　were

and　wherefore　they　should　cease　to　be。　It　told　of　Evil　and　of　Good；　of

Woman　and　of　Man；　and　of　how　these　war　against　each　other；　and　why　it

is　that　they　war；　and　what　are　the　ends　of　the　struggle。　It　told　also

of　the　people　of　the　Zulu；　and　it　spoke　of　a　place　of　a　Little　Hand

where　they　should　conquer；　and　of　a　place　where　a　White　Hand　should

prevail　against　them；　and　how　they　shall　melt　away　beneath　the　shadow

of　the　White　Hand　and　be　forgotten；　passing　to　a　land　where　things　do

not　die；　but　live　on　forever；　the　Good　with　the　Good；　the　Evil　with

the　Evil。　It　told　of　Life　and　of　Death；　of　Joy　and　of　Sorrow；　of　Time

and　of　that　sea　in　which　Time　is　but　a　floating　leaf；　and　of　why　all

these　things　are。　Many　names　also　came　into　the　song；　and　I　knew　but　a

few　of　them；　yet　my　own　was　there；　and　the　name　of　Baleka　and　the　name

of　Umslopogaas；　and　the　name　of　Chaka　the　Lion。　But　a　little　while　did

the　voice　sing；　yet　all　this　was　in　the　songay；　and　much　more；　but

the　meaning　of　the　song　is　gone　from　me；　though　I　knew　it　once；　and

shall　know　it　again　when　all　is　done。　The　voice　in　the　shadow　sang　on

till　the　whole　place　was　full　of　the　sound　of　its　singing；　and　even

the　dead　seemed　to　listen。　Chaka　heard　it　and　shook　with　fear；　but　his

ears　were　deaf　to　its　burden；　though　mine　were　open。



The　voice　came　nearer；　and　now　in　the　shadow　there　was　a　faint　glow　of

light；　like　the　glow　that　gathers　on　the　six…days'　dead。　Slowly　it

drew　nearer；　through　the　shadow；　and　as　it　came　I　saw　that　the　shape

of　the　light　was　the　shape　of　a　woman。　Now　I　could　see　it　well；　and　I

knew　the　face　of　glory。　My　father；　it　was　the　face　of　the　Inkosazana…

y…Zulu；　the　Queen　of　Heaven！　She　came　towards　us　very　slowly；　gliding

down　the　gulf　that　was　full　of　dead；　and　the　path　she　trod　was　paved

with　the　dead；　and　as　she　came　it　seemed　to　me　that　shadows　rose　from

the　dead；　following　her；　the　Queen　of　the　Deadthousands　upon

thousands　of　them。　And；　ah！　her　glory；　my　fatherthe　glory　of　her

hair　of　molten　goldof　her　eyes；　that　were　as　the　noonday　skythe

flash　of　her　arms　and　breast；　that　were　like　the　driven　snow；　when　it

glows　in　the　sunset。　Her　beauty　was　awful　to　look　on；　but　I　am　glad　to

have　lived　to　see　it　as　it　shone　and　changed　in　the　shifting　robe　of

light　which　was　her　garment。



Now　she　drew　near　to　us；　and　Chaka　sank　upon　the　earth；　huddled　up　in

fear；　hiding　his　face　in　his　hands；　but　I　was　not　afraid；　my　father

only　the　wicked　need　fear　to　look　on　the　Queen　of　Heaven。　Nay；　I　was

not　afraid：　I　stood　upright　and　gazed　upon　her　glory　face　to　face。　In

her　hand　she　held　a　little　spear　hafted　with　the　royal　wood：　it　was

the　shadow　of　the　spear　that　Chaka　held　in　his　hand；　the　same　with

which　he　had　slain　his　mother　and　wherewith　he　should　himself　be

slain。　Now　she　ceased　her　singing；　and　stood　before　the　crouching　king

and　before　me；　who　was　behind　the　king；　so　that　the　light　of　her　glory

shone　upon　us。　She　lifted　the　little　spear；　and　with　it　touched　Chaka；

son　of　Senzangacona；　on　the　brow；　giving　him　to　doom。　Then　she　spoke；

but；　though　Chaka　felt　the　touch；　he　did　not　hear　the　words；　that　were

for　my　ears　alone。



〃Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；〃　said　the　low　voice；　〃stay　thy　hand；　the　cup

