benita-第17章

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climb　that　place　without　one；　with　such　a　gulf　below？〃



〃I　am　old；　but　I　climb　it；〃　said　the　aged　man　in　mild　surprise；　since

to　him；　who　had　trodden　it　all　his　life；　it　seemed　not　difficult。

〃Still；〃　he　added；　〃I　have　a　rope　above　which　I　use　upon　dark　nights。

I　will　ascend　and　let　it　down。〃



Ascend　he　did　accordingly；　indeed；　it　was　a　wondrous　sight　to　see　his

withered　legs　scrambling　from　step　to　step　as　unconcernedly　as　though

he　were　going　upstairs。　No　monkey　could　have　been　more　agile；　or　more

absolutely　impervious　to　the　effects　of　height。　Soon　he　vanished　in

or；　rather；　throughthe　crest　of　the　wall；　and　presently　appeared

again　on　the　top　step；　whence　he　let　down　a　stout　hide　rope；　remarking

that　it　was　securely　tied。　So　anxious　was　Meyer　to　enter　the　hidden

place　of　which　he　had　dreamed　so　long　that　he　scarcely　waited　for　it

to　reach　his　hand　before　he　began　the　climb；　which　he　accomplished

safely。　Then；　sitting　on　the　top　of　the　wall；　he　directed　Mr。　Clifford

to　fasten　the　end　of　the　rope　round　Benita's　waist；　and　her　turn　came。



It　was　not　so　bad　as　she　expected；　for　she　was　agile；　and　the

knowledge　that　the　rope　would　prevent　disaster　gave　her　confidence。　In

a　very　little　while　she　had　grasped　Meyer's　outstretched　hand；　and

been　drawn　into　safety　through　a　kind　of　aperture　above　the　top　step。

Then　the　rope　was　let　down　again　for　her　father；　who　tied　it　about　his

middle。　Well　was　it　that　he　did　so；　since　when　he　was　about　half…way

up；　awkwardness；　or　perhaps　loss　of　nerveneither　of　them　wonderful

in　an　old　mancaused　his　foot　to　slip；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the

rope　which　Meyer　and　the　Molimo　held；　he　would　certainly　have　fallen

into　the　river　some　hundreds　of　feet　below。　As　it　was；　he　recovered

himself；　and　presently　arrived　panting　and　very　pale。　In　her　relief

Benita　kissed　him；　and　even　as　she　did　so　thought　again　that　she　had

been　very　near　to　being　left　alone　with　Jacob　Meyer。



〃All's　well　that　ends　well；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　〃But　upon　my　word　I　am

beginning　to　wish　that　I　had　been　content　with　the　humble　profits　of

horse…breeding。〃



Benita　made　no　answer；　it　seemed　too　late　for　any　useful　consideration

of　the　point。



〃Clever　men；　those　ancients；〃　said　Meyer。　〃See；〃　and　he　pointed　out　to

her　how；　by　drawing　a　heavy　stone　which　still　lay　close　by　over　the

aperture　through　which　they　had　crept；　the　ascent　of　the　wall　could　be

made　absolutely　impossible　to　any　enemy；　since　at　its　crest　it　was

battened　outwards；　not　inwards；　as　is　usual　in　these　ancient　ruins。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃we　ought　to　feel　safe　enough　inside　here；　and

