nada the lily(百合娜达)-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


She　buried　him　in　her　heart　and　said　nothing。　And　I　too　said　nothing；
but　I　wondered　why　it　had　been　brought　about　that　I　should　save　the
life　of　Umslopogaas　from　the　jaws　of　the　Lion　of　Zulu；　that　the
lioness　of　the　rocks　might　devour　him。

And　so　the　time　went　on　till　we　reached　the　kraal　where　the　king's
business　must　be　done；　and　where　I　and　my　wife　should　part。

On　the　morning　after　we　came　to　the　kraal；　having　kissed　in　secret；
though　in　public　we　looked　sullenly　on　one　another；　we　parted　as　those
part　who　meet　no　more；　for　it　was　in　our　thoughts；　that　we　should
never　see　each　other's　face　again；　nor；　indeed；　did　we　do　so。　And　I
drew　Nada　aside　and　spoke　to　her　thus：　〃We　part；　my　daughter；　nor　do　I
know　when　we　shall　meet　again；　for　the　times　are　troubled　and　it　is
for　your　safety　and　that　of　your　mother　that　I　rob　my　eyes　of　the
sight　of　you。　Nada；　you　will　soon　be　a　woman；　and　you　will　be　fairer
than　any　woman　among　our　people；　and　it　may　come　about　that　many　great
men　will　seek　you　in　marriage；　and；　perhaps；　that　I；　your　father；
shall　not　be　there　to　choose　for　you　whom　you　shall　wed；　according　to
the　custom　of　our　land。　But　I　charge　you；　as　far　as　may　be　possible
for　you　to　do　so；　take　only　a　man　whom　you　can　love；　and　be　faithful
to　him　alone；　for　thus　shall　a　woman　find　happiness。〃

Here　I　stopped；　for　the　girl　took　hold　of　my　hand　and　looked　into　my
face。　〃Peace；　my　father；〃　she　said；　〃do　not　speak　to　me　of　marriage；
for　I　will　wed　no　man；　now　that　Umslopogaas　is　dead　because　of　my
foolishness。　I　will　live　and　die　alone；　and；　oh！　may　I　die　quickly；
that　I　may　go　to　seek　him　whom　I　love　only！〃

〃Nay；　Nada；〃　I　said；　〃Umslopogaas　was　your　brother；　and　it　is　not
fitting　that　you　should　speak　of　him　thus；　even　though　he　is　dead。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　such　matters；　my　father；〃　she　said。　〃I　speak　what
my　heart　tells　me；　and　it　tells　me　that　I　loved　Umslopogaas　living；
and；　though　he　is　dead；　I　shall　love　him　alone　to　the　end。　Ah！　you
think　me　but　a　child；　yet　my　heart　is　large；　and　it　does　not　lie　to
me。〃

Now　I　upbraided　the　girl　no　more；　because　I　knew　that　Umslopogaas　was
not　her　brother；　but　one　whom　she　might　have　married。　Only　I　marvelled
that　the　voice　of　nature　should　speak　so　truly　in　her；　telling　her
that　which　was　lawful；　even　when　it　seemed　to　be　most　unlawful。

〃Speak　no　more　of　Umslopogaas；〃　I　said；　〃for　surely　he　is　dead；　and
though　you　cannot　forget　him；　yet　speak　of　him　no　more；　and　I　pray　of
you；　my　daughter；　that　if　we　do　not　meet　again；　yet　you　should　keep　me
in　your　memory；　and　the　love　I　bear　you；　and　the　words　which　from　time
to　time　I　have　said　to　you。　The　world　is　a　thorny　wilderness；　my
daughter；　and　its　thorns　are　watered　with　a　rain　of　blood；　and　we
wander　in　our　wretchedness　like　lost　travellers　in　a　mist；　nor　do　I
know　why　our　feet　are　set　on　this　wandering。　But　at　last　there　comes
an　end；　and　we　die　and　go　hence；　none　know　where；　but　perhaps　where　we
go　the　evil　may　change　to　the　good；　and　those　who　were　dear　to　each
other　on　the　earth　may　become　yet　dearer　in　the　heavens；　for　I　believe
that　man　is　not　born　to　perish　altogether；　but　is　rather　gathered
again　to　the　Umkulunkulu　who　sent　him　on　his　journeyings。　Therefore
keep　hope；　my　daughter；　for　if　these　things　are　not　so；　at　least　sleep
remains；　and　sleep　is　soft；　and　so　farewell。〃

Then　we　kissed　and　parted；　and　I　watched　Macropha；　my　wife；　and　Nada；
my　daughter；　till　they　melted　into　the　sky；　as　they　walked　upon　their
journey　to　Swaziland；　and　was　very　sad；　because；　having　lost
Umslopogaas；　he　who　in　after　days　was　named　the　Slaughterer　and　the
Woodpecker；　I　must　lose　them　also。



CHAPTER　X

THE　TRIAL　OF　MOPO

Now　I　sat　four　days　in　the　huts　of　the　tribe　whither　I　had　been　sent；
and　did　the　king's　business。　And　on　the　fifth　morning　I　rose　up；
together　with　those　with　me；　and　we　turned　our　faces　towards　the
king's　kraal。　But　when　we　had　journeyed　a　little　way　we　met　a　party　of
soldiers；　who　commanded　us　to　stand。

