nada the lily-第12章

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no　more　and　they　had　come　back！　What　then　was　there　now　left　for　him

to　do？　And　he　covered　his　face　with　his　blanket。　Then　the　soldiers

killed　them　all；　nearly　two　thousand　of　themkilled　them　with　taunts

and　jeers。



That　is　how　we　dealt　with　cowards　in　those　days；　my　father。　After

that；　one　Zulu　was　a　match　for　five　of　any　other　tribe。　If　ten　came

against　him；　still　he　did　not　turn　his　back。　〃Fight　and　fall；　but　fly

not；〃　that　was　our　watchword。　Never　again　while　Chaka　lived　did　a

conquered　force　pass　the　gates　of　the　king's　kraal。



That　fight　was　but　one　war　out　of　many。　With　every　moon　a　fresh　impi

started　to　wash　its　spears；　and　came　back　few　and　thin；　but　with

victory　and　countless　cattle。　Tribe　after　tribe　went　down　before　us。

Those　of　them　who　escaped　the　assegai　were　enrolled　into　fresh

regiments；　and　thus；　though　men　died　by　thousands　every　month；　yet　the

army　grew。　Soon　there　were　no　other　chiefs　left。　Umsuduka　fell；　and

after　him　Mancengeza。　Umzilikazi　was　driven　north；　Matiwane　was

stamped　flat。　Then　we　poured　into　this　land　of　Natal。　When　we　entered；

its　people　could　not　be　numbered。　When　we　left；　here　and　there　a　man

might　be　found　in　a　hole　in　the　earththat　was　all。　Men；　women；　and

children；　we　wiped　them　out；　the　land　was　clean　of　them。　Next　came　the

turn　of　U'Faku；　chief　of　the　Amapondos。　Ah！　where　is　U'faku　now？



And　so　it　went　on　and　on；　till　even　the　Zulus　were　weary　of　war　and

the　sharpest　assegais　grew　blunt。







CHAPTER　VI



THE　BIRTH　OF　UMSLOPOGAAS



This　was　the　rule　of　the　life　of　Chaka；　that　he　would　have　no

children；　though　he　had　many　wives。　Every　child　born　to　him　by　his

〃sisters〃　was　put　away　at　once。



〃What；　Mopo；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃shall　I　rear　up　children　to　put　me　to

