nada the lily-第9章

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

to　the　banks　of　the　White　Umfolozi；　which　twisted　through　the　plain

like　a　great　and　shining　snake。　On　the　other　side　the　ground　rose

again；　and　we　did　not　know　what　was　beyond；　but　we　thought　that　in

this　direction　lay　the　kraal　of　Chaka。　We　ran　for　the　riverwhere

else　were　we　to　run？　And　after　us　came　the　warriors。　They　gained　on

us；　they　were　strong；　and　they　were　angry　because　they　had　come　so

far。　Run　as　we　would；　still　they　gained。　Now　we　neared　the　banks　of

the　river；　it　was　full　and　wide。　Above　us　the　waters　ran　angrily；

breaking　into　swirls　of　white　where　they　passed　over　sunken　rocks；

below　was　a　rapid；　in　which　none　might　live；　between　the　two　a　deep

pool；　where　the　water　was　quiet　but　the　stream　strong。



〃Ah！　my　brother；　what　shall　we　do？〃　gasped　Baleka。



〃There　is　this　to　choose；〃　I　answered；　〃perish　on　the　spears　of　our

people　or　try　the　river。〃



〃Easier　to　die　by　water　than　on　iron；〃　she　answered。



〃Good！〃　I　said。　〃Now　may　our　snakes　look　towards　us　and　the　spirits　of

our　fathers　be　with　us！　At　the　least　we　can　swim。〃　And　I　led　her　to

the　head　of　the　pool。　We　threw　away　our　blanketseverything　except　an

assegai；　which　I　held　in　my　teethand　we　plunged　in；　wading　as　far　as

we　could。　Now　we　were　up　to　our　breasts；　now　we　had　lost　the　earth　and

were　swimming　towards　the　middle　of　the　river；　the　dog　Koos　leading

the　way。



Then　it　was　that　the　soldiers　appeared　upon　the　bank。　〃Ah！　little

people；〃　one　cried；　〃you　swim；　do　you？　Well；　you　will　drown；　and　if

you　do　not　drown　we　know　a　ford；　and　we　will　catch　you　and　kill　you

yes！　if　we　must　run　over　the　edge　of　the　world　after　you　we　will　catch

you。〃　And　he　hurled　an　assegai　after　us；　which　fell　between　us　like　a

flash　of　light。



While　he　spoke　we　swam　hard；　and　now　we　were　in　the　current。　It　swept

us　downwards；　but　still　we　made　way；　for　we　could　swim　well。　It　was

just　this：　if　we　could　reach　the　bank　before　we　were　swept　into　the

rapids　we　were　safe；　if　not；　thengood…night！　Now　we　were　near　the

other　side；　but；　alas！　we　were　also　near　the　lip　of　the　foaming　water。

We　strained；　we　struggled。　Baleka　was　a　brave　girl；　and　she　swam

bravely；　but　the　water　pushed　her　down　below　me；　and　I　could　do

nothing　to　help　her。　I　got　my　foot　upon　the　rock　and　looked　round。

There　she　was；　and　eight　paces　from　her　the　broken　water　boiled。　I

could　not　go　back。　I　was　too　weak；　and　it　seemed　that　she　must　perish。

But　the　dog　Koos　saw。　He　swam　towards　her；　barking；　then　turned　round；

heading　for　the　shore。　She　grasped　him　by　the　tail　with　her　right

hand。　Then　he　put　out　his　strengthhe　was　very　strong。　She　took

struck　out　with　her　feet　and　left　hand；　and　slowlyvery　slowlydrew

near。　Then　I　stretched　out　the　handle　of　my　assegai　towards　her。　She

caught　it　with　her　left　hand。　Already　her　feet　were　over　the　brink　of

the　rapids；　but　I　pulled　and　Koos　pulled；　and　we　brought　her　safe　into

the　shadows；　and　from　the　shallows　to　the　bank；　and　there　she　fell

gasping。



Now　when　the　soldiers　on　the　other　bank　saw　that　we　had　crossed；　they

shouted　threats　at　us；　then　ran　away　down　the　bank。



〃Arise；　Baleka！〃　I　said：　〃they　have　gone　to　see　a　ford。〃



〃Ah；　let　me　die！〃　she　answered。



But　I　forced　her　to　rise；　and　after　awhile　she　got　her　breath　again；

and　we　walked　on　as　fast　as　we　could　up　the　long　rise。　For　two　hours

we　walked；　or　more；　till　at　last　we　came　to　the　crest　of　the　rise；　and

there；　far　away；　we　saw　a　large　kraal。



〃Keep　heart；〃　I　said。　〃See；　there　is　the　kraal　of　Chaka。〃



〃Yes；　brother；〃　she　answered；　〃but　what　waits　us　there？　Death　is

behind　us　and　before　uswe　are　in　the　middle　of　death。〃



Presently　we　came　to　a　path　that　ran　to　the　kraal　from　the　ford　of　the

Umfolozi。　It　was　by　it　that　the　Impi　had　travelled。　We　followed　the

path　till　at　last　we　were　but　half　an　hour's　journey　from　the　kraal。

Then　we　looked　back；　and　lo！　there　behind　us　were　the　pursuersfive