〃What　is　it；　king's　men？〃　I　asked　boldly。

〃This；　son　of　Makedama；〃　answered　their　spokesman：　〃give　over　to　us
your　wife　Macropha　and　your　children　Umslopogaas　and　Nada；　that　we　may
do　with　them　as　the　king　commands。〃

〃Umslopogaas；〃　I　answered；　〃has　gone　where　the　king's　arm　cannot
stretch；　for　he　is　dead；　and　for　my　wife　Macropha　and　my　daughter
Nada；　they　are　by　now　in　the　caves　of　the　Swazis；　and　the　king　must
seek　them　there　with　an　army　if　he　will　find　them。　To　Macropha　he　is
welcome；　for　I　hate　her；　and　have　divorced　her；　and　as　for　the　girl；
well；　there　are　many　girls；　and　it　is　no　great　matter　if　she　lives　or
dies；　yet　I　pray　him　to　spare　her。〃

Thus　I　spoke　carelessly；　for　I　knew　well　that　my　wife　and　child　were
beyond　the　reach　of　Chaka。

〃You　do　well　to　ask　the　girl's　life；〃　said　the　soldier；　laughing；　〃for
all　those　born　to　you　are　dead；　by　order　of　the　king。〃

〃Is　it　indeed　so？〃　I　answered　calmly；　though　my　knees　shook　and　my
tongue　clove　to　my　lips。　〃The　will　of　the　king　be　done。　A　cut　stick
puts　out　new　leaves；　I　can　have　more　children。〃

〃Ay；　Mopo；　but　first　you　must　get　new　wives；　for　yours　are　dead　also；
all　five　of　them。〃

〃Is　it　indeed　so？〃　I　answered。　〃The　king's　will　be　done。　I　wearied　of
those　brawling　women。〃

〃So；　Mopo；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃but　to　get　other　wives　and　have　more
children　born　to　you；　you　must　live　yourself；　for　no　children　are　born
to　the　dead；　and　I　think　that　Chaka　has　an　assegai　which　you　shall
kiss。〃

〃Is　it　so？〃　I　answered。　〃The　king's　will　be　done。　The　sun　is　hot；　and
I　tire　of　the　road。　He　who　kisses　the　assegai　sleeps　sound。〃

Thus　I　spoke；　my　father；　and；　indeed；　in　that　hour　I　desired　to　die。
The　world　was　empty　for　me。　Macropha　and　Nada　were　gone；　Umslopogaas
was　dead；　and　my　other　wives　and　children　were　murdered。　I　had　no
heart　to　begin　to　build　up　a　new　house；　none　were　left　for　me　to　love；
and　it　seemed　well　that　I　should　die　also。

The　soldiers　asked　those　with　me　if　that　tale　was　true　which　I　told　of
the　death　of　Umslopogaas　and　of　the　going　of　Macropha　and　Nada　into
Swaziland。　They　said；　Yes；　it　was　true。　Then　the　soldiers　said　that
they　would　lead　me　back　to　the　king；　and　I　wondered　at　this；　for　I
thought　that　they　would　kill　me　where　I　stood。　So　we　went　on；　and
piece　by　piece　I　learned　what　had　happened　at　the　king's　kraal。

On　the　day　after　I　left；　it　came　to　the　ears　of　Chaka；　by　the　mouth　of
his　spies；　that　my　second　wifeAnadiwas　sick　and　spoke　strange
words　in　her　sickness。　Then；　taking　three　soldiers　with　him；　he　went
to　my　kraal　at　the　death　of　the　day。　He　left　the　three　soldiers　by　the
gates　of　the　kraal；　bidding　them　to　suffer　none　to　come　in　or　go　out；
but　Chaka　himself　entered　the　large　hut　where　Anadi　lay　sick；　having
his　toy　assegai；　with　the　shaft　of　the　royal　red　wood；　in　his　hand。
Now；　as　it　chanced；　in　the　hut　were　Unandi；　the　mother　of　Chaka；　and
Baleka；　my　sister；　the　wife　of　Chaka；　for；　not　knowing　that　I　had
taken　away　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Baleka；　according　to　their　custom；
these　two　foolish　women　had　come　to　kiss　and　fondle　the　lad。　But　when
they　entered　the　hut　they　found　it　full　of　my　other　wives　and
children。　These　they　sent　away；　all　except　Moosa；　the　son　of　Anadi
that　boy　who　was　born　eight　days　before　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Chaka。
But　they　kept　Moosa　in　the　hut；　and　kissed　him；　giving　him　imphi＇1＇　to
eat；　fearing　lest　it　should　seem　strange　to　the　women；　my　wives；　if；
Umslopogaas　being　gone；　they　refused　to　take　notice　of　any　other
child。

＇1＇　A　variety　of　sugar…cane。ED。

Now　as　they　sat　this；　presently　the　doorway　was　darkened；　and；　behold！
the　king　himself　crept　through　it；　and　saw　them　fondling　the　child
Moosa。　When　they　knew　who　it　was　that　entered；　the　women　flung
themselves　upon　the　ground　before　him　and　praised　him。　But　he　smiled
grimly；　and　bade　them　be　seated。　Then　he　spoke　to　them；　saying；　〃You
wonder；　Unandi；　my　mother；　and　Baleka；　my　wife；　why　it　is　that　I　am
come　here　into　the　hut　of　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama。　I　will　tell　you：　it
is　because　he　is　away　upon　my　business；　and　I　hear　that　his　wife　Anadi
is　sickit　is　she　who　lies　there；　is　it　not？　Therefore；　as　the　first
doctor　in　the　lan