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！
〃Not yet awhile； I will endure this also； afterwards； if need be； I
can die。〃
〃I thank the king for his graciousness； and I will warm me at the
fire。 Speak on； O king； while I warm myself； and thou shalt hear true
words；〃 I said boldly。
Then； my father； I stretched out my left hand and plunged it into the
firenot into the hottest of the fire； but where the smoke leapt from
the flame。 Now my flesh was wet with the sweat of fear； and for a
little moment the flames curled round it and did not burn me。 But I
knew that the torment was to come。
For a short while Chaka watched me； smiling。 Then he spoke slowly；
that the fire might find time to do its work。
〃Say； then； Mopo； thou knowest nothing of this matter of the birth of
a son to thy sister Baleka？〃
〃I know this only； O king！〃 I answered； 〃that a son was born in past
years to thy wife Baleka； that I killed the child in obedience to thy
word； and laid its body before thee。〃
Now； my father； the steam from my flesh had been drawn from my hand by
the heat； and the flame got hold of me and ate into my flesh； and its
torment was great。 But of this I showed no sign upon my face； for I
knew well that if I showed sign or uttered cry； then； having failed in
the trial； death would be my portion。
Then the king spoke again； 〃Dost thou swear by my head； Mopo； that no
son of mine was suckled in thy kraals？〃
〃I swear it； O king！ I swear it by thy head；〃 I answered。
And now； my father； the agony of the fire was such as may not be told。
I felt my eyes start forward in their sockets； my blood seemed to boil
within me； it rushed into my head； and down my face their ran two
tears of blood。 But yet I held my hand in the fire and made no sign；
while the king and his councillors watched me curiously。 Still； for a
moment Chaka said nothing； and that moment seemed to me as all the
years of my life。
〃Ah！〃 he said at length； 〃I see that thou growest warm； Mopo！ Withdraw
thy hand from the flame。 I am answered； thou hast passed the trial；
thy heart is clean； for had there been lies in it the fire had given
them tongue； and thou hadst cried aloud； making thy last music； Mopo！〃
Now I took my hand from the flame； and for awhile the torment left me。
〃It is well； O king；〃 I said calmly。 〃Fire has no power of hurt on
those whose heart is pure。〃
But as I spoke I looked at my left hand。 It was black； my father
black as a charred stick； and the nails were gone from the twisted
fingers。 Look at it now； my father； you can see； though my eyes are
blind。 The hand is white； like yoursit is white and dead and
shrivelled。 These are the marks of the fire in Chaka's hutthe fire
that kissed me many； many years ago； I have had but little use of that
hand since this night of torment。 But my right arm yet remained to me；
my father； and； ah！ I used it。
〃It seems that Nobela； the doctress； who is dead； lied when she
prophesied evil on me from thee； Mopo；〃 said Chaka again。 〃It seems
that thou art innocent of this offence； and that Baleka； thy sister；
is innocent； and that the song which the Mother of the Heavens sang
through the singing flames was no true song。 It is well for thee；
Mopo； for in such a matter my oath had not helped thee。 But my mother
is deaddead in the flames with thy wives and children； Mopo； and in
this there is witchcraft。 We will have a mourning； Mopo； thou and I；
such a mourning as has not been seen in Zululand； for all the people
on the earth shall weep at it。 And there shall be a 'smelling out' at
this mourning； Mopo。 But we will summon no witch…doctors； thou and I
will be witch…doctors； and ourselves shall smell out those who have
brought these woes upon us。 What！ shall my mother die unavenged； she
who bore me and has perished by witchcraft； and shall thy wives and
children die unavengedthou being innocent？ Go forth； Mopo； my
faithful servant； whom I have honoured with the warmth of my fire； go
forth！〃 And once again he stared at me through the reek of the flame；
and pointed with his assegai to the door of the hut。
CHAPTER XI
THE COUNSEL OF BALEKA
I rose； I praised the king with a loud voice； and I went from the
Intunkulu； the house of the king。 I walked slowly through the gates；
but when I was without the gates the anguish that took me because of
my burnt hand was more than I could bear。 I ran to and fro groaning
till I came to the hut of one whom I knew。 There I found fat； and
