nada the lily(百合娜达)-第74章

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you　not　kiss　it；　Umslopogaas？〃

Now　Umslopogaas　stooped　his　shattered　head；　and　kissed　the　Lily's
little　hand；　then　he　held　it　in　his　own；　and　so　they　sat　till　the　end
he　without；　resting　his　back　against　the　rock；　she　within；　lying　on
her　side；　her　arm　stretched　through　the　little　hole。　They　spoke　of
their　love；　and　tried　to　forget　their　sorrow　in　it；　he　told　her　also
of　the　fray　which　had　been　and　how　it　went。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃that　was　Zinita's　work；　Zinita　who　hated　me；　and
justly。　Doubtless　she　set　Dingaan　on　this　path。〃

〃A　little　while　gone；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas；　〃and　I　hoped　that　your　last
breath　and　mine　might　pass　together；　Nada；　and　that　we　might　go
together　to　seek　great　Galazi；　my　brother；　where　he　is。　Now　I　hope
that　help　will　find　me；　and　that　I　may　live　a　little　while；　because　of
a　certain　vengeance　which　I　would　wreak。〃

〃Speak　not　of　vengeance；　husband；〃　she　answered；　〃I；　too；　am　near　to
that　land　where　the　Slayer　and　the　Slain；　the　Shedder　of　Blood　and　the
Avenger　of　Blood　are　lost　in　the　same　darkness。　I　would　die　with　love；
and　love　only；　in　my　heart；　and　your　name；　and　yours　only；　on　my　lips；
so　that　if　anywhere　we　live　again　it　shall　be　ready　to　spring　forth　to
greet　you。　Yet；　husband；　it　is　in　my　heart　that　you　will　not　go　with
me；　but　that　you　shall　live　on　to　die　the　greatest　of　deaths　far　away
from　here；　and　because　of　another　woman。　It　seems　that；　as　I　lay　in
the　dark　of　this　cave；　I　saw　you；　Umslopogaas；　a　great　man；　gaunt　and
grey；　stricken　to　the　death；　and　the　axe　Groan…maker　wavering　aloft；
and　many　a　man　dead　upon　a　white　and　shimmering　way；　and　about　you　the
fair　faces　of　white　women；　and　you　had　a　hole　in　your　forehead；
husband；　on　the　left　side。〃

〃That　is　like　to　be　true；　if　I　live；〃　he　answered；　〃for　the　bone　of　my
temple　is　shattered。〃

Now　Nada　ceased　speaking；　and　for　a　long　while　was　silent；　Umslopogaas
was　also　silent　and　torn　with　pain　and　sorrow　because　he　must　lose　the
Lily　thus；　and　she　must　die　so　wretchedly；　for　one　reason　only；　that
the　cast　of　Faku　had　robbed　him　of　his　strength。　Alas！　he　who　had　done
many　deeds　might　not　save　her　now；　he　could　scarcely　hold　himself
upright　against　the　rock。　He　thought　of　it；　and　the　tears　flowed　down
his　face　and　fell　on　to　the　hand　of　the　Lily。　She　felt　them　fall　and
spoke。

〃Weep　not；　my　husband；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　been　all　too　ill　a　wife　to
you。　Do　not　mourn　for　me；　yet　remember　that　I　loved　you　well。〃　And
again　she　was　silent　for　a　long　space。

Then　she　spoke　and　for　the　last　time　of　all；　and　her　voice　came　in　a
gasping　whisper　through　the　hole　in　the　rock：

〃Farewell；　Umslopogaas；　my　husband　and　my　brother；　I　thank　you　for
your　love；　Umslopogaas。　Ah！　I　die！〃

Umslopogaas　could　make　no　answer；　only　he　watched　the　little　hand　he
held。　Twice　it　opened；　twice　it　closed　upon　his　own；　then　it　opened
for　the　third　time；　turned　grey；　quivered；　and　was　still　forever！

Now　it　was　at　the　hour　of　dawn　that　Nada　died。



CHAPTER　XXXV

THE　VENGEANCE　OF　MOPO　AND　HIS　FOSTERLING

It　chanced　that　on　this　day　of　Nada's　death　and　at　that　same　hour　of
dawn　I；　Mopo；　came　from　my　mission　back　to　the　kraal　of　the　People　of
the　Axe；　having　succeeded　in　my　end；　for　that　great　chief　whom　I　had
gone　out　to　visit　had　hearkened　to　my　words。　As　the　light　broke　I
reached　the　town；　and　lo！　it　was　a　blackness　and　a　desolation。

〃Here　is　the　footmark　of　Dingaan；〃　I　said　to　myself；　and　walked　to　and
fro；　groaning　heavily。　Presently　I　found　a　knot　of　men　who　were　of　the
people　that　had　escaped　the　slaughter；　hiding　in　the　mealie…fields
lest　the　Slayers　should　return；　and　from　them　I　drew　the　story。　I
listened　in　silence；　for；　my　father；　I　was　grown　old　in　misfortune；
then　I　asked　where　were　the　Slayers　of　the　king？　They　replied　that
they　did　not　know；　the　soldiers　had　gone　up　the　Ghost　Mountain　after
the　Wolf…Brethren　and　Nada　the　Lily；　and　from　the　forest　had　come　a
howling　of　beasts　and　sounds　of　war；　then　there　was　silence；　and　none
had　been　seen　to　return　from　the　mountain；　only　all　day　long　the
vultures　hung　over　it。

