nada the lily(百合娜达)-第72章

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ye　who　have　laughed　at　the　spears　of　men？　Ring　round！　Stand　fast！〃

The　soldiers　heard　the　voice　of　their　captain；　and　they　obeyed　his
voice；　forming　a　double　circle；　a　ring　within　a　ring。　They　looked　to
the　right；　there；　Groan…Maker　aloft；　the　wolf　fangs　on　his　brow；　the
worn　wolf…hide　streaming　on　the　wind；　Bulalio　rushed　upon　them　like　a
storm；　and　with　him　came　his　red…eyed　company。　They　looked　to　the　left
ah；　well　they　know　that　mighty　Watcher！　Have　they　not　heard　his
strokes　down　by　the　river；　and　well　they　know　the　giant　who　wields　it
like　a　wand；　the　Wolf　King；　with　the　strength　of　ten！　Wow！　They　are
here！　See　the　people　black　and　grey；　hear　them　howl　their　war…chant！
Look　how　they　leap　like　waterleap　in　a　foam　of　fangs　against　the
hedge　of　spears！　The　circle　is　broken；　Groan…Maker　has　broken　it！　Ha！
Galazi　also　is　through　the　double　ring；　now　must　men　stand　back　to
back　or　perish！

How　long　did　it　last？　Who　can　say？　Time　flies　fast　when　blows　fall
thick。　At　length　the　brethren　are　beaten　back；　they　break　out　as　they
broke　in；　and　are　gone；　with　such　of　their　wolf…folk　as　were　left
alive。　Yet　that　impi　was　somewhat　the　worse；　but　one…third　of　those
lived　who　looked　on　the　sun　without　the　forest；　the　rest　lay　smitten；
torn；　mangled；　dead；　hidden　under　the　heaps　of　bodies　of　wild　beasts。

〃Now　this　is　a　battle　of　evil　spirits　that　live　in　the　shapes　of
wolves；　and　as　for　the　Wolf…Brethren；　they　are　sorcerers　of　the
rarest；〃　said　Faku　the　captain；　〃and　such　sorcerers　I　love；　for　they
fight　furiously。　Yet　I　will　slay　them　or　be　slain。　At　the　least；　if
there　be　few　of　us　left；　the　most　of　the　wolves　are　dead　also；　and　the
arms　of　the　wizards　grow　weary。〃

So　he　moved　forward　up　the　mountain　with　those　of　the　soldiers　who
remained；　and　all　the　way　the　wolves　harried　them；　pulling　down　a　man
here　and　a　man　there；　but　though　they　heard　and　saw　them　cheering　on
their　pack　the　Wolf…Brethren　attacked　them　no　more；　for　they　saved
their　strength　for　the　last　fight　of　all。

The　road　was　long　up　the　mountain；　and　the　soldiers　knew　little　of　the
path；　and　ever　the　ghost…wolves　harried　on　their　flanks。　So　it　was
evening　before　they　came　to　the　feet　of　the　stone　Witch；　and　began　to
climb　to　the　platform　of　her　knees。　There；　on　her　knees　as　it　were；
they　saw　the　Wolf…Brethren　standing　side　by　side；　such　a　pair　as　were
not　elsewhere　in　the　world；　and　they　seemed　afire；　for　the　sunset　beat
upon　them；　and　the　wolves　crept　round　their　feet；　red　with　blood　and
fire。

〃A　glorious　pair！〃　quoth　great　Faku；　〃would　that　I　fought　with　them
rather　than　against　them！　Yet；　they　must　die！〃　Then　he　began　to　climb
to　the　knees　of　the　Witch。

Now　Umslopogaas　glanced　up　at　the　stone　face　of　her　who　sat　aloft；　and
it　was　alight　with　the　sunset。

〃Said　I　not　that　the　old　Witch　should　smile　at　this　fray？〃　he　cried。
〃Lo！　she　smiles！　Up；　Galazi；　let　us　spend　the　remnant　of　our　people　on
the　foe；　and　fight　this　fight　out；　man　to　man；　with　no　beast　to　spoil
it！　Ho！　Blood　and　Greysnout！　ho！　Deathgrip！　ho！　wood…dwellers　grey　and
black；　at　them；　my　children！〃

The　wolves　heard；　they　were　few　and　they　were　sorry　to　see；　with
weariness　and　wounds；　but　still　they　were　fierce。　With　a　howl；　for　the
last　time　they　leaped　down　upon　the　foe；　tearing；　harrying；　and
killing　till　they　themselves　were　dead　by　the　spear；　every　one　of　them
except　Deathgrip；　who　crept　back　sorely　wounded　to　die　with　Galazi。

〃Now　I　am　a　chief　without　a　people；〃　cried　Galazi。　〃Well；　it　has　been
my　lot　in　life。　So　it　was　in　the　Halakazi　kraals；　so　it　is　on　Ghost
Mountain　at　the　last；　and　so　also　shall　it　be　even　for　the　greatest
kings　when　they　come　to　their　ends；　seeing　that　they；　too；　must　die
alone。　Say；　Slaughterer；　choose　where　you　will　stand；　to　the　left　or
to　the　right。〃

Now；　my　father；　the　track　below　separated；　because　of　a　boulder；　and
there　were　two　little　paths　which　led　to　the　platform　of　the　Witch's
knees　with；　perhaps；　ten　paces　between　them。　Umslopogaas　guarded　the
left…hand　path　and　Galazi　took　the　right。　Then　they　waited；　having
spears　in　their　hands。　Presently　the　soldiers　came　round　the　rock　and
rushed　up　against　them；　some　on　one　path　and　some　on　the　other。

