benita-第15章

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chief：　〃I　sent　to　you　last　year；　you　slave；　who　dare　to　call　yourself

Mambo　of　the　Makalanga；　demanding　a　tribute　of　cattle　and　women；　and

warning　you　that　if　they　did　not　come；　I　would　take　them。　They　did　not

come；　but　that　time　I　spared　you。　Now　I　send　again。　Hand　over　to　my

messengers　fifty　cows　and　fifty　oxen；　with　herds　to　drive　them；　and

twelve　maidens　to　be　approved　by　them；　or　I　wipe　you　out；　who　have

troubled　the　earth　too　long；　and　that　before　another　moon　has　waned。



〃Those　are　the　words　of　Lobengula；〃　he　concluded；　and　taking　the　horn

snuff…box　from　the　slit　in　his　ear；　helped　himself；　then　insolently

passed　it　to　the　Molimo。



So　great　was　the　old　chief's　rage　that；　forgetting　his　self…control；

he　struck　the　box　from　the　hand　of　his　tormentor　to　the　ground；　where

the　snuff　lay　spilled。



〃Just　so　shall　the　blood　of　your　people　be　spilled　through　your　rash

foolishness；〃　said　the　messenger　calmly；　as　he　picked　up　the　box；　and

as　much　of　the　snuff　as　he　could　save。



〃Hearken；〃　said　the　Molimo；　in　a　thin；　trembling　voice。　〃Your　king

demands　cattle；　knowing　that　all　the　cattle　are　gone；　that　scarce　a

cow　is　left　to　give　drink　to　a　motherless　babe。　He　asks　for　maidens

also；　but　if　he　took　those　he　seeks　we　should　have　none　left　for　our

young　men　to　marry。　And　why　is　this　so？　It　is　because　the　vulture；

Lobengula；　has　picked　us　to　the　bone；　yes；　while　we　are　yet　alive　he

has　torn　the　flesh　from　us。　Year　by　year　his　soldiers　have　stolen　and

killed；　till　at　last　nothing　is　left　of　us。　And　now　he　seeks　what　we

have　not　got　to　give；　in　order　that　he　may　force　a　quarrel　upon　us　and

murder　us。　There　is　nought　left　for　us　to　give　Lobengula。　You　have

your　answer。〃



〃Indeed！〃　replied　the　envoy　with　a　sneer。　〃How　comes　it；　then；　that

yonder　I　see　a　waggon　laden　with　goods；　and　oxen　in　the　yokes？　Yes；〃

he　repeated　with　meaning；　〃with　goods　whereof　we　have　known　the　like

at　Buluwayo；　for　Lobengula　also　sometimes　buys　guns　from　white　men；　O！

little　Makalanga。　Come　now；　give　us　the　waggon　with　its　load　and　the

oxen　and　the　horses；　and　though　it　be　but　a　small　gift；　we　will　take

it　away　and　ask　nothing　more　this　year。〃



〃How　can　I　give　you　the　property　of　my　guests；　the　white　men？〃　asked

the　Molimo。　〃Get　you　gone；　and　do　your　worst；　or　you　shall　be　thrown

from　the　walls　of　the　fortress。〃



〃Good；　but　know　that　very　soon　we　shall　return　and　make　an　end　of　you；

who　are　tired　of　these　long　and　troublesome　journeys　to　gather　so

little。　Go；　tend　your　corn；　dwellers　in　Bambatse；　for　this　I　swear　in

the　name　of　Lobengula；　never　shall　you　see　it　ripen　more。〃



Now　the　crowd　of　listening　Makalanga　trembled　at　his　words；　but　in　the

old　Molimo　they　seemed　only　to　rouse　a　storm　of　prophetic　fury。　For　a

moment　he　stood　staring　up　at　the　blue　sky；　his　arms　outstretched　as

though　in　prayer。　Then　he　spoke　in　a　new　voicea　clear；　quiet　voice；

that　did　not　seem　to　be　his　own。



〃Who　am　I？〃　he　said。　〃I　am　the　Molimo　of　the　Bambatse　Makalanga；　I　am

the　ladder　between　them　and　Heaven；　I　sit　on　the　topmost　bough　of　the

tree　under　which　they　shelter；　and　there　in　the　crest　of　the　tree

Munwali　speaks　with　me。　What　to　you　are　winds；　to　me　are　voices

whispering　in　my　spirit's　ears。　Once　my　forefathers　were　great　kings；

they　were　Mambos　of　all　the　land；　and　that　is　still　my　name　and

dignity。　We　lived　in　peace；　we　laboured；　we　did　wrong　to　no　man。　Then

you　Zulu　savages　came　upon　us　from　the　south…east　and　your　path　was

red　with　blood。　Year　after　year　you　robbed　and　you　destroyed；　you

