nada the lily(百合娜达)-第22章

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〃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　have　dealt　honestly；　O　king；〃　I　answered。

〃Tell　me；　then；　of　the　number　of　the　cattle　and　of　their　markings；
Mopo；　forgetting　none。〃

So　I　sat　and　told　him；　ox　by　ox；　cow　by　cow；　and　heifer　by　heifer；
forgetting　none；　and　Chaka　listened　silently　as　one　who　is　asleep。　But
I　knew　that　he　did　not　sleep；　for　all　the　while　the　firelight
flickered　in　his　fierce　eyes。　Also　I　knew　that　he　did　but　torment　me；
or　that；　perhaps；　he　would　learn　of　the　cattle　before　he　killed　me。　At
length　all　the　tale　was　told。

〃So；〃　said　the　king；　〃it　goes　well。　There　are　yet　honest　men　left　in
the　land。　Knowest　thou；　Mopo；　that　sorrow　has　come　upon　thy　house
while　thou　wast　about　my　business。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　as　one　who　speaks　of　a　small
matter。

〃Yes；　Mopo；　sorrow　has　come　upon　thy　house；　the　curse　of　Heaven　has
fallen　upon　thy　kraal。　They　tell　me；　Mopo；　that　the　fire　from　above
ran　briskly　through　they　huts。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　I　king！〃

〃They　tell　me；　Mopo；　that　those　within　thy　gates　grew　mad　at　the　sight
of　the　fire；　and　dreaming　there　was　no　escape；　that　they　stabbed
themselves　with　assegais　or　leaped　into　the　flames。〃

〃I　have　heard　it；　O　king！　What　of　it？　Any　river　is　deep　enough　to
drown　a　fool！〃

〃Thou　hast　heard　these　things；　Mopo；　but　thou　hast　not　yet　heard　all。
Knowest　thou；　Mopo；　that　among　those　who　died　in　thy　kraal　was　she　who
bore　me；　she　who　was　named　Mother　of　the　Heavens？〃

Then；　my　father；　I；　Mopo；　acted　wisely；　because　of　the　thought　which
my　good　spirit　gave　me；　for　I　cast　myself　upon　the　ground；　and　wailed
aloud　as　though　in　utter　grief。

〃Spare　my　ears；　Black　One！〃　I　wailed。　〃Tell　me　not　that　she　who　bore
thee　is　dead；　O　Lion　of　the　Zulu。　For　the　others；　what　is　it？　It　is　a
breath　of　wind；　it　is　a　drop　of　water；　but　this　trouble　is　as　the　gale
or　as　the　sea。〃

〃Cease；　my　servant；　cease！〃　said　the　mocking　voice　of　Chaka；　〃but　know
this；　thou　hast　done　well　to　grieve　aloud；　because　the　Mother　of　the
Heavens　is　no　more；　and　ill　wouldst　thou　have　done　to　grieve　because
the　fire　from　above　has　kissed　thy　gates。　For　hadst　thou　done　this
last　thing　or　left　the　first　undone；　I　should　have　known　that　thy
heart　was　wicked；　and　by　now　thou　wouldst　have　wept　indeedtears　of
blood；　Mopo。　It　is　well　for　thee；　then；　that　thou　hast　read　my　riddle
aright。〃

Now　I　saw　the　depths　of　the　pit　that　Chaka　had　dug　for　me；　and　blessed
my　Ehlose　who　had　put　into　my　heart　those　words　which　I　should　answer。
I　hoped　also　that　Chaka　would　now　let　me　go；　but　it　was　not　to　be；　for
this　was　but　the　beginning　of　my　trial。

〃Knowest　thou；　Mopo；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　as　my　mother　died　yonder　in
the　flames　of　thy　kraal　she　cried　out　strange　and　terrible　words　which
came　to　my　ears　through　the　singing　of　the　fire。　These　were　her　words：
that　thou；　Mopo；　and　thy　sister　Baleka；　and　thy　wives；　had　conspired
together　to　give　a　child　to　me　who　would　be　childless。　These　were　her
words；　the　words　that　came　to　me　through　the　singing　of　the　fire。　Tell
me　now；　Mopo；　where　are　those　children　that　thou　leddest　from　thy
kraal；　the　boy　with　the　lion　eyes　who　is　named　Umslopogaas；　and　the
girl　who　is　named　Nada？〃

〃Umslopogaas　is　dead　by　the　lion's　mouth；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　〃and
Nada　sits　in　the　Swazi　caves。〃　And　I　told　him　of　the　death　of
Umslopogaas　and　of　how　I　had　divorced　Macropha；　my　wife。

〃The　boy　with　the　lion　eyes　to　the　lion's　mouth！〃　said　Chaka。　〃Enough
of　him；　he　is　gone。　Nada　may　yet　be　sought　for　with　the　assegai　in　the
Swazi　caves；　enough　of　her。　Let　us　speak　of　this　song　that　my　mother
who；　alas！　is　dead；　Mopothis　song　she　sang　through　the　singing　of
the　flames。　Tell　me；　Mopo；　tell　me　now；　was　it　a　true　tale。〃

〃Nay；　O　king！　surely　the　Mother　of　the　Heavens　was　maddened　by　the
Heavens　when　she　sang　that　song；〃　I　answered。　〃I　know　nothing　of　it；　O
king。〃

