nada the lily(百合娜达)-第17章

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earth　and　smelt　it。　And　all　the　time　there　was　silence；　silence　deep
as　midnight；　and　in　it　men　hearkened　to　the　beating　of　their　hearts；
only　now　and　again　the　vultures　shrieked　in　the　trees。

At　length　Nobela　spoke：

〃Do　you　smell　him；　sisters？〃

〃We　smell　him；〃　they　answered。

〃Does　he　sit　in　the　east；　sisters？〃

〃He　sits　in　the　east；〃　they　answered。

〃Is　he　the　son　of　a　stranger；　sisters？〃

〃He　is　the　son　of　a　stranger。〃

Then　they　crept　nearer；　crept　on　their　hands　and　knees；　till　they　were
within　ten　paces　of　where　I　sat　among　the　indunas　near　to　the　king。
The　indunas　looked　on　each　other　and　grew　grey　with　fear；　and　for　me；
my　father；　my　knees　were　loosened　and　my　marrow　turned　to　water　in　my
bones。　For　I　knew　well　who　was　that　son　of　a　stranger　of　whom　they
spoke。　It　was　I；　my　father；　I　who　was　about　to　be　smelt　out；　and　if　I
was　smelt　out　I　should　be　killed　with　all　my　house；　for　the　king's
oath　would　scarcely　avail　me　against　the　witch…doctors。　I　looked　at
the　fierce　faces　of　the　Isanusis　before　me；　as　they　crept；　crept　like
snakes。　I　glanced　behind　and　saw　the　slayers　grasping　their　kerries
for　the　deed　of　death；　and　I　say　I　felt　like　one　for　whom　the
bitterness　is　overpast。　Then　I　remembered　the　words　which　the　king　and
I　had　whispered　together　of　the　cause　for　which　this　Ingomboco　was
set；　and　hope　crept　back　to　me　like　the　first　gleam　of　the　dawn　upon　a
stormy　night。　Still　I　did　not　hope　overmuch；　for　it　well　might　happen
that　the　king　had　but　set　a　trap　to　catch　me。

Now　they　were　quite　near　and　halted。

〃Have　we　dreamed　falsely；　sisters？〃　asked　Nobela；　the　aged。

〃What　we　dreamed　in　the　night　we　see　in　the　day；〃　they　answered。

〃Shall　I　whisper　his　name　in　your　ears；　sisters？〃

They　lifted　their　heads　from　the　ground　like　snakes　and　nodded；　and　as
they　nodded　the　necklets　of　bones　rattled　on　their　skinny　necks。　Then
they　drew　their　heads　to　a　circle；　and　Nobela　thrust　hers　into　the
centre　of　the　circle　and　said　a　word。

〃Ha！　ha！〃　they　laughed；　〃we　hear　you！　His　is　the　name。　Let　him　be
named　by　it　in　the　face　of　Heaven；　him　and　all　his　house；　then　let　him
hear　no　other　name　forever！〃

And　suddenly　they　sprang　up　and　rushed　towards　me；　Nobela；　the　aged
Isanusi；　at　their　head。　They　leaped　at　me；　pointing　to　me　with　the
tails　of　the　vilderbeestes　in　their　hands。　Then　Nobela　switched　me　in
the　face　with　the　tail　of　the　beast；　and　cried　aloud：

〃Greeting；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama！　Thou　art　the　man　who　smotest　blood
on　the　door…posts　of　the　king　to　bewitch　the　king。　Let　thy　house　be
stamped　flat！〃

I　saw　her　come；　I　felt　the　blow　on　my　face　as　a　man　feels　in　a　dream。
I　heard　the　feet　of　the　slayers　as　they　bounded　forward　to　hale　me　to
the　dreadful　death；　but　my　tongue　clave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouthI
could　not　say　a　word。　I　glanced　at　the　king；　and；　as　I　did　so；　I
thought　that　I　heard　him　mutter：　〃Near　the　mark；　not　in　it。〃

Then　he　held　up　his　spear；　and　all　was　silence。　The　slayers　stopped　in
their　stride；　the　witch…doctors　stood　with　outstretched　arms；　the
world　of　men　was　as　though　it　had　been　frozen　into　sleep。

〃Hold！〃　he　said。　〃Stand　aside；　son　of　Makedama；　who　art　named　an
evildoer！　Stand　aside；　thou；　Nobela；　and　those　with　thee　who　have
named　him　evildoer！　What？　Shall　I　be　satisfied　with　the　life　of　one
dog？　Smell　on；　ye　vultures；　company　by　company；　smell　on！　For　the　day
the　labour；　at　night　the　feast！〃

I　rose；　astonished；　and　stood　on　one　side。　The　witch…doctresses　also
stood　on　one　side；　wonderstruck；　since　no　such　smelling　out　as　this
had　been　seen　in　the　land。　For　till　this　hour；　when　a　man　was　swept
with　the　gnu's　tail　of　the　Isanusi　that　was　the　instant　of　his　death。
Why；　then；　men　asked　in　their　hearts；　was　the　death　delayed？　The
witch…doctors　asked　it　also；　and　looked　to　the　king　for　light；　as　men
look　to　a　thunder…cloud　for　the　flash。　But　from　the　Black　One　there
came　no　word。

