nada the lily(百合娜达)-第51章

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gone　by；　but　it　would　come　again；　and　till　it　came　I　must　say　nothing。
I　would　do　this　rather；　I　would　bring　Dingaan　and　Umslopogaas
together；　that　Umslopogaas　might　become　known　in　the　land　as　a　great
chief　and　the　first　of　warriors。　Then　I　would　cause　him　to　be　advanced
to　be　an　induna；　and　a　general　ready　to　lead　the　impis　of　the　king；
for　he　who　leads　the　impis　is　already　half　a　king。


So　I　held　my　peace　upon　this　matter；　but　till　the　dawn　was　grey
Umslopogaas　and　I　sat　together　and　talked；　each　telling　the　tale　of
those　years　that　had　gone　since　he　was　borne　from　me　in　the　lion's
mouth。　I　told　him　how　all　my　wives　and　children　had　been　killed；　how　I
had　been　put　to　the　torment；　and　showed　him　my　white　and　withered
hand。　I　told　him　also　of　the　death　of　Baleka；　my　sister；　and　of　all　my
people　of　the　Langeni；　and　of　how　I　had　revenged　my　wrongs　upon　Chaka；
and　made　Dingaan　to　be　king　in　his　place；　and　was　now　the　first　man　in
the　land　under　the　king；　though　the　king　feared　me　much　and　loved　me
little。　But　I　did　not　tell　him　that　Baleka；　my　sister；　was　his　own
mother。

When　I　had　done　my　tale；　Umslopogaas　told　me　his：　how　Galazi　had
rescued　him　from　the　lioness；　how　he　became　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；
how　he　had　conquered　Jikiza　and　the　sons　of　Jikiza；　and　become　chief
of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　taken　Zinita　to　wife；　and　grown　great　in
the　land。

I　asked　him　how　it　came　about　that　he　still　hunted　with　the　wolves　as
he　had　done　last　night。　He　answered　that　now　he　was　great　and　there
was　nothing　more　to　win；　and　at　times　a　weariness　of　life　came　upon
him；　and　then　he　must　up；　and　together　with　Galazi　hunt　and　harry　with
the　wolves；　for　thus　only　could　he　find　rest。

I　said　that　I　would　show　him　better　game　to　hunt　before　all　was　done；
and　asked　him　further　if　he　loved　his　wife；　Zinita。　Umslopogaas
answered　that　he　would　love　her　better　if　she　loved　him　not　so　much；
for　she　was　jealous　and　quick　to　anger；　and　that　was　a　sorrow　to　him。
Then；　when　he　had　slept　awhile；　he　led　me　from　the　hut；　and　I　and
my　people　were　feasted　with　the　best；　and　I　spoke　with　Zinita　and　with
Galazi　the　Wolf。　For　the　last；　I　liked　him　well。　This　was　a　good　man
to　have　at　one's　back　in　battle；　but　my　heart　spoke　to　me　against
Zinita。　She　was　handsome　and　tall；　but　with　fierce　eyes　which　always
watched　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling；　and　I　noted　that　he　who　was
fearless　of　all　other　things　yet　seemed　to　fear　Zinita。　Neither　did
she　love　me；　for　when　she　saw　how　the　Slaughterer　clung　to　me；　as　it
wee；　instantly　she　grew　jealousas　already　she　was　jealous　of　Galazi
and　would　have　been　rid　of　me　if　she　might。　Thus　it　came　about　that
my　heart　spoke　against　Zinita；　nor　did　it　tell　me　worse　things　of　her
than　those　which　she　was　to　do。



CHATPER　XXIV

THE　SLAYING　OF　THE　BOERS

On　the　morrow　I　led　Umslopogaas　apart；　and　spoke　to　him　thus：

〃My　son；　yesterday；　when　you　did　not　know　me　except　as　the　Mouth　of
Dingaan；　you　charged　me　with　a　certain　message　for　Dingaan　the　king；
that；　had　it　been　delivered　into　the　ears　of　the　king；　had　surely
brought　death　upon　you　and　all　your　people。　The　tree　that　stands　by
itself　on　a　plain；　Umslopogaas；　thinks　itself　tall　and　that　there　is
no　shade　to　equal　its　shade。　Yet　are　there　other　and　bigger　trees。　You
are　such　a　solitary　tree；　Umslopogaas；　but　the　topmost　branches　of　him
whom　I　serve　are　thicker　than　your　trunk；　and　beneath　his　shadow　live
many　woodcutters；　who　go　out　to　lop　those　that　would　grow　too　high。
You　are　no　match　for　Dingaan；　though；　dwelling　here　alone　in　an　empty
land；　you　have　grown　great　in　your　own　eyes　and　in　the　eyes　of　those
about　you。　Moreover；　Umslopogaas；　know　this：　Dingaan　already　hates　you
because　of　the　words　which　in　bygone　years　you　sent　by　Masilo　the　fool
to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　for　he　heard　those　words；　and　it　is　his
will　to　eat　you　up。　He　has　sent　me　hither　for　one　reason　only；　to　be
rid　of　me　awhile；　and；　whatever　the　words　I　bring　back　to　him；　the　end
will　be　the　samethat　night　shall　come　when　you　will　find　an　impi　at
your　gates。〃

〃Then　what　need　to　talk　more　of　the　matter；　my　father？〃　asked
Umslopogaas。　〃That　will　come　which　must　come。　Let　me　wait　here　for　the
impi　of　Dingaan；　and　fight　till　I　do。〃

