登陆注册
5421800000066

第66章

MOPO BARGAINS WITH THE PRINCES

Eight-and-twenty days went by, my father, and on the nine-and-twentieth it befell that Chaka, having dreamed a dream in his troubled sleep, summoned before him certain women of the kraal, to the number of a hundred or more. Some of these were his women, whom he named his "sisters," and some were maidens not yet given in marriage; but all were young and fair. Now what this dream of Chaka may have been I do not know, or have forgotten, for in those days he dreamed many dreams, and all his dreams led to one end, the death of men. He sat in front of his hut scowling, and I was with him. To the left of him were gathered the girls and women, and their knees were weak with fear. One by one they were led before him, and stood before him with bowed heads. Then he would bid them be of good cheer, and speak softly to them, and in the end would ask them this question: "Hast thou, my sister, a cat in thy hut?"Now, some would say that they had a cat, and some would say that they had none, and some would stand still and make no answer, being dumb with fear. But, whatever they said, the end was the same, for the king would sigh gently and say: "Fare thee well, my sister; it is unfortunate for thee that there is a cat in thy hut," or "that there is no cat in thy hut," or "that thou canst not tell me whether there be a cat in thy hut or no."Then the woman would be taken by the slayers, dragged without the kraal, and their end was swift. So it went on for the most part of that day, till sixty-and-two women and girls had been slaughtered. But at last a maiden was brought before the king, and to this one her snake had given a ready wit; for when Chaka asked her whether or no there was a cat in her hut, she answered, saying that she did not know, "but that there was a half a cat upon her," and she pointed to a cat's-skin which was bound about her loins.

Then the king laughed, and clapped his hands, saying that at length his dream was answered; and he killed no more that day nor ever again --save once only.

That evening my heart was heavy within me, and I cried in my heart, "How long?"--nor might I rest. So I wandered out from the kraal that was named Duguza to the great cleft in the mountains yonder, and sat down upon a rock high up in the cleft, so that I could see the wide lands rolling to the north and the south, to my right and to my left.

Now, the day was drawing towards the night, and the air was very still, for the heat was great and a tempest was gathering, as I, who am a Heaven-Herd, knew well. The sun sank redly, flooding the land with blood; it was as though all the blood that Chaka had shed flowed about the land which Chaka ruled. Then from the womb of the night great shapes of cloud rose up and stood before the sun, and he crowned them with his glory, and in their hearts the lightning quivered like a blood of fire. The shadow of their wings fell upon the mountain and the plains, and beneath their wings was silence. Slowly the sun sank, and the shapes of cloud gathered together like a host at the word of its captain, and the flicker of the lightning was as the flash of the spears of a host. I looked, and my heart grew afraid. The lightning died away, the silence deepened and deepened till I could hear it, no leaf moved, no bird called, the world seemed dead--I alone lived in the dead world.

Now, of a sudden, my father, a bright star fell from the height of heaven and lit upon the crest of the storm, and as it lit the storm burst. The grey air shivered, a moan ran about the rocks and died away, then an icy breath burst from the lips of the tempest and rushed across the earth. It caught the falling star and drove it on towards me, a rushing globe of fire, and as it came the star grew and took shape, and the shape it took was the shape of a woman. I knew her now, my father; while she was yet far off I knew her--the Inkosazana who came as she had promised, riding down the storm. On she swept, borne forward by the blast, and oh! she was terrible to see, for her garment was the lightning, lightnings shone from her wide eyes and lightnings were in her streaming hair, while in her hand was a spear of fire, and she shook it as she came. Now she was at the mouth of the pass; before her was stillness, behind her beat the wings of the storm, the thunder roared, the rain hissed like snakes; she rushed on past me, and as she passed she turned her awful eyes upon me, withering me. She was there!

she was gone! but she spoke no word, only shook her flaming spear. Yet it seemed to me that the storm spoke, that the rocks cried aloud, that the rain hissed out a word in my ear, and the word was:--"Smite, Mopo!"

I heard it in my heart, or with my ears, what does it matter? Then Iturned to look; through the rush of the tempest and the reek of the rain, still I could see her sweeping forward high in air. Now the kraal Duguza was beneath her feet, and the flaming spear fell from her hand upon the kraal and fire leaped up in answer.

Then she passed on over the edge of the world, seeking her own place.

Thus, my father, for the third and last time did my eyes see the Inkosazana-y-Zulu, or mayhap my heart dreamed that I saw her. Soon Ishall see her again, but it will not be here.

For a while I sat there in the cleft, then I rose and fought my way through the fury of the storm back to the kraal Duguza. As I drew near the kraal I heard cries of fear coming through the roaring of the wind and the hiss of the rain. I entered and asked one of the matter, and it was told me that fire from above had fallen on the hut of the king as he lay sleeping, and all the roof of the hut was burned away, but that the rain had put out the fire.

