nada the lily(百合娜达)-第15章

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she　struck；　but　he　sprang　into　the　air；　and　the　spear　passed　beneath
him。　A　third　time　the　woman　struck；　and；　though　he　fell　to　earth　to
avoid　the　blow；　yet　the　assegai　pierced　his　shoulder。　But　the　weight
of　his　body　as　he　fell　twisted　it　from　her　hand；　and　before　she　could
grasp　him　he　was　up；　and　beyond　her　reach；　the　spear　still　fast　in　his
shoulder。

Then　the　woman　turned；　screaming　with　rage　and　madness；　and　ran　at
Nada　to　kill　her　with　her　hands。　But　Umslopogaas　set　his　teeth；　and；
drawing　the　spear　from　his　wound；　charged　her；　shouting。　She　lifted　a
great　stone　and　hurled　it　at　himso　hard　that　it　flew　into　fragments
against　another　stone　which　it　struck；　yet　he　charged　on；　and　smote　at
her　so　truly　that　he　drove　the　spear　through　her；　and　she　fell　down
dead。　After　that　Nada　bound　up　his　wound；　which　was　deep；　and　with
much　pain　he　reached　the　king's　kraal　and　told　me　this　story。

Now　there　were　some　who　cried　that　the　boy　must　be　put　to　death；
because　he　had　killed　one　possessed　with　a　spirit。　But　I　said　no；　he
should　not　be　touched。　He　had　killed　the　woman　in　defence　of　his　own
life　and　the　life　of　his　sister；　and　every　one　had　a　right　to　slay　in
self…defence；　except　as　against　the　king　or　those　who　did　the　king's
bidding。　Moreover；　I　said；　if　the　woman　had　a　spirit；　it　was　an　evil
one；　for　no　good　spirit　would　ask　the　lives　of　children；　but　rather
those　of　cattle；　for　it　is　against　our　custom　to　sacrifice　human
beings　to　the　Amatonga　even　in　war；　though　the　Basuta　dogs　do　so。
Still；　the　tumult　grew；　for　the　witch…doctors　were　set　upon　the　boy's
death；　saying　that　evil　would　come　of　it　if　he　was　allowed　to　live；
having　killed　one　inspired；　and　at　last　the　matter　came　to　the　ears　of
the　king。　Then　Chaka　summoned　me　and　the　boy　before　him；　and　he　also
summoned　the　witch…doctors。

First；　the　witch…doctors　set　out　their　case；　demanding　the　death　of
Umslopogaas。　Chaka　asked　them　what　would　happen　if　the　boy　was　not
killed。　They　answered　that　the　spirit　of　the　dead　woman　would　lead　him
to　bring　evil　on　the　royal　house。　Chaka　asked　if　he　would　bring　evil
on　him；　the　king。　They　in　turn　asked　the　spirits；　and　answered　no；　not
on　him；　but　on　one　of　the　royal　house　who　should　be　after　him。　Chaka
said　that　he　cared　nothing　what　happened　to　those　who　came　after　him；
or　whether　good　or　evil　befell　them。　Then　he　spoke　to　Umslopogaas；　who
looked　him　boldly　in　the　face；　as　an　equal　looks　at　an　equal。

〃Boy；〃　he　said；　〃what　hast　thou　to　say　as　to　why　thou　shouldst　not　be
killed　as　these　men　demand？〃

〃This；　Black　One；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃that　I　stabbed　the　woman　in
defence　of　my　own　life。〃

〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I；　the　king；　wished　to　kill　thee；
mightest　thou　therefore　kill　me　or　those　whom　I　sent？　The　Itongo　in
the　woman　was　a　Spirit　King　and　ordered　her　to　kill　thee；　thou
shouldst　then　have　let　thyself　be　killed。　Hast　thou　no　other　reason？〃

〃This；　Elephant；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃the　woman　would　have　murdered
my　sister；　whom　I　love　better　than　my　life。〃

〃That　is　nothing；〃　said　Chaka。　〃If　I　ordered　thee　to　be　killed　for　any
cause；　should　I　not　also　order　all　within　thy　gates　to　be　killed　with
thee？　May　not；　then；　a　Spirit　King　do　likewise？　If　thou　hast　nothing
more　to　say　thou　must　die。〃

Now　I　grew　afraid；　for　I　feared　lest　Chaka　should　slay　him　who　was
called　my　son　because　of　the　word　of　the　doctors。　But　the　boy
Umslopogaas　looked　up　and　answered　boldly；　not　as　one　who　pleads　for
his　life；　but　as　one　who　demands　a　right：

〃I　have　this　to　say；　Eater…up　of　Enemies；　and　if　it　is　not　enough；　let
us　stop　talking；　and　let　me　be　killed。　Thou；　O　king；　didst　command
that　this　woman　should　be　slain。　Those　whom　thou　didst　send　to　destroy
her　spared　her；　because　they　thought　her　mad。　I　have　carried　out　the
commandment　of　the　king；　I　have　slain　her；　mad　or　sane；　whom　the　king
commanded　should　be　killed；　and　I　have　earned　not　death；　but　a
reward。〃

〃Well　said；　Umslopogaas！〃　answered　Chaka。　〃Let　ten　head　of　cattle　be
given　to　this　boy　with　the　heart　of　a　man；　his　father　shall　guard　them
for　him。　Art　thou　satisfied　now；　Umslopogaas？〃

