nada the lily(百合娜达)-第50章

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wide…opened　eyes。

〃How　know　you　that　once　I　was　named　Umslopogaas；　who　have　lost　that
name　these　many　days？　Speak；　O　Mouth；　lest　I　kill　you。〃

〃Slay　if　you　will；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　answered；　〃but　know　that　when　the
brains　are　scattered　the　mouth　is　dumb。　He　who　scatters　brains　loses
wisdom。〃

〃Answer！〃　he　said。

〃I　answer　not。　Who　are　you　that　I　should　answer　you？　I　know；　it　is
enough。　To　my　business。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　ground　his　teeth　in　anger。　〃I　am　not　wont　to　be
thwarted　here　in　my　own　kraal；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　your　business。　Speak
it；　little　Mouth。〃

〃This　is　my　business；　little　Chief。　When　the　Black　One　who　is　gone　yet
lived；　you　sent　him　a　message　by　one　Masilosuch　a　message　as　his
ears　had　never　heard；　and　that　had　been　your　death；　O　fool　puffed　up
with　pride；　but　death　came　first　upon　the　Black　One；　and　his　hand　was
stayed。　Now　Dingaan；　whose　shadow　lies　upon　the　land；　the　king　whom　I
serve；　and　who　sits　in　the　place　of　the　Black　One　who　is　gone；　speaks
to　you　by　me；　his　mouth。　He　would　know　this：　if　it　is　true　that　you
refuse　to　own　his　sovereignty；　to　pay　tribute　to　him　in　men　and　maids
and　cattle；　and　to　serve　him　in　his　wars？　Answer；　you　little　headman！
answer　in　few　words　and　short！〃

Now　Umslopogaas　gasped　for　breath　in　his　rage；　and　again　he　fingered
the　great　axe。　〃It　is　well　for　you；　O　Mouth；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　swore
safe　conduct　to　you；　else　you　had　not　gone　henceelse　you　had　been
served　as　I　served　certain　soldiers　who　in　bygone　years　were　sent　to
search　out　one　Umslopogaas。　Yet　I　answer　you　in　few　words　and　short。
Look　on　those　spearsthey　are　but　a　fourth　part　of　the　number　I　can
muster：　that　is　my　answer。　Look　now　on　yonder　mountain；　the　mountain
of　ghosts　and　wolvesunknown；　impassable；　save　to　me　and　one　other：
that　is　my　answer。　Spears　and　mountains　shall　come　togetherthe
mountain　shall　be　alive　with　spears　and　with　the　fangs　of　beasts。　Let
Dingaan　seek　his　tribute　there！　I　have　spoken！〃

Now　I　laughed　shrilly；　desiring　to　try　the　heart　of　Umslopogaas；　my
fosterling；　yet　further。

〃Fool！〃　I　said。　〃Boy　with　the　brain　of　a　monkey；　for　every　spear　you
have　Dingaan；　whom　I　serve；　can　send　a　hundred；　and　your　mountain
shall　be　stamped　flat；　and　for　your　ghosts　and　wolves；　see；　with　the
mouth　of　Dingaan　I　spit　upon　them！〃　and　I　spat　upon　the　ground。

Now　Umslopogaas　shook　in　his　rage；　and　the　great　axe　glimmered　as　he
shook。　He　turned　to　the　captain　who　was　behind　him；　and　said：　〃Say；
Galazi　the　Wolf；　shall　we　kill　this　man　and　those　with　him？〃

〃Nay；〃　answered　the　Wolf；　grinning；　〃do　not　kill　them；　you　have　given
them　safe　conduct。　Moreover；　let　them　go　back　to　their　dog　of　a　king；
that　he　may　send　out　his　puppies　to　do　battle　with　our　wolves。　It　will
be　a　pretty　fight。〃

〃Get　you　gone；　O　Mouth；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃get　you　gone　swiftly；　lest
mischief　befall　you！　Without　my　gates　you　shall　find　food　to　satisfy
your　hunger。　Eat　of　it　and　begone；　for　if　to…morrow　at　the　noon　you
are　found　within　a　spear's　throw　of　this　kraal；　you　and　those　with　you
shall　bide　there　forever；　O　Mouth　of　Dingaan　the　king！〃

Now　I　made　as　though　I　would　depart；　then；　turning　suddenly；　I　spoke
once　more；　saying：

〃There　were　words　in　your　message　to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead　of　a
certain　mannay；　how　was　he　named？of　a　certain　Mopo。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　started　as　one　starts　who　is　wounded　by　a　spear；　and
stared　at　me。

〃Mopo！　What　of　Mopo；　O　Mouth；　whose　eyes　are　veiled？　Mopo　is　dead；
whose　son　I　was！〃

〃Ah！〃　I　said；　〃yes；　Mopo　is　deadthat　is；　the　Black　One　who　is　gone
killed　a　certain　Mopo。　How　came　it；　O　Bulalio；　that　you　were　his　son？〃

〃Mopo　is　dead；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas　again；　〃he　is　dead　with　all　his
house；　his　kraal　is　stamped　flat；　and　that　is　why　I　hated　the　Black
One；　and　therefore　I　hate　Dingaan；　his　brother；　and　will　be　as　are
Mopo　and　the　house　of　Mopo　before　I　pay　him　tribute　of　a　single　ox。〃

All　this　while　I　had　spoken　to　Umslopogaas　in　a　feigned　voice；　my
father；　but　now　I　spoke　again　and　in　my　own　voice；　saying：

