nada the lily-第34章

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

the　wolves　were　opened；　and　they　knew　him　for　one　of　the　brethren　who

ruled　over　them；　and　slunk　away　at　his　bidding。



Now　Umslopogaas　sat　himself　down　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave　waiting　for

Galazi；　and　he　thought。　Presently　Galazi　came；　and　in　few　words

Umslopogaas　told　him　all　his　tale。



〃You　have　run　a　great　risk；　my　brother；〃　said　Galazi。　〃What　now？〃



〃This；〃　said　Umslopogaas：　〃these　people　of　ours　are　hungry　for　the

flesh　of　men；　let　us　feed　them　full　on　the　soldiers　of　Chaka；　who　sit

yonder　at　the　kraal　seeking　my　life。　I　would　take　vengeance　for　Mopo；

my　father；　and　all　my　brethren　who　are　dead；　and　for　my　mothers；　the

wives　of　Mopo。　What　say　you？〃



Galazi　laughed　aloud。　〃That　will　be　merry；　my　brother；〃　he　said。　〃I

weary　of　hunting　beasts；　let　us　hunt　men　to…night。〃



〃Ay；　to…night；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　nodding。　〃I　long　to　look　upon　that

captain　as　a　maid　longs　for　her　lover's　kiss。　But　first　let　us　rest

and　eat；　for　the　night　is　young；　then；　Galazi；　summon　our　impi。〃



So　they　rested　and　ate；　and　afterwards　went　out　armed；　and　Galazi

howled　to　the　wolves；　and　they　came　in　tens　and　twenties　till　all　were

gathered　together。　Galazi　moved　among　them；　shaking　the　Watcher；　as

they　sat　upon　their　haunches；　and　followed　him　with　their　fiery　eyes。



〃We　do　not　hunt　game　to…night；　little　people；〃　he　cried；　〃but　men；　and

you　love　the　flesh　of　men。〃



Now　all　the　wolves　howled　as　though　they　understood。　Then　the　pack

divided　itself　as　was　its　custom；　the　she…wolves　following

Umslopogaas；　the　dog…wolves　following　Galazi；　and　in　silence　they

moved　swiftly　down　towards　the　plain。　They　came　to　the　river　and　swam

it；　and　there；　eight　spear　throws　away；　on　the　farther　side　of　the

river　stood　the　kraal。　Now　the　Wolf…Brethren　took　counsel　together；

and　Galazi；　with　the　dog…wolves；　went　to　the　north　gate；　and

Umslopogaas　with　the　she…wolves　to　the　south　gate。　They　reached　them

safely　and　in　silence；　for　at　the　bidding　of　the　brethren　the　wolves

ceased　from　their　howlings。　The　gates　were　stopped　with　thorns；　but

the　brethren　pulled　out　the　thorns　and　made　a　passage。　As　they　did

this　it　chanced　that　certain　dogs　in　the　kraal　heard　the　sound　of　the

stirred　boughs；　and　awakening；　caught　the　smell　of　the　wolves　that

were　with　Umslopogaas；　for　the　wind　blew　from　that　quarter。　These　dogs

ran　out　barking；　and　presently　they　came　to　the　south　gate　of　the

kraal；　and　flew　at　Umslopogaas；　who　pulled　away　the　thorns。　Now　when

the　wolves　saw　the　dogs　they　could　be　restrained　no　longer；　but　sprang

on　them　and　tore　them　to　fragments；　and　the　sound　of　their　worrying

came　to　the　ears　of　the　soldiers　of　Chaka　and　of　the　dwellers　in　the

kraal；　so　that　they　sprang　from　sleep；　snatching　their　arms。　And　as

they　came　out　of　the　huts　they　saw　in　the　moonlight　a　man　wearing　a

wolf's　hide　rushing　across　the　empty　cattle　kraal；　for　the　grass　was

long　and　the　cattle　were　out　at　graze；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；

black　and　grey。　Then　they　cried　aloud　in　terror；　saying　that　the

ghosts　were　on　them；　and　turned　to　flee　to　the　north　gate　of　the

kraal。　But；　behold！　here　also　they　met　a　man　clad　in　a　wolf's　skin

only；　and　with　him　countless　wolves；　black　and　grey。



Now；　some　flung　themselves　to　earth　screaming　in　their　fear；　and　some

strove　to　run　away；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　soldiers；　and　with

