nada the lily(百合娜达)-第38章

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did　not　believe　all　the　tale　that　I　had　told　him　of　the　death　of
Umslopogaas　in　the　jaws　of　a　lion　and　the　tale　of　those　who　were　with
me。　How　that　company　fared　at　the　hands　of　Umslopogaas　and　of　Galazi
the　Wolf；　and　at　the　fangs　of　the　people　black　and　grey；　I　have　told
you；　my　father。　None　of　them　ever　came　back　again。　In　after　days　it
was　reported　to　the　king　that　these　soldiers　were　missing；　never
having　returned；　but　he　only　laughed；　saying　that　the　lion　which　ate
Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；　was　a　fierce　one；　and　had　eaten　them　also。

At　last　came　the　night　of　the　new　moon；　that　dreadful　night　to　be
followed　by　a　more　dreadful　morrow。　I　sat　in　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　and
he　put　his　arm　about　my　neck　and　groaned　and　wept　for　his　mother；　whom
he　had　murdered；　and　I　groaned　also；　but　I　did　not　weep；　because　it
was　dark；　and　on　the　morrow　I　must　weep　much　in　the　sight　of　king　and
men。　Therefore；　I　spared　my　tears；　lest　they　should　fail　me　in　my
need。

All　night　long　the　people　drew　on　from　every　side　towards　the　kraal；
and；　as　they　came　in　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands；　they　filled　the
night　with　their　cries；　till　it　seemed　as　though　the　whole　world　were
mourning；　and　loudly。　None　might　cease　their　crying；　and　none　dared　to
drink　so　much　as　a　cup　of　water。　The　daylight　came；　and　Chaka　rose；
saying；　〃Come；　let　us　go　forth；　Mopo；　and　look　on　those　who　mourn　with
us。〃　So　we　went　out；　and　after　us　came　men　armed　with　clubs　to　do　the
bidding　of　the　king。

Outside　the　kraal　the　people　were　gathered；　and　their　number　was
countless　as　the　leaves　upon　the　trees。　On　every　side　the　land　was
black　with　them；　as　at　times　the　veldt　is　black　with　game。　When　they
saw　the　king　they　ceased　from　their　howling　and　sang　the　war…song；
then　once　again　they　howled；　and　Chaka　walked　among　them　weeping。　Now；
my　father；　the　sight　became　dreadful；　for；　as　the　sun　rose　higher　the
day　grew　hot；　and　utter　weariness　came　upon　the　people；　who　were
packed　together　like　herds　of　cattle；　and；　though　oxen　slain　in
sacrifice　lay　around；　they　might　neither　eat　nor　drink。　Some　fell　to
the　ground；　and　were　trampled　to　death；　others　took　too　much　snuff　to
make　them　weep；　others　stained　their　eyes　with　saliva；　others　walked
to　and　fro；　their　tongues　hanging　from　their　jaws；　while　groans　broke
from　their　parched　throats。

〃Now；　Mopo；　we　shall　learn　who　are　the　wizards　that　have　brought　these
ills　upon　us；〃　said　the　king；　〃and　who　are　the　true…hearted　men。〃

As　we　spoke　we　cam　upon　a　man；　a　chief　of　renown。　He　was　named
Zwaumbana；　chief　of　the　Amabovus；　and　with　him　were　his　wives　and
followers。　This　man　could　weep　no　more；　he　gasped　with　thirst　and
heat。　The　king　looked　at　him。

〃See；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃see　that　brute　who　has　no　tears　for　my　mother
who　is　dead！　Oh；　the　monster　without　a　heart！　Shall　such　as　he　live　to
look　upon　the　sun；　while　I　and　thou　must　weep；　Mopo？　Never！　never！
Take　him　away；　and　all　those　who　are　with　him！　Take　them　away；　the
people　without　hearts；　who　do　not　weep　because　my　mother　is　dead　by
witchcraft！〃

And　Chaka　walked　on　weeping；　and　I　followed　also　weeping；　but　the
chief　Zwaumbana　and　those　with　him　were　all　slain　by　those　who　do　the
bidding　of　the　king；　and　the　slayers　also　must　weep　as　they　slew。
Presently　we　came　upon　another　man；　who；　seeing　the　king；　took　snuff
secretly　to　bring　tears　to　his　eyes。　But　the　glance　of　Chaka　was
quick；　and　he　noted　it。

〃Look　at　him；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃look　at　the　wizard　who　has　no　tears；
though　my　mother　is　dead　by　witchcraft。　See；　he　takes　snuff　to　bring
tears　to　his　eyes　that　are　dry　with　wickedness。　Take　him　away；　the
heartless　brute！　Oh；　take　him　away！〃

So　this　one　also　was　killed；　and　these　were　but　the　first　of
thousands；　for　presently　Chaka　grew　mad　with　wickedness；　with　fury；
and　with　the　lust　of　blood。　He　walked　to　and　fro；　weeping；　going　now
and　again　into　his　hut　to　drink　beer；　and　I　with　him；　for　he　said　that
we　who　sorrowed　must　have　food。　And　ever　as　he　walked　he　would　wave
his　arm　or　his　assegai；　saying；　〃Take　them　away；　the　heartless　brutes；
who　do　not　weep　because　my　mother　is　dead；〃　and　those　who　chanced　to
stand　before　his　arm　were　killed；　till　at　length　the　slayers　could
slay　no　more；　and　themselves　were　slain；　because　their　strength　had
failed　them；　and　they　had　no　more　tears。　And　I　also；　I　must　slay；　lest
if　I　slew　not　I　should　myself　be　slain。

