nada the lily-第39章

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CHATPER　XXIV



THE　SLAYING　OF　THE　BOERS



On　the　morrow　I　led　Umslopogaas　apart；　and　spoke　to　him　thus：



〃My　son；　yesterday；　when　you　did　not　know　me　except　as　the　Mouth　of

Dingaan；　you　charged　me　with　a　certain　message　for　Dingaan　the　king；

that；　had　it　been　delivered　into　the　ears　of　the　king；　had　surely

brought　death　upon　you　and　all　your　people。　The　tree　that　stands　by

itself　on　a　plain；　Umslopogaas；　thinks　itself　tall　and　that　there　is

no　shade　to　equal　its　shade。　Yet　are　there　other　and　bigger　trees。　You

are　such　a　solitary　tree；　Umslopogaas；　but　the　topmost　branches　of　him

whom　I　serve　are　thicker　than　your　trunk；　and　beneath　his　shadow　live

many　woodcutters；　who　go　out　to　lop　those　that　would　grow　too　high。

You　are　no　match　for　Dingaan；　though；　dwelling　here　alone　in　an　empty

land；　you　have　grown　great　in　your　own　eyes　and　in　the　eyes　of　those

about　you。　Moreover；　Umslopogaas；　know　this：　Dingaan　already　hates　you

because　of　the　words　which　in　bygone　years　you　sent　by　Masilo　the　fool

to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　for　he　heard　those　words；　and　it　is　his

will　to　eat　you　up。　He　has　sent　me　hither　for　one　reason　only；　to　be

rid　of　me　awhile；　and；　whatever　the　words　I　bring　back　to　him；　the　end

will　be　the　samethat　night　shall　come　when　you　will　find　an　impi　at

your　gates。〃



〃Then　what　need　to　talk　more　of　the　matter；　my　father？〃　asked

Umslopogaas。　〃That　will　come　which　must　come。　Let　me　wait　here　for　the

impi　of　Dingaan；　and　fight　till　I　do。〃



〃Not　so；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；　there　are　more　ways　of　killing　a　man

than　by　the　assegai；　and　a　crooked　stick　can　still　be　bent　straight　in

the　stream。　It　is　my　desire；　Umslopogaas；　that　instead　of　hate　Dingaan

should　give　you　love；　instead　of　death；　advancement；　and　that　you

shall　grow　great　in　his　shadow。　Listen！　Dingaan　is　not　what　Chaka　was；

though；　like　Chaka；　he　is　cruel。　This　Dingaan　is　a　fool；　and　it　may

well　come　about　that　a　man　can　be　found　who；　growing　up　in　his　shadow；

in　the　end　shall　overshadow　him。　I　might　do　itI　myself；　but　I　am

old；　and；　being　worn　with　sorrow；　have　no　longing　to　rule。　But　you　are

young；　Umslopogaas；　and　there　is　no　man　like　you　in　the　land。

Moreover；　there　are　other　matters　of　which　it　is　not　well　to　speak；

that　shall　serve　you　as　a　raft　whereon　to　swim　to　power。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　glanced　up　sharply；　for　in　those　days　he　was

