nada the lily-第45章

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〃And　what　fearest　thou；　O　King；　who　art　the　lord　of　all　the　earth？〃



Now　Chaka　leaned　forward　and　whispered　to　me：　〃Hearken；　Mopo；　I　have

dreamed　a　dream。　When　the　judgment　of　those　witches　was　done　with；　I

went　and　laid　me　down　to　sleep　while　it　was　yet　light；　for　I　can

scarcely　sleep　at　all　when　darkness　has　swallowed　up　the　world。　My

sleep　has　gone　from　methat　sister　of　thine；　Baleka；　took　my　sleep

with　her　to　the　place　of　death。　I　laid　me　down　and　I　slept；　but　a

dream　arose　and　sat　by　me　with　a　hooded　face；　and　showed　me　a　picture。

It　seemed　to　me　that　the　wall　of　my　hut　fell　down；　and　I　saw　an　open

place；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　place　I　lay　dead；　covered　with　many

wounds；　while　round　my　corpse　my　brothers　Dingaan　and　Umhlangana

stalked　in　pride　like　lions。　On　the　shoulders　of　Umhlangana　was　my

royal　kaross；　and　there　was　blood　on　the　kaross；　and　in　the　hand　of

Dingaan　was　my　royal　spear；　and　there　was　blood　upon　the　spear。　Then；

in　the　vision　of　my　dream；　Mopo；　thou　didst　draw　near；　and；　lifting

thy　hand；　didst　give　the　royal　salute　of　Bayete　to　these　brothers　of

mine；　and　with　thy　foot　didst　spurn　the　carcase　of　me；　thy　king。　Then

the　hooded　Dream　pointed　upwards　and　was　gone；　and　I　awoke；　and　lo！

fire　burned　in　the　roof　of　my　hut。　Thus　I　dreamed；　Mopo；　and　now；　my

servant；　say　thou；　wherefore　should　I　not　slay　thee；　thou　who　wouldst

serve　other　kings　than　I；　thou　who　wouldst　give　my　royal　salute　to　the

princes；　my　brothers？〃　and　he　glared　upon　me　fiercely。



〃As　thou　wilt；　O　King！〃　I　answered　gently。　〃Doubtless　thy　dream　was

evil；　and　yet　more　evil　was　the　omen　of　the　fire　that　fell　upon　thy

hut。　And　yet〃　and　I　ceased。



〃And　yetMopo；　thou　faithless　servant？〃



〃And　yet；　O　King；　it　seems　to　me　in　my　folly　that　it　were　well　to

strike　the　head　of　the　snake　and　not　its　tail；　for　without　the　tail

the　head　may　live；　but　not　the　tail　without　the　head。〃



〃Thou　wouldst　say；　Mopo；　that　if　these　princes　die　never　canst　thou　or

any　other　man　give　them　the　royal　names。　Do　I　hear　aright；　Mopo？〃



〃Who　am　I　that　I　should　lift　up　my　voice　asking　for　the　blood　of

princes？〃　I　answered。　〃Judge　thou；　O　King！〃



Now；　Chaka　brooded　awhile；　then　he　spoke：　〃Say；　Mopo；　can　it　be　done

this　night？〃



〃There　are　but　few　men　in　the　kraal；　O　King。　All　are　gone　out　to　war；

and　of　those　few　many　are　the　servants　of　the　princes；　and　perhaps

they　might　give　blow　for　blow。〃



〃How　then；　Mopo？〃



〃Nay；　I　know　not；　O　King；　yet　at　the　great　kraal　beyond　the　river　sits

that　regiment　which　is　named　the　Slayers。　By　midday　to…morrow　they

might　be　here；　and　then〃



〃Thou　speakest　wisely；　my　child　Mopo；　it　shall　be　for　to…morrow。　Go

summon　the　regiment　of　the　Slayers；　and；　Mopo；　see　that　thou　fail　me

not。〃



〃If　I　fail　thee；　O　King；　then　I　fail　myself；　for　it　seems　that　my　life

hangs　on　this　matter。〃



〃If　all　the　words　that　ever　passed　thy　lips　are　lies；　yet　is　that　word

true；　Mopo；〃　said　Chaka：　〃moreover；　know　this；　my　servant：　if　aught

miscarries　thou　shalt　die　no　common　death。　Begone！〃



〃I　hear　the　king；〃　I　answered；　and　went　out。



Now；　my　father；　I　knew　well　that　Chaka　had　doomed　me　to　die；　though

first　he　would　use　me　to　destroy　the　princes。　But　I　feared　nothing；

for　I　knew　this　also；　that　the　hour　of　Chaka　was　come　at　last。



For　a　while　I　sat　in　my　hut　pondering；　then　when　all　men　slept　I　arose

and　crept　like　a　snake　by　many　paths　to　the　hut　of　Dingaan　the　prince；

who　awaited　me　on　that　night。　Following　the　shadow　of　the　hut；　I　came

to　the　door　and　scratched　upon　it　after　a　certain　fashion。　Presently

it　was　opened；　and　I　crawled　in；　and　the　door　was　shut　again。　Now

there　was　a　little　light　in　the　hut；　and　by　its　flame　I　saw　the　two

princes　sitting　side　by　side；　wrapped　about　with　blankets　which　hung

before　their　brows。



〃Who　is　this　that　comes？〃　said　the　Prince　Dingaan。



Then　I　lifted　the　blanket　from　my　head　so　that　they　might　see　my　face；

