nada the lily(百合娜达)-第67章

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have　my　father　and　I　to　sendwe　who　are　outcasts；　and；　indeed；　the
bridegroom　must　pay　the　cattle。　May　I　bring　you　peace　and　love；　my
Lord！〃

Umslopogaas　took　the　flower；　and　looked　somewhat　foolish　with　ithe
who　was　wont　to　carry　the　axe；　and　not　a　flower；　and　so　that　talk　was
ended。

Now　as　it　chanced；　this　was　that　day　of　the　year　when；　according　to
ancient　custom；　the　Holder　of　the　Axe　must　challenge　all　and　sundry　to
come　up　against　him　to　fight　in　single　combat　for　Groan…Maker　and　the
chieftainship　of　the　people。　Therefore；　when　the　talk　was　done；
Umslopogaas　rose　and　went　through　the　challenge；　not　thinking　that　any
would　answer　him；　since　for　some　years　none　had　dared　to　stand　before
his　might。　Yet　three　men　stepped　forward；　and　of　these　two　were
captains；　and　men　whom　the　Slaughterer　loved。　With　all　the　people；　he
looked　at　them　astonished。

〃How　is　this？〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　to　that　captain　who　was　nearest
and　who　would　do　battle　with　him。

For　answer　the　man　pointed　to　the　Lily；　who　stood　by。　Then　Umslopogaas
understood　that　because　of　the　medicine　of　Nada's　beauty　all　men
desired　to　win　her；　and；　since　he　who　could　win　the　axe　would　take　her
also；　he　must　look　to　fight　with　many。　Well；　fight　he　must　or　be
shamed。

Of　the　fray　there　is　little　to　tell。　Umslopogaas　killed　first　one　man
and　then　the　other；　and　swiftly；　for；　growing　fearful；　the　third　did
not　come　up　against　him。

〃Ah！〃　said　Galazi；　who　watched；　〃what　did　I　tell　you；　Mopo？　The　curse
begins　to　work。　Death　walks　ever　with　that　daughter　of　yours；　old
man。〃

〃I　fear　so；〃　I　answered；　〃and　yet　the　maiden　is　fair　and　good　and
sweet。〃

〃That　will　not　mend　matters；〃　said　Galazi。

Now　on　that　day　Umslopogaas　took　Nada　the　Lily　to　wife；　and　for　awhile
there　was　peace　and　quiet。　But　this　evil　thing　came　upon　Umslopogaas；
that；　from　the　day　when　he　wedded　Nada；　he　hated　even　to　look　upon
Zinita；　and　not　at　her　alone；　but　on　all　his　other　wives　also。　Galazi
said　it　was　because　Nada　had　bewitched　him；　but　I　know　well　that　the
only　witcheries　she　used　were　the　medicine　of　her　eyes；　her　beauty；
and　her　love。　Still；　it　came　to　pass　that　henceforward；　and　until　she
had　long　been　dead；　the　Slaughterer　loved　her；　and　her　alone；　and　that
is　a　strange　sickness　to　come　upon　a　man。

As　may　be　guessed；　my　father；　Zinita　and　the　other　women　took　this
ill。　They　waited　awhile；　indeed；　thinking　that　it　would　wear　away；
then　they　began　to　murmur；　both　to　their　husband　and　in　the　ears　of
other　people；　till　at　length　there　were　two　parties　in　the　town；　the
party　of　Zinita　and　the　party　of　Nada。

The　party　of　Zinita　was　made　up　of　women　and　of　certain　men　who　loved
and　feared　their　wives；　but　that　of　Nada　was　the　greatest；　and　it　was
all　of　men；　with　Umslopogaas　at　the　head　of　them；　and　from　this
division　came　much　bitterness　abroad；　and　quarrelling　in　the　huts。　Yet
neither　the　Lily　nor　Umslopogaas　heeded　it　greatly；　nor　indeed；
anything；　so　lost　and　well　content　were　they　in　each　other's　love。

Now　on　a　certain　morning；　after　they　had　been　married　three　full
moons；　Nada　came　from　her　husband's　hut　when　the　sun　was　already　high；
and　went　down　through　the　rock　gully　to　the　river　to　bathe。　On　the
right　of　the　path　to　the　river　lay　the　mealie…fields　of　the　chief；　and
in　them　laboured　Zinita　and　the　other　women　of　Umslopogaas；　weeding
the　mealie…plants。　They　looked　up　and　saw　Nada　pass；　then　worked　on
sullenly。　After　awhile　they　saw　her　come　again　fresh　from　the　bath；
very　fair　to　see；　and　having　flowers　twined　among　her　hair；　and　as　she
walked　she　sang　a　song　of　love。　Now　Zinita　cast　down　her　hoe。

〃Is　this　to　be　borne；　my　sisters？〃　she　said。

〃No；〃　answered　another；　〃it　is　not　to　be　borne。　What　shall　we　do
shall　we　fall　upon　her　and　kill　her　now？〃

〃It　would　be　more　just　to　kill　Bulalio；　our　lord；〃　answered　Zinita。
〃Nada　is　but　a　woman；　and；　after　the　fashion　of　us　women；　takes　all
that　she　can　gather。　But　he　is　a　man　and　a　chief；　and　should　know
wisdom　and　justice。〃

〃She　has　bewitched　him　with　her　beauty。　Let　us　kill　her；〃　said　the
other　women。

〃Nay；〃　answered　Zinita；　〃I　will　speak　with　her；〃　and　she　went　and
stood　in　the　path　along　which　the　Lily　walked　singing；　her　arms　folded
across　her　breast。

