nada the lily-第73章

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

spoke：



〃Halt！　ye　People　of　the　Axe；〃　he　said；　〃and　let　us　talk　awhile　with

these　who　follow　till　we　get　our　breath　again。　But　you；　my　brother；

pass　the　river　with　the　Lily　in　your　hand。　We　will　join　you　in　the

forest；　but　if　perchance　we　cannot　find　you；　you　know　what　must　be

done：　set　the　Lily　in　the　cave；　then　return　and　call　up　the　grey　impi。

Wow！　my　brother；　I　must　find　you　if　I　may；　for　if　these　men　of　Dingaan

have　a　mind　for　sport　there　shall　be　such　a　hunting　on　the　Ghost

Mountain　as　the　old　Witch　has　not　seen。　Go　now；　my　brother！〃



〃It　is　not　my　way　to　turn　and　run　while　others　stand　and　fight；〃

growled　Umslopogaas；　〃yet；　because　of　Nada；　it　seems　that　I　must。〃



〃Oh！　heed　me　not；　my　love；〃　said　Nada；　〃I　have　brought　thee　sorrowI

am　weary；　let　me　die；　kill　me　and　save　yourselves！〃



For　answer；　Umslopogaas　took　her　by　the　hand　and　fled　towards　the

river；　but　before　he　reached　it　he　heard　the　sounds　of　the　fray；　the

war…cry　of　the　Slayers　as　they　poured　upon　the　People　of　the　Axe；　the

howl　of　his　brother；　the　Wolf；　when　the　battle　joineday；　and　the

crash　of　the　Watcher　as　the　blow　went　home。



〃Well　bitten；　Wolf！〃　he　said；　stopping；　〃that　one　shall　need　no　more；

oh！　that　I　might〃but　again　he　looked　at　Nada；　and　sped　on。



Now　they　had　leaped　into　the　foaming　river；　and　here　it　was　well　that

the　Lily　could　swim；　else　both　had　been　lost。　But　they　won　through　and

passed　forward　to　the　mountain's　flank。　Here　they　walked　on　among　the

trees　till　the　forest　was　almost　passed；　and　at　length　Umslopogaas

heard　the　howling　of　a　wolf。



Then　he　must　set　Nada　on　his　shoulders　and　carry　her　as　once　Galazi

had　carried　another；　for　it　was　death　for　any　except　the　Wolf…Brethren

to　walk　on　the　Ghost　Mountain　when　the　wolves　were　awake。



Presently　the　wolves　flocked　around　him；　and　leaped　upon　him　in　joy；

glaring　with　fierce　eyes　at　her　who　sat　upon　his　shoulders。　Nada　saw

them；　and　almost　fell　from　her　seat；　fainting　with　fear；　for　they　were

many　and　dreadful；　and　when　they　howled　her　blood　turned　to　ice。



But　Umslopogaas　cheered　her；　telling　her　that　these　were　his　dogs　with

whom　he　went　out　hunting；　and　with　whom　he　should　hunt　presently。　At

length　they　came　to　the　knees　of　the　Old　Witch　and　the　entrance　to　the

cave。　It　was　empty　except　for　a　wolf　or　two；　for　Galazi　abode　here

seldom　now；　but　when　he　was　on　the　mountain　would　sleep　in　the　forest；

which　was　nearer　the　kraal　of　his　brother　the　Slaughterer。



〃Here　you　must　stay；　sweet；〃　said　Umslopogaas　when　he　had　driven　out

the　wolves。　〃Here　you　must　rest　till　this　little　matter　of　the　Slayers

is　finished。　Would　that　we　had　brought　food；　but　we　had　little　time　to

seek　it！　See；　now　I　will　show　you　the　secret　of　the　stone；　thus　far　I

will　push　it；　no　farther。　Now　a　touch　only　is　needed　to　send　it　over

the　socket　and　home；　but　then　they　must　be　two　strong　men　who　can　pull

it　back　again。　Therefore　push　it　no　farther　except　in　the　utmost　need；

lest　it　remain　where　it　fall；　whether　you　will　it　or　not。　Have　no

fear；　you　are　safe　here；　none　know　of　this　place　except　Galazi；　myself

and　the　wolves；　and　none　shall　find　it。　Now　I　must　be　going　to　find

Galazi；　if　he　still　lives；　if　not；　to　make　what　play　I　can　against　the

Slayers；　alone　with　the　wolves。〃



Now　Nada　wept；　saying　that　she　feared　to　be　left；　and　that　she　should

never　see　him　more；　and　her　grief　rung　his　heart。　Nevertheless；

Umslopogaas　kissed　her　and　went；　closing　the　stone　after　him　in　that

fashion　of　which　he　had　spoken。　When　the　stone　was　shut　the　cave　was

almost　dark；　except　for　a　ray　of　light　that　entered　by　a　hole　little

larger　than　a　man's　hand；　that；　looked　at　from　within；　was　on　the

right　of　the　stone。　Nada　sat　herself　so　that　this　ray　struck　full　on

her；　for　she　loved　light；　and　without　it　she　would　pine　as　flowers　do。

There　she　sat　and　thought　in　the　darksome　cave；　and　was　filled　with