of　Chaka　is　not　full。　When；　for　the　third　time；　thou　seest　me　riding

down　the　storm；　then　SMITE；　Mopo；　my　child。〃



Thus　she　spoke；　and　a　cloud　swept　over　the　face　of　the　moon。　When　it

passed　she　was　gone；　and　once　more　I　was　alone　with　Chaka；　with　the

night　and　the　dead。



Chaka　looked　up；　and　his　face　was　grey　with　the　sweat　of　fear。



〃Who　was　this；　Mopo？〃　he　said　in　a　hollow　voice。



〃This　was　the　Inkosazana　of　the　Heavens；　she　who　watches　ever　over　the

people　of　our　race；　O　King；　and　who　from　time　to　time　is　seen　of　men

ere　great　things　shall　befall。〃



〃I　have　heard　speak　of　this　queen；〃　said　Chaka。　〃Wherefore　came　she

now；　what　was　the　song　she　sang；　and　why　did　she　touch　me　with　a

spear？〃



〃She　came；　O　King；　because　the　dead　hand　of　Baleka　summoned　her；　as

thou　sawest。　The　song　she　sang　was　of　things　too　high　for　me；　and　why

she　touched　thee　on　the　forehead　with　the　spear　I　do　not　know；　O　King！

Perchance　it　was　to　crown　thee　chief　of　a　yet　greater　realm。〃



〃Yea；　perchance　to　crown　me　chief　of　a　realm　of　death。〃



〃That　thou　art　already；　Black　One；〃　I　answered；　glancing　at　the　silent

multitude　before　us　and　the　cold　shape　of　Baleka。



Again　Chaka　shuddered。　〃Come；　let　us　be　going；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃now　I

have　learnt　what　it　is　to　be　afraid。〃



〃Early　or　late；　Fear　is　a　guest　that　all　must　feast；　even　kings；　O

Earth…Shaker！〃　I　answered；　and　we　turned　and　went　homewards　in

silence。



Now　after　this　night　Chaka　gave　it　out　that　the　kraal　of　Gibamaxegu

was　bewitched；　and　bewitched　was　the　land　of　the　Zulus；　because　he

might　sleep　no　more　in　peace；　but　woke　ever　crying　out　with　fear；　and

muttering　the　name　of　Baleka。　Therefore；　in　the　end　he　moved　his　kraal

far　away；　and　built　the　great　town　of　Duguza　here　in　Natal。



Look　now；　my　father！　There　on　the　plain　far　away　is　a　place　of　the

white　menit　is　called　Stanger。　There；　where　is　the　white　man's　town；

stood　the　great　kraal　Duguza。　I　cannot　see；　for　my　eyes　are　dark；　but

you　can　see。　Where　the　gate　of　the　kraal　was　built　there　is　a　house；

it　is　the　place　where　the　white　man　gives　out　justice；　that　is　the

place　of　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　through　which　Justice　never　walked。

Behind　is　another　house；　where　the　white　men　who　have　sinned　against

Him　pray　to　the　King　of　Heaven　for　forgiveness；　there　on　that　spot

have　I　seen　many　a　one　who　had　done　no　wrong　pray　to　a　king　of　men　for

mercy；　but　I　have　never　seen　but　one　who　found　it。　Ou！　the　words　of

Chaka　have　come　true：　I　will　tell　them　to　you　presently；　my　father。

The　white　man　holds　the　land；　he　goes　to　and　fro　about　his　business　of

peace　where　impis　ran　forth　to　kill；　his　children　laugh　and　gather

flowers　where　men　died　in　blood　by　hundreds；　they　bathe　in　the　waters

of　the　Imbozamo；　where　once　the　crocodiles　were　fed　daily　with　human

flesh；　his　young　men　woo　the　maidens　where　other　maids　have　kissed　the

assegai。　It　is　changed；　nothing　is　the　same；　and　of　Chaka　are　left

only　a　grave　yonder　and　a　name　of　fear。



Now；　after　Chaka　had　come　to　the　Duguza　kraal；　for　a　while　he　sat

quiet；　then　the　old　thirst　of　blood　came　on　him；　and　he　sent　his　impis

against　the　people　of　the　Pondos；　and　they　destroyed　that　people；　and

brought　back　their　cattle。　But　the　warriors　might　not　rest；　again　they

were　doctored　for　war；　and　sent　out　by　tens　of　thousands　to　conquer

Sotyangana；　chief　of　the　people　who　live　north　of　the　Limpopo。　They

went　singing；　after　the　king　had　looked　upon　them　and　bidden　them

return　victorious　or　not　at　all。　Their　number　was　so　great　that　from

the　hour　of　dawn　till　the　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　they　passed　the

gates　of　the　kraal　like　countless　herds　of　cattlethey　the

unconquered。　Little　did　they　know　that　victory　smiled　on　them　no　more；

that　they　must　die　by　thousands　of　hunger　and　fever　in　the　marshes　of

the　Limpopo；　and　that　those　of　them　who　returned　should　come　with

their　shields　in　their　bellies；　having　devoured　their　shields　because

of　their　ravenous　hunger！　But　what　of　them？　They　were　nothing。　〃Dust〃

was　the　name　of　one　of　the　great　regiments　that　went　out　against

Sotyangana；　and　dust　they　weredust　to　be　driven　to　death　by　the

breath　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the　Zulu。



Now　few　men　remained　in　the　kraal　Duguza；　for　nearly　all　had　gone　with

the　impi；　and　only　women　and　aged　people　were　left。　Dingaan　and

Umhlangana；　brothers　of　the　king；　were　there；　for　Chaka　would　not

suffer　them　to　depart；　fearing　lest　they　should　plot　against　him；　and

he　looked　on　them　always　with　an　angry　eye；　so　that　they　trembled　for

their　lives；　though　they　dared　not　show