nada the lily(百合娜达)-第73章

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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　forever。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIV

THE　LILY'S　FAREWELL

Umslopogaas　listened；　but　he　made　no　answer　to　the　words　of　Faku　the
captain；　though　he　liked　them　well；　for　he　would　not　waste　his　breath
in　talking；　and　the　light　grew　low。

〃I　am　ready；　Man　of　Dingaan；〃　he　said；　and　lifted　his　axe。

Now　for　awhile　the　two　circled　round　and　round；　each　waiting　for　a
chance　to　strike。　Presently　Faku　smote　at　the　head　of　Umslopogaas；　but
the　Slaughterer　lifted　Groan…Maker　to　ward　the　blow。　Faku　crooked　his
arm　and　let　the　axe　curl　downwards；　so　that　its　keen　edge　smote
Umslopogaas　upon　the　head；　severing　his　man's　ring　and　the　scalp
beneath。

Made　mad　with　the　pain；　the　Slaughterer　awoke；　as　it　were。　He　grasped
Groan…maker　with　both　hands　and　struck　thrice。　The　first　blow　hewed
away　the　plumes　and　shield　of　Faku；　and　drive　him　back　a　spear's
length；　the　second　missed　its　aim；　the　third　and　mightiest　twisted　in
his　wet　hands；　so　that　the　axe　smote　sideways。　Nevertheless；　it　fell
full　on　the　breast　of　the　captain　Faku；　shattering　his　bones；　and
sweeping　him　from　the　ledge　of　rock　on　to　the　slope　beneath；　where　he
lay　still。

〃It　is　finished　with　the　daylight；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　smiling　grimly。
〃Now；　Dingaan；　send　more　Slayers　to　seek　your　slain；〃　and　he　turned　to
find　Nada　in　the　cave。

But　Faku　the　captain　was　not　yet　dead；　though　he　was　hurt　to　death。　He
sat　up；　and　with　his　last　strength　he　hurled　the　axe　in　his　hand　at
him　whose　might　had　prevailed　against　him。　The　axe　sped　true；　and
Umslopogaas　did　not　see　it　fly。　It　sped　true；　and　its　point　struck　him
on　the　left　temple；　driving　in　the　bone　and　making　a　great　hole。　Then
Faku　fell　back　dying；　and　Umslopogaas　threw　up　his　arms　and　dropped
like　an　ox　drops　beneath　the　blow　of　the　butcher；　and　lay　as　one　dead；
under　the　shadow　of　a　stone。

All　day　long　Nada　crouched　in　the　cave　listening　to　the　sounds　of　war
that　crept　faintly　up　the　mountain　side；　howling　of　wolves；　shouting
of　men；　and　the　clamour　of　iron　on　iron。　All　day　long　she　sat；　and　now
evening　came　apace；　and　the　noise　of　battle　drew　near；　swelled；　and
sank；　and　died　away。　She　heard　the　voices　of　the　Wolf…Brethren　as　they
called　to　each　other　like　bucks；　naming　the　number　of　the　slain。　She
heard　Galazi's　cry　of　〃Victory！〃　and　her　heart　leapt　to　it；　though　she
knew　that　there　was　death　in　the　cry。　Then　for　the　last　time　she　heard
the　faint　ringing　of　iron　on　iron；　and　the　light　went　out　and　all　grew
still。

All　grew　still　as　the　night。　There　came　no　more　shouting　of　men　and　no
more　clash　of　arms；　no　howlings　of　wolves；　no　cries　of　pain　or　triumph
all　was　quiet　as　death；　for　death　had　taken　all。

For　awhile　Nada　the　Lily　sat　in　the　dark　of　the　cave；　saying　to
herself；　〃Presently　he　will　come；　my　husband；　he　will　surely　come；　the
Slayers　are　slainhe　does　not　but　tarry　to　bind　his　wounds；　a
scratch；　perchance；　here　and　there。　Yes；　he　will　come；　and　it　is　well；
for　I　am　weary　of　my　loneliness；　and　this　place　is　grim　and　evil。〃

Thus　she　spoke　to　herself　in　hope；　but　nothing　came　except　the
silence。　Then　she　spoke　again；　and　her　voice　echoed　in　the　hollow
cave。　〃Now　I　will　be　bold；　I　will　fear　nothing；　I　will　push　aside　the
stone　and　go　out　to　find　him。　I　know　well　he　does　but　linger　to　tend
some　who　are　wounded；　perhaps　Galazi。　Doubtless　Galazi　is　wounded。　I
must　go　and　nurse　him；　though　he　never　loved　me；　and　I　do　not　love　him
overmuch　who　would　stand　between　me　and　my　husband。　This　wild　wolf…man
is　a　foe　to　women；　and；　most　of　all；　a　foe　to　me；　yet　I　will　be　kind
to　him。　Come；　I　will　go　at　once；〃　and　she　rose　and　pushed　at　the　rock。

Why；　what　was　this？　It　did　not　stir。　Then　she　remembered　that　she　had
pulled　it　beyond　the　socket　because　of　her　fear　of　the　wolf；　and　that
the　rock　had　slipped　a　little　way　down　the　neck　of　the　cave。
Umslopogaas　had　told　her　that　she　must　not　do　this；　and　she　had
forgotten　his　words　in　her　foolishness。　Perhaps　she　could　move　the
stone；　no；　not　by　the　breadth　of　a　grain　of　corn。　She　was　shut　in；
without　food　or　water；　and　here　she　must　bide　till　Umslopogaas　came。
And　if　he　did　not　come？　Then　she　must　surely　die。

