nada the lily-第46章

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it　was　not　enough；　till　in　the　end　both　of　them　swore　by　their　heads；

and　by　the　bones　of　Senzangacona；　their　father；　and　by　many　other

things；　that　I　should　be　the　first　man　in　the　land；　after　them；　its

kings；　and　should　command　the　impis　of　the　land；　if　I　would　but　show

them　a　way　to　kill　Chaka　and　become　kings。　Then；　when　they　had　done

swearing；　I　spoke；　weighing　my　words：



〃In　the　great　kraal　beyond　the　river；　O　ye　Princes；　there　sit；　not　one

regiment　but　two。　One　is　named　the　Slayers　and　loves　Chaka　the　king；

who　has　done　well　by　them；　giving　them　cattle　and　wives。　The　other　is

named　the　Bees；　and　that　regiment　is　hungry　and　longs　for　cattle　and

girls；　moreover；　of　that　regiment　the　Prince　Umhlangana　is　the

general；　and　it　loves　him。　Now　this　is　my　planto　summon　the　Bees　in

the　name　of　Umhlangana；　not　the　Slayers　in　the　name　of　Chaka。　Bend

forward；　O　Princes；　that　I　may　whisper　in　your　ears。〃



So　they　bent　forward；　and　I　whispered　awhile　of　the　death　of　a　king；

and　the　sons　of　Senzangacona　nodded　their　heads　as　one　man　in　answer。

Then　I　rose　up；　and　crept　from　the　hut　as　I　had　entered　it；　and

rousing　certain　trusty　messengers；　I　dispatched　them；　running　swiftly

through　the　night。







CHAPTER　XXI



THE　DEATH　OF　CHAKA



Now；　on　the　morrow；　two　hours　before　midday；　Chaka　came　from　the　hut

where　he　had　sat　through　the　night；　and　moved　to　a　little　kraal

surrounded　by　a　fence　that　was　some　fifty　paces　distant　from　the　hut。

For　it　was　my　duty；　day　by　day；　to　choose　that　place　where　the　king

should　sit　to　hear　the　counsel　of　his　indunas；　and　give　judgment　on

those　whom　he　would　kill；　and　to…day　I　had　chosen　this　place。　Chaka

went　alone　from　his　hut　to　the　kraal；　and；　for　my　own　reasons；　I

accompanied　him；　walking　after　him。　As　we　went　the　king　glanced　back

at　me　over　his　shoulder；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：



〃Is　all　prepared；　Mopo？〃



〃All　is　prepared；　Black　One；〃　I　answered。　〃The　regiment　of　the　Slayers

will　be　here　by　noon。〃



〃Where　are　the　princes；　Mopo？〃　asked　the　king　again。



〃The　princes　sit　with　their　wives　in　the　houses　of　their　women；　O

King；〃　I　answered；　〃they　drink　beer　and　sleep　in　the　laps　of　their

wives。〃



Chaka　smiled　grimly；　〃For　the　last　time；　Mopo！〃



〃For　the　last　time；　O　King。〃



We　came　to　the　kraal；　and　Chaka　sat　down　in　the　shade　of　the　reed

fence；　upon　an　ox…hide　that　was　brayed　soft。　Near　to　him　stood　a　girl

holding　a　gourd　of　beer；　there　were　also　present　the　old　chief

Inguazonca；　brother　of　Unandi；　Mother　of　the　Heavens；　and　the　chief

Umxamama；　whom　Chaka　loved。　When　we　had　sat　a　little　while　in　the

kraal；　certain　men　came　in　bearing　cranes'　feathers；　which　the　king

had　sent　them　to　gather　a　month's　journey　from　the　kraal　Duguza；　and

they　were　admitted　before　the　king。　These　men　had　been　away　long　upon

their　errand；　and　Chaka　was　angry　with　them。　Now　the　leader　of　the　men

was　an　old　captain　of　Chaka's；　who　had　fought　under　him　in　many

battles；　but　whose　service　was　done；　because　his　right　hand　had　been

shorn　away　by　the　blow　of　an　axe。　He　was　a　great　man　and　very　brave。



Chaka　asked　the　man　why　he　had　been　so　long　in　finding　the　feathers；

and　he　answered　that　the　birds　had　flown　from　that　part　of　the　country

whither　he　was　sent；　and　he　must　wait　there　till　they　returned；　that

he　might　snare　them。



〃Thou　shouldst　have　followed　the　cranes；　yes；　if　they　flew　through　the

sunset；　thou　disobedient　dog！〃　said　the　king。　〃Let　him　be　taken　away；

and　all　those　who　were　with　him。〃



Now　some　of　the　men　prayed　a　little　for　mercy；　but　the　captain　did　but

salute　the　king；　calling　him　〃Father；〃　and　craving　a　boon　before　he

died。



〃What　wouldst　thou？〃　asked　Chaka。



〃My　father；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　would　ask　thee　two　things。　I　have　fought

