nada the lily(百合娜达)-第59章

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wither；　or；　at　the　last；　that　he；　Galazi；　would　wither；　who　loved　but
one　man　and　certain　wolves。

So　Umslopogaas　said　no　more　of　the　chieftainship；　but　began　his
journey。　With　him　he　brought　a　great　number　of　cattle；　to　be　a　gift
for　Dingaan；　and　a　multitude　of　captives；　young　women　and　children；
for　he　would　appease　the　heart　of　Dingaan；　because　he　did　not　bring
her　whom　he　soughtthe　Lily；　flower　of　flowers。　Yet；　because　he　was
cautious　and　put　little　faith　in　the　kindness　of　kings；　Umslopogaas；
so　soon　as　he　reached　the　borders　of　Zululand；　sent　the　best　of　the
cattle　and　the　fairest　of　the　maids　and　children　on　to　the　kraal　of
the　People　of　the　Axe　by　the　Ghost　Mountain。　And　he　who　had　been
captain　of　the　guard　but　now　was　a　common　soldier　noticed　this　also。

Now　it　chanced　that　on　a　certain　morning　I；　Mopo；　sat　in　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu　in　attendance　on　Dingaan。　For　still　I　waited　on　the
king；　though　he　had　spoken　no　word　to　me；　good　or　bad；　since　the
yesterday；　when　I　foretold　to　him　that　in　the　blood　of　the　white　men
whom　he　had　betrayed　grew　the　flower　of　his　own　death。　For；　my　father；
it　was　on　the　morrow　of　the　slaying　of　the　Amaboona　that　Umslopogaas
came　to　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu。

Now　the　mind　of　Dingaan　was　heavy；　and　he　sought　something　to　lighten
it。　Presently　he　bethought　himself　of　the　white　praying　man；　who　had
come　to　the　kraal　seeking　to　teach　us　people　of　the　Zulu　to　worship
other　gods　than　the　assegai　and　the　king。　Now　this　was　a　good　man；　but
no　luck　went　with　his　teaching；　which　was　hard　to　understand；　and；
moreover；　the　indunas　did　not　like　it；　because　it　seemed　to　set　a
master　over　the　master；　and　a　king　over　the　king；　and　to　preach　of
peace　to　those　whose　trade　was　war。　Still；　Dingaan　sent　for　the　white
man　that　he　might　dispute　with　him；　for　Dingaan　thought　that　he
himself　was　the　cleverest　of　all　men。

Now　the　white　man　came；　but　his　face　was　pale；　because　of　that　which
he　had　seen　befall　the　Boers；　for　he　was　gentle　and　hated　such　sights。
The　king　bade　him　be　seated　and　spoke　to　him　saying：

〃The　other　day；　O　White　Man；　thou　toldest　me　of　a　place　of　fire
whither　those　go　after　death　who　have　done　wickedly　in　life。　Tell　me
now　of　thy　wisdom；　do　my　fathers　lie　in　that　place？〃

〃How　can　I　know；　King；〃　answered　the　prayer…doctor；　〃who　may　not　judge
of　the　deeds　of　men？　This　I　say　only：　that　those　who　murder　and　rob
and　oppress　the　innocent　and　bear　false　witness　shall　lie　in　that
place　of　fire。〃

〃It　seems　that　my　fathers　have　done　all　these　things；　and　if　they　are
in　this　place　I　would　go　there　also；　for　I　am　minded　to　be　with　my
fathers　at　the　last。　Yet　I　think　that　I　should　find　a　way　to　escape　if
ever　I　came　there。〃

〃How；　King？〃

Now　Dingaan　had　set　this　trap　for　the　prayer…doctor。　In　the　centre　of
that　open　space　where　he　had　caused　the　Boers　to　be　fallen　upon　he　had
built　up　a　great　pyre　of　woodbrushwood　beneath；　and　on　top　of　the
brushwood　logs；　and　even　whole　trees。　Perhaps；　my　father；　there　were
sixty　full　wagonloads　of　dry　wood　piled　together　there　in　the　centre
of　the　place。

〃Thou　shalt　see　with　thine　eyes；　White　Man；〃　he　answered；　and　bidding
attendants　set　fire　to　the　pile　all　round；　he　summoned　that　regiment
of　young　men　which　was　left　in　the　kraal。　Maybe　there　were　a　thousand
and　half　a　thousand　of　themnot　morethe　same　that　had　slain　the
Boers。

Now　the　fire　began　to　burn　fiercely；　and　the　regiment　filed　in　and
took　its　place　in　ranks。　By　the　time　that　all　had　come；　the　pyre　was
everywhere　a　sheet　of　raging　flame；　and；　though　we　sat　a　hundred　paces
from　it；　its　heat　was　great　when　the　wind　turned　our　way。

〃Now；　Doctor　of　Prayers；　is　thy　hot　place　hotter　than　yonder　fire？〃
said　the　king。

He　answered　that　he　did　not　know；　but　the　fire　was　certainly　hot。

〃Then　I　will　show　thee　how　I　will　come　out　of　it　if　ever　I　go　to　lie
in　such　a　fireay；　though　it　be　ten　times　as　big　and　fierce。　Ho！　my
children！〃　he　cried　to　the　soldiers；　and；　springing　up；　〃You　see
yonder　fire。　Run　swiftly　and　stamp　it　flat　with　your　feet。　Where　there
was　fire　let　there　be　blackness　and　ashes。〃