raided　our　cattle；　you　murdered　our　men；　you　took　our　maidens　and　our

children　to　be　your　women　and　your　slaves；　until　at　length；　of　all

this　pit　filled　with　the　corn　of　life；　there　is　left　but　a　little

handful。　And　this　you　say　you　will　eat　up　also；　lest　it　should　fall

into　good　ground　and　grow　again。　I　tell　you　that　I　think　it　will　not

be　so；　but　whether　or　no　that　happens；　I　have　words　for　the　ear　of

your　kinga　message　for　a　message。　Say　to　him　that　thus　speaks　the

wise　old　Molimo　of　Bambatse。



〃I　see　him　hunted　like　a　wounded　hyena　through　the　rivers；　in　the　deep

bush；　and　over　the　mountain。　I　see　him　die　in　pain　and　misery；　but　his

grave　I　see　not；　for　no　man　shall　know　it。　I　see　the　white　man　take

his　land　and　all　his　wealth；　yea；　to　them　and　to　no　son　of　his　shall

his　people　give　the　Bayéte；　the　royal　salute。　Of　his　greatness　and　his

power；　this　alone　shall　remain　to　hima　name　accursed　from　generation

to　generation。　And　last　of　all　I　see　peace　upon　the　land　and　upon　my

children's　children。〃　He　paused；　then　added：　〃For　you；　cruel　dog　that

you　are；　this　message　also　from　the　Munwali；　by　the　lips　of　his

Molimo。　I　lift　no　hand　against　you；　but　you　shall　not　live　to　look

again　upon　your　king's　face。　Begone　now；　and　do　your　worst。〃



For　a　moment　the　three　Matabele　seemed　to　be　frightened；　and　Benita

heard　one　of　them　say　to　his　companions：



〃The　Wizard　has　bewitched　us！　He　has　bewitched　the　Great　Elephant　and

all　his　people！　Shall　we　kill　him？〃



But　quickly　shaking　off　his　fears　their　spokesman　laughed；　and

answered：



〃So　that　is　what　you　have　brought　the　white　people　here　for；　old

traitorto　plot　against　the　throne　of　Lobengula。〃



He　wheeled　round　and　stared　at　Mr。　Clifford　and　Jacob　Meyer；　then

added：



〃Good；　Grey…beard　and　Black…Beard：　I　myself　will　put　you　both　to　such

a　death　as　you　have　never　heard　of；　and　as　for　the　girl；　since　she　is

well　favoured；　she　shall　brew　the　king's　beer；　and　be　numbered　amongst

the　king's　wivesunless；　indeed；　he　is　pleased　to　give　her　to　me。〃



In　an　instant　the　thing　was　done！　At　the　man's　words　about　Benita；

Meyer；　who　had　been　listening　to　his　threats　and　bombast　unconcerned；

suddenly　seemed　to　awake。　His　dark　eyes　flashed；　his　pale　face　turned

cruel。　Snatching　the　revolver　from　his　belt　he　seemed　to　point　and

fire　it　with　one　movement；　and　downdead　or　dyingwent　the　Matabele。



Men　did　not　stir；　they　only　stared。　Accustomed　as　they　were　to　death

in　that　wild　land；　the　suddenness　of　this　deed　surprised　them。　The

contrast　between　the　splendid；　brutal　savage　who　had　stood　before　them

a　moment　ago；　and　the　limp；　black　thing　going　to　sleep　upon　the

ground；　was　strange　enough　to　move　their　imaginations。　There　he　lay；

and　there；　over　him；　the　smoking　pistol　in　his　hand；　Meyer　stood　and

laughed。



Benita　felt　that　the　act　was　just；　and　the　awful　punishment　deserved。

Yet　that　laugh　of　Jacob's　jarred　upon　her；　for　in　it　she　thought　she

heard　the　man's　heart　speaking；　and　oh；　its　voice　was　merciless！

Surely　Justice　should　not　laugh　when　her　sword　falls！



〃Behold；　now；〃　said　the　Molimo　in　his　still　voice；　pointing　at　the

dead　Matabele　with　his　finger；　〃do　I　speak　lies；　or　is　it　true　that

this　man　shall　not　look　more　upon　his　king's　face？　Well；　as　it　was

with　the　servant；　so　it　shall　be　with　the　lord；　only　more　slowly。　It

is　the　decree　of　the　Munwali；　spoken　by　the　voice　of　his　Mouth；　the

Molimo　of　Bambatse。　Go；　children　of　Lobengula；　and　bear　with　you　as　an

offering　this　first…fruit　of　the　harvest　that　the　white　men　shall　reap

among　the　warriors　of　his　people。〃



The　thin　voice　died　away；　and　there　was　silence　so　intense　that　Benita

