nada the lily-第72章

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big　kraal　of　sleeping　men；　otherwise　there　had　been　fewer　dogs。　Is　a

whole　pack　sent　out　to　catch　an　antelope　on　its　form？　Galazi　wondered

whom　they　sought。　Ah！　now　they　turned　to　the　ford；　and　he　knew。　It　was

his　brother　Umslopogaas　and　Nada　the　Lily　and　the　People　of　the　Axe。

These　were　the　king's　dogs；　and　Zinita　had　let　them　slip。　For　this

reason　she　had　called　a　feast　of　women；　and　taken　the　children　with

her；　for　this　reason　so　many　had　been　summoned　from　the　kraal　by　one

means　or　another：　it　was　that　they　might　escape　the　slaughter。



Galazi　bounded　to　his　feet。　For　one　moment　he　thought。　Might　not　these

hunters　be　hunted？　Could　he　not　destroy　them　by　the　jaws　of　the　wolves

as　once　before　they　had　destroyed　a　certain　impi　of　the　king's？　Ay；　if

he　had　seen　them　but　one　hour　before；　then　scarcely　a　man　of　them

should　have　lived　to　reach　the　stream；　for　he　would　have　waylaid　them

with　his　wolves。　But　now　it　might　not　be；　the　soldiers　neared　the

ford；　and　Galazi　knew　well　that　his　grey　people　would　not　hunt　on　the

further　plain；　though　for　this　he　had　heard　one　reason　only；　that

which　was　given　him　by　the　lips　of　the　dead　in　a　dream。



What；　then；　might　be　done？　One　thing　alone：　warn　Umslopogaas。　Yet　how？

For　him　who　could　swim　a　rushing　river；　there　was；　indeed；　a　swifter

way　to　the　place　of　the　People　of　the　Axea　way　that　was　to　the　path

of　the　impi　as　is　the　bow…string　to　the　strung　bow。　And　yet　they　had

travelled　well…nigh　half　the　length　of　the　bow。　Still；　he　might　do　it；

he　whose　feet　were　the　swiftest　in　the　land；　except　those　of

Umslopogaas。　At　the　least；　he　would　try。　Mayhap；　the　impi　would　tarry

to　drink　at　the　ford。



So　Galazi　thought　in　his　heart；　and　his　thought　was　swift　as　the

light。　Then　with　a　bound　he　was　away　down　the　mountain　side。　From

boulder　to　boulder　he　leapt　like　a　buck；　he　crashed　through　the　brake

like　a　bull；　he　skimmed　the　level　like　a　swallow。　The　mountain　was

travelled　now；　there　in　front　of　him　lay　the　yellow　river　foaming　in

its　flood；　so　he　had　swum　it　before　when　he　went　to　see　the　dead。　Ah！

a　good　leap　far　out　into　the　torrent；　it　was　strong；　but　he　breasted

it。　He　was　through；　he　stood　upon　the　bank　shaking　the　water　from　him

like　a　dog；　and　now　he　was　away　up　the　narrow　gorge　of　stones　to　the

long　slope；　running　low　as　his　wolves　ran。



Before　him　lay　the　townone　side　shone　silver　with　the　sinking　moon；

one　was　grey　with　the　breaking　dawn。　Ah！　they　were　there；　he　saw　them

moving　through　the　grass　by　the　eastern　gate；　he　saw　the　long　lines　of

slayers　creep　to　the　left　and　the　right。



How　could　he　pass　them　before　the　circle　of　death　was　drawn？　Six

spear…throws　to　run；　and　they　had　but　such　a　little　way！　The　mealie…

plants　were　tall；　and　at　a　spot　they　almost　touched　the　fence。　Up　the

path！　Could　Umslopogaas；　his　brother；　move　more　fast；　he　wondered；

than　the　Wolf　who　sped　to　save　him？　He　was　there；　hidden　by　the　mealie

stalks；　and　there；　along　the　fence　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　the