ambitious；　and　desired　to　be　first　among　the　people。　Indeed；　having

the　blood　of　Chaka　in　his　veins；　how　could　it　be　otherwise？



〃What　is　your　plan；　my　father？〃　he　asked。　〃Say　how　can　this　be　brought

about？〃



〃This　and　thus；　Umslopogaas。　Among　the　tribe　of　the　Halakazi　in

Swaziland　there　dwells　a　maid　who　is　named　the　Lily。　She　is　a　girl　of

the　most　wonderful　beauty；　and　Dingaan　is　afire　with　longing　to　have

her　to　wife。　Now；　awhile　since　Dingaan　dispatched　an　embassy　to　the

chief　of　the　Halakazi　asking　the　Lily　in　marriage；　and　the　chief　of

the　Halakazi　sent　back　insolent　words；　saying　that　the　Beauty　of　the

Earth　should　be　given　to　no　Zulu　dog　as　a　wife。　Then　Dingaan　was

angry；　and　he　would　have　gathered　his　impis　and　sent　them　against　the

Halakazi　to　destroy　them；　and　bring　him　the　maid；　but　I　held　him　back

from　it；　saying　that　now　was　no　time　to　begin　a　new　war；　and　it　is　for

this　cause　that　Dingaan　hates　me；　he　is　so　set　upon　the　plucking　of

the　Swazi　Lily。　Do　you　understand　now；　Umslopogaas？〃



〃Something；〃　he　answered。　〃But　speak　clearly。〃



〃Wow；　Umslopogaas！　Half　words　are　better　than　whole　ones　in　this　land

of　ours。　Listen；　then！　This　is　my　plan：　that　you　should　fall　upon　the

Halakazi　tribe；　destroy　it；　and　bring　back　the　maid　as　a　peace…

offering　to　Dingaan。〃



〃That　is　a　good　plan；　my　father；〃　he　answered。　〃At　the　least；　maid　or

no　maid；　there　will　be　fighting　in　it；　and　cattle　to　divide　when　the

fighting　is　done。〃



〃First　conquer；　then　reckon　up　the　spoils；　Umslopogaas。〃



Now　he　thought　awhile；　then　said；　〃Suffer　that　I　summon　Galazi　the

Wolf；　my　captain。　Do　not　fear；　he　is　trusty　and　a　man　of　few　words。〃



Presently　Galazi　came　and　sat　down　before　us。　Then　I　put　the　matter　to

him　thus：　that　Umslopogaas　would　fall　upon　the　Halakazi　and　bring　to

Dingaan　the　maid　he　longed　for　as　a　peace…offering；　but　that　I　wished

to　hold　him　back　from　the　venture　because　the　Halakazi　people　were

great　and　strong。　I　spoke　in　this　sense　so　that　I　might　have　a　door　to

creep　out　should　Galazi　betray　the　plot；　and　Umslopogaas　read　my

purpose；　though　my　craft　was　needless；　for　Galazi　was　a　true　man。



Galazi　the　Wolf　listened　in　silence　till　I　had　finished；　then　he

answered　quietly；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　a　fire　shone　in　his　eyes　as

he　spoke：



〃I　am　chief　by　right　of　the　Halakazi；　O　Mouth　of　Dingaan；　and　know

them　well。　They　are　a　strong　people；　and　can　put　two　full　regiments

under　arms；　whereas　Bulalio　here　can　muster　but　one　regiment；　and　that

a　small　one。　Moreover；　they　have　watchmen　out　by　night　and　day；　and

spies　scattered　through　the　land；　so　that　it　will　be　hard　to　take　them

unawares；　also　their　stronghold　is　a　vast　cave　open　to　the　sky　in　the

middle；　and　none　have　won　that　stronghold　yet；　nor　could　it　be　found

except　by　those　who　know　its　secret。　They　are　few；　yet　I　am　one　of

them；　for　my　father　showed　it　to　me　when　I　was　a　lad。　Therefore；　Mouth

of　Dingaan；　you　will　know　that　this　is　no　easy　task　which　Bulalio

would　set　himself　and　usto　conquer　the　Halakazi。　That　is　the　face　of

the　matter　so　far　as　it　concerns　Bulalio；　but　for　me；　O　Mouth；　it　has

another　face。　Know　that；　long　years　ago；　I　swore　to　my　father　as　he

lay　dying　by　the　poison　of　a　witch　of　this　people　that　I　would　not

rest　till　I　had　avenged　himay；　till　I　had　stamped　out　the　Halakazi；

and　slain　their　men；　and　brought　their　women　to　the　houses　of

strangers；　and　their　children　to　bonds！　Year　by　year　and　month　by

month；　and　night　by　night；　as　I　have　lain　alone　upon　the　Ghost

Mountain　yonder；　I　have　wondered　how　I　might　bring　my　oath　to　pass；

and　found　no　way。　Now　it　seems　that　there　is　a　way；　and　I　am　glad。　Yet

this　is　a　great　adventure；　and　perhaps　before　it　is　done　with　the

People　of　the　Axe　will　be　no　more。〃　And　he　ceased　and　took　snuff；

watching　our　faces　over　the　spoon。



〃Galazi　the　Wolf；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃for　me　also　the　matter　has

another　face。　You　have　lost　your　father　at　the　hands　of　these　Halakazi

dogs；　and；　though　till　last　night　I　did　not　know　it；　I　have　lost　my

mother　by　their　spears；　and　with　her　one　whom　I　loved　above　all　in　the

world；　my　sister　Nada；　who　loved　me　also。　Both　are　dead　and　the

Halakazi　have　killed　them。　This　man；　the　mouth　of　Dingaan；〃　and　he

pointed　to　me；　Mopo；　〃this　man　says　that　if　I　can　stamp　out　the

Halakazi　and　make　captive　of　the　Lily　maid；　I　shall　win　the　heart　of

Dingaan。　Little　do　I　care　for　Dingaan；　I　who　would　go　my　way　alone；

and　live　while　I　may　live；　and　die　when　I　must；　by　the　hands　of

Dingaan　as　by　those　of　anotherwhat　does　it　matter？　Yet；　for　this

reason；　because　of　the　death　of　Macropha；　my　mother；　and　Nada；　the

sister　who　was　dear　to　me；　I　will　make　war　upon　these　Halakazi　and

conquer　them；　or　be　conquered　by　them。　Perhaps；　O　Mouth　of　Dingaan；

you　will　see　me　soon　at　the　king's　kraal　on　the　Mahlabatine；　and　with

me　the　Lily　maid　and　the　cattle　of　the　Halakazi；　or　perhaps　you　shall

not　see　me；　and　then　you　will　know　that　I　am　dead；　and　the　Warriors　of

the　Axe　are　no　more。〃



So　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　me　before　Galazi　the　Wolf；　but　afterwards　he

