nada the lily(百合娜达)-第21章

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is　sickit　is　she　who　lies　there；　is　it　not？　Therefore；　as　the　first
doctor　in　the　land；　I　am　come　to　cure　her；　Unandi；　my　mother；　and
Baleka；　my　sister。〃

Thus　he　spoke；　eyeing　them　as　he　did　so；　and　taking　snuff　from　the
blade　of　his　little　assegai；　and　though　his　words　were　gentle　they
shook　with　fear；　for　when　Chaka　spoke　thus　gently　he　meant　death　to
many。　But　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　answered；　saying　that　it　was
well　that　the　king　had　come；　since　his　medicine　would　bring　rest　and
peace　to　her　who　lay　sick。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　well。　It　is　pleasant；　moreover；　my　mother
and　sister；　to　see　you　kissing　yonder　child。　Surely；　were　he　of　your
own　blood　you　could　not　love　him　more。〃

Now　they　trembled　again；　and　prayed　in　their　hearts　that　Anadi；　the
sick　woman；　who　lay　asleep；　might　not　wake　and　utter　foolish　words　in
her　wandering。　But　the　prayer　was　answered　from　below　and　not　from
above；　for　Anadi　woke；　and；　hearing　the　voice　of　the　king；　her　sick
mind　flew　to　him　whom　she　believed　to　be　the　king's　child。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　sitting　upon　the　ground　and　pointing　to　her　own　son；
Moosa；　who　squatted　frightened　against　the　wall　of　the　hut。　〃Kiss　him；
Mother　of　the　Heavens；　kiss　him！　Whom　do　they　call　him；　the　young　cub
who　brings　ill…fortune　to　our　doors？　They　call　him　the　son　of　Mopo　and
Macropha！〃　And　she　laughed　wildly；　stopped　speaking；　and　sank　back
upon　the　bed　of　skins。

〃They　call　him　the　son　of　Mopo　and　Macropha；〃　said　the　king　in　a　low
voice。　〃Whose　son　is　he；　then；　woman？〃

〃Oh；　ask　her　not；　O　king；〃　cried　his　mother　and　his　wife；　casting
themselves　upon　the　ground　before　him；　for　they　were　mad　with　fear。
〃Ask　her　not；　she　has　strange　fancies　such　as　are　not　meet　for　your
ears　to　hear。　She　is　bewitched；　and　has　dreams　and　fancies。〃

〃Peace！〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　listen　to　this　woman's　wanderings。
Perhaps　some　star　of　truth　shines　in　her　darkness；　and　I　would　see
light。　Who；　then；　is　he；　woman？〃

〃Who　is　he？〃　she　answered。　〃Are　you　a　fool　that　ask　who　he　is？　He　is
hush！put　your　ear　closelet　me　speak　low　lest　the　reeds　of　the　hut
speak　it　to　the　king。　He　isdo　you　listen？　He　isthe　son　of　Chaka
and　Baleka；　the　sister　of　Mopo；　the　changeling　whom　Unandi；　Mother　of
the　Heavens；　palmed　off　upon　this　house　to　bring　a　curse　on　it；　and
whom　she　would　lead　out　before　the　people　when　the　land　is　weary　of
the　wickedness　of　the　king；　her　son；　to　take　the　place　of　the　king。〃

〃It　is　false；　O　king！〃　cried　the　two　women。　〃Do　not　listen　to　her；　it
is　false。　The　boy　is　her　own　son；　Moosa；　whom　she　does　not　know　in　her
sickness。〃

But　Chaka　stood　up　in　the　hut　and　laughed　terribly。　〃Truly；　Nobela
prophesied　well；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I　did　ill　to　slay　her。　So　this　is　the
trick　thou　hast　played　upon　me；　my　mother。　Thou　wouldst　give　a　son　to
to　me　who　will　have　no　son：　thou　wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　kill　me。
Good！　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　take　thou　the　doom　of　the　Heavens！　Thou
wouldst　give　me　a　son　to　slay　me　and　rule　in　my　place；　now；　in　turn；
I；　thy　son；　will　rob　me　of　a　mother。　Die；　Unandi！die　at　the　hand
thou　didst　bring　forth！〃　And　he　lifted　the　little　assegai　and　smote　it
through　her。

For　a　moment　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　wife　of　Senzangacona；
stood　uttering　no　cry。　Then　she　put　up　her　hand；　and　drew　the　assegai
from　her　side。

〃So　shalt　thou　die　also；　Chaka　the　Evil！〃　she　cried；　and　fell　down
dead　there　in　the　hut。

Thus；　then；　did　Chaka　murder　his　mother　Unandi。

Now　when　Baleka　saw　what　had　been　done；　she　turned　and　fled　from　the
hut　into　the　Emposeni；　and　so　swiftly　that　the　guards　at　the　gates
could　not　stop　her。　But　when　she　reached　her　own　hut　Baleka's　strength
failed　her；　and　she　fell　senseless　on　the　ground。　But　the　boy　Moosa；
my　son；　being　overcome　with　terror；　stayed　where　he　was；　and　Chaka；
believing　him　to　be　his　son；　murdered　him　also；　and　with　his　own　hand。

