benita-第24章

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lions；　and　even　caught　sight　of　one　galloping　away　in　the　tall　reeds

on　the　marshy　land　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。



That　evening　they　fared　sumptuously　upon　venison；　and　as　on　the

previous　day　lay　down　to　rest　in　a　little　〃boma〃　or　fence　made　of

boughs。　But　they　were　not　allowed　to　sleep　well　this　night；　for

scarcely　had　they　shut　their　eyes　when　a　hyena　began　to　howl　about

them。　They　shouted　and　the　brute　went　away；　but　an　hour　or　two　later；

they　heard　ominous　grunting　sounds；　followed　presently　by　a　loud　roar；

which　was　answered　by　another　roar；　whereat　the　horses　began　to　whinny

in　a　frightened　fashion。



〃Lions！〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；　jumping　up　and　throwing　dead　wood　on　the

fire　till　it　burnt　to　a　bright　blaze。



After　that　all　sleep　became　impossible；　for　although　the　lions　did　not

attack　them；　having　once　winded　the　horses　they　would　not　go　away；　but

continued　wandering　round　the　kopje；　grunting　and　growling。　This　went

on　till　abut　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　when　at　last　the　beasts

took　their　departure；　for　they　heard　them　roaring　in　the　distance。　Now

that　they　seemed　safe；　having　first　made　up　the　fire；　they　tried　to

get　some　rest。



When；　as　it　appeared　to　her；　Benita　had　been　asleep　but　a　little

while；　she　was　awakened　by　a　new　noise。　It　was　still　dark；　but　the

starlight　showed　her　that　the　horses　were　quite　quiet；　indeed；　one　of

them　was　lying　down；　and　the　other　eating　some　green　leaves　from　the

branches　of　the　tree　to　which　it　was　tethered。　Therefore　that　noise

had　not　come　from　any　wild　animal　of　which　they　were　afraid。　she

listened　intently；　and　presently　heard　it　again；　it　was　a　murmur　like

to　that　of　people　talking　somewhere　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　Then

she　woke　her　father　and　told　him；　but　although　once　or　twice　they

thought　they　heard　the　sound　of　footsteps；　nothing　else　could　be

distinguished。　Still　they　rose；　and　having　saddled　and　bridled　the

horses　as　noiselessly　as　might　be；　waited　for　the　dawn。



At　last　it　came。　Up　on　the　side　of　the　kopje　they　were　in　clear　air；

above　which　shone　the　red　lights　of　morning；　but　under　them　lay

billows　of　dense；　pearl…hued　mist。　By　degrees　this　thinned　beneath　the

rays　of　the　risen　sun；　and　through　it；　looking　gigantic　in　that　light；

Benita　saw　a　savage　wrapped　in　a　kaross；　who　was　walking　up　and　down

and　yawning；　a　great　spear　in　his　hand。



〃Look；〃　she　whispered；　〃look！〃　and　Mr。　Clifford　stared　down　the　line

of　her　outstretched　finger。



〃The　Matabele；〃　he　said。　〃My　God！　the　Matabele！〃







XV



THE　CHASE



The　Matabele　it　was；　sure　enough；　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　it；　for

