nada the lily-第8章

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the　other　side　of　the　thatch。　〃Ah；〃　I　thought；　〃that　is　Baleka；　who

weeps　for　her　brother！〃　So　I　put　my　lips　where　the　thatch　was　thinnest

and　whispered：



〃Baleka；　my　sister！　Baleka；　do　not　weep！　I；　Mopo；　am　here。　Say　not　a

word；　but　rise。　Come　out　of　the　hut；　bringing　your　skin　blanket。



Now　Baleka　was　very　clever：　she　did　not　shriek；　as　most　girls　would

have　done。　No；　she　understood；　and；　after　waiting　awhile；　she　rose　and

crept　from　the　hut；　her　blanket　in　her　hand。



〃Why　are　you　here；　Mopo？〃　she　whispered；　as　we　met。　〃Surely　you　will

be　killed！〃



〃Hush！〃　I　said。　And　then　I　told　her　of　the　plan　which　I　had　made。

〃Will　you　come　with　me？〃　I　said；　when　I　had　done；　〃or　will　you　creep

back　into　the　hut　and　bid　me　farewell？〃



She　thought　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃No；　my　brother；　I　will　come；　for　I

love　you　alone　among　our　people；　though　I　believe　that　this　will　be

the　end　of　itthat　you　will　lead　me　to　my　death。〃



I　did　not　think　much　of　her　words　at　the　time；　but　afterwards　they

came　back　to　me。　So　we　slipped　away　together；　followed　by　the　dog

Koos；　and　soon　we　were　running　over　the　veldt　with　our　faces　set

towards　the　country　of　the　Zulu　tribe。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　FLIGHT　OF　MOPO　AND　BALEKA



All　the　rest　of　that　night　we　journeyed；　till　even　the　dog　was　tired。

Then　we　hid　in　a　mealie　field　for　the　day；　as　we　were　afraid　of　being

seen。　Towards　the　afternoon　we　heard　voices；　and；　looking　through　the

stems　of　the　mealies；　we　saw　a　party　of　my　father's　men　pass　searching

for　us。　They　went　on　to　a　neighbouring　kraal　to　ask　if　we　had　been

seen；　and　after　that　we　saw　them　no　more　for　awhile。　At　night　we

travelled　again；　but；　as　fate　would　have　it；　we　were　met　by　an　old

woman；　who　looked　oddly　at　us　but　said　nothing。　After　that　we　pushed

on　day　and　night；　for　we　knew　that　the　old　woman　would　tell　the

pursuers　if　she　met　them；　and　so　indeed　it　came　about。　On　the　third

evening　we　reached　some　mealie　gardens；　and　saw　that　they　had　been

trampled　down。　Among　the　broken　mealies　we　found　the　body　of　a　very

old　man；　as　full　of　assegai　wounds　as　a　porcupine　with　quills。　We

wondered　at　this；　and　went　on　a　little　way。　Then　we　saw　that　the　kraal

to　which　the　gardens　belonged　was　burnt　down。　We　crept　up　to　it；　and

ah！　it　was　a　sad　sight　for　us　to　see！　Afterwards　we　became　used　to

such　sights。　All　about　us　lay　the　bodies　of　dead　people；　scores　of

themold　men；　young　men；　women；　children；　little　babies　at　the　breast

there　they　lay　among　the　burnt　huts；　pierced　with　assegai　wounds。

Red　was　the　earth　with　their　blood；　and　red　they　looked　in　the　red

light　of　the　setting　sun。　It　was　as　though　all　the　land　had　been

smeared　with　the　bloody　hand　of　the　Great　Spirit；　of　the　Umkulunkulu。

Baleka　saw　it　and　began　to　cry；　she　was　weary；　poor　girl；　and　we　had

found　little　to　eat；　only　grass　and　green　corn。



〃An　enemy　has　been　here；〃　I　said；　and　as　I　spoke　I　thought　that　I

heard　a　groan　from　the　other　side　of　a　broken　reed　hedge。　I　went　and

looked。　There　lay　a　young　woman：　she　was　badly　wounded；　but　still

alive；　my　father。　A　little　way　from　her　lay　a　man　dead；　and　before　him

several　other　men　of　another　tribe：　he　had　died　fighting。　In　front　of

the　woman　were　the　bodies　of　three　children；　another；　a　little　one；

lay　on　her　body。　I　looked　at　the　woman；　and；　as　I　looked；　she　groaned

again；　opened　her　eyes　and　saw　me；　and　that　I　had　a　spear　in　my　hand。



〃Kill　me　quickly！〃　she　said。　〃Have　you　not　tortured　me　enough？〃



I　said　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　did　not　want　to　kill　her。



