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！
rose； 'La！； la！' she said； 'the Watcher is not for this one。 This is
but a child； I must seek me a man； I must seek me a man！'
〃'Not so fast； old wife；' I said。 'Will you lend me this club to hold
in my hand while I go to find the bones of your son and to snatch them
from the people of the ghosts？'
〃'Lend you the Watcher； boy？ Nay； nay！ I should see little of you
again or of the good club either。'
〃'I am no thief；' I answered。 'If the ghosts kill me； you will see me
no more； or the club either； but if I live I will bring you back the
bones； or； if I do not find them； I will render the Watcher into your
hands again。 At the least I say that if you will not lend me the club；
then I will not go into the haunted place。'
〃'Boy； your eyes are honest；' she said； still peering at me。 'Take the
Watcher； go seek the bones。 If you die； let the club be lost with you；
if you fail； bring it back to me； but if you win the bones； then it is
yours； and it shall bring you glory and you shall die a man's death at
last holding him aloft among the dead。'
〃So on the morrow at dawn I took the club Watcher in my hand and a
little dancing shield； and made ready to start。 The old woman blessed
me and bade me farewell； but the other people of the kraal mocked；
saying： 'A little man for so big a club！ Beware； little man； lest the
ghosts use the club on you！' So they spoke； but one girl in the kraal
she is a granddaughter of the old womanled me aside； praying me
not to go； for the forest on the Ghost Mountain had an evil name： none
dared walk there； since it was certainly full of spirits； who howled
like wolves。 I thanked the girl； but to the others I said nothing；
only I asked of the path to the Ghost Mountain。
〃Now stranger； if you have strength； come to the mouth of the cave and
look out； for the moon is bright。〃
So Umslopogaas rose and crept through the narrow mouth of the cave。
There； above him； a great grey peak towered high into the air； shaped
like a seated woman； her chin resting upon her breast； the place where
the cave was being； as it were； on the lap of the woman。 Below this
place the rock sloped sharply； and was clothed with little bushes。
Lower down yet was a forest； great and dense； that stretched to the
top of a cliff； and at the foot of the cliff； beyond the waters of the
river； lay the wide plains of Zululand。
〃Yonder； stranger；〃 said Galazi； pointing with the club Watcher of the
Fords far away to the plain beneath； 〃yonder is the kraal where the
aged woman dwelt。 There is a cliff rising from the plain； up which I
must climb； there is the forest where dwell the Amatongo； the people
of the ghosts； there； on the hither side of the forest； runs the path
to the cave； and here is the cave itself。 See this stone lying at the
mouth of the cave； it turns thus； shutting up the entrance holeit
turns gently； though it is so large； a child may move it； for it rests
upon a sharp point of rock。 Only mark this； the stone must be pushed
too far； for； look！ if it came to here；〃 and he pointed to a mark in
the mouth of the cave； 〃then that man need be strong who can draw it
back again； though I have done it myself； who am not a man full grown。
But if it pass beyond this mark； then； see； it will roll down the neck
of the cave like a pebble down the neck of a gourd； and I think that
two men； one striving from within and one dragging from without；
scarcely could avail to push it clear。 Look now； I close the stone； as
is my custom of a night； so；〃and he grasped the rock and swung it
round upon its pivot； on which it turned as a door turns。 〃Thus I
leave it； and though； except those to whom the secret is know； none
would guess that a cave was here； yet it can be rolled back again with
a push of the hand。 But enough of the stone。 Enter again； wanderer；
and I will go forward with my tale； for it is long and strange。
〃I started from the kraal of the old woman； and the people of the
kraal followed me to the brink of the river。 It was in flood； and few
had dared to cross it。
〃'Ha！ ha！' they cried； 'now your journey is done； little man； watch by
the ford you who would win the Watcher of the Ford！ Beat the water
with the club； perhaps so it shall grow gentle that your feet may pass
it！'
〃I answered nothing to their mocking； only I bound the shield upon my
shoulders with a string； and the bag that I had brought I made fast
about my middle； and I held the great club in my teeth by the thong。
Then I plunged into the river and swam。 Twice； stranger； the current
bore me under； and those on the bank shouted that I was lost； but I
