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to take it from him。 But he sprang aside and avoided me。
〃I will never let that go of which I have got hold；〃 he said； 〃at
least not living！〃 And suddenly he seized the head of the cub and
twisted its neck； then threw it on to the ground； and added； 〃See； now
I have done your bidding； my father！〃
As he spoke we heard a great sound of roaring from the cave in the
cliff。 The lions had returned and found one cub dead and the other
gone。
〃Into the fence！back into the fence！〃 I cried； and we sprang over
the thorn…bushes where those with us were making ready their spears；
trembling as they handled them with fear and the cold of the morning。
We looked up。 There； down the side of the cliff； came the lions；
bounding on the scent of him who had robbed them of their young。 The
lion ran first； and as he came he roared； then followed the lioness；
but she did not roar； for in her mouth was the cub that Umslopogaas
had assegaied in the cave。 Now they drew near； mad with fury； their
manes bristling； and lashing their flanks with their long tails。
〃Curse you for a fool； son of Mopo；〃 said one of the men with me to
Umslopogaas； 〃presently I will beat you till the blood comes for this
trick。〃
〃First beat the lions； then beat me if you can；〃 answered the lad；
〃and wait to curse till you have done both。〃
Now the lions were close to us； they came to the body of the second
cub； that lay outside the fence of thorns。 The lion stopped and
sniffed it。 Then he roaredah！ he roared till the earth shook。 As for
the lioness； she dropped the dead cub which she was carrying； and took
the other into her mouth； for she could not carry both。
〃Get behind me； Nada；〃 cried Umslopogaas； brandishing his spear； 〃the
lion is about to spring。〃
As the words left his mouth the great brute crouched to the ground。
Then suddenly he sprang from it like a bird； and like a bird he
travelled through the air towards us。
〃Catch him on the spears！〃 cried Umslopogaas； and by nature； as it
were； we did the boy's bidding； for huddling ourselves together； we
held out the assegais so that the lion fell upon them as he sprang；
and their blades sank far into him。 But the weight of his charge
carried us to the ground； and he fell on to us； striking at us and at
the spears； and roaring with pain and fury as he struck。 Presently he
was on his legs biting at the spears in his breast。 Then Umslopogaas；
who alone did not wait his onslaught； but had stepped aside for his
own ends； uttered a loud cry and drove his assegai into the lion
behind the shoulder； so that with a groan the brute rolled over dead。
Meanwhile； the lioness stood without the fence； the second dead cub in
her mouth； for she could not bring herself to leave either of them。
But when she heard her mate's last groan she dropped the cub and
gathered herself together to spring。 Umslopogaas alone stood up to
face her； for he only had withdrawn his assegai from the carcass of
the lion。 She swept on towards the lad； who stood like a stone to meet
her。 Now she met his spear； it sunk in； it snapped； and down fell
Umslopogaas dead or senseless beneath the mass of the lioness。 She
sprang up； the broken spear standing in her breast； sniffed at
Umslopogaas； then； as though she knew that it was he who had robbed
her； she seized him by the loins and moocha； and sprang with him over
the fence。
〃Oh； save him！〃 cried the girl Nada in bitter woe。 And we rushed after
the lioness shouting。
For a moment she stood over her dead cubs； Umslopogaas hanging from
her mouth； and looked at them as though she wondered； and we hoped
that she might let him fall。 Then； hearing our cries； she turned and
bounded away towards the bush； bearing Umslopogaas in her mouth。 We
seized our spears and followed； but the ground grew stony； and； search
as we would； we could find no trace of Umslopogaas or of the lioness。
They had vanished like a cloud。 So we came back； and； ah！ my heart was
sore； for I loved the lad as though he had indeed been my son。 But I
knew that he was dead； and there was an end。
〃Where is my brother？〃 cried Nada when we came back。
〃Lost；〃 I answered。 〃Lost； never to be found again。〃
Then the girl gave a great and bitter cry； and fell to the earth
saying； 〃I would that I were dead with my brother！〃
〃Let us be going；〃 said Macropha； my wife。
〃Have you no tears to weep for your son？〃 asked a man of our company。
〃What is the use of weeping over the dead？ Does it； then； bring them
back？〃 she answered。 〃Let us be going！〃
The man thought these words strange； but he did not know that
Umslopogaas was not born of Macropha。
Still； we waited in that place a day； thinking that； perhaps； the
lioness would return to her den and that； at least； we might kill her。
But she came back no more。 So on the next morning we rolled up our
blankets and started forward on our journey； sad at heart。 In truth；
Nada was so weak from grief that she could hardly travel； but I never
heard the name of Umslopogaas pass her lips again during that journey。
She buried him in her heart and said nothing。 And I too said nothing；
but I wondered why it had been brought about that I should save the
life of Umslopogaas from the jaws of the Lion of Zulu； that the
lioness of the rocks might devour him。
And so the time went on till we reached the kraal where the king's
business must be done； and where I and my wife should part。
On the morning after we came to the kraal； having kissed in secret；
though in public we looked sullenly on one another； we parted as those
part who meet no more； for it was in our thoughts； that we should
never see each other's face again； nor； indeed； did we do so。 And I
drew Nada aside and spoke to her thus： 〃We part； my daughter； nor do I
know when we shall meet again； for the times are troubled and it is
for your safety and that of your mother that I rob my eyes of the
sight of you。 Nada； you will soon be a woman； and you will be fairer
than any woman among our people； and it may come about that many great
men will seek you in marriage； and； perhaps； that I； your father；
shall not be there to choose for you whom you shall wed； according to
the custom of our land。 But I charge you； as far as may be possible
for you to do so； take only a man whom you can love； and be faithful
to him alone； for thus shall a woman find happiness。〃
Here I stopped； for the girl took hold of my hand and looked into my
face。 〃Peace； my father；〃 she said； 〃do not speak to me of marriage；
for I will wed no man； now that Umslopogaas is dead because of my
foolishness。 I will live and die alone； and； oh！ may I die quickly；
that I may go to seek him whom I love only！〃
〃Nay； Nada；〃 I said； 〃Umslopogaas was your brother； and it is not
fitting that you should speak of him thus； even though he is dead。〃
〃I know nothing of such matters； my father；〃 she said。 〃I speak what
my heart tells me； and it tells me that I loved Umslopogaas living；
and； though he is dead； I shall love him alone to the end。 Ah！ you
think me but a child； yet my heart is large； and it does not lie to
me。〃
Now I upbraided the girl no more； because I knew that Umslopogaas was
not he