Now　she　shrieked　aloud　in　her　fear；　calling　on　the　name　of
Umslopogaas。　The　walls　of　the　cave　answered　〃Umslopogaas！
Umslopogaas！〃　and　that　was　all。

Afterwards　madness　fell　upon　Nada；　my　daughter；　and　she　lay　in　the
cave　for　days　and　nights；　nor　knew　ever　how　long　she　lay。　And　with　her
madness　came　visions；　for　she　dreamed　that　the　dead　One　whom　Galazi
had　told　her　of　sat　once　more　aloft　in　his　niche　at　the　end　of　the
cave　and　spoke　to　her；　saying：

〃Galazi　is　dead！　The　fate　of　him　who　bears　the　Watcher　has　fallen　on
him。　Dead　are　the　ghost…wolves；　I　also　am　of　hunger　in　this　cave；　and
as　I　died　so　shall　you　die；　Nada　the　Lily！　Nada；　Star　of　Death！
because　of　whose　beauty　and　foolishness　all　this　death　has　come
about。〃

This　is　seemed　to　Nada；　in　her　madness；　that　the　shadow　of　him　who　had
sat　in　the　niche　spoke　to　her　from　hour　to　hour。

It　seemed　to　Nada；　in　her　madness；　that　twice　the　light　shone　through
the　hole　by　the　rock；　and　that　was　day；　and　twice　it　went　out；　and
that　was　night。　A　third　time　the　ray　shone　and　died　away；　and　lo！　her
madness　left　her；　and　she　awoke　to　know　that　she　was　dying；　and　that　a
voice　she　loved　spoke　without　the　hole；　saying　in　hollow　accents：

〃Nada？　Do　you　still　live；　Nada？〃

〃Yea；〃　she　answered　hoarsely。　〃Water！　give　me　water！〃

Next　she　heard　a　sound　as　of　a　great　snake　dragging　itself　along
painfully。　A　while　passed；　then　a　trembling　hand　thrust　a　little　gourd
of　water　through　the　hole。　She　drank；　and　now　she　could　speak；　though
the　water　seemed　to　flow　through　her　veins　like　fire。

〃Is　it　indeed　you；　Umslopogaas？〃　she　said；　〃or　are　you　dead；　and　do　I
dream　of　you？〃

〃It　is　I；　Nada；〃　said　the　voice。　〃Hearken！　have　you　drawn　the　rock
home？〃

〃Alas！　yes；〃　she　answered。　〃Perhaps；　if　the　two　of　us　strive　at　it；　it
will　move。〃

〃Ay；　if　our　strength　were　what　it　wasbut　now！　Still；　let　us　try。〃

So　they　strove　with　a　rock；　but　the　two　of　them　together　had　not　the
strength　of　a　girl；　and　it　would　not　stir。

〃Give　over；　Umslopogaas；〃　said　Nada；　〃we　do　but　waste　the　time　that　is
left　to　me。　Let　us　talk！〃

For　awhile　there　was　no　answer；　for　Umslopogaas　had　fainted；　and　Nada
beat　her　breast；　thinking　that　he　was　dead。

Presently　he　spoke；　however；　saying；　〃It　may　not　be；　we　must　perish
here；　one　on　each　side　of　the　stone；　not　seeing　the　other's　face；　for
my　might　is　as　water；　nor　can　I　stand　upon　my　feet　to　go　and　seek　for
food。〃

〃Are　you　wounded；　Umslopogaas？〃　asked　Nada。

〃Ay；　Nada；　I　am　pierced　to　the　brain　with　the　point　of　an　axe；　no　fair
stroke；　the　captain　of　Dingaan　hurled　it　at　me　when　I　thought　him
dead；　and　I　fell。　I　do　not　know　how　long　I　have　lain　yonder　under　the
shadow　of　the　rock；　but　it　must　be　long；　for　my　limbs　are　wasted；　and
those　who　fell　in　the　fray　are　picked　clean　by　the　vultures；　all
except　Galazi；　for　the　old　wolf　Deathgrip　lies　on　his　breast　dying；
but　not　dead；　licking　my　brother's　wounds；　and　scares　the　fowls　away。
It　was　the　beak　of　a　vulture；　who　had　smelt　me　out　at　last；　that　woke
me　from　my　sleep　beneath　the　stone；　Nada；　and　I　crept　hither。　Would
that　he　had　not　awakened　me；　would　that　I　had　died　as　I　lay；　rather
than　lived　a　little　while　till　you　perish　thus；　like　a　trapped　fox；
Nada；　and　presently　I　follow　you。〃

〃It　is　hard　to　die　so；　Umslopogaas；〃　she　answered；　〃I　who　am　yet　young
and　fair；　who　love　you；　and　hoped　to　give　you　children；　but　so　it　has
come　about；　and　it　may　not　be　put　away。　I　am　well…nigh　sped；　husband；
horror　and　fear　have　conquered　me；　my　strength　fails；　but　I　suffer
little。　Let　us　talk　no　more　of　death；　let　us　rather　speak　of　our
childhood；　when　we　wandered　hand　in　hand；　let　us　talk　also　of　our
love；　and　of　the　happy　hours　that　we　have　spent　since　your　great　axe
rang　upon　the　rock　in　the　Halakazi　caves；　and　my　fear　told　you　the
secret　of　my　womanhood。　See；　I　thrust　my　hand　through　the　hole；　can
you　not　kiss　it；　Umslopogaas？〃

Now　U