nada the lily-第44章

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Then　Umslopogaas　summoned　Galazi　the　Wolf　and　told　him　all　this　story；

for　Galazi　was　the　only　man　whom　he　could　trust。　The　Wolf　listened　in

silence；　marvelling　the　while　at　the　beauty　of　Nada；　as　the　starlight

showed　it。　When　everything　was　told；　he　said　only　that　he　no　longer

wondered　that　the　people　of　the　Halakazi　had　defied　Dingaan　and

brought　death　upon　themselves　for　the　sake　of　this　maid。　Still；　to　be

plain；　his　heart　thought　ill　of　the　matter；　for　death　was　not　done

with　yet：　there　before　them　shone　the　Star　of　Death；　and　he　pointed　to

the　Lily。



Now　Nada　trembled　at　his　words　of　evil　omen；　and　the　Slaughterer　grew

angry；　but　Galazi　would　neither　add　to　them　nor　take　away　from　them。

〃I　have　spoken　that　which　my　heart　hears；〃　he　answered。



Then　they　rose　and　went　to　search　among　the　dead　for　a　girl　who　would

suit　their　purpose；　soon　they　found　one；　a　tall　and　fair　maiden；　and

Galazi　bore　her　in　his　arms　to　the　great　cave。　Here　in　the　cave　were

none　but　the　dead；　and；　tossed　hither　and　thither　in　their　last　sleep；

they　looked　awful　in　the　glare　of　the　torches。



〃They　sleep　sound；〃　said　the　Lily；　gazing　on　them；　〃rest　is　sweet。〃



〃We　shall　soon　win　it；　maiden；〃　answered　Galazi；　and　again　Nada

trembled。



Then；　having　arrayed　her　in　the　dress　of　a　warrior；　and　put　a　shield

and　spear　by　her；　they　laid　down　the　body　of　the　girl　in　a　dark　place

in　the　cave；　and；　finding　a　dead　warrior　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；

placed　him　beside　her。　Now　they　left　the　cave；　and；　pretending　that

they　visited　the　sentries；　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　passed　from　spot　to

spot；　while　the　Lily　walked　after　them　like　a　guard；　hiding　her　face

with　a　shield；　holding　a　spear　in　her　hand；　and　having　with　her　a　bag

of　corn　and　dried　flesh。



So　they　passed　on；　till　at　length　they　came　to　the　entrance　in　the

mountain　side。　The　stones　that　had　blocked　it　were　pulled　down　so　as

to　allow　those　of　the　Halakazi　to　fly　who　had　been　spared　at　the

entreaty　of　Nada；　but　there　were　guards　by　the　entrance　to　watch　that

none　came　back。　Umslopogaas　challenged　them；　and　they　saluted　him；　but

he　saw　that　they　were　worn　out　with　battle　and　journeying；　and　knew

little　of　what　they　saw　or　said。　Then　he；　Galazi；　and　Nada　and　passed

through　the　opening　on　to　the　plain　beyond。



Here　the　Slaughterer　and　the　Lily　bade　each　other　farewell；　while

Galazi　watched；　and　presently　the　Wolf　saw　Umslopogaas　return　as　one

who　is　heavy　at　heart；　and　caught　sight　of　the　Lily　skimming　across

the　plain　lightly　like　a　swallow。



〃I　do　not　know　when　we　two　shall　meet　again；〃　said　Umslopogaas　so　soon

as　she　had　melted　into　the　shadows　of　the　night。



〃May　you　never　meet；〃　answered　Galazi；　〃for　I　am　sure　that　if　you　meet

that　sister　of　yours　will　bring　death　on　many　more　than　those　who　now

lie　low　because　of　her　loveliness。　She　is　a　Star　of　Death；　and　when

she　sets　the　sky　shall　be　blood　red。〃



Umslopogaas　did　not　answer；　but　walked　slowly　through　the　archway　in

the　mountain　side。



〃How　is　this；　chief？〃　said　he　who　was　captain　of　the　guard。　〃Three

went　out；　but　only　two　return。〃



〃Fool！〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Are　you　drunk　with　Halakazi　beer；　or

blind　with　sleep？　Two　went　out；　and　two　return。　I　sent　him　who　was

with　us　back　to　the　camp。〃



〃So　be　it；　father；〃　said　the　captain。　〃Two　went　out；　and　two　return。

All　is　well！〃







CHAPTER　XXVII



THE　STAMPING　OF　THE　FIRE



On　the　morrow　the　impi　awoke　refreshed　with　sleep；　and；　after　they　had

eaten；　Umslopogaas　mustered　them。　Alas！　nearly　half　of　those　who　had

seen　the　sun　of　yesterday　would　wake　no　more　forever。　The　Slaughterer

mustered　them　and　thanked　them　for　that　which　they　had　done；　winning

fame　and　cattle。　They　were　merry；　recking　little　of　those　who　were

dead；　and　sang　his　praises　and　the　praises　of　Galazi　in　a　loud　song。

When　the　song　was　ended　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　them　again；　saying　that

