nada the lily(百合娜达)-第12章

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lives　and　the　lives　of　all　in　our　kraals　would　answer　for　it。　Better
that　an　infant　should　die　than　that　we　should　become　food　for　jackals。
Presently　I　came　to　the　Emposeni；　the　place　of　the　king's　wives；　and
declared　the　king's　word　to　the　soldiers　on　guard。　They　lowered　their
assegais　and　let　me　pass；　and　I　entered　the　hut　of　Baleka。　In　it　were
others　of　the　king's　wives；　but　when　they　saw　me　they　rose　and　went
away；　for　it　was　not　lawful　that　they　should　stay　where　I　was。　Thus　I
was　left　alone　with　my　sister。

For　awhile　she　lay　silent；　and　I　did　not　speak；　though　I　saw　by　the
heaving　of　her　breast　that　she　was　weeping。

〃Hush；　little　one！〃　I　said　at　length；　〃your　sorrow　will　soon　be　done。〃

〃Nay；〃　she　answered；　lifting　her　head；　〃it　will　be　but　begun。　Oh；
cruel　man！　I　know　the　reason　of　your　coming。　You　come　to　murder　the
babe　that　shall　be　born　of　me。〃

〃It　is　the　king's　word；　woman。〃

〃It　is　the　king's　word；　and　what　is　the　king's　word？　Have　I；　then；
naught　to　say　in　this　matter？〃

〃It　is　the　king's　child；　woman。〃

〃It　is　the　king's　child；　and　it　is　not　also　my　child？　Must　my　babe　be
dragged　from　my　breast　and　be　strangled；　and　by　you；　Mopo？　Have　I　not
loved　you；　Mopo？　Did　I　not　flee　with　you　from　our　people　and　the
vengeance　of　our　father？　Do　you　know　that　not　two　moons　gone　the　king
was　wroth　with　you　because　he　fell　sick；　and　would　have　caused　you　to
be　slain　had　I　not　pleaded　for　you　and　called　his　oath　to　mind？　And
thus　you　pay　me：　you　come　to　kill　my　child；　my　first…born　child！〃

〃It　is　the　king's　word；　woman；〃　I　answered　sternly；　but　my　heart　was
split　in　two　within　me。

Then　Baleka　said　no　more；　but；　turning　her　face　to　the　wall　of　the
hut；　she　wept　and　groaned　bitterly。

Now；　as　she　wept　I　heard　a　stir　without　the　hut；　and　the　light　in　the
doorway　was　darkened。　A　woman　entered　alone。　I　looked　round　to　see　who
it　was；　then　fell　upon　the　ground　in　salutation；　for　before　me　was
Unandi；　mother　of　the　king；　who　was　named　〃Mother　of　the　Heavens；〃
that　same　lady　to　whom　my　mother　had　refused　the　milk。

〃Hail；　Mother　of　the　Heavens！〃　I　said。

〃Greeting；　Mopo；〃　she　answered。　〃Say；　why　does　Baleka　weep？　Is　it
because　the　sorrow　of　women　is　upon　her？〃

〃Ask　of　her；　great　chieftainess；〃　I　said。

Then　Baleka　spoke：　〃I　weep；　mother　of　a　king；　because　this　man；　who　is
my　brother；　has　come　from　him　who　is　my　lord　and　they　son；　to　murder
that　which　shall　be　born　of　me。　O　thou　whose　breasts　have　given　suck；
plead　for　me！　Thy　son　was　not　slain　at　birth。〃

〃Perhaps　it　were　well　if　he　had　been　so　slain；　Baleka；〃　said　Unandi；
〃then　had　many　another　man　lived　to　look　upon　the　sun　who　is　now
dead。〃

〃At　the　least；　as　an　infant　he　was　good　and　gentle；　and　thou　mightest
love　him；　Mother　of　the　Zulu。〃

〃Never；　Baleka！　As　a　babe　he　bit　my　breast　and　tore　my　hair；　as　the
man　is　so　was　the　babe。〃

〃Yet　may　his　child　be　otherwise；　Mother　of　the　Heavens！　Think；　thou
hast　no　grandson　to　comfort　thee　in　thy　age。　Wilt　thou；　then；　see　all
thy　stock　wither？　The　king；　our　lord；　lives　in　war。　He　too　may　die；
and　what　then？〃

〃Then　the　root　of　Senzangacona　is　still　green。　Has　the　king　no
brothers？〃

〃They　are　not　of　they　flesh；　mother。　What？　thou　dost　not　hearken！　Then
as　a　woman　to　woman　I　plead　with　thee。　Save　my　child　or　slay　me　with
my　child！〃

Now　the　heart　of　Unandi　grew　gentle；　and　she　was　moved　to　tears。

〃How　may　this　be　done；　Mopo？〃　she　said。　〃The　king　must　see　the　dead
infant；　and　if　he　suspect；　and　even　reeds　have　ears；　you　know　the
heart　of　Chaka　and　where　we　shall　lie　to…morrow。〃

〃Are　there　then　no　other　new…born　babes　in　Zululand？〃　said　Baleka；
sitting　up　and　speaking　in　a　whisper　like　the　hiss　of　a　snake。
〃Listen；　Mopo！　Is　not　your　wife　also　in　labour？　Now　hear　me；　Mother　of
the　Heavens；　and；　my　brother；　hear　me　also。　Do　not　think　to　play　with
me　in　this　matter。　I　will　save　my　child　or　you　twain　will　perish　with
it。　For　I　will　tell　the　king　that　you　came　to　me；　the　two　of　you；　and
whispered　plots　into　my　earplots　to　save　the　child　and　kill　the
king。　Now　choose；　and　swiftly！〃

