nada the lily(百合娜达)-第68章

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looks　for　awhile；　nor　did　he　suspect　a　plot。　Only　he　told　her　that
Nada　should　not　go　to　the　feast；　and　in　a　breath　both　Zinita　and　Nada
answered　that　is　word　was　their　will；　as　indeed　it　was；　in　this
matter。

Now　I；　Mopo；　saw　the　glamour　that　had　fallen　upon　my　fosterling；　and
spoke　of　it　with　Galazi；　saying　that　a　means　must　be　found　to　wake
him。　Then　I　took　Galazi　fully　into　my　mind；　and　told　him　all　that　he
did　not　know　of　Umslopogaas；　and　that　was　little。　Also；　I　told　him　of
my　plans　to　bring　the　Slaughterer　to　the　throne；　and　of　what　I　had
done　to　that　end；　and　of　what　I　proposed　to　do；　and　this　was　to　go　in
person　on　a　journey　to　certain　of　the　great　chiefs　and　win　them　over。

Galazi　listened；　and　said　that　it　was　well　or　ill；　as　the　chance　might
be。　For　his　part；　he　believed　that　the　daughter　would　pull　down　faster
than　I；　the　father；　could　build　up；　and　he　pointed　to　Nada；　who　walked
past　us；　following　Umslopogaas。

Yet　I　determined　to　go；　and　that　was　on　the　day　before　Zinita　won
leave　to　celebrate　the　feast　of　women。　So　I　sought　Umslopogaas　and
told　him；　and　he　listened　indifferently；　for　he　would　be　going　after
Nada；　and　wearied　of　my　talk　of　policy。　I　bade　him　farewell　and　left
him；　to　Nada　also　I　bade　farewell。　She　kissed　me；　yet　the　name　of　her
husband　was　mingled　with　her　good…bye。

〃Now　madness　has　come　upon　these　two；〃　I　said　to　myself。　〃Well；　it
will　wear　off；　they　will　be　changed　before　I　come　again。〃

I　guessed　little；　my　father；　how　changed　they　would　be。



CHAPTER　XXXII

ZINITA　COMES　TO　THE　KING

Dingaan　the　king　sat　upon　a　day　in　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；　waiting
till　his　impis　should　return　from　the　Income　that　is　now　named　the
Blood　River。　He　had　sent　them　thither　to　destroy　the　laager　of　the
Boers；　and　thence；　as　he　thought；　they　would　presently　return　with
victory。　Idly　he　sat　in　the　kraal；　watching　the　vultures　wheel　above
the　Hill　of　Slaughter；　and　round　him　stood　a　regiment。

〃My　birds　are　hungry；〃　he　said　to　a　councillor。

〃Doubtless　there　shall　soon　be　meat　to　feed　them；　O　King！〃　the
councillor　answered。

As　he　spoke　one　came　near；　saying　that　a　woman　sought　leave　to　speak
to　the　king　upon　some　great　matter。

〃Let　her　come；〃　he　answered；　〃I　am　sick　for　tidings；　perhaps　she　can
tell　of　the　impi。〃

Presently　the　woman　was　led　in。　She　was　tall　and　fair；　and　she　held
two　children　by　the　hand。

〃What　is　thine　errand？〃　asked　Dingaan。

〃Justice；　O　King；〃　she　answered。

〃Ask　for　blood；　it　shall　be　easier　to　find。〃

〃I　ask　blood；　O　King。〃

〃The　blood　of　whom？〃

〃The　blood　of　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；
the　blood　of　Nada　the　Lily；　and　of　all　those　who　cling　to　her。〃

Now　Dingaan　sprang　up　and　swore　an　oath　by　the　head　of　the　Black　One
who　was　gone。

〃What？〃　he　cried；　〃does　the　Lily；　then；　live　as　the　soldier　thought？〃

〃She　lives；　O　King。　She　is　wife　to　the　Slaughterer；　and　because　of　her
witchcraft　he　has　put　me；　his　first　wife；　away　against　all　law　and
honour。　Therefore　I　ask　vengeance　on　the　witch　and　vengeance　also　on
him　who　was　my　husband。〃

〃Thou　art　a　good　wife；〃　said　the　king。　〃May　my　watching　spirit　save　me
from　such　a　one。　Hearken！　I　would　gladly　grant　thy　desire；　for　I；　too；
hate　this　Slaughterer；　and　I；　too；　would　crush　this　Lily。　Yet；　woman；
thou　comest　in　a　bad　hour。　Here　I　have　but　one　regiment；　and　I　think
that　the　Slaughterer　may　take　some　killing。　Wait　till　my　impis　return
from　wiping　out　the　white　Amaboona；　and　it　shall　be　as　thou　dost
desire。　Whose　are　those　children？〃

〃They　are　my　children　and　the　children　of　Bulalio；　who　was　my
husband。〃

〃The　children　of　him　whom　thou　wouldst　cause　to　be　slain。〃

〃Yea；　King。〃

〃Surely；　woman；　thou　art　as　good　a　mother　as　wife！〃　said　Dingaan。　〃Now
I　have　spokenbegone！〃

But　the　heart　of　Zinita　was　hungry　for　vengeance；　vengeance　swift　and
terrible；　on　the　Lily；　who　lay　in　her　place；　and　on　her　husband；　who
had　thrust　her　aside　for　the　Lily's　sake。　She　did　not　desire　to　wait
no；　not　even　for　an　hour。