the　victory　was　great；　and　the　cattle　they　had　won　were　countless。　Yet

something　was　lackingshe　was　lacking　whom　he　came　to　seek　to　be　a

gift　to　Dingaan　the　king；　and　for　whose　sake　this　war　was　made。　Where

now　was　the　Lily？　Yesterday　she　had　been　here；　clad　in　a　moocha　like　a

man　and　bearing　a　shield；　this　he　knew　from　the　captives。　Where；　then；

was　she　now？



Then　all　the　soldiers　said　that　they　had　seen　nothing　of　her。　When

they　had　done；　Galazi　spoke　a　word；　as　was　agreed　between　him　and

Umslopogaas。　He　said　that　when　they　stormed　the　cave　he　had　seen　a　man

run　at　a　warrior　in　the　cave　to　kill　him。　Then　as　he　came；　he　who　was

about　to　be　slain　threw　down　the　shield　and　cried　for　mercy；　and

Galazi　knew　that　this　was　no　warrior　of　the　Halakazi；　but　a　very

beautiful　girl。　So　he　called　to　the　man　to　let　her　alone　and　not　to

touch　her；　for　the　order　was　that　no　women　should　be　killed。　But　the

soldier；　being　made　with　the　lust　of　fight；　shouted　that　maid　or　man

she　should　die；　and　slew　her。　Thereon；　heGalaziin　his　wrath　ran　up

and　smote　the　man　with　the　Watcher　and　killed　him　also；　and　he　prayed

that　he　had　done　no　wrong。



〃You　have　done　well；　my　brother；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Come　now；　some　of

you；　and　let　us　look　at　this　dead　girl。　Perhaps　it　is　the　Lily；　and　if

so　that　is　unlucky　for　us；　for　I　do　not　know　what　tale　we　shall　tell

to　Dingaan　of　the　matter。〃



So　the　captains　went　with　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi；　and　came　to　the　spot

where　the　girl　had　been　laid；　and　by　her　the　man　of　the　People　of　the

Axe。



〃All　is　as　the　Wolf；　my　brother；　has　told；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　waving

the　torch　in　his　hand　over　the　two　who　lay　dead。　〃Here；　without　a

doubt；　lies　she　who　was　named　the　Lily；　whom　we　came　to　win；　and　by

her　that　fool　who　slew　her；　slain　himself　by　the　blow　of　the　Watcher。

An　ill　sight　to　see；　and　an　ill　tale　for　me　to　tell　at　the　kraal　of

Dingaan。　Still；　what　is　is；　and　cannot　be　altered；　and　this　maid　who

was　the　fairest　of　the　fair　is　now　none　to　lovely　to　look　on。　Let　us

away！〃　And　he　turned　swiftly；　then　spoke　again；　saying：



〃Bind　up　this　dead　girl　in　ox　hides；　cover　her　with　salt；　and　let　her

be　brought　with　us。〃　And　they　did　so。



Then　the　captains　said：　〃Surely　it　is　so；　my　father；　now　it　cannot　be

altered；　and　Dingaan　must　miss　his　bride。〃　So　said　they　all　except

that　man　who　had　been　captain　of　the　guard　when　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi

and　another　passed　through　the　archway。　This　man；　indeed；　said

nothing；　yet　he　was　not　without　his　thoughts。　For　it　seemed　to　him

that　he　had　seen　three　pass　through　the　archway；　and　not　two。　It

seemed　to　him；　moreover；　that　the　kaross　which　the　third　wore　had

slipped　aside　as　she　pressed　past　him；　and　that　beneath　it　he　had　seen

the　shape　of　a　beautiful　woman；　and　above　it　had　caught　the　glint　of　a

woman's　eyean　eye　full　and　dark；　like　a　buck's。



Also；　this　captain　noted　that　Bulalio　called　none　of　the　captives　to

swear　to　the　body　of　the　Lily　maid；　and　that　he　shook　the　torch　to　and

fro　as　he　held　it　over　herhe　whose　hand　was　of　the　steadiest。　All　of

this　he　kept　in　his　mind；　forgetting　nothing。



Now　it　chanced　afterwards；　on　the　homeward　march；　my　father；　that

Umslopogaas　had　cause　to　speak　angrily　to　this　man；　because　he　tried

to　rob　another　of　his　share　of　the　spoil　of　the　Halakazi。　He　spoke

sharply　to　him；　degrading　him　from　his　rank；　and　setting　another　over

him。　Also　he　took　cattle　from　the　man；　and　gave　them　to　him　whom　he

would　have　robbed。



And　thereafter；　though　he　was　justly　served；　this　man　thought　more　and

more　of　the　third　who　had　passed　through　the　arch　of　the　cave　and　had

not　returned；　and　who　seemed　to　him　to　have　a　fair　woman's　shape；　and

eyes　which　gleamed　like　those　of　a　woman。



On　that　day；　then；　Umslopogaas　began　his　march　to　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu；　where　Dingaan　sat。　But　before　he　set　his　face