〃Thou　knowest　naught　of　it；　Mopo？〃　said　the　king。　And　again　he　looked
at　me　terribly　through　the　reek　of　the　fire。　〃Thou　knowest　naught　of
it；　Mopo？　Surely　thou　art　a…cold；　thy　hands　shake　with　cold。　Nay；　man；
fear　notwarm　them；　warm　them；　Mopo。　See；　now；　plunge　that　hand　of
thine　into　the　heart　of　the　flame！〃　And　he　pointed　with　his　little
assegai；　the　assegai　handled　with　the　royal　wood；　to　where　the　fire
glowed　reddestay；　he　pointed　and　laughed。

Then；　my　father；　I　grew　cold　indeedyes；　I　grew　cold　who　soon　should
be　hot；　for　I　saw　the　purpose　of　Chaka。　He　would　put　me　to　the　trial
by　fire。

For　a　moment　I　sat　silent；　thinking。　Then　the　king　spoke　again　in　a
great　voice：　〃Nay；　Mopo；　be　not　so　backward；　shall　I　sit　warm　and　see
thee　suffer　cold？　What；　my　councillors；　rise；　take　the　hand　of　Mopo；
and　hold　it　to　the　flame；　that　his　heart　may　rejoice　in　the　warmth　of
the　flame　while　we　speak　together　of　this　matter　of　the　child　that
was；　so　my　mother　sang；　born　to　Baleka；　my　wife；　the　sister　of　Mopo；
my　servant。〃

〃There　is　little　need　for　that；　O　king；〃　I　answered；　being　made　bold
by　fear；　for　I　saw　that　if　I　did　nothing　death　would　swiftly　end　my
doubts。　Once；　indeed；　I　bethought　me　of　the　poison　that　I　bore；　and
was　minded　to　swallow　it　and　make　an　end；　but　the　desire　to　live　is
great；　and　keen　is　the　thirst　for　vengeance；　so　I　said　to　my　heart；
〃Not　yet　awhile；　I　will　endure　this　also；　afterwards；　if　need　be；　I
can　die。〃

〃I　thank　the　king　for　his　graciousness；　and　I　will　warm　me　at　the
fire。　Speak　on；　O　king；　while　I　warm　myself；　and　thou　shalt　hear　true
words；〃　I　said　boldly。

Then；　my　father；　I　stretched　out　my　left　hand　and　plunged　it　into　the
firenot　into　the　hottest　of　the　fire；　but　where　the　smoke　leapt　from
the　flame。　Now　my　flesh　was　wet　with　the　sweat　of　fear；　and　for　a
little　moment　the　flames　curled　round　it　and　did　not　burn　me。　But　I
knew　that　the　torment　was　to　come。

For　a　short　while　Chaka　watched　me；　smiling。　Then　he　spoke　slowly；
that　the　fire　might　find　time　to　do　its　work。

〃Say；　then；　Mopo；　thou　knowest　nothing　of　this　matter　of　the　birth　of
a　son　to　thy　sister　Baleka？〃

〃I　know　this　only；　O　king！〃　I　answered；　〃that　a　son　was　born　in　past
years　to　thy　wife　Baleka；　that　I　killed　the　child　in　obedience　to　thy
word；　and　laid　its　body　before　thee。〃

Now；　my　father；　the　steam　from　my　flesh　had　been　drawn　from　my　hand　by
the　heat；　and　the　flame　got　hold　of　me　and　ate　into　my　flesh；　and　its
torment　was　great。　But　of　this　I　showed　no　sign　upon　my　face；　for　I
knew　well　that　if　I　showed　sign　or　uttered　cry；　then；　having　failed　in
the　trial；　death　would　be　my　portion。

Then　the　king　spoke　again；　〃Dost　thou　swear　by　my　head；　Mopo；　that　no
son　of　mine　was　suckled　in　thy　kraals？〃

〃I　swear　it；　O　king！　I　swear　it　by　thy　head；〃　I　answered。

And　now；　my　father；　the　agony　of　the　fire　was　such　as　may　not　be　told。
I　felt　my　eyes　start　forward　in　their　sockets；　my　blood　seemed　to　boil
within　me；　it　rushed　into　my　head；　and　down　my　face　their　ran　two
tears　of　blood。　But　yet　I　held　my　hand　in　the　fire　and　made　no　sign；
while　the　king　and　his　councillors　watched　me　curiously。　Still；　for　a
moment　Chaka　said　nothing；　and　that　moment　seemed　to　me　as　all　the
years　of　my　life。

〃Ah！〃　he　said　at　length；　〃I　see　that　thou　growest　warm；　Mopo！　Withdraw
thy　hand　from　the　flame。　I　am　answered；　thou　hast　passed　the　trial；
thy　heart　is　clean；　for　had　there　been　lies　in　it　the　fire　had　given
them　tongue；　and　thou　hadst　cried　aloud；　making　thy　last　music；　Mopo！〃

Now　I　took　my　hand　from　the　flame；　and　for　awhile　the　torment　left　me。

〃It　is　well；　O　king；〃　I　said　calmly。　〃Fire　has　no　power　of　hurt　on
those　whose　heart　is　pure。〃

But　as　I　spoke　I　looked　at　my　left　hand。　It　was　black；　my　father
black　as　a　charred　stick；　and　the　nails　were　gone　from　the　twisted
fingers。　Look　at　it　now；　my　father；　you　can　see；　though　my　eyes　are
blind。　The　hand　is　white；　like　yoursit　is　white　and　dead　and
shrivelled。　These　are　the　marks　of　the　fire　in　Chaka's　hutthe　fire
that　kissed　me　many；　many　years　ago；　I　have　had　but　little　use　of　that
hand　since　this　night　of　torment。　But　my　right　arm　yet　remained　to　me；
my　father；