many　times　at　thy　side　in　battle　while　we　both　were　young；　nor　did　I

ever　turn　my　back　upon　the　foe。　The　blow　that　shore　the　hand　from　off

this　arm　was　aimed　at　thy　head；　O　King；　I　stayed　it　with　my　naked　arm。

It　is　nothing；　at　thy　will　I　live；　and　at　thy　will　I　die。　Who　am　I

that　I　should　question　the　word　of　the　king？　Yet　I　would　ask　this；

that　thou　wilt　withdraw　the　kaross　from　about　thee；　O　King；　that　for

the　last　time　my　eyes　may　feast　themselves　upon　the　body　of　him　whom；

above　all　men；　I　love。〃



〃Thou　art　long…winded；〃　said　the　king；　〃what　more？〃



〃This；　my　father；　that　I　may　bid　farewell　to　my　son；　he　is　a　little

child；　so　high；　O　King；〃　and　he　held　his　hand　above　his　knee。



〃Thy　first　boon　is　granted；〃　said　the　king；　slipping　the　kaross　from

his　shoulders　and　showing　the　great　breast　beneath。　〃For　the　second　it

shall　be　granted　also；　for　I　will　not　willingly　divide　the　father　and

the　son。　Bring　the　boy　here；　thou　shalt　bid　him　farewell；　then　thou

shalt　slay　him　with　thine　own　hand　ere　thou　thyself　art　slain；　it　will

be　good　sport　to　see。〃



Now　the　man　turned　grey　beneath　the　blackness　of　his　skin；　and

trembled　a　little　as　he　murmured；　〃The　king's　will　is　the　will　of　his

servant；　let　the　child　be　brought。〃



But　I　looked　at　Chaka　and　saw　that　the　tears　were　running　down　his

face；　and　that　he　only　spoke　thus　to　try　the　captain　who　loved　him　to

the　last。



〃Let　the　man　go；〃　said　the　king；　〃him　and　those　with　him。〃



So　they　went　glad　at　heart；　and　praising　the　king。



I　have　told　you　this；　my　father；　though　it　has　not　to　do　with　my

story；　because　then；　and　then　only；　did　I　ever　see　Chaka　show　mercy　to

one　whom　he　had　doomed　to　die。



As　the　captain　and　his　people　left　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　it　was

spoken　in　the　ear　of　the　king　that　a　man　sought　audience　with　him。　He

was　admitted　crawling　on　his　knees。　I　looked　and　saw　that　this　was

that　Masilo　whom　Chaka　had　charged　with　a　message　to　him　who　was　named

Bulalio；　or　the　Slaughterer；　and　who　ruled　over　the　People　of　the　Axe。

It　was　Masilo　indeed；　but　he　was　no　longer　fat；　for　much　travel　had

made　him　thin；　moreover；　on　his　back　were　the　marks　of　rods；　as　yet

scarcely　healed　over。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　said　Chaka。



〃I　am　Masilo；　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　to　whom　command　was　given　to

run　with　a　message　to　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　their　chief；　and　to

return　on　the　thirtieth　day。　Behold；　O　King；　I　have　returned；　though

in　a　sorry　plight！〃



〃It　seems　so！〃　said　the　king；　laughing　aloud。　〃I　remember　now：　speak

on；　Masilo　the　Thin；　who　wast　Masilo　the　Fat；　what　of　this

Slaughterer？　Does　he　come　with　his　people　to　lay　the　axe　Groan…Maker

in　my　hands？〃



〃Nay；　O　King；　he　comes　not。　He　met　me　with　scorn；　and　with　scorn　he

drove　me　from　his　kraal。　Moreover；　as　I　went　I　was　seized　by　the

servants　of　Zinita；　she　whom　I　wooed；　but　who　is　now　the　wife　of　the

Slaughterer；　and　laid　on　my　face　upon　the　ground　and　beaten　cruelly

while　Zinita　numbered　the　strokes。〃



〃Hah！〃　said　the　king。　〃And　what　were　the　words　of　this　puppy？〃



〃These　were　his　words；　O　King：　'Bulalio　the　Slaughterer；　who　sits

beneath　the　shadow　of　the　Witch　Mountain；　to　Bulalio　the　Slaughterer

who　sits　in　the　kraal　DuguzaTo　thee　I　pay　no　tribute；　if　thou

wouldst　have　the　axe　Groan…Maker；　come　to　the　Ghost　Mountain　and　take

it。　This　I　promise　thee：　thou　shalt　look　on　a　face　thou　knowest；　for

there　is　one　there　who　would　be　avenged　for　the　blood　of　a　certain

Mopo。'〃



Now；　while　Masilo　told　this　tale　I　had　seen　two　thingsfirst；　that　a

little　piece　of　stick　was　thrust　through　the　straw　of　the　fence；　and；

secondly；　that　the　regiment　of　the　Bees　was　swarming　on　the　slope

opposite　to　the　kraal　in　obedience　to　the　summons　I　had　sent　them　in

the　name　of　Umhlangana。　The　stick　told　me　that　the　princes　were　hidden

behind　the　fence　waiting　the　signal；　and　the　coming　of　the　regiment

that　it　was　time　to　do　the　deed。



When　Masilo　had　spoken　Chaka　sprang　up　in　fury。　His　eyes　rolled；　his

face　worked；　foam　flew　from　his　lips；　for　such　words　as　these　had

never　offended　his　ears　since　he　was　king；　and　Masilo　knew　him　little；

else　he　had　not　dare