nada the lily-第37章

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between　them。　Umslopogaas　was　armed　with　the　great　shield　and　the

light　moon…shaped　axe；　Jikiza　carried　the　Groan…Maker　and　a　small

dancing　shield；　and；　looking　at　the　weapons　of　the　two；　people　thought

that　the　stranger　would　furnish　no　sport　to　the　holder　of　the　axe。



〃He　is　ill…armed；〃　said　an　old　man；　〃it　should　be　otherwiselarge

axe；　small　shield。　Jikiza　is　unconquerable；　and　the　big　shield　will

not　help　this　long…legged　stranger　when　Groan…Maker　rattles　on　the

buffalo　hide。〃　The　old　man　spoke　thus　in　the　hearing　of　Galazi　the

Wolf；　and　Galazi　thought　that　he　spoke　wisely；　and　sorrowed　for　the

fate　of　his　brother。



Now；　the　word　was　given；　and　Jikiza　rushed　on　Umslopogaas；　roaring；

for　his　rage　was　great。　But　Umslopogaas　did　not　stir　till　his　foe　was

about　to　strike；　then　suddenly　he　leaped　aside；　and　as　Jikiza　passed

he　smote　him　hard　upon　the　back　with　the　flat　of　his　axe；　making　a

great　sound；　for　it　was　not　his　plan　to　try　and　kill　Jikiza　with　this

axe。　Now；　a　shout　of　laughter　went　up　from　the　hundreds　of　the　people；

and　the　laughter　went　up　from　the　hundreds　of　the　people；　and　the

heart　of　Jikiza　nearly　burst　with　rage　because　of　the　shame　of　that

blow。　Round　he　came　like　a　bull　that　is　mad；　and　once　more　rushed　at

Umslopogaas；　who　lifted　his　shield　to　meet　him。　Then；　of　a　sudden；

just　when　the　great　axe　leapt　on　high；　Umslopogaas　uttered　a　cry　as　of

fear；　and；　turning；　fled　before　the　face　of　Jikiza。　Now　once　more　the

shout　of　laughter　went　up；　while　Umslopogaas　fled　swiftly；　and　after

him　rushed　Jikiza；　blind　with　fury。　Round　and　about　the　kraal　sped

Umslopogaas；　scarcely　a　spear's　length　ahead　of　Jikiza；　and　he　ran

keeping　his　back　to　the　sun　as　much　as　might　be；　that　he　might　watch

the　shadow　of　Jikiza。　A　second　time　he　sped　round；　while　the　people

cheered　the　chase　as　hunters　cheer　a　dog　which　pursues　a　buck。　So

cunningly　did　Umslopogaas　run；　that；　though　he　seemed　to　reel　with

weakness　in　such　fashion　that　men　thought　his　breath　was　gone；　yet　he

went　ever　faster　and　faster；　drawing　Jikiza　after　him。



Now；　when　Umslopogaas　knew　by　the　breathing　of　his　foe　and　by　the

staggering　of　his　shadow　that　his　strength　was　spent；　suddenly　he　made

as　though　he　were　about　to　fall　himself；　and　stumbled　out　of　the　path

far　to　the　right；　and　as　he　stumbled　he　let　drop　his　great　shield　full

in　the　way　of　Jikiza's　feet。　Then　it　came　about　that　Jikiza；　rushing

on　blindly；　caught　his　feet　in　the　shield　and　fell　headlong　to　earth。

Umslopogaas　saw；　and　swooped　on　him　like　an　eagle　to　a　dove。　Before

men　could　so　much　as　think；　he　had　seized　the　axe　Groan…Maker；　and

with　a　blow　of　the　steel　he　held　had　severed　the　thong　of　leather

which　bound　it　to　the　wrist　of　Jikiza；　and　sprung　back；　holding　the

great　axe　aloft；　and　casting　down　his　own　weapon　upon　the　ground。　Now；

the　watchers　saw　all　the　cunning　of　his　fight；　and　those　of　them　who

hated　Jikiza　shouted　aloud。　But　others　were　silent。



Slowly　Jikiza　gathered　himself　from　the　ground；　wondering　if　he　were

still　alive；　and　as　he　rose　he　grasped　the　little　axe　of　Umslopogaas；

and；　looking　at　it；　he　wept。　But　Umslopogaas　held　up　the　great　Groan…

Maker；　the　iron　chieftainess；　and　examined　its　curved　points　of　blue

steel；　the　gouge　that　stands　behind　it；　and　the　beauty　of　its　haft；

bound　about　with　wire　of　brass；　and　ending　in　a　knob　like　the　knob　of

a　stick；　as　a　lover　looks　upon　the　beauty　of　his　bride。　Then　before

all　men　he　kissed　the　broad　blade　and　cried　aloud：



〃Greeting　to　thee；　my　Chieftainess；　greeting　to　thee；　Wife　of　my

youth；　whom　I　have　won　in　war。　Never　shall　we　part；　thou　and　I；　and

together　will　we　die；　thou　and　I；　for　I　am　not　minded　that　others

should　handle　thee　when　I　am　gone。〃



Thus　he　cried　in　the　hearing　of　men；　then　turned　to　Jikiza；　who　stood

weeping；　because　he　had　lost　all。



〃Where　now　is　your　pride；　O　Unconquered？〃　laughed　Umslopogaas。　〃Fight

on。　You　are　as　well　armed　as　I　was　a　while　ago；　when　I　did　not　fear　to

stand　before　you。〃



Jikiza　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　with　a　curse　he　hurled　the

