nada the lily-第55章

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Presently　the　Boers　came　in　on　foot　and　walked　up　to　the　king　in　a

body；　and　Dingaan　greeted　them　kindly　and　shook　hands　with　Retief；

their　captain。　Then　Retief　drew　the　paper　from　a　leather　pouch；　which

set　out　the　boundaries　of　the　grant　of　land；　and　it　was　translated　to

the　king　by　an　interpreter。　Dingaan　said　that　it　was　good；　and　put　his

mark　upon　it；　and　Retief　and　all　the　Boers　were　pleased；　and　smiled

across　their　faces。　Now　they　would　have　said　farewell；　but　Dingaan

forbade　them；　saying　that　they　must　not　go　yet：　first　they　must　eat

and　see　the　soldiers　dance　a　little；　and　he　commanded　dishes　of　boiled

flesh　which　had　been　made　ready　and　bowls　of　milk　to　be　brought　to

them。　The　Boers　said　that　they　had　already　eaten；　still；　they　drank

the　milk；　passing　the　bowls　from　hand　to　hand。



Now　the　regiment　began　to　dance；　singing　the　Ingomo；　that　is　the　war

chant　of　us　Zulus；　my　father；　and　the　Boers　drew　back　towards　the

centre　of　the　space　to　give　the　soldiers　room　to　dance　in。　It　was　at

this　moment　that　I　heard　Dingaan　give　an　order　to　a　messenger　to　run

swiftly　to　the　white　Doctor　of　Prayers；　who　was　staying　without　the

kraal；　telling　him　not　to　be　afraid；　and　I　wondered　what　this　might

mean；　for　why　should　the　Prayer　Doctor　fear　a　dance　such　as　he　had

often　seen　before？　Presently　Dingaan　rose；　and；　followed　by　all；

walked　through　the　press　to　where　the　Captain　Retief　stood；　and　bade

him　good…bye；　shaking　him　by　the　hand　and　bidding　him　hambla　gachle；

to　go　in　peace。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　back　again　towards　the

gateway　which　led　to　his　royal　house；　and　I　saw　that　near　this

entrance　stood　the　captain　of　the　regiments；　as　one　stands　by　who

waits　for　orders。



Now；　of　a　sudden；　my　father；　Dingaan　stopped　and　cried　with　a　loud

voice；　〃Bulalani　Abatakati！〃　（slay　the　wizards）；　and　having　cried　it；

he　covered　his　face　with　the　corner　of　his　blanket；　and　passed　behind

the　fence。



We；　the　councillors；　stood　astounded；　like　men　who　had　become　stone；

but　before　we　could　speak　or　act　the　captain　of　the　regiment　had　also

cried　aloud；　〃Bulalani　Abatakati！〃　and　the　signal　was　caught　up　from

every　side。　Then；　my　father；　came　a　yell　and　a　rush　of　thousands　of

feet；　and　through　the　clouds　of　dust　we　saw　the　soldiers　hurl

themselves　upon　the　Amaboona；　and　above　the　shouting　we　heard　the

sound　of　falling　sticks。　The　Amaboona　drew　their　knives　and　fought

bravely；　but　before　a　man　could　count　a　hundred　twice　it　was　done；　and

they　were　being　dragged；　some　few　dead；　but　the　most　yet　living；

towards　the　gates　of　the　kraal　and　out　on　to　the　Hill　of　Slaughter；

and　there；　on　the　Hill　of　Slaughter；　they　were　massacred；　every　one　of

them。　How？　Ah！　I　will　not　tell　youthey　were　massacred　and　piled　in　a

heap；　and　that　was　the　end　of　their　story；　my　father。



Now　I　and　the　other　councillors　turned　away　and　walked　silently

towards　the　house　of　the　king。　We　found　him　standing　before　his　great

hut；　and；　lifting　our　hands；　we　saluted　him　silently；　saying　no　word。

It　was　Dingaan　who　spoke；　laughing　a　little　as　he　spoke；　like　a　man

who　is　uneasy　in　his　mind。



〃Ah；　my　captains；〃　he　said；　〃when　the　vultures　plumed　themselves　this

morning；　and　shrieked　to　the　sky　for　blood；　they　did　not　look　for　such

a　feast　as　I　have　given　them。　And　you；　my　captains；　you　little　guessed

how　great　a　king　the　Heavens　have　set　to　rule　over　you；　nor　how　deep

is　the　mind　of　the　king　that　watches　ever　over　his　people's　welfare。

Now　the　land　is　free　from　the　White　Wizards　of　whose　footsteps　the

Black　One　croaked　as　he　gave　up　his　life；　or　soon　shall　be；　for　this

is　but　a　beginning。　Ho！　Messengers！〃　and　he　turned　to　some　men　who

stood　behind　him；　〃away　swiftly　to　the　regiments　that　are　gathered

behind　the　mountains；　away　to　them；　bearing　the　king's　words　to　the

captains。　This　is　the　king's　word：　that　the　impi　shall　run　to　the　land

of　Natal　and　slay　the　Boers　there；　wiping　them　out；　man；　woman；　and

child。　Away！〃



Now　the　messengers　cried　out　the　royal　salute　of　Bayete；　and；　leaping

forward　like　spears　from　the　hand　of　the　thrower；　were　gone　at　once。

But　we；　the　councillors；　the　members　of　the　Amapakati；　still　stood

silent。



Then　Dingaan　spoke　again；　addressing　me：



〃Is　thy　heart　at　rest　now；　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama？　Ever　hast　thou