〃Hearken；　O　King！〃　she　cried；　〃the　tale　is　not　yet　all　told。　This　man；
Bulalio；　plots　against　thy　throne　with　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama；　who　was
thy　councillor。〃

〃He　plots　against　my　throne；　woman？　The　lizard　plots　against　the　cliff
on　which　it　suns　itself？　Then　let　him　plot；　and　as　for　Mopo；　I　will
catch　him　yet！〃

〃Yes；　O　King！　but　that　is　not　all　the　tale。　This　man　has　another　name
he　is　named　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo。　But　he　is　no　son　of　Mopo：　he
is　son　to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead；　the　mighty　king　who　was　thy
brother；　by　Baleka；　sister　to　Mopo。　Yes；　I　know　it　from　the　lips　of
Mopo。　I　know　all　the　tale。　He　is　heir　to　thy　throne　by　blood；　O　King；
and　thou　sittest　in　his　place。〃

For　a　little　while　Dingaan　sat　astounded。　Then　he　commanded　Zinita　to
draw　near　and　tell　him　that　tale。

Now　behind　the　stool　on　which　he　sat　stood　two　councillors；　nobles
whom　Dingaan　loved；　and　these　alone　had　heard　the　last　words　of
Zinita。　He　bade　these　nobles　stand　in　front　of　him；　out　of　earshot　and
away　from　every　other　man。　Then　Zinita　drew　near；　and　told　Dingaan　the
tale　of　the　birth　of　Umslopogaas　and　all　that　followed；　and；　by　many　a
token　and　many　a　deed　of　Chaka's　which　he　remembered；　Dingaan　the　king
knew　that　it　was　a　true　story。

When　at　length　she　had　done；　he　summoned　the　captain　of　the　regiment
that　stood　around：　he　was　a　great　man　named　Faku；　and　he　also　summoned
certain　men　who　do　the　king's　bidding。　To　the　captain　of　the　impi　he
spoke　sharply；　saying：

〃Take　three　companies　and　guides；　and　come　by　night　to　the　town　of　the
People　of　the　Axe；　that　is　by　Ghost　Mountain；　and　burn　it；　and　slay
all　the　wizards　who　sleep　therein。　Most　of　all；　slay　the　Chief　of　the
People；　who　is　named　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer　or　Umslopogaas。　Kill　him
by　torture　if　you　may；　but　kill　him　and　bring　his　head　to　me。　Take
that　wife　of　his；　who　is　known　as　Nada　the　Lily；　alive　if　ye　can；　and
bring　her　to　me；　for　I　would　cause　her　to　be　slain　here。　Bring　the
cattle　also。　Now　go；　and　go　swiftly；　this　hour。　If　ye　return　having
failed　in　one　jot　of　my　command；　ye　die；　every　one　of　youye　die；　and
slowly。　Begone！〃

The　captain　saluted；　and；　running　to　his　regiment；　issued　a　command。
Three　full　companies　leapt　forward　at　his　word；　and　ran　after　him
through　the　gates　of　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；　heading　for　the　Ghost
Mountain。

Then　Dingaan　called　to　those　who　do　the　king's　bidding；　and；　pointing
to　the　two　nobles；　his　councillors；　who　had　heard　the　words　of　Zinita；
commanded　that　they　should　be　killed。

The　nobles　heard；　and；　having　saluted　the　king；　covered　their　faces；
knowing　that　they　must　die　because　they　had　learned　too　much。　So　they
were　killed。　Now　it　was　one　of　these　councillors　who　had　said　that
doubtless　meat　would　soon　be　found　to　feed　the　king's　birds。

Then　the　king　commanded　those　who　do　his　bidding　that　they　should　take
the　children　of　Zinita　and　make　away　with　them。

But　when　Zinita　heard　this　she　cried　aloud；　for　she　loved　her
children。　Then　Dingaan　mocked　her。

〃What？〃　he　said；　〃art　thou　a　fool　as　well　as　wicked？　Thou　sayest　that
thy　husband；　whom　thou　hast　given　to　death；　is　born　of　one　who　is
dead；　and　is　heir　to　my　throne。　Thou　sayest　also　that　these　children
are　born　of　him；　therefore；　when　he　is　dead；　they　will　be　heirs　to　my
throne。　Am　I　then　mad　that　I　should　suffer　them　to　live？　Woman；　thou
hast　fallen　into　thine　own　trap。　Take　them　away！〃

Now　Zinita　tasted　of　the　cup　which　she　had　brewed　for　other　lips；　and
grew　distraught　in　her　misery；　and　wrung　her　hands；　crying　that　she
repented　her　of　the　evil　and　would　warn　Umslopogaas　and　the　Lily　of
that　which　awaited　them。　And　she　turned　to　run　towards　the　gates。　But
the　king　laughed　and　nodded；　and　they　brought　her　back；　and　presently
she　was　dead　also。

Thus；　then；　my　father；　prospered　the　wickedness　of　Zinita；　the　head
wife　of　Umslopogaas；　my　fosterling。

Now　these　were　the　last　slayings　that　were　wrought　at　the　kraal
Umgugundhlovu；　for　just　as　Dingaan　had　made　an　end　of　them　and　once
more　grew　weary；　he　lifted　his　eyes　and　saw　the　hillsides　black　with
men；　who　by　their　dress　were　of　his　own　impimen　whom　he　had　sent　ou