Now　the　White　Man　lifted　his　hands　and　prayed　Dingaan　not　to　do　this
thing　that　should　be　the　death　of　many；　but　the　king　bade　him　be
silent。　Then　he　turned　his　eyes　upward　and　prayed　to　his　gods。　For　a
moment　also　the　soldiers　looked　on　each　other　in　doubt；　for　the　fire
raged　furiously；　and　spouts　of　flame　shot　high　toward　the　heaven；　and
above　it　and　about　it　the　hot　air　danced。　But　their　captain　called　to
them　loudly：　〃Great　is　the　king！　Hear　the　words　of　the　king；　who
honours　you！　Yesterday　we　ate　up　the　Amaboonait　was　nothing；　they
were　unarmed。　There　is　a　foe　more　worthy　of　our　valour。　Come；　my
children；　let　us　wash　in　the　firewe　who　are　fiercer　than　the　fire！
Great　is　the　king　who　honours　us！〃

Thus　he　spoke　and　ran　forward；　and；　with　a　roar；　after　him　sprang　the
soldiers；　rank　by　rank。　They　were　brave　men　indeed；　moreover；　they
knew　that　if　death　lay　before　them　death　also　awaited　him　who　lagged
behind；　and　it　is　far　better　to　die　with　honour　than　ashamed。　On　they
went；　as　to　the　joy　of　battle；　their　captain　leading　them；　and　as　they
went　they　sang　the　Ingomo；　the　war…chant　of　the　Zulu。　Now　the　captain
neared　the　raging　fire；　we　saw　him　lift　his　shield　to　keep　off　its
heat。　Then　he　was　gonehe　had　sprung　into　the　heart　of　the　furnace；
and　but　little　of　him　was　ever　found　again。　After　him　went　the　first
company。　In　they　went；　beating　at　the　flames　with　their　ox…hide
shields；　stamping　them　out　with　their　naked　feet；　tearing　down　the
burning　logs　and　casting　them　aside。　Not　one　man　of　that　company
lived；　my　father；　they　fell　down　like　moths　which　flutter　through　a
candle；　and　where　they　fell　they　perished。　But　after　them　came　other
companies；　and　it　was　well　for　those　in　this　fight　who　were　last　to
grapple　with　the　foe。　Now　a　great　smoke　was　mixed　with　the　flame；　now
the　flame　grew　less　and　less；　and　the　smoke　more　and　more；　and　now
blackened　men；　hairless；　naked；　and　blistered；　white　with　the
scorching　of　the　fire；　staggered　out　on　the　farther　side　of　the
flames；　falling　to　earth　here　and　there。　After　them　came　others；　now
there　was　no　flame；　only　a　great　smoke　in　which　men　moved　dimly；　and
presently；　my　father；　it　was　done：　they　had　conquered　the　fire；　and
that　with　but　very　little　hurt　to　the　last　seven　companies；　though
every　man　had　trodden　it。　How　many　perished？nay；　I　know　not；　they
were　never　counted；　but　what　between　the　dead　and　the　injured　that
regiment　was　at　half　strength　till　the　king　drafted　more　men　into　it。

〃See；　Doctor　of　Prayers；〃　said　Dingaan；　with　a　laugh；　〃thus　shall　I
escape　the　fires　of　that　land　of　which　thou　tellest；　if　such　there　be
indeed：　I　will　bid　my　impis　stamp　them　out。〃

Then　the　praying　man　went　from　the　kraal　saying　that　he　would　teach　no
more　among　the　Zulus；　and　afterwards　he　left　the　land。　When　he　had
gone　the　burnt　wood　and　the　dead　were　cleared　away；　the　injured　were
doctored　or　killed　according　to　their　hurts；　and　those　who　had　little
harm　came　before　the　king　and　praised　him。

〃New　shields　and　headresses　must　be　found　for　you；　my　children；〃　said
Dingaan；　for　the　shields　were　black　and　shrivelled；　and　of　heads　of
hair　and　plumes　there　were　but　few　left　among　that　regiment。

〃Wow！〃　said　Dingaan　again；　looking　at　the　soldiers　who　still　lived：
〃shaving　will　be　easy　and　cheap　in　that　place　of　fire　of　which　the
white　man　speaks。〃

Then　he　ordered　bear　to　be　brought　to　the　men；　for　the　heat　had　made
them　thirsty。

Now　though　you　may　not　guess　it；　my　father；　I　have　told　you　this　tale
because　it　has　something　to　do　with　my　story；　for　scarcely　had　the
matter　been　ended　when　messengers　came；　saying　that　Bulalio；　chief　of
the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　his　impi　were　without；　having　returned　with
much　spoil　from　the　slaying　of　the　Halakazi　in　Swaziland。　Now　when　I
heard　this　my　heart　leapt　for　joy；　seeing　that　I　had　feared　greatly
for　the　fate　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling。　Dingaan　also　was　very
glad；　and；　springing　up；　danced　to　and　fro　like　a　child。

〃Now　at　last　we　have　good　tidings；〃　he　said；　at　once　forgetting　the
stamping　of　the　fire；　〃and　now