nada the lily-第47部分

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dead　man　and　sprang　to　his　feet。　They　heard　the　sound　and　turned

again；　but　as　they　turned　Groan…Maker　pecked　softly；　and　that　man　who

had　sworn　by　the　Lily　was　no　more　a　man。　Then　Umslopogaas　leaped

forwards；　and；　bounding　on　to　the　great　rock；　stood　there　like　a　buck


against　the　sky。



〃A　Zulu　rat　is　not　so　easily　slain；　O　ye　weasels！〃　he　cried；　as　they

came　at　him　from　all　sides　at　once　with　a　roar。　He　smote　to　the　right

and　the　left；　and　so　swiftly　that　men　could　scarcely　see　the　blows

fall；　for　he　struck　with　Groan…Maker's　beak。　But　though　men　scarcely

saw　the　blows；　yet；　my　father；　men　fell　beneath　them。　Now　foes　were

all　around；　leaping　up　at　the　Slaughterer　as　rushing　water　leaps　to

hide　a　rockeverywhere　shone　spears；　thrusting　at　him　from　this　side

and　from　that。　Those　in　front　and　to　the　side　Groan…Maker　served　to

stay；　but　one　wounded　Umslopogaas　in　the　neck；　and　another　was　lifted

to　pierce　his　back　when　the　strength　of　its　holder　was　bowed　to　the

dustto　the　dust；　to　become　of　the　dust。



For　now　the　Wolf　was　through　the　hole　also；　and　the　Watcher　grew　very

busy；　he　was　so　busy　that　soon　the　back　of　the　Slaughterer　had　nothing

to　fearyet　those　had　much　to　fear　who　stood　behind　his　back。　The

pair　fought　bravely；　making　a　great　slaughter；　and　presently；　one　by

one；　plumed　heads　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　showed　through　the　burrow

and　strong　arms　mingled　in　the　fray。　Swiftly　they　came；　leaping　into

battle　as　otters　leap　to　the　waternow　there　were　ten　of　them；　now

there　were　twentyand　now　the　Halakazi　broke　and　fled；　since　they　did

not　bargain　for　this。　Then　the　rest　of　the　Men　of　the　Axe　came　through

in　peace；　and　the　evening　grew　towards　the　dark　before　all　had　passed

the　hole。







CHAPTER　XXVI



THE　FINDING　OF　NADA



Umslopogaas　marshalled　his　companies。



〃There　is　little　light　left；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　must　serve　us　to　start

