nada the lily(百合娜达)-第61章

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Axe；　Umslopogaas　smiled　grimly　and　glanced　at　his　companies。　Then
saluting　the　king；　he　turned　to　go。　But　as　he　turned　a　man　sprang
forwards　from　the　ranks　and　called　to　Dingaan；　saying：

〃Is　it　granted　that　I　may　speak　truth　before　the　king；　and　afterwards
sleep　in　the　king's　shadow？〃

Now　this　was　that　man　who　had　been　captain　of　the　guard　on　the　night
when　three　passed　out　through　the　archway　and　two　returned；　that　same
man　whom　Umslopogaas　had　degraded　from　his　rank。

〃Speak　on；　thou　art　safe；〃　answered　Dingaan。

〃O　King；　thy　ears　have　been　filled　with　lies；〃　said　the　soldier。
〃Hearken；　O　King！　I　was　captain　of　the　guard　of　the　gate　on　that　night
of　the　slaying　of　the　Halakazi。　Three　came　to　the　gate　of　the　mountain
they　were　Bulalio；　the　Wolf　Galazi；　and　another。　That　other　was　tall
and　slim；　bearing　a　shield　highso。　As　the　third　passed　the　gate；　the
kaross　he　wore　brushed　against　me　and　slipped　aside。　Beneath　that
kaross　was　no　man's　breast；　O　King；　but　the　shape　of　a　woman；　almost
white　in　colour；　and　very　fair。　In　drawing　back　the　kaross　this　third
one　moved　the　shield。　Behind　that　shield　was　no　man's　face；　O　King；
but　the　face　of　a　girl；　lovelier　than　the　moon；　and　having　eyes
brighter　than　the　stars。　Three　went　out　at　the　mountain　gate；　O　King；
only　two　returned；　and；　peeping　after　them；　it　seemed　that　I　saw　the
third　running　swiftly　across　the　plains；　as　a　young　maid　runs；　O　King。
This　also；　Elephant；　Bulalio　yonder　denied　me　when；　as　captain　of　the
guard；　I　asked　for　the　third　who　had　passed　the　gate；　saying　that　only
two　had　passed。　Further；　none　of　the　captives　were　called　to　swear　to
the　body　of　the　maid；　and　now　it　is　too　late；　and　that　man　who　lay
beside　her　was　not　killed　by　Galazi　in　the　cave。　He　was　killed　outside
the　cave　by　a　blow　of　a　Halakazi　kerrie。　I　saw　him　fall　with　my　own
eyes；　and　slew　the　man　who　smote　him。　One　thing　more；　King　of　the
World；　the　best　of　the　captives　and　the　cattle　are　not　here　for　a　gift
to　theethey　are　at　the　kraal　of　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the
Axe。　I　have　spoken；　O　King；　yes；　because　my　heart　loves　not　lies。　I
have　spoken　the　truth；　and　now　do　thou　protect　me　from　these　Wolf…
Brethren；　O　King；　for　they　are　very　fierce。〃

Now　all　this　while　that　the　traitor　told　his　tale　Umslopogaas；　inch　by
inch；　was　edging　near　to　him　and　yet　nearer；　till　at　length　he　might
have　touched　him　with　an　outstretched　spear。　None　noted　him　except　I；
Mopo；　alone；　and　perhaps　Galazi；　for　all　were　watching　the　face　of
Dingaan　as　men　watch　a　storm　that　is　about　to　burst。

〃Fear　thou　not　the　Wolf…Brethren；　soldier；〃　gasped　Dingaan；　rolling
his　red　eyes；　〃the　paw　of　the　Lion　guards　thee；　my　servant。〃

Ere　the　words　had　left　the　king's　lips　the　Slaughterer　leapt。　He
leaped　full　on　to　the　traitor；　speaking　never　a　word；　and　oh！　his　eyes
were　awful。　He　leaped　upon　him；　he　seized　him　with　his　hands；　lifting
no　weapon；　and　in　his　terrible　might　he　broke　him　as　a　child　breaks　a
sticknay；　I　know　not　how；　it　was　too　swift　to　see。　He　broke　him；
and；　hurling　him　on　high；　cast　him　dead　at　the　feet　of　Dingaan；　crying
in　a　great　voice：

〃Take　thy　servant；　King！　Surely　he　'sleeps　in　thy　shadow'！〃

Then　there　was　silence；　only　through　the　silence　was　heard　a　gasp　of
fear　and　wonder；　for　no　such　deed　as　this　had　been　wrought　in　the
presence　of　the　kingno；　not　since　the　day　of　Senzangacona　the　Root。

Now　Dingaan　spoke；　and　his　voice　came　thick　with　rage；　and　his　limbs
trembled。

〃Slay　him！〃　he　hissed。　〃Slay　the　dog　and　all　those　with　him！〃

〃Now　we　come　to　a　game　which　I　can　play；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Ho；
People　of　the　Axe！　Will　you　stand　to　be　slaughtered　by　these　singed
rats？〃　and　he　pointed　with　Groan…Maker　at　those　warriors　who　had
escaped　without　hurt　in　the　fire；　but　whose　faces　the　fire　had
scorched。

Then　for　answer　a　great　shout　went　up；　a　shout　and　a　roar　of　laughter。
And　this　was　the　shout：

〃No；　Slaughterer；　not　so　are　we　minded！〃　and　right　and　left　they　faced
to　meet　the　foe；　while　from　all　along　the　companies　came　the　crackling
of　the　shaken　shields。

