登陆注册
5421800000035

第35章

"Thou knowest naught of it, Mopo?" said the king. And again he looked at me terribly through the reek of the fire. "Thou knowest naught of it, Mopo? Surely thou art a-cold; thy hands shake with cold. Nay, man, fear not--warm them, warm them, Mopo. See, now, plunge that hand of thine into the heart of the flame!" And he pointed with his little assegai, the assegai handled with the royal wood, to where the fire glowed reddest--ay, he pointed and laughed.

Then, my father, I grew cold indeed--yes, I grew cold who soon should be hot, for I saw the purpose of Chaka. He would put me to the trial by fire.

For a moment I sat silent, thinking. Then the king spoke again in a great voice: "Nay, Mopo, be not so backward; shall I sit warm and see thee suffer cold? What, my councillors, rise, take the hand of Mopo, and hold it to the flame, that his heart may rejoice in the warmth of the flame while we speak together of this matter of the child that was, so my mother sang, born to Baleka, my wife, the sister of Mopo, my servant.""There is little need for that, O king," I answered, being made bold by fear, for I saw that if I did nothing death would swiftly end my doubts. Once, indeed, I bethought me of the poison that I bore, and was minded to swallow it and make an end, but the desire to live is great, and keen is the thirst for vengeance, so I said to my heart, "Not yet awhile; I will endure this also; afterwards, if need be, Ican 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 fire--not 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 Iknew 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 Iknew 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 yours--it is white and dead and shrivelled. These are the marks of the fire in Chaka's hut--the 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 dead--dead 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 Iwill 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 unavenged--thou 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.

同类推荐
  • 金刚般若波罗蜜经-菩提流支

    金刚般若波罗蜜经-菩提流支

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阙题

    阙题

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天台三圣诗集和韵

    天台三圣诗集和韵

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 时方妙用

    时方妙用

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 比丘尼僧祇律波罗提木叉戒经

    比丘尼僧祇律波罗提木叉戒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 都市之活了几十亿年

    都市之活了几十亿年

    “我曾一人独活在史前地球,我经历过侏罗纪,曾亲眼看着小行星灭绝了一个时代。”“我曾穿梭诸天万界,世人尊我为太上至尊!”“我之大道,随心所欲,为所欲为!”陈正与至高无上一战,让纪元重启,回到了地球某个时间节点!他虽然被削弱了修为,可肉身与元神不死不灭,带着过去几十亿年的经历,轻松纵横都市,游戏人间!
  • 谁说丫鬟不倾城

    谁说丫鬟不倾城

    季清儿是南乐国琦月夫人贴身丫鬟杏儿之女,南乐国破时,杏儿为救下琦月夫人的亲生女儿冷香,拿季清儿冒充公主交给大烨怡亲王。而冷香则被大烨军队中的一个士兵带回收养,长大后进宫成为宫婢。十六年后,季清儿钟情于和自己青梅竹马的怡亲王世子成钰,而成钰却爱上了身带冷梅香气的冷香。成钰为了救出冷香,却以清儿为筹码,让成风放弃帝位,最终成钰成为了大烨国主。清儿与李萧意成亲后,郁郁寡欢。数年后,李萧意作为副将出征,却死在战场上,清儿至此准备一生孤苦。成钰在救出冷香后才明白自己真正喜欢的人是清儿,他在李萧意死后,做了很多事来挽回清儿的感情。清儿最终成为大烨国母,并在后宫中荣宠不衰。
  • 如何说客户才会听,怎样做客户才会买

    如何说客户才会听,怎样做客户才会买

    本书以“如何说客户才会听,怎样做客户才会买”为核心理念,引用典型的销售案例深入浅出地讲解了“如何说客户才会听”的说话技巧、沟通方法,以及“怎样做客户才会买”的销售战术和策略,展示了在每一个完整的销售过程中、每一个细微的销售步骤中都要用到的说服客户、促成交易的一整套销售技能,引导广大销售员快速提高自己说话本领和销售能力,化解销售中的难题,轻松成交每一单。能说会道,说到客户心坎上,让客户无法拒绝你。观察观色,把握成交时机,把任何东西卖给任何人。
  • 领袖心经

    领袖心经

    卓越的企业管理者既要有超高的智商、情商和财商,还要有一定的佛商。佛教经典虽浩如烟海,但其精华都集中在了《心经》一书当中。本书作者通过对《心经》逐字逐句地解读,将佛教思想中的精华深入浅出地分析开来,并将其运用到如何提高企业领导者领导力的实践当中。为迫切需要提升自身领导力的领导者提供了一条新的认识自我、升华自我的途径。
  • 女囚料峭往事:刘氏女

    女囚料峭往事:刘氏女

    坐牢十年,和女囚们日出而作,日落而息,从二十六岁到三十六岁,作者说,比某些夫妻的婚龄长,比很多小两口还亲。那里,外表平静如镜,其实,终日翻江倒海。每个犯人都有经历,而经历就是故事。情罪小说系列《刘氏女》是其中之一则,杀夫、肢解、装坛、入狱、赎罪。三十年后,真的刘氏女也许已经走了,作者把她落在纸上,不写政治,不说制度,沒有直接刻意描写那个年代的丑陋,甚至连愤慨也沒有,笔墨集中表达女囚的命运,窥探她们的內心。这是作者第一次正式写出的小说作品。
  • 剑动映天

    剑动映天

    这是一个弱肉强食的世界。在这片大陆里,金钱,美女,似乎都需要实力来支持。而一个十二岁的孩子是如何闯荡天下的呢?
  • 我带外挂闯江湖

    我带外挂闯江湖

    你有你的绝世武功,我有我的绝世外挂。加速,隐身,飞天,无敌……在这个江湖,别人仗剑天涯,我仗外挂闯天下!
  • 巨星家族

    巨星家族

    已过不惑之年的沈秋山意外穿越平行时空,苏醒之后发现,自己竟然生在了一个牛叉闪闪的“文娱世家”……二弟是歌手(过了气的那种)三妹是演员(十八线的那种)四弟是武替(不露脸的那种)小妹是主播(在实习的那种)然而,这还不算完,他还有一双儿女,儿子影视学院毕业在即,女儿则刚刚考入某音乐学府……面对这么一个“文娱世家”,身为大哥的沈秋山压力很大,该怎么办?还能怎么办,当然是打造一家子巨星了。……
  • 我笔下的七宗罪

    我笔下的七宗罪

    《便衣警察》《永不暝目》《玉观音》《拿什么拯救你,我的爱人》……海岩为大众所熟知,这得归功于他笔下的这些剧。海岩是个奇人,只有小学四年级的学历,却成为高级经济师、著名作家、重点大学的兼职教授,写小说改剧本,屡屡创造收视高峰,而他的本职工作却是企业家。本书主要包括了四大部分:第一解读海岩;第二与名记者对话;第三海岩杂烩;第四网络海岩,是一部海岩的传记文集。
  • 遇见,再也不见

    遇见,再也不见

    我像一只孤寂的鸥鸟,掠过你的世界,驻足你的心头;林诺,我要牵起你的手,把你捧在心头,就像畅饮一杯浓烈的酒;没有海誓山盟,只有默默地厮守,即使错过整个世界,不愿再错过你的双眸;林诺,我要牵起你的手,我们一起走出黑暗的尽头!--情节虚构,请勿模仿