nada the lily-第25章

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till　I　am　dead；　for　no　man　may　look　four　times　on　the　Inkosazana　and

live。　Or　am　I　mad；　my　father；　and　did　I　weave　these　visions　from　the

woof　of　my　madness？　I　do　not　know；　but　it　is　true　that　I　seemed　to　see

them。



I　woke　when　the　sky　was　grey　with　the　morning　light；　it　was　the　pain

of　my　burnt　hand　that　aroused　me　from　my　sleep　or　from　my　stupor。　I

rose　shaking　the　ashes　from　me；　and　went　without　the　kraal　to　wash

away　their　defilement。　Then　I　returned；　and　sat　outside　the　gates　of

the　Emposeni；　waiting　till　the　king's　women；　whom　he　named　his

sisters；　should　come　to　draw　water　according　to　their　custom。　At　last

they　came；　and；　sitting　with　my　kaross　thrown　over　my　face　to　hide　it；

looked　for　the　passing　of　Baleka。　Presently　I　saw　her；　she　was　sad…

faced；　and　walked　slowly；　her　pitcher　on　her　head。　I　whispered　her

name；　and　she　drew　aside　behind　an　aloe　bush；　and；　making　pretence

that　her　foot　was　pierced　with　a　thorn；　she　lingered　till　the　other

women　had　gone　by。　Then　she　came　up　to　me；　and　we　greeted　one　another；

gazing　heavily　into　each　other's　eyes。



〃In　an　ill　day　did　I　hearken　to　you；　Baleka；〃　I　said；　〃to　you　and　to

the　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　and　save　your　child　alive。　See　now　what　has