little　axe　at　him；　and；　turning；　fled　swiftly　towards　the　gates　of　the

cattle　kraal。



Umslopogaas　stooped；　and　the　little　axe　sped　over　him。　Then　he　stood

for　a　while　watching；　and　the　people　thought　that　he　meant　to　let

Jikiza　go。　But　that　was　not　his　desire；　he　waited；　indeed；　until

Jikiza　had　covered　nearly　half　the　space　between　him　and　the　gate；

then　with　a　roar　he　leaped　forward；　as　light　leaps　from　a　cloud；　and

so　fast　did　his　feet　fly　that　the　watchers　could　scarce　see　them　move。

Jikiza　fled　fast　also；　yet　he　seemed　but　as　one　who　stands　still。　Now

he　reached　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　now　there　was　rush；　a　light　of

downward　falling　steel；　and　something　swept　past　him。　Then；　behold！

Jikiza　fell　in　the　gateway　of　the　cattle　kraal；　and　all　saw　that　he

was　dead；　smitten　to　death　by　that　mighty　axe　Groan…Maker；　which　he

and　his　fathers　had　held　for　many　years。



A　great　shout　went　up　from　the　crowd　of　watchers　when　they　knew　that

Jikiza　the　Unconquered　was　killed　at　last；　and　there　were　many　who

hailed　Umslopogaas；　naming　him　Chief　and　Lord　of　the　People　of　the

Axe。　But　the　sons　of　Jikiza　to　the　number　of　ten；　great　men　and　brave；

rushed　on　Umslopogaas　to　kill　him。　Umslopogaas　ran　backwards；　lifting

up　the　Groan…Maker；　when　certain　councillors　of　the　people　flung

themselves　in　between　them；　crying；　〃Hold！〃



〃Is　not　this　your　law；　ye　councillors；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃that；

having　conquered　the　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　I　myself　am

chief？〃



〃That　is　our　law　indeed；　stranger；〃　answered　an　aged　councillor；　〃but

this　also　is　our　law：　that　now　you　must　do　battle；　one　by　one；　with

all　who　come　against　you。　So　it　was　in　my　father's　time；　when　the

grandfather　of　him　who　now　lies　dead　won　the　axe；　and　so　it　must　be

again　to…day。〃



〃I　have　nothing　to　say　against　the　rule；〃　said　Umslopogaas。　〃Now　who

is　there　who　will　come　up　against　me　to　do　battle　for　the　axe　Groan…

Maker　and　the　chieftainship　of　the　People　of　the　Axe？〃



Then　all　the　ten　sons　of　Jikiza　stepped　forward　as　one　man；　for　their

hearts　were　made　with　wrath　because　of　the　death　of　their　father　and

because　the　chieftainship　had　gone　from　their　race；　so　that　in　truth

they　cared　little　if　they　lived　or　died。　But　there　were　none　besides

these；　for　all　men　feared　to　stand　before　Umslopogaas　and　the　Groan…

Maker。



Umslopogaas　counted　them。　〃There　are　ten；　by　the　head　of　Chaka！〃　he

cried。　〃Now　if　I　must　fight　all　these　one　by　one；　no　time　will　be　left

to　me　this　day　to　talk　of　the　matter　of　Masilo　and　of　the　maid　Zinita。

Hearken！　What　say　you；　sons　of　Jikiza　the　Conquered？　If　I　find　one

other　to　stand　beside　me　in　the　fray；　and　all　of　you　come　on　at　once

against　us　twain；　ten　against　two；　to　slay　us　or　be　slain；　will　that

be　to　your　minds？〃



The　brethren　consulted　together；　and　held　that　so　they　should　be　in

better　case　than　if　they　went　up　one　by　one。



〃So　be　it；〃　they　said；　and　the　councillors　assented。



Now；　as　he　fled　round　and　round；　Umslopogaas　had　seen　the　face　of

Galazi；　his　brother；　in　the　throng；　and　knew　that　he　hungered　to　share

the　fight。　So　he　called　aloud　that　he　whom　he　should　choose；　and　who

would　stand　back　to　back　with　him　in　the　fray；　if　victory　were　theirs；

should　be　the　first　after　him　among　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and　as　he

called；　he　walked　slowly　down　the　line　scanning　the　faces　of　all；　till

he　came　to　where　Galazi　stood　leaning　on　the　Watcher。



〃Here　is　a　great　fellow　who　bears　a　great　club；〃　said　Umslopogaas。

〃How　are　you　named；　fellow？〃



〃I　am　named　Wolf；〃　answered　Galazi。



〃Say；　now；　Wolf；　are　you　willing　to　stand　back　to　back　with　me　in　this

fray　of　two　against　ten？　If　victory　is　ours；　you　shall　be　next　to　me

amongst　this　people。〃



〃Better　I　love　the　wild　woods　and　the　mountain's　breast　than　the

kraals　of　men　and　the　kiss　of　wives；　Axebearer；〃　answered　Galazi。

〃Yet；