〃So！　Now　you　speak　from　your　heart；　young　man；　and　by　digging　I　have
reached　the　root　of　the　matter。　It　is　because　of　this　dead　dog　of　a
Mopo　that　you　defy　the　king。〃

Umslopogaas　heard　the　voice；　and　trembled　no　more　with　anger；　but
rather　with　fear　and　wonder。　He　looked　at　me　hard；　answering　nothing。

〃Have　you　a　hut　near　by；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　foe　of　Dingaan　the　king；
where　I；　the　mouth　of　the　king；　may　speak　with　you　a　while　apart；　for
I　would　learn　your　message　word　by　word　that　I　may　deliver　it　without
fault。　Fear　not；　Slaughterer；　to　sit　alone　with　me　in　an　empty　hut！　I
am　unarmed　and　old；　and　there　is　that　in　your　hand　which　I　should
fear；〃　and　I　pointed　to　the　axe。

Now　Umslopogaas；　still　shaking　in　his　limbs；　answered　〃Follow　me；　O
Mouth；　and　you；　Galazi；　stay　with　these　men。〃

So　I　followed　Umslopogaas；　and　presently　we　came　to　a　large　hut。　He
pointed　to　the　doorway；　and　I　crept　through　it　and　he　followed　after
me。　Now　for　a　while　it　seemed　dark　in　the　hut；　for　the　sun　was　sinking
without　and　the　place　was　full　of　shadow；　so　I　waited　while　a　man
might　count　fifty；　till　our　eyes　could　search　the　darkness。　Then　of　a
sudden　I　threw　the　blanket　from　my　face　and　looked　into　the　yes　of
Umslopogaas。

〃Look　on　me　now；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　O　Slaughterer；　who　once　was　named
Umslopogaaslook　on　me　and　say　who　am　I？〃　Then　he　looked　at　me　and
his　jaw　fell。

〃Either　you　are　Mopo　my　father　grown　oldMopo；　who　is　dead；　or　the
Ghost　of　Mopo；〃　he　answered　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　am　Mopo；　your　father；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　said。　〃You　have　been　long　in
knowing　me；　who　knew　you　from　the　first。〃

Then　Umslopogaas　cried　aloud；　but　yet　softly；　and　letting　fall　the　axe
Groan…Maker；　he　flung　himself　upon　my　breast　and　wept　there。　And　I
wept　also。

〃Oh！　my　father；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　that　you　were　dead　with　the
others；　and　now　you　have　come　back　to　me；　and　I；　I　would　have　lifted
the　axe　against　you　in　my　folly。　Oh；　it　is　well　that　I　have　lived；　and
not　died；　since　once　more　I　look　upon　your　facethe　face　that　I
thought　dead；　but　which　yet　lives；　though　it　be　sorely　changed；　as
though　by　grief　and　years。〃

〃Peace；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；〃　I　said。　〃I　also　deemed　you　dead　in　the
lion's　mouth；　though　in　truth　it　seemed　strange　to　me　that　any　other
man　than　Umslopogaas　could　have　wrought　the　deeds　which　I　have　heard
of　as　done　by　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axeay；　and　thrown
defiance　in　the　teeth　of　Chaka。　But　you　are　not　dead；　and　I；　I　am　not
dead。　It　was　another　Mopo　whom　Chaka　killed；　I　slew　Chaka；　Chaka　did
not　slay　me。〃

〃And　of　Nada；　what　of　Nada；　my　sister？〃　he　said。

〃Macropha；　your　mother；　and　Nada；　your　sister；　are　dead；　Umslopogaas。
They　are　dead　at　the　hands　of　the　people　of　the　Halakazi；　who　dwell　in
Swaziland。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　that　people；〃　he　answered　presently；　〃and　so　has
Galazi　the　Wolf；　yonder。　He　has　a　hate　to　satisfy　against　themthey
murdered　his　father；　now　I　have　two；　for　they　have　murdered　my　mother
and　my　sister。　Ah；　Nada；　my　sister！　Nada；　my　sister！〃　and　the　great
man　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　rocked　himself　to　and　fro　in
his　grief。

Now；　my　father；　it　came　into　my　thoughts　to　make　the　truth　plain　to
Umslopogaas；　and　tell　him　that　Nada　was　no　sister　of　his；　and　that　he
was　no　son　of　mine；　but　rather　of　that　Chaka　whom　my　hand　had
finished。　And　yet　I　did　not；　though　now　I　would　that　I　had　done　so。
For　I　saw　well　how　great　was　the　pride　and　how　high　was　the　heart　of
Umslopogaas；　and　I　saw　also　that　if　once　he　should　learn　that　the
throne　of　Zululand　was　his　by　right；　nothing　could　hold　him　back；　for
he　would　swiftly　break　into　open　rebellion　against　Dingaan　the　king；
and　in　my　judgment　the　time　was　not　ripe　for　that。　Had　I　known；
indeed；　but　one　short　year　before　that　Umslopogaas　still　lived；　he　had
sat　where　Dingaan　sat　this　day；　but　I　did　not　know　it；　and　the　chance
had　gone　by　for　a　while。　Now　Dingaan　was　king　and　mustered　many
regiments　about　him；　for　I　had　held　him　back　from　war；　as　in　the　case
of　the　raid　that　he　wished　to　make　upon　the　Swazis。　The　chance　had
gone　by；　but　it　would　come　again；　and　till　it　came　I　must　say　nothing。
I　would　do　this　rath