nada the lily(百合娜达)-第33章

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moved　swiftly　down　towards　the　plain。　They　came　to　the　river　and　swam
it；　and　there；　eight　spear　throws　away；　on　the　farther　side　of　the
river　stood　the　kraal。　Now　the　Wolf…Brethren　took　counsel　together；
and　Galazi；　with　the　dog…wolves；　went　to　the　north　gate；　and
Umslopogaas　with　the　she…wolves　to　the　south　gate。　They　reached　them
safely　and　in　silence；　for　at　the　bidding　of　the　brethren　the　wolves
ceased　from　their　howlings。　The　gates　were　stopped　with　thorns；　but
the　brethren　pulled　out　the　thorns　and　made　a　passage。　As　they　did
this　it　chanced　that　certain　dogs　in　the　kraal　heard　the　sound　of　the
stirred　boughs；　and　awakening；　caught　the　smell　of　the　wolves　that
were　with　Umslopogaas；　for　the　wind　blew　from　that　quarter。　These　dogs
ran　out　barking；　and　presently　they　came　to　the　south　gate　of　the
kraal；　and　flew　at　Umslopogaas；　who　pulled　away　the　thorns。　Now　when
the　wolves　saw　the　dogs　they　could　be　restrained　no　longer；　but　sprang
on　them　and　tore　them　to　fragments；　and　the　sound　of　their　worrying
came　to　the　ears　of　the　soldiers　of　Chaka　and　of　the　dwellers　in　the
kraal；　so　that　they　sprang　from　sleep；　snatching　their　arms。　And　as
they　came　out　of　the　huts　they　saw　in　the　moonlight　a　man　wearing　a
wolf's　hide　rushing　across　the　empty　cattle　kraal；　for　the　grass　was
long　and　the　cattle　were　out　at　graze；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；
black　and　grey。　Then　they　cried　aloud　in　terror；　saying　that　the
ghosts　were　on　them；　and　turned　to　flee　to　the　north　gate　of　the
kraal。　But；　behold！　here　also　they　met　a　man　clad　in　a　wolf's　skin
only；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；　black　and　grey。

Now；　some　flung　themselves　to　earth　screaming　in　their　fear；　and　some
strove　to　run　away；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　soldiers；　and　with
them　many　of　the　men　of　the　kraal；　came　together　in　knots；　being
minded　to　die　like　men　at　teeth　of　the　ghosts；　and　that　though　they
shook　with　fear。　Then　Umslopogaas　howled　aloud；　and　howled　Galazi；　and
they　flung　themselves　upon　the　soldiers　and　the　people　of　the　kraal；
and　with　them　came　the　wolves。　Then　a　crying　and　a　baying　rose　up　to
heaven　as　the　grey　wolves　leaped　and　bit　and　tore。　Little　they　heeded
the　spears　and　kerries　of　the　soldiers。　Some　were　killed；　but　the　rest
did　not　stay。　Presently　the　knots　of　men　broke　up；　and　to　each　man
wolves　hung　by　twos　and　threes；　dragging　him　to　earth。　Some　few　fled；
indeed；　but　the　wolves　hunted　them　by　gaze　and　scent；　and　pulled　them
down　before　they　passed　the　gates　of　the　kraal。

The　Wolf…Brethren　also　ravened　with　the　rest。　Busy　was　the　Watcher；
and　many　bowed　beneath　him；　and　often　the　spear　of　Umslopogaas　flashed
in　the　moonlight。　It　was　finished；　none　were　left　living　in　that
kraal；　and　the　wolves　growled　sullenly　as　they　took　their　fill；　they
who　had　been　hungry　for　many　days。　Now　the　brethren　met；　and　laughed
in　their　wolf　joy；　because　they　had　slaughtered　those　who　were　sent
out　to　slaughter。　They　called　to　the　wolves；　bidding　them　search　the
huts；　and　the　wolves　entered　the　huts　as　dogs　enter　a　thicket；　and
killed　those　who　lurked　there；　or　drove　them　forth　to　be　slain
without。　Presently　a　man；　great　and　tall；　sprang　from　the　last　of　the
huts；　where　he　had　hidden　himself；　and　the　wolves　outside　rushed　on
him　to　drag　him　down。　But　Umslopogaas　beat　them　back；　for　he　had　seen
the　face　of　the　man：　it　was　that　captain　whom　Chaka　had　sent　out　to
kill　him。　He　beat　them　back；　and　stalked　up　to　the　captain；　saying：
〃Greeting　to　you；　captain　of　the　king！　Now　tell　us　what　is　your　errand
here；　beneath　the　shadow　of　her　who　sits　in　stone？〃　And　he　pointed
with　his　spear　to　the　Grey　Witch　on　the　Ghost　Mountain；　on　which　the
moon　shone　bright。

Now　the　captain　had　a　great　heart；　though　he　had　hidden　from　the
wolves；　and　answered　boldly：

〃What　is　that　to　you；　wizard？　Your　ghost　wolves　had　made　an　end　of　my
errand。　Let　them　make　an　end　of　me　also。〃

〃Be　not　in　haste；　captain；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Say；　did　you　not　seek　a
certain　youth；　the　son　of　Mopo？〃

〃That　is　so；〃　answered　the　captain。　〃I　sought　one　youth；　and　I　have
found　many　evil　spirits。〃　And　he　looked　at　the　wolves　tearing　their
prey；　and　shuddered。

