友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

nada the lily(百合娜达)-第77章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



other women。

〃Nay;〃 answered Zinita; 〃I will speak with her;〃 and she went and
stood in the path along which the Lily walked singing; her arms folded
across her breast。

Now Nada saw her and; ceasing her song; stretched out her hand to
welcome her; saying; 〃Greeting; sister。〃 But Zinita did not take it。
〃It is not fitting; sister;〃 she said; 〃that my hand; stained with
toil; should defile yours; fresh with the scent of flowers。 But I am
charged with a message; on my own behalf and the behalf of the other
wives of our Lord Bulalio; the weeds grow thick in yonder corn; and we
women are few; now that your love days are over; will not you come and
help us? If you brought no hoe from your Swazi home; surely we will
buy you one。〃

Now Nada saw what was meant; and the blood poured to her head。 Yet she
answered calmly:

〃I would willingly do this; my sister; though I have never laboured in
the fields; for wherever I have dwelt the men have kept me back from
all work; save such as the weaving of flowers or the stringing of
beads。 But there is this against itUmslopogaas; my husband; charged
me that I should not toil with my hands; and I may not disobey my
husband。〃

〃Our husband charged you so; Nada? Nay; then it is strange。 See; now;
I am his head wife; his Inkosikaasit was I who taught him how to win
the axe。 Yet he has laid no command on me that I should not labour in
the fields after the fashion of women; I who have borne him children;
nor; indeed; has he laid such a command upon any of our sisters; his
other wives。 Can it then be that Bulalio loves you better than us;
Nada?〃

Now the Lily was in a trap; and she knew it。 So she grew bold。

〃One must be most loved; Zinita;〃 she said; 〃as one must be most fair。
You have had your hour; leave me mine; perhaps it will be short。
Moreover this: Umslopogaas and I loved each other much long years
before you or any of his wives saw him; and we love each other to the
end。 There is no more to say。〃

〃Nay; Nada; there is still something to say; there is this to say:
Choose one of two things。 Go and leave us to be happy with our lord;
or stay and bring death on all。〃

Now Nada thought awhile; and answered: 〃Did I believe that my love
would bring death on him I love; it might well chance that I would go
and leave him; though to do so would be to die。 But; Zinita; I do not
believe it。 Death chiefly loves the weak; and if he falls it will be
on the Flower; not on the Slayer of Men;〃 and she slipped past Zinita
and went on; singing no more。

Zinita watched her till she was over the ridge; and her face grew evil
as she watched。 Then she returned to the women。

〃The Lily flouts us all; my sisters;〃 she said。 〃Now listen: my
counsel is that we declare a feast of women to be held at the new moon
in a secret place far away。 All the women and the children shall come
to it except Nada; who will not leave her lover; and if there be any
man whom a woman loves; perhaps; my sisters; that man would do well to
go on a journey about the time of the new moon; for evil things may
happen at the town of the People of the Axe while we are away
celebrating our feast。〃

〃What; then; shall befall; my sister?〃 asked one。

〃Nay; how can I tell?〃 she answered。 〃I only know that we are minded
to be rid of Nada; and thus to be avenged on a man who has scorned our
loveay; and on those men who follow after the beauty of Nada。 Is it
not so; my sisters?〃

〃It is so;〃 they answered。

〃Then be silent on the matter; and let us give out our feast。〃

Now Nada told Umslopogaas of those words which she had bandied with
Zinita; and the Slaughterer was troubled。 Yet; because of his
foolishness and of the medicine of Nada's eyes; he would not turn from
his way; and was ever at her side; thinking of little else except of
her。 Thus; when Zinita came to him; and asked leave to declare a feast
of women that should be held far away; he consented; and gladly; for;
above all things; he desired to be free from Zinita and her angry
looks for awhile; nor did he suspect a plot。 Only he told her that
Nada should not go to the feast; and in a breath both Zinita and Nada
answered that is word was their will; as indeed it was; in this
matter。

Now I; Mopo; saw the glamour that had fallen upon my fosterling; and
spoke of it with Galazi; saying that a means must be found to wake
him。 Then I took Galazi fully into my mind; and told him all that he
did not know of Umslopogaas; and that was little。 Also; I told him of
my plans to bring the Slaughterer to the throne; and of what I had
done to that end; and of what I proposed to do; and this was to go in
person on a journey to certain of the great chiefs and win them over。

Galazi listened; and said that it was well or ill; as the chance might
be。 For his part; he believed that the daughter would pull down faster
than I; the father; could build up; and he pointed to Nada; who walked
past us; following Umslopogaas。

Yet I determined to go; and that was on the day before Zinita won
leave to celebrate the feast of women。 So I sought Umslopogaas and
told him; and he listened indifferently; for he would be going after
Nada; and wearied of my talk of policy。 I bade him farewell and left
him; to Nada also I bade farewell。 She kissed me; yet the name of her
husband was mingled with her good…bye。

〃Now madness has come upon these two;〃 I said to myself。 〃Well; it
will wear off; they will be changed before I come again。〃

I guessed little; my father; how changed they would be。



CHAPTER XXXII

ZINITA COMES TO THE KING

Dingaan the king sat upon a day in the kraal Umgugundhlovu; waiting
till his impis should return from the Income that is now named the
Blood River。 He had sent them thither to destroy the laager of the
Boers; and thence; as he thought; they would presently return with
victory。 Idly he sat in the kraal; watching the vultures wheel above
the Hill of Slaughter; and round him stood a regiment。

〃My birds are hungry;〃 he said to a councillor。

〃Doubtless there shall soon be meat to feed them; O King!〃 the
councillor answered。

As he spoke one came near; saying that a woman sought leave to speak
to the king upon some great matter。

〃Let her come;〃 he answered; 〃I am sick for tidings; perhaps she can
tell of the impi。〃

Presently the woman was led in。 She was tall and fair; and she held
two children by the hand。

〃What is thine errand?〃 asked Dingaan。

〃Justice; O King;〃 she answered。

〃Ask for blood; it shall be easier to find。〃

〃I ask blood; O King。〃

〃The blood of whom?〃

〃The blood of Bulalio the Slaughterer; Chief of the People of the Axe;
the blood of Nada the Lily; and of all those who cling to her。〃

Now Dingaan sprang up and swore an oath by the head of the Black One
who was gone。

〃What?〃 he cried; 〃does the Lily; then; live as the soldier thought?〃

〃She lives; O King。 She is wife to the Slaughterer; and because of her
witchcraft he has put me; his first wife; away against all law and
honour。 Therefore I ask vengeance on the witch and vengeance also on
him who was my husband。〃

〃Thou art a good wife;〃 said the king。 〃May my watching spirit save
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!