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！
Full on its hide the huge club fell； making a loud sound； the war…
shield doubled up like a raw skin； and he who bore it fell crushed to
the earth。
Now for a moment； the four who were left of the sons of Jikiza hovered
round the pair； feinting at them from afar； but never coming within
reach of axe or club。 One threw a spear indeed； and though Umslopogaas
leaped aside； and as it sped towards him smote the haft in two with
the blade of Groan…Maker； yet its head flew on； wounding Galazi in the
flank。 Then he who had thrown the spear turned to fly； for his hands
were empty； and the others followed swiftly； for the heart was out of
them； and they dared to do battle with these two no more。
Thus the fight was ended； and from its beginning till the finish was
not longer than the time in which men might count a hundred slowly。
〃It seems that none are left for us to kill； Galazi；〃 said
Umslopogaas； laughing aloud。 〃Ah； that was a cunning fight！ Ho！ you
sons of the Unconquered； who run so fast； stay your feet。 I give you
peace； you shall live to sweep my huts and to plough my fields with
the other women of my kraal。 Now； councillors； the fighting is done；
so let us to the chief's hut； where Masilo waits us；〃 and he turned
and went with Galazi； and after him followed all the people； wondering
and in silence。
When he reached the hut Umslopogaas sat himself down in the place
where Jikiza had sat that morning； and the maid Zinita came to him
with a wet cloth and washed the wound that the spear had made。 He
thanked her； then she would have washed Galazi's wound also； and this
was deeper； but Galazi bade her to let him be roughly； as he would
have no woman meddling with his wounds。 For neither then nor at any
other time did Galazi turn to women； but he hated Zinita most of them
all。
Then Umslopogaas spoke to Masilo the Pig； who sat before him with a
frightened face； saying； 〃It seems； O Masilo； that you have sought
this maid Zinita in marriage； and against her will； persecuting her。
Now I had intended to kill you as an offering to her anger； but there
has been enough blood…letting to…day。 Yet you shall have a marriage
gift to this girl； whom I myself will take in marriage： you shall give
a hundred head of cattle。 Then get you gone from among the People of
the Axe； lest a worse thing befall you； Masilo the Pig。〃
So Masilo rose up and went； and his face was green with fear； but he
paid the hundred head of cattle and fled towards the kraal of Chaka。
Zinita watched him go； and she was glad of it； and because the
Slaughterer had named her for his wife。
〃I am well rid of Masilo；〃 she said aloud； in the hearing of Galazi；
〃but I had been better pleased to see him dead before me。〃
〃This woman has a fierce heart；〃 thought Galazi； 〃and she will bring
no good to Umslopogaas； my brother。〃
Now the councillors and the captains of the People of the Axe konzaed
to him whom they named the Slaughterer； doing homage to him as chief
and holder of the axe； and also they did homage to the axe itself。 So
Umslopogaas became chief over this people； and their number was many；
and he grew great and fat in cattle and wives； and none dared to
gainsay him。 From time to time； indeed； a man ventured to stand up
before him in fight； but none could conquer him； and in a little while
no one sought to face Groan…Maker when he lifted himself to peck。
Galazi also was great among the people； but dwelt with them little；
for best he loved the wild woods and the mountain's breast； and often；
as of old； he swept at night across the forest and the plains； and the
howling of the ghost…wolves went with him。
But henceforth Umslopogaas the Slaughterer hunted very rarely with the
wolves at night； he slept at the side of Zinita； and she loved him
much and bore him children。
CHAPTER XVIII
THE CURSE OF BALEKA
Now； my father； my story winds back again as the river bends towards
its source； and I tell of those events which happened at the king's
kraal of Gibamaxegu； which you white people name Gibbeclack； the kraal
that is called 〃Pick…out…the…old…men；〃 for it was there that Chaka
murdered all the aged who were unfit for war。
After I； Mopo； had stood before the king； and he had given me new
wives and fat cattle and a kraal to dwell in； the bones of Unandi； the
Great Mother Elephant； Mother of the Heavens； were gathered together
from the ashes of my huts； and because all could not be found； some of
the bones of my wives were collected also to make up the number。 But
Chaka never knew this。 When all were brought together； a great pit was
dug and the bones were set out in order in the pit and buried； but not
alone； for round them were placed twelve maidens of the servants of
Unandi； and these maidens were covered over with the earth； and left
to die in the pit by the bones of Unandi； their mistress。 Moreover；
all those who were present at the burial were made into a regiment and
commanded that they should dwell by the grave for the space of a year。
They were many； my father； but I was not one of them。 Also Chaka gave
orders that no crops should be sown that year； that the milk of the
cows should be spilled upon the ground； and that no woman should give
birth to a child for a full year； and that if any should dare to bear
children； then that they should be slain and their husbands with them。
And for a space of some months these things were done； my father； and
great sorrow came upon the land。
Then for a little while there was quiet； and Chaka went about heavily；
and he wept often； and we who waited on him wept also as we walked；
till at length it came about by use that we could weep without ceasing
for many hours。 No angry woman can weep as we wept in those days； it
was an art； my father； for the teaching of which I received many
cattle； for woe to him who had no tears in those days。 Then it was
also that Chaka sent out the captain and fifty soldiers to search for
Umslopogaas； for； though he said nothing more to me of this matter； he
did not believe all the tale that I had told him of the death of
Umslopogaas in the jaws of a lion and the tale of those who were with
me。 How that company fared at the hands of Umslopogaas and of Galazi
the Wolf； and at the fangs of the people black and grey； I have told
you； my father。 None of them ever came back again。 In after days it
was reported to the king that these soldiers were missing； never
having returned； but he only laughed； saying that the lion which ate
Umslopogaas； son of Mopo； was a fierce one； and had eaten them also。
At last came the night of the new moon； that dreadful night to be
followed by a more dreadful morrow。 I sat in the kraal of Chaka； and
he put his arm about my neck and groaned and wept for his mother； whom
he had murdered； and I groaned also； but I did not weep； because it
was dark； and on the morrow I must weep much in the sight of king and
men。 The