nada the lily(百合娜达)-第35节

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Chaka；　but　I　could　find　no　words　to　say；　for　my　tongue　clave　to　the
roof　of　my　mouth。

〃The　people　are　many；〃　said　Chaka；　〃yet；　Mopo；　I　bet　thee　fifty　head
of　cattle　that　they　will　not　fill　the　donga。〃

〃The　king　is　pleased　to　jest；〃　I　said。

〃Yea；　Mopo；　I　jest；　yet　as　a　jest　take　thou　the　bet。〃

〃As　the　king　wills；〃　I　murmuredwho　could　not　refuse。　Now　the　people
of　my　tribe　drew　near：　at　their　head　was　an　old　man；　with　white　hair
and　beard；　and；　looking　at　him；　I　knew　him　for　my　father；　Makedama。
When　he　came　within　earshot　of　the　king；　he　gave　him　the　royal　salute
of　Bayete；　and　fell　upon　his　hands　and　knees；　crawling　towards　him；
and　konzaed　to　the　king；　praising　him　as　he　came。　All　the　thousands　of
the　people　also　fell　on　their　hands　and　knees；　and　praised　the　king
aloud；　and　the　sound　of　their　praising　was　like　the　sound　of　a　great
thunder。

At　length　Makedama；　my　father；　writhing　on　his　breast　like　a　snake；
lay　before　the　majesty　of　the　king。　Chaka　bade　him　rise；　and　greeted
him　kindly；　but　all　the　thousands　of　the　people　yet　lay　upon　their
breasts　beating　the　dust　with　their　heads。

〃Rise；　Makedama；　my　child；　father　of　the　people　of　the　Langeni；〃　said
Chaka；　〃and　tell　me　why　art　thou　late　in　coming　to　my　mourning？〃

〃The　way　was　far；　O　King；〃　answered　Makedama；　my　father；　who　did　not
know　me。　〃The　way　was　far　and　the　time　short。　Moreover；　the　women　and
the　children　grew　weary　and　footsore；　and　they　are　weary　in　this
hour。〃

〃Speak　not　of　it；　Makedama；　my　child；〃　said　the　king。　〃Surely　thy
heart　mourned　and　that　of　thy　people；　and　soon　they　shall　rest　from
their　weariness。　Say；　are　they　here　every　one？〃

〃Every　one；　O　Elephant！none　are　wanting。　My　kraals　are　desolate；　the
cattle　wander　untended　on　the　hills；　birds　pick　at　the　unguarded
crops。〃

〃It　is　well；　Makedama；　thou　faithful　servant！　Yet　thou　wouldst　mourn
with　me　an　houris　it　not　so？　Now；　hearken！　Bid　thy　people　pass　to
the　right　and　to　the　left　of　me；　and　stand　in　all　their　numbers　upon
the　slopes　of　the　grass　that　run　down　to　the　lips　of　the　rift。〃

So　Makedama；　my　father；　bade　the　people　do　the　bidding　of　the　king；
for　neither　he　nor　the　indunas　saw　his　purpose；　but　I；　who　knew　his
wicked　heart；　I　saw　it。　Then　the　people　filed　past　to　the　right　and　to
the　left　by　hundreds　and　by　thousands；　and　presently　the　grass　of　the
slopes　could　be　seen　no　more；　because　of　their　number。　When　all　had
passed；　Chaka　spoke　again　to　Makedama；　my　father；　bidding　him　climb
down　to　the　bottom　of　the　donga；　and　thence　lift　up　his　voice　in
mourning。　The　old　man　obeyed　the　king。　Slowly；　and　with　much　pain；　he
clambered　to　the　bottom　of　the　rift　and　stood　there。　It　was　so　deep
and　narrow　that　the　light　scarcely　seemed　to　reach　to　where　he　stood；
for　I　could　only　see　the　white　of　his　hair　gleaming　far　down　in　the
shadows。

Then；　standing　far　beneath；　he　lifted　up　his　voice；　and　it　reached　the
thousands　of　those　who　clustered　upon　the　slopes。　It　seemed　still　and
small；　yet　it　came　to　them　faintly　like　the　voice　of　one　speaking　from
a　mountain…top　in　a　time　of　snow：