〃I　take　that　which　is　due　to　me；　and　I　thank　the　king　because　he　need
not　pay　unless　he　will；〃　Umslopogaas　answered。

Chaka　stared　awhile；　began　to　grow　angry；　then　burst　out　laughing。

〃Why；　this　calf　is　such　another　one　as　was　dropped　long　ago　in　the
kraal　of　Senzangacona！〃　he　said。　〃As　I　was；　so　is　this　boy。　Go　on；
lad；　in　that　path；　and　thou　mayst　find　those　who　shall　cry　the　royal
salute　of　Bayete　to　thee　at　the　end　of　it。　Only　keep　out　of　my　way；
for　two　of　a　kind　might　not　agree。　Now　begone！〃

So　we　went　out；　but　as　we　passed　them　I　saw　the　doctors　muttering
together；　for　they　were　ill…pleased　and　foreboded　evil。　Also　they　were
jealous　of　me；　and　wished　to　smite　me　through　the　heart　of　him　who　was
called　my　son。



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　GREAT　INGOMBOCO

After　this　there　was　quiet　until　the　Feast　of　the　First…fruits　was
ended。　But　few　people　were　killed　at　these　feast；　though　there　was　a
great　Ingomboco；　or　witch…hunt；　and　many　were　smelt　out　by　the　witch…
doctors　as　working　magic　against　the　king。　Now　things　had　come　to　this
pass　in　Zululandthat　the　whole　people　cowered　before　the　witch…
doctors。　No　man　might　sleep　safe；　for　none　knew　but　that　on　the　morrow
he　would　be　touched　by　the　wand　of　an　Isanusi；　as　we　name　a　finder　of
witches；　and　led　away　to　his　death。　For　awhile　Chaka　said　nothing；　and
so　long　as　the　doctors　smelt　out　those　only　whom　he　wished　to　get　rid
ofand　they　were　manyhe　was　well　pleased。　But　when　they　began　to
work　for　their　own　ends；　and　to　do　those　to　death　whom　he　did　not
desire　to　kill；　he　grew　angry。　Yet　the　custom　of　the　land　was　that　he
whom　the　witch…doctor　touched　must　die；　he　and　all　his　house；
therefore　the　king　was　in　a　cleft　stick；　for　he　scarcely　dared　to　save
even　those　whom　he　loved。　One　night　I　came　to　doctor　him；　for　he　was
sick　in　his　mind。　On　that　very　day　there　had　been　an　Ingomboco；　and
five　of　the　bravest　captains　of　the　army　had　been　smelt　out　by　the
Abangoma；　the　witch…finders；　together　with　many　others。　All　had　been
destroyed；　and　men　had　been　sent　to　kill　the　wives　and　children　of　the
dead。　Now　Chaka　was　very　angry　at　this　slaying；　and　opened　his　heart
to　me。

〃The　witch…doctors　rule　in　Zululand；　and　not　I；　Mopo；　son　of
Makedama；〃　he　said　to　me。　〃Where；　then；　is　it　to　end？　Shall　I　myself
be　smelt　out　and　slain？　These　Isanusis　are　too　strong　for　me；　they　lie
upon　the　land　like　the　shadow　of　night。　Tell　me；　how　may　I　be　free　of
them？〃

〃Those　who　walk　the　Bridge　of　Spears；　O　king；　fall　off　into　Nowhere；〃
I　answered　darkly；　〃even　witch…doctors　cannot　keep　a　footing　on　that
bridge。　Has　not　a　witch…doctor　a　heart　that　can　cease　to　beat？　Has　he
not　blood　that　can　be　made　to　flow？〃

Chaka　looked　at　me　strangely。　〃Thou　art　a　bold　man　who　darest　to　speak
thus　to　me；　Mopo；〃　he　said。　〃Dost　thou　not　know　that　it　is　sacrilege
to　touch　an　Isanusi？〃

〃I　speak　that　which　is　in　the　king's　mind；〃　I　answered。　〃Hearken；　O
king！　It　is　indeed　sacrilege　to　touch　a　true　Isanusi；　but　what　if　the
Isanusi　be　a　liar？　What　if　he　smell　out　falsely；　bringing　those　to
death　who　are　innocent　of　evil？　Is　it　then　sacrilege　to　bring　him　to
that　end　which　he　has　given　to　many　another？　Say；　O　king！〃

〃Good　words！〃　answered　Chaka。　〃Now　tell　me；　son　of　Makedama；　how　may
this　matter　be　put　to　proof？〃

Then　I　leaned　forward；　whispering　into　the　ear　of　the　Black　One；　and
he　nodded　heavily。

Thus　I　spoke　then；　because　I；　too；　saw　the　evil　of　the　Isanusis；　I　who
knew　their　secrets。　Also；　I　feared　for　my　own　life　and　for　the　lives
of　all　those　who　were　dear　to　me。　For　they　hated　me　as　one　instructed
in　their　magic；　one　who　had　the　seeing　eye　and　the　hearing　ear。

One　morning　thereafter　a　new　thing　came　to　pass　in　the　royal　kraal；
for　the　king　himself　ran　out；　crying　aloud　to　all　people　to　come　and
see　the　evil　that　had　been　worked　upon　him　by　a　wizard。　They　came
together　and　saw　this。　On　the　door…posts　of　the　gateway　of　the
Intunkulu；　the　house　of　the　king；　were　great　smears　of　blood。　The
knees　of　men　strong　in　the　battle　trembled　when　they　saw　it；