nada the lily-第26章

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of　Chaka's　hut；　and　lost　in　my　sorrow　for　those　whom　I　had　loved。







CHAPTER　XII



THE　TALE　OF　GALAZI　THE　WOLF



Now；　my　father；　I　will　go　back　a　little；　for　my　tale　is　long　and　winds

in　and　out　like　a　river　in　a　plain；　and　tell　of　the　fate　of

Umslopogaas　when　the　lion　had　taken　him；　as　he　told　it　to　me　in　the

after　years。



The　lioness　bounded　away；　and　in　her　mouth　was　Umslopogaas。　Once　he

struggled；　but　she　bit　him　hard；　so　he　lay　quiet　in　her　mouth；　and

looking　back　he　saw　the　face　of　Nada　as　she　ran　from　the　fence　of

thorns；　crying　〃Save　him！〃　He　saw　her　face；　he　heard　her　words；　then

he　saw　and　heard　little　more；　for　the　world　grew　dark　to　him　and　he

passed；　as　it　were；　into　a　deep　sleep。　Presently　Umslopogaas　awoke

again；　feeling　pain　in　his　thigh；　where　the　lioness　had　bitten　him；

and　heard　a　sound　of　shouting。　He　looked　up；　near　to　him　stood　the

lioness　that　had　loosed　him　from　her　jaws。　She　was　snorting　with　rage；

and　in　front　of　her　was　a　lad　long　and　strong；　with　a　grim　face；　and　a

wolf's　hide；　black　and　grey；　bound　about　his　shoulders　in　such　fashion

that　the　upper　jar　and　teeth　of　the　wolf　rested　on　his　head。　He　stood

before　the　lioness；　shouting；　and　in　one　hand　he　held　a　large　war…

shield；　and　in　the　other　he　grasped　a　heavy　club　shod　with　iron。



Now　the　lioness　crouched　herself　to　spring；　growling　terribly；　but　the

lad　with　the　club　did　not　wait　for　her　onset。　He　ran　in　upon　her　and

struck　her　on　the　head　with　the　club。　He　smote　hard　and　well；　but　this

did　not　kill　her；　for　she　reared　herself　upon　her　hind　legs　and　struck

at　him　heavily。　He　caught　the　blow　upon　his　shield；　but　the　shield　was

driven　against　his　breast　so　strongly　that　he　fell　backwards　beneath

it；　and　lay　there　howling　like　a　wolf　in　pain。　Then　the　lioness　sprang

upon　him　and　worried　him。　Still；　because　of　the　shield；　as　yet　she

could　not　come　at　him　to　slay　him；　but　Umslopogaas　saw　that　this　might

not　endure；　for　presently　the　shield　would　be　torn　aside　and　the

stranger　must　be　killed。　Now　in　the　breast　of　the　lioness　still　stood

the　half　of　Umslopogaas's　broken　spear；　and　its　blade　was　a　span　deep

in　her　breast。　Then　this　thought　came　into　the　mind　of　Umslopogaas；

that　he　would　drive　the　spear　home　or　die。　So　he　rose　swiftly；　for

strength　came　back　to　him　in　his　need；　and　ran　to　where　the　lioness

worried　at　him　who　lay　beneath　the　shield。　She　did　not　heed　him；　so　he

flung　himself　upon　his　knees　before　her；　and；　seizing　the　haft　of　the

broken　spear；　drive　it　deep　into　her　and　wrenched　it　round。　Now　she

saw　Umslopogaas　and　turned　roaring；　and　clawed　at　him；　tearing　his

breast　and　arms。　Then；　as　he　lay；　he　heard　a　mighty　howling；　and；

behold！　grey　wolves　and　black　leaped　upon　the　lioness　and　rent　and

worried　her　till　she　fell　and　was　torn　to　pieces　by　them。　After　this

the　senses　of　Umslopogaas　left　him　again；　and　the　light　went　out　of

his　eyes　so　that　he　was　as　one　dead。



At　length　his　mind　came　back　to　him；　and　with　it　his　memory；　and　he

remembered　the　lioness　and　looked　up　to　find　her。　But　he　did　not　find

her；　and　he　saw　that　he　lay　in　a　cave　upon　a　bed　of　grass；　while　all

about　him　were　the　skins　of　beasts；　and　at　his　side　was　a　pot　filled

with　water。　He　put　out　his　hand　and；　taking　the　pot；　drank　of　the

water；　and　then　he　saw　that　his　arm　was　wasted　as　with　sickness；　and

that　his　breast　was　thick　with　scars　scarcely　skinned　over。



Now　while　he　lay　and　wondered；　the　mouth　of　the　cave　was　darkened；　and

through　it　entered　that　same　lad　who　had　done　battle　with　the　lioness

and　been　overthrown　by　her；　bearing　a　dead　buck　upon　his　shoulders。　He

put　down　the　buck　upon　the　ground；　and；　walking　to　where　Umslopogaas

lay；　looked　at　him。



〃Ou！〃　he　said；　〃your　eyes　are　opendo　you；　then；　live；　stranger？〃



〃I　live；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　〃and　I　am　hungry。〃



〃It　is　time；〃　said　the　other；　〃since　with　toil　I　bore　you　here　through

the　forest；　for　twelve　days　you　have　lain　without　sense；　drinking