〃Mourn；　children　of　Makedama！〃

And　all　the　thousands　of　the　peoplemen；　women；　and　childrenechoed
his　words　in　a　thunder　of　sound；　crying：

〃Mourn；　children　of　Makedama！〃

Again　he　cried：

〃Mourn；　people　of　the　Langeni；　mourn　with　the　whole　world！〃

And　the　thousands　answered：

〃Mourn；　people　of　the　Langeni；　mourn　with　the　whole　world！〃

A　third　time　came　his　voice：

〃Mourn；　children　of　Makedama；　mourn；　people　of　the　Langeni；　mourn　with
the　whole　world！

〃Howl；　ye　warriors；　weep；　ye　women；　beat　your　breasts；　ye　maidens；
sob；　ye　little　children！

〃Drink　of　the　water　of　tears；　cover　yourselves　with　the　dust　of
affliction。

〃Mourn；　O　tribe　of　the　Langeni；　because　the　Mother　of　the　Heavens　is
no　more。

〃Mourn；　children　of　Makedama；　because　the　Spirit　of　Fruitfulness　is　no
more。

〃Mourn；　O　ye　people；　because　the　Lion　of　the　Zulu　is　left　so　desolate。

〃Let　your　tears　fall　as　the　rain　falls；　let　your　cries　be　as　the　cries
of　women　who　bring　forth。

〃For　sorrow　is　fallen　like　the　rain；　the　world　has　conceived　and
brought　forth　death。

〃Great　darkness　is　upon　us；　darkness　and　the　shadow　of　death。

〃The　Lion　of　the　Zulu　wanders　and　wanders　in　desolation；　because　the
Mother　of　the　Heavens　is　no　more。

〃Who　shall　bring　him　comfort？　There　is　comfort　in　the　crying　of　his
children。

〃Mourn；　people　of　the　Langeni；　let　the　voice　of　your　mourning　beat
against　the　skies　and　rend　them。

〃Ou…ai！　Ou…ai！　Ou…ai！〃

Thus　sang　the　old　man；　my　father　Makedama；　far　down　in　the　deeps　of
the　cleft。　He　sang　it　in　a　still；　small　voice；　but；　line　after　line；
his　song　was　caught　up　by　the　thousands　who　stood　on　the　slopes　above；
and　thundered　to　the　heavens　till　the　mountains　shook　with　its　sound。
Moreover；　the　noise　of　their　crying　opened　the　bosom　of　a　heavy　rain…
cloud　that　had　gathered　as　they　mourned；　and　the　rain　fell　in　great
slow　drops；　as　though　the　sky　also　wept；　and　with　the　rain　came
lightning　and　the　roll　of　thunder。

Chaka　listened；　and　large　tears　coursed　down　his　cheeks；　whose　heart
was　easily　stirred　by　the　sound　of　song。　Now　the　rain　hissed　fiercely；
making　as　it　were　a　curtain　about　the　thousands　of　the　people；　but
still　their　cry　went　up　through　the　rain；　and　the　roll　of　the　thunder
was　lost　in　it。　Presently　there　came　a　hush；　and　I　looked　to　the
right。　There；　above　the　heads　of　the　people；　coming　over　the　brow　of
the　hill；　were　the　plumes　of　warriors；　and　in　their　hands　gleamed　a
hedge　of　spears。　I　looked　to　the　left；　there　also　I　saw　the　plumes　of
warriors　dimly　through　the　falling　rain；　and　in　their　hands　a　hedge　of
spears。　I　looked　before　me；　towards　the　end　of　the　cleft；　there　also
loomed　the　plumes　of　warriors；　and　in　their　hands　was　a　hedge　of
spears。

Then；　from　all　the　people　there　arose　another　cry；　a　cry　of　terror　and
of　agony。

〃Ah！　now　they　mourn　indeed；　Mopo；〃　said　Chaka　in　my　ear；　〃now　thy
people　mourn　from　the　heart　and　not　with　the　lips　alone。〃