the　assegai　when　they　grow　great？　They　call　me　tyrant。　Say；　how　do

those　chiefs　die　whom　men　name　tyrants？　They　die　at　the　hands　of　those

whom　they　have　bred。　Nay；　Mopo；　I　will　rule　for　my　life；　and　when　I

join　the　spirits　of　my　fathers　let　the　strongest　take　my　power　and　my

place！〃



Now　it　chanced　that　shortly　after　Chaka　had　spoken　thus；　my　sister

Baleka；　the　king's　wife；　fell　in　labour；　and　on　that　same　day　my　wife

Macropha　was　brought　to　bed　of　twins；　and　this　but　eight　days　after　my

second　wife；　Anadi；　had　given　birth　to　a　son。　You　ask；　my　father；　how

I　came　to　be　married；　seeing　that　Chaka　forbade　marriage　to　all　his

soldiers　till　they　were　in　middle　life　and　had　put　the　man's　ring　upon

their　heads。　It　was　a　boon　he　granted　me　as　inyanga　of　medicine；

saying　it　was　well　that　a　doctor　should　know　the　sicknesses　of　women

and　learn　how　to　cure　their　evil　tempers。　As　though；　my　father；　that

were　possible！



When　the　king　heard　that　Baleka　was　sick　he　did　not　kill　her　outright；

because　he　loved　her　a　little；　but　he　sent　for　me；　commanding　me　to

attend　her；　and　when　the　child　was　born　to　cause　its　body　to　be

brought　to　him；　according　to　custom；　so　that　he　might　be　sure　that　it

was　dead。　I　bent　to　the　earth　before　him；　and　went　to　do　his　bidding

with　a　heavy　heart；　for　was　not　Baleka　my　sister？　and　would　not　her

child　be　of　my　own　blood？　Still；　it　must　be　so；　for　Chaka's　whisper

was　as　the　shout　of　other　kings；　and；　if　we　dared　to　disobey；　then　our

lives　and　the　lives　of　all　in　our　kraals　would　answer　for　it。　Better

that　an　infant　should　die　than　that　we　should　become　food　for　jackals。

Presently　I　came　to　the　Emposeni；　the　place　of　the　king's　wives；　and

declared　the　king's　word　to　the　soldiers　on　guard。　They　lowered　their

assegais　and　let　me　pass；　and　I　entered　the　hut　of　Baleka。　In　it　were

others　of　the　king's　wives；　but　when　they　saw　me　they　rose　and　went

away；　for　it　was　not　lawful　that　they　should　stay　where　I　was。　Thus　I

was　left　alone　with　my　sister。



For　awhile　she　lay　silent；　and　I　did　not　speak；　though　I　saw　by　the

heaving　of　her　breast　that　she　was　weeping。



〃Hush；　little　one！〃　I　said　at　length；　〃your　sorrow　will　soon　be　done。〃



〃Nay；〃　she　answered；　lifting　her　head；　〃it　will　be　but　begun。　Oh；

cruel　man！　I　know　the　reason　of　your　coming。　You　come　to　murder　the

babe　that　shall　be　born　of　me。〃



〃It　is　the　king's　word；　woman。〃



〃It　is　the　king's　word；　and　what　is　the　king's　word？　Have　I；　then；

naught　to　say　in　this　matter？〃



〃It　is　the　king's　child；　woman。〃



〃It　is　the　king's　child；　and　it　is　not　also　my　child？　Must　my　babe　be

dragged　from　my　breast　and　be　strangled；　and　by　you；　Mopo？　Have　I　not

loved　you；　Mopo？　Did　I　not　flee　with　you　from　our　people　and　the

vengeance　of　our　father？　Do　you　know　that　not　two　moons　gone　the　king

was　wroth　with　you　because　he　fell　sick；　and　would　have　caused　you　to

be　slain　had　I　not　pleaded　for　you　and　called　his　oath　to　mind？　And

thus　you　pay　me：　you　come　to　kill　my　child；　my　first…born　child！〃



〃It　is　the　king's　word；　woman；〃　I　answered　sternly；　but　my　heart　was

split　in　two　within　me。



Then　Baleka　said　no　more；　but；　turning　her　face　to　the　wall　of　the

hut；　she　wept　and　groaned　bitterly。



Now；　as　she　wept　I　heard　a　stir　without　the　hut；　and　the　light　in　the

doorway　was　darkened。　A　woman　entered　alone。　I　looked　round　to　see　who

it　was；　then　fell　upon　the　ground　in　salutation；　for　before　me　was

Unandi；　mother　of　the　king；　who　was　named　〃Mother　of　the　Heavens；〃

that　same　lady　to　whom　my　mother　had　refused　the　milk。



〃Hail；　Mother　of　the　Heavens！〃　I　said。



〃Greeting；　Mopo；〃　she　answered。　〃Say；　why　does　Baleka　weep？　Is　it

because　the　sorrow　of　women　is　upon　her？〃



〃Ask　of　her；　great　chieftainess；〃　I　said。



Then　Baleka　spoke：　〃I　weep；　mother　of　a　king；　because　this　man；　who　is

my　brother；　has　come　from　him　who　is　my　lord　and　they　son；　to　murder

that　which　shall　be　born　of　me。　O　thou　whose　breasts　have　given　suck；

plead　for　me！　Thy　son　was　not　slain　at　birth。〃



〃Perhaps　it　were　well　if　he　had　been　so　slain；　Baleka；〃　said　Unandi；

〃then　had　many　another　man　lived　to　look　upon　the　sun　who　is　now

dead。〃



〃At　the　least；　as　an　infant　he　was　good　and　gentle；　and　thou　mightest

love　him；　Mother　of　the　Zulu。〃



〃Never；　Baleka！　As　a　babe　he　bit　my　breast　and　tore　my　hair；　as　the

man　is　so　was　the　babe。〃



〃Yet　may　his　child　be　otherwise；　Mother　of　the　Heavens！　Think；　thou

hast　no　grandson　to　comfort　thee　in　thy　age。　Wilt　thou；　then；　see　all

thy　stock　wither？　The　king；　our　lord；　lives　in　war。　He　too　may　die；

and　what　then？〃



〃Then　the　root　of　Senzangacona　is　still　green。　Has　the　king　no

brothers？〃



〃They　are　not　of　they　flesh；　mother。　What？　thou　dost　not　hearken！　Then

as　a　woman　to　woman　I　plead　with　thee。　Save　my　child　or　slay　me　with

my　child！〃



Now　the　heart　of　Unandi　grew　gentle；　and　she　was　moved　to　tears。



〃How　may　this　be　done；　Mopo？〃　she　said。　〃The　king　must　see　the　dead

infant；　and　if　he　suspect；　and　even　reeds　have　ears；　you　know　the

heart　of　Chaka　and　where　we　shall　lie　to…morrow。〃



〃Are　there　then　no　other　new…born　babes　in　Zululand？〃　said　Baleka；

sitting　up　and　speaking　in　a　whisper　like　the　hiss　of　a　snake。

〃Listen；　Mopo！　Is　not　your　wife　also　in　labour？　Now　hear　me；　Mother　of

the　Heavens；　and；　my　brother；　hear　me　also。　Do　not　think　to　play　with

me　in　this　matter。　I　will　save　my　child　or　you　twain　will　perish　with

it。　For　I　will　tell　the　king　that　you　came　to　me；　the　two　of　you；　and

whispered　plots　into　my　earplots　to　save　the　child　and　kill　the

king。　Now　choose；　and　swiftly！〃



She　sank　bank；　there　was　silence；　and　we　looked　one　upon　another。　Then

Unandi　spoke。



〃Give　me　your　hand；　Mopo；　and　swear　that　you　will　be　faithful　to　me　in

this　secret；　as　I　swear　to　you。　A　day　may　come　when　this　child　who　has

not　seen　the　light　rules　as　king　in　Zululand；　and　then　in　reward　you

shall　be　the　greatest　of　the　people；　the　king's　voice；　whisperer　in

the　king's　ear。　But　if　you　break　your　oath；　then　beware；　for　I　shall

not　die　alone！〃



〃I　swear；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；〃　I　answered。



〃It　is　well；　son　of　Makedama。〃



〃It　is　we