nada the lily(百合娜达)-第23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！


hand　since　this　night　of　torment。　But　my　right　arm　yet　remained　to　me；
my　father；　and；　ah！　I　used　it。

〃It　seems　that　Nobela；　the　doctress；　who　is　dead；　lied　when　she
prophesied　evil　on　me　from　thee；　Mopo；〃　said　Chaka　again。　〃It　seems
that　thou　art　innocent　of　this　offence；　and　that　Baleka；　thy　sister；
is　innocent；　and　that　the　song　which　the　Mother　of　the　Heavens　sang
through　the　singing　flames　was　no　true　song。　It　is　well　for　thee；
Mopo；　for　in　such　a　matter　my　oath　had　not　helped　thee。　But　my　mother
is　deaddead　in　the　flames　with　thy　wives　and　children；　Mopo；　and　in
this　there　is　witchcraft。　We　will　have　a　mourning；　Mopo；　thou　and　I；
such　a　mourning　as　has　not　been　seen　in　Zululand；　for　all　the　people
on　the　earth　shall　weep　at　it。　And　there　shall　be　a　'smelling　out'　at
this　mourning；　Mopo。　But　we　will　summon　no　witch…doctors；　thou　and　I
will　be　witch…doctors；　and　ourselves　shall　smell　out　those　who　have
brought　these　woes　upon　us。　What！　shall　my　mother　die　unavenged；　she
who　bore　me　and　has　perished　by　witchcraft；　and　shall　thy　wives　and
children　die　unavengedthou　being　innocent？　Go　forth；　Mopo；　my
faithful　servant；　whom　I　have　honoured　with　the　warmth　of　my　fire；　go
forth！〃　And　once　again　he　stared　at　me　through　the　reek　of　the　flame；
and　pointed　with　his　assegai　to　the　door　of　the　hut。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　COUNSEL　OF　BALEKA

I　rose；　I　praised　the　king　with　a　loud　voice；　and　I　went　from　the
Intunkulu；　the　house　of　the　king。　I　walked　slowly　through　the　gates；
but　when　I　was　without　the　gates　the　anguish　that　took　me　because　of
my　burnt　hand　was　more　than　I　could　bear。　I　ran　to　and　fro　groaning
till　I　came　to　the　hut　of　one　whom　I　knew。　There　I　found　fat；　and
having　plunged　my　hand　in　the　fat；　I　wrapped　it　round　with　a　skin　and
passed　out　again；　for　I　could　not　stay　still。　I　went　to　and　fro；　till
at　length　I　reached　the　spot　where　my　huts　had　been。　The　outer　fence
of　the　huts　still　stood；　the　fire　had　not　caught　it。　I　passed　through
the　fence；　there　within　were　the　ashes　of　the　burnt　hutsthey　lay
ankle…deep。　I　walked　in　among　the　ashes；　my　feet　struck　upon　things
that　were　sharp。　The　moon　was　bright；　and　I　looked；　they　were　the
blackened　bones　of　my　wives　and　children。　I　flung　myself　down　in　the
ashes　in　bitterness　of　heart；　I　covered　myself　over　with　the　ashes　of
my　kraal　and　with　the　bones　of　my　wives　and　children。　Yes；　my　father；
there　I　lay；　and　on　me　were　the　ashes；　and　among　the　ashes　were　the
bones。　Thus；　then；　did　I　lie　for　the　last　time　in　my　kraal；　and　was
sheltered　from　the　frost　of　the　night　by　the　dust　of　those　to　whom　I
had　given　life。　Such　were　the　things　that　befell　us　in　the　days　of
Chaka；　my　father；　yes；　not　to　me　alone；　but　to　many　another　also。

I　lay　among　the　ashes　and　groaned　with　the　pain　of　my　burn；　and
groaned　also　from　the　desolation　of　my　heart。　Why　had　I　not　tasted　the
poison；　there　in　the　hut　of　Chaka；　and　before　the　eyes　of　Chaka？　Why
did　I　not　taste　it　now　and　make　an　end？　Nay；　I　had　endured　the　agony；
I　would　not　give　him　this　last　triumph　over　me。　Now；　having　passed　the
fire；　once　more　I　should　be　great　in　the　land；　and　I　would　become
great。　Yes；　I　would　bear　my　sorrows；　and　become　great；　that　in　a　day
to　be　I　might　wreak　vengeance　on　the　king。　Ah！　my　father；　there；　as　I
rolled　among　the　ashes；　I　prayed　to　the　Amatongo；　to　the　ghosts　of　my
ancestors。　I　prayed　to　my　Ehlose；　to　the　spirit　that　watches　meay；
and　I　even　dared　to　pray　to　the　Umkulunkulu；　the　great　soul　of　the
world；　who　moves　through　the　heavens　and　the　earth　unseen　and　unheard。
And　thus　I　prayed；　that　I　might　yet　live　to　kill　Chaka　as　he　had
killed　those　who　were　dear　to　me。　And　while　I　prayed　I　slept；　or；　if　I
did　not　sleep；　the　light　of　thought　went　out　of　me；　and　I　became　as
one　dead。　Then　there　came　a　vision　to　me；　a　vision　that　was　sent　in
answer　to　my　prayer；　or；　perchance；　it　was　a　madness　born　of　my
sorrows。　For；　my　father；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　stood　upon　the　bank　of
a　great　and　wide　river。　It　was　gloomy　there；　the　light　lay　low　upon
the　face　of　the　river；　but　far　away　on　the　farther　side　was　a　glow
like　the　glow　of　a　stormy　dawn；　and　in　the　glow　I　saw　a　mighty　bed　of
reeds　that　swayed　about　in　the　breath　of　dawn；　and　out　of　the　reeds
came　men　and　women　and　children；　by　hundreds　and　thousands；　and
plunged　into　the　waters　of　the　river　and　were　buffeted　about　by　them。
Now；　my　father；　all　the　people　that　I　saw　in　the　water　were　black
people；　and　all　those　who　were　torn　out　of　the　reeds　were　blackthey
wee　none　of　them　white　like　your　people；　my　father；　for　this　vision
was　a　vision　of　the　Zulu　race；　who　alone　are　〃torn　out　of　the　reeds。〃
Now；　I　saw　that　of　those　who　swam　in　the　river　some　passed　over　very
quickly　and　some　stood　still；　as　it　were；　still　in　the　wateras　in
life；　my　father；　some　die　soon　and　some　live　for　many　years。　And　I　saw
the　countless　faces　of　those　in　the　water；　among　them　were　many　that　I
knew。　There；　my　father；　I　saw　the　face　of　Chaka；　and　near　him　was　my
own　face；　there；　too；　I　saw　the　face　of　Dingaan；　the　prince；　his
brother；　and　the　face　of　the　boy　Umslopogaas　and　the　face　of　Nada；　my
daughter；　and　then　for　the　first　time　I　knew　that　Umslopogaas　was　not
dead；　but　only　lost。

