nada the lily-第59章

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Umslopogaas　to　smite　no　more：　it　was　as　though　a　memory　of　childhood

had　come　to　him　in　a　dream。　His　torch　was　burning　low；　but　he　thrust

it　forward　to　look　at　him　who　crouched　against　the　rock。　The　dress　was

the　dress　of　a　man；　but　this　was　no　man's　formnay；　rather　that　of　a

lovely　woman；　well…nigh　white　in　colour。　She　dropped　her　hands　from

before　her　face；　and　now　he　could　see　her　well。　He　saw　eyes　that　shone

like　stars；　hair　that　curled　and　fell　upon　the　shoulders；　and　such

beauty　as　was　not　known　among　our　people。　And　as　the　voice　had　spoken

to　him　of　something　that　was　lost；　so　did　the　eyes　seem　to　shine

across　the　blackness　of　many　years；　and　the　beauty　to　bring　back　he

knew　not　what。



He　looked　at　the　girl　in　all　her　loveliness；　and　she　looked　at　him　in

his　fierceness　and　his　might；　red　with　war　and　wounds。　They　both

looked　long；　while　the　torchlight　flared　on　them；　on　the　walls　of　the

cave；　and　the　broad　blade　of　Groan…Maker；　and　from　around　rose　the

sounds　of　the　fray。



〃How　are　you　named；　who　are　so　fair　to　see？〃　he　asked　at　length。



〃I　am　named　the　Lily　now：　once　I　had　another　name。　Nada；　daughter　of

Mopo；　I　was　once；　but　name　and　all　else　are　dead；　and　I　go　to　join

them。　Kill　me　and　make　an　end。　I　will　shut　my　eyes；　that　I　may　not　see

the　great　axe　flash。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　gazed　upon　her　again；　and　Groan…Maker　fell　from　his

hand。



〃Look　on　me；　Nada；　daughter　of　Mopo；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃look　at

me　and　say　who　am　I。〃



She　looked　once　more　and　yet　again。　Now　her　face　was　thrust　forward　as

one　who　gazes　over　the　edge　of　the　world；　it　grew　fixed　and　strange。

〃By　my　heart；〃　she　said；　〃by　my　heart；　you　are　Umslopogaas；　my　brother

who　is　dead；　and　whom　dead　as　living　I　have　loved　ever　and　alone。〃



Then　the　torch　flared　out；　but　Umslopogaas　took　hold　of　her　in　the

darkness　and　pressed　her　to　him　and　kissed　her；　the　sister　whom　he

found　after　many　years；　and　she　kissed　him。



〃You　kiss　me　now；〃　she　said；　〃yet　not　long　ago　that　great　axe　shore　my

locks；　missing　me　but　by　a　finger's…breadthand　still　the　sound　of

fighting　rings　in　my　ears！　Ah！　a　boon　of　you；　my　brothera　boon：　let

there　be　no　more　death　since　we　are　met　once　more。　The　people　of　the

Halakazi　are　conquered；　and　it　is　their　just　doom；　for　thus；　in　this

same　way；　they　killed　those　with　whom　I　lived　before。　Yet　they　have

treated　me　well；　not　forcing　me　into　wedlock；　and　protecting　me　from

Dingaan；　so　spare　them；　my　brother；　if　you　may。〃



Then　Umslopogaas　lifted　up　his　voice；　commanding　that　the　killing

should　cease；　and　sent　messengers　running　swiftly　with　these　words：

〃This　is　the　command　of　Bulalio：　that　he　should　lifts　hand　against　one

more　of　the　people　of　the　Halakazi　shall　be　killed　himself〃；　and　the

soldiers　obeyed　him；　though　the　order　came　somewhat　late；　and　no　more

of　the　Halakazi　were　brought　to　doom。　They　were　suffered　to　escape；

except　those　of　the　women　and　children　who　were　kept　to　be　led　away　as

captives。　And　they　ran　far　that　night。　Nor　did　they　come　together

again　to　be　a　people；　for　they　feared　Galazi　the　Wolf；　who　would　be

chief　over　them；　but　they　were　scattered　wide　in　the　world；　to　sojourn

among　strangers。



Now　when　the　soldiers　had　eaten　abundantly　of　the　store　of　the

Halakazi；　and　guards　had　been　sent　to　ward　the　cattle　and　watch

against　surprise；　Umslopogaas　spoke　long　with　Nada　the　Lily；　taking

her　apart；　and　he　told　her　all　his　story。　She　told　him　also　the　tale

which　you　know；　my　father；　of　how　she　had　lived　with　the　little　people

that　were　subject　to　the　Halakazi；　she　and　her　mother　Macropha；　and

how　the　fame　of　her　beauty　had　spread　about　the　land。　Then　she　told

him　how　the　Halakazi　had　claimed　her；　and　of　how；　in　the　end；　they　had

taken　her　by　force　of　arms；　killing　the　people　of　that　kraal；　and

among　them　her　own　mother。　Thereafter；　she　had　dwelt　among　the

Halakazi；　who　named　her　anew；　calling　her　the　Lily；　and　they　had

treated　her　kindly；　giving　her　reverence　because　of　her　sweetness　and

beauty；　and　not　forcing　her　into　marriage。



〃And　why　would　you　not　wed；　Nada；　my　sister？〃　asked　Umslopogaas；　〃you

who　are　far　past　the　age　of　marriage？〃



〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　she　answered；　hanging　her　head；　〃but　I　have　no

