nada the lily- 第61部分

had　pleased　the　sight　of　men；　there　men　had　been　given　to　death。



Then　I　went　to　lead　Nada　to　the　place　of　assembly　and　found　her

awaiting　me。　She　was　dressed　now　in　some　woman's　garments　that　I　had

brought　her；　her　curling　hair　fell　upon　her　shoulders；　on　her　wrist

and　neck　and　knee　were　bracelets　of　ivory；　and　in　her　hand　she　bore　a

lily　bloom　which　she　had　gathered　as　she　went　to　bathe　in　the　river。

Perhaps　she　did　this；　my　father；　because　she　wished　here；　as

elsewhere；　to　be　known　as　the　Lily；　and　it　is　the　Zulu　fashion　to　name

people　from　some　such　trifle。　But　who　can　know　a　woman's　reason；　or

whether　a　thing　is　by　chance　alone；　my　father？　Also　she　had　begged　me

of　a　cape　I　had；　it　was　cunningly　made　by　Basutus；　of　the　whitest

feathers　of　the　ostrich；　this　she　put　about　her　shoulders；　and　it　hung

down　to　her　middle。　It　had　been　a　custom　with　Nada　from　childhood　not

to　go　about　as　do　other　girls；　naked　except　for　their　girdles；　for　she

would　always　find　some　rag　or　skin　to　lie　upon　her　breast。　Perhaps　it

was　because　her　skin　was　fairer　than　that　of　other　women；　or　perhaps

because　she　knew　that　she　who　hides　her　beauty　often　seems　the

loveliest；　or　because　there　was　truth　in　the　tale　of　her　white　blood

and　the　fashion　came　to　her　with　the　blood。　I　do　not　know；　my　father；

at　the　least　she　did　so。



Now　I　took　Nada　by　the　hand　and　led　her　through　the　morning　air　to　the

place　of　assembly；　and　ah！　she　was　sweeter　than　the　air　and　fairer

than　the　dawn。



There　were　many　people　in　the　place　of　assembly；　for　it　was　the　day　of

the　monthly　meeting　of　the　council　of　the　headmen；　and　there　also　were

all　the　women　of　the　kraal；　and　at　their　head　stood　Zinita。　Now　it　had

got　about　that　the　girl　whom　the　Slaughterer　went　to　seek　in　the　caves

of　the　Halakazi　had　come　to　the　kraal　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　and

all　eyes　watched　for　her。



〃Wow！〃　said　the　men　as　she　passed　smiling；　looking　neither　to　the

right　nor　to　the　left；　yet　seeing　all〃Wow！　but　this　flower　is　fair！

Little　wonder　that　the　Halakazi　died　for　her！〃



The　women　looked　also；　but　they　said　nothing　of　the　beauty　of　Nada；

they　scarcely　seemed　to　see　it。



〃That　is　she　for　whose　sake　so　many　of　our　people　lie　unburied；〃　said

one。



〃Where；　then；　does　she　find　her　fine　clothes？〃　quoth　another；　〃she　who

came　here　last　night　a　footsore　wanderer？〃



〃Feathers　are　not　enough　for　her：　look！　she　must　bear　flowers　also。

Surely　they　are　fitter　to　her　hands　than　the　handle　of　a　hoe；〃　said　a

third。



〃Now　I　think　that　the　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　will　find　one　to