sprung　from　this　seed！　Dead　are　all　my　house；　dead　is　the　Mother　of

the　Heavensall　are　deadand　I　myself　have　been　put　to　the　torment

by　fire；〃　and　I　held　out　my　withered　hand　towards　her。



〃Ay；　Mopo；　my　brother；〃　she　answered；　〃but　flesh　is　nearest　to　flesh；

and　I　should　think　little　of　it　were　not　my　son　Umslopogaas　also　dead；

as　I　have　heard　but　now。〃



〃You　speak　like　a　woman；　Baleka。　Is　it；　then；　nothing　to　you　that　I；

your　brother；　have　lostall　I　love？〃



〃Fresh　seed　can　yet　be　raised　up　to　you；　my　brother；　but　for　me　there

is　no　hope；　for　the　king　looks　on　me　no　more。　I　grieve　for　you；　but　I

had　this　one　alone；　and　flesh　is　nearest　to　flesh。　Think　you　that　I

shall　escape？　I　tell　you　nay。　I　am　but　spared　for　a　little；　then　I　go

where　the　others　have　gone。　Chaka　has　marked　me　for　the　grave；　for　a

little　while　I　may　be　left；　then　I　die：　he　does　but　play　with　me　as　a

leopard　plays　with　a　wounded　buck。　I　care　not；　I　am　weary；　but　I

grieve　for　the　boy；　there　was　no　such　boy　in　the　land。　Would　that　I

might　die　swiftly　and　go　to　seek　him。〃



〃And　if　the　boy　is　not　dead；　Baleka；　what　then？〃



〃What　is　that　you　said？〃　she　answered；　turning　on　me　with　wild　eyes。

〃Oh；　say　it　againagain；　Mopo！　I　would　gladly　die　a　hundred　deaths　to

know　that　Umslopogaas　still　lives。〃



〃Nay；　Baleka；　I　know　nothing。　But　last　night　I　dreamed　a　dream；〃　and　I

told　her　all　my　dream；　and　also　of　that　which　had　gone　before　the

dream。



She　listened　as　one　listens　to　the　words　of　a　king　when　he　passes

judgement　for　life　or　for　death。



〃I　think　that　there　is　wisdom　in　your　dreams；　Mopo；〃　she　said　at

length。　〃You　were　ever　a　strange　man；　to　whom　the　gates　of　distance

are　no　bar。　Now　it　is　borne　in　upon　my　heart　that　Umslopogaas　still

lives；　and　now　I　shall　die　happy。　Yes；　gainsay　me　not；　I　shall　die；　I

know　it。　I　read　it　in　the　king's　eyes。　But　what　is　it？　It　is　nothing；

if　only　the　prince　Umslopogaas　yet　lives。〃



〃Your　love　is　great；　woman；〃　I　said；　〃and　this　love　of　yours　has

brought　many　woes　upon　us；　and　it　may　well　happen　that　in　the　end　it

shall　all　be　for　nothing；　for　there　is　an　evil　fate　upon　us。　Say　now；

what　shall　I　do？　Shall　I　fly；　or　shall　I　abide　here；　taking　the　chance

of　things？〃



〃You　must　stay　here；　Mopo。　See；　now！　This　is　in　the　king's　mind。　He

fears　because　of　the　death　of　his　mother　at　his　own　handyes；　even

he；　he　is　afraid　lest　the　people　should　turn　upon　him　who　killed　his

own　mother。　Therefore　he　will　give　it　out　that　he　did　not　kill　her；

but　that　she　perished　in　the　fire　which　was　called　down　upon　your

kraals　by　witchcraft；　and；　though　all　men　know　the　lie；　yet　none　shall

dare　to　gainsay　him。　As　he　said　to　you；　there　will　be　a　smelling　out；

but　a　smelling　out　of　a　new　sort；　for　he　and　you　shall　be　the　witch…

finders；　and　at　that　smelling　out　he　will　give　to　death　all　those　whom

he　fears；　all　those　whom　he　knows　hate　him　for　his　wickedness　and

because　with　his　own　hand　he　slew　his　mother。　For　this　cause；　then；　he

will　save　you　alive；　Mopoyes；　and　make　you　great　in　the　land；　for

if；　indeed；　his　mother　Unandi　died　through　witchcraft；　as　he　shall

say；　are　you　not　also　wronged　by　him；　and　did　not　your　wives　and

children　also　perish　by　witchcraft？　Therefore；　do　not　fly；　abide　here

and　become　greatbecome　great　to　the　great　end　of　vengeance；　Mopo；　my

brother。　You　have　much　wrong　to　wreak；　soon　you　will　have　more；　for　I；

too；　shall　be　gone；　and　my　blood　also　shall　cry　for　vengeance　to　you。

Hearken；　Mopo。　Are　there　not　other　princes　in　the　land？　What　of

Dingaan；　what　of　Umhlangana；　what　of　Umpanda；　brothers　to　the　king？　Do

not　these　also　desire　to　be　kings？　Do　they　not　day　by　day　rise　from

sleep　feeling　their　limbs　to　know　if　they　yet　live；　do　they　not　night

by　night　lie　down　to　sleep　not　knowing　if　it　shall　be　their　wives　that

they　shall　kiss　ere　dawn　or　the　red　assegai　of　the　king？　Draw　near　to

them；　my　brother；　creep　into　their　hearts　and　learn　their　counsel　or

teach　them　yours；　so　in　the　end　shall　Chaka　be　brought　to　that　gate

through　which　your　wives　have　passed；　and　where　I　also　am　about　to

tread。〃



Thus　Baleka　spoke　and　she　was　gone；　leaving　me　pondering；　for　her

words　were　heavy　with　wisdom。　I　knew　well　that　the　brothers　of　the

king　went　heavily　and　in　fear　of　death；　for　his　shadow　was　on　them。

With　Panda；　indeed；　little　could　be　done；　for　he　lived　softly；

speaking　always　as　one　whose　wits　are　few。　But　Dingaan　and　Umhlangana

were　of　another　wood；　and　from　them　might　be　fashioned　a　kerrie　that

should　scatter　the　brains　of　Chaka　to　the　birds。　But　the　time　to　speak

was　not　now；　not　yet　was　the　cup　of　Chaka　full。



Then；　having　finished　my　thought；　I　rose；　and；　going　to　the　kraal　of

my　friend；　I　doctored　my　burnt　hand；　that　pained　me；　and　as　I　was

doctoring　it　there　came　a　messenger　to　me　summoning　me　before　the

king。



I　went　in　before　the　king；　and　prostrated　myself；　calling　him　by　his

royal　names；　but　he　took　me　by　the　hand　and　raised　me　up；　speaking

softly。



〃Rise；　Mopo；　my　servant！〃　he　said。　〃Thou　hast　suffered　much　woe

because　of　the　witchcraft　of　thine　enemies。　I；　I　have　lost　my　mother；

and　thou；　thou　hast　lost　thy　wives　and　children。　Weep；　my　councillors；

weep；　because　I　have　lost　my　mother；　and　Mopo；　my　servant；　as　lost　his

wives　and　children；　by　the　witchcraft　of　our　foes！〃



Then　all　the　councillors　wept　aloud；　while　Chaka　glared　at　them。



〃Hearken；　Mopo！〃　said　the　king；　when　the　weeping　was　done。　〃None　can

give　me　back　my　mother；　but　I　can　give　thee　more　wives；　and　thou　shalt

find　children。　Go　in　among　the　damsels　who　are　reserved　to　the　king；

and　choose　thee　six；　go　in　among　the　cattle　of　the　king；　and　choose

thee　ten　times　ten　of　the　best；　call　upon　the　servants　of　the　king

that　they　build　up　thy　kraal　greater　and　fairer　than　it　was　before！

These　things　I　give　thee　freely；　but　thou　shalt　have　more；　Mopoyes！

thou　shalt　have　vengeance！　On　the　first　day　of　the　new　moon　I　summon　a

great　meeting；　a　bandhla　of　all　the　Zulu　people：　yes；　thine　own　tribe；

the　Langeni；　shall　be　there　also。　Then　we　will　mourn　together　over　our

woes；　then；　too；　we　will　learn　who　brought　these　woes　upon　us。　Go　now；

Mopo；　go！　And　go　ye　also；　my　councillors；　leaving　me　to　weep　alone

because　my　mother　is　dead！〃



Thus；　then；　my　father；　did　the　words　of　Baleka　come　true；　and　thus；

because　of　the　crafty　policy　of　Chaka；　I　grew　greater　in　the　land　than

ever　I　had　been　before。　I　chose　the　cattle；　they　were　fat；　I　chose　the

wives；　they　were　fair；　but　I　took　no　pleasure　in　them；　nor　were　any

more　children　born　to　me。　For　my　heart　was　like　a　withered　stick；　the

sap　and　strength　had　gone　from　my　heartit　was　drawn　out　in　the　fire

of　Chaka's　hut；　and　lost　in　my　sorrow　for　thos