soon　three　other　men　joined　the　sentry　and　began　to　talk　with　him；

pointing　with　their　great　spears　at　the　side　of　the　hill。　Evidently

they　were　arranging　a　surprise　when　there　was　sufficient　light　to

carry　it　out。



〃They　have　seen　our　fire；〃　whispered　her　father　to　Benita；　〃now；　if　we

wish　to　save　our　lives；　there　is　only　one　thing　to　doride　for　it

before　they　muster。　The　impi　will　be　camped　upon　the　other　side　of　the

hill；　so　we　must　take　the　road　we　came　by。〃



〃That　runs　back　to　Bambatse；〃　faltered　Benita。



〃Bambatse　is　better　than　the　grave；〃　said　her　father。　〃Pray　Heaven

that　we　may　get　there。〃



To　this　argument　there　was　no　answer；　so　having　drunk　a　sup　of　water；

and　swallowing　a　few　mouthfuls　of　food　as　they　went；　they　crept　to　the

horses；　mounted　them；　and　as　silently　as　possible　began　to　ride　down

the　hill。



The　sentry　was　alone　again；　the　other　three　men　having　departed。　He

stood　with　his　back　towards　them。　Presently　when　they　were　quite　close

on　to　him；　he　heard　their　horses'　hoofs　upon　the　grass；　wheeled　round

at　the　sound；　and　saw　them。　Then　with　a　great　shout　he　lifted　his

spear　and　charged。



Mr。　Clifford；　who　was　leading；　held　out　his　rifle　at　arm's　lengthto

raise　it　to　his　shoulder　he　had　no　timeand　pulled　the　trigger。

Benita　heard　the　bullet　clap　upon　the　hide　shield；　and　next　instant

saw　the　Matabele　warrior　lying　on　his　back；　beating　the　air　with　his

hands　and　feet。　Also；　she　saw　beyond　the　shoulder　of　the　kopje；　which

they　were　rounding；　hundreds　of　men　marching；　and　behind　them　a　herd

of　cattle；　the　dim　light　gleaming　upon　the　stabbing　spears　and　on　the

horns　of　the　oxen。　She　glanced　to　the　right；　and　there　were　more　men。

The　two　wings　of　the　impi　were　closing　upon　them。　Only　a　little　lane

was　left　in　the　middle。　They　must　get　through　before　it　shut。



〃Come；〃　she　gasped；　striking　the　horse　with　her　heel　and　the　butt　of

her　gun；　and　jerking　at　its　mouth。



Her　father　saw　also；　and　did　likewise；　so　that　the　beasts　broke　into　a

gallop。　Now　from　the　point　of　each　wing　sprang　out　thin　lines　of　men；

looking　like　great　horns；　or　nippers；　whose　business　it　was　to　meet

and　cut　them　off。　Could　they　pass　between　them　before　they　did　meet？

That　was　the　question；　and　upon　its　answer　it　depended　whether　or　no

they　had　another　three　minutes　to　live。　To　think　of　mercy　at　the　hands

of　these　bloodthirsty　brutes；　after　they　had　just　killed　one　of　their

number　before　their　eyes；　was　absurd。　It　was　true　he　had　been　shot　in

self…defence；　but　what　count　would　savages　take　of　that；　or　of　the

fact　that　they　were　but　harmless　travellers？　White　people　were　not

very　popular　with　the　Matabele　just　then；　as　they　knew　well；　also；

their　murder　in　this　remote　place；　with　not　another　of　their　race

within　a　couple　of　hundred　miles；　would　never　even　be　reported；　and

much　less　avenged。　It　was　as　safe　as　any　crime　could　possibly　be。



All　this　passed　through　their　minds　as　they　galloped　towards　those

closing　points。　Oh！　the　horror　of　it！　But　two　hundred　yards　to　cover；

and　their　fate　would　be　decided。　Either　they　would　have　escaped　at

least　for　a　while；　or　time　would　be　done　with　them；　or；　a　third

alternative；　they　might　be　taken　prisoners；　in　all　probability　a　yet

more　dreadful　doom。　Even　then　Benita　determined　that　if　she　could　help

it　this　should　not　befall　her。　She　had　the　rifle　and　the　revolver　that

Jacob　Meyer　had　given　her。　Surely　she　would　be　able　to　find　a　moment

to　use　one　or　the　other　upon　herself。　She　clenched　her　teeth；　and

struck　the　horse　again　and　again；　so　that　now　they　flew　along。　The

Matabele　soldiers　were　running　their　best　to　catch　them；　and　if　these

had　been　given　but　five　seconds　of　start；　caught　they　must　have　been。

But　that　short　five　seconds　saved　their　lives。



When　they　rushed　through　them　the　foremost　men　of　the　nippers　were　not

more　than　twenty　yards　apart。　Seeing　that　they　had　passed；　these