that's　as　well　since　I　do　not　feel　inclined　to　go　out　again　at

present。〃



Then　they　paused　to　look　about　them；　and　this　was　what　they　saw：



The　wall；　built　like　those　below；　of　unmortared　blocks　of　stone；

remained　in　a　wonderfully　good　state　of　preservation；　for　its　only

enemies　had　been　time；　the　tropical　rains；　and　the　growth　of　shrubs

and　trees　which　here　and　there　had　cracked　and　displaced　the　stones。

It　enclosed　all　the　top　of　the　hill；　perhaps　three　acres　of　ground；

and　on　it　at　intervals　were　planted　soap…stone　pillars；　each　of　them

about　twelve　feet　in　height；　and　fashioned　at　the　top　to　a　rude

resemblance　of　a　vulture。　Many　of　these　columns；　however　had　been

blown　down；　or　perhaps　struck　by　lightning；　and　lay　broken　upon　the

wall；　or　if　they　had　fallen　inward；　at　its　foot；　but　some；　six　or

eight　perhaps；　were　still　standing。



Benita　learned　afterwards　that　they　must　have　been　placed　there　by　the

ancient　Ph？nicians；　or　whatever　people　constructed　this　gigantic

fortification；　and　had　something　to　do　with　the　exact　recordings　of

the　different　seasons　of　the　year；　and　their　sub…divisions；　by　means

of　the　shadows　which　they　cast。　As　yet；　however；　she　did　not　pay　much

attention　to　them；　for　she　was　engaged　in　considering　a　more

remarkable　relic　of　antiquity　which　stood　upon　the　very　verge　of　the

precipice；　the　wall；　indeed；　being　built　up　to　its　base　on　either

side。



It　was　the　great　cone　of　which　Richard　Seymour　had　told　her；　fifty

feet　high　or　more；　such　as　once　was　found　in　the　Ph？nician　temples。

But　in　this　case　it　was　not　built　of　masonry；　but　shaped　by　the　hand

of　man　out　of　a　single　gigantic　granite　monolith　of　the　sort　that　are

sometimes　to　be　met　with　in　Africa；　that　thousands　or　millions　of

years　ago　had　been　left　standing　thus　when　the　softer　rock　around　it

was　worn　away　by　time　and　weather。　On　the　inner　side　of　this　cone　were

easy　steps　whereby　it　could　be　ascended；　and　its　top；　which　might　have

been　six　feet　in　diameter；　was　fashioned　in　the　shape　of　a　cup；

probably　for　the　purposes　of　acts　of　worship　and　of　sacrifice。　This

extraordinary　monument；　which；　except　on　the　river　side；　could　not　be

seen　from　below　on　account　of　the　slope　of　the　hill；　leaned　slightly

outwards；　so　that　a　stone　dropped　from　its　crest　would　fall　into　the

waters　of　the　stream。



〃Thence　it　was；〃　said　the　Molimo；　〃that　my　forefathers　saw　the　last　of

the　Portuguese；　the　fair　daughter　of　the　great　Captain　Ferreira；　hurl

herself　to　death　after　she　had　given　the　gold　into　our　keeping；　and

laid　the　curse　upon　it；　until　she　came　again。　So　in　my　dreams　have　I

seen　and　heard　her　also；　ay；　and　others　have　seen　her；　but　these　only

from　by　the　river　far　below。〃



He　paused　awhile；　looking　at　Benita　with　his　queer；　dreamy　eyes；　then

said　suddenly：



〃Say；　Lady；　do　you　remember　nothing　of　that　matter？〃



Now　Benita　grew　vexed；　for　the　whole　thing　was　uncanny　and　jarred　upon

her。



〃How　can　I　remember；〃　she　asked；　〃who　was　born　not　five　and　twenty

years　ago？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　answered。　〃How　should　I　know；　who　am　but　an

