nada the lily(百合娜达)-第63章

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we　sat　I　thought　I　heard　a　rat　stir　in　the　thatch。

Then　I　spoke。　〃Umslopogaas；　at　length　the　hour　has　come　that　I　should
whisper　something　into　your　ear；　a　word　which　I　have　held　secret　ever
since　you　were　born。〃

〃Speak　on；　my　father；〃　he　said；　wondering。

I　crept　to　the　door　of　the　hut　and　looked　out。　The　night　was　dark　and
I　could　see　none　about；　and　could　hear　no　one　move；　yet；　being
cautious；　I　walked　round　the　hut。　Ah；　my　father；　when　you　have　a
secret　to　tell；　be　not　so　easily　deceived。　It　is　not　enough　to　look
forth　and　to　peer　round。　Dig　beneath　the　floor；　and　search　the　roof
also；　then；　having　done　all　this；　go　elsewhere　and　tell　your　tale。　The
woman　was　right：　I　was　but　a　fool；　for　all　my　wisdom　and　my　white
hairs。　Had　I　not　been　a　fool　I　would　have　smoked　out　that　rat　in　the
thatch　before　ever　I　opened　my　lips。　For　the　rat　was　Zinita；　my　father
Zinita；　who　had　climbed　the　hut；　and　now　lay　there　in　the　dark；　her
ear　upon　the　smoke…hole；　listening　to　every　word　that　passed。　It　was　a
wicked　thing　to　do；　and；　moreover；　the　worst　of　omens；　but　there　is
little　honour　among　women　when　they　learn　that　which　others　wish　to
hide　away　from　them；　nor；　indeed；　do　they　then　weight　omens。

So　having　searched　and　found　nothing；　I　spoke　to　Umslopogaas；　my
fosterling；　not　knowing　that　death　in　a　woman's　shape　lay　on　the　hut
above　us。　〃Hearken；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　no　son　of　mine；　Umslopogaas；
though　you　have　called　me　father　from　a　babe。　You　spring　from　a
loftier　stock；　Slaughterer。〃

〃Yet　I　was　well　pleased　with　my　fathering；　old　man；〃　said　Umslopogaas。
〃The　breed　is　good　enough　for　me。　Say；　then；　whose　son　am　I？〃

Now　I　bent　forward　and　whispered　to　him；　yet；　alas！　not　low　enough。
〃You　are　the　son　of　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　yea；　sprung　from　the
blood　of　Chaka　and　of　Baleka；　my　sister。〃

〃I　still　have　some　kinship　with　you　then；　Mopo；　and　that　I　am　glad　of。
Wow！　who　would　have　guessed　that　I　was　the　son　of　the　Silwana；　of　that
hyena　man？　Perhaps　it　is　for　this　reason　that；　like　Galazi；　I　love　the
company　of　the　wolves；　though　no　love　grows　in　my　heart　for　my　father
or　any　of　his　house。〃

〃You　have　little　cause　to　love　him；　Umslopogaas；　for　he　murdered　your
mother；　Baleka；　and　would　have　slain　you　also。　But　you　are　the　son　of
Chaka　and　of　no　other　man。〃

〃Well；　his　eyes　must　be　keen　indeed；　my　uncle；　who　can　pick　his　own
father　out　of　a　crowd。　And　yet　I　once　heard　this　tale　before；　though　I
had　long　forgotten　it。〃

〃From　whom　did　you　hear　it；　Umslopogaas？　An　hour　since；　it　was　known
to　one　alone；　the　others　are　dead　who　knew　it。　Now　it　is　known　to　two〃
ah！　my　father；　I　did　not　guess　of　the　third；〃from　whom；　then；　did
you　hear　it？〃

〃It　was　from　the　dead；　at　least；　Galazi　the　Wolf　heard　it　from　the
dead　One　who　sat　in　the　cave　on　Ghost　Mountain；　for　the　dead　One　told
him　that　a　man　would　come　to　be　his　brother　who　should　be　named
Umslopogaas　Bulalio；　son　of　Chaka；　and　Galazi　repeated　it　to　me；　but　I
had　long　forgotten　it。〃

〃It　seems　that　there　is　wisdom　among　the　dead；〃　I　answered；　〃for　lo！
to…day　you　are　named　Umslopogaas　Bulalio；　and　to…day　I　declare　you　the
son　of　Chaka。　But　listen　to　my　tale。〃

Then　I　told　him　all　the　story　from　the　hour　of　his　birth　onwards；　and
when　I　spoke　of　the　words　of　his　mother；　Baleka；　after　I　had　told　my
dream　to　her；　and　of　the　manner　of　her　death　by　the　command　of　Chaka；
and　of　the　great　fashion　in　which　she　had　died；　then；　I　say；
Umslopogaas　wept；　who；　I　think；　seldom　wept　before　or　after。　But　as　my
tale　drew　it　its　end　I　saw　that　he　listened　ill；　as　a　man　listens　who
has　a　weightier　matter　pressing　on　his　heart；　and　before　it　was　well
done　he　broke　in：

〃So；　Mopo；　my　uncle；　if　I　am　the　son　of　Chaka　and　Baleka；　Nada　the
Lily　is　no　sister　to　me。〃

〃Nay；　Umslopogaas；　she　is　only　your　cousin。〃

〃Over　near　of　blood；〃　he　said；　〃yet　that　shall　not　stand　between　us；〃
and　his　face　grew　glad。