Now　Nada　saw　her　and；　ceasing　her　song；　stretched　out　her　hand　to
welcome　her；　saying；　〃Greeting；　sister。〃　But　Zinita　did　not　take　it。
〃It　is　not　fitting；　sister；〃　she　said；　〃that　my　hand；　stained　with
toil；　should　defile　yours；　fresh　with　the　scent　of　flowers。　But　I　am
charged　with　a　message；　on　my　own　behalf　and　the　behalf　of　the　other
wives　of　our　Lord　Bulalio；　the　weeds　grow　thick　in　yonder　corn；　and　we
women　are　few；　now　that　your　love　days　are　over；　will　not　you　come　and
help　us？　If　you　brought　no　hoe　from　your　Swazi　home；　surely　we　will
buy　you　one。〃

Now　Nada　saw　what　was　meant；　and　the　blood　poured　to　her　head。　Yet　she
answered　calmly：

〃I　would　willingly　do　this；　my　sister；　though　I　have　never　laboured　in
the　fields；　for　wherever　I　have　dwelt　the　men　have　kept　me　back　from
all　work；　save　such　as　the　weaving　of　flowers　or　the　stringing　of
beads。　But　there　is　this　against　itUmslopogaas；　my　husband；　charged
me　that　I　should　not　toil　with　my　hands；　and　I　may　not　disobey　my
husband。〃

〃Our　husband　charged　you　so；　Nada？　Nay；　then　it　is　strange。　See；　now；
I　am　his　head　wife；　his　Inkosikaasit　was　I　who　taught　him　how　to　win
the　axe。　Yet　he　has　laid　no　command　on　me　that　I　should　not　labour　in
the　fields　after　the　fashion　of　women；　I　who　have　borne　him　children；
nor；　indeed；　has　he　laid　such　a　command　upon　any　of　our　sisters；　his
other　wives。　Can　it　then　be　that　Bulalio　loves　you　better　than　us；
Nada？〃

Now　the　Lily　was　in　a　trap；　and　she　knew　it。　So　she　grew　bold。

〃One　must　be　most　loved；　Zinita；〃　she　said；　〃as　one　must　be　most　fair。
You　have　had　your　hour；　leave　me　mine；　perhaps　it　will　be　short。
Moreover　this：　Umslopogaas　and　I　loved　each　other　much　long　years
before　you　or　any　of　his　wives　saw　him；　and　we　love　each　other　to　the
end。　There　is　no　more　to　say。〃

〃Nay；　Nada；　there　is　still　something　to　say；　there　is　this　to　say：
Choose　one　of　two　things。　Go　and　leave　us　to　be　happy　with　our　lord；
or　stay　and　bring　death　on　all。〃

Now　Nada　thought　awhile；　and　answered：　〃Did　I　believe　that　my　love
would　bring　death　on　him　I　love；　it　might　well　chance　that　I　would　go
and　leave　him；　though　to　do　so　would　be　to　die。　But；　Zinita；　I　do　not
believe　it。　Death　chiefly　loves　the　weak；　and　if　he　falls　it　will　be
on　the　Flower；　not　on　the　Slayer　of　Men；〃　and　she　slipped　past　Zinita
and　went　on；　singing　no　more。

Zinita　watched　her　till　she　was　over　the　ridge；　and　her　face　grew　evil
as　she　watched。　Then　she　returned　to　the　women。

〃The　Lily　flouts　us　all；　my　sisters；〃　she　said。　〃Now　listen：　my
counsel　is　that　we　declare　a　feast　of　women　to　be　held　at　the　new　moon
in　a　secret　place　far　away。　All　the　women　and　the　children　shall　come
to　it　except　Nada；　who　will　not　leave　her　lover；　and　if　there　be　any
man　whom　a　woman　loves；　perhaps；　my　sisters；　that　man　would　do　well　to
go　on　a　journey　about　the　time　of　the　new　moon；　for　evil　things　may
happen　at　the　town　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　while　we　are　away
celebrating　our　feast。〃

〃What；　then；　shall　befall；　my　sister？〃　asked　one。

〃Nay；　how　can　I　tell？〃　she　answered。　〃I　only　know　that　we　are　minded
to　be　rid　of　Nada；　and　thus　to　be　avenged　on　a　man　who　has　scorned　our
loveay；　and　on　those　men　who　follow　after　the　beauty　of　Nada。　Is　it
not　so；　my　sisters？〃

〃It　is　so；〃　they　answered。

〃Then　be　silent　on　the　matter；　and　let　us　give　out　our　feast。〃

Now　Nada　told　Umslopogaas　of　those　words　which　she　had　bandied　with
Zinita；　and　the　Slaughterer　was　troubled。　Yet；　because　of　his
foolishness　and　of　the　medicine　of　Nada's　eyes；　he　would　not　turn　from
his　way；　and　was　ever　at　her　side；　thinking　of　little　else　except　of
her。　Thus；　when　Zinita　came　to　him；　and　asked　leave　to　declare　a　feast
of　women　that　should　be　held　far　away；　he　consented；　and　gladly；　for；
above　all　things；　he　desired　to　be　free　from　Zinita　and　her　angry
looks　for　awhile；　nor　did　he　suspect　a　plot。　Only　he　told　her　that
Nada　should　not　go　to　th