nada the lily(百合娜达)-第36章

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men　could　so　much　as　think；　he　had　seized　the　axe　Groan…Maker；　and
with　a　blow　of　the　steel　he　held　had　severed　the　thong　of　leather
which　bound　it　to　the　wrist　of　Jikiza；　and　sprung　back；　holding　the
great　axe　aloft；　and　casting　down　his　own　weapon　upon　the　ground。　Now；
the　watchers　saw　all　the　cunning　of　his　fight；　and　those　of　them　who
hated　Jikiza　shouted　aloud。　But　others　were　silent。

Slowly　Jikiza　gathered　himself　from　the　ground；　wondering　if　he　were
still　alive；　and　as　he　rose　he　grasped　the　little　axe　of　Umslopogaas；
and；　looking　at　it；　he　wept。　But　Umslopogaas　held　up　the　great　Groan…
Maker；　the　iron　chieftainess；　and　examined　its　curved　points　of　blue
steel；　the　gouge　that　stands　behind　it；　and　the　beauty　of　its　haft；
bound　about　with　wire　of　brass；　and　ending　in　a　knob　like　the　knob　of
a　stick；　as　a　lover　looks　upon　the　beauty　of　his　bride。　Then　before
all　men　he　kissed　the　broad　blade　and　cried　aloud：

〃Greeting　to　thee；　my　Chieftainess；　greeting　to　thee；　Wife　of　my
youth；　whom　I　have　won　in　war。　Never　shall　we　part；　thou　and　I；　and
together　will　we　die；　thou　and　I；　for　I　am　not　minded　that　others
should　handle　thee　when　I　am　gone。〃

Thus　he　cried　in　the　hearing　of　men；　then　turned　to　Jikiza；　who　stood
weeping；　because　he　had　lost　all。

〃Where　now　is　your　pride；　O　Unconquered？〃　laughed　Umslopogaas。　〃Fight
on。　You　are　as　well　armed　as　I　was　a　while　ago；　when　I　did　not　fear　to
stand　before　you。〃

Jikiza　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　with　a　curse　he　hurled　the
little　axe　at　him；　and；　turning；　fled　swiftly　towards　the　gates　of　the
cattle　kraal。

Umslopogaas　stooped；　and　the　little　axe　sped　over　him。　Then　he　stood
for　a　while　watching；　and　the　people　thought　that　he　meant　to　let
Jikiza　go。　But　that　was　not　his　desire；　he　waited；　indeed；　until
Jikiza　had　covered　nearly　half　the　space　between　him　and　the　gate；
then　with　a　roar　he　leaped　forward；　as　light　leaps　from　a　cloud；　and
so　fast　did　his　feet　fly　that　the　watchers　could　scarce　see　them　move。
Jikiza　fled　fast　also；　yet　he　seemed　but　as　one　who　stands　still。　Now
he　reached　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　now　there　was　rush；　a　light　of
downward　falling　steel；　and　something　swept　past　him。　Then；　behold！
Jikiza　fell　in　the　gateway　of　the　cattle　kraal；　and　all　saw　that　he
was　dead；　smitten　to　death　by　that　mighty　axe　Groan…Maker；　which　he
and　his　fathers　had　held　for　many　years。

A　great　shout　went　up　from　the　crowd　of　watchers　when　they　knew　that
Jikiza　the　Unconquered　was　killed　at　last；　and　there　were　many　who
hailed　Umslopogaas；　naming　him　Chief　and　Lord　of　the　People　of　the
Axe。　But　the　sons　of　Jikiza　to　the　number　of　ten；　great　men　and　brave；
rushed　on　Umslopogaas　to　kill　him。　Umslopogaas　ran　backwards；　lifting
up　the　Groan…Maker；　when　certain　councillors　of　the　people　flung
themselves　in　between　them；　crying；　〃Hold！〃

〃Is　not　this　your　law；　ye　councillors；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃that；
having　conquered　the　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　I　myself　am
chief？〃

〃That　is　our　law　indeed；　stranger；〃　answered　an　aged　councillor；　〃but
this　also　is　our　law：　that　now　you　must　do　battle；　one　by　one；　with
all　who　come　against　you。　So　it　was　in　my　father's　time；　when　the
grandfather　of　him　who　now　lies　dead　won　the　axe；　and　so　it　must　be
again　to…day。〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　say　against　the　rule；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Now　who
is　there　who　will　come　up　against　me　to　do　battle　for　the　axe　Groan…
Maker　and　the　chieftainship　of　the　People　of　the　Axe？〃

Then　all　the　ten　sons　of　Jikiza　stepped　forward　as　one　man；　for　their
hearts　were　made　with　wrath　because　of　the　death　of　their　father　and
because　the　chieftainship　had　gone　from　their　race；　so　that　in　truth
they　cared　little　if　they　lived　or　died。　But　there　were　none　besides
these；　for　all　men　feared　to　stand　before　Umslopogaas　and　the　Groan…
Maker。

Umslopogaas　counted　them。　〃There　are　ten；　by　the　head　of　Chaka！〃　he
cried。　〃Now　if　I　must　fight　all　these　one　by　one；　no　time　will　be　left
to　me　this　day　to　talk　of　the　matter　of　Masilo　and　of　the　maid　Zinita。
Hearken！　What　say　you；　sons　of　Jikiza　the　Conquered？　If　I　find　one
other　to　stand　beside　me　in　the　fray；　and　all　of　you　come　on　at　once
against　us　twain；　ten　against　two；　to　slay　us　or　be　slain；　will　that
be　to　your　minds？〃

