nada the lily-第31章

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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。　There

was　nothing　else。　I　had　dreamed　a　lying　dream。　I　turned　to　go；　then

found　another　mind；　and　climbed　down　into　the　cleft；　pushing　aside　the

ferns。　Beneath　the　ferns　was　moss；　I　scraped　it　away　with　the　Watcher。

Presently　the　iron　of　the　club　struck　on　something　that　was　yellow　and

round　like　a　stone；　and　from　the　yellow　thing　came　a　hollow　sound。　I

lifted　it；　Umslopogaas；　it　was　the　skull　of　a　child。



〃I　dug　deeper　and　scraped　away　more　moss；　till　presently　I　saw。

Beneath　the　moss　was　nothing　but　the　bones　of　menold　bones　that　had

lain　there　many　years；　the　little　ones　had　rotted；　the　larger　ones

remainedsome　were　yellow；　some　black；　and　others　still　white。　They

were　not　broken；　as　are　those　that　hyenas　and　wolves　have　worried；　yet

on　some　of　them　I　could　see　the　marks　of　teeth。　Then；　Umslopogaas；　I

went　back　to　the　cave；　never　looking　behind　me。



〃Now　when　I　was　come　to　the　cave　I　did　this：　I　skinned　the　she…wolf

also。　When　I　had　finished　the　sun　was　up；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　time

