nada the lily(百合娜达)-第54章

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soon　that　will　go　out　also；　and　then　perhaps　I　shall　understand。



CHAPTER　XXV

THE　WAR　WITH　THE　HALAKAZI　PEOPLE

Now；　my　father；　I　must　tell　of　how　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　and
Galazi　the　Wolf　fared　in　their　war　against　the　People　of　the　Halakazi。
When　I　had　gone　from　the　shadow　of　the　Ghost　Mountain；　Umslopogaas
summoned　a　gathering　of　all　his　headmen；　and　told　them　it　was　his
desire　that　the　People　of　the　Axe　should　no　longer　be　a　little　people；
that　they　should　grow　great　and　number　their　cattle　by　tens　of
thousands。

The　headmen　asked　how　this　might　be　brought　aboutwould　he　then　make
war　on　Dingaan　the　King？　Umslopogaas　answered　no；　he　would　win　the
favour　of　the　king　thus：　and　he　told　them　of　the　Lily　maid　and　of　the
Halakazi　tribe　in　Swaziland；　and　of　how　he　would　go　up　against　that
tribe。　Now　some　of　the　headmen　said　yea　to　this　and　some　said　nay；　and
the　talk　ran　high　and　lasted　till　the　evening。　But　when　the　evening
was　come　Umslopogaas　rose　and　said　that　he　was　chief　under　the　Axe；
and　none　other；　and　it　was　his　will　that　they　should　go　up　against　the
Halakazi。　If　there　was　any　man　there　who　would　gainsay　his　will；　let
him　stand　forward　and　do　battle　with　him；　and　he　who　conquered　should
order　all　things。　To　this　there　was　no　answer；　for　there　were　few　who
cared　to　face　the　beak　of　Groan…Maker；　and　so　it　came　about　that　it
was　agreed　that　the　People　of　the　Axe　should　make　war　upon　the
Halakazi；　and　Umslopogaas　sent　out　messengers　to　summon　every
fighting…man　to　his　side。

But　when　Zinita；　his　head　wife；　came　to　hear　of　the　matter　she　was
angry；　and　upbraided　Umslopogaas；　and　heaped　curses　on　me；　Mopo；　whom
she　knew　only　as　the　mouth　of　Dingaan；　because；　as　she　said　truly；　I
had　put　this　scheme　into　the　mind　of　the　Slaughterer。　〃What！〃　she　went
on；　〃do　you　not　live　here　in　peace　and　plenty；　and　must　you　go　to　make
war　on　those　who　have　not　harmed　you；　there；　perhaps；　to　perish　or　to
come　to　other　ill？　You　say　you　do　this　to　win　a　girl　for　Dingaan　and
to　find　favour　in　his　sight。　Has　not　Dingaan　girls　more　than　he　can
count？　It　is　more　likely　that；　wearying　of　us；　your　wives；　you　go　to
get　girls　for　yourself；　Bulalio；　and　as　for　finding　favour；　rest
quiet；　so　shall　you　find　most　favour。　If　the　king　sends　his　impis
against　you；　then　it　will　be　time　to　fight；　O　fool　with　little　wit！〃

Thus　Zinita　spoke　to　him；　very　roughlyfor　she　always　blurted　out
what　was　in　her　mind；　and　Umslopogaas　could　not　challenge　her　to
battle。　So　he　must　bear　her　talk　as　best　he　might；　for　it　is　often
thus；　my　father；　that　the　greatest　of　men　grow　small　enough　in　their
own　huts。　Moreover；　he　knew　that　it　was　because　Zinita　loved　him　that
she　spoke　so　bitterly。

Now　on　the　third　day　all　the　fighting…men　were　gathered；　and　there
might　have　been　two　thousand　of　them；　good　men　and　brave。　Then
Umslopogaas　went　out　and　spoke　to　them；　telling　them　of　this
adventure；　and　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　with　him。　They　listened　silently；
and　it　was　plain　to　see　that；　as　in　the　case　of　the　headmen；　some　of
them　thought　one　thing　and　some　another。　Then　Galazi　spoke　to　them
briefly；　telling　them　that　he　knew　the　roads　and　the　caves　and　the
number　of　the　Halakazi　cattle；　but　still　they　doubted。　Thereon
Umslopogaas　added　these　words：

〃To…morrow；　at　the　dawn；　I；　Bulalio；　Holder　of　the　Axe；　Chief　of　the
People　of　the　Axe；　go　up　against　the　Halakazi；　with　Galazi　the　Wolf；
my　brother。　If　but　ten　men　follow　us；　yet　we　will　go。　Now；　choose；　you
soldiers！　Let　those　come　who　will；　and　let　those　who　will　stop　at　home
with　the　women　and　the　little　children。〃

Now　a　great　shout　rose　from　every　throat。

〃We　will　go　with　you；　Bulalio；　to　victory　or　death！〃

So　on　the　morrow　they　marched；　and　there　was　wailing　among　the　women
of　the　People　of　the　Axe。　Only　Zinita　did　not　wail；　but　stood　by　in
wrath；　foreboding　evil；　nor　would　she　bid　her　lord　farewell；　yet　when
he　was　gone　she　wept　also。