rose again； and in the end I won the farther shore。
〃Now those on the bank mocked no more； they stood still wondering； and
I walked on till I came to the foot of the cliff。 That cliff is hard
to climb； stranger； when you are strong upon your feet； I will show
you the path。 Yet I found a way up it； and by midday I came to the
forest。 Here； on the edge of the forest； I rested awhile； and ate a
little food that I had brought with me in the bag； for now I must
gather up my strength to meet the ghosts； if ghosts there were。 Then I
rose and plunged into the forest。 The trees were great that grow
there； stranger； and their leaves are so think that in certain places
the light is as that of night when the moon is young。 Still； I wended
on； often losing my path。 But from time to time between the tops of
the trees I saw the figure of the grey stone woman who sits on the top
of Ghost Mountain； and shaped my course towards her knees。 My heart
beat as I travelled through the forest in dark and loneliness like
that of the night； and ever I looked round searching for the eyes of
the Amatongo。 But I saw no spirits； though at times great spotted
snakes crept from before my feet； and perhaps these were the Amatongo。
At times； also； I caught glimpses of some grey wolf as he slunk from
tree to tree watching me； and always high above my head the wind
sighed in the great boughs with a sound like the sighing of women。
〃Still； I went on； singing to myself as I went； that my heart might
not be faint with fear； and at length； towards the end of the second
hour； the trees grew fewer； the ground sloped upwards； and the light
poured down from the heavens again。 But； stranger； you are weary； and
the night wears on； sleep now； and to…morrow I will end the tale。 Say；
first； how are you named？〃
〃I am named Umslopogaas； son of Mopo；〃 he answered； 〃and my tale shall
be told when yours is done； let us sleep！〃
Now when Galazi heard this name he started and was troubled； but said
nothing。 So they laid them down to sleep； and Galazi wrapped
Umslopogaas with the skins of bucks。
But Galazi the Wolf was so hardy that he lay on the bare ground and
had no covering。 So they slept； and without the door of the cave the
wolves howled； scenting the blood of men。
CHAPTER XIII
GALAZI BECOMES KING OF THE WOLVES
On the morrow Umslopogaas awoke； and knew that strength was growing on
him fast。 Still； all that day he rested in the cave； while Galazi went
out to hunt。 In the evening he returned； bearing a buck upon his
shoulders； and they skinned the buck and ate of it as they sat by the
fire。 And when the sun was down Galazi took up his tale。
〃Now Umslopogaas； son of Mopo； hear！ I had passed the forest； and had
come； as it were； to the legs of the old stone Witch who sits up aloft
there forever waiting for the world to die。 Here the sun shone
merrily； here lizards ran and birds flew to and fro； and though it
grew towards the eveningfor I had wandered long in the forestI was
afraid no more。 So I climbed up the steep rock； where little bushes
grow like hair on the arms of a man； till at last I came to the knees
of the stone Witch； which are the space before the cave。 I lifted by
head over the brink of the rock and looked； and I tell you；
Umslopogaas； my blood ran cold and my heart turned to water； for
there； before the cave； rolled wolves； many and great。 Some slept and
growled in their sleep； some gnawed at the skulls of dead game； some
sat up like dogs and their tongues hung from their grinning jaws。 I
looked； I saw； and beyond I discovered the mouth of the cave； where
the bones of the boy should be。 But I had no wish to come there； being
afraid of the wolves； for now I knew that these were the ghosts who
live upon the mountain。 So I bethought me that I would fly； and turned
to go。 And； Umslopogaas； even as I turned； the great club Watcher of
the Fords swung round and smote me on the back with such a blow as a
man smites upon a coward。 Now whether this was by chance or whether
the Watcher would shame him who bore it； say you； for I do not know。
At the least； shame entered into me。 Should I go back to be mocked by
the people of the kraal and by the old woman？ And if I wished to go；
should I not be killed by the ghosts at night in the forest？ Nay； it
was better to die in the jaws of the wolves； and at once。
〃Thus I thought in my heart； then； tarrying not； lest fear should come
upon me again； I swung up the Watcher； and crying aloud the war…cry of
the Halakazi； I sprang over the brink of the rock and rushed upon the
wolves。 They； too；