to　go。　But　I　could　not　go　alonehe　who　sat　aloft　in　the　cleft　of　the

cave　must　go　with　me。　I　greatly　feared　to　touch　himthis　Dead　One；

who　had　spoken　to　me　in　a　dream；　yet　I　must　do　it。　So　I　brought　stones

and　piled　them　up　till　I　could　reach　him；　then　I　lifted　him　down；　for

he　was　very　light；　being　but　skin　and　bones。　When　he　was　down；　I　bound

the　hides　of　the　wolves　about　me；　then　leaving　the　leather　bag；　into

which　he　could　not　enter；　I　took　the　Dead　One　and　placed　him　on　my

shoulders　as　a　man　might　carry　a　child；　for　his　legs　were　fixed

somewhat　apart；　and　holding　him　by　the　foot　which　was　left　on　him；　I

set　out　for　the　kraal。　Down　the　slope　I　went　as　swiftly　as　I　could；

for　now　I　knew　the　way；　seeing　and　hearing　nothing；　except　once；　when

there　came　a　rush　of　wings；　and　a　great　eagle　swept　down　at　that　which

sat　upon　my　shoulders。　I　shouted；　and　the　eagle　flew　away；　then　I

entered　the　dark　of　the　forest。　Here　I　must　walk　softly；　lest　the　head

of　him　I　carried　should　strike　against　the　boughs　and　be　smitten　from

him。



〃For　awhile　I　went　on　thus；　till　I　drew　near　to　the　heart　of　the

forest。　Then　I　heard　a　wolf　howl　on　my　right；　and　from　the　left　came

answering　howls；　and　these；　again；　were　answered　by　others　in　front　of

and　behind　me。　I　walked　on　boldly；　for　I　dared　not　stay；　guiding

myself　by　the　sun；　which　from　time　to　time　shone　down　on　me　redly

through　the　boughs　of　the　great　trees。　Now　I　could　see　forms　grey　and

black　slinking　near　my　path；　sniffing　at　the　air　as　they　went；　and　now

I　came　to　a　little　open　place；　and；　behold！　all　the　wolves　in　the

world　were　gathered　together　there。　My　heart　melted；　my　legs　trembled

beneath　me。　On　every　side　were　the　brutes；　great　and　hungry。　And　I

stood　still；　with　club　aloft；　and　slowly　they　crept　up；　muttering　and

growling　as　they　came；　till　they　formed　a　deep　circle　round　me。　Yet

they　did　not　spring　on　me；　only　drew　nearer　and　ever　nearer。　Presently

one　sprang；　indeed；　but　not　at　me；　he　sprang　at　that　which　sat　upon　my

shoulders。　I　moved　aside；　and　he　missed　his　aim；　and；　coming　to　the

ground　again；　stood　there　growling　and　whining　like　a　beast　afraid。

Then　I　remembered　the　words　of　my　dream；　if　dream　it　were；　how　that

the　Dead　One　had　given　me　wisdom　that　I　should　be　king　of　the　ghost…

wolvesI　and　another　whom　a　lion　should　bear　to　me。　Was　it　not　so？　If

it　was　not　so；　how　came　it　that　the　wolves　did　not　devour　me？



〃For　a　moment　I　stood　thinking；　then　I　lifted　up　my　voice　and　howled

like　a　wolf；　and　lo！　Umslopogaas；　all　the　wolves　howled　in　answer　with

a　mighty　howling。　I　stretched　out　my　hand　and　called　to　them。　They　ran

to　me；　gathering　round　me　as　though　to　devour　me。　But　they　did　not

harm　me；　they　licked　my　legs　with　their　red　tongues；　and　fighting　to

come　near　me；　pressed　themselves　against　me　as　does　a　cat。　One；

indeed；　snatched　at　him　who　sat　on　my　shoulder；　but　I　struck　him　with

the　Watcher　and　he　slunk　back　like　a　whipped　hound；　moreover；　the

others　bit　him　so　that　he　yelled。　Now　I　knew　that　I　had　no　more　to

fear；　for　I　was　king　of　the　ghost…wolves；　so　I　walked　on；　and　with　me

came　all　the　great　pack　of　them。　I　walked　on　and　on；　and　they　trotted

beside　me　silently；　and　the　fallen　leaves　crackled　beneath　their　feet；

and　the　dust　rose　up　about　them；　till　at　length　I　reached　the　edge　of

the　forest。



〃Now　I　remembered　that　I　must　not　be　seen　thus　by　men；　lest　they

should　think　me　a　wizard　and　kill　me。　Therefore；　at　the　edge　of　the

forest　I　halted　and　made　signs　to　the　wolves　to　go　back。　At　this　they

howled　piteously；　as　though　in　grief；　but　I　called　to　them　that　I

would　come　again　and　be　their　king；　and　it　seemed　as　though　their

brute　hearts　understood　my　words。　Then　they　all　went；　still　howling；

till　presently　I　was　alone。



〃And　now；　Umslopogaas；　it　is　time　to　sleep；　to…morrow　night　I　will　end

my　tale。〃







CHAPTER　XIV



THE　WOLF…BRETHREN



Now；　my　father；　on　the　morrow　night；　once　again　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi

the　wolf　sat　by　the　fire　in　the　mouth　of　their　cave；　as　we　sit　to…

night；　my　father；　and　Galazi　took　up　his　tale。



〃I　passed　on　till　I　came　to　the　river；　it　was　still　full；　but　the

water　had　run　down　a　little；　so　that　my　feet　found　foothold。　I　waded

into　the　river；　using　the　Watcher　as　a　staff；　and　the　stream　reached

to　my　elbows；　but　no　higher。　Now　one　on　the　farther　bank　of　the　river

saw　that　which　sat　upon　my　shoulders；　and　saw　also　the　wolf's　skin　on

my　head；　and　ran　to　the　kraal　crying；　'Here　comes　one　who　walks　the

waters　on　the　back　of　a　wolf。'



〃So　it　came　about　that　when　I　drew　towards　the　kraal　all　the　people　of

the　kraal　were　gathered　together　to　meet　me；　except　the　old　woman；　who

could　not　walk　so　far。　But　when　they　saw　me　coming　up　the　slope　of　the

hill；　and　when　they　knew　what　it　was　that　sat　upon　my　shoulders；　they

were　smitten　with　fear。　Yet　they　did　not　run；　because　of　their　great

wonder；　only　they　walked　backward　before　me；　clinging　each　to　each　and

saying　nothing。　I　too　came　on　silently；　till　at　length　I　reached　the

kraal；　and　before　its　gates　sat　the　old　woman　basking　in　the　sun　of

the　afternoon。　Presently　she　looked　up　and　cried：



〃'What　ails　you；　people　of　my　house；　that　you　walk　backwards　like　men

bewitched；　and　who　is　that　tall　and　deathly　man　who　comes　toward　you？'



〃But　still　they　drew　on　backward；　saying　no　word；　the　little　children

clinging　to　the　women；　the　women　clinging　to　the　men；　till　they　had

passed　the　old　wife　and　ranged　themselves　behind　her　like　a　regiment

of　soldiers。　Then　they　halted　against　the　fence　of　the　kraal。　But　I

came　on　to　the　old　woman；　and　lifted　him　who　sat　upon　my　shoulders；

and　placed　him　on　the　ground　before　her；　saying；　'Woman；　here　is　your

son；　I　have　snatched　him　with　much　toil　from　the　jaws　of　the　ghosts

and　they　are　many　up　yonderall　save　one　foot；　which　I　could　not

find。　Take　him　now　and　bury　him；　for　I　weary　of　his　fellowship。'



〃She　looked　upon　that　which　sat　before　her。　She　put　out　her　withered

hand　and　drew　the　bandage　from　his　sunken　eyes。　Then　she　screamed

aloud　a　shrill　scream；　and；　flinging　her　arms　about　the　neck　of　the

Dead　One；　she　cried：　'It　is　my　son　whom　I　boremy　very　son；　whom　for

twice　ten　years　and　half　a　ten　I　have　not　looked　upon。　Greeting；　my

son；　greeting！　Now　shalt　thou　find　burial；　and　I　with　threeay；　I

with　thee！'



〃And　once　more　she　cried　aloud；　standing　upon　her　feet　with　arms

outstretched。　Then　of　a　sudden　foam　burst　from　her　lips；　and　she　fell

forward　upon　the　body　of　her　son；　and　was　dead。



〃Now　silence　came　upon　the　place　again；　for　all　were　fearful。　At　last

one　cried：　'How　is　this　man　named　who　has　won　the　body　from　the

ghosts？'



〃'I　am　named　Galazi；'　I　answered。



〃'Nay；'　said　he。　'The　Wolf　you　are　named。　Look　at　the　wolf's　red　hide

upon　his　head！'



〃'I