nada the lily(百合娜达)-第58章

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showed　it。　When　everything　was　told；　he　said　only　that　he　no　longer
wondered　that　the　people　of　the　Halakazi　had　defied　Dingaan　and
brought　death　upon　themselves　for　the　sake　of　this　maid。　Still；　to　be
plain；　his　heart　thought　ill　of　the　matter；　for　death　was　not　done
with　yet：　there　before　them　shone　the　Star　of　Death；　and　he　pointed　to
the　Lily。

Now　Nada　trembled　at　his　words　of　evil　omen；　and　the　Slaughterer　grew
angry；　but　Galazi　would　neither　add　to　them　nor　take　away　from　them。
〃I　have　spoken　that　which　my　heart　hears；〃　he　answered。

Then　they　rose　and　went　to　search　among　the　dead　for　a　girl　who　would
suit　their　purpose；　soon　they　found　one；　a　tall　and　fair　maiden；　and
Galazi　bore　her　in　his　arms　to　the　great　cave。　Here　in　the　cave　were
none　but　the　dead；　and；　tossed　hither　and　thither　in　their　last　sleep；
they　looked　awful　in　the　glare　of　the　torches。

〃They　sleep　sound；〃　said　the　Lily；　gazing　on　them；　〃rest　is　sweet。〃

〃We　shall　soon　win　it；　maiden；〃　answered　Galazi；　and　again　Nada
trembled。

Then；　having　arrayed　her　in　the　dress　of　a　warrior；　and　put　a　shield
and　spear　by　her；　they　laid　down　the　body　of　the　girl　in　a　dark　place
in　the　cave；　and；　finding　a　dead　warrior　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；
placed　him　beside　her。　Now　they　left　the　cave；　and；　pretending　that
they　visited　the　sentries；　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　passed　from　spot　to
spot；　while　the　Lily　walked　after　them　like　a　guard；　hiding　her　face
with　a　shield；　holding　a　spear　in　her　hand；　and　having　with　her　a　bag
of　corn　and　dried　flesh。

So　they　passed　on；　till　at　length　they　came　to　the　entrance　in　the
mountain　side。　The　stones　that　had　blocked　it　were　pulled　down　so　as
to　allow　those　of　the　Halakazi　to　fly　who　had　been　spared　at　the
entreaty　of　Nada；　but　there　were　guards　by　the　entrance　to　watch　that
none　came　back。　Umslopogaas　challenged　them；　and　they　saluted　him；　but
he　saw　that　they　were　worn　out　with　battle　and　journeying；　and　knew
little　of　what　they　saw　or　said。　Then　he；　Galazi；　and　Nada　and　passed
through　the　opening　on　to　the　plain　beyond。

Here　the　Slaughterer　and　the　Lily　bade　each　other　farewell；　while
Galazi　watched；　and　presently　the　Wolf　saw　Umslopogaas　return　as　one
who　is　heavy　at　heart；　and　caught　sight　of　the　Lily　skimming　across
the　plain　lightly　like　a　swallow。

〃I　do　not　know　when　we　two　shall　meet　again；〃　said　Umslopogaas　so　soon
as　she　had　melted　into　the　shadows　of　the　night。

〃May　you　never　meet；〃　answered　Galazi；　〃for　I　am　sure　that　if　you　meet
that　sister　of　yours　will　bring　death　on　many　more　than　those　who　now
lie　low　because　of　her　loveliness。　She　is　a　Star　of　Death；　and　when
she　sets　the　sky　shall　be　blood　red。〃

Umslopogaas　did　not　answer；　but　walked　slowly　through　the　archway　in
the　mountain　side。

〃How　is　this；　chief？〃　said　he　who　was　captain　of　the　guard。　〃Three
went　out；　but　only　two　return。〃

〃Fool！〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Are　you　drunk　with　Halakazi　beer；　or
blind　with　sleep？　Two　went　out；　and　two　return。　I　sent　him　who　was
with　us　back　to　the　camp。〃

〃So　be　it；　father；〃　said　the　captain。　〃Two　went　out；　and　two　return。
All　is　well！〃



CHAPTER　XXVII

THE　STAMPING　OF　THE　FIRE

On　the　morrow　the　impi　awoke　refreshed　with　sleep；　and；　after　they　had
eaten；　Umslopogaas　mustered　them。　Alas！　nearly　half　of　those　who　had
seen　the　sun　of　yesterday　would　wake　no　more　forever。　The　Slaughterer
mustered　them　and　thanked　them　for　that　which　they　had　done；　winning
fame　and　cattle。　They　were　merry；　recking　little　of　those　who　were
dead；　and　sang　his　praises　and　the　praises　of　Galazi　in　a　loud　song。
When　the　song　was　ended　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　them　again；　saying　that
the　victory　was　great；　and　the　cattle　they　had　won　were　countless。　Yet
something　was　lackingshe　was　lacking　whom　he　came　to　seek　to　be　a
gift　to　Dingaan　the　king；　and　for　whose　sake　this　war　was　made。　Where
now　was　the　Lily？　Yesterday　she　had　been　here；　clad　in　a　moocha　like　a
man　and　bearing　a　shield；　this　he　knew　from　the　captives。　Where；　then；
was　she　now？