of　themone　had　drowned　in　crossing　the　river。



Again　we　ran；　but　now　we　were　weak；　and　they　gained　upon　us。　Then　once

more　I　thought　of　the　dog。　He　was　fierce　and　would　tear　any　one　on

whom　I　set　him。　I　called　him　and　told　him　what　to　do；　though　I　knew

that　it　would　be　his　death。　He　understood；　and　flew　towards　the

soldiers　growling；　his　hair　standing　up　on　his　spine。　They　tried　to

kill　him　with　spears　and　kerries；　but　he　jumped　round　them；　biting　at

them；　and　kept　them　back。　At　last　a　man　hit　him；　and　he　sprang　up　and

seized　the　man　by　the　throat。　There　he　clung；　man　and　dog　rolling　over

and　over　together；　till　the　end　of　it　was　that　they　both　died。　Ah！　he

was　a　dog！　We　do　not　see　such　dogs　nowadays。　His　father　was　a　Boer

hound；　the　first　that　came　into　the　country。　That　dog　once　killed　a

leopard　all　by　himself。　Well；　this　was　the　end　of　Koos！



Meanwhile；　we　had　been　running。　Now　we　were　but　three　hundred　paces

from　the　gate　of　the　kraal；　and　there　was　something　going　on　inside

it；　that　we　could　see　from　the　noise　and　the　dust。　The　four　soldiers；

leaving　the　dead　dog　and　the　dying　man；　came　after　us　swiftly。　I　saw

that　they　must　catch　us　before　we　reached　the　gate；　for　now　Baleka

could　go　but　slowly。　Then　a　thought　came　into　my　head。　I　had　brought

her　here；　I　would　save　her　life　if　I　could。　Should　she　reach　the　kraal

without　me；　Chaka　would　not　kill　a　girl　who　was　so　young　and　fair。



〃Run　on；　Baleka！　run　on！〃　I　said；　dropping　behind。　Now　she　was　almost

blind　with　weariness　and　terror；　and；　not　seeing　my　purpose；　staggered

towards　the　gate　of　the　kraal。　But　I　sat　down　on　the　veldt　to　get　my

breath　again；　for　I　was　about　to　fight　four　men　till　I　was　killed。　My

heart　beat　and　the　blood　drummed　in　my　ears；　but　when　they　drew　near

and　I　rosethe　assegai　in　my　handonce　more　the　red　cloth　seemed　to

go　up　and　down　before　my　eyes；　and　all　fear　left　me。



The　men　were　running；　two　and　two；　with　the　length　of　a　spear　throw

between　them。　But　of　the　first　pair　one　was　five　or　six　paces　in　front

of　the　other。　This　man　shouted　out　loud　and　charged　me；　shield　and

spear　up。　Now　I　had　no　shieldnothing　but　the　assegai；　but　I　was

crafty　and　he　was　overbold。　On　he　came。　I　stood　waiting　for　him　till

he　drew　back　the　spear　to　stab　me。　Then　suddenly　I　dropped　to　my　knees

and　thrust　upward　with　all　my　strength；　beneath　the　rim　of　his　shield；

and　he　also　thrust；　but　over　me；　his　spear　only　cutting　the　flesh　of

my　shouldersee！　here　is　its　scar；　yes；　to　this　day。　And　my　assegai？

Ah！　it　went　home；　it　ran　through　and　through　his　middle。　He　rolled

over　and　over　on　the　plain。　The　dust　hid　him；　only　I　was　now

weaponless；　for　the　haft　of　my　spearit　was　but　a　light　throwing

assegaibroke　in　two；　leaving　nothing　but　a　little　bit　of　stick　in　my

hand。　And　the　other　one　was　upon　me。　Then　in　the　darkness　I　saw　a

light。　I　fell　on　to　my　hands　and　knees　and　flung　myself　over　sideways。

My　body　struck　the　legs　of　the　man　who　was　about　to　stab　me；　lifting

his　feet　from　beneath　him。　Down　he　came　heavily。　Before　he　had　touched

the　ground　I　was　off　it。　His　spear　had　fallen　from　his　hand。　I

stooped；　seized　it；　and　as　he　rose　I　stabbed　him　through　the　back。　It

was　all　done　in　the　shake　of　a　leaf；　my　father；　in　the　shake　of　a　leaf

he　also　was　dead。　Then　I　ran；　for　I　had　no　stomach　for　the　other　two；

my　valour　was　gone。



About　a　hundred　paces　from　me　Baleka　was　staggering　along　with　her

arms　out　like　one　who　has　drunk　too　much　beer。　By　the　time　I　caught

her　she　was　some　forty　paces　from　the　gate　of　the　kraal。　But　then　her

strength　left　her　altogether。　Yes！　there　she　fell　senseless；　and　I

stood　by　her。　And　there；　too；　I　should　have　been　killed；　had　not　this

chanced；　since　the　other　two　men；　having　stayed　one　instant　by　their

dead　fellows；　came　on　against　me　mad　with　rage。　For　at　that　moment　the

gate　of　the　kraal　opened；　and　through　it　ran　a　party　of　soldiers

dragging　a　prisoner　by　the　arms。　After　them　walked　a　great　man；