worship　above　the　axe；　and　that　some　will　be　left　mourning；〃　put　in　a

fourth；　glancing　at　Zinita　and　the　other　women　of　the　household　of　the

Slaughterer。



Thus　they　spoke；　throwing　words　like　assegais；　and　Nada　heard　them

all；　and　knew　their　meaning；　but　she　never　ceased　from　smiling。　Only

Zinita　said　nothing；　but　stood　looking　at　Nada　from　beneath　her　bent

brows；　while　by　one　hand　she　held　the　little　daughter　of　Umslopogaas；

her　child；　and　with　the　other　played　with　the　beads　about　her　neck。

Presently；　we　passed　her；　and　Nada；　knowing　well　who　this　must　be；

turned　her　eyes　full　upon　the　angry　eyes　of　Zinita；　and　held　them

there　awhile。　Now　what　there　was　in　the　glance　of　Nada　I　cannot　say；

but　I　know　that　Zinita；　who　was　afraid　of　few　things；　found　something

to　fear　in　it。　At　the　least；　it　was　she　who　turned　her　head　away；　and

the　Lily　passed　on　smiling；　and　greeted　Umslopogaas　with　a　little　nod。



〃Hail；　Nada！〃　said　the　Slaughterer。　Then　he　turned　to　his　headmen　and

spoke：　〃This　is　she　whom　we　went　to　the　caves　of　the　Halakazi　to　seek

for　Dingaan。　Ou！　the　story　is　known　now；　one　told　it　up　at　the　kraal

Umgugundhlovu　who　shall　tell　it　no　more。　She　prayed　me　to　save　her

from　Dingaan；　and　so　I　did；　and　all　would　have　gone　well　had　it　not

been　for　a　certain　traitor　who　is　done　with；　for　I　took　another　to

Dingaan。　Look　on　her　now；　my　friends；　and　say　if　I　did　not　well　to　win

herthe　Lily　flower；　such　as　there　is　no　other　in　the　world；　to　be

the　joy　of　the　People　of　the　Axe　and　a　wife　to　me。〃



With　one　accord　the　headmen　answered：　〃Indeed　you　did　well；

Slaughterer；〃　for　the　glamour　of　Nada　was　upon　them　and　they　would

cherish　her　as　others　had　cherished　her。　Only　Galazi　the　Wolf　shook

his　head。　But　he　said　nothing；　for　words　do　not　avail　against　fate。

Now　as　I　found　afterwards；　since　Zinita；　the　head　wife　of　Umslopogaas；

had　learned　of　what　stock　he　was；　she　had　known　that　Nada　was　no

sister　to　him。　Yet　when　she　heard　him　declare　that　he　was　about　to

take　the　Lily　to　wife　she　turned　upon　him；　saying：



〃How　can　this　be；　Lord？〃



〃Why　do　you　ask；　Zinita？〃　he　answered。　〃Is　it　not　allowed　to　a　man　to

take　another　wife　if　he　will？〃



〃Surely；　Lord；〃　she　said；　〃but　men　do　not　wed　their　sisters；　and　I

have　heard　that　it　was　because　this　Nada　was　your　sister　that　you

saved　her　from　Dingaan；　and　brought　the　wrath　of　Dingaan　upon　the

People　of　the　Axe；　the　wrath　that　shall　destroy　them。〃



〃So　I　thought　then；　Zinita；〃　he　answered；　〃now　I　know　otherwise。　Nada

is　daughter　to　Mopo　yonder　indeed；　but　he　is　no　father　to　me；　though

he　has　been　named　so；　nor　was　the　mother　of　Nada　my　mother。　That　is

so；　Councillors。〃



Then　Zinita　looked　at　me　and　muttered；　〃O　fool　of　a　Mouth；　not　for

nothing　did　I　fear　evil　at　your　hands。〃



I　heard　the　words　and　took　no　note；　and　she　poke　again　to　Umslopogaas；

saying：　〃Here　is　a　mystery；　O　Lord　Bulalio。　Will　it　then　please　you　to

declare　to　us　who　is　your　father？〃



〃I　have　no　father；〃　he　answered；　waxing　wroth；　〃the　heavens　above　are

my　father。　I　am　born　of　Blood　and　Fire；　and　she；　the　Lily；　is　born　of

Beauty　to　be　my　mate。　Now；　woman；　be　silent。〃　He　thought　awhile；　and