these　conies　from　their　burrows。　Come；　my　brother　Galazi；　you　know

where　the　conies　hide；　take　my　place　and　lead　us。〃



So　Galazi　led　the　impi。　Turning　a　corner　of　the　glen；　he　came　with

them　to　a　large　open　space　that　had　a　fountain　in　its　midst；　and　this

place　was　full　of　thousands　of　cattle。　Then　he　turned　again　to　the

left；　and　brought　them　to　the　inner　side　of　the　mountain；　where　the

cliff　hung　over；　and　here　was　the　mouth　of　a　great　cave。　Now　the　cave

was　dark；　but　by　its　door　was　stacked　a　pile　of　resinous　wood　to　serve

as　torches。



〃Here　is　that　which　will　give　us　light；〃　said　Galazi；　and　one　man　of

every　two　took　a　torch　and　lit　it　at　a　fire　that　burned　near　the　mouth

of　the　cave。　Then　they　rushed　in；　waving　the　flaring　torches　and　with

assegais　aloft。　Here　for　the　last　time　the　Halakazi　stood　against

them；　and　the　torches　floated　up　and　down　upon　the　wave　of　war。　But

they　did　not　stand　for　very　long；　for　all　the　heart　was　out　of　them。

Wow！　yes；　many　were　killedI　do　not　know　how　many。　I　know　this　only；

that　the　Halakazi　are　no　more　a　tribe　since　Umslopogaas；　who　is　named

Bulalio；　stamped　them　with　his　feetthey　are　nothing　but　a　name　now。

The　People　of　the　Axe　drove　them　out　into　the　open　and　finished　the

fight　by　starlight　among　the　cattle。



In　one　corner　of　the　cave　Umslopogaas　saw　a　knot　of　men　clustering

round　something　as　though　to　guard　it。　He　rushed　at　the　men；　and　with

him　went　Galazi　and　others。　But　when　Umslopogaas　was　through；　by　the

light　of　his　torch　he　perceived　a　tall　and　slender　man；　who　leaned

against　the　wall　of　the　cave　and　held　a　shield　before　his　face。



〃You　are　a　coward！〃　he　cried；　and　smote　with　Groan…Maker。　The　great

axe　pierced　the　hide；　but；　missing　the　head　behind；　rang　loudly

against　the　rock；　and　as　it　struck　a　sweet　voice　said：



〃Ah！　soldier；　do　not　kill　me！　Why　are　you　angry　with　me？〃



Now　the　shield　had　come　away　from　its　holder's　hands　upon　the　blade　of

the　axe；　and　there　was　something　in　the　notes　of　the　voice　that　caused

Umslopogaas　to　smite　no　more：　it　was　as　though　a　memory　of　childhood

had　come　to　him　in　a　dream。　His　torch　was　burning　low；　but　he　thrust

it　forward　to　look　at　him　who　crouched　against　the　rock。　The　dress　was

the　dress　of　a　man；　but　this　was　no　man's　formnay；　rather　that　of　a

lovely　woman；　well…nigh　white　in　colour。　She　dropped　her　hands　from

before　her　face；　and　now　he　could　see　her　well。　He　saw　eyes　that　shone

like　stars；　hair　that　curled　and　fell　upon　the　shoulders；　and　such

beauty　as　was　not　known　among　our　people。　And　as　the　voice　had　spoken

to　him　of　something　that　was　lost；　so　did　the　eyes　seem　to　shine

across　the　blackness　of　many　years；　and　the　beauty　to　bring　back　he

knew　not　what。



He　looked　at　the　girl　in　all　her　loveliness；　and　she　looked　at　him　in

his　fierceness　and　his　might；　red　with　war　and　wounds。　They　both

looked　long；　while　the　torchlight　flared　on　them；　on　the　walls　of　the

cave；　and　the　broad　blade　of　Groan…Maker；　and　from　around　rose　the

sounds　of　the　fray。



〃How　are　you　named；　who　are　so　fair　to　see？〃　he　asked　at　length。



〃I　am　named　the　Lily　now：　once　I　had　another　name。　Nada；　daughter　of

Mopo；　I　was　once；　but　name　and　all　else　are　dead；　and　I　go　to　join

them。　Kill　me　and　make　an　end。　I　will　shut　my　eyes；　that　I　may　not　see

the　great　axe　flash。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　gazed　upon　her　again；　and　Groan…Maker　fell　from　his

hand。



〃Look　on　me；　Nada；　daughter　of　Mopo；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃look　at