Now　Umslopogaas　and　his　impi　travelled　fast　and　far；　hungering　and
thirsting；　till　at　length　they　came　to　the　land　of　the　Umswazi；　and
after　a　while　entered　the　territory　of　the　Halakazi　by　a　high　and
narrow　pass。　The　fear　of　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　that　they　should　find
this　pass　held；　for　though　they　had　harmed　none　in　the　kraals　as　they
went；　and　taken　only　enough　cattle　to　feed　themselves；　yet　he　knew
well　that　messengers　had　sped　by　day　and　night　to　warn　the　people　of
the　Halakazi。　But　they　found　no　man　in　the　pass；　and　on　the　other　side
of　it　they　rested；　for　the　night　was　far　spent。　At　dawn　Umslopogaas
looked　out　over　the　wide　plains　beyond；　and　Galazi　showed　him　a　long
low　hill；　two　hours'　march　away。

〃There；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃lies　the　head　kraal　of　the　Halakazi；
where　I　was　born；　and　in　that　hill　is　the　great　cave。〃

Then　they　went　on；　and　before　the　sun　was　high　they　came　to　the　crest
of　a　rise；　and　heard　the　sound　of　horns　on　its　farther　side。　They
stood　upon　the　rise；　and　looked；　and　lo！　yet　far　off；　but　running
towards　them；　was　the　whole　impi　of　the　Halakazi；　and　it　was　a　great
impi。

〃They　have　gathered　their　strength　indeed；〃　said　Galazi。　〃For　every
man　of　ours　there　are　three　of　these　Swazis！〃

The　soldiers　saw　also；　and　the　courage　of　some　of　them　sank　low。　Then
Umslopogaas　spoke　to　them：

〃Yonder　are　the　Swazi　dogs；　my　children；　they　are　many　and　we　are　few。
Yet；　shall　it　be　told　at　home　that　we；　men　of　the　Zulu　blood；　were
hunted　by　a　pack　of　Swazi　dogs？　Shall　our　women　and　children　sing　THAT
song　in　our　ears；　O　Soldiers　of　the　Axe？〃

Now　some　cried　〃Never！〃　but　some　were　silent；　so　Umslopogaas　spoke
again：

〃Turn　back　all　who　will：　there　is　yet　time。　Turn　back　all　who　will；
but　ye　who　are　men　come　forward　with　me。　Or　if　ye　will；　go　back　all　of
you；　and　leave　Axe　Groan…Maker　and　Club　Watcher　to　see　this　matter　out
alone。〃

Now　there　arose　a　mighty　shout　of　〃We　will　die　together　who　have　lived
together！〃

〃Do　you　swear　it？〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　holding　Groan…Maker　on　high。

〃We　swear　it　by　the　Axe；〃　they　answered。

Then　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　made　ready　for　the　battle。　They　posted　all
the　young　men　in　the　broken　ground　above　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　for
these　could　best　be　spared　to　the　spear；　and　Galazi　the　Wolf　took
command　of　them；　but　the　veterans　stayed　upon　the　hillside；　and　with
them　Umslopogaas。

Now　the　Halakazi　came　on；　and　there　were　four　full　regiments　of　them。
The　plain　was　black　with　them；　the　air　was　rent　with　their　shoutings；
and　their　spears　flashed　like　lightnings。　On　the　farther　side　of　the
slope　they　halted　and　sent　a　herald　forward　to　demand　what　the　People
of　the　Axe　would　have　from　them。　The　Slaughterer　answered　that　they
would　have　three　things：　First；　the　head　of　their　chief；　whose　place
Galazi　should　fill　henceforth；　secondly；　that　fair　maid　whom　men　named
the　Lily；　thirdly；　a　thousand　head　of　cattle。　If　these　demands　were
granted；　then　he　would　spare　them；　the　Halakazi；　if　not；　he　would
stamp　them　out　and　take　all。

So　the　herald　returned；　and　when　he　reached　the　ranks　of　the　Halakazi
he　called　aloud　his　answer。　Then　a　great　roar　of　laughter　went　up　from
the　Halakazi　regiments；　a　roar　that　shook　the　earth。　The　brow　of
Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer　burned　red　beneath　the　black　when　he　heard
it；　and　he　shook　Groan…Maker　towards　their　host。

〃Ye　shall　sing　another　song　before　this　sun　is　set；〃　he　cried；　and
strode　along　the　ranks　speaking　to　this　man　and　that　by　name；　and
lifting　up　their　hearts　with　great　words。

Now　the　Halakazi　raised　a　shout；　and　charged　to　come　at　the　young　men
led　by　Galazi　the　Wolf；　but　beyond　the　foot　of　the　slope　was　peaty
ground；　and　they　came　through　it　heavily；　and　as　they　came　Galazi　and
the　young　men　fell　upon　them　and　slew　them；　still；　they　could　not　hold
them　back　for　long；　because　of　their　great　numbers；　and　presently　the
battle　ranged　all　along　the　slope。　But　so　well　did　Galazi　handle　the
young　men；　and　so　fiercely　did　they　fight　beneath　his　eye；　that　before
they　could　be　killed　or　driven　back　all　the　force　of　the　Halakazi　was
doing　battle　with　them。　Ay；　and　twice　Galazi　charged　with　such　as　he
could　gather；　and　twice　he　checked　the　Halakazi　rush；　throwing　them
into　con