nada the lily(百合娜达)-第71章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


there　rose　a　mighty　howling　and　a　din　of　men。

When　Umslopogaas　had　shut　the　cave；　he　moved　swiftly　down　the
mountain；　and　with　him　went　certain　of　the　wolves；　not　all；　for　he　had
not　summoned　them。　His　heart　was　heavy；　for　he　feared　that　Galazi　was
no　more。　Also　he　was　mad　with　rage；　and　plotted　in　himself　to　destroy
the　Slayers　of　the　king；　every　man　of　them；　but　first　he　must　learn
what　they　would　do。　Presently；　as　he　wended；　he　heard　a　long；　low　howl
far　away　in　the　forest；　then　he　rejoiced；　for　he　knew　the　callit　was
the　call　of　Galazi；　who　had　escaped　the　spears　of　the　Slayers。

Swiftly　he　ran；　calling　in　answer。　He　won　the　place。　There；　seated　on
a　stone；　resting　himself；　was　Galazi；　and　round　him　surged　the　numbers
of　the　Grey　People。　Umslopogaas　came　to　him　and　looked　at　him；　for　he
seemed　somewhat　weary。　There　were　flesh　wounds　on　his　great　breast　and
arms；　the　little　shield　was　well…nigh　hewn　to　strips；　and　the　Watcher
showed　signs　of　war。

〃How　went　it；　brother？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。

〃Not　so　ill；　but　all　those　who　stood　with　me　in　the　way　are　dead；　and
with　them　a　few　of　the　foe。　I　alone　am　fled　like　a　coward。　They　came
on　us　thrice；　but　we　held　them　back　till　the　Lily　was　safe；　then；　all
our　men　being　down；　I　ran；　Umslopogaas；　and　swam　the　torrent；　for　I
was　minded　to　die　here　in　my　own　place。〃

Now；　though　he　said　little　of　it；　I　must　tell　you；　my　father；　that
Galazi　had　made　a　great　slaughter　there　in　the　neck　of　the　donga。
Afterwards　I　counted　the　slain；　and　they　were　many；　the　nine　men　of
the　People　of　the　Axe　were　hidden　in　them。

〃Perhaps　it　shall　be　the　Slayers　who　die；　brother。〃

〃Perhaps；　at　least；　there　shall　be　death　for　some。　Still　it　is　in　my
mind；　Slaughterer；　that　our　brotherhood　draws　to　an　end；　for　the　fate
of　him　who　bears　the　Watcher；　and　which　my　father　foretold；　is　upon
me。　If　so；　farewell。　While　it　lasted　our　friendship　has　been　good；　and
its　ending　shall　be　good。　Moreover；　it　would　have　endured　for　many　a
year　to　come　had　you　not　sought；　Slaughterer；　to　make　good　better；　and
to　complete　our　joy　of　fellowship　and　war　with　the　love　of　women。　From
that　source　flow　these　ills；　as　a　river　from　a　spring；　but　so　it　was
fated。　If　I　fall　in　this　fray　may　you　yet　live　on　to　fight　in　many
another；　and　at　the　last　to　die　gloriously　with　axe　aloft；　and　may　you
find　a　brisker　man　and　a　better　Watcher　to　serve　you　in　your　need。
Should　you　fall　and　I　live　on；　I　promise　this：　I　will　avenge　you　to
the　last　and　guard　the　Lily　whom　you　love；　offering　her　comfort；　but
no　more。　Now　the　foe　draws　on；　they　have　travelled　round　about　by　the
ford；　for　they　dared　not　face　the　torrent；　and　they　cried　to　me　that
they　are　sworn　to　slay　us　or　be　slain；　as　Dingaan；　the　king；
commanded。　So　the　fighting　will　be　of　the　best；　if；　indeed；　they　do
not　run　before　the　fangs　of　the　Grey　People。　Now；　Chief；　speak　your
word　that　I　may　obey　it。〃

Thus　Galazi　spoke　in　the　circle　of　the　wolves；　while　Umslopogaas
leaned　upon　his　Axe　Groan…Maker；　and　listened　to　him；　ay；　and　wept　as
he　listened；　for　after　the　Lily　and　me；　Mopo；　he　loved　Galazi　most
dearly　of　all　who　lived。　Then　he　answered：

〃Were　it　not　for　one　in　the　cave　above；　who　is　helpless　and　tender；　I
would　swear　to　you；　Wolf；　that　if　you　fall；　on　your　carcase　I　will
die；　and　I　do　swear　that；　should　you　fall；　while　I　live　Groan…Maker
shall　be　busy　from　year　to　year　till　every　man　of　yonder　impi　is　as
you　are。　Perchance　I　did　ill；　Galazi；　when　first　I　hearkened　to　the
words　of　Zinita　and　suffered　women　to　come　between　us。　May　we　one　day
find　a　land　where　there　are　no　women；　and　war　only；　for　in　that　land
we　shall　grow　great。　But　now；　at　the　least；　we　will　make　a　good　end　to
this　fellowship；　and　the　Grey　People　shall　fight　their　fill；　and　the
old　Witch　who　sits　aloft　waiting　for　the　world　to　die　shall　smile　to
see　that　fight；　if　she　never　smiled　before。　This　is　my　word：　that　we
fall　upon　the　men　of　Dingaan　twice；　once　in　the　glade　of　the　forest
whither　they　will　come　presently；　and；　if　we　are　beaten　back；　then　we
must　stand　for　the　last　time　on　the　knees　of　the　Witch　in　front　of　the
cave　where　Nada　is。　Say；　Wolf；　will　the　Grey　Folk　fight？〃