〃Say；　captain；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas；　drawing　back　his　hood　of　wolf's
hide　so　that　the　moonlight　fell　upon　his　face；　〃is　this　the　face　of
that　youth　whom　you　sought？〃

〃It　is　the　face；〃　answered　the　captain；　astonished。

〃Ay；〃　laughed　Umslopogaas；　〃it　is　the　face。　Fool！　I　knew　your　errand
and　heard　your　words；　and　thus　have　I　answered　them。〃　And　he　pointed
to　the　dead。　〃Now　choose；　and　swiftly。　Will　you　run　for　your　life
against　my　wolves？　Will　you　do　battle　for　your　life　against　these
four？〃　And　he　pointed　to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to
Deathgrip；　who　watched　him　with　slavering　lips；　〃or　will　you　stand
face　to　face　with　me；　and　if　I　am　slain；　with　him　who　bears　the　club；
and　with　whom　I　rule　this　people　black　and　grey？〃

〃I　fear　ghosts；　but　of　men　I　have　no　fear；　though　they　be　wizards；〃
answered　the　captain。

〃Good！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　shaking　his　spear。

Then　they　rushed　together；　and　that　fray　was　fierce。　For　presently　the
spear　of　Umslopogaas　was　broken　in　the　shield　of　the　captain　and　he
was　left　weaponless。　Now　Umslopogaas　turned　and　fled　swiftly；　bounding
over　the　dead　and　the　wolves　who　preyed　upon　them；　and　the　captain
followed　with　uplifted　spear；　and　mocked　him　as　he　came。　Galazi　also
wondered　that　Umslopogaas　should　fly　from　a　single　man。　Hither　and
thither　fled　Umslopogaas；　and　always　his　eyes　were　on　the　earth。　Of　a
sudden；　Galazi；　who　watched；　saw　him　sweep　forward　like　a　bird　and
stoop　to　the　ground。　Then　he　wheeled　round；　and　lo！　there　was　an　axe
in　his　hand。　The　captain　rushed　at　him；　and　Umslopogaas　smote　as　he
rushed；　and　the　blade　of　the　great　spear　that　was　lifted　to　pierce　him
fell　to　the　ground　hewn　from　its　haft。　Again　Umslopogaas　smote：　the
moon…shaped　axe　sank　through　the　stout　shield　deep　into　the　breast
beyond。　Then　the　captain　threw　up　his　arms　and　fell　to　the　earth。

〃Ah！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　〃you　sought　a　youth　to　slay　him；　and　have
found　an　axe　to　be　slain　by　it！　Sleep　softly；　captain　of　Chaka。〃

Then　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　Galazi；　saying：　〃My　brother；　I　will　fight　no
more　with　the　spear；　but　with　the　axe　alone；　it　was　to　seek　an　axe
that　I　ran　to　and　fro　like　a　coward。　But　this　is　a　poor　thing！　See；
the　haft　is　split　because　of　the　greatness　of　my　stroke！　Now　this　is
my　desireto　win　that　great　axe　of　Jikiza；　which　is　called　Groan…
Maker；　of　which　we　have　heard　tell；　so　that　axe　and　club　may　stand
together　in　the　fray。〃

〃That　must　be　for　another　night；〃　said　Galazi。　〃We　have　not　done　so
ill　for　once。　Now　let　us　search　for　pots　and　corn；　of　which　we　stand
in　need；　and　then　to　the　mountain　before　dawn　finds　us。〃

Thus；　then；　did　the　Wolf…Brethren　bring　death　on　the　impi　of　Chaka；
and　this　was　but　the　first　of　many　deaths　that　they　wrought　with　the
help　of　the　wolves。　For　ever　they　ravened　through　the　land　at　night；
and；　falling　on　those　they　hated；　they　ate　them　up；　till　their　name
and　the　name　of　the　ghost…wolves　became　terrible　in　the　ears　of　men；
and　the　land　was　swept　clean。　But　they　found　that　the　wolves　would　not
go　abroad　to　worry　everywhere。　Thus；　on　a　certain　night；　they　set　out
to　fall　upon　the　kraals　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　where　dwelt　the
chief　Jikiza；　who　was　named　the　Unconquered；　and　owned　the　axe　Groan…
Maker；　but　when　they　neared　the　kraal　the　wolves　turned　back　and　fled。
Then　Galazi　remembered　the　dream　that　he　had　dreamed；　in　which　the
Dead　One　in　the　cave　had　seemed　to　speak；　telling　him　that　there　only
where　the　men…eaters　had　hunted　in　the　past　might　the　wolves　hunt　to…
day。　So　they　returned　home；　but　Umslopogaas　set　himself　to　find　a　plan
to　win　the　axe。



CHAPTER　XVI

UMSLOPOGAAS　VENTURES　OUT　TO　WIN　THE　AXE

Now　many　moons　had　gone　by　since　Umslopogaas　became　a　king　of　the
wolves；　and　he　was　a　man　full　grown；　a　man　fierce　and　tall　and　keen；　a
slayer　of　men；　fleet　of　foot　and　of　valour　unequalled；　seeing　by　night
as　well　as　by　day。　But　he　was　not　yet　named　the　Slaughterer；　and　not
yet　did　he　hold　that　iron　chieftainess；　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　Still；
the　desire　t