nada the lily-第40章

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〃Take　them　away；　the　heartless　brutes；　take　them　away！〃　Yet；　my

father；　there　was　cunning　in　his　cruelty；　for　though　he　destroyed　many

for　sport　alone；　also　he　slew　on　this　day　all　those　whom　he　hated　or

whom　he　feared。



At　length　the　night　came　down；　the　sun　sank　red　that　day；　all　the　sky

was　like　blood；　and　blood　was　all　the　earth　beneath。　Then　the　killing

ceased；　because　none　had　now　the　strength　to　kill；　and　the　people　lay

panting　in　heaps　upon　the　ground；　the　living　and　the　dead　together。　I

looked　at　them；　and　saw　that　if　they　were　not　allowed　to　eat　and

drink；　before　day　dawned　again　the　most　of　them　would　be　dead；　and　I

spoke　to　the　king；　for　I　cared　little　in　that　hour　if　I　lived　or　died；

even　my　hope　of　vengeance　was　forgotten　in　the　sickness　of　my　heart。



〃A　mourning　indeed；　O　King；〃　I　said；　〃a　merry　mourning　for　true…

hearted　men；　but　for　wizards　a　mourning　such　as　they　do　not　love。　I

think　that　thy　sorrows　are　avenged；　O　King；　thy　sorrows　and　mine

also。〃



〃Not　so；　Mopo；〃　answered　the　king；　〃this　is　but　the　beginning；　our

mourning　was　merry　to…day；　it　shall　be　merrier　to…morrow。〃



〃To…morrow；　O　King；　few　will　be　left　to　mourn；　for　the　land　will　be

swept　of　men。〃



〃Why；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？　But　a　few　have　perished　of　all　the

thousands　who　are　gathered　together。　Number　the　people　and　they　will

not　be　missed。〃



〃But　a　few　have　died　beneath　the　assegai　and　the　kerrie；　O　King。　Yet

hunger　and　thirst　shall　finish　the　spear's　work。　The　people　have

neither　eaten　nor　drunk　for　a　day　and　a　night；　and　for　a　day　and　a

night　they　have　wailed　and　moaned。　Look　without；　Black　One；　there　they

lie　in　heaps　with　the　dead。　By　to…morrow's　light　they　also　will　be

dead　or　dying。〃



Now；　Chaka　thought　awhile；　and　he　saw　that　the　work　would　go　too　far；

leaving　him　but　a　small　people　over　whom　to　rule。



〃It　is　hard；　Mopo；〃　he　said；　〃that　thou　and　I　must　mourn　alone　over

our　woes　while　these　dogs　feast　and　make　merry。　Yet；　because　of　the

gentleness　of　my　heart；　I　will　deal　gently　with　them。　Go　out；　son　of

Makedama；　and　bid　my　children　eat　and　drink　if　they　have　the　heart；

for　this　mourning　is　ended。　Scarcely　will　Unandi；　my　mother；　sleep

well；　seeing　that　so　little　blood　has　been　shed　on　her　gravesurely

her　spirit　will　haunt　my　dreams。　Yet；　because　of　the　gentleness　of　my

heart；　I　declare　this　mourning　ended。　Let　my　children　eat　and　drink；

if；　indeed；　they　have　the　heart。〃



〃Happy　are　the　people　over　whom　such　a　king　is　set；〃　I　said　in　answer。

Then　I　went　out　and　told　the　words　of　Chaka　to　the　chiefs　and

captains；　and　those　of　them　who　had　the　voice　left　to　them　praised　the

goodness　of　the　king。　But　the　most　gave　over　sucking　the　dew　from

their　sticks；　and　rushed　to　the　water　like　cattle　that　have　wandered

five　days　in　the　desert；　and　drank　their　fill。　Some　of　them　were

trampled　to　death　in　the　water。



Afterwards　I　slept　as　I　might　best；　it　was　not　well；　my　father；　for　I

knew　that　Chaka　was　not　yet　gutted　with　slaughter。



On　the　morrow　many　of　the　people　went　back　to　their　homes；　having

sought　leave　from　the　king；　others　drew　away　the　dead　to　the　place　of

bones；　and　yet　others　were　sent　out　in　impis　to　kill　such　as　had　not

come　to　the　mourning　of　the　king。　When　midday　was　past；　Chaka　said

that　he　would　walk；　and　ordered　me　and　other　of　his　indunas　and

servants　to　walk　with　him。　We　went　on　in　silence；　the　king　leaning　on

my　shoulder　as　on　a　stick。　〃What　of　thy　people；　Mopo；〃　he　said　at

length；　〃what　of　the　Langeni　tribe？　Were　they　at　my　mourning？　I　did

not　see　them。〃



Then　I　answered　that　I　did　not　know；　they　had　been　summoned；　but　the

way　was　long　and　the　time　short　for　so　many　to　march　so　far。



〃Dogs　should　run　swiftly　when　their　master　calls；　Mopo；　my　servant；〃

said　Chaka；　and　the　dreadful　light　came　into　his　eyes　that　never　shone

in　the　eyes　of　any　other　man。　Then　I　grew　sick　at　heart；　my　father

ay；　though　I　loved　my　people　little；　and　they　had　driven　me　away；　I

grew　sick　at　heart。　Now　we　had　come　to　a　spot　where　there　is　a　great

rift　of　black　rock；　and　the　name　of　that　rift　is　U'Donga…lu…ka…

Tatiyana。　On　either　side　of　this　donga　the　ground　slopes　steeply　down

towards　its　yawning　lips；　and　from　its　end　a　man　may　see　the　open

country。　Here　Chaka　sat　down　at　the　end　of　the　rift；　pondering。

Presently　he　looked　up　and　saw　a　vast　multitude　of　men；　women；　and

children；　who　wound　like　a　snake　across　the　plain　beneath　towards　the

kraal　Gibamaxegu。



〃I　think；　Mopo；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　by　the　colour　of　their　shields；