〃Then　bring　me　water；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　a　spring　there　behind　the

kraal。〃



I　called　to　Baleka　to　come　to　the　woman；　and　went　with　my　gourd　to　the

spring。　There　were　bodies　in　it；　but　I　dragged　them　out；　and　when　the

water　had　cleared　a　little　I　filled　the　gourd　and　brought　it　back　to

the　woman。　She　drank　deep；　and　her　strength　came　back　a　littlethe

water　gave　her　life。



〃How　did　you　come　to　this？〃　I　asked。



〃It　was　an　impi　of　Chaka；　Chief　of　the　Zulus；　that　ate　us　up；〃　she

answered。　〃They　burst　upon　as　at　dawn　this　morning　while　we　were

asleep　in　our　huts。　Yes；　I　woke　up　to　hear　the　sound　of　killing。　I　was

sleeping　by　my　husband；　with　him　who　lies　there；　and　the　children。　We

all　ran　out。　My　husband　had　a　spear　and　shield。　He　was　a　brave　man。

See！　he　died　bravely：　he　killed　three　of　the　Zulu　devils　before　he

himself　was　dead。　Then　they　caught　me；　and　killed　my　children；　and

stabbed　me　till　they　thought　that　I　was　dead。　Afterwards；　they　went

away。　I　don't　know　why　they　came；　but　I　think　it　was　because　our　chief

would　not　send　men　to　help　Chaka　against　Zweete。〃



She　stopped；　gave　a　great　cry；　and　died。



My　sister　wept　at　the　sight；　and　I　too　was　stirred　by　it。　〃Ah！〃　I

thought　to　myself；　〃the　Great　Spirit　must　be　evil。　If　he　is　not　evil

such　things　would　not　happen。〃　That　is　how　I　thought　then；　my　father；

now　I　think　differently。　I　know　that　we　had　not　found　out　the　path　of

the　Great　Spirit；　that　is　all。　I　was　a　chicken　in　those　days；　my

father；　afterwards　I　got　used　to　such　sights。　They　did　not　stir　me　any

more；　not　one　whit。　But　then　in　the　days　of　Chaka　the　rivers　ran　blood

yes；　we　had　to　look　at　the　water　to　see　if　it　was　clean　before　we

drank。　People　learned　how　to　die　then　and　not　make　a　noise　about　it。

What　does　it　matter？　They　would　have　been　dead　now　anyway。　It　does　not

matter；　nothing　matters；　except　being　born。　That　is　a　mistake；　my

father。



We　stopped　at　the　kraal　that　night；　but　we　could　not　sleep；　for　we

heard　the　Itongo；　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　people；　moving　about　and

calling　to　each　other。　It　was　natural　that　they　should　do　so；　men　were

looking　for　their　wives；　and　mothers　for　their　children。　But　we　were

afraid　that　they　might　be　angry　with　us　for　being　there；　so　we　clung

together　and　trembled　in　each　other's　arms。　Koos　also　trembled；　and

from　time　to　time　he　howled　loudly。　But　they　did　not　seem　to　see　us；

and　towards　morning　their　cries　grew　fainter。



When　the　first　light　came　we　rose　and　picked　our　way　through　the　dead

down　to　the　plain。　Now　we　had　an　easy　road　to　follow　to　Chaka's　kraal；

for　there　was　the　spoor　of　the　impi　and　of　the　cattle　which　they　had

stolen；　and　sometimes　we　came　to　the　body　of　a　warrior　who　had　been

killed　because　his　wounds　prevented　him　from　marching　farther。　But　now

I　was　doubtful　whether　it　was　wise　for　us　to　go　to　Chaka；　for　after

what　we　had　seen　I　grew　afraid　lest　he　should　kill　us。　Still；　we　had

nowhere　to　turn；　so　I　said　that　we　would　walk　along　till　something

happened。　Now　we　grew　faint　with　hunger　and　weariness；　and　Baleka　said

that　we　had　better　sit　down　and　die；　for　then　there　would　be　no　more

trouble。　So　we　sat　down　by　a　spring。　But　I　did　not　wish　to　die　yet；

thought　Baleka　was　right；　and　it　would　have　been　well　to　do　so。　As　we

sat；　the　dog　Koos　went　to　a　bush　that　was　near；　and　presently　I　heard

him　spring　at　something　and　the　sound　of　struggling。　I　ran　to　the　bush

he　had　caught　hold　of　a　duiker　buck；　as　big　as　himself；　that　was

asleep　in　it。　Then　I　drove　my　spear　into　the　buck　and　shouted　for　joy；

for　here　was　food。　When　the　buck　was　dead　I　skinned　him；　and　we　took

bits　of　the　flesh；　washed　them　in　the　water；　and　ate　them；　for　we　had

no　fire　to　cook　them　with。　It　is　not　nice　to　eat　uncooked　flesh；　but

we　were　so　hungry　that　we　did　not　mind；　and　the　good　refreshed　us。

When　we　had　eaten　what　we　could；　we　rose　and　washed　ourselves　at　the

spring；　but；　as　we　washed；　Baleka　looked　up　and　gave　a　cry　of　fear。

For　there；　on　the　crest　of　the　hill；　about　ten　spear…throws　away；　was

a　party　of　six　armed　men；　people　of　my　own　tribechildren　of　my

father　Makedamawho　still　pursued　us　to　take　us　or　kill　us。　They　saw

usthey　raised　a　shout；　and　began　to　run。　We　too　sprang　up　and　ran

ran　like　bucks；　for　fear　had　touched　our　feet。



Now　the　land　lay　thus。　Before　us　the　ground　was　open　and　sloped　down

to　the　banks　of　the　White　Umfolozi；　which　twis