nada the lily(百合娜达)-第39章
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my shoulder as on a stick。 〃What of thy people； Mopo；〃 he said at
length； 〃what of the Langeni tribe？ Were they at my mourning？ I did
not see them。〃
Then I answered that I did not know； they had been summoned； but the
way was long and the time short for so many to march so far。
〃Dogs should run swiftly when their master calls； Mopo； my servant；〃
said Chaka； and the dreadful light came into his eyes that never shone
in the eyes of any other man。 Then I grew sick at heart； my father
ay； though I loved my people little； and they had driven me away； I
grew sick at heart。 Now we had come to a spot where there is a great
rift of black rock； and the name of that rift is U'Donga…lu…ka…
Tatiyana。 On either side of this donga the ground slopes steeply down
towards its yawning lips； and from its end a man may see the open
country。 Here Chaka sat down at the end of the rift； pondering。
Presently he looked up and saw a vast multitude of men； women； and
children； who wound like a snake across the plain beneath towards the
kraal Gibamaxegu。
〃I think； Mopo；〃 said the king； 〃that by the colour of their shields；
yonder should be the Langeni tribethine own people； Mopo。〃
〃It is my people； O King；〃 I answered。
Then Chaka sent messengers； running swiftly； and bade them summon the
Langeni people to him where he sat。 Other messengers he sent also to
the kraal； whispering in their ears； but what he said I did not know
then。
Now； for a while； Chaka watched the long black snake of men winding
towards him across the plain till the messengers met them and the
snake began to climb the slope of the hill。
〃How many are these people of thine； Mopo？〃 asked the king。
〃I know not； O Elephant；〃 I answered； 〃who have not seen them for many
years。 Perhaps they number three full regiments。〃
〃Nay； more；〃 said the king； 〃what thinkest thou； Mopo； would this
people of thine fill the rift behind us？〃 and he nodded at the gulf of
stone。
Now； my father； I trembled in all my flesh； seeing the purpose of
Chaka； but I could find no words to say； for my tongue clave to the
roof of my mouth。
〃The people are many；〃 said Chaka； 〃yet； Mopo； I bet thee fifty head
of cattle that they will not fill the donga。〃
〃The king is pleased to jest；〃 I said。
〃Yea； Mopo； I jest； yet as a jest take thou the bet。〃
〃As the king wills；〃 I murmuredwho could not refuse。 Now the people
of my tribe drew near： at their head was an old man； with white hair
and beard； and； looking at him； I knew him for my father； Makedama。
When he came within earshot of the king； he gave him the royal salute
of Bayete； and fell upon his hands and knees； crawling towards him；
and konzaed to the king； praising him as he came。 All the thousands of
the people also fell on their hands and knees； and praised the king
aloud； and the sound of their praising was like the sound of a great
thunder。
At length Makedama； my father； writhing on his breast like a snake；
lay before the majesty of the king。 Chaka bade him rise； and greeted
him kindly； but all the thousands of the people yet lay upon their
breasts beating the dust with their heads。
〃Rise； Makedama； my child； father of the people of the Langeni；〃 said
Chaka； 〃and tell me why art thou late in coming to my mourning？〃
〃The way was far； O King；〃 answered Makedama； my father； who did not
know me。 〃The way was far and the time short。 Moreover； the women and
the children grew weary and footsore； and they are weary in this
hour。〃
〃Speak not of it； Makedama； my child；〃 said the king。 〃Surely thy
heart mourned and that of thy people； and soon they shall rest from
their weariness。 Say； are they here every one？〃
〃Every one； O Elephant！none are wanting。 My kraals are desolate； the
cattle wander untended on the hills； birds pick at the unguarded
crops。〃
〃It is well； Makedama； thou faithful servant！ Yet thou wouldst mourn
with me an houris it not so？ Now； hearken！ Bid thy people pass to
the right and to the left of me； and stand in all their numbers upon