Then　he　stalked　out　of　the　hut；　and　leaving　the　three　guards　at　the
gate；　commanded　a　company　of　soldiers　to　surround　the　kraal　and　fire
it。　This　they　did；　and　as　the　people　rushed　out　they　killed　them；　and
those　who　did　not　run　out　were　burned　in　the　fire。　Thus；　then；
perished　all　my　wives；　my　children；　my　servants；　and　those　who　were
within　the　gates　in　their　company。　The　tree　was　burned；　and　the　bees
in　it；　and　I　alone　was　left　livingI　and　Macropha　and　Nada；　who　were
far　away。

Nor　was　Chaka　yet　satisfied　with　blood；　for；　as　has　been　told；　he　sent
messengers　bidding　them　kill　Macropha；　my　wife；　and　Nada；　my　daughter；
and　him　who　was　named　by　son。　But　he　commanded　the　messengers　that
they　should　not　slay　me；　but　bring　me　living　before　them。

Now　when　the　soldiers　did　not　kill　me　I　took　counsel　with　myself；　for
it　was　my　belief　that　I　was　saved　alive　only　that　I　might　die　later；
and　in　a　more　cruel　fashion。　Therefore　for　awhile　I　thought　that　it
would　be　well　if　I　did　that　for　myself　which　another　purposed　to　do
for　me。　Why　should　I；　who　was　already　doomed；　wait　to　meet　my　doom？
What　had　I　left　to　keep　me　in　the　place　of　life；　seeing　that　all　whom
I　loved　were　dead　or　gone？　To　die　would　be　easy；　for　I　knew　the　ways
of　death。　In　my　girdle　I　carried　a　secret　medicine；　he　who　eats　of　it；
my　father；　will　see　the　sun's　shadow　move　no　more；　and　will　never　look
upon　the　stars　again。　But　I　was　minded　to　know　the　assegai　or　the
kerrie；　nor　would　I　perish　more　slowly　beneath　the　knives　of　the
tormentors；　nor　be　parched　by　the　pangs　of　thirst；　or　wander　eyeless
to　my　end。　Therefore　it　was　that；　since　I　had　sat　in　the　doom　ring
looking　hour　after　hour　into　the　face　of　death；　I　had　borne　this
medicine　with　me　by　night　and　by　day。　Surely　now　was　the　time　to　use
it。

So　I　thought　as　I　sat　through　the　watches　of　the　night；　ay！　and　drew
out　the　bitter　drug　and　laid　it　on　my　tongue。　But　as　I　did　so　I
remembered　my　daughter　Nada；　who　was　left　to　me；　though　she　sojourned
in　a　far　country；　and　my　wife　Macropha　and　my　sister　Baleka；　who　still
lived；　so　said　the　soldiers；　though　how　it　came　about　that　the　king
had　not　killed　her　I　did　not　know　then。　Also　another　thought　was　born
in　my　heart。　While　life　remained　to　me；　I　might　be　revenged　upon　him
who　had　wrought　me　this　woe；　but　can　the　dead　strike？　Alas！　the　dead
are　strengthless；　and　if　they　still　have　hearts　to　suffer；　they　have
no　hands　to　give　back　blow　for　blow。　Nay；　I　would　live　on。　Time　to　die
when　death　could　no　more　be　put　away。　Time　to　die　when　the　voice　of
Chaka　spoke　my　doom。　Death　chooses　for　himself　and　answers　no
questions；　he　is　a　guest　to　whom　none　need　open　the　door　of　his　hut；
for　when　he　wills　he　can　pass　through　the　thatch　like　air。　Not　yet
would　I　taste　of　that　medicine　of　mine。

So　I　lived　on；　my　father；　and　the　soldiers　led　me　back　to　the　kraal　of
Chaka。　Now　when　we　came　to　the　kraal　it　was　night；　for　the　sun　had
sunk　as　we　passed　through　the　gates。　Still；　as　he　had　been　commanded；
the　captain　of　those　who　watched　me　went　in　before　the　king　and　told
him　that　I　lay　without　in　bonds。　And　the　king　said；　〃Let　him　be
brought　before　me；　who　was　my　physician；　that　I　may　tell　him　how　I
have　doctored　those　of　his　house。〃

So　they　took　me　and　led　me　to　the　royal　house；　and　pushed　me　through
the　doorway　of　the　great　hut。

Now　a　fire　burned　in　the　hut；　for　the　night　was　cold；　and　Chaka　sat　on
the　further　side　of　the　fire；　looking　towards　the　opening　of　the　hut；
and　the　smoke　from　the　fire　wreathed　him　round；　and　its　light　shone
upon　his　face　and　flickered　in　his　terrible　eyes。

At　the　door　of　the　hut　certain　councillors　seized　me　by　the　arms　and
dragged　me　towards　the　fire。　But　I　broke　from　them；　and　prostrating
myself；　for　my　arms　were　free；　I　praised　the　king　and　called　him　by
his　royal　names。　The　councillors　sprang　towards　me　to　seize　me　again；
but　Chaka　said；　〃Let　him　be；　I　would　talk　with　my　servant。〃　Then　the
councillors　bowed　themselves　on　either　side；　and　laid　their　hands　on
their　sticks；　their　foreheads　touching　the　ground。　But　I　sat　down　on
the　floor　of　the　hut　over　against　the　king；　and　we　talked　through　the
fire。

〃Tell　me　of　the　cattle　that　I　sent　thee　to　number；　Mopo；　son　of
Makedama；〃　said　Chaka。　〃Have　my　servants　dealt　honestly　with　my
cattle？〃

〃They　hav