nada the lily(百合娜达)-第31章

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coming　to　the　river；　I　crossed　it；　and　for　that　night　I　hid　myself　in
the　rocks　beyond；　eating　the　mealies　and　the　flesh　of　the　kid。

〃On　the　morrow　at　dawn　I　rose　and　shook　the　dew　from　the　wolf…hide。
Then　I　went　on　into　the　forest　and　howled　like　a　wolf。　They　knew　my
voice；　the　ghost…wolves；　and　howled　in　answer　from　far　and　near。　Then
I　heard　the　pattering　of　their　feet；　and　they　came　round　me　by　tens
and　by　twenties；　and　fawned　upon　me。　I　counted　their　number；　they
numbered　three　hundred　and　sixty　and　three。

〃Afterwards；　I　went　on　to　the　cave；　and　I　have　lived　there　in　the
cave；　Umslopogaas；　for　nigh　upon　twelve　moons；　and　I　have　become　a
wolf…man。　For　with　the　wolves　I　hunt　and　raven；　and　they　know　me；　and
what　I　bid　them　that　they　do。　Stay；　Umslopogaas；　now　you　are　strong
again；　and；　if　your　courage　does　not　fail　you；　you　shall　see　this　very
night。　Come　now；　have　you　the　heart；　Umslopogaas？〃

Then　Umslopogaas　rose　and　laughed　aloud。　〃I　am　young　in　years；〃　he
cried；　〃and　scarcely　come　to　the　full　strength　of　men；　yet　hitherto　I
have　not　turned　my　back　on　lion　or　witch；　on　wolf　or　man。　Now　let　us
see　this　impi　of　yoursthis　impi　black　and　grey；　that　runs　on　four
legs　with　fangs　for　spears！〃

〃You　must　first　bind　on　the　she…wolf's　hide；　Umslopogaas；〃　quoth
Galazi；　〃else；　before　a　man　could　count　his　fingers　twice　there　would
be　little　enough　left　of　you。　Bind　it　about　the　neck　and　beneath　the
arms；　and　see　that　the　fastenings　do　not　burst；　lest　it　be　the　worse
for　you。〃

So　Umslopogaas　took　the　grey　wolf's　hide　and　bound　it　on　with　thongs
of　leather；　and　its　teeth　gleamed　upon　his　head；　and　he　took　a　spear
in　his　hand。　Galazi　also　bound　on　the　hide　of　the　king　of　the　wolves；
and　they　went　out　on　to　the　space　before　the　cave。　Galazi　stood　there
awhile；　and　the　moonlight　fell　upon　him；　and　Umslopogaas　saw　that　his
face　grew　wild　and　beastlike；　that　his　eyes　shone；　and　his　teeth
grinned　beneath　his　curling　lips。　He　lifted　up　his　head　and　howled　out
upon　the　night。　Thrice　Galazi　lifted　his　head　and　thrice　he　howled
loudly；　and　yet　more　loud。　But　before　ever　the　echoes　had　died　in　the
air；　from　the　heights　of　the　rocks　above　and　the　depths　of　the　forest
beneath；　there　came　howlings　in　answer。　Nearer　they　grew　and　nearer；
now　there　was　a　sound　of　feet；　and　a　wolf；　great　and　grey；　bounded
towards　them；　and　after　him　many　another。　They　came　to　Galazi；　they
sprang　upon　him；　fawning　round　him；　but　he　beat　them　down　with　the
Watcher。　Then　of　a　sudden　they　saw　Umslopogaas；　and　rushed　at　him
open…mouthed。

〃Stand　and　do　not　move！〃　cried　Galazi。　〃Be　not　afraid！〃

〃I　have　always　fondled　dogs；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃shall　I　learn　to
fear　them　now？〃

Yet　though　he　spoke　boldly；　in　his　heart　he　was　afraid；　for　this　was
the　most　terrible　of　all　sights。　The　wolves　rushed　on　him　open…
mouthed；　from　before　and　from　behind；　so　that　in　a　breath　he　was　well…
nigh　hidden　by　their　forms。　Yet　no　fang　pierced　him；　for　as　they　leapt
they　smelt　the　smell　of　the　skin　upon　him。　Then　Umslopogaas　saw　that
the　wolves　leapt　at　him　no　more；　but　the　she…wolves　gathered　round　him
who　wore　the　she…wolf's　skin。　They　were　great　and　gaunt　and　hungry；
all　were　full…grown；　there　were　no　little　ones；　and　their　number　was
so　many　that　he　could　not　count　them　in　the　moonlight。　Umslopogaas；
looking　into　their　red　eyes；　felt　his　heart　become　as　the　heart　of　a
wolf；　and　he；　too；　lifted　up　his　head　and　howled；　and　the　she…wolves
howled　in　answer。

〃The　pack　is　gathered；　now　for　the　hunt！〃　cried　Galazi。　〃Make　your
feet　swift；　my　brother；　for　we　shall　journey　far　to…night。　Ho；
Blackfang！　ho；　Greysnout！　Ho；　my　people　black　and　grey；　away！　away！〃

He　spoke　and　bounded　forward；　and　with　him　went　Umslopogaas；　and　after
him　streamed　the　ghost…wolves。　They　fled　down　the　mountain　sides；
leaping　from　boulder　to　boulder　like　bucks。　Presently　they　stood　by　a
kloof　that　was　thick　with　trees。　Galazi　stopped；　holding　up　the
Watcher；　and　the　wolves　stopped　with　him。