I　looked　at　him　in　question。

〃You　grow　dull；　my　uncle。　This　is　my　meaning：　that　I　will　marry　Nada
if　she　still　lives；　for　it　comes　upon　me　now　that　I　have　never　loved
any　woman　as　I　love　Nada　the　Lily；〃　and　while　he　spoke；　I　heard　the
rat　stir　in　the　thatch　of　the　hut。

〃Wed　her　if　you　will；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　answered；　〃yet　I　think　that　one
Zinita；　your　Inkosikasi；　will　find　words　to　say　in　the　matter。〃

〃Zinita　is　my　head　wife　indeed；　but　shall　she　hold　me　back　from　taking
other　wives；　after　the　lawful　custom　of　our　people？〃　he　asked　angrily；
and　his　anger　showed　that　he　feared　the　wrath　of　Zinita。

〃The　custom　is　lawful　and　good；〃　I　said；　〃but　it　has　bred　trouble　at
times。　Zinita　can　have　little　to　say　if　she　continues　in　her　place　and
you　still　love　her　as　of　old。　But　enough　of　her。　Nada　is　not　yet　at
your　gates；　and　perhaps　she　will　never　find　them。　See；　Umslopogaas；　it
is　my　desire　that　you　should　rule　in　Zululand　by　right　of　blood；　and；
though　things　point　otherwise；　yet　I　think　a　way　can　be　found　to　bring
it　about。〃

〃How　so？〃　he　asked。

〃Thus：　Many　of　the　great　chiefs　who　are　friends　to　me　hate　Dingaan　and
fear　him；　and　did　they　know　that　a　son　of　Chaka　lived；　and　that　son
the　Slaughterer；　he　well　might　climb　to　the　throne　upon　their
shoulders。　Also　the　soldiers　love　the　name　of　Chaka；　though　he　dealt
cruelly　with　them；　because　at　least　he　was　brave　and　generous。　But
they　do　not　love　Dingaan；　for　his　burdens　are　the　burdens　of　Chaka　but
his　gifts　are　the　gifts　of　Dingaan；　therefore　they　would　welcome
Chaka's　son　if　once　they　knew　him　for　certain。　But　it　is　here　that　the
necklet　chafes；　for　there　is　but　my　word　to　prove　it。　Yet　I　will　try。〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　worth　trying　and　perhaps　it　is　not；　my　uncle；〃　answered
Umslopogaas。　〃One　thing　I　know：　I　had　rather　see　Nada　at　my　gates　to…
night　than　hear　all　the　chiefs　in　the　land　crying　'Hail；　O　King！'〃

〃You　will　live　to　think　otherwise；　Umslopogaas；　and　now　spies　must　be
set　at　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu　to　give　us　warning　of　the　mind　of　the
king；　lest　he　should　send　an　impi　suddenly　to　eat　you　up。　Perhaps　his
hands　may　be　too　full　for　that　ere　long；　for　those　white　Amaboona　will
answer　his　assegais　with　bullets。　And　one　more　word：　let　nothing　be
said　of　this　matter　of　your　birth；　least　of　all　to　Zinita　your　wife；
or　to　any　other　woman。〃

〃Fear　not；　uncle；〃　he　answered；　〃I　know　how　to　be　silent。〃

Now　after　awhile　Umslopogaas　left　me　and　went　to　the　hut　of　Zinita；
his　Inkosikasi；　where　she　lay　wrapped　in　her　blankets；　and；　as　it
seemed；　asleep。

〃Greeting；　my　husband；〃　she　said　slowly；　like　one　who　wakens。　〃I　have
dreamed　a　strange　dream　of　you。　I　dreamed　that　you　were　called　a　king；
and　that　all　the　regiments　of　the　Zulus　filed　past　giving　you　the
royal　salute；　Bayete。〃

Umslopogaas　looked　at　her　wondering；　for　he　did　not　know　if　she　had
learned　something　or　if　this　was　an　omen。　〃Such　dreams　are　dangerous；〃
he　said；　〃and　he　who　dreams　them　does　well　to　lock　them　fast　till　they
be　forgotten。〃

〃Or　fulfilled；〃　said　Zinita；　and　again　Umslopogaas　looked　at　her
wondering。

Now　after　this　night　I　began　my　work；　for　I　established　spies　at　the
kraal　of　Dingaan；　and　from　them　I　learned　all　that　passed　with　the
king。

At　first　he　gave　orders　that　an　impi　should　be　summoned　to　eat　up　the
People　of　the　Axe；　but　afterwards　came　tidings　that　the　Boers；　to　the
number　of　five　hundred　mounted　men；　were　marching　on　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu。　So　Dingaan　had　no　impi　to　spare　to　send　to　the　Ghost
Mountain；　and　we　who　were　beneath　its　shadow　dwelt　there　in　peace。

This　time　for　Boers　were　beaten；　for　Bogoza；　the　spy；　led　them　into　an
ambush；　still　few　were　killed；　and　they　did　but　draw　back　that　they
might　jump　the　further；　and　Dingaan　knew　this。　At　this　time　also　the
English　white　men　of　Natal；　the　people　of　George；　who　attacked　Dingaan
by　the　Lower　Tugela；　were　slain　by　our　soldiers；　and　those　with　them。

Also；　by　the　help　of　certain　witch…doctors；　I　filled　the　land　with
rumours；　prophecies；　and　dark　sayings；　and　I　worked　cunningly　on　the
minds　of　many　chiefs　that　were　known　to　me；　sending　them　messages
hardly　to　be　understood；　such　as　should　prepare　their　thoughts　for　the
coming　of　one　who　should　be　declared　to　them。　They　listened；　bu