nada the lily(百合娜达)-第69章

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men；　who　by　their　dress　were　of　his　own　impimen　whom　he　had　sent　out
against　the　Boers。

And　yet　where　was　the　proud　array；　where　the　plumes　and　shields；　where
the　song　of　victory？　Here；　indeed；　were　soldiers；　but　they　walked　in
groups　like　women　and　hung　their　heads　like　chidden　children。

Then　he　learned　the　truth。　The　impi　had　been　defeated　by　the　banks　of
the　Income；　thousands　had　perished　at　the　laager；　mowed　down　by　the
guns　of　the　Boers；　thousands　more　had　been　drowned　in　the　Income；　till
the　waters　were　red　and　the　bodies　of　the　slain　pushed　each　other
under；　and　those　who　still　lived　walked　upon　them。

Dingaan　heard；　and　was　seized　with　fear；　for　it　was　said　that　the
Amaboona　followed　fast　on　the　track　of　the　conquered。

That　day　he　fled　to　the　bush　on　the　Black　Umfolozi　river；　and　that
night　the　sky　was　crimson　with　the　burning　of　the　kraal　Umgugundhlovu；
where　the　Elephant　should　trumpet　no　more；　and　the　vultures　were
scared　from　the　Hill　of　Slaughter　by　the　roaring　of　the　flames。

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Galazi　sat　on　the　lap　of　the　stone　Witch；　gazing　towards　the　wide
plains　below；　that　were　yet　white　with　the　moon；　though　the　night　grew
towards　the　morning。　Greysnout　whined　at　his　side；　and　Deathgrip
thrust　his　muzzle　into　his　hand；　but　Galazi　took　no　heed；　for　he　was
brooding　on　the　fall　of　Umslopogaas　from　the　man　that　he　had　been　to
the　level　of　a　woman's　slave；　and　on　the　breaking　up　of　the　People　of
the　Axe；　because　of　the　coming　of　Nada。　For　all　the　women　and　the
children　were　gone　to　this　Feast　of　Women；　and　would　not　return　for
long；　and　it　seemed　to　Galazi　that　many　of　the　men　had　slipped　away
also；　as　though　they　smelt　some　danger　from　afar。

〃Ah；　Deathgrip；〃　said　Galazi　aloud　to　the　wild　brute　at　his　side；
〃changed　is　the　Wolf　King　my　brother；　all　changed　because　of　a　woman's
kiss。　Now　he　hunts　no　more；　no　more　shall　Groan…Maker　be　aloft；　it　is
a　woman's　kiss　he　craves；　not　the　touch　of　your　rough　tongue；　it　is　a
woman's　hand　he　holds；　not　the　smooth　haft　of　horn；　he；　who　of　all
men；　was　the　fiercest　and　the　first；　for　this　last　shame　has　overtaken
him。　Surely　Chaka　was　a　great　king　though　an　evil；　and　he　showed　his
greatness　when　he　forbade　marriage　to　the　warriors；　marriage　that
makes　the　heart　soft　and　turns　blood　to　water。〃

Now　Galazi　ceased；　and　gazed　idly　towards　the　kraal　of　the　People　of
the　Axe；　and　as　he　looked　his　eyes　caught　a　gleam　of　light　that　seemed
to　travel　in　and　out　of　the　edge　of　the　shadow　of　Ghost　Mountain　as　a
woman's　needle　travels　through　a　skin；　now　seen　and　now　lost　in　the
skin。

He　started　and　watched。　Ah！　there　the　light　came　out　from　the　shadow。
Now；　by　Chaka's　head；　it　was　the　light　of　spears！

One　moment　more　Galazi　watched。　It　was　a　little　impi；　perhaps　they
numbered　two　hundred　men；　running　silently；　but　not　to　battle；　for
they　wore　no　plumes。　Yet　they　went　out　to　kill；　for　they　ran　in
companies；　and　each　man　carried　assegais　and　a　shield。

Now　Galazi　had　heard　tell　of　such　impis　that　hunt　by　night；　and　he
knew　well　that　these　were　the　king's　dogs；　and　their　game　was　men；　a
big　kraal　of　sleeping　men；　otherwise　there　had　been　fewer　dogs。　Is　a
whole　pack　sent　out　to　catch　an　antelope　on　its　form？　Galazi　wondered
whom　they　sought。　Ah！　now　they　turned　to　the　ford；　and　he　knew。　It　was
his　brother　Umslopogaas　and　Nada　the　Lily　and　the　People　of　the　Axe。
These　were　the　king's　dogs；　and　Zinita　had　let　them　slip。　For　this
reason　she　had　called　a　feast　of　women；　and　taken　the　children　with
her；　for　this　reason　so　many　had　been　summoned　from　the　kraal　by　one
means　or　another：　it　was　that　they　might　escape　the　slaughter。

Galazi　bounded　to　his　feet。　For　one　moment　he　thought。　Might　not　these
hunters　be　hunted？　Could　he　not　destroy　them　by　the　jaws　of　the　wolves
as　once　before　they　had　destroyed　a　certain　impi　of　the　king's？　Ay；　if
he　had　seen　them　but　one　hour　before；　then　scarcely　a　man　of　them
should　have　lived　to　reach　the　stream；　for　he　would　have　waylaid　them
with　his　wolves。　But　now　it　might　not　be；　the　soldiers　neared　the
ford；　and　Galazi　knew　well　that　his　grey　people　would　not　hunt　on　the
further　plain；　though　for　this　he　had　heard　one　reason　only；　that
which　was　given　him　by　the　lips　of　the　dead　in　a　dream。

