nada the lily- 第7部分

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　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