Then　all　the　soldiers　said　that　they　had　seen　nothing　of　her。　When
they　had　done；　Galazi　spoke　a　word；　as　was　agreed　between　him　and
Umslopogaas。　He　said　that　when　they　stormed　the　cave　he　had　seen　a　man
run　at　a　warrior　in　the　cave　to　kill　him。　Then　as　he　came；　he　who　was
about　to　be　slain　threw　down　the　shield　and　cried　for　mercy；　and
Galazi　knew　that　this　was　no　warrior　of　the　Halakazi；　but　a　very
beautiful　girl。　So　he　called　to　the　man　to　let　her　alone　and　not　to
touch　her；　for　the　order　was　that　no　women　should　be　killed。　But　the
soldier；　being　made　with　the　lust　of　fight；　shouted　that　maid　or　man
she　should　die；　and　slew　her。　Thereon；　heGalaziin　his　wrath　ran　up
and　smote　the　man　with　the　Watcher　and　killed　him　also；　and　he　prayed
that　he　had　done　no　wrong。

〃You　have　done　well；　my　brother；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Come　now；　some　of
you；　and　let　us　look　at　this　dead　girl。　Perhaps　it　is　the　Lily；　and　if
so　that　is　unlucky　for　us；　for　I　do　not　know　what　tale　we　shall　tell
to　Dingaan　of　the　matter。〃

So　the　captains　went　with　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi；　and　came　to　the　spot
where　the　girl　had　been　laid；　and　by　her　the　man　of　the　People　of　the
Axe。

〃All　is　as　the　Wolf；　my　brother；　has　told；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　waving
the　torch　in　his　hand　over　the　two　who　lay　dead。　〃Here；　without　a
doubt；　lies　she　who　was　named　the　Lily；　whom　we　came　to　win；　and　by
her　that　fool　who　slew　her；　slain　himself　by　the　blow　of　the　Watcher。
An　ill　sight　to　see；　and　an　ill　tale　for　me　to　tell　at　the　kraal　of
Dingaan。　Still；　what　is　is；　and　cannot　be　altered；　and　this　maid　who
was　the　fairest　of　the　fair　is　now　none　to　lovely　to　look　on。　Let　us
away！〃　And　he　turned　swiftly；　then　spoke　again；　saying：

〃Bind　up　this　dead　girl　in　ox　hides；　cover　her　with　salt；　and　let　her
be　brought　with　us。〃　And　they　did　so。

Then　the　captains　said：　〃Surely　it　is　so；　my　father；　now　it　cannot　be
altered；　and　Dingaan　must　miss　his　bride。〃　So　said　they　all　except
that　man　who　had　been　captain　of　the　guard　when　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi
and　another　passed　through　the　archway。　This　man；　indeed；　said
nothing；　yet　he　was　not　without　his　thoughts。　For　it　seemed　to　him
that　he　had　seen　three　pass　through　the　archway；　and　not　two。　It
seemed　to　him；　moreover；　that　the　kaross　which　the　third　wore　had
slipped　aside　as　she　pressed　past　him；　and　that　beneath　it　he　had　seen
the　shape　of　a　beautiful　woman；　and　above　it　had　caught　the　glint　of　a
woman's　eyean　eye　full　and　dark；　like　a　buck's。

Also；　this　captain　noted　that　Bulalio　called　none　of　the　captives　to
swear　to　the　body　of　the　Lily　maid；　and　that　he　shook　the　torch　to　and
fro　as　he　held　it　over　herhe　whose　hand　was　of　the　steadiest。　All　of
this　he　kept　in　his　mind；　forgetting　nothing。

Now　it　chanced　afterwards；　on　the　homeward　march；　my　father；　that
Umslopogaas　had　cause　to　speak　angrily　to　this　man；　because　he　tried
to　rob　another　of　his　share　of　the　spoil　of　the　Halakazi。　He　spoke
sharply　to　him；　degrading　him　from　his　rank；　and　setting　another　over
him。　Also　he　took　cattle　from　the　man；　and　gave　them　to　him　whom　he
would　have　robbed。

And　thereafter；　though　he　was　justly　served；　this　man　thought　more　and
more　of　the　third　who　had　passed　through　the　arch　of　the　cave　and　had
not　returned；　and　who　seemed　to　him　to　have　a　fair　woman's　shape；　and
eyes　which　gleamed　like　those　of　a　woman。

On　that　day；　then；　Umslopogaas　began　his　march　to　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu；　where　Dingaan　sat。　But　before　he　set　his　face
homewards；　in　the　presence　of　the　soldiers；　he　asked　Galazi　the　Wolf
if　he　would　come　back　with　him；　or　if　he　desired　to　stay　to　be　chief
of　the　Halakazi；　as　he　was　by　right　of　birth　and　war。　Then　the　Wolf
laughed；　and　answered　that　he　had　come　out　to　seek　for　vengeance；　and
not　for　the　place　of　a　chief；　also　that　there　were　few　of　the　Halakazi
people　left　over　whom　he　might　rule　if　he　wished。　Moreover；　he　added
this：　that；　like　twin　trees；　they　two　blood…brethren　had　grown　up　side
by　side　till　their　roots　were　matted　together；　and　that；　were　one　of
them　dug　up　and　planted　in　Swazi　soil；　he　feared　lest　both　should
wither；　or；　at　the　last；　that　he；　Galazi；　would　wither；　who　loved　but