〃Not　so；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；　there　are　more　ways　of　killing　a　man
than　by　the　assegai；　and　a　crooked　stick　can　still　be　bent　straight　in
the　stream。　It　is　my　desire；　Umslopogaas；　that　instead　of　hate　Dingaan
should　give　you　love；　instead　of　death；　advancement；　and　that　you
shall　grow　great　in　his　shadow。　Listen！　Dingaan　is　not　what　Chaka　was；
though；　like　Chaka；　he　is　cruel。　This　Dingaan　is　a　fool；　and　it　may
well　come　about　that　a　man　can　be　found　who；　growing　up　in　his　shadow；
in　the　end　shall　overshadow　him。　I　might　do　itI　myself；　but　I　am
old；　and；　being　worn　with　sorrow；　have　no　longing　to　rule。　But　you　are
young；　Umslopogaas；　and　there　is　no　man　like　you　in　the　land。
Moreover；　there　are　other　matters　of　which　it　is　not　well　to　speak；
that　shall　serve　you　as　a　raft　whereon　to　swim　to　power。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　glanced　up　sharply；　for　in　those　days　he　was
ambitious；　and　desired　to　be　first　among　the　people。　Indeed；　having
the　blood　of　Chaka　in　his　veins；　how　could　it　be　otherwise？

〃What　is　your　plan；　my　father？〃　he　asked。　〃Say　how　can　this　be　brought
about？〃

〃This　and　thus；　Umslopogaas。　Among　the　tribe　of　the　Halakazi　in
Swaziland　there　dwells　a　maid　who　is　named　the　Lily。　She　is　a　girl　of
the　most　wonderful　beauty；　and　Dingaan　is　afire　with　longing　to　have
her　to　wife。　Now；　awhile　since　Dingaan　dispatched　an　embassy　to　the
chief　of　the　Halakazi　asking　the　Lily　in　marriage；　and　the　chief　of
the　Halakazi　sent　back　insolent　words；　saying　that　the　Beauty　of　the
Earth　should　be　given　to　no　Zulu　dog　as　a　wife。　Then　Dingaan　was
angry；　and　he　would　have　gathered　his　impis　and　sent　them　against　the
Halakazi　to　destroy　them；　and　bring　him　the　maid；　but　I　held　him　back
from　it；　saying　that　now　was　no　time　to　begin　a　new　war；　and　it　is　for
this　cause　that　Dingaan　hates　me；　he　is　so　set　upon　the　plucking　of
the　Swazi　Lily。　Do　you　understand　now；　Umslopogaas？〃

〃Something；〃　he　answered。　〃But　speak　clearly。〃

〃Wow；　Umslopogaas！　Half　words　are　better　than　whole　ones　in　this　land
of　ours。　Listen；　then！　This　is　my　plan：　that　you　should　fall　upon　the
Halakazi　tribe；　destroy　it；　and　bring　back　the　maid　as　a　peace…
offering　to　Dingaan。〃

〃That　is　a　good　plan；　my　father；〃　he　answered。　〃At　the　least；　maid　or
no　maid；　there　will　be　fighting　in　it；　and　cattle　to　divide　when　the
fighting　is　done。〃

〃First　conquer；　then　reckon　up　the　spoils；　Umslopogaas。〃

Now　he　thought　awhile；　then　said；　〃Suffer　that　I　summon　Galazi　the
Wolf；　my　captain。　Do　not　fear；　he　is　trusty　and　a　man　of　few　words。〃

Presently　Galazi　came　and　sat　down　before　us。　Then　I　put　the　matter　to
him　thus：　that　Umslopogaas　would　fall　upon　the　Halakazi　and　bring　to
Dingaan　the　maid　he　longed　for　as　a　peace…offering；　but　that　I　wished
to　hold　him　back　from　the　venture　because　the　Halakazi　people　were
great　and　strong。　I　spoke　in　this　sense　so　that　I　might　have　a　door　to
creep　out　should　Galazi　betray　the　plot；　and　Umslopogaas　read　my
purpose；　though　my　craft　was　needless；　for　Galazi　was　a　true　man。

Galazi　the　Wolf　listened　in　silence　till　I　had　finished；　then　he
answered　quietly；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　a　fire　shone　in　his　eyes　as
he　spoke：

〃I　am　chief　by　right　of　the　Halakazi；　O　Mouth　of　Dingaan；　and　know
them　well。　They　are　a　strong　people；　and　can　put　two　full　regiments
under　arms；　whereas　Bulalio　here　can　muster　but　one　regiment；　and　that
a　small　one。　Moreover；　they　have　watchmen　out　by　night　and　day；　and
spies　scattered　through　the　land；　so　that　it　will　be　hard　to　take　them
unawares；　also　their　stronghold　is　a　vast　cave　open　to　the　sky　in　the
middle；　and　none　have　won　that　stronghold　yet；　nor　could　it　be　found
except　by　those　who　know　its　secret。　They　are　few；　yet　I　am　one　of
them；　for　my　father　showed　it　to　me　when　I　was　a　lad。　Therefore；　Mouth
of　Dingaan；　you　will　know　that　this　is　no　easy　task　which　Bulalio
would　set　himself　and　usto　conquer　the　Halakazi。　That　is　the　face　of
the　matter　so　far