nada the lily-第33章

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it　down　between　the　shoulders　to　the　spine；　and　of　a　sudden　the　great

buffalo　staggered；　stopped；　and　fell　dead。



Galazi　came　up。　〃Who　now　is　the　swiftest；　Galazi？〃　cried　Umslopogaas；

〃I；　or　you；　or　your　wolf　host？〃



〃You　are　the　swiftest；　Umslopogaas；〃　said　Galazi；　gasping　for　his

breath。　〃Never　did　a　man　run　as　you　run；　nor　ever　shall　again。〃



Now　the　wolves　streamed　up；　and　would　have　torn　the　carcase；　but

Galazi　beat　them　back；　and　they　rested　awhile。　Then　Galazi　said；　〃Let

us　cut　meat　from　the　bull　with　a　spear。〃



So　they　cut　meat　from　the　bull；　and　when　they　had　finished　Galazi

motioned　to　the　wolves；　and　they　fell　upon　the　carcase；　fighting

furiously。　In　a　little　while　nothing　was　left　except　the　larger　bones；

and　yet　each　wolf　had　but　a　little。



Then　they　went　back　to　the　cave　and　slept。



Afterwards　Umslopogaas　told　Galazi　all　his　tale；　and　Galazi　asked　him

if　he　would　abide　with　him　and　be　his　brother；　and　rule　with　him　over

the　wolf…kind；　or　seek　his　father　Mopo　at　the　kraal　of　Chaka。



Umslopogaas　said　that　it　was　rather　in　his　mind　to　seek　his　sister

Nada；　for　he　was　weary　of　the　kraal　of　Chaka；　but　he　thought　of　Nada

day　and　night。



〃Where；　then；　is　Nada；　your　sister？〃　asked　Galazi。



〃She　sleeps　in　the　caves　of　your　people；　Galazi；　she　tarries　with　the

Halakazi。〃



〃Stay　awhile；　Umslopogaas；〃　cried　Galazi；　〃stay　till　we　are　men

indeed。　Then　we　will　seek　this　sister　of　yours　and　snatch　her　from　the

caves　of　the　Halakazi。〃



Now　the　desire　of　this　wolf…life　had　entered　into　the　heart　of

Umslopogaas；　and　he　said　that　it　should　be　so；　and　on　the　morrow　they

made　them　blood…brethren；　to　be　one　till　death；　before　all　the　company

of　ghost…wolves；　and　the　wolves　howled　when　they　smelt　the　blood　of

men。　In　all　things　thenceforth　these　two　were　equal；　and　the　ghost…

wolves　hearkened　to　the　voice　of　both　of　them。　And　on　many　a　moonlight

night　they　and　the　wolves　hunted　together；　winning　their　food。　At

times　they　crossed　the　river；　hunting　in　the　plains；　for　game　was

scarce　on　the　mountain；　and　the　people　of　the　kraal　would　come　out；

hearing　the　mighty　howling；　and　watch　the　pack　sweep　across　the　veldt；

and　with　them　a　man　or　men。　Then　they　would　say　that　the　ghosts　were

abroad　and　creep　into　their　huts　shivering　with　fear。　But　as　yet　the

Wolf…Brethren　and　their　pack　killed　no　men；　but　game　only；　or；　at

times；　elephants　and　lions。



Now　when　Umslopogaas　had　abode　some　moons　in　the　Watch　Mountain；　on　a

night　he　dreamed　of　Nada；　and　awakening　soft　at　heart；　bethought

himself　that　he　would　learn　tidings　concerning　me；　his　father；　Mopo；

and　what　had　befallen　me　and　her　whom　he　deemed　his　mother；　and　Nada；

his　sister；　and　his　other　brethren。　So　he　clothed　himself；　hiding　his

nakedness；　and；　leaving　Galazi；　descended　to　that　kraal　where　the　old

woman　had　dwelt；　and　there　gave　it　out　that　he　was　a　young　man；　a

chief's　son　from　a　far　place；　who　sought　a　wife。　The　people　of　the

kraal　listened　to　him；　though　they　held　that　his　look　was　fierce　and

wild；　and　one　asked　if　this　were　Galazi　the　Wolf；　Galazi　the　Wizard。

But　another　answered　that　this　was　not　Galazi；　for　their　eyes　had　seen

him。　Umslopogaas　said　that　he　knew　nothing　of　Galazi；　and　little　of

wolves；　and　lo！　while　he　spoke　there　came　an　impi　of　fifty　men　and

entered　the　kraal。　Umslopogaas　looked　at　the　leaders　of　the　impi　and

knew　them　for　captains　of　Chaka。　At　first　he　would　have　spoken　to

them；　but　his　Ehlose　bade　him　hold　his　peace。　So　he　sat　in　a　corner　of

the　big　hut　and　listened。　Presently　the　headman　of　the　kraal；　who

trembled　with　fear；　for　he　believed　that　the　impi　had　been　sent　to

destroy　him　and　all　that　were　his；　asked　the　captain　what　was　his

will。



〃A　little　matter；　and　a　vain；〃　said　the　captain。　〃We　are　sent　by　the

king　to　search　for　a　certain　youth；　Umslopogaas；　the　son　of　Mopo；　the

king's　doctor。　Mopo　gave　it　out　that　the　youth　was　killed　by　a　lion

near　these　mountains；　and　Chaka　would　learn　if　this　is　true。〃



〃We　know　nothing　of　the　youth；〃　said　the　headman。　〃But　what　would　ye

with　him？〃



〃Only　this；〃　answered　the　captain；　〃to　kill　him。〃



〃That　is　yet　to　do；〃　thought　Umslopogaas。



〃Who　is　this　Mopo？〃　asked　the　headman。



〃An　evildoer；　whose　house　the　king　has　eaten　upman；　woman；　and

child；〃　answered　the　captain。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　DEATH　OF　THE　KING'S　SLAYERS