Then　the　brethren　hurled　their　spears　at　them　and　killed　three　men。
Now　the　assegais　were　done；　and　the　foe　was　on　them。　Umslopogaas　bends
forward；　his　long　arm　shoots　out；　the　axe　gleams；　and　a　man　who　came
on　falls　back。

〃One！〃　cries　Umslopogaas。

〃One；　my　brother！〃　answers　Galazi；　as　he　draws　back　the　Watcher　from
his　blow。

A　soldier　rushes　forward；　singing。　To　and　fro　he　moves　in　front　of
Umslopogaas；　his　spear　poised　to　strike。　Groan…Maker　swoops　down；　but
the　man　leaps　back；　the　blow　misses；　and　the　Slaughterer's　guard　is
down。

〃A　poor　stroke；　Sorcerer！〃　cries　the　man　as　he　rushes　in　to　stab　him。
Lo！　the　axe　wheels　in　the　air；　it　circles　swiftly　low　down　by　the
ground；　it　smites　upward。　Before　the　spearsman　can　strike　the　horn　of
Groan…Maker　has　sped　from　chin　to　brain。

〃But　a　good　return；　fool！〃　says　Umslopogaas。

〃Two！〃　cries　Galazi；　from　the　right。

〃Two！　my　brother；〃　answers　Umslopogaas。

Again　two　men　come　on；　one　against　each；　to　find　no　better　luck。　The
cry　of　〃Three！〃　passes　from　brother　to　brother；　and　after　it　rises　the
cry　of　〃Four！〃

Now　Faku　bids　the　men　who　are　left　to　hold　their　shields　together　and
push　the　two　from　the　mouths　of　the　paths；　and　this　they　do；　losing
four　more　men　at　the　hands　of　the　brethren　before　it　is　done。

〃Now　we　are　on　the　open！　Ring　them　round　and　down　with　them！〃　cries
Faku。

But　who　shall　ring　round　Groan…Maker　that　shines　on　all　sides　at　once；
Groan…Maker　who　falls　heavily　no　more；　but　pecks　and　pecks　and　pecks
like　a　wood…bird　on　a　tree；　and　never　pecks　in　vain？　Who　shall　ring
round　those　feet　swifter　than　the　Sassaby　of　the　plains？　Wow！　He　is
here！　He　is　there！　He　is　a　sorcerer！　Death　is　in　his　hand；　and　death
looks　out　of　his　eyes！

Galazi　lives　yet；　for　still　there　comes　the　sound　of　the　Watcher　as　it
thunders　on　the　shields；　and　the　Wolf's　hoarse　cry　of　the　number　of
the　slain。　He　has　a　score　of　wounds；　yet　he　fights　on！　his　leg　is
almost　hewn　from　him　with　an　axe；　yet　he　fights　on！　His　back　is
pierced　again　and　again；　yet　he　fights　on！　But　two　are　left　alive
before　him；　one　twists　round　and　spears　him　from　behind。　He　heeds　it
not；　but　smites　down　the　foe　in　front。　Then　he　turns　and；　whirling　the
Watcher　on　high；　brings　him　down　for　the　last　time；　and　so　mightily
that　the　man　before　him　is　crushed　like　an　egg。

Galazi　brushes　the　blood　from　his　eyes　and　glares　round　on　the　dead。
〃All！　Slaughterer；〃　he　cries。

〃All　save　two；　my　brother；〃　comes　the　answer；　sounding　above　the　clash
of　steel　and　the　sound　of　smitten　shields。

Now　the　Wolf　would　come　to　him；　but　cannot；　for　his　life　ebbs。

〃Fare　you　well；　my　brother！　Death　is　good！　Thus；　indeed；　I　would　die；
for　I　have　made　me　a　mat　of　men　to　lie　on；〃　he　cried　with　a　great
voice。

〃Fare　you　well！　Sleep　softly；　Wolf！〃　came　the　answer。　〃All　save　one！〃

Now　Galazi　fell　dying　on　the　dead；　but　he　was　not　altogether　gone；　for
he　still　spoke。　〃All　save　one！　Ha！　ha！　ill　for　that　one　then　when
Groan…Maker　yet　is　up。　It　is　well　to　have　lived　so　to　die。　Victory！
Victory！〃

And　Galazi　the　Wolf　struggled　to　his　knees　and　for　the　last　time　shook
the　Watcher　about　his　head；　then　fell　again　and　died。

Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Chaka；　and　Faku；　the　captain　of　Dingaan；　gazed
on　each　other。　They　alone　were　left　standing　upon　the　mountain；　for
the　rest　were　all　down。　Umslopogaas　had　many　wounds。　Faku　was　unhurt；
he　was　a　strong　man；　also　armed　with　an　axe。

Faku　laughed　aloud。　〃So　it　has　come　to　this；　Slaughterer；〃　he　said；
〃that　you　and　I　must　settle　whether　the　king's　word　be　done　or　no。
Well；　I　will　say　that　however　it　should　fall　out；　I　count　it　a　great
fortune　to　have　seen　this　fight；　and　the　highest　of　honours　to　have
had　to　do　with　two　such　warriors。　Rest　you　a　little；　Slaughterer；
before　we　close。　That　wolf…brother　of　yours　died　well；　and　if　it　is
given　me　to　conquer　in　this　bout；　I　will　tell　the　tale　of　his　end　from
kraal　to　kraal　throughout　the　land；　and　it　shall　be　a　tale　forev