slayers　crept！



〃Wow！　What　was　that？〃　said　one　soldier　of　the　king　to　another　man　as

they　joined　their　guard　completing　the　death　circle。　〃Wow！　something

great　and　black　crashed　through　the　fence　before　me。〃



〃I　heard　it；　brother；〃　answered　the　other　man。　〃I　heard　it；　but　I　saw

nothing。　It　must　have　been　a　dog：　no　man　could　leap　so　high。〃



〃More　like　a　wolf；〃　said　the　first；　〃at　the　least；　let　us　pray　that　it

was　not　an　Esedowan＇1＇　who　will　put　us　into　the　hole　in　its　back。　Is

your　fire　ready；　brother？　Wow！　these　wizards　shall　wake　warm；　the

signal　should　be　soon。〃



＇1＇　A　fabulous　animal；　reported　by　the　Zulus　to　carry　off　human　beings

　　　　in　a　hole　in　its　back。



Then　arose　the　sound　of　a　great　voice　crying；　〃Awake；　ye　sleepers；　the

foe　is　at　your　gates！〃







CHAPTER　XXXIII



THE　END　OF　THE　PEOPLE；　BLACK　AND　GREY



Galazi　rushed　through　the　town　crying　aloud；　and　behind　him　rose　a

stir　of　men。　All　slept　and　no　sentinels　were　set；　for　Umslopogaas　was

so　lost　in　his　love　for　Lily　that　he　forgot　his　wisdom；　and　thought　no

more　of　war　or　death　or　of　the　hate　of　Dingaan。　Presently　the　Wolf

came　to　the　large　new　hut　which　Umslopogaas　had　caused　to　be　built　for

Nada　the　Lily；　and　entered　it；　for　there　he　knew　that　he　should　find

his　brother　Bulalio。　On　the　far　side　of　the　hut　the　two　lay　sleeping；

and　the　head　of　Umslopogaas　rested　on　the　Lily's　breast；　and　by　his

side　gleamed　the　great　axe　Groan…Maker。



〃Awake！〃　cried　the　Wolf。



Now　Umslopogaas　sprang　to　his　feet　grasping　at　his　axe；　but　Nada　threw

her　arms　wide；　murmuring；　〃Let　me　sleep　on；　sweet　is　sleep。〃



〃Sound　shall　ye　sleep；　anon！〃　gasped　Galazi。　〃Swift；　brother；　bind　on

the　wolf's　hide；　take　shield！　Swift；　I　sayfor　the　Slayers　of　the

king　are　at　your　gates！〃



Now　Nada　sprang　up　also；　and　they　did　his　bidding　like　people　in　a

dream；　and；　while　they　found　their　garments　and　a　shield；　Galazi　took

beer　and　drank　it；　and　got　his　breath　again。　They　stood　without　the

hut。　Now　the　heaven　was　grey；　and　east　and　west　and　north　and　south

tongues　of　flame　shot　up　against　the　sky；　for　the　town　had　been　fired

by　the　Slayers。



Umslopogaas　looked　and　his　sense　came　back　to　him：　he　understood。

〃Which　way；　brother？〃　he　said。



〃Through　the　fire　and　the　impi　to　our　Grey　People　on　the　mountain；〃

said　Galazi。　〃There；　if　we　can　win　it；　we　shall　find　succour。〃



〃What　of　my　people　in　the　kraal；〃　asked　Umslopogaas。



〃They　are　not　many；　brother；　the　women　and　the　children　are　gone。　I

have　roused　the　menmost　will　escape。　Hence；　ere　we　burn！〃



Now　they　ran　towards　the　fence；　and　as　they　went　men　joined　them　to

the　number　of　ten；　half　awakened；　fear…stricken；　armedsome　with

spears；　some　with　clubsand　for　the　most　part　naked。　They　sped　on

together　towards　the　fence　of　the　town　that　was　now　but　a　ring　of

fire；　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi　in　front；　each　holding　the　Lily　by　a

hand。　They　neared　the　fencefrom　without　came　the　shouts　of　the

Slayerslo！　it　was　afire。　Nada　shrank　back　in　fear；　but　Umslopogaas

and　Galazi　dragged　her　on。　They　rushed　at　the　blazing　fence；　smiting

with　axe　and　club。　It　broke　before　them；　they　were　through　but　little

harmed。　Without　were　a　knot　of　the　Slayers；　standing　back　a　small

space　because　of　the　heat　of　the　flames。　The　Slayers　saw　them；　and

crying；　〃This　is　Bulalio；　kill　the　wizard！〃　sprang　towards　them　with

uplifted　spears。　Now　the　People　of　the　Axe　made　a　ring　round　Nada；　and

in　the　front　of　it　were　Umslopogaas　and　Galazi。　Then　they　rushed　on

and　met　those　of　the　Slayers　who　stood　before　them；　and　the　men　of

Dingaan　were　swept　away　and　scattered　by　Groan…Maker　and　the　Watcher；

as　dust　is　swept　of　a　wind；　as　grass　is　swept　by　a　sickle。



They　were　through　with　only　one　man　slain；　but　the　cry　went　up　that

the　chief　of　the　wizards　and　the　Lily；　his　wife；　had　fled。　Then；　as　it

was　these　whom　he　was　chiefly　charged　to　kill；　the　captain　called　off

the　impi　from　watching　for　the　dwellers　in　the　town；　and　started　in

pursuit　of　Umslopogaas。　Now；　at　this　time　nearly　a　hundred　men　of　the

People　of　the　Axe　had　been　killed　and　of　the　Slayers　some　fifty　men；

for；　having　been　awakened　by　the　crying　of　Galazi；　the　soldiers　of　the

axe　fought　bravely；　though　none　saw　where　his　brother　stood；　and　none

knew　whither　their　chief　had　fled　except　those　ten　who　went　with　the

brethren。



Meanwhile；　the　Wolf…Brethren　and　those　with　them　were　well　away；　and

it　had　been　easy　for　them　to　escape；　who　were　the　swiftest…footed　of

any　in　the　land。　But　the　pace　of　a　regiment　is　the　pace　of　its

slowest…footed　soldier；　and　Nada　could　not　run　with　the　Wolf…Brethren。

Yet　they　made　good　speed；　and　were　halfway　down　the　gorge　that　led　to

the　river　before　the　companies　of　Dingaan　poured　into　it。　Now　they

came　to　the　end　of　it；　and　the　foe　was　nearthis　end　of　the　gorge　is

narrow；　my　father；　like　the　neck　of　a　gourdthen　Galazi　stopped　and

spoke：



〃Halt！　ye　People　of　th