ignorant　old　black　man；　who　was　born　not　much　more　than　eighty　years

ago？　Yet；　Lady；　tell　me；　for　I　seek　your　wisdom；　where　were　you　born

from？　Out　of　the　earth；　or　out　of　the　heavens？　What？　You　shake　your

head；　you　who　do　not　remember？　Well；　neither　do　I　remember。　Yet　it　is

true　that　all　circles　meet　somewhere；　and　it　is　true　that　the

Portuguese　maiden　said　she　would　come　again；　and　lastly　it　is　true

that　she　was　such　an　one　as　you　are；　for　she　haunts　this　place；　and　I；

who　have　seen　her　sitting　yonder　in　the　moonlight；　know　her　beauty

well。　Yet　mayhap　she　comes　no　more　in　flesh；　but　still　her　spirit

comes；　for；　Lady；　out　of　those　eyes　of　yours　I　see　it　gaze　at　me。

Come；〃　he　added　abruptly；　〃let　us　descend　the　wall；　for　as　you　cannot

remember；　there　is　more　to　show　you。　Have　no　fearthe　steps　are

easy。〃



So　they　went　down　without　much　difficulty；　since；　from　the

accumulation　of　rubbish　and　other　causes；　the　wall　was　a　great　deal

lower　on　this　side；　and　found　themselves　in　the　usual　dense　growth　of

vegetation　and　brushwood　through　which　ran　a　little　path。　It　led　them

past　the　ruins　of　buildings　whereof　the　use　and　purpose　were　long

since　forgotten；　for　their　roofs　had　fallen　in　hundreds　or　thousands

of　years　ago；　to　the　entrance　of　a　cave　which　was　placed　almost　at　the

foot　of　the　monolithic　cone；　but　thirty　or　forty　yards　further　from

the　circle　of　the　wall。　Here　the　Molimo　bade　them　stay　while　he　lit

the　lamps　within。　Five　minutes　passed　and　he　returned；　saying　that　all

was　ready。



〃Be　not　afraid　of　what　you　may　see；〃　he　added；　〃for　know；　white

people；　that　save　my　forefathers　and　myself；　none　have　entered　this

place　since　the　Portuguese　perished　here；　nor　have　we；　who　do　but　come

hither　to　pray　and　receive　the　word　of　the　Munwali；　ever　ventured　to

disturb　it。　As　it　was；　so　it　is。　Come；　Lady；　come；　she　whose　spirit

goes　with　you　was　the　last　of　your　white　race　to　pass　this　door。　It　is

therefore　fitting　that　your　feet　and　her　spirit　should　be　the　first　to

enter　it　again。〃



Benita　hung　back　a　little；　for　the　adventure　was　eerie；　then；

determined　that　she　would　show　no　fear　in　the　presence　of　this　old

priest；　took　the　thin　hand　he　stretched　out　to　her；　and　walked　forward

with　head　erect。　The　two　men　began　to　follow　her；　but　the　Molimo

stopped　them；　saying：



〃Not　so。　The　maiden　enters　first　alone　with　me；　it　is　her　house；　and

should　it　please　her　to　ask　you　to　dwell　therein；　so　be　it。　But　first

she　must　visit　her　house　alone。〃



〃Nonsense；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford　angrily。　〃I　will　not　have　it。　It　will

frighten　her。〃



〃Lady；　do　you　trust　me？〃　asked　the　Molimo。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　adding；　〃Father；　I　think　you　had　better　let　me　go

alone。　I　am　not　afraid　now；　and　it　may　be　wisest　not　to　thwart　him。

This　is　a　very　strange　businessnot　like　anything　elseand　really　I

think　that　I　had　better　go　alone。　If　I　do　not　come　back　presently；　you

can　follow。〃



〃Those　who　break　in　upon　the　sleep　of　the　dead　should　walk　gently；

gently；〃　piped　the　old　Molimo　in　a　sing…song　voice。　〃The　maiden's

breath　is　pure；　the　maiden's　foot　is　light；　her　breath　will　not　offend

the　dead；　her　step　will　not　disturb　the　dead。　White　men；　white　men；

anger　not　the　dead；　for　the　dead　are　mighty；　and　will　be　revenged　upon

you　when　you　are　dead；　soon；　very　soon；　when　you　are　deaddead　in

your　sorrows；　dead　in　your　sins；　dead；　gathered　to　that　company　of　the

dead　who　await　us　here。〃



And；　still　chanting　his　mystic　song；　he　led　Benita　by　the　hand　out　of

the　light；　onward　into　darkness；　away　from　life；　onward　into　the　place

of　death。







XI



THE　SLEEPERS　IN　THE　CAVE



Like　every　other　passage　in　this　old　fortress；　the　approach　to　the

cave　was　narrow　and　winding；　presumably　the　ancients　had　arranged　them

thus　to　facilitate　their　defence。　After　the　third　bend；　however；

Benita　saw　a　light　ahead　which　flowed　from　a　native　lamp　lit　in　the

arched　entrance。　At　the　side　of　this　arch　was　a　shell…shaped　hollow；

cut　in　the　rock　about　three　feet　above　the　floor。　Its　appearance

seemed　familiar　to　her；　why；　she　was　soon　to　learn；　although　at　the

moment　she　did　not　connect　it　with　anything　in　particular。　The　cave

beyond　was　large；　lofty；　and　not　altogether　natural；　for　its　walls　had

evidently　been　shaped；　or　at　any　rate　trimmed；　by　man。　Probably　here

the　old　Priests　had　established　their　oracle；　or　place　of　offering。



At　first　Benita　could　not　see　much；　since　in　that　great　cavern　two

lamps　of　hippopotamus　oil　gave　but　little　light。　Presently；　however；

her　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　gloom；　and　as　they　advanced　up　its

length　she　perceived　that　save　for　a　skin　rug　upon　which　she　guessed

the　Molimo　sat　at　his　solitary　devotions；　and　some　gourds　and　platters

for　water　and　food；　all　the　front　part　of　the　place　appeared　to　be

empty。　Beyond；　in　its　centre；　stood　an　object　of　some　gleaming　metal；

that　from　its　double　handles　and　roller　borne　upon　supports　of　rock

she　took　to　be　some　kind　of　winch；　and　rightly；　for　beneath　it　was　the

mouth　of　a　great　well；　the　water　supply　of　the　topmost　fortification。



Beyond　the　well　was　a　stone　altar；　shaped　like　a　truncated　cone　or

pyramid；　and　at　some　dist