them　many　of　the　men　of　the　kraal；　came　together　in　knots；　being

minded　to　die　like　men　at　teeth　of　the　ghosts；　and　that　though　they

shook　with　fear。　Then　Umslopogaas　howled　aloud；　and　howled　Galazi；　and

they　flung　themselves　upon　the　soldiers　and　the　people　of　the　kraal；

and　with　them　came　the　wolves。　Then　a　crying　and　a　baying　rose　up　to

heaven　as　the　grey　wolves　leaped　and　bit　and　tore。　Little　they　heeded

the　spears　and　kerries　of　the　soldiers。　Some　were　killed；　but　the　rest

did　not　stay。　Presently　the　knots　of　men　broke　up；　and　to　each　man

wolves　hung　by　twos　and　threes；　dragging　him　to　earth。　Some　few　fled；

indeed；　but　the　wolves　hunted　them　by　gaze　and　scent；　and　pulled　them

down　before　they　passed　the　gates　of　the　kraal。



The　Wolf…Brethren　also　ravened　with　the　rest。　Busy　was　the　Watcher；

and　many　bowed　beneath　him；　and　often　the　spear　of　Umslopogaas　flashed

in　the　moonlight。　It　was　finished；　none　were　left　living　in　that

kraal；　and　the　wolves　growled　sullenly　as　they　took　their　fill；　they

who　had　been　hungry　for　many　days。　Now　the　brethren　met；　and　laughed

in　their　wolf　joy；　because　they　had　slaughtered　those　who　were　sent

out　to　slaughter。　They　called　to　the　wolves；　bidding　them　search　the

huts；　and　the　wolves　entered　the　huts　as　dogs　enter　a　thicket；　and

killed　those　who　lurked　there；　or　drove　them　forth　to　be　slain

without。　Presently　a　man；　great　and　tall；　sprang　from　the　last　of　the

huts；　where　he　had　hidden　himself；　and　the　wolves　outside　rushed　on

him　to　drag　him　down。　But　Umslopogaas　beat　them　back；　for　he　had　seen

the　face　of　the　man：　it　was　that　captain　whom　Chaka　had　sent　out　to

kill　him。　He　beat　them　back；　and　stalked　up　to　the　captain；　saying：

〃Greeting　to　you；　captain　of　the　king！　Now　tell　us　what　is　your　errand

here；　beneath　the　shadow　of　her　who　sits　in　stone？〃　And　he　pointed

with　his　spear　to　the　Grey　Witch　on　the　Ghost　Mountain；　on　which　the

moon　shone　bright。



Now　the　captain　had　a　great　heart；　though　he　had　hidden　from　the

wolves；　and　answered　boldly：



〃What　is　that　to　you；　wizard？　Your　ghost　wolves　had　made　an　end　of　my

errand。　Let　them　make　an　end　of　me　also。〃



〃Be　not　in　haste；　captain；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Say；　did　you　not　seek　a

certain　youth；　the　son　of　Mopo？〃



〃That　is　so；〃　answered　the　captain。　〃I　sought　one　youth；　and　I　have

found　many　evil　spirits。〃　And　he　looked　at　the　wolves　tearing　their

prey；　and　shuddered。



〃Say；　captain；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas；　drawing　back　his　hood　of　wolf's

hide　so　that　the　moonlight　fell　upon　his　face；　〃is　this　the　face　of

that　youth　whom　you　sought？〃



〃It　is　the　face；〃　answered　the　captain；　astonished。



〃Ay；〃　laughed　Umslopogaas；　〃it　is　the　face。　Fool！　I　knew　your　errand

and　heard　your　words；　and　thus　have　I　answered　them。〃　And　he　pointed

to　the　dead。　〃Now　choose；　and　swiftly。　Will　you　run　for　your　life

against　my　wolves？　Will　you　do　battle　for　your　life　against　these

four？〃　And　he　pointed　to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to

Deathgrip；　who　watched　him　with　slavering　lips；　〃or　will　you　stand

face　to　face　with　me；　and　if　I　am　slain；　with　him　who　bears　the　club；

and　with　whom　I　rule　this　people　black　and　grey？〃



〃I　fear　ghosts；　but　of　men　I　have　no　fear；　though　they　be　wizards；〃

answered　the　captain。



〃Good！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　shaking　his　spear。



Then　they　rushed　together；　and　that　fray　was　fierce。　For　presently　the

spear　of　Umslopogaas　was　broken　in　the　shield　of　the　captain　and　he

was　left　weaponless。　Now　Umslopogaas　turned　and　fled　swiftly；　bounding

over　the　dead　and　the　wolves　who　preyed　upon　them；　and　the　captain

followed　with　uplifted　spear；　and　mocked　him　as　he　came。　Galazi　also

wondered　that　Umslopogaas　should　fly　from　a　single　man。　Hither　and

thither　fled　Umslopogaas；　and　always　his　eyes　were　on　the　earth。　Of　a

sudden；　Galazi；　who　watched；　saw　him　sweep　forward　like　a　bird　and

stoop　to　the　ground。　Then　he　wheeled　round；　and　lo！　there　was　an　axe

in　his　hand。　The　captain　rushed　at　him；　and　Umslopogaas　smote　as　he

rushed；　and　the　blade　of　the　great　spear　that　was　lifted　to　pierce　him

fell　to　the　ground　hewn　from　its　haft。　Again　Umslopogaas　smote：　the

moon…shaped　axe　sank　through　the　stout　shield　deep　into　the　breast

beyond。　Then　the　captain　threw　up　his　arms　and　fell　to　the　earth。



〃Ah！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　〃you　sought　a　youth　to　slay　him；　and　have

found　an　axe　to　be　slain　by　it！　Sleep　softly；　captain　of　Chaka。〃



Then　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　Galazi；　saying：　〃My　brother；　I　will　fight　no

more　with　the　spear；　but　with　the　axe　alon