What；　then；　might　be　done？　One　thing　alone：　warn　Umslopogaas。　Yet　how？
For　him　who　could　swim　a　rushing　river；　there　was；　indeed；　a　swifter
way　to　the　place　of　the　People　of　the　Axea　way　that　was　to　the　path
of　the　impi　as　is　the　bow…string　to　the　strung　bow。　And　yet　they　had
travelled　well…nigh　half　the　length　of　the　bow。　Still；　he　might　do　it；
he　whose　feet　were　the　swiftest　in　the　land；　except　those　of
Umslopogaas。　At　the　least；　he　would　try。　Mayhap；　the　impi　would　tarry
to　drink　at　the　ford。

So　Galazi　thought　in　his　heart；　and　his　thought　was　swift　as　the
light。　Then　with　a　bound　he　was　away　down　the　mountain　side。　From
boulder　to　boulder　he　leapt　like　a　buck；　he　crashed　through　the　brake
like　a　bull；　he　skimmed　the　level　like　a　swallow。　The　mountain　was
travelled　now；　there　in　front　of　him　lay　the　yellow　river　foaming　in
its　flood；　so　he　had　swum　it　before　when　he　went　to　see　the　dead。　Ah！
a　good　leap　far　out　into　the　torrent；　it　was　strong；　but　he　breasted
it。　He　was　through；　he　stood　upon　the　bank　shaking　the　water　from　him
like　a　dog；　and　now　he　was　away　up　the　narrow　gorge　of　stones　to　the
long　slope；　running　low　as　his　wolves　ran。

Before　him　lay　the　townone　side　shone　silver　with　the　sinking　moon；
one　was　grey　with　the　breaking　dawn。　Ah！　they　were　there；　he　saw　them
moving　through　the　grass　by　the　eastern　gate；　he　saw　the　long　lines　of
slayers　creep　to　the　left　and　the　right。

How　could　he　pass　them　before　the　circle　of　death　was　drawn？　Six
spear…throws　to　run；　and　they　had　but　such　a　little　way！　The　mealie…
plants　were　tall；　and　at　a　spot　they　almost　touched　the　fence。　Up　the
path！　Could　Umslopogaas；　his　brother；　move　more　fast；　he　wondered；
than　the　Wolf　who　sped　to　save　him？　He　was　there；　hidden　by　the　mealie
stalks；　and　there；　along　the　fence　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　the
slayers　crept！

〃Wow！　What　was　that？〃　said　one　soldier　of　the　king　to　another　man　as
they　joined　their　guard　completing　the　death　circle。　〃Wow！　something
great　and　black　crashed　through　the　fence　before　me。〃

〃I　heard　it；　brother；〃　answered　the　other　man。　〃I　heard　it；　but　I　saw
nothing。　It　must　have　been　a　dog：　no　man　could　leap　so　high。〃

〃More　like　a　wolf；〃　said　the　first；　〃at　the　least；　let　us　pray　that　it
was　not　an　Esedowan＇1＇　who　will　put　us　into　the　hole　in　its　back。　Is
your　fire　ready；　brother？　Wow！　these　wizards　shall　wake　warm；　the
signal　should　be　soon。〃

＇1＇　A　fabulous　animal；　reported　by　the　Zulus　to　carry　off　human　beings
　　　　in　a　hole　in　its　back。

Then　arose　the　sound　of　a　great　voice　crying；　〃Awake；　ye　sleepers；　the
foe　is　at　your　gates！〃



CHAPTER　XXXIII

THE　END　OF　THE　PEOPLE；　BLACK　AND　GREY

Galazi　rushed　through　the　town　crying　aloud；　and　behind　him　rose　a
stir　of　men。　All　slept　and　no　sentinels　were　set；　for　Umslopogaas　was
so　lost　in　his　love　for　Lily　that　he　forgot　his　wisdom；　and　thought　no
more　of　war　or　death　or　of　the　hate　of　Dingaan。　Presently　the　Wolf
came　to　the　large　new　hut　which　Umslopogaas　had　caused　to　be　built　for
Nada　the　Lily；　and　entered　it；　for　there　he　knew　that　he　should　find
his　brother　Bulalio。　On　the　far　side　of　the　hut　the　two　lay　sleeping；
and　the　head　of　Umslopogaas　rested　on　the　Lily's　breast；　and　by　his
side　gleamed　the　great　axe　Groan…Maker。

〃Awake！〃　cried　the　Wolf。

Now　Umslopogaas　sprang　to　his　feet　grasping　at　his　axe；　but　Nada　threw
her　arms　wide；　murmuring；　〃Let　me　sleep　on；　sweet　is　sleep。〃

〃Sound　shall　ye　sleep；　anon！〃　gasped　Galazi。　〃Swift；　brother；　bind　on
the　wolf's　hide；　take　shield！　Swift；　I　sayfor　the　Slayers　of　the
king　are　at　your　gates！〃

Now　Nada　sprang　up　also；　and　they　did　his　bidding　like　people　in　a
dream；　and；　while　they　found　their　garments　and　a　shield；　Galazi　took
beer　and　drank　it；　and　got　his　breath　again。　They　stood　without　the
hut。　Now　the　heaven　was　grey；　and　east　and　west　and　north　and　south
tongues　of　flame　shot　up　against　the　sky；　f