me　and　say　who　am　I。〃



She　looked　once　more　and　yet　again。　Now　her　face　was　thrust　forward　as

one　who　gazes　over　the　edge　of　the　world；　it　grew　fixed　and　strange。

〃By　my　heart；〃　she　said；　〃by　my　heart；　you　are　Umslopogaas；　my　brother

who　is　dead；　and　whom　dead　as　living　I　have　loved　ever　and　alone。〃



Then　the　torch　flared　out；　but　Umslopogaas　took　hold　of　her　in　the

darkness　and　pressed　her　to　him　and　kissed　her；　the　sister　whom　he

found　after　many　years；　and　she　kissed　him。



〃You　kiss　me　now；〃　she　said；　〃yet　not　long　ago　that　great　axe　shore　my

locks；　missing　me　but　by　a　finger's…breadthand　still　the　sound　of

fighting　rings　in　my　ears！　Ah！　a　boon　of　you；　my　brothera　boon：　let

there　be　no　more　death　since　we　are　met　once　more。　The　people　of　the

Halakazi　are　conquered；　and　it　is　their　just　doom；　for　thus；　in　this

same　way；　they　killed　those　with　whom　I　lived　before。　Yet　they　have

treated　me　well；　not　forcing　me　into　wedlock；　and　protecting　me　from

Dingaan；　so　spare　them；　my　brother；　if　you　may。〃



Then　Umslopogaas　lifted　up　his　voice；　commanding　that　the　killing

should　cease；　and　sent　messengers　running　swiftly　with　these　words：

〃This　is　the　command　of　Bulalio：　that　he　should　lifts　hand　against　one

more　of　the　people　of　the　Halakazi　shall　be　killed　himself〃；　and　the

soldiers　obeyed　him；　though　the　order　came　somewhat　late；　and　no　more

of　the　Halakazi　were　brought　to　doom。　They　were　suffered　to　escape；

except　those　of　the　women　and　children　who　were　kept　to　be　led　away　as

captives。　And　they　ran　far　that　night。　Nor　did　they　come　together

again　to　be　a　people；　for　they　feared　Galazi　the　Wolf；　who　would　be

chief　over　them；　but　they　were　scattered　wide　in　the　world；　to　sojourn

among　strangers。



Now　when　the　soldiers　had　eaten　abundantly　of　the　store　of　the

Halakazi；　and　guards　had　been　sent　to　ward　the　cattle　and　watch

against　surprise；　Umslopogaas　spoke　long　with　Nada　the　Lily；　taking

her　apart；　and　he　told　her　all　his　story。　She　told　him　also　the　tale

which　you　know；　my　father；　of　how　she　had　lived　with　the　little　people

that　were　subject　to　the　Halakazi；　she　and　her　mother　Macropha；　and

how　the　fame　of　her　beauty　had　spread　about　the　land。　Then　she　told

him　how　the　Halakazi　had　claimed　her；　and　of　how；　in　the　end；　they　had

taken　her　by　force　of　arms；　killing　the　people　of　that　kraal；　and

among　them　her　own　mother。　Thereafter；　she　had　dwelt　among　the

Halakazi；　who　named　her　anew；　calling　her　the　Lily；　and　they　had

treated　her　kindly；　giving　her　reverence　because　of　her　sweetness　and

beauty；　and　not　forcing　her　into　marriage。



〃And　why　would　you　not　wed；　Nada；　my　sister？〃　asked　Umslopogaas；　〃you

who　are　far　past　the　age　of　marriage？〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　she　answered；　hanging　her　head；　〃but　I　have　no

heart　that　way。　I　only　seek　to　be　left　alone。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　thought　awhile　and　spoke。　〃Do　you　not　know　then；　Nada；

why　it　is　that　I　have　made　this　war；　and　why　the　people　of　the

Halakazi　are　dead　and　scattered　and　their　cattle　the　prize　of　my　arm？

I　will　tell　you：　I　am　come　here　to　win　you；　whom　I　knew　only　by　report

as　the　Lily　maid；　the　fairest　of　women；　to　be　a　wife　to　Dingaan。　The

reason　that　I　began　this　war　was　to　win　you　and　make　my　peace　with

Dingaan；　and　now　I　have　carried　it　through　to　the　end。〃



Now　when　she　heard　these　words；　Nada　the　Lily　trembled　and　wept；　and；

sinking　to　the　earth；　she　clasped　the　knees　of　Umslopogaas　in

supplication：　〃Oh；　do　not　this　cruel　thing　by　me；　your　sister；〃　she

prayed；　〃take　rather　that　great　axe　and　make　an　end　of　me；　and　of　the

beauty　which　has　wrought　so　much　woe；　and　most　of　all　to　me　who　wear

it！　Would　that　I　had　not　moved　my　head　behind　the　shield；　but　had

suffered　the　axe　to　fall　upon　it。　To　this　end　I　was　dressed　as　a　man；

that　I　might　meet　the　fate　of　a　man。　Ah！　a　curse　be　on　my　woman's

weakness　that　snatched　me　from　death　to　give　me　up　to　shame！〃



Thus　she　prayed　to　Umslopogaas　in　her　low　sweet　voice；　and　his　heart

was　shaken　in　him；　though；　indeed；　he　did　not　now　purpose　to　give　Nada

to　Dingaan；　as　Baleka　was　given　to　Chaka；　perhaps　in　the　end　to　meet

the　fate　of　Baleka。



〃There　are　many；　Nada；〃　he　said；　〃who　would　think　it　no　misfortune

that　they　should　be　given　as　a　wife　to　the　first　of　chiefs。〃



〃Then　I　am　not　of　their　number；〃　she　answered；　〃nay；　I　will　die　first；

by　my　own　hand　if　need　be。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　wondered　how　it　came　about　that　Nada　looked　upon

marriage　thus；　but　he　did　not　speak　of　the　matter；　he　said　only；　〃Tell

me　then；　Nada；　how