nada the lily(百合娜达)-第34章

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as　well　as　by　day。　But　he　was　not　yet　named　the　Slaughterer；　and　not
yet　did　he　hold　that　iron　chieftainess；　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　Still；
the　desire　to　win　the　axe　was　foremost　in　his　mind；　for　no　woman　had
entered　there；　who　when　she　enters　drives　out　all　other　desireay；　my
father；　even　that　of　good　weapons。　At　times；　indeed；　Umslopogaas　would
lurk　in　the　reeds　by　the　river　looking　at　the　kraal　of　Jikiza　the
Unconquered；　and　would　watch　the　gates　of　his　kraal；　and　once　as　he
lurked　he　saw　a　man　great；　broad　and　hairy；　who　bore　upon　his　shoulder
a　shining　axe；　hafted　with　the　horn　of　a　rhinoceros。　After　that　his
greed　for　this　axe　entered　into　Umslopogaas　more　and　more；　till　at
length　he　scarcely　could　sleep　for　thinking　of　it；　and　to　Galazi　he
spoke　of　little　else；　wearying　him　much　with　his　talk；　for　Galazi
loved　silence。　But　for　all　his　longing　he　could　find　no　means　to　win
it。

Now　it　befell　that　as　Umslopogaas　hid　one　evening　in　the　reeds；
watching　the　kraal　of　Jikiza；　he　saw　a　maiden　straight　and　fair；　whose
skin　shone　like　the　copper　anklets　on　her　limbs。　She　walked　slowly
towards　the　reeds　where　he　lay　hidden。　Nor　did　she　top　at　the　brink　of
the　reeds；　she　entered　them　and　sat　herself　down　within　a　spear's
length　of　where　Umslopogaas　was　seated；　and　at　once　began　to　weep；
speaking　to　herself　as　she　wept。

〃Would　that　the　ghost…wolves　might　fall　on　him　and　all　that　is　his；〃
she　sobbed；　〃ay；　and　on　Masilo　also！　I　would　hound　them　on；　even　if　I
myself　must　next　know　their　fangs。　Better　to　die　by　the　teeth　of　the
wolves　than　to　be　sold　to　this　fat　pig　of　a　Masilo。　Oh！　if　I　must　wed
him；　I　will　give　him　a　knife　for　the　bride's　kiss。　Oh！　that　I　were　a
lady　of　the　ghost…wolves；　there　should　be　a　picking　of　bones　in　the
kraal　of　Jikiza　before　the　moon　grows　young　again。〃

Umslopogaas　heard；　and　of　a　sudden　reared　himself　up　before　the　maid；
and　he　was　great　and　wild　to　look　on；　and　the　she…wolf's　fangs　shone
upon　his　brow。

〃The　ghost…wolves　are　at　hand；　damsel；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　ever　at
hand　for　those　who　need　them。〃

Now　the　maid　saw　him　and　screamed　faintly；　then　grew　silent；　wondering
at　the　greatness　and　the　fierce　eyes　of　the　man　who　spoke　to　her。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked。　〃I　fear　you　not；　whoever　you　are。〃

〃There　you　are　wrong；　damsel；　for　all　men　fear　me；　and　they　have　cause
to　fear。　I　am　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；　whose　names　have　been　told　of；
I　am　a　wizard　of　the　Ghost　Mountain。　Take　heed；　now；　lest　I　kill　you。
It　will　be　of　little　avail　to　call　upon　your　people；　for　my　feet　are
fleeter　than　theirs。〃

〃I　have　no　wish　to　call　upon　my　people；　Wolf…Man；〃　she　answered。　〃And
for　the　rest；　I　am　too　young　to　kill。〃

〃That　is　so；　maiden；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　looking　at　her　beauty。
〃What　were　the　words　upon　your　lips　as　to　Jikiza　and　a　certain　Masilo？
Were　they　not　fierce　words；　such　as　my　heart　likes　well？〃

〃It　seems　that　you　heard　them；〃　answered　the　girl。　〃What　need　to　waste
breath　in　speaking　them　again？〃

〃No　need；　maiden。　Now　tell　me　your　story；　perhaps　I　may　find　a　way　to
help　you。〃

〃There　is　little　to　tell；〃　she　answered。　〃It　is　a　small　tale　and　a
common。　My　name　is　Zinita；　and　Jikiza　the　Unconquered　is　my　step…
father。　He　married　my　mother；　who　is　dead；　but　none　of　his　blood　is　in
me。　Now　he　would　give　me　in　marriage　to　a　certain　Masilo；　a　fat　man
and　an　old；　whom　I　hate；　because　Masilo　offers　many　cattle　for　me。〃

〃Is　there；　then；　another　whom　you　would　wed；　maiden？〃　asked
Umslopogaas。

〃There　is　none；〃　answered　Zinita；　looking　him　in　the　eyes。

〃And　is　there　no　path　by　which　you　may　escape　from　Masilo？〃

〃There　is　only　one　path；　Wolf…Manby　death。　If　I　die；　I　shall　escape；
if　Masilo　dies；　I　shall　escape；　but　to　little　end；　for　I　shall　be
given　to　another；　but　if　Jikiza　dies；　then　it　will　be　well。　What　of
that　wolf…people　of　yours；　are　they　not　hungry；　Wolf…Man？〃

〃I　cannot　bring　them　here；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Is　there　no　other
way？〃