〃I　smell　a　quarry；〃　he　cried；　〃in；　my　people；　in！〃

Then　the　wolves　plunged　silently　into　the　great　kloof；　but　Galazi　and
Umslopogaas　drew　to　the　foot　of　it　and　waited。　Presently　there　came　a
sound　of　breaking　boughs；　and　lo！　before　them　stood　a　buffalo；　a　bull
who　lowed　fiercely　and　sniffed　the　air。

〃This　one　will　give　us　a　good　chase；　my　brother；　see；　he　is　gaunt　and
thin！　Ah！　that　meat　is　tender　which　my　people　have　hunted　to　the
death！〃

As　Galazi　spoke；　the　first　of　the　wolves　drew　from　the　covert　and　saw
the　buffalo；　then；　giving　tongue；　they　sprang　towards　it。　The　bull　saw
also；　and　dashed　down　the　hill；　and　after　him　came　Galazi　and
Umslopogaas；　and　with　them　all　their　company；　and　the　rocks　shook　with
the　music　of　their　hunting。　They　rushed　down　the　mountain　side；　and　it
came　into　the　heart　of　Umslopogaas；　that　he；　too；　was　a　wolf。　They
rushed　madly；　yet　his　feet　were　swift　as　the　swiftest；　no　wolf　could
outstrip　him；　and　in　him　was　but　one　desirethe　desire　of　prey。　Now
they　neared　the　borders　of　the　forest；　and　Galazi　shouted。　He　shouted
to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to　Deathgrip；　and　these
four　leaped　forward　from　the　pack；　running　so　swiftly　that　their
bellies　seemed　to　touch　the　ground。　They　passed　about　the　bull；
turning　him　from　the　forest　and　setting　his　head　up　the　slope　of　the
mountain。　Then　the　chase　wheeled；　the　bull　leaped　and　bounded　up　the
mountain　side；　and　on　one　flank　lay　Greysnout　and　Deathgrip　and　on　the
other　lay　Blood　and　Blackfang；　while　behind　came　the　Wolf…Brethren；
and　after　them　the　wolves　with　lolling　tongues。　Up　the　hill　they　sped；
but　the　feet　of　Umslopogaas　never　wearied；　his　breath　did　not　fail
him。　Once　more　they　drew　near　the　lap　of　the　Grey　Witch　where　the　cave
was。　On　rushed　the　bull；　mad　with　fear。　He　ran　so　swiftly　that　the
wolves　were　left　behind；　since　here　for　a　space　the　ground　was　level
to　his　feet。　Galazi　looked　on　Umslopogaas　at　his　side；　and　grinned。

〃You　do　not　run　so　ill；　my　brother；　who　have　been　sick　of　late。　See
now　if　you　can　outrun　me！　Who　shall　touch　the　quarry　first？〃

Now　the　bull　was　ahead　by　two　spear…throws。　Umslopogaas　looked　and
grinned　back　at　Galazi。　〃Good！〃　he　cried；　〃away！〃

They　sped　forward　with　a　bound；　and　for　awhile　it　seemed　to
Umslopogaas　as　though　they　stood　side　by　side；　only　the　bull　grew
nearer　and　nearer。　Then　he　put　out　his　strength　and　the　swiftness　of
his　feet；　and　lo！　when　he　looked　again　he　was　alone；　and　the　bull　was
very　near。　Never　were　feet　so　swift　as　those　of　Umslopogaas。　Now　he
reached　the　bull　as　he　laboured　on。　Umslopogaas　placed　his　hands　upon
the　back　of　the　bull　and　leaped；　he　was　on　him；　he　sat　him　as　you
white　men　sit　a　horse。　Then　he　lifted　the　spear　in　his　hand；　and　drove
it　down　between　the　shoulders　to　the　spine；　and　of　a　sudden　the　great
buffalo　staggered；　stopped；　and　fell　dead。

Galazi　came　up。　〃Who　now　is　the　swiftest；　Galazi？〃　cried　Umslopogaas；
〃I；　or　you；　or　your　wolf　host？〃

〃You　are　the　swiftest；　Umslopogaas；〃　said　Galazi；　gasping　for　his
breath。　〃Never　did　a　man　run　as　you　run；　nor　ever　shall　again。〃

Now　the　wolves　streamed　up；　and　would　have　torn　the　carcase；　but
Galazi　beat　them　back；　and　they　rested　awhile。　Then　Galazi　said；　〃Let
us　cut　meat　from　the　bull　with　a　spear。〃

So　they　cut　meat　from　the　bull；　and　when　they　had　finished　Galazi
motioned　to　the　wolves；　and　they　fell　upon　the　carcase；　fighting
furiously。　In　a　little　while　nothing　was　left　except　the　larger　bones；
and　yet　each　wolf　had　but　a　little。

Then　they　went　back　to　the　cave　and　slept。

Afterwards　Umslopogaas　told　Galazi　all　his　tale；　and　Galazi　asked　him
if　he　would　abide　with　him　and　be　his　brother；　and　rule　with　him　over
the　wolf…kind；　or　seek　his　father　Mopo　at　the　kraal　of　Chaka。

Umslopogaas　said　that　it　was　rather　in　his　mind　to　seek　his　sister
Nada；　for　he　was　weary　of　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　but　he　thought　of　Nada
day　and　night。

〃Where；　then；　is　Nada；　your　sister？〃　asked　Galazi。

〃She　sleeps　in　the　caves　of　your　people；　Galazi；　she　tarries　with　the
Halakazi。〃

〃Stay　awhile；　Umslopogaas；〃　cried　Galazi；　〃stay　till　we　are　men
indeed。　Then　we　will　seek　this　sister　of　yours　and　snatch