nada the lily(百合娜达)-第64章

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coming　of　one　who　should　be　declared　to　them。　They　listened；　but　the
task　was　long；　for　the　men　dwelt　far　apart；　and　some　of　them　were　away
with　the　regiments。

So　the　time　went　by；　till　many　days　had　passed　since　we　reached　the
Ghost　Mountain。　Umslopogaas　had　no　more　words　with　Zinita；　but　she
always　watched　him；　and　he　went　heavily。　For　he　awaited　Nada；　and　Nada
did　not　come。

But　at　length　Nada　came。



CHAPTER　XXX

THE　COMING　OF　NADA

One　nightit　was　a　night　of　full　moonI　sat　alone　with　Umslopogaas
in　my　hut；　and　we　spoke　of　the　matter　of　our　plots；　then；　when　we　had
finished　that　talk；　we　spoke　of　Nada　the　Lily。

〃Alas！　my　uncle；〃　said　Umslopogaas　sadly；　〃we　shall　never　look　more　on
Nada；　she　is　surely　dead　or　in　bonds；　otherwise　she　had　been　here　long
ago。　I　have　sought　far　and　wide；　and　can　hear　no　tidings　and　find
nothing。〃

〃All　that　is　hidden　is　not　lost；〃　I　answered；　yet　I　myself　believed
that　there　was　an　end　of　Nada。

Then　we　were　silent　awhile；　and　presently；　in　the　silence；　a　dog
barked。　We　rose；　and　crept　out　of　the　hut　to　see　what　it　might　be　that
stirred；　for　the　night　drew　on；　and　it　was　needful　to　be　wary；　since　a
dog　might　bark　at　the　stirring　of　a　leaf；　or　perhaps　it　might　be　the
distant　footfall　of　an　impi　that　it　heard。

We　had　not　far　to　look；　for　standing　gazing　at　the　huts；　like　one　who
is　afraid　to　call；　was　a　tall　slim　man；　holding　an　assegai　in　one　hand
and　a　little　shield　in　the　other。　We　could　not　see　the　face　of　the
man；　because　the　light　was　behind　him；　and　a　ragged　blanket　hung　about
his　shoulders。　Also；　he　was　footsore；　for　he　rested　on　one　leg。　Now　we
were　peering　round　the　hut；　and　its　shadow　hid　us；　so　that　the　man　saw
nothing。　For　awhile　he　stood　still；　then　he　spoke　to　himself；　and　his
voice　was　strangely　soft。

〃Here　are　many　huts；〃　said　the　voice；　〃now　how　may　I　know　which　is　the
house　of　my　brother？　Perhaps　if　I　call　I　shall　bring　soldiers　to　me；
and　be　forced　to　play　the　man　before　them；　and　I　am　weary　of　that。
Well；　I　will　lie　here　under　the　fence　till　morning；　it　is　a　softer　bed
than　some　I　have　found；　and　I　am　word　out　with　travelsleep　I　must；〃
and　the　figure　sighed　and　turned　so　that　the　light　of　the　moon　fell
full　upon　its　face。

My　father；　it　was　the　face　of　Nada；　my　daughter；　whom　I　had　not　seen
for　so　many　years；　yet　across　the　years　I　knew　it　at　once；　yes；　though
the　bud　had　become　a　flower　I　knew　it。　The　face　was　weary　and　worn；
but　ah！　it　was　beautiful；　never　before　nor　since　have　I　seen　such
beauty；　for　there　was　this　about　the　loveliness　of　my　daughter；　the
Lily：　it　seemed　to　flow　from　withinyes；　as　light　will　flow　through
the　thin　rind　of　a　gourd；　and　in　that　she　differed　from　the　other
women　of　our　people；　who；　when　they　are　fair　are　fair　with　the　flesh
alone。

Now　my　heart　went　out　to　Nada　as　she　stood　in　the　moonlight；　one
forsaken；　not　having　where　to　lay　her　head；　Nada；　who　alone　was　left
alive　of　all　my　children。　I　motioned　to　Umslopogaas　to　hide　himself　in
the　shadow；　and　stepped　forward。

〃Ho！〃　I　said　roughly；　〃who　are　you；　wanderer；　and　what　do　you　here？〃

Now　Nada　started　like　a　frightened　bird；　but　quickly　gathered　up　her
thoughts；　and　turned　upon　me　in　a　lordly　way。

〃Who　are　you　that　ask　me？〃　she　said；　feigning　a　man's　voice。

〃One　who　can　use　a　stick　upon　thieves　and　night…prowlers；　boy。　Come；
show　your　business　or　be　moving。　You　are　not　of　this　people；　surely
that　moocha　is　of　a　Swazi　make；　and　here　we　do　not　love　Swazis。〃

〃Were　you　not　old；　I　would　beat　you　for　your　insolence；〃　said　Nada；
striving　to　look　brave　and　all　the　while　searching　a　way　to　escape。
〃Also；　I　have　no　stick；　only　a　spear；　and　that　is　for　warriors；　not
for　an　old　umfagozan　like　you。〃　Ay；　my　father；　I　lived　to　hear　my
daughter　name　me　an　umfagozana　low　fellow！

Now　making　pretence　to　be　angry；　I　leaped　at　her　with　my　kerrie　up；
and；　forgetting　her　courage；　she　dropped　her　spear；　and　uttered　a
little　scream。　But　she　still　held　the　shield　before　her　face。　I　seized
her　by　the　arm；　and　struck　a　blow　upon　the　shield　with　my　kerrieit
would　scarcely　have　crushed　a　fly；　but　this　brave　warrior　trembled
sorely。