And　now；　at　length；　the　people　also　went　mad　with　their　thirst　and　the
fury　of　their　fear。　They　fell　upon　each　other；　killing　each　other；
every　man　who　had　a　foe　sought　him　out　and　killed　him。　None　were
spared；　the　place　was　but　a　shambles；　there　on　that　day　died　full
seven　thousand　men；　and　still　Chaka　walked　weeping　among　them；　saying；
〃Take　them　away；　the　heartless　brutes；　take　them　away！〃　Yet；　my
father；　there　was　cunning　in　his　cruelty；　for　though　he　destroyed　many
for　sport　alone；　also　he　slew　on　this　day　all　those　whom　he　hated　or
whom　he　feared。

At　length　the　night　came　down；　the　sun　sank　red　that　day；　all　the　sky
was　like　blood；　and　blood　was　all　the　earth　beneath。　Then　the　killing
ceased；　because　none　had　now　the　strength　to　kill；　and　the　people　lay
panting　in　heaps　upon　the　ground；　the　living　and　the　dead　together。　I
looked　at　them；　and　saw　that　if　they　were　not　allowed　to　eat　and
drink；　before　day　dawned　again　the　most　of　them　would　be　dead；　and　I
spoke　to　the　king；　for　I　cared　little　in　that　hour　if　I　lived　or　died；
even　my　hope　of　vengeance　was　forgotten　in　the　sickness　of　my　heart。

〃A　mourning　indeed；　O　King；〃　I　said；　〃a　merry　mourning　for　true…
hearted　men；　but　for　wizards　a　mourning　such　as　they　do　not　love。　I
think　that　thy　sorrows　are　avenged；　O　King；　thy　sorrows　and　mine
also。〃

〃Not　so；　Mopo；〃　answered　the　king；　〃this　is　but　the　beginning；　our
mourning　was　merry　to…day；　it　shall　be　merrier　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow；　O　King；　few　will　be　left　to　mourn；　for　the　land　will　be
swept　of　men。〃

〃Why；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？　But　a　few　have　perished　of　all　the
thousands　who　are　gathered　together。　Number　the　people　and　they　will
not　be　missed。〃

〃But　a　few　have　died　beneath　the　assegai　and　the　kerrie；　O　King。　Yet
hunger　and　thirst　shall　finish　the　spear's　work。　The　people　have
neither　eaten　nor　drunk　for　a　day　and　a　night；　and　for　a　day　and　a
night　they　have　wailed　and　moaned。　Look　without；　Black　One；　there　they
lie　in　heaps　with　the　dead。　By　to…morrow's　light　they　also　will　be
dead　or　dying。〃

Now；　Chaka　thought　awhile；　and　he　saw　that　the　work　would　go　too　far；
leaving　him　but　a　small　people　over　whom　to　rule。

〃It　is　hard；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃that　thou　and　I　must　mourn　alone　over
our　woes　while　these　dogs　feast　and　make　merry。　Yet；　because　of　the
gentleness　of　my　heart；　I　will　deal　gently　with　them。　Go　out；　son　of
Makedama；　and　bid　my　children　eat　and　drink　if　they　have　the　heart；
for　this　mourning　is　ended。　Scarcely　will　Unandi；　my　mother；　sleep
well；　seeing　that　so　little　blood　has　been　shed　on　her　gravesurely
her　spirit　will　haunt　my　dreams。　Yet；　because　of　the　gentleness　of　my
heart；　I　declare　this　mourning　ended。　Let　my　children　eat　and　drink；
if；　indeed；　they　have　the　heart。〃

〃Happy　are　the　people　over　whom　such　a　king　is　set；〃　I　said　in　answer。
Then　I　went　out　and　told　the　words　of　Chaka　to　the　chiefs　and
captains；　and　those　of　them　who　had　the　voice　left　to　them　praised　the
goodness　of　the　king。　But　the　most　gave　over　sucking　the　dew　from
their　sticks；　and　rushed　to　the　water　like　cattle　that　have　wandered
five　days　in　the　desert；　and　drank　their　fill。　Some　of　them　were
trampled　to　death　in　the　water。

Afterwards　I　slept　as　I　might　best；　it　was　not　well；　my　father；　for　I
knew　that　Chaka　was　not　yet　gutted　with　slaughter。

On　the　morrow　many　of　the　people　went　back　to　their　homes；　having
sought　leave　from　the　king；　others　drew　away　the　dead　to　the　place　of
bones；　and　yet　others　were　sent　out　in　impis　to　kill　such　as　had　not
come　to　the　mourning　of　the　king。　When　midday　was　past；　Chaka　said
that　he　would　walk；　and　ordered　me　and　other　of　his　indunas　and
servants　to　walk　with　him。　We　went　on　in　silence；　the　king　leaning　on
my　shoulder　as　on　a　stick。　〃What　of　thy　people；　Mopo；〃　he　said　at
leng