As　he　spoke　the　multitude　of　the　people　on　either　side　of　the　rift
surged　forward　like　a　wave；　surged　back　again；　once　more　surged
forward；　then；　with　a　dreadful　crying；　driven　on　by　the　merciless
spears　of　the　soldiers；　they　began　to　fall　in　a　torrent　of　men；　women；
and　children；　far　into　the　black　depths　below。

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My　father；　forgive　me　the　tears　that　fall　from　these　blind　eyes　of
mine；　I　am　very　aged；　I　am　but　as　a　little　child；　and　as　a　little
child　I　weep。　I　cannot　tell　it。　At　last　it　was　done；　and　all　grew
still。

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Thus　was　Makedama　buried　beneath　the　bodies　of　his　people；　thus　was
ended　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；　as　my　mother　had　dreamed；　so　it　came
about；　and　thus　did　Chaka　take　vengeance　for　that　cup　of　milk　which
was　refused　to　him　many　a　year　before。

〃Thou　hast　not　won　thy　bet；　Mopo；〃　said　the　king　presently。　〃See　there
is　a　little　space　where　one　more　may　find　room　to　sleep。　Full　to　the
brim　is　this　corn…chamber　with　the　ears　of　death；　in　which　no　living
grain　is　left。　Yet　there　is　one　little　space；　and　is　there　not　one　to
fill　it？　Are　all　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni　dead　indeed？〃

〃There　is　one；　O　King！〃　I　answered。　〃I　am　of　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；
let　my　carcase　fill　the　place。〃

〃Nay；　Mopo；　nay！　Who　then　should　take　the　bet？　Moreover；　I　slay　thee
not；　for　it　is　against　my　oath。　Also；　do　we　not　mourn　together；　thou
and　I？〃

〃There　is　no　other　left　living　of　the　tribe　of　the　Langeni；　O　King！
The　bet　is　lost；　it　shall　be　paid。〃

〃I　think　that　there　is　another；〃　said　Chaka。　〃There　is　a　sister　to
thee　and　me；　Mopo。　Ah；　see；　she　comes！〃

I　looked　up；　my　father；　and　I　saw　this：　I　saw　Baleka；　my　sister；
walking　towards　us；　and　on　her　shoulders　was　a　kaross　of　wild…cat
skins；　and　behind　her　were　two　soldiers。　She　walked　proudly；　holding
her　head　high；　and　her　step　was　like　the　step　of　a　queen。　Now　she　saw
the　sight　of　death；　for　the　dead　lay　before　her　like　black　water　in　a
sunless　pool。　A　moment　she　stood　shivering；　having　guessed　all；　then
walked　on　and　stood　before　Chaka。

〃What　is　thy　will　with　me；　O　King？〃　she　said。

〃Thou　art　come　in　a　good　hour；　sister；〃　said　Chaka；　turning　his　eyes
from　hers。　〃It　is　thus：　Mopo；　my　servant　and　thy　brother；　made　a　bet
with　me；　a　bet　of　cattle。　It　was　a　little　matter　that　we　wagered　on
as　to　whether　the　people　of　the　Langeni　tribethine　own　tribe；
Baleka；　my　sisterwould　fill　yonder　place；　U'Donga…lu…ka…Tatiyana。
When　they　heard　of　the　bet；　my　sister；　the　people　of　the　Langeni
hurled　themselves　into　the　rift　by　thousands；　being　eager　to　put　the
matter　to　the　proof。　And　now　it　seems　that　thy　brother　has　lost　the
bet；　for　there　is　yet　place　for　one　yonder　ere　the　donga　is　full。
Then；　my　sister；　thy　brother　Mopo　brought　it　to　my　mind　that　there　was
still　one　of　the　Langeni　tribe　left　upon　the　earth；　who；　should　she
sleep　in　that　place；　would　turn　the　bet　in　his　favour；　and　prayed　me
to　send　for　her。　So；　my　sister；　as　I　would　not　take　that　which　I　have
not　won；　I　have　done　so；　and　now　do　thou　go　apart　and　talk　with　Mopo；
thy　brother；　alone　upon　this　matter；　as　once　before　thou　didst　talk