nada the lily-第30章

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the　secret　of　the　stone；　and　if　I　had　known　it；　should　I　have　dared　to

close　it；　leaving　myself　alone　with　the　dead　wolves　and　him　whom　the

wolves　had　struggled　to　tear　down？　I　walked　out　yonder　on　to　the

platform　and　looked　up。　The　moon　shone　full　upon　the　face　of　the　stone

Witch　who　sits　aloft　forever。　She　seemed　to　grin　at　me；　and；　oh！　I

grew　afraid；　for　now　I　knew　that　this　was　a　place　of　dead　men；　a　place

where　spirits　perch　like　vultures　in　a　tree；　as　they　sweep　round　and

round　the　world。　I　went　back　to　the　cave；　and　feeling　that　I　must　do

something　lest　I　should　go　mad；　I　drew　to　me　the　carcase　of　the　great

dog…wolf　which　I　had　killed；　and；　taking　my　knife　of　iron；　I　began　to

skin　it　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　For　an　hour　or　more　I　skinned；

singing　to　myself　as　I　worked；　and　striving　to　forget　him　who　sat　in

the　cleft　above　and　the　howlings　which　ran　about　the　mountains。　But

ever　the　moonlight　shone　more　clearly　into　the　cave：　now　by　it　I　could

see　his　shape　of　bone　and　skin；　ay；　and　even　the　bandage　about　his

eyes。　Why　had　he　tied　it　there？　I　wonderedperhaps　to　hide　the　faces

of　the　fierce　wolves　as　they　sprang　upwards　to　grip　him。　And　always

the　howlings　drew　nearer；　now　I　could　see　grey　forms　creeping　to　and

fro　in　the　shadows　of　the　rocky　place　before　me。　Ah！　there　before　me

glared　two　red　eyes：　a　sharp　snout　sniffed　at　the　carcase　which　I

skinned。　With　a　yell；　I　lifted　the　Watcher　and　smote。　There　came　a

scream　of　pain；　and　something　galloped　away　into　the　shadows。



〃Now　the　skin　was　off。　I　cast　it　behind　me；　and　seizing　the　carcase

dragged　it　to　the　edge　of　the　rock　and　left　it。　Presently　the　sound　of

howlings　drew　near　again；　and　I　saw　the　grey　shapes　creep　up　one　by

one。　Now　they　gathered　round　the　carcase；　now　they　fell　upon　it　and

rent　it；　fighting　horribly　till　all　was　finished。　Then；　licking　their

red　chops；　they　slunk　back　to　the　forest。



〃Did　I　sleep　or　did　I　wake？　Nay；　I　cannot　tell。　But　I　know　this；　that

of　a　sudden　I　seemed　to　look　up　and　see。　I　saw　a　lightperchance；

Umslopogaas；　it　was　the　light　of　the　moon；　shining　upon　him　that　sat

aloft　at　the　end　of　the　cave。　It　was　a　red　light；　and　he　glowed　in　it

as　glows　a　thing　that　is　rotten。　I　looked；　or　seemed　to　look；　and　then

I　thought　that　the　hanging　jaw　moved；　and　from　it　came　a　voice　that

was　harsh　and　hollow　as　of　one　who　speaks　from　an　empty　belly；　through

a　withered　throat。



〃'Hail；　Galazi；　child　of　Siguyana！'　said　the　voice；　'Galazi　the　Wolf！

Say；　what　dost　thou　here　in　the　Ghost　Mountain；　where　the　stone　Witch

sits　forever；　waiting　for　the　world　to　die？'



〃Then；　Umslopogaas；　I　answered；　or　seemed　to　answer；　and　my　voice；

too；　sounded　strange　and　hollow：



〃'Hail；　Dead　One；　who　sittest　like　a　vulture　on　a　rock！　I　do　this　on

the　Ghost　Mountain。　I　come　to　seek　thy　bones　and　bear　them　to　thy

mother　for　burial。'



〃'Many　and　many　a　year　have　I　sat　aloft；　Galazi；'　answered　the　voice；

'watching　the　ghost…wolves　leap　and　leap　to　drag　me　down；　till　the

rock　grew　smooth　beneath　the　wearing　of　their　feet。　So　I　sat　seven

days　and　nights；　being　yet　alive；　the　hungry　wolves　below；　and　hunger

gnawing　at　my　heart。　So　I　have　sat　many　and　many　a　year；　being　dead　in

the　heart　of　the　old　stone　Witch；　watching　the　moon　and　the　sun　and

the　stars；　hearkening　to　the　howls　of　the　ghost…wolves　as　they　ravened

beneath　me；　and　learning　the　wisdom　of　the　old　witch　who　sits　above　in

everlasting　stone。　Yet　my　mother　was　young　and　fair　when　I　trod　the

haunted　forest　and　climbed　the　knees　of　stone。　How　seems　she　now；

Galazi？'



〃'She　is　white　and　wrinkled　and　very　aged；'　I　answered。　'They　call　her

mad；　yet　at　her　bidding　I　came　to　seek　thee；　Dead　One；　bearing　the

Watcher　that　was　thy　father's　and　shall　be　mine。'