Now　I　turned　in　my　vision；　and　looked　at　that　bank　of　the　river　on
which　I　stood。　Then　I　saw　that　behind　the　bank　was　a　cliff；　mighty　and
black；　and　in　the　cliff　were　doors　of　ivory；　and　through　them　came
light　and　the　sound　of　laughter；　there　were　other　doors　also；　black　as
though　fashioned　of　coal；　and　through　them　came　darkness　and　the
sounds　of　groans。　I　saw　also　that　in　front　of　the　doors　was　set　a
seat；　and　on　the　seat　was　the　figure　of　a　glorious　woman。　She　was
tall；　and　she　alone　was　white；　and　clad　in　robes　of　white；　and　her
hair　was　like　gold　which　is　molten　in　the　fire；　and　her　face　shone
like　the　midday　sun。　Then　I　saw　that　those　who　came　up　out　of　the
river　stood　before　the　woman；　the　water　yet　running　from　them；　and
cried　aloud　to　her。

〃Hail；　Inkosazana…y…Zulu！　Hail；　Queen　of　the　Heavens！〃

Now　the　figure　of　the　glorious　woman　held　a　rod　in　either　hand；　and
the　rod　in　her　right　hand　was　white　and　of　ivory；　and　the　rod　in　her
left　hand　was　black　and　of　ebony。　And　as　those　who　came　up　before　her
throne　greeted　her；　so　she　pointed　now　with　the　wand　of　ivory　in　her
right　hand；　and　now　with　the　wand　of　ebony　in　her　left　hand。　And　with
the　wand　of　ivory　she　pointed　to　the　gates　of　ivory；　through　which
came　light　and　laughter；　and　with　the　wand　of　ebony　she　pointed　to　the
gates　of　coal；　through　which　came　blackness　and　groans。　And　as　she
pointed；　so　those　who　greeted　her　turned；　and　went；　some　through　the
gates　of　light　and　some　through　the　gates　of　blackness。

Presently；　as　I　stood；　a　handful　of　people　came　up　from　the　bank　of
the　river。　I　looked　on　them　and　knew　them。　There　was　Unandi；　the
mother　of　Chaka；　there　was　Anadi；　my　wife；　and　Moosa；　my　son；　and　all
my　other　wives　and　children；　and　those　who　had　perished　with　them。

They　stood　before　the　figure　of　the　woman；　the　Princess　of　the
Heavens；　to　whom　the　Umkulunkulu　has　given　it　to　watch　over　the　people
of　the　Zulu；　and　cried　aloud；　〃Hail；　Inkosazana…y…Zulu！　Hail！〃

Then　she；　the　Inkosazana；　pointed　with　the　rod　of　ivory　to　the　gates
of　ivory；　but　still　they　stood　before　her；　not　moving。　Now　the　woman
spoke　for　the　first　time；　in　a　low　voice　that　was　sad　and　awful　to
hear。

〃Pass　in；　children　of　my　people；　pass　in　to　the　judgment。　Why　tarry
ye？　Pass　in　through　the　gates　of　light。〃

But　still　they　tarried；　and　in　my　vision　Unandi　spoke：　〃We　tarry；
Queen　of　the　Heavenswe　tarry　to　pray　for　justice　on　him　who　murdered
us。　I；　who　on　earth　was　named　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　on　behalf　of　all
this　company；　pray　to　thee；　Queen　of　the　Heavens；　for　justice　on　him
who　murdered　us。〃

〃How　is　he　named？〃　asked　the　voice　that　was　low　and　awful。

〃Chaka；　king　of　the　Zulus；〃　answered　the　voice　of　Unandi。　〃Chaka；　my
son。〃

〃Many　have　come　to　ask　for　vengeance　on　that　head；〃　said　the　voice　of
the　Queen　of　the　Heavens；　〃and　many　more　shall　come。　Fear　not；　Unandi；
it　shall　fall。　Fear　not；　Anadi　and　ye　wives　and　children　of　Mopo；　it
shall　fall；　I　say。　With　t