〃To　the　last；　brother；　so　long　as　one　is　left　to　lead　them；　after　that
I　do　not　know！　Still　they　have　only　fangs　to　set　against　spears。
Slaughterer；　your　plan　is　good。　Come；　I　am　rested。〃

So　they　rose　and　numbered　their　flock；　and　all　were　there；　though　it
was　not　as　it　had　been　years　ago　when　first　the　Wolf…Brethren　hunted
on　Ghost　Mountain；　for　many　of　the　wolves　had　died　by　men's　spears
when　they　harried　the　kraals　of　men；　and　no　young　were　born　to　them。
Then；　as　once　before；　the　pack　was　halved；　and　half；　the　she…wolves；
went　with　Umslopogaas；　and　half；　the　dog…wolves；　went　with　Galazi。

Now　they　passed　down　the　forest　paths　and　hid　in　the　tangle　of　the
thickets　at　the　head　of　the　darksome　glen；　one　on　each　side　of　the
glen。　Here　they　waited　till　they　heard　the　footfall　of　the　impi　of　the
king's　Slayers；　as　it　came　slowly　along　seeking　them。　In　front　of　the
impi　went　two　soldiers　watching　for　an　ambush；　and　these　two　men　were
the　same　who　had　talked　together　that　dawn　when　Galazi　sprang　between
them。　Now　also　they　spoke　as　they　peered　this　way　and　that；　then；
seeing　nothing；　stood　awhile　in　the　mouth　of　the　glen　waiting　the
coming　of　their　company；　and　their　words　came　to　the　ears　of
Umslopogaas。

〃An　awful　place　this；　my　brother；〃　said　one。　〃A　place　full　of　ghosts
and　strange　sounds；　of　hands　that　seem　to　press　us　back；　and　whinings
as　of　invisible　wolves。　It　is　named　Ghost　Mountain；　and　well　named。
Would　that　the　king　had　found　other　business　for　us　than　the　slaying
of　these　sorcerersfor　they　are　sorcerers　indeed；　and　this　is　the
home　of　their　sorceries。　Tell　me；　brother；　what　was　that　which　leaped
between　us　this　morning　in　the　dark！　I　say　it　was　a　wizard。　Wow！　they
are　all　wizards。　Could　any　who　was　but　a　man　have　done　the　deeds　which
he　who　is　named　the　Wolf　wrought　down　by　the　river　yonder；　and　then
have　escaped？　Had　the　Axe　but　stayed　with　the　Club　they　would　have
eaten　up　our　impi。〃

〃The　Axe　had　a　woman　to　watch；〃　laughed　the　other。　〃Yes；　it　is　true
this　is　a　place　of　wizards　and　evil　things。　Methinks　I　see　the　red
eyes　of　the　Esedowana　glaring　at　us　through　the　dark　of　the　trees　and
smell　their　smell。　Yet　these　wizards　must　be　caught；　for　know　this；　my
brother：　if　we　return　to　Umgugundhlovu　with　the　king's　command　undone；
then　there　are　stakes　hardening　in　the　fire　of　which　we　shall　taste
the　point。　If　we　are　all　killed　in　the　catching；　and　some；　it　seems；
are　missing　already；　yet　they　must　be　caught。　Say；　my　brother；　shall
we　draw　on？　The　impi　is　nigh。　Would　that　Faku；　our　captain　yonder；
might　find　two　others　to　take　our　place；　for　in　this　thicket　I　had
rather　run　last　than　first。　Well；　here　leads　the　spoora　wondrous
mass　of　wolf…spoor　mixed　with　the　footprints　of　men；　perhaps　they　are
sometimes　the　one　and　sometimes　the　otherwho　knows；　my　brother？　It
is　a　land　of　ghosts　and　wizards。　Let　us　on！　Let　us　on！〃

Now　all　this　while　the　Wolf…Brethren　had　much　ado　to　keep　their　people
quiet；　for　their　mouths　watered　and　their　eyes　shone　at　the　sight　of
the　men；　and　at　length　it　could　be　done　no　more；　for　with　a　howl　a
single　she…wolf　rushed　from　her　laid　and　leapt　at　the　throat　of　the
man　who　spoke；　nor　did　she　miss　her　grip。　Down　went　wolf　and　man；
rolling　together　on　the　ground；　and　there　they　killed　each　other。

〃The　Esedowana！　the　Esedowana　are　upon　us！〃　cried　the　other　scout；
and；　turning；　fled　towards　the　impi。　But　he　never　reached　it；　for　with
fearful　howlings　the　ghost…wolves　broke　their　cover　and　rushed　on　him
from　the　right　and　the　left；　and　lo！　there　was　nothing　of　him　left
except　his　spear　alone。

Now　a　low　cry　of　fear　rose　from　the　impi；　and　some　turned　to　fly；　but
Faku；　the　captain；　a　great　and　brave　man；　shouted　to　them；　〃Stand
firm；　children　of　the　king；　stand　firm；　these　are　no　Esedowana；　these
are　but　the　Wolf…Brethren　and　their　pack。　What！　will　ye　run　from　dogs；
ye　who　have　laughed　at　the　spears　of　men？　Ring　round！　Stand　fast！〃

The　soldiers　heard　the　voice　of　their　captain；　and　they　obe