heart　that　way。　I　only　seek　to　be　left　alone。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　thought　awhile　and　spoke。　〃Do　you　not　know　then；　Nada；

why　it　is　that　I　have　made　this　war；　and　why　the　people　of　the

Halakazi　are　dead　and　scattered　and　their　cattle　the　prize　of　my　arm？

I　will　tell　you：　I　am　come　here　to　win　you；　whom　I　knew　only　by　report

as　the　Lily　maid；　the　fairest　of　women；　to　be　a　wife　to　Dingaan。　The

reason　that　I　began　this　war　was　to　win　you　and　make　my　peace　with

Dingaan；　and　now　I　have　carried　it　through　to　the　end。〃



Now　when　she　heard　these　words；　Nada　the　Lily　trembled　and　wept；　and；

sinking　to　the　earth；　she　clasped　the　knees　of　Umslopogaas　in

supplication：　〃Oh；　do　not　this　cruel　thing　by　me；　your　sister；〃　she

prayed；　〃take　rather　that　great　axe　and　make　an　end　of　me；　and　of　the

beauty　which　has　wrought　so　much　woe；　and　most　of　all　to　me　who　wear

it！　Would　that　I　had　not　moved　my　head　behind　the　shield；　but　had

suffered　the　axe　to　fall　upon　it。　To　this　end　I　was　dressed　as　a　man；

that　I　might　meet　the　fate　of　a　man。　Ah！　a　curse　be　on　my　woman's

weakness　that　snatched　me　from　death　to　give　me　up　to　shame！〃



Thus　she　prayed　to　Umslopogaas　in　her　low　sweet　voice；　and　his　heart

was　shaken　in　him；　though；　indeed；　he　did　not　now　purpose　to　give　Nada

to　Dingaan；　as　Baleka　was　given　to　Chaka；　perhaps　in　the　end　to　meet

the　fate　of　Baleka。



〃There　are　many；　Nada；〃　he　said；　〃who　would　think　it　no　misfortune

that　they　should　be　given　as　a　wife　to　the　first　of　chiefs。〃



〃Then　I　am　not　of　their　number；〃　she　answered；　〃nay；　I　will　die　first；

by　my　own　hand　if　need　be。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　wondered　how　it　came　about　that　Nada　looked　upon

marriage　thus；　but　he　did　not　speak　of　the　matter；　he　said　only；　〃Tell

me　then；　Nada；　how　I　can　deliver　myself　of　this　charge。　I　must　go　to

Dingaan　as　I　promised　our　father　Mopo；　and　what　shall　I　say　to　Dingaan

when　he　asks　for　the　Lily　whom　I　went　out　to　pluck　and　whom　his　heart

desires？　What　shall　I　say　to　save　myself　alive　from　the　wrath　of

Dingaan？〃



Then　Nada　thought　and　answered；　〃You　shall　say　this；　my　brother。　You

shall　tell　him　that　the　Lily；　being　clothed　in　the　war…dress　of　a

warrior；　fell　by　chance　in　the　fray。　See；　now；　none　of　your　people

know　that　you　have　found　me；　they　are　thinking　of　other　things　than

maids　in　the　hour　of　their　victory。　This；　then；　is　my　plan：　we　will

search　now　by　the　starlight　till　we　find　the　body　of　a　fair　maid；　for；

doubtless；　some　were　killed　by　hazard　in　the　fight；　and　on　her　we　will

set　a　warrior's　dress；　and　lay　by　her　the　corpse　of　one　of　your　own

men。　To…morrow；　at　the　light；　you　shall　take　the　captains　of　your

soldiers　and；　having　laid　the　body　of　the　girl　in　the　dark　of　the

cave；　you　shall　show　it　to　them　hurriedly；　and　tell　them　that　this　was

the　Lily；　slain　by　one　of　your　own　people；　whom　in　your　wrath　you　slew

also。　They　will　not　look　long　on　so　common　a　sight；　and　if　by　hazard

they　see　the　maid；　and　think　her　not　so　very　fair；　they　will　deem　that

it　is　death　which　has　robbed　her　of　her　comeliness。　So　the　tale　which

you　must　tell　to　Dingaan　shall　be　built　up　firmly；　and　Dingaan　shall

believe　it　to　be　true。〃



〃And　how　shall　this　be；　Nada？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。　〃How　shall　this　be

when　men　see　you　among　the　captives　and　know　you　by　your　beauty？　Are

there；　then；　two　such　Lilies　in　the　land？〃



〃I　shall　not　be　known；　for　I　shall　not　be　seen；　Umslopogaas。　You　must

set　me　free　to…night。　I　will　wander　hence　disguised　as　a　youth　and

covered　with　a　blanket；　and　if　any　meet　me；　who　shall　say　that　I　am

the　Lily？〃



〃And　where　will　you　wander；　Nada？　to　your　death？　Must　we；　then；　meet

after　so　many　years　to　part　again　for　ever？〃



〃Where　was　it　that　you