Back　sprang　Umslopogaas　to　head　his　men；　forward　leaped　the　soldiers
of　the　king　to　work　the　king's　will；　if　so　they　might。　And　Galazi　the
Wolf　also　sprang　forward；　towards　Dingaan；　and；　as　he　sprang；　swung　up
the　Watcher；　crying　in　a　great　voice：

〃Hold！〃

Again　there　was　silence；　for　men　saw　that　the　shadow　of　the　Watcher
lay　dark　upon　the　head　of　Dingaan。

〃It　is　a　pity　that　many　should　die　when　one　will　suffice；〃　cried　the
Wolf　again。　〃Let　a　blow　be　struck；　and　where　his　shadow　lies　there
shall　the　Watcher　be；　and　lo！　the　world　will　lack　a　king。　A　word；
King！〃

Now　Dingaan　looked　up　at　the　great　man　who　stood　above　him；　and　felt
the　shadow　of　the　shining　club　lie　cold　upon　his　brow；　and　again　he
shookthis　time　it　was　with　fear。

〃Begone　in　peace！〃　he　said。

〃A　good　word　for　thee；　King；〃　said　the　Wolf；　grinning；　and　slowly　he
drew　himself　backwards　towards　the　companies；　saying；　〃Praise　the
king！　The　king　bids　his　children　go　in　peace。〃

But　when　Dingaan　felt　that　his　brow　was　no　longer　cold　with　the　shadow
of　death　his　rage　came　back　to　him；　and　he　would　have　called　to　the
soldiers　to　fall　upon　the　People　of　the　Axe；　only　I　stayed　him；
saying：

〃Thy　death　is　in　it；　O　King；　the　Slaughterer　will　grind　such　men　as
thou　hast　here　beneath　his　feet；　and　then　once　more　shall　the　Watcher
look　upon　thee。〃

Now　Dingaan　saw　that　this　was　true；　and　gave　no　command；　for　he　had
only　those　men　with　him　whom　the　fire　had　left。　All　the　rest　were　gone
to　slaughter　the　Boers　in　Natal。　Still；　he　must　have　blood；　so　he
turned　on　me。

〃Thou　art　a　traitor；　Mopo；　as　I　have　known　for　long；　and　I　will　serve
thee　as　yonder　dog　served　his　faithless　servant！〃　and　he　thrust　at　me
with　the　assegai　in　his　hand。

But　I　saw　the　stroke；　and；　springing　high　into　the　air；　avoided　it。
Then　I　turned　and　fled　very　swiftly；　and　after　me　came　certain　of　the
soldiers。　The　way　was　not　far　to　the　last　company　of　the　People　of　the
Axe；　moreover；　it　saw　me　coming；　and；　headed　by　Umslopogaas；　who
walked　behind　them　all；　ran　to　meet　me。　Then　the　soldiers　who　followed
to　kill　me　hung　back　out　of　reach　of　the　axe。

〃Here　with　the　king　is　no　place　for　me　any　more；　my　son；〃　I　said　to
Umslopogaas。

〃Fear　not；　my　father；　I　will　find　you　a　place；〃　he　answered。

Then　I　called　a　message　to　the　soldiers　who　followed　me；　saying：

〃Tell　this　to　the　king：　that　he　has　done　ill　to　drive　me　from　him；　for
I；　Mopo；　set　him　on　the　throne　and　I　alone　can　hold　him　there。　Tell
him　this　also；　that　he　will　do　yet　worse　to　seek　me　where　I　am；　for
that　day　when　we　are　once　more　face　to　face　shall　be　his　day　of　death。
Thus　speaks　Mopo　the　inyanga；　Mopo　the　doctor；　who　never　yet
prophesied　that　which　should　not　be。〃

Then　we　marched　from　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；　and　when　next　I　saw　that
kraal　it　was　to　burn　all　of　it　which　Dingaan　had　left　unburnt；　and
when　next　I　saw　Dingaanah！　that　is　to　be　told　of；　my　father。

We　marched　from　the　kraal；　none　hindering　us；　for　there　were　none　to
hinder；　and　after　we　had　gone　a　little　way　Umslopogaas　halted　and
said：

〃Now　it　is　in　my　mind　to　return　whence　we　came　and　slay　this　Dingaan；
ere　he　slay　me。〃

〃Yet　it　is　well　to　leave　a　frightened　lion　in　his　thicket；　my　son；　for
a　lion　at　bay　is　hard　to　handle。　Doubt　not　that　every　man；　young　and
old；　in　Umgugundhlovu　now　stands　armed　about　the　gates；　lest　such　a
thought　should　take　you；　my　son；　and　though　just　now　he　was　afraid；
yet　Dingaan　will　strike　for　his　life。　When　you　might　have　killed　you
did　not　kill；　now　the　hour　has　gone。〃

〃Wise　words！〃　said　Galazi。　〃I　would　that　the　Watcher　had　fallen　where
his　shadow　fell。〃

〃What　is　your　counsel　now；　father？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。

〃This；　then：　that　you　two　should　abide　no　more　beneath　the　shadow　of
the　Ghost　Mountain；　but　should　gather　your　people　and　your　cattle；　and
pass　to　the　north　on　the　track　of　Mosilikatze　the　Lion；　who　broke　away
from　Chaka。　There　you　may　rule　apart　or　together；　and　never　dream　of
Dingaan。〃

〃I　will　not　do　that；　father；〃　he　answered。　〃I　will　dwell　beneath　the
shadow　of　the　Ghost　Mountain　while　I　may。〃

〃An