〃'It　shall　be　thine；　Galazi；'　said　the　voice；　'for　thou　alone　hast

dared　the　ghosts　to　me　sleep　and　burial。　Hearken；　thine　also　shall　be

the　wisdom　of　the　old　witch　who　sits　aloft　forever；　frozen　into

everlasting　stonethine　and　one　other's。　These　are　not　wolves　that

thou　hast　seen；　that　is　no　wolf　which　thou　hast　slain；　nay；　they　are

ghostsevil　ghosts　of　men　who　lived　in　ages　gone；　and　who　must　now

live　till　they　be　slain　by　men。　And　knowest　thou　how　they　lived；

Galazi；　and　what　was　the　food　they　ate？　When　the　light　comes　again；

Galazi；　climb　to　the　breasts　of　the　stone　Witch；　and　look　in　the　cleft

which　is　between　her　breasts。　There　shalt　thou　see　how　these　men

lived。　And　now　this　doom　is　on　them：　they　must　wander　gaunt　and　hungry

in　the　shape　of　wolves；　haunting　that　Ghost　Mountain　where　they　once

fed；　till　they　are　led　forth　to　die　at　the　hands　of　men。　Because　of

their　devouring　hunger　they　have　leapt　from　year　to　year；　striving　to

reach　my　bones；　and　he　whom　thou　hast　slain　was　the　king　of　them；　and

she　at　his　side　was　their　queen。



〃'Now；　Galazi　the　Wolf；　this　is　the　wisdom　that　I　give　thee：　thou

shalt　be　king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　thou　and　another；　whom　a　lion　shall

bring　thee。　Gird　the　black　skin　upon　thy　shoulders；　and　the　wolves

shall　follow　thee；　all　the　three　hundred　and　sixty　and　three　of　them

that　are　left；　and　let　him　who　shall　be　brought　to　thee　gird　on　the

skin　of　grey。　Where　ye　twain　lead　them；　there　shall　they　raven；

bringing　you　victory　till　all　are　dead。　But　know　this；　that　there　only

may　they　raven　where　in　life　they　ravened；　seeking　for　their　food。

Yet；　that　was　an　ill　gift　thou　tookest　from　my　motherthe　gift　of　the

Watcher；　for　though　without　the　Watcher　thou　hadst　never　slain　the

king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　yet；　bearing　the　Watcher；　thou　shalt　thyself

be　slain。　Now；　on　the　morrow　carry　me　back　to　my　mother；　so　that　I　may

sleep　where　the　ghost…wolves　leap　no　more。　I　have　spoken；　Galazi。'



〃Now　the　Dead　One's　voice　seemed　to　grow　ever　fainter　and　more　hollow

as　he　spoke；　till　at　the　last　I　could　scarcely　hear　his　words；　yet　I

answered　him；　asking　him　this：



〃'Who　is　it；　then；　that　the　lion　shall　bring　to　me　to　rule　with　me

over　the　ghost…wolves；　and　how　is　he　named？'



〃Then　the　Dead　One　spoke　once　more　very　faintly；　yet　in　the　silence　of

the　place　I　heard　his　words：



〃'He　is　named　Umslopogaas　the　Slaughterer；　son　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the

Zulu。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　started　up　from　his　place　by　the　fire。



〃I　am　named　Umslopogaas；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　Slaughterer　I　am　not

named；　and　I　am　the　son　of　Mopo；　and　not　the　son　of　Chaka；　Lion　of　the

Zulu；　you　have　dreamed　a　dream；　Galazi；　or；　if　it　was　no　dream；　then

the　Dead　One　lied　to　you。〃



〃Perchance　this　was　so；　Umslopogaas；〃　answered　Galazi　the　Wolf。

〃Perhaps　I　dreamed；　of　perhaps　the　Dead　One　lied；　nevertheless；　if　he

lied　in　this　matter；　in　other　matters　he　did　not　lie；　as　you　shall

hear。



〃After　I　had　heard　these　words；　or　had　dreamed　that　I　heard　them；　I

slept　indeed；　and　when　I　woke　the　forest　beneath　was　like　the　clouds

of　mist；　but　the　grey　light　glinted　upon　the　face　of　her　who　sits　in

stone　above。　Now　I　remembered　the　dream　that　I　had　dreamed；　and　I

would　see　if　it　were　all　a　dream。　So　I　rose；　and　leaving　the　cave；

found　a　place　where　I　might　climb　up　to　the　breasts　and　head　of　the

stone　Witch。　I　climbed；　and　as　I　went　the　rays　of　the　sun　lit　upon　her

face；　and　I　rejoiced　to　see　them。　But；　when　I　drew　near；　the　likeness

to　the　face　of　a　woman　faded　away；　and　I　saw　nothing　before　me　but

rugged　heaps　of　piled…up　rock。　For　this；　Umslopogaas；　is　the　way　of

witches；　be　they　of　stone　or　fleshwhen　you　draw　near　to　them　they

change　their　shape。



〃Now　I　was　on　the　breast　of　the　mountain；　and　wandered　to　and　for

awhile　between　the　great　heaps　of　stone。　At　length　I　found；　as　it

were；　a　crack　in　the　stone　thrice　as　wide　as　a　man　can　jump；　and　in

length　half　a　spear's　throw；　and　near　this　crack　stood　great　stones

blackened　by　fire；　and　beneath　them　broken　pots　and　a　knife　of　flint。

I　looked　down　into　the　crackit　was　very　deep；　and　green　with　moss；

and　tall　ferns　grew　about　in　it；　for　the　damp　gathered　there。　Ther