nada the lily(百合娜达)-第60章

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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　shall　my　eyes　behold　that　Lily　whom　my
hand　has　longed　to　pluck。　Let　Bulalio　and　his　people　enter　swiftly。〃

For　awhile　there　was　silence；　then　from　far　away；　without　the　high
fence　of　the　great　place；　there　came　a　sound　of　singing；　and　through
the　gates　of　the　kraal　rushed　two　great　men；　wearing　black　plumes　upon
their　heads；　having　black　shields　in　their　left　hands；　and　in　their
right；　one　an　axe　and　one　a　club；　while　about　their　shoulders　were
bound　wolf…skins。　They　ran　low；　neck　and　neck；　with　outstretched
shields　and　heads　held　forward；　as　a　buck　runs　when　he　is　hard　pressed
by　dogs；　and　no　such　running　had　been　seen　in　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu
as　the　running　of　the　Wolf…Brethren。　Half　across　the　space　they　ran；
and　halted　suddenly；　and；　as　they　halted；　the　dead　ashes　of　the　fire
flew　up　before　their　feet　in　a　little　cloud。

〃By　my　head！　look；　these　come　armed　before　me！〃　said　Dingaan；
frowning；　〃and　to　do　this　is　death。　Now　say　who　is　that　man；　great　and
fierce；　who　bears　an　axe　aloft？　Did　I　not　know　him　dead　I　should　say
it　was　the　Black　One；　my　brother；　as　he　was　in　the　days　of　the　smiting
of　Zwide：　so　was　his　head　set　on　his　shoulders　and　so　he　was　wont　to
look　round；　like　a　lion。〃

〃I　think　that　is　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　chief　of　the　People　of　the
Axe；　O　King；〃　I　answered。

〃And　who　is　the　other　with　him？　He　is　a　great　man　also。　Never　have　I
seen　such　a　pair！〃

〃I　think　that　is　Galazi　the　Wolf；　he　who　is　blood…brother　to　the
Slaughterer；　and　his　general；〃　I　said　again。

Now　after　these　two　came　the　soldiers　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　armed
with　short　sticks　alone。　Four　by　four　they　came；　all　holding　their
heads　low；　and　with　black　shields　outstretched；　and　formed　themselves
into　companies　behind　the　Wolf…Brethren；　till　all　were　there。　Then；
after　them；　the　crowd　of　the　Halakazi　slaves　were　driven　in；women；
boys；　and　maids；　a　great　numberand　they　stood　behind　the　ranks
huddled　together　like　frightened　calves。

〃A　gallant　sight；　truly！〃　said　Dingaan；　as　he　looked　upon　the
companies　of　black…plumed　and　shielded　warriors。　〃I　have　no　better
soldiers　in　my　impis；　and　yet　my　eyes　behold　these　for　the　first
time；〃　and　again　he　frowned。

Now　suddenly　Umslopogaas　lifted　his　axe　and　started　forward　at　full
speed；　and　after　him　thundered　the　companies。　On　they　rushed；　and
their　plumes　lay　back　upon　the　wind；　till　it　seemed　as　though　they
must　stamp　us　flat。　But　when　he　was　within　ten　paces　of　the　king
Umslopogaas　lifted　Groan…Maker　again；　and　Galazi　held　the　Watcher　on
high；　and　every　man　halted　where　he　was；　while　once　more　the　dust　flew
up　in　clouds。　They　halted　in　long；　unbroken　lines；　with　outstretched
shields　and　heads　held　low；　no　man's　head　rose　more　than　the　length　of
a　dance　kerrie　from　the　earth。　So　they　stood　one　minute；　then；　for　the
third　time；　Umslopogaas　lifted　Groan…Maker；　and　in　an　instant　every
man　straightened　himself；　each　shield　was　tossed　on　high；　and　from
every　throat　was　roared　the　royal　salute；　〃Bayete！〃

〃A　pretty　sight　forsooth；〃　quoth　Dingaan；　〃but　these　soldiers　are　too
well　drilled　who　have　never　done　me　service　nor　the　Black　One　who　was
before　me；　and　this　Slaughterer　is　too　good　a　captain；　I　say。　Come
hither；　ye　twain！〃　he　cried　aloud。

Then　the　Wolf…Brethren　strode　forward　and　stood　before　the　king；　and
for　awhile　they　looked　upon　each　other。



CHAPTER　XXVIII

THE　LILY　IS　BROUGHT　TO　DINGAAN

〃How　are　you　named？〃　said　Dingaan。

〃We　are　named　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer　and　Galazi　the　Wolf；　O　King；〃
answered　Umslopogaas。

〃Was　it　thou　who　didst　send　a　certain　message　to　the　Black　One　who　is
dead；　Bulalio？〃

〃Yea；　O　King；　I　sent　a　message；　but　from　all　I　have　heard；　Masilo；　my
messenger；　gave　more　than　the　message；　for　he　stabbed　the　Black　One。
Masilo　had　an　evil　heart。〃

Now　Dingaan　winced；　for　he　knew　well　that　he　himself　and　one　Mopo　had
stabbed　the　Black　One；　but　he　thought　that　this　outland　chief　had　not
heard　the　tale；　so　he　said　no　more　of　the　message。