〃Where　now　is　your　valour；　you　who　name　my　umfagozan？〃　I　said：　〃you
who　cry　like　a　maid　and　whose　arm　is　soft　as　a　maid's。〃

She　made　no　answer；　but　hugged　her　tattered　blanket　round　her；　and
shifting　my　grip　from　her　arm；　I　seized　it　and　rent　it；　showing　her
breast　and　shoulder；　then　I　let　her　go；　laughing；　and　said：

〃Lo！　here　is　the　warrior　that　would　beat　an　old　umfagozan　for　his
insolence；　a　warrior　well　shaped　for　war！　Now；　my　pretty　maid　who
wander　at　night　in　the　garment　of　a　man；　what　tale　have　you　to　tell？
Swift　with　it；　lest　I　drag　you　to　the　chief　as　his　prize！　The　old　man
seeks　a　new　wife；　they　tell　me？〃

Now　when　Nada　saw　that　I　had　discovered　her　she　threw　down　the　shield
after　the　spear；　as　a　thing　that　was　of　no　more　use；　and　hung　her　head
sullenly。　But　when　I　spoke　of　dragging　her　to　the　chief　then　she　flung
herself　upon　the　ground；　and　clasped　my　knees；　for　since　I　called　him
old；　she　thought　that　this　chief　could　not　be　Umslopogaas。

〃Oh；　my　father；〃　said　the　Lily；　〃oh；　my　father；　have　pity　on　me！　Yes；
yes！　I　am　a　girl；　a　maidno　wifeand　you　who　are　old；　you；　perchance
have　daughters　such　as　I；　and　in　their　name　I　ask　for　pity。　My　father；
I　have　journeyed　far；　I　have　endured　many　things；　to　find　my　way　to　a
kraal　where　my　brother　rules；　and　now　it　seems　I　have　come　to　the
wrong　kraal。　Forgive　me　that　I　spoke　to　you　so；　my　father；　it　was　but
a　woman's　feint；　and　I　was　hard　pressed　to　hide　my　sex；　for　my　father；
you　know　it　is　ill　to　be　a　lonely　girl　among　strange　men。〃

Now　I　said　nothing　in　answer；　for　this　reason　only：　that　when　I　heard
Nada　call　me　father；　not　knowing　me；　and　saw　her　clasp　my　knees　and
pray　to　me　in　my　daughter's　name；　I；　who　was　childless　save　for　her；
went　nigh　to　weeping。　But　she　thought　that　I　did　not　answer　her
because　I　was　angry；　and　about　to　drag　her　to　this　unknown　chief；　and
implored　me　the　more　even　with　tears。

〃My　father；〃　she　said；　〃do　not　this　wicked　thing　by　me。　Let　me　go　and
show　me　the　path　that　I　shall　ask：　you　who　are　old；　you　know　that　I　am
too　fair　to　be　dragged　before　this　chief　of　yours。　Hearken！　All　I　knew
are　dead；　I　am　alone　except　for　this　brother　I　seek。　Oh！　if　you　betray
me　may　such　a　fate　fall　upon　your　own　daughter　also！　May　she　also　know
the　day　of　slavery；　and　the　love　that　she　wills　not！〃　and　she　ceased；
sobbing。

Now　I　turned　my　head　and　spoke　towards　the　hut；　〃Chief；〃　I　said；　〃your
Ehlose　is　kind　to　you　to…night；　for　he　has　given　you　a　maid　fair　as
the　Lily　of　the　Halakazi〃here　Nada　glanced　up　wildly。　〃Come；　then；
and　take　the　girl。〃

Now　Nada　turned　to　snatch　up　the　assegai　from　the　ground；　but　whether
to　kill　me；　or　the　chief　she　feared　so　much；　or　herself；　I　do　not
know；　and　as　she　turned；　in　her　woe　she　called　upon　the　name　of
Umslopogaas。　She　found　the　assegai；　and　straightened　herself　again。
And　lo！　there　before　her　stood　a　tall　chief　leaning　on　an　axe；　but　the
old　man　who　threatened　her　was　gonenot　very　far；　in　truth；　but　round
the　corner　of　the　hut。

Now　Nada　the　Lily　looked；　then　rubbed　her　eyes；　and　looked　again。

〃Surely　I　dream？〃　she　said　at　last。　〃But　now　I　spoke　to　an　old　man；
and　in　his　place　there　stands　before　me　the　shape　of　one　whom　I　desire
to　see。〃

〃I　thought；　Maiden；　that　the　voice　of　a　certain　Nada　called　upon　one
Umslopogaas；〃　said　he　who　leaned　upon　the　axe。

〃Ay；　I　called：　but　where　is　the　old　man　who　treated　me　so　scurvily？
Nay；　what　does　it　matter？where　he　is；　there　let　him　stop。　At　least；
you　are　Umslopogaas；　my　brother；　or　should　be　by　your　greatness　and
the　axe。　To　the　man　I　cannot　altogether　swear　in　this　light；　but　to
the　axe　I　can　swear；　for　once　it　passed　so　very　near　my　eyes。〃

Thus　she　spoke　on；　gaining　time；　and　all　the　while　she　watched
Umslopogaas　till　she　was　sure　that　it　was　he　and　no　other。　Then　she
ceased　talking；　and；　flinging　herself　on　him；　she　kissed　him。

〃Now　I　trust　that　Zinita　sleeps　sound；〃　murmured　Umslopogaas；　for
suddenly　he　remembered　that　Nada　was　no　sister　of　his；　as　she　thought。

Nevertheless；