The　brethren　consulted　together；　and　held　that　so　they　should　be　in
better　case　than　if　they　went　up　one　by　one。

〃So　be　it；〃　they　said；　and　the　councillors　assented。

Now；　as　he　fled　round　and　round；　Umslopogaas　had　seen　the　face　of
Galazi；　his　brother；　in　the　throng；　and　knew　that　he　hungered　to　share
the　fight。　So　he　called　aloud　that　he　whom　he　should　choose；　and　who
would　stand　back　to　back　with　him　in　the　fray；　if　victory　were　theirs；
should　be　the　first　after　him　among　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　as　he
called；　he　walked　slowly　down　the　line　scanning　the　faces　of　all；　till
he　came　to　where　Galazi　stood　leaning　on　the　Watcher。

〃Here　is　a　great　fellow　who　bears　a　great　club；〃　said　Umslopogaas。
〃How　are　you　named；　fellow？〃

〃I　am　named　Wolf；〃　answered　Galazi。

〃Say；　now；　Wolf；　are　you　willing　to　stand　back　to　back　with　me　in　this
fray　of　two　against　ten？　If　victory　is　ours；　you　shall　be　next　to　me
amongst　this　people。〃

〃Better　I　love　the　wild　woods　and　the　mountain's　breast　than　the
kraals　of　men　and　the　kiss　of　wives；　Axebearer；〃　answered　Galazi。
〃Yet；　because　you　have　shown　yourself　a　warrior　of　might；　and　to　taste
again　of　the　joy　of　battle；　I　will　stand　back　to　back　with　you；
Axebearer；　and　see　this　matter　ended。〃

〃A　bargain；　Wolf！〃　cried　Umslopogaas。　And　they　walked　side　by　sidea
mighty　pair！till　they　came　to　the　centre　of　the　cattle　kraal。　All
there　looked　on　them　wondering；　and　it　came　into　the　thoughts　of　some
of　them　that　these　were　none　other　than　the　Wolf…Brethren　who　dwelt
upon　the　Ghost　Mountain。

〃Now　axe　Groan…maker　and　club　Watcher　are　come　together；　Galazi；〃　said
Umslopogaas　as　they　walked；　〃and　I　think　that　few　can　stand　before
them。〃

〃Some　shall　find　it　so；〃　answered　Galazi。　〃At　the　least；　the　fray　will
be　merry；　and　what　matter　how　frays　end？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃victory　is　good；　but　death　ends　all　and　is
best　of　all。〃

Then　they　spoke　of　the　fashion　in　which　they　would　fight；　and
Umslopogaas　looked　curiously　at　the　axe　he　carried；　and　at　the　point
on　its　hammer；　balancing　it　in　his　hand。　When　he　had　looked　long；　the
pair　took　their　stand　back　to　back　in　the　centre　of　the　kraal；　and
people　saw　that　Umslopogaas　held　the　axe　in　a　new　fashion；　its　curved
blade　being　inwards　towards　his　breast；　and　the　hollow　point　turned
towards　the　foe。　The　ten　brethren　gathered　themselves　together；
shaking　their　assegais；　five　of　them　stood　before　Umslopogaas　and　five
before　Galazi　the　Wolf。　They　were　all　great　men；　made　fierce　with　rage
and　shame。

〃Now　nothing　except　witchcraft　can　save　these　two；〃　said　a　councillor
to　one　who　stood　by　him。

〃Yet　there　is　virtue　in　the　axe；〃　answered　the　other；　〃and　for　the
club；　it　seems　that　I　know　it：　I　think　it　is　named　Watcher　of　the
Fords；　and　woe　to　those　who　stand　before　the　Watcher。　I　myself　have
seen　him　aloft　when　I　was　young；　moreover；　these　are　no　cravens　who
hold　the　axe　and　the　club。　They　are　but　lads；　indeed；　yet　they　have
drunk　wolf's　milk。〃

Meanwhile；　an　aged　man　drew　near　to　speak　the　word　of　onset；　it　was
that　same　man　who　had　set　out　the　law　to　Umslopogaas。　He　must　give　the
signal　by　throwing　up　a　spear；　and　when　it　struck　the　ground；　then　the
fight　would　begin。　The　old　man　took　the　spear　and　threw　it；　but　his
hand　was　weak；　and　he　cast　so　clumsily　that　it　fell　among　the　sons　of
Jikiza；　who　stood　before　Umslopogaas；　causing　them　to　open　up　to　let
it　pass　between　them；　and　drawing　the　eyes　of　all　ten　of　them　to　it。
but　Umslopogaas　watched　for　the　touching　of　the　spear　only；　being
careless　where　it　touched。　As　the　point　of　it　kissed　the　earth；　he
said　a　word；　and　lo！　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi；　not　waiting　for　the
onslaught　of　the　ten；　as　men　had　thought　they　must；　sprang　forward；
each　at　the　line　of　foes　who　were　before　him。　While　the　ten　still
stood　confused；　for　it　had　been　their　plan　to　attack；　the　Wolf…
Brethren　were　upon　them。　Groan…Maker　was　up；　but　as