Then I went on till I came to the front of the great hut, and I saw by the light of the moon, which now shone out in the heavens, that there before it stood Chaka, shaking with fear, and the water of the rain was running down him, while he stared at the great hut, of which all the thatch was burned.

同类推荐
  • 分春馆词

    分春馆词

    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。
  • 大梵天王问佛决疑经

    大梵天王问佛决疑经

    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。
  • 太极祭炼内法

    太极祭炼内法

    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。
  • 海刚峰先生居官公案传

    海刚峰先生居官公案传

    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。
  • 答长安崔少府叔封游

    答长安崔少府叔封游

    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
  • 惹上神探贵公子

    惹上神探贵公子

    被妹妹设计失去清誉,她还没有求负责,却被神探榜上身!本想甩开某男之际,不想亲人入狱,某男露出腹黑真面目:“女人,想要救人?用你终身来赌!”赌?被人陷害,有英雄救美;行动不便,还有美男送抱……唔,这场豪赌,好像稳赚不赔呢!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 渔民农女

    渔民农女

    飞机坠毁,重生在古代一个小渔村。成了小渔村中一个为家计操劳的小女娃。一家之主的秀才爹变木匠,还摔断腿,让这个家雪上加霜。瘦弱貌美的娘是一个哭包,还有三个面黄饥瘦的弟妹。谢冰林只能拿起抄家本领带着全家发家致富,一不小心开启了航海贸易。民不与官斗是她历来的人生准则,生意做大了,自然要找个靠山了,这不,靠山来了,连带相公也有了。……世子问道:“你说这树是你看中的?有写你名字吗?”谢冰林怒瞪:“没写我名字,但我和它抱在一起了,自然就是我的了!”内心却是崩溃的,这么幼稚的话,她真的一句也不想说出来。世子笑了,“哟,抱在一起就是你的,那我抱你,你不就是我的了?”作势要抱上去的姿态。“……”小脸气的通红,她居然被调戏了!“登徒浪子……”最终落荒而逃,第一回合,谢冰林没人家脸皮厚,输了!----人要脸树要皮,她这辈子加上辈子都没见过这么不要脸的人。“世子爷,你的脸呢?”谢冰林不得不放下手中的活儿,轻声问道。“还在呢,你要不要摸摸,挺嫩的,保证你爱不释手!”话落就把脸往上凑了凑!“……”她能把这个不要脸的家伙一脚揣到大海里吗?------经过慢慢长路,世子终于抱得美人归,但却争不过一张图纸。一天,世子怒气冲冲的从外面走进屋内,用力扯过谢冰林手中的炭笔丢在一边,铺上一张上好的宣纸,三两下把自己给扒光往罗汉床上一躺,霸气的说道:“画我!”谢冰林傻愣住了,手还维持着握笔的姿势,“……”随即面红耳赤。
  • 连生

    连生

    两人的前路并不顺畅。有过爱情失败的宋熙明多少是有心理阴影,宋父更是不肯轻易放手。放弃背离还是坚持走下去?两个人的难题终究需要两个人背负。
  • 未归,

    未归,

    故事很简单,有苦有甜,百转千回,我们却也牵牵不忘。不管是仙侠奇缘里的情深缘劫,或是朝代更替的江湖爱恨情仇,亦或是现代世界的爱而不得,它都告诉我,我不后悔。不后悔缘分,不负相遇,不忘相知………????????????????????——?看,起风了
  • 楞伽阿跋多罗宝经

    楞伽阿跋多罗宝经

    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。
  • A Distinguished Provincial at Parisl

    A Distinguished Provincial at Parisl

    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。
  • 所谓情商高,就是会说话

    所谓情商高,就是会说话

    说话不只是一种感觉,还是一门技术!如果说话这件事都让你很吃亏,那真的需要好好练练嘴皮子了。和任何人都聊得来,世界就是你的。本书不只是一本实用的说话技巧书,更是一本有趣的口才教科书!不走弯路,指导读者短时间掌握说话技巧。
  • THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER

    THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER

    On August 18, 1814, Admiral Cockburn, having returned with his fleet from the West Indies, sent to Secretary Monroe at Washington, the following threat.汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 重生从传奇开始

    重生从传奇开始

    这一年,欧元在欧盟各成员国范围内正式发行。这一年,盐湖城冬季奥运会在美国盐湖城举行。这一年,瓦良格号历经2年8个月时间,终于回到祖国。这一年,中国男足首次进入世界杯的决赛圈,五星巴西诞生。这一年,卫家回到了这里,开始了他的传奇!
  • 巫师柯林

    巫师柯林

    巫师世界一定就是充满罪恶吗?好人就会被埋没吗?不会的!柯林继承蛇王传承,去帮助弱小巫师成为弱小巫师们的守护神的故事