thought　she　heard　the　scraping　of　the　feet　of　a　green　lizard　which

crept　across　a　stone　a　yard　or　two　away。



Then　of　a　sudden　it　ended。　Of　a　sudden　the　two　remaining　Matabele

turned　and　fled　for　their　lives；　and　as；　when　dogs　run；　a　flock　of

sheep　will　wheel　about　and　pursue　them；　so　did　the　Makalanga。　They

grabbed　at　the　messengers　with　their　hands；　tearing　their　finery　from

them；　they　struck　them　with　sticks；　they　pounded　them　with　stones；

till　at　length　two　bruised　and　bleeding　men；　finding　all　escape　cut

off；　and　led　perhaps　by　some　instinct；　staggered　back　to　where　Benita

stood　horrified　at　this　dreadful　scene；　and　throwing　themselves　upon

the　ground；　clutched　at　her　dress　and　prayed　for　mercy。



〃Move　a　little；　Miss　Clifford；〃　said　Meyer。　〃Three　of　those　brutes

will　not　weigh　heavier　than　one　upon　my　conscience。〃



〃No；　no；　you　shall　not；〃　she　answered。　〃Mambo；　these　men　are

messengers；　spare　them。〃



〃Hearken　to　the　voice　of　pity；〃　said　the　old　prophet；　〃spoken　in　a

place　where　pity　never　was；　and　not　in　vain。　Let　them　go。　Give　mercy

to　the　merciless；　for　she　buys　their　lives　with　a　prayer。〃



〃They　will　bring　the　others　on　us；〃　muttered　Tamas；　and　even　old　Mr。

Clifford　shook　his　head　sadly。　But　the　Molimo　only　said：



〃I　have　spoken。　Let　them　go。　That　which　will　befall　must　befall；　and

from　this　deed　no　ill　shall　come　that　would　not　have　come　otherwise。〃



〃You　hear？　Depart　swiftly；〃　said　Benita；　in　Zulu。



With　difficulty　the　two　men　dragged　themselves　to　their　feet；　and

supporting　each　other；　stood　before　her。　One　of　them；　a　clever；

powerful…faced　man；　whose　black　hair　was　tinged　with　grey；　addressing

himself　to　Benita；　gasped：



〃Hear　me。　That　fool　there；〃　and　he　pointed　to　his　dead　companion；

〃whose　boasting　brought　his　death　upon　him；　was　but　a　low　fellow。　I；

who　kept　silence　and　let　him　talk；　am　Maduna；　a　prince　of　the　royal

house　who　justly　deserve　to　die　because　I　turned　my　back　upon　these

dogs。　Yet　I　and　my　brother　here　take　life　at　your　hands；　Lady；　who；

now　that　I　have　had　time　to　think；　would　refuse　it　at　theirs。　For；

whether　I　stay　or　go　does　not　matter。　The　impi　waits；　the　slayers　are

beneath　the　walls。　Those　things　which　are　decreed　will　happen；　there；

yonder　old　Wizard　speaks　true。　Listen；　Lady：　should　it　chance　that　you

have　cause　to　demand　two　lives　at　the　hands　of　Maduna；　in　his　own　name

and　the　name　of　his　king　he　promises　them　to　you。　In　safety　shall　they

pass；　they　and　all　that　is　theirs；　without　toll　taken。　Remember　the

oath　of　Maduna；　Lady；　in　the　hour　of　your　need；　and　do　you；　my

brother；　bear　witness　to　it　among　our　people。〃



Then；　straightening　themselves　as　well　as　they　were　able；　these　two

sorely　hurt　men　lifted　their　right　arms　and　gave　Benita　the　salute　due

to　a　chieftainess。　This　done；　taking　no　note　of　any　other　creature

there；　they　limped　away　to　the　gate　that　had　been　opened　for　them；　and

vanished　beyond　the　wall。



All　this　while　Meyer　had　stood　silent；　now　he　spoke　with　a　bitter

smile。



〃Charity；　Miss　Clifford；　said　a　certain　Paul；　as　reported　in　your　New

Testament；　covers　a　multitude　of　sins。　I　hope　very　much　that　it　will

serve　to　cover　our　remains　from　the　aasvogels；　after　we　have　met　our

deaths　in　some　such　fashion　as　that　brute　promised　us；〃　and　he　pointed

to　the　dead　man。



Benita　looked　at　her　father　in　question。



〃Mr。　Meyer　means；　my　dear；　that　you　have　done　a　foolish　thing　in

begging　the　lives　of　those　Matabele。　It　would　have　been　safer　for　us

if　they　were　dead；　who；　as　it　is；　have　gone　off　burning　for　revenge。

Of　course；　I　understand　it　was　natural　enough；　but〃　and　he

hesitated　and　stopped。



〃The　chief