fear　and　sorrow。　And　while　she　brooded　thus；　suddenly　the　ray　went

out；　and　she　heard　a　noise　as　of　some　beast　that　smells　at　prey。　She

looked；　and　in　the　gloom　she　saw　the　sharp　nose　and　grinning　fangs　of

a　wolf　that　were　thrust　towards　her　through　the　little　hole。



Nada　cried　aloud　in　fear；　and　the　fangs　were　snatched　back；　but

presently　she　heard　a　scratching　without　the　cave；　and　saw　the　stone

shake。　Then　she　thought　in　her　foolishness　that　the　wolf　knew　how　to

open　the　stone；　and　that　he　would　do　this；　and　devour　her；　for　she　had

heard　the　tale　that　all　these　wolves　were　the　ghosts　of　evil　men；

having　the　understanding　of　men。　So；　in　her　fear　and　folly；　she　seized

the　rock　and　dragged　on　it　as　Umslopogaas　had　shown　her　how　to　do。　It

shook；　it　slipped　over　the　socket　ledge；　and　rolled　home　like　a　pebble

down　the　mouth　of　a　gourd。



〃Now　I　am　safe　from　the　wolves；〃　said　Nada。　〃See；　I　cannot　so　much　as

stir　the　stone　from　within。〃　And　she　laughed　a　little；　then　ceased

from　laughing　and　spoke　again。　〃Yet　it　would　be　ill　if　Umslopogaas

came　back　no　more　to　roll　away　that　rock；　for　then　I　should　be　like

one　in　a　graveas　one　who　is　placed　in　a　grave　being　yet　strong　and

quick。〃　She　shuddered　as　she　thought　of　it；　but　presently　started　up

and　set　her　ear　to　the　hole　to　listen；　for　from　far　down　the　mountain

there　rose　a　mighty　howling　and　a　din　of　men。



When　Umslopogaas　had　shut　the　cave；　he　moved　swiftly　down　the

mountain；　and　with　him　went　certain　of　the　wolves；　not　all；　for　he　had

not　summoned　them。　His　heart　was　heavy；　for　he　feared　that　Galazi　was

no　more。　Also　he　was　mad　with　rage；　and　plotted　in　himself　to　destroy

the　Slayers　of　the　king；　every　man　of　them；　but　first　he　must　learn

what　they　would　do。　Presently；　as　he　wended；　he　heard　a　long；　low　howl

far　away　in　the　forest；　then　he　rejoiced；　for　he　knew　the　callit　was

the　call　of　Galazi；　who　had　escaped　the　spears　of　the　Slayers。



Swiftly　he　ran；　calling　in　answer。　He　won　the　place。　There；　seated　on

a　stone；　resting　himself；　was　Galazi；　and　round　him　surged　the　numbers

of　the　Grey　People。　Umslopogaas　came　to　him　and　looked　at　him；　for　he

seemed　somewhat　weary。　There　were　flesh　wounds　on　his　great　breast　and

arms；　the　little　shield　was　well…nigh　hewn　to　strips；　and　the　Watcher

showed　signs　of　war。



〃How　went　it；　brother？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。



〃Not　so　ill；　but　all　those　who　stood　with　me　in　the　way　are　dead；　and

with　them　a　few　of　the　foe。　I　alone　am　fled　like　a　coward。　They　came

on　us　thrice；　but　we　held　them　back　till　the　Lily　was　safe；　then；　all

our　men　being　down；　I　ran；　Umslopogaas；　and　swam　the　torrent；　for　I

was　minded　to　die　here　in　my　own　place。〃



Now；　though　he　said　little　of　it；　I　must　tell　you；　my　father；　that

Galazi　had　made　a　great　slaughter　there　in　the　neck　of　the　donga。

Afterwards　I　counted　the　slain；　and　they　were　many；　the　nine　men　of

the　People　of　the　Axe　were　hidden　in　them。



〃Perhaps　it　shall　be　the　Slayers　who　die；　brother。〃



〃Perhaps；　at　least；　there　shall　be　death　for　some。　Still　it　is　in　my

mind；　Slaughterer；　that　our　brotherhood　draws　to　an　end；　for　the　fate

of　him　who　bears　the　Watcher；　and　which　my　father　foretold；　is　upon

me。　If　so；　farewell。　While　it　lasted　our　friendship　has　been　good；　and

its　ending　shall　be　good。　Moreover；　it　would　have　endured　for　many　a

year　to　come　had　you　not　sought；　Slaughterer；　to　make　good　better；　and

to　complete　our　joy　of　fellowship　and　war　with　the　love　of　women。　From

that　source　flow　these　ills；　as　a　river　from　a　spring；　but　so　it　was

fated。　If　I　fall　in　this　fray　may　you　yet　live　on　to　fight　in　many

another；　and　at　the　last　to　die　gloriously　with　axe　aloft；　and　may　you

find　a　brisker　man　and　a　better　Watcher　to　serve　you　in　your　need。

Should　you　fall　and　I　live　on；　I　promise　this：　I　will　avenge　you　to

the　last　and　guard　the　Lily　whom　you　love；　offering　her　comfort；　but

no　more。　Now　the　foe　draws　on；　they　have　travelled　round　about　by　the

ford；　for　they　dared　not　fac