So　we　stood　on　one　side；　and　a　second　party　of　the　Isanusi　women　began
their　rites。　As　the　others　had　done；　so　they　did；　and　yet　they　worked
otherwise；　for　this　is　the　fashion　of　the　Isanusis；　that　no　two　of
them　smell　out　in　the　same　way。　And　this　party　swept　the　faces　of
certain　of　the　king's　councillors；　naming　them　guilty　of　the　witch…
work。

〃Stand　ye　on　one　side！〃　said　the　king　to　those　who　had　been　smelt　out；
〃and　ye　who　have　hunted　out　their　wickedness；　stand　ye　with　those　who
named　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama。　It　well　may　be　that　all　are　guilty。〃

So　these　stood　on　one　side　also；　and　a　third　party　took　up　the　tale。
And　they　named　certain　of　the　great　generals；　and　were　in　turn　bidden
to　stand　on　one　side　together　with　those　whom　they　had　named。

So　it　went　on　through　all　the　day。　Company　by　company　the　women　doomed
their　victims；　till　there　were　no　more　left　in　their　number；　and　were
commanded　to　stand　aside　together　with　those　whom　they　had　doomed。
Then　the　male　Isanusis　began；　and　I　could　see　well　that　by　this　time
their　hearts　were　fearful；　for　they　smelt　a　snare。　Yet　the　king's
bidding　must　be　done；　and　though　their　magic　failed　them　here；　victims
must　be　found。　So　they　smelt　out　this　man　and　that　man　till　we　were　a
great　company　of　the　doomed；　who　sat　in　silence　on　the　ground　looking
at　each　other　with　sad　eyes　and　watching　the　sun；　which　we　deemed　our
last；　climb　slowly　down　the　sky。　And　ever　as　the　day　waned　those　who
were　left　untried　of　the　witch…doctors　grew　madder　and　more　fierce。
They　leaped　into　the　air；　they　ground　their　teeth；　and　rolled　upon　the
ground。　They　drew　forth　snakes　and　devoured　them　alive；　they　shrieked
out　to　the　spirits　and　called　upon　the　names　of　ancient　kings。

At　length　it　drew　on　to　evening；　and　the　last　company　of　the　witch…
doctors　did　their　work；　smelling　out　some　of　the　keepers　of　the
Emposeni；　the　house　of　the　women。　But　there　was　one　man　of　their
company；　a　young　man　and　a　tall；　who　held　back　and　took　no　share　in
the　work；　but　stood　by　himself　in　the　centre　of　the　great　circle；
fixing　his　eyes　on　the　heavens。

And　when　this　company　had　been　ordered　to　stand　aside　also　together
with　those　whom　they　had　smelt　out；　the　king　called　aloud　to　the　last
of　the　witch…doctors；　asking　him　of　his　name　and　tribe；　and　why　he
alone　did　not　do　his　office。

〃My　name　is　Indabazimbi；　the　son　of　Arpi；　O　king；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I
am　of　the　tribe　of　the　Maquilisini。　Does　the　king　bid　me　to　smell　out
him　of　whom　the　spirits　have　spoken　to　me　as　the　worker　of　this　deed？〃

〃I　bid　thee；〃　said　the　king。

Then　the　young　man　Indabazimbi　stepped　straight　forward　across　the
ring；　making　no　cries　or　gestures；　but　as　one　who　walks　from　his　gate
to　the　cattle　kraal；　and　suddenly　he　struck　the　king　in　the　face　with
the　tail　in　his　hand；　saying；　〃I　smell　out　the　Heavens　above　me！〃＇2＇

＇2＇　A　Zulu　title　for　the　king。ED。

Now　a　great　gasp　of　wonder　went　up　from　the　multitude；　and　all　looked
to　see　this　fool　killed　by　torture。　But　Chaka　rose　and　laughed　aloud。

〃Thou　hast　said　it；〃　he　cried；　〃and　thou　alone！　Listen；　ye　people！　I
did　the　deed！　I　smote　blood　upon　the　gateways　of　my　kraal；　with　my　own
hand　I　smote　it；　that　I　might　learn　who　were　the　true　doctors　and　who
were　the　false！　Now　it　seems　that　in　the　land　of　the　Zulu　there　is　one
true　doctorthis　young　manand　of　the　false；　look　at　them　and　count
them；　they　are　like　the　leaves。　See！　there　they　stand；　and　by　them
stand　those　whom　they　have　doomedthe　innocent　whom；　with　their　wives
and　children；　they　have　doomed　to　the　death　of　the　dog。　Now　I　ask　you；
my　people；　what　reward　shall　be　given　to　them？〃

Then　a　great　roar　went　up　from　all　the　multitude；　〃Let　them　die；　O
king！〃

〃Ay！〃　he　answered。　〃Let　them　die　as　liars　should！〃

Now　the　Isanusis；　men　and　women；　screamed　aloud　in　fear；　and　cried　for
mercy；　tearing　themselves　with　their　nails；　for　least　of　all　things
did　they　desire　to　taste　of　their　own　medicine　of　death。　But　the　king
only　laughed　the　more。

〃Hearken　ye！〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　crowd　of　us　who　had　been　smelt
out。　〃Ye　were　doomed　to　death　by　these　false　prophets。　Now　glut
yourselves　upon　them。　Slay　them；　my　children！　slay　them　all！　wipe　them
away！　stamp　them　out！all！　all；　save　this　young　man！〃

Then　we