and　they　also　drew　the　blankets　from　their　brows。　I　spoke；　saying：

〃Hail　to　you；　Princes；　who　to…morrow　shall　be　dust！　Hail　to　you；　sons

of　Senzangacona；　who　to…morrow　shall　be　spirits！〃　and　I　pointed

towards　them　with　my　withered　hand。



Now　the　princes　were　troubled；　and　shook　with　fear。



〃What　meanest　thou；　thou　dog；　that　thou　dost　speak　to　us　words　of　such

ill…omen？〃　said　the　Prince　Dingaan　in　a　low　voice。



〃Where　dost　thou　point　at　us　with　that　white　and　withered　hand　of

thine；　Wizard？〃　hissed　the　Prince　Umhlangana。



〃Have　I　not　told　you；　O　ye　Princes！〃　I　whispered；　〃that　ye　must　strike

or　die；　and　has　not　your　heart　failed　you？　Now　hearken！　Chaka　has

dreamed　another　dream；　now　it　is　Chaka　who　strikes；　and　ye　are　already

dead；　ye　children　of　Senzangacona。〃



〃If　the　slayers　of　the　king　be　without　the　gates；　at　least　thou　shalt

die　first；　thou　who　hast　betrayed　us！〃　quoth　the　Prince　Dingaan；　and

drew　an　assegai　from　under　his　kaross。



〃First　hear　the　king's　dream；　O　Prince；〃　I　said；　〃then；　if　thou　wilt；

kill　me；　and　die。　Chaka　the　king　slept　and　dreamed　that　he　lay　dead；

and　that　one　of　you；　the　princes；　wore　his　royal　kaross。〃



〃Who　wore　the　royal　kaross？〃　asked　Dingaan；　eagerly；　and　both　looked

up；　waiting　on　my　words。



〃The　Prince　Umhlangana　wore　itin　the　dream　of　ChakaO　Dingaan；

shoot　of　a　royal　stock！〃　I　answered　slowly；　taking　snuff　as　I　spoke；

and　watching　the　two　of　them　over　the　edge　of　my　snuff…spoon。



Now　Dingaan　scowled　heavily　at　Umhlangana；　but　the　face　of　Umhlangana

was　as　the　morning　sky。



〃Chaka　dreamed　this　also；〃　I　went　on：　〃that　one　of　you；　the　princes；

held　his　royal　spear。〃



〃Who　held　the　royal　spear？〃　asked　Umhlangana。



〃The　Prince　Dingaan　held　itin　the　dream　of　ChakaO　Umhlangana；

sprung　from　the　root　of　kings！and　it　dripped　blood。〃



Now　the　face　of　Umhlangana　grew　dark　as　night；　but　that　of　Dingaan

brightened　like　the　dawn。



〃Chaka　dreamed　this　also：　that　I；　Mopo；　your　dog；　who　am　not　worthy　

to　be　mentioned　with　such　names；　came　up　and　gave　the　royal　salute；

even　the　Bayete。〃



〃To　whom　didst　thou　give　the　Bayete；　O　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？〃　asked

both　of　the　princes　as　with　one　breath；　waiting　on　my　words。



〃I　gave　it　to　both　of　you；　O　twin　stars　of　the　morning；　princes　of　the

Zuluin　the　dream　of　Chaka　I　gave　it　to　both　of　you。〃



Now　the　princes　looked　this　way　and　that；　and　were　silent；　not　knowing

what　to　say；　for　these　princes　hated　each　other；　though　adversity　and

fear　had　brought　them　to　one　bed。



〃But　what　avails　it　to　talk　thus；　ye　lords　of　the　land；〃　I　went　on；

〃seeing　that；　both　of　you；　ye　are　already　as　dead　men；　and　that

vultures　which　are　hungry　to…night　to…morrow　shall　be　filled　with　meat

of　the　best？　Chaka　the　king　is　now　a　Doctor　of　Dreams；　and　to　clear

away　such　a　dream　as　this　he　has　a　purging　medicine。〃



Now　the　brows　of　these　brothers　grew　black　indeed；　for　they　saw　that

their　fate　was　on　them。



〃These　are　the　words　of　Chaka　the　king；　O　ye　bulls　who　lead　the　herd！

All　are　doomed；　ye　twain　and　I；　and　many　another　man　who　loves　us。　In

the　great　kraal　beyond　the　river　there　sits　a　regiment：　it　is　summoned

and　thengood…night！　Have　ye　any　words　to　say　to　those　yet　left

upon　the　earth？　Perhaps　it　will　be　given　to　me　to　live　a　little　while

after　ye　are　gone；　and　I　may　bring　them　to　their　ears。〃



〃Can　we　not　rise　up　now　and　fall　upon　Chaka？〃　asked　Dingaan。



〃It　is　not　possible；〃　I　said；　〃the　king　is　guarded。〃



〃Hast　thou　no　plan；　Mopo？〃　groaned　Umhlangana。　〃Methinks　thou　hast　a

plan　to　save　us。〃



〃And　if　I　have　a　plan；　ye　Princes；　what　shall　be　my　reward？　It　must　be

great；　for　I　am　weary　of　life；　and　I　will　not　use　my　wisdom　for　a

little　thing。〃



Now　both　the　princes　offered　me　good　things；　each　of　them　promising

more　than　the　other；　as　two　young　men　who　are　rivals　promise　to　the

father　of　a　girl　whom　both　would　wed。　I　listened；　saying　always　that

it　was　not　enough；　till　in　the　end　both