〃Let　us　go　up　the　mountain；〃　I　said。

At　first　they　feared；　because　of　the　evil　name　of　the　place；　but　in
the　end　they　came　with　me；　and　we　followed　on　the　path　of　the　impi　of
the　Slayers　and　guessed　all　that　had　befallen　it。　At　length　we　reached
the　knees　of　stone；　and　saw　the　place　of　the　great　fight　of　the　Wolf…
Brethren。　All　those　who　had　taken　part　in　that　fight　were　now　but
bones；　because　the　vultures　had　picked　them　every　one；　except　Galazi；
for　on　the　breast　of　Galazi　lay　the　old　wolf　Deathgrip；　that　was　yet
alive。　I　drew　near　the　body；　and　the　great　wolf　struggled　to　his　feet
and　ran　at　me　with　bristling　hair　and　open　jaws；　from　which　no　sound
came。　Then；　being　spent；　he　rolled　over　dead。

Now　I　looked　round　seeking　the　axe　Groan…Maker　among　the　bones　of　the
slain；　and　did　not　find　it　and　the　hope　came　into　my　heart　that
Umslopogaas　had　escaped　the　slaughter。　Then　we　went　on　in　silence　to
where　I　knew　the　cave　must　be；　and　there　by　its　mouth　lay　the　body　of
a　man。　I　ran　to　itit　was　Umslopogaas；　wasted　with　hunger；　and　in　his
temple　was　a　great　wound　and　on　his　breast　and　limbs　were　many　other
wounds。　Moreover；　in　his　hand　he　held　another　handa　dead　hand；　that
was　thrust　through　a　hole　in　the　rock。　I　knew　its　shape　wellit　was
the　little　hand　of　my　child；　Nada　the　Lily。

Now　I　understood；　and；　bending　down；　I　felt　the　heart　of　Umslopogaas；
and　laid　the　down　of　an　eagle　upon　his　lips。　His　heart　still　stirred
and　the　down　was　lifted　gently。

I　bade　those　with　me　drag　the　stone；　and　they　did　so　with　toil。　Now
the　light　flowed　into　the　cave；　and　by　it　we　saw　the　shape　of　Nada　my
daughter。　She　was　somewhat　wasted；　but　still　very　beautiful　in　her
death。　I　felt　her　heart　also：　it　was　still；　and　her　breast　grew　cold。

Then　I　spoke：　〃The　dead　to　the　dead。　Let　us　tend　the　living。〃

So　we　bore　in　Umslopogaas；　and　I　caused　broth　to　be　made　and　poured　it
down　his　throat；　also　I　cleansed　his　great　wound　and　bound　healing
herbs　upon　it；　plying　all　my　skill。　Well　I　knew　the　arts　of　healing；
my　father；　I　who　was　the　first　of　the　izinyanga　of　medicine；　and；　had
it　not　been　for　my　craft；　Umslopogaas　had　never　lived；　for　he　was　very
near　his　end。　Still；　there　where　he　had　once　been　nursed　by　Galazi　the
Wolf；　I　brought　him　back　to　life。　It　was　three　days　till　he　spoke；
and；　before　his　sense　returned　to　him；　I　caused　a　great　hole　to　be　dug
in　the　floor　of　the　cave。　And　there；　in　the　hole；　I　buried　Nada　my
daughter；　and　we　heaped　lily　blooms　upon　her　to　keep　the　earth　from
her；　and　then　closed　in　her　grave；　for　I　was　not　minded　that
Umslopogaas　should　look　upon　her　dead；　lest　he　also　should　die　from
the　sight；　and　because　of　his　desire　to　follow　her。　Also　I　buried
Galazi　the　Wolf　in　the　cave；　and　set　the　Watcher　in　his　hand；　and
there　they　both　sleep　who　are　friends　at　last；　the　Lily　and　the　Wolf
together。　Ah！　when　shall　there　be　such　another　man　and　such　another
maid？

At　length　on　the　third　day　Umslopogaas　spoke；　asking　for　Nada。　I
pointed　to　the　earth；　and　he　remembered　and　understood。　Thereafter　the
strength　of　Umslopogaas　gathered　on　him　slowly；　and　the　hole　in　his
skull　skinned　over。　But　now　his　hair　was　grizzled；　and　he　scarcely
smiled　again；　but　grew　even　more　grim　and　stern　than　he　had　been
before。

Soon　we　learned　all　the　truth　about　Zinita；　for　the　women　and　children
came　back　to　the　town　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　only　Zinita　and　the
children　of　Umslopogaas　did　not　come　back。　Also　a　spy　reached　me　from
the　Mahlabatine　and　told　me　of　the　end　of　Zinita　and　of　the　flight　of
Dingaan　before　the　Boers。

Now　when　Umslopogaas　had　recovered；　I　asked　him　what　he　would　do；　and
whether　or　not　I　should　pursue　my　plots　to　make　him　king　of　the　land。

But　Umslopogaas　shook　his　head；　saying　that　he　had　no　heart　that　way。
He　would　destroy　a　king　indeed；　but　now　he　no　longer　desired　to　be　a
king。　He　sought　revenge　alone。　I　said　that　it　was　well；　I　also　sought
vengeance；　and　seeking　together　we　would　find　it。

Now；　my　father；　there　is　much　more　to　tell；　but　shall　I　tell　it？　The
snow　has　melted；　your　cattle　have　been　found　where　I　tol