added；　〃Nay；　if　you　will　know；　my　father　was　Indabazimbi　the　Witch…

finder；　the　smeller…out　of　the　king；　the　son　of　Arpi。〃　This

Umslopogaas　said　at　a　hazard；　since；　having　denied　me；　he　must　declare

a　father；　and　dared　not　name　the　Black　One　who　was　gone。　But　in　after

years　the　saying　was　taken　up　in　the　land；　and　it　was　told　that

Umslopogaas　was　the　son　of　Indabazimbi　the　Witch…finder；　who　had　long

ago　fled　the　land；　nor　did　he　deny　it。　For　when　all　this　game　had　been

played　out　he　would　not　have　it　known　that　he　was　the　son　of　Chaka；　he

who　no　longer　sought　to　be　a　king；　lest　he　should　bring　down　the　wrath

of　Panda　upon　him。



When　the　people　heard　this　they　thought　that　Umslopogaas　mocked

Zinita；　and　yet　in　his　anger　he　spoke　truth　when　he　said　first　that　he

was　born　of　the　〃heavens　above；〃　for　so　we　Zulus　name　the　king；　and　so

the　witch…doctor　Indabazimbi　named　Chaka　on　the　day　of　the　great

smelling　out。　But　they　did　not　take　it　in　this　sense。　They　held　that

he　spoke　truly　when　he　gave　it　out　that　he　was　born　of　Indabazimbi　the

Witch…doctor；　who　had　fled　the　land；　whither　I　do　not　know。



Then　Nada　turned　to　Zinita　and　spoke　to　her　in　a　sweet　and　gentle

voice：　〃If　I　am　not　sister　to　Bulalio；　yet　I　shall　soon　be　sister　to

you　who　are　the　Chief's　Inkosikaas；　Zinita。　Shall　that　not　satisfy

you；　and　will　you　not　greet　me　kindly　and　with　a　kiss　of　peace；　who

have　come　from　far　to　be　your　sister；　Zinita？〃　and　Nada　held　out　her

hands　towards　her；　though　whether　she　did　this　from　the　heart　or

because　she　would　put　herself　in　the　right　before　the　people　I　do　not

know。　But　Zinita　scowled；　and　jerked　at　her　necklace　of　beads；

breaking　the　string　on　which　they　were　threaded；　so　that　the　beads

rolled　upon　the　black　earthen　floor　this　way　and　that。



〃Keep　your　kisses　for　our　lord；　girl；〃　Zinita　said　roughly。　〃As　my

beads　are　scattered　so　shall　you　scatter　this　People　of　the　Axe。〃



Now　Nada　turned　away　with　a　little　sigh；　and　the　people　murmured；　for

they　thought　that　Zinita　had　treated　her　badly。　Then　she　stretched　out

her　hand　again；　and　gave　the　lily　in　it　to　Umslopogaas；　saying：



〃Here　is　a　token　of　our　betrothal；　Lord；　for　never　a　head　of　cattle

have　my　father　and　I　to　sendwe　who　are　outcasts；　and；　indeed；　the

bridegroom　must　pay　the　cattle。　May　I　bring　you　peace　and　love；　my

Lord！〃



Umslopogaas　took　the　flower；　and　looked　somewhat　foolish　with　ithe

who　was　wont　to　carry　the　axe；　and　not　a　flower；　and　so　that　talk　was

ended。



Now　as　it　chanced；　this　was　that　day　of　the　year　when；　according　to

ancient　custom；　the　Holder　of　the　Axe　must　challenge　all　and　sundry　to

come　up　against　him　to　fight　in　single　combat　for　Groan…Maker　and　the

chieftainship　of　the　people。　Therefore；　when　the　talk　was　done；

Umslopogaas　rose　and　went　through　the　challenge；　not　thinking　that　any

would　answer　him；　since　for　some　years　none　had　dared　to　stand　before

his　might。　Yet　three　men　stepped　forward；　and　of　these　two　were

captains；　and　men　whom　the　Slaughterer　loved。　With　all　the　people；　he

looked　at　them　astonished。



〃How　is　this？〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　to　that　captain　who　was　nearest

and　who　would　do　battle