She　sank　bank；　there　was　silence；　and　we　looked　one　upon　another。　Then
Unandi　spoke。

〃Give　me　your　hand；　Mopo；　and　swear　that　you　will　be　faithful　to　me　in
this　secret；　as　I　swear　to　you。　A　day　may　come　when　this　child　who　has
not　seen　the　light　rules　as　king　in　Zululand；　and　then　in　reward　you
shall　be　the　greatest　of　the　people；　the　king's　voice；　whisperer　in
the　king's　ear。　But　if　you　break　your　oath；　then　beware；　for　I　shall
not　die　alone！〃

〃I　swear；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；〃　I　answered。

〃It　is　well；　son　of　Makedama。〃

〃It　is　well；　my　brother；〃　said　Baleka。　〃Now　go　and　do　that　which　must
be　done　swiftly；　for　my　sorrow　is　upon　me。　Go；　knowing　that　if　you
fail　I　will　be　pitiless；　for　I　will　bring　you　to　your　death；　yes；　even
if　my　own　death　is　the　price！〃

So　I　went。　〃Whither　to　you　go？〃　asked　the　guard　at　the　gate。

〃I　go　to　bring　my　medicines；　men　of　the　king；〃　I　answered。

So　I　said；　but；　oh！　my　heart　was　heavy；　and　this　was　my　planto　fly
far　from　Zululand。　I　could　not；　and　I　dared　not　do　this　thing。　What？
should　I　kill　my　own　child　that　its　life　might　be　given　for　the　life
of　the　babe　of　Baleka？　And　should　I　lift　up　my　will　against　the　will
of　the　king；　saving　the　child　to　look　upon　the　sun　which　he　had　doomed
to　darkness？　Nay；　I　would　fly；　leaving　all；　and　seek　out　some　far
tribe　where　I　might　begin　to　live　again。　Here　I　could　not　live；　here
in　the　shadow　of　Chaka　was　nothing　but　death。

I　reached　my　own　huts；　there　to　find　that　my　wife　Macropha　was
delivered　of　twins。　I　sent　away　all　in　the　hut　except　my　other　wife；
Anadi；　she　who　eight　days　gone　had　born　me　a　son。　The　second　of　the
twins　was　born；　it　was　a　boy；　born　dead。　The　first　was　a　girl；　she　who
lived　to　be　Nada　the　Beautiful；　Nada　the　Lily。　Then　a　thought　came
into　my　heart。　Here　was　a　path　to　run　on。

〃Give　me　the　boy；〃　I　said　to　Anadi。　〃He　is　not　dead。　Give　him　to　me
that　I　may　take　him　outside　the　kraal　and　wake　him　to　life　by　my
medicine。〃

〃It　is　of　no　usethe　child　is　dead；〃　said　Anadi。

〃Give　him　to　me；　woman！〃　I　said　fiercely。　And　she　gave　me　the　body。

Then　I　took　him　and　wrapped　him　up　in　my　bundle　of　medicines；　and
outside　of　all　I　rolled　a　mat　of　plaited　grass。

〃Suffer　none　to　enter　the　hut　till　I　return；〃　I　said；　〃and　speak　no
word　of　the　child　that　seems　to　be　dead。　If　you　allow　any　to　enter；　or
if　you　speak　a　word；　then　my　medicine　will　not　work　and　the　babe　will
be　dead　indeed。〃

So　I　went；　leaving　the　women　wondering；　for　it　is　not　our　custom　to
save　both　when　twins　are　born；　but　I　ran　swiftly　to　the　gates　of　the
Emposeni。

〃I　bring　the　medicines；　men　of　the　king！〃　I　said　to　the　guards。


〃Pass　in；〃　they　answered。

I　passed　through　the　gates　and　into　the　hut　of　Baleka。　Unandi　was
alone　in　the　hut　with　my　sister。

〃The　child　is　born；〃　said　the　mother　of　the　king。　〃Look　at　him；　Mopo；
son　of　Makedama！〃

I　looked。　He　was　a　great　child　with　large　black　eyes　like　the　eyes　of
Chaka　the　king；　and　Unandi；　too；　looked　at　me。　〃Where　is　it？〃　she
whispered。

I　loosed　the　mat　and　drew　the　dead　child　from　the　medicines；　glancing
round　fearfully　as　I　did　so。

〃Give　me　the　living　babe；〃　I　whispered　back。

They　gave　it　to　me　and　I　took　of　a　drug　that　I　knew　and　rubbed　it　on
the　tongue　of　the　child。　Now　this　drug　has　the　power　to　make　the
tongue　it　touches　dumb　for　awhile。　Then　I　wrapped　up　the　child　in　my
medicines　and　again　bound　the　mat　about　the　bundle。　But　round　the
throat　of　the　still…born　babe　I　tied　a　string　of　fibre　as　though　I　had
strangled　it；　and　wrapped　it　loosely　in　a　piece　of　matting。

Now　for　the　first　time　I　spoke　to　Baleka：　〃Woman；〃　I　said；　〃and　thou
also；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　I　have　done　your　wish；　but　know　that
before　all　is　finished　this　deed　shall　bring　about　the　death　of　many。
Be　secret　as　the　grave；　for　the　grave　yawns　for　you　both。〃

I　went　again；　bearing　the　mat　containing　the　dead　child　in　my　right
hand。　But　the　bundle　of　medicines　that　held　the　living　one　I　fastened
across　my　shoulders。　I　passed　out　of　the　Emposeni；　and；　as　I　went；　I
held　up　the　bundle　in　my　right　hand　to　the　guards；　showing