yonder　should　be　the　Langeni　tribethine　own　people；　Mopo。〃



〃It　is　my　people；　O　King；〃　I　answered。



Then　Chaka　sent　messengers；　running　swiftly；　and　bade　them　summon　the

Langeni　people　to　him　where　he　sat。　Other　messengers　he　sent　also　to

the　kraal；　whispering　in　their　ears；　but　what　he　said　I　did　not　know

then。



Now；　for　a　while；　Chaka　watched　the　long　black　snake　of　men　winding

towards　him　across　the　plain　till　the　messengers　met　them　and　the

snake　began　to　climb　the　slope　of　the　hill。



〃How　many　are　these　people　of　thine；　Mopo？〃　asked　the　king。



〃I　know　not；　O　Elephant；〃　I　answered；　〃who　have　not　seen　them　for　many

years。　Perhaps　they　number　three　full　regiments。〃



〃Nay；　more；〃　said　the　king；　〃what　thinkest　thou；　Mopo；　would　this

people　of　thine　fill　the　rift　behind　us？〃　and　he　nodded　at　the　gulf　of

stone。



Now；　my　father；　I　trembled　in　all　my　flesh；　seeing　the　purpose　of

Chaka；　but　I　could　find　no　words　to　say；　for　my　tongue　clave　to　the

roof　of　my　mouth。



〃The　people　are　many；〃　said　Chaka；　〃yet；　Mopo；　I　bet　thee　fifty　head

of　cattle　that　they　will　not　fill　the　donga。〃



〃The　king　is　pleased　to　jest；〃　I　said。



〃Yea；　Mopo；　I　jest；　yet　as　a　jest　take　thou　the　bet。〃



〃As　the　king　wills；〃　I　murmuredwho　could　not　refuse。　Now　the　people

of　my　tribe　drew　near：　at　their　head　was　an　old　man；　with　white　hair

and　beard；　and；　looking　at　him；　I　knew　him　for　my　father；　Makedama。

When　he　came　within　earshot　of　the　king；　he　gave　him　the　royal　salute

of　Bayete；　and　fell　upon　his　hands　and　knees；　crawling　towards　him；

and　konzaed　to　the　king；　praising　him　as　he　came。　All　the　thousands　of

the　people　also　fell　on　their　hands　and　knees；　and　praised　the　king

aloud；　and　the　sound　of　their　praising　was　like　the　sound　of　a　great

thunder。



At　length　Makedama；　my　father；　writhing　on　his　breast　like　a　snake；

lay　before　the　majesty　of　the　king。　Chaka　bade　him　rise；　and　greeted

him　kindly；　but　all　the　thousands　of　the　people　yet　lay　upon　their

breasts　beating　the　dust　with　their　heads。



〃Rise；　Makedama；　my　child；　father　of　the　people　of　the　Langeni；〃　said

Chaka；　〃and　tell　me　why　art　thou　late　in　coming　to　my　mourning？〃



〃The　way　was　far；　O　King；〃　answered　Makedama；　my　father；　who　did　not

know　me。　〃The　way　was　far　and　the　time　short。　Moreover；　the　women　and

the　children　grew　weary　and　footsore；　and　they　are　weary　in　this

hour。〃



〃Speak　not　of　it；　Makedama；　my　child；〃　said　the　king。　〃Surely　thy

heart　mourned　and　that　of　thy　people；　and　soon　they　shall　rest　from

their　weariness。　Say；　are　they　here　every　one？〃



〃Every　one；　O　Elephant！none　are　wanting。　My　kraals　are　desolate；　the

cattle　wander　untended　on　the　hills；　birds　pick　at　the　unguarded

crops。〃



〃It　is　well；　Makedama；　thou　faithful　servant！　Yet　thou　wouldst　mourn

with　me　an　houris　it　not　so？　Now；　hearken！　Bid　thy　people　pass　to

the　right　and　to　the　left　of　me；　and　stand　in　all　their　numbers　upon

the　slopes　of　the　grass　that　run　down　to　the　lips　of　the　rift。〃



So　Makedama；　my　father；　bade　the　people　do　the　bidding　of　the　king；

for　neither　he　nor　the　indunas　saw　his　purpose；　but　I；　who　knew　his

wicked　heart；　I　saw　it。　Then　the　people　filed　past　to　the　right　and　to

the　left　by　hundreds　and　by　thousands；　and　presently　the　grass　of　the

slopes　could　be　seen　no　more；　because　of　their　number。　When　all　had

passed；　Chaka　spoke　again　to　Makedama；　my　f