bleated　in　my　ear　of　this　white　people　and　of　the　deeds　that　they

shall　do；　and　lo！　I　have　blown　upon　them　with　my　breath　and　they　are

gone。　Say；　Mopo；　are　the　Amaboona　wizards　yonder　all　dead？　If　any　be

left　alive；　I　desire　to　speak　with　one　of　them。〃



Then　I　looked　Dingaan　in　the　face　and　spoke。



〃They　are　all　dead；　and　thou；　O　King；　thou　also　art　dead。〃



〃It　were　well　for　thee；　thou　dog；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃that　thou　shouldst

make　thy　meaning　plain。〃



〃Let　the　king　pardon　me；〃　I　answered；　〃this　is　my　meaning。　Thou　canst

not　kill　this　white　men；　for　they　are　not　of　one　race；　but　of　many

races；　and　the　sea　is　their　home；　they　rise　out　of　the　black　water。

Destroy　those　that　are　here；　and　others　shall　come　to　avenge　them；

more　and　more　and　more！　Now　thou　hast　smitten　in　thy　hour；　in　theirs

they　shall　smite　in　turn。　Now　THEY　lie　low　in　blood　at　thy　hand；　in　a

day　to　come；　O　King；　THOU　shalt　lie　low　in　blood　at　theirs。　Madness

has　taken　hold　of　thee；　O　King；　that　thou　hast　done　this　thing；　and

the　fruit　of　thy　madness　shall　be　thy　death。　I　have　spoken；　I；　who　am

the　king's　servant。　Let　the　will　of　the　king　be　done。〃



Then　I　stood　still　waiting　to　be　killed；　for；　my　father；　in　the　fury

of　my　heart　at　the　wickedness　which　had　been　worked　I　could　not　hold

back　my　words。　Thrice　Dingaan　looked　on　me　with　a　terrible　face；　and

yet　there　was　fear　in　his　face　striving　with　its　rage；　and　I　waited

calmly　to　see　which　would　conquer；　the　fear　or　the　rage。　When　at　last

he　spoke；　it　was　one　word；　〃Go！〃　not　three　words；　〃Take　him　away。〃　So

I　went　yet　living；　and　with　me　the　councillors；　leaving　the　king

alone。



I　went　with　a　heavy　heart；　my　father；　for　of　all　the　evil　sights　that

I　have　seen　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　was　the　most　evilthat　the

Amaboona　should　be　slaughtered　thus　treacherously；　and　that　the　impis

should　be　sent　out　treacherously　to　murder　those　who　were　left　of

them；　together　with　their　women　and　children。　Ay；　and　they　slewsix

hundred　of　them　did　they　slayyonder　in　Weenen；　the　land　of　weeping。



Say；　my　father；　why　does　the　Umkulunkulu　who　sits　in　the　Heavens　above

allow　such　things　to　be　done　on　the　earth　beneath？　I　have　heard　the

preaching　of　the　white　men；　and　they　say　that　they　know　all　about　Him

that　His　names　are　Power　and　Mercy　and　Love。　Why；　then；　does　He

suffer　these　things　to　be　donewhy　does　He　suffer　such　men　as　Chaka

and　Dingaan　to　torment　the　people　of　the　earth；　and　in　the　end　pay

them　but　one　death　for　all　the　thousands　that　they　have　given　to

others？　Because　of　the　wickedness　of　the　peoples；　you　say；　but　no；　no；

that　cannot　be；　for　do　not　the　guiltless　go　with　the　guiltyay；　do

not　the　innocent　children　perish　by　the　hundred？　Perchance　there　is

another　answer；　though　who　am　I；　my　father；　that　I；　in　my　folly；

should　strive　to　search　out　the　way　of　the　Unsearchable？　Perchance　it

is　but　a　part　of　the　great　plan；　a　little　piece　of　that　pattern　of

which　I　spokethe　pattern　on　the　cup　that　holds　the　waters　of　His

wisdom。　Wow！　I　do　not　understand；　who　am　but　a　wild　man；　nor　have　I

found　more　knowledge　in　the　hearts　of　you　tamed　white　people。　You　know

many　things；　but　of　these　you　do　not　know：　you　cannot　tell　us　what　we

were　an　hour　before　birth；　nor　what　we　shall　be　an　hour　after　death；

nor　why　we　were　born；　nor　why　we　die。　You　can　only　hope　and　believe

that　is　all；　and　perhaps；　my　father；　before　many　days　are　sped　I　shall

be　wiser　than　all　of　you。　For　I　am　very　aged；　the　fire　of　my　life

sinks　lowit　burns　in　my　brain　alone；　there　it　is　still　bright；　but

soon　that　will　go　out　also；　and　then　perhaps　I　shall　understand。







CHAPTER　XXV



THE　WAR　WITH　THE