the slopes of the grass that run down to the lips of the rift。〃
So Makedama； my father； bade the people do the bidding of the king；
for neither he nor the indunas saw his purpose； but I； who knew his
wicked heart； I saw it。 Then the people filed past to the right and to
the left by hundreds and by thousands； and presently the grass of the
slopes could be seen no more； because of their number。 When all had
passed； Chaka spoke again to Makedama； my father； bidding him climb
down to the bottom of the donga； and thence lift up his voice in
mourning。 The old man obeyed the king。 Slowly； and with much pain； he
clambered to the bottom of the rift and stood there。 It was so deep
and narrow that the light scarcely seemed to reach to where he stood；
for I could only see the white of his hair gleaming far down in the
shadows。
Then； standing far beneath； he lifted up his voice； and it reached the
thousands of those who clustered upon the slopes。 It seemed still and
small； yet it came to them faintly like the voice of one speaking from
a mountain…top in a time of snow：
〃Mourn； children of Makedama！〃
And all the thousands of the peoplemen； women； and childrenechoed
his words in a thunder of sound； crying：
〃Mourn； children of Makedama！〃
Again he cried：
〃Mourn； people of the Langeni； mourn with the whole world！〃
And the thousands answered：
〃Mourn； people of the Langeni； mourn with the whole world！〃
A third time came his voice：
〃Mourn； children of Makedama； mourn； people of the Langeni； mourn with
the whole world！
〃Howl； ye warriors； weep； ye women； beat your breasts； ye maidens；
sob； ye little children！
〃Drink of the water of tears； cover yourselves with the dust of
affliction。
〃Mourn； O tribe of the Langeni； because the Mother of the Heavens is
no more。
〃Mourn； children of Makedama； because the Spirit of Fruitfulness is no
more。
〃Mourn； O ye people； because the Lion of the Zulu is left so desolate。
〃Let your tears fall as the rain falls； let your cries be as the cries
of women who bring forth。
〃For sorrow is fallen like the rain； the world has conceived and
brought forth death。
〃Great darkness is upon us； darkness and the shadow of death。
〃The Lion of the Zulu wanders and wanders in desolation； because the
Mother of the Heavens is no more。
〃Who shall bring him comfort？ There is comfort in the crying of his
children。
〃Mourn； people of the Langeni； let the voice of your mourning beat
against the skies and rend them。
〃Ou…ai！ Ou…ai！ Ou…ai！〃
Thus sang the old man； my father Makedama； far down in the deeps of
the cleft。 He sang it in a still； small voice； but； line after line；
his song was caught up by the thousands who stood on the slopes above；
and thundered to the heavens till the mountains shook with its sound。
Moreover； the noise of their crying opened the bosom of a heavy rain…
cloud that had gathered as they mourned； and the rain fell in great
slow drops； as though the sky also wept； and with the rain came
lightning and the roll of thunder。
Chaka listened； and large tears coursed down his cheeks； whose heart
was easily stirred by the sound of song。 Now the rain hissed fiercely；
making as it were a curtain about the thousands of the people； but
still their cry went up through the rain； and the roll of the thunder
was lost in it。 Presently there came a hush； and I looked to the
right。 There； above the heads of the people； coming over the brow of
the hill； were the plumes of warriors； and in their hands gleamed a
hedge of spears。 I looked to the left； there also I saw the plumes of
warriors dimly through the falling rain； and in their hands a hedge of
spears。 I looked before me； towards the end of the cleft； there also
loomed the plumes of warriors； and in their hands was a hedge of
spears。
Then； from all the people there arose another cry； a cry of terror and
of agony。
〃Ah！ now they mourn indeed； Mopo；〃 said Chaka in my ear； 〃now thy
people mourn from the heart and not with the lips alone。〃
As he spoke the multitude of the people on either side of the rift
surged forward like a wave； surged back again； once more surged
forwar