homewards；　in　the　presence　of　the　soldiers；　he　asked　Galazi　the　Wolf

if　he　would　come　back　with　him；　or　if　he　desired　to　stay　to　be　chief

of　the　Halakazi；　as　he　was　by　right　of　birth　and　war。　Then　the　Wolf

laughed；　and　answered　that　he　had　come　out　to　seek　for　vengeance；　and

not　for　the　place　of　a　chief；　also　that　there　were　few　of　the　Halakazi

people　left　over　whom　he　might　rule　if　he　wished。　Moreover；　he　added

this：　that；　like　twin　trees；　they　two　blood…brethren　had　grown　up　side

by　side　till　their　roots　were　matted　together；　and　that；　were　one　of

them　dug　up　and　planted　in　Swazi　soil；　he　feared　lest　both　should

wither；　or；　at　the　last；　that　he；　Galazi；　would　wither；　who　loved　but

one　man　and　certain　wolves。



So　Umslopogaas　said　no　more　of　the　chieftainship；　but　began　his

journey。　With　him　he　brought　a　great　number　of　cattle；　to　be　a　gift

for　Dingaan；　and　a　multitude　of　captives；　young　women　and　children；

for　he　would　appease　the　heart　of　Dingaan；　because　he　did　not　bring

her　whom　he　soughtthe　Lily；　flower　of　flowers。　Yet；　because　he　was

cautious　and　put　little　faith　in　the　kindness　of　kings；　Umslopogaas；

so　soon　as　he　reached　the　borders　of　Zululand；　sent　the　best　of　the

cattle　and　the　fairest　of　the　maids　and　children　on　to　the　kraal　of

the　People　of　the　Axe　by　the　Ghost　Mountain。　And　he　who　had　been

captain　of　the　guard　but　now　was　a　common　soldier　noticed　this　also。



Now　it　chanced　that　on　a　certain　morning　I；　Mopo；　sat　in　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu　in　attendance　on　Dingaan。　For　still　I　waited　on　the

king；　though　he　had　spoken　no　word　to　me；　good　or　bad；　since　the

yesterday；　when　I　foretold　to　him　that　in　the　blood　of　the　white　men

whom　he　had　betrayed　grew　the　flower　of　his　own　death。　For；　my　father；

it　was　on　the　morrow　of　the　slaying　of　the　Amaboona　that　Umslopogaas

came　to　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu。



Now　the　mind　of　Dingaan　was　heavy；　and　he　sought　something　to　lighten

it。　Presently　he　bethought　himself　of　the　white　praying　man；　who　had

come　to　the　kraal　seeking　to　teach　us　people　of　the　Zulu　to　worship

other　gods　than　the　assegai　and　the　king。　Now　this　was　a　good　man；　but

no　luck　went　with　his　teaching；　which　was　hard　to　understand；　and；

moreover；　the　indunas　did　not　like　it；　because　it　seemed　to　set　a

master　over　the　master；　and　a　king　over　the　king；　and　to　preach　of

peace　to　those　whose　trade　was　war。　Still；　Dingaan　sent　for　the　white

man　that　he　might　dispute　with　him；　for　Dingaan　thought　that　he

himself　was　the　cleverest　of　all　men。



Now　the　white　man　came；　but　his　face　was　pale；　because　of　that　which

he　had　seen　befall　the　Boers；　for　he　was　gentle　and　hated　such　sights。

The　king　bade　him　be　seated　and　spoke　to　him　saying：



〃The　other　day；　O　White　Man；　thou　toldest　me　of　a　place　of　fire

whither　those　go　after　death　who　have　done　wickedly　in　life。　Tell　me

now　of　thy　wisdom；　do　my　fathers　lie　in　that　place？〃



〃How　can　I　know；　King；〃　answered　the　prayer…doctor；　〃who　may　not　judge

of　the　deeds　of　men？　This　I　say　only：　that　those　who　murder　and　rob

and　oppress　the　innocent　and　bear　false　witness　shall　lie　in　that

place　of　fire