having plunged my hand in the fat； I wrapped it round with a skin and
passed out again； for I could not stay still。 I went to and fro； till
at length I reached the spot where my huts had been。 The outer fence
of the huts still stood； the fire had not caught it。 I passed through
the fence； there within were the ashes of the burnt hutsthey lay
ankle…deep。 I walked in among the ashes； my feet struck upon things
that were sharp。 The moon was bright； and I looked； they were the
blackened bones of my wives and children。 I flung myself down in the
ashes in bitterness of heart； I covered myself over with the ashes of
my kraal and with the bones of my wives and children。 Yes； my father；
there I lay； and on me were the ashes； and among the ashes were the
bones。 Thus； then； did I lie for the last time in my kraal； and was
sheltered from the frost of the night by the dust of those to whom I
had given life。 Such were the things that befell us in the days of
Chaka； my father； yes； not to me alone； but to many another also。
I lay among the ashes and groaned with the pain of my burn； and
groaned also from the desolation of my heart。 Why had I not tasted the
poison； there in the hut of Chaka； and before the eyes of Chaka？ Why
did I not taste it now and make an end？ Nay； I had endured the agony；
I would not give him this last triumph over me。 Now； having passed the
fire； once more I should be great in the land； and I would become
great。 Yes； I would bear my sorrows； and become great； that in a day
to be I might wreak vengeance on the king。 Ah！ my father； there； as I
rolled among the ashes； I prayed to the Amatongo； to the ghosts of my
ancestors。 I prayed to my Ehlose； to the spirit that watches meay；
and I even dared to pray to the Umkulunkulu； the great soul of the
world； who moves through the heavens and the earth unseen and unheard。
And thus I prayed； that I might yet live to kill Chaka as he had
killed those who were dear to me。 And while I prayed I slept； or； if I
did not sleep； the light of thought went out of me； and I became as
one dead。 Then there came a vision to me； a vision that was sent in
answer to my prayer； or； perchance； it was a madness born of my
sorrows。 For； my father； it seemed to me that I stood upon the bank of
a great and wide river。 It was gloomy there； the light lay low upon
the face of the river； but far away on the farther side was a glow
like the glow of a stormy dawn； and in the glow I saw a mighty bed of
reeds that swayed about in the breath of dawn； and out of the reeds
came men and women and children； by hundreds and thousands； and
plunged into the waters of the river and were buffeted about by them。
Now； my father； all the people that I saw in the water were black
people； and all those who were torn out of the reeds were blackthey
wee none of them white like your people； my father； for this vision
was a vision of the Zulu race； who alone are 〃torn out of the reeds。〃
Now； I saw that of those who swam in the river some passed over very
quickly and some stood still； as it were； still in the wateras in
life； my father； some die soon and some live for many years。 And I saw
the countless faces of those in the water； among them were many that I
knew。 There； my father； I saw the face of Chaka； and near him was my
own face； there； too； I saw the face of Dingaan； the prince； his
brother； and the face of the boy Umslopogaas and the face of Nada； my
daughter； and then for the first time I knew that Umslopogaas was not
dead； but only lost。
Now I turned in my vision； and looked at that bank of the river on
which I stood。 Then I saw that behind the bank was a cliff； mighty and
black； and in the cliff were doors of ivory； and through them came
light and the sound of laughter； there were other doors also； black as
though fashioned of coal； and through them came darkness and the
sounds of groans。 I saw also that in front of the doors was set a
seat； and on the seat was the figure of a glorious woman。 She was
tall； and she alone was white； and clad in robes of white； and her
hair was like gold which is molten in the fire； and her face shone
like the midday sun。 Then I saw that those who came up out of the
river stood before the woman； the water yet running from them； and
cried aloud to her。
〃Hail； Inkosazana…y…Zulu！ Hail； Queen of the Heavens！〃
Now the figure of the glorious woman held a rod in either hand； and
the rod in her right hand was white an