water　only。　So　deeply　had　the　lion　clawed　you　that　I　thought　of　you　as

dead。　Twice　I　was　near　to　killing　you；　that　you　might　cease　to　suffer

and　I　to　be　troubled；　but　I　held　my　hand；　because　of　a　word　which　came

to　me　from　one　who　is　dead。　Now　eat；　that　your　strength　may　return　to

you。　Afterwards；　we　will　talk。〃



So　Umslopogaas　ate；　and　little　by　little　his　health　returned　to　him

every　day　a　little。　And　afterwards；　as　they　sat　at　night　by　the　fire

in　the　cave　they　spoke　together。



〃How　are　you　named？〃　asked　Umslopogaas　of　the　other。



〃I　am　named　Galazi　the　Wolf；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　am　of　Zulu　blood

ay；　of　the　blood　of　Chaka　the　king；　for　the　father　of　Senzangacona；

the　father　of　Chaka；　was　my　great…grandfather。〃



〃Whence　came　you；　Galazi？〃



〃I　came　from　Swazilandfrom　the　tribe　of　the　Halakazi；　which　I　should

rule。　This　is　the　story：　Siguyana；　my　grandfather；　was　a　younger

brother　of　Senzangacona；　the　father　of　Chaka。　But　he　quarrelled　with

Senzangacona；　and　became　a　wanderer。　With　certain　of　the　people　of　the

Umtetwa　he　wandered　into　Swaziland；　and　sojourned　with　the　Halakazi

tribe　in　their　great　caves；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　he　killed　the

chief　of　the　tribe　and　took　his　place。　After　he　was　dead；　my　father

ruled　in　his　place；　but　there　was　a　great　party　in　the　tribe　that

hated　his　rule　because　he　was　of　the　Zulu　race；　and　it　would　have　set

up　a　chief　of　the　old　Swazi　blood　in　his　place。　Still；　they　could　not

do　this；　for　my　father's　hand　was　heavy　on　the　people。　Now　I　was　the

only　son　of　my　father　by　his　head　wife；　and　born　to　be　chief　after

him；　and　therefore　those　of　the　Swazi　party；　and　they　were　many　and

great；　hated　me　also。　So　matters　stood　till　last　year　in　the　winter；

and　then　my　father　set　his　heart　on　killing　twenty　of　the　headmen；

with　their　wives　and　children；　because　he　knew　that　they　plotted

against　him。　But　the　headmen　learned　what　was　to　come；　and　they

prevailed　upon　a　wife　of　my　father；　a　woman　of　their　own　blood；　to

poison　him。　So　she　poisoned　him　in　the　night　and　in　the　morning　it　was

told　me　that　my　father　lay　sick　and　summoned　me；　and　I　went　to　him。　In

his　hut　I　found　him；　and　he　was　writhing　with　pain。



〃'What　is　it；　my　father？'　I　said。　'Who　has　done　this　evil？'



〃'It　is　this；　my　son；'　he　gasped；　'that　I　am　poisoned；　and　she　stands

yonder　who　has　done　the　deed。'　And　he　pointed　to　the　woman；　who　stood

at　the　side　of　the　hut　near　the　door；　her　chin　upon　her　breast；

trembling　as　she　looked　upon　the　fruit　of　her　wickedness。



〃Now　the　girl　was　young　and　fair；　and　we　had　been　friends；　yet　I　say

that　I　did　not　pause；　for　my　heart　was　mad　within　me。　I　did　not　pause；

but；　seizing　my　spear；　I　ran　at　her；　and；　though　she　cried　for　mercy；

I　killed　her　with　the　spear。



〃'That　was　well　done；　Galazi！'　said　my　father。　'But　when　I　am　gone；

look　to　yourself；　my　son；　for　these　Swazi　dogs　will　drive　you　out　and

rob　you　of　your　place！　But　if　they　drive　you　out　and　you　still　live；

swear　this　to　methat　you　will　not　rest　till　you　have　avenged　me。'



〃'I　swear　it；　my　father；'　I　answered。　'I　swear　that　I　will　stamp　out

the　men　of　the　tribe　of　Halakazi；　every　one　of　them；　except　those　of

my　own　blood；　and　bring　their　women　to　slavery　and　their　children　to

bonds！'



〃'Big　words　for　a　young　mouth；'　said　my　father。　'Yet　shall　you　live　to

bring　these　things　about；　Galazi。　This　I　know　of　you　now　in　my　hour　of

death：　you　shall　be　a　wanderer　for　a　few　years　of　your　life；　child　of

Siguyana；　and　wandering　in　another　land　you　shall　die　a　man's　death；

and　not　such　a　death　as　yonder　witch　has　given　to　me。'　Then；　having

spoken　thus；　he　lifted　up　his　head；　looked　at　me；　and　with　a　great

groan　he　died。



〃Now　I　passed　out　of　the　hut　dragging　the　body　of　the　dead　girl　after

me。　In　front　of　the　hut　were　gathered　many　headmen　waiting　for　the

end；　and　I　saw　that　their　looks　were　sullen。



〃'The　chief；　my　father；　is　dead！'　I　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　'and　I；

Galazi；　wh