〃There　is　another　way；〃　said　Zinita；　〃if　one　can　be　found　to　try　it。〃
And　again　she　looked　at　him　strangely；　causing　the　blood　to　beat
within　him。　〃Hearken！　do　you　not　know　how　our　people　are　governed？
They　are　governed　by　him　who　holds　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　He　that　can
win　the　axe　in　war　from　the　hand　of　him　who　holds　it；　shall　be　our
chief。　But　if　he　who　holds　the　axe　dies　unconquered；　then　his　son
takes　his　place　and　with　it　the　axe。　It　has　been　thus；　indeed；　for
four　generations；　since　he　who　held　Groan…Maker　has　always　been
unconquerable。　But　I　have　heard　that　the　great…grandfather　of　Jikiza
won　the　axe　from　him　who　held　it　in　his　day；　he　won　it　by　fraud。　For
when　the　axe　had　fallen　on　him　but　lightly；　he　fell　over；　feigning
death。　Then　the　owner　of　the　axe　laughed；　and　turned　to　walk　away。　But
the　forefather　of　Jikiza　sprang　up　behind　him　and　pierced　him　through
with　a　spear；　and　thus　he　became　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe。
Therefore；　it　is　the　custom　of　Jikiza　to　hew　off　the　heads　of　those
whom　he　kills　with　the　axe。〃

〃Does　he；　then；　slay　many？〃　asked　Umslopogaas。

〃Of　late　years；　few　indeed；〃　she　said；　〃for　none　dare　stand　against
himno；　not　with　all　to　win。　For；　holding　the　axe　Groan…Maker；　he　is
unconquerable；　and　to　fight　with　him　is　sure　death。　Fifty…and…one　have
tried　in　all；　and　before　the　hut　of　Jikiza　there　are　piled　fifty…and…
one　white　skulls。　And　know　this；　the　axe　must　be　won　in　fight；　if　it
is　stolen　or　found；　it　has　no　virtuenay；　it　brings　shame　and　death
to　him　who　holds　it。〃

〃How；　then；　may　a　man　give　battle　to　Jikiza？〃　he　asked　again。

〃Thus：　Once　in　every　year；　on　the　first　day　of　the　new　moon　of　the
summer　season；　Jikiza　holds　a　meeting　of　the　headmen。　Then　he　must
rise　and　challenge　all　or　any　to　come　forward　and　do　battle　with　him
to　win　the　axe　and　become　chief　in　his　place。　Now　if　one　comes
forward；　they　go　into　the　cattle　kraal；　and　there　the　matter　is　ended。
Afterwards；　when　the　head　is　hewn　from　his　foe；　Jikiza　goes　back　to
the　meeting　of　the　headmen；　and　they　talk　as　before。　All　are　free　to
come　to　the　meeting；　and　Jikiza　must　fight　with　them　if　they　wish　it；
whoever　they　be。〃

〃Perhaps　I　shall　be　there；〃　said　Umslopogaas。

〃After　this　meeting　at　the　new　moon；　I　am　to　be　given　in　marriage　to
Masilo；〃　said　the　maid。　〃But　should　one　conquer　Jikiza；　then　he　will
be　chief；　and　can　give　me　in　marriage　to　whom　he　will。〃

Now　Umslopogaas　understood　her　meaning；　and　knew　that　he　had　found
favour　in　her　sight；　and　the　thought　moved　him　a　little；　for　women
were　strange　to　him　as　yet。

〃If　perchance　I　should　be　there；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　perchance　I　should
win　the　iron　chieftainess；　the　axe　Groan…Maker；　and　rule　over　the
People　of　the　Axe；　you　should　not　live　far　from　the　shadow　of　the　axe
thenceforward；　maid　Zinita。〃

〃It　is　well；　Wolf…Man；　though　some　might　not　wish　to　dwell　in　that
shadow；　but　first　you　must　win　the　axe。　Many　have　tried；　and　all　have
failed。〃

〃Yet　one　must　succeed　at　last；〃　he　said；　〃and　so；　farewell！〃　and　he
leaped　into　the　torrent　of　the　river；　and　swam　it　with　great　strokes。

Now　the　maid　Zinita　watched　him　till　he　was　gone；　and　love　of　him
entered　into　her　hearta　love　that　was　fierce　and　jealous　and　strong。
But　as　he　wended　to　the　Ghost　Mountain　Umslopogaas　thought　rather　of
axe　Groan…Maker　than　of　Maid　Zinita；　for　ever；　at　the　bottom；
Umslopogaas　loved　war　more　than　women；　though　this　has　been　his　fate；
that　women　have　brought　sorrow　on　his　head。

Fifteen　days　must　pass　before　the　day　of　the　new　moon；　and　during　this
time　Umslopogaas　thought　much　and　said　little。　Still；　he　told　Galazi
something　of　the　tale；　and　that　he　was　determined　to　do　battle　with
Jikiza　the　Unconquered　for　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　Galazi　said　that　he
would　do　well　to　let　it　be；　and　that　it　was　better　to　stay　with　the
wolves　than　to　go　out　seeking　strange　weapons。　He　said　also　that　even
if　he　won　the　axe；　the　matter　might　not　stay　there；　for　he　must　take
the　girl　also；　and　his　heart　boded　no　good　of　women。　It　had　been　a
girl　who　poisoned　his　father　in　the　kraals　of　the　Halakazi。　To　all　of
which　Umslopogaas　answered　nothing；　for　his　heart　was　set　both　on　the
axe　and　the　girl；　but　more　on　the　first　than　the　las