When　Umslopogaas　heard　these　words　his　heart　was　heavy；　and　a　great

anger　burned　in　his　breast；　for　he　thought　that　I；　Mopo；　was　dead　with

the　rest　of　his　house；　and　he　loved　me。　But　he　said　nothing；　only；

watching　till　none　were　looking；　he　slipped　past　the　backs　of　the

captains　and　won　the　door　of　the　hut。　Soon　he　was　clear　of　the　kraal；

and；　running　swiftly；　crossed　the　river　and　came　to　the　Ghost

Mountain。　Meanwhile；　the　captain　asked　the　headman　of　the　kraal　if　he

knew　anything　of　such　a　youth　as　him　for　whom　they　sought。　The　headman

told　the　captain　of　Galazi　the　Wolf；　but　the　captain　said　that　this

could　not　be　the　lad；　for　Galazi　had　dwelt　many　moons　upon　the　Ghost

Mountain。



〃There　is　another　youth；〃　said　the　headman；　〃a　stranger；　fierce；

strong　and　tall；　with　eyes　that　shine　like　spears。　He　is　in　the　hut

now；　he　sits　yonder　in　the　shadow。〃



The　captain　rose　and　looked　into　the　shadow；　but　Umslopogaas　was　gone。



〃Now　this　youth　is　fled；〃　said　the　headman；　〃and　yet　none　saw　him　fly！

Perhaps　he　also　is　a　wizard！　Indeed；　I　have　heard　that　now　there　are

two　of　them　upon　the　Ghost　Mountain；　and　that　they　hunt　there　at　night

with　the　ghost…wolves；　but　I　do　not　know　if　it　is　true。〃



〃Now　I　am　minded　to　kill　you；〃　said　the　captain　in　wrath；　〃because　you

have　suffered　this　youth　to　escape　me。　Without　doubt　it　is

Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo。〃



〃It　is　no　fault　of　mine；〃　said　the　headmen。　〃These　young　men　are

wizards；　who　can　pass　hither　and　thither　at　will。　But　I　say　this　to

you；　captain　of　the　king；　if　you　will　go　on　the　Ghost　Mountain；　you

must　go　there　alone　with　your　soldiers；　for　none　in　these　parts　dare

to　tread　upon　that　mountain。〃



〃Yet　I　shall　dare　to…morrow；〃　said　the　captain。　〃We　grow　brave　at　the

kraal　of　Chaka。　There　men　do　not　fear　spears　or　ghosts　or　wild　beasts

or　magic；　but　they　fear　the　king's　word　alone。　The　sun　setsgive　us

food。　To…morrow　we　will　search　the　mountain。〃



Thus；　my　father；　did　this　captain　speak　in　his　folly；he　who　should

never　see　another　sun。



Now　Umslopogaas　reached　the　mountain；　and　when　he　had　passed　the

forestof　which　he　had　learned　every　secret　waythe　darkness

gathered；　and　the　wolves　awoke　in　the　darkness　and　drew　near　howling。

Umslopogaas　howled　in　answer；　and　presently　that　great　wolf　Deathgrip

came　to　him。　Umslopogaas　saw　him　and　called　him　by　his　name；　but；

behold！　the　brute　did　not　know　him；　and　flew　at　him；　growling。　Then

Umslopogaas　remembered　that　the　she…wolf's　skin　was　not　bound　about

his　shoulders；　and　therefore　it　was　that　the　wolf　Deathgrip　knew　him

not。　For　though　in　the　daytime；　when　the　wolves　slept；　he　might　pass

to　and　fro　without　the　skin；　at　night　it　was　not　so。　He　had　not

brought　the　skin；　because　he　dared　not　wear　it　in　the　sight　of　the　men

of　the　kraal；　lest　they　should　know　him　for　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；

and　it　had　not　been　his　plan　to　seek　the　mountain　again　that　night；

but　rather　on　the　morrow。　Now　Umslopogaas　knew　that　his　danger　was

great　indeed。　He　beat　back　Deathgrip　with　his　kerrie；　but　others　were

behind　him；　for　the　wolves　gathered　fast。　Then　he　bounded　away　towards

the　cave；　for　he　was　so　swift　of　foot　that　the　wolves　could　not　catch

him；　though　they　pressed　him　hard；　and　once　the　teeth　of　one　of　them

tore　his　moocha。　Never　before　did　he　run　so　fast；　and　in　the　end　he

reached　the　cave　and　rolled　the　rock　to；　and　as　he　did　so　the　wolves

dashed　themselves　against　it。　Then　he　clad　himself　in　the　hide　of　the

she…wolf；　and；　pushing　aside　the　stone；　came　out。　And；　lo！　the　eyes　of

th