embraced　me　and　bade　me　farewell；　for　he　had　no　great　hope　that　we

should　meet　again。　And　I　also　doubted　it；　for；　as　Galazi　said；　the

adventure　was　great；　yet；　as　I　had　seen　many　times；　it　is　the　bold

thrower　who　oftenest　wins。　So　we　partedI　to　return　to　Dingaan　and

tell　him　that　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　had　gone　up

against　the　Halakazi　to　win　the　Lily　maid　and　bring　her　to　him　in

atonement；　while　Umslopogaas　remained　to　make　ready　his　impi　for　war。



I　went　swiftly　from　the　Ghost　Mountain　back　to　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu；　and　presented　myself　before　Dingaan；　who　at　first

looked　on　me　coldly。　But　when　I　told　him　my　message；　and　how　that　the

Chief　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer　had　taken　the　war…path　to　win　him　the

Lily；　his　manner　changed。　He　took　me　by　the　hand　and　said　that　I　had

done　well；　and　he　had　been　foolish　to　doubt　me　when　I　lifted　up　my

voice　to　persuade　him　from　sending　an　impi　against　the　Halakazi。　Now

he　saw　that　it　was　my　purpose　to　rake　this　Halakazi　fire　with　another

hand　than　his；　and　to　save　his　hand　from　the　burning；　and　he　thanked

me。



Moreover；　he　said；　that　if　this　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　brought

him　the　maid　his　heart　desired；　not　only　would　he　forgive　him　the

words　he　had　spoken　by　the　mouth　of　Masilo　to　the　Black　One　who　was

dead；　but　also　all　the　cattle　of　the　Halakazi　should　be　his；　and　he

would　make　him　great　in　the　land。　I　answered　that　all　this　was　as　the

king　willed。　I　had　but　done　my　duty　by　the　king　and　worked　so　that；

whatever　befell；　a　proud　chief　should　be　weakened　and　a　foe　should　be

attacked　at　no　cost　to　the　king；　in　such　fashion　also　that　perhaps　it

might　come　about　that　the　king　would　shortly　have　the　Lily　at　his

side。



Then　I　sat　down　to　wait　what　might　befall。



Now　it　is；　my　father；　that　the　white　men　come　into　my　story；　whom　we

named　the　Amaboona；　but　you　call　the　Boers。　Ou！　I　think　ill　of　those

Amaboona；　though　it　was　I　who　gave　them　the　victory　over　DingaanI

and　Umslopogaas。



Before　this　time；　indeed；　a　few　white　men　had　come　to　and　fro　to　the

kraals　of　Chaka　and　Dingaan；　but　these　came　to　pray　and　not　to　fight。

Now　the　Boers　both　fight　and　pray；　also　they　steal；　or　used　to　steal；

which　I　do　not　understand；　for　the　prayers　of　you　white　men　say　that

these　things　should　not　be　done。



Well；　when　I　had　been　back　from　the　Ghost　Mountain　something　less　than

a　moon；　the　Boers　came；　sixty　of　them　commanded　by　a　captain　named

Retief；　a　big　man；　and　armed　with　roersthe　long　guns　they　had　in

those　daysor；　perhaps　they　numbered　a　hundred　in　all；　counting　their

servants　and　after…riders。　This　was　their　purpose：　to　get　a　grant　of

the　land　in　Natal　that　lies　between　the　Tugela　and　the　Umzimoubu

rivers。　But；　by　my　council　and　that　of　other　indunas；　Dingaan；

bargained　with　the　Boers　that　first　they　should　attack　a　certain　chief

named　Sigomyela；　who　had　stolen　some　of　the　king's　cattle；　and　who

lived　near　the　Quathlamba　Mountains；　and　bring　back　those　cattle。　This

the　Boers　agreed　to；　and　went　to　attack　the　chief；　and　in　a　little

while　they　came　back　again；　having　destroyed　the　people　of　Sigomyela；

and　driving　his　cattle　before　them　as　well　as　those　which　had　been

stolen　from　the　king。



The　face　of　Dingaan　shone　when　he　saw　the　cattle；　and　that　night　he

called　us；　the　council　of　the　Amapakati；　together；　and　asked　us　as　to

the　granting　of　the　country。　I　spoke　the　first；　and　said　that　i