〃How　is　it　that　ye　dare　to　come　before　me　armed？　Know　ye　not　the　rule
that　he　who　appears　armed　before　the　king　dies？〃

〃We　have　not　heard　that　law；　O　King；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Moreover；
there　is　this　to　be　told：　my　virtue　of　the　axe　I　bear　I　rule　alone。　If
I　am　seen　without　the　axe；　then　any　man　may　take　my　place　who　can；　for
the　axe　is　chieftainess　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　he　who　holds　it
is　its　servant。〃

〃A　strange　custom；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃but　let　it　pass。　And　thou；　Wolf；
what　hast　thou　to　say　of　that　great　club　of　thine？〃

〃There　is　this　to　be　told　of　the　club；　O　King；〃　answered　Galazi：　〃by
virtue　of　the　club　I　guard　my　life。　If　I　am　seen　without　the　club；
then　may　any　man　take　my　life　who　can；　for　the　club　is　my　Watcher；　not
I　Watcher　of　the　club。〃

〃Never　wast　thou　nearer　to　the　losing　of　both　club　and　life；〃　said
Dingaan；　angrily。

〃It　may　be　so；　O　King；〃　answered　the　Wolf。　〃When　the　hour　is；　then；
without　a　doubt；　the　Watcher　shall　cease　from　his　watching。〃

〃Ye　are　a　strange　pair；〃　quoth　Dingaan。　〃Where　have　you　been　now；　and
what　is　your　business　at　the　Place　of　the　Elephant？〃

〃We　have　been　in　a　far　country；　O　King！〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃We
have　wandered　in　a　distant　land　to　search　for　a　Flower　to　be　a　gift　to
a　king；　and　in　our　searching　we　have　trampled　down　a　Swazi　garden；　and
yonder　are　some　of　those　who　tended　it〃and　he　pointed　to　the
captives〃and　without　are　the　cattle　that　ploughed　it。〃

〃Good；　Slaughterer！　I　see　the　gardeners；　and　I　hear　the　lowing　of　the
cattle；　but　what　of　the　Flower？　Where　is　this　Flower　ye　went　so　far　to
dig　in　Swazi　soil？　Was　it　a　Lily…bloom；　perchance？〃

〃It　was　a　Lily…bloom；　O　King！　and　yet；　alas！　the　Lily　has　withered。
Nothing　is　left　but　the　stalk；　white　and　withered　as　are　the　bones　of
men。〃

〃What　meanest　thou？〃　said　Dingaan；　starting　to　his　feet。

〃That　the　king　shall　learn；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　and；　turning；　he
spoke　a　word　to　the　captains　who　were　behind　him。　Presently　the　ranks
opened　up；　and　four　men　ran　forward　from　the　rear　of　the　companies。　On
their　shoulders　they　bore　a　stretcher；　and　upon　the　stretcher　lay
something　wrapped　about　with　raw　ox…hides；　and　bound　round　with
rimpis。　The　men　saluted；　and　laid　their　burden　down　before　the　king。

〃Open！〃　said　the　Slaughterer；　and　they　opened；　and　there　within　the
hides；　packed　in　salt；　lay　the　body　of　a　girl　who　once　was　tall　and
fair。〃

〃Here　lies　the　Lily's　stalk；　O　King！〃　said　Umslopogaas；　pointing　with
the　axe；　〃but　if　her　flower　blooms　on　any　air；　it　is　not　here。〃

Now　Dingaan　stared　at　the　sight　of　death；　and　bitterness　of　heart　took
hold　of　him；　since　he　desired　above　all　things　to　win　the　beauty　of
the　Lily　for　himself。

〃Bear　away　this　carrion　and　cast　it　to　the　dogs！〃　he　cried；　for　thus
he　could　speak　of　her　whom　he　would　have　taken　to　wife；　when　once　he
deemed　her　dead。　〃Take　it　away；　and　thou；　Slaughterer；　tell　me　how　it
came　about　that　the　maid　was　slain。　It　will　be　well　for　thee　if　thou
hast　a　good　answer；　for　know　thy　life　hangs　on　the　words。〃

So　Umslopogaas　told　the　king　all　that　tale　which　had　been　made　ready
against　the　wrath　of　Dingaan。　And　when　he　had　finished　Galazi　told　his
story；　of　how　he　had　seen　the　soldier　kill　the　maid；　and　in　his　wrath
had　killed　the　soldier。　Then　certain　of　the　captains　who　had　seen　the
soldier　and　the　maid　lying　in　one　death　came　forward　and　spoke　to　it。

Now　Dingaan　was　very　angry；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　The
Lily　was　dead；　and　by　no　fault　of　any　except　of　one；　who　was　also　dead
and　beyond　his　reach。

〃Get　you　hence；　you　and　your　people；〃　he　said　to　the　Wolf…Brethren。　〃I
take　the　cattle　and　the　captives。　Be　thankful　that　I　do　not　take　all
your　lives　alsofirst；　because　ye　have　dared　to　make　war　without　my
word；　and　secondly；　because；　having　made　war；　ye　have　so　brought　it
about　that；　though　ye　bring　me　the　body　of　her　I　sought；　ye　do　not
bring　the　life。〃

Now　when　the　king　spoke　of　taking　the　lives　of　all　the　People　of　the
Axe；　Umslopogaas　smiled　grimly　and　glan