halted　and　hurled　a　shower　of　spears　after　them。　One　flashed　by

Benita's　cheek；　a　line　of　light；　she　felt　the　wind　of　it。　Another　cut

her　dress；　and　a　third　struck　her　father's　horse　in　the　near　hind　leg

just　above　the　knee…joint；　remaining　fast　there　for　a　stride　or　two；

and　then　falling　to　the　ground。　At　first　the　beast　did　not　seem　to　be

incommoded　by　this　wound；　indeed；　it　only　caused　it　to　gallop　quicker；

and　Benita　rejoiced；　thinking　that　it　was　but　a　scratch。　Then　she

forgot　about　it；　for　some　of　the　Matabele；　who　had　guns；　began　to

shoot　them；　and　although　their　marksmanship　was　vile；　one　or　two　of

the　bullets　went　nearer　than　was　pleasant。　Lastly　a　man；　the　swiftest

runner　of　them　all；　shouted　after　them　in　Zulu：



〃The　horse　is　wounded。　We　will　catch　you　both　before　the　sun　sets。〃



Then　they　passed　over　the　crest　of　a　rise　and　lost　sight　of　them　for　a

while。



〃Thank　God！〃　gasped　Benita　when　they　were　alone　again　in　the　silent

veld；　but　Mr。　Clifford　shook　his　head。



〃Do　you　think　they　will　follow　us？〃　she　asked。



〃You　heard　what　the　fellow　said；〃　he　answered　evasively。　〃Doubtless

they　are　on　their　way　to　attack　Bambatse；　and　have　been　round　to

destroy　some　other　wretched　tribe；　and　steal　the　cattle　which　we　saw。

Yes；　I　fear　that　they　will　follow。　The　question　is；　which　of　us　can

get　to　Bambatse　first。〃



〃Surely　we　ought　to　on　the　horses；　father。〃



〃Yes；　if　nothing　happens　to　them；〃　and　as　he　spoke　the　words　the　mare

which　he　was　riding　dropped　sharply　upon　her　hind　leg；　the　same　that

had　been　struck　with　the　spear；　then　recovered　herself　and　galloped

on。



〃Did　you　see　that？〃　he　asked。



She　nodded；　then　said：



〃Shall　we　get　off　and　look　at　the　cut？〃



〃Certainly　not；〃　he　answered。　〃Our　only　chance　is　to　keep　her　moving；

if　once　the　wound　stiffens；　there's　an　end。　The　sinew　cannot　have　been

severed；　or　it　would　have　come　before　now。〃



So　they　pushed　on。



All　that　morning　did　they　canter　forward　wherever　the　ground　was

smooth　enough　to　allow　them　to　do　so；　and　notwithstanding　the

increasing　lameness　of　Mr。　Clifford's　mare；　made　such　good　progress

that　by　midday　they　reached　the　place　where　they　had　passed　the　first

night　after　leaving　Bambatse。　Here　sheer　fatigue　and　want　of　water

forced　them　to　stop　a　little　while。　They　dismounted　and　drank　greedily

from　the　spring；　after　which　they　allowed　the　horses　to　drink　also；

indeed　it　was　impossible　to　keep　them　away　from　the　water。　Then　they

ate　a　little；　not　because　they　desired　food；　but　to　keep　up　their

strength；　and　while　they　did　so　examined　the　mare。　By　now　her　hind　leg

was　much　swollen；　and　blood　still　ran　from　the　gash　made　by　the

assegai。　Moreover；　the　limb　was　drawn　up　so　that　the　point　of　the　hoof

only　rested　on　the　ground。



〃We　must　get　on　before　it　sets　fast；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；　and　they

mounted　again。



Great　heavens！　what　was　this？　The　mare　would　not　stir。　In　his　despair

Mr。　Clifford　beat　it　cruelly；　whereupon　the　poor　brute　hobbled　forward

a　few　paces　on　three　legs；　and　again　came　to　a　standstill。　Either　an

injured　sinew　had　given　or　the　inflammation　was　now　so　intense　that　it

could　not　bend　its　knee。　Understanding　what　this　meant　to　them；

Benita's　nerve　gave　out　at　last；　and　she　burst　into　weeping。



〃Don't　cry；　love；〃　he　said。　〃God's　will　be　done。　Perhaps　they　have

given　up　the　hunt　by　now；　at　any　rate；　my　legs　are　left；　and　Bambatse

is　not　more　than　sixteen　miles　away。　Forward　now；〃　and　holding　to　her

saddle…strap　they　went　up　the　long；　long　slope　which　led　to　the　poort

in　the　hills　around　Bambatse。



They　would　have　liked　to　shoot　the　mare；　but　being　afraid　to　fire　a

rifle；　could　not　do　so。　So　they　left　the　unhappy　beast　to　its　fate；

and　with　it　everything　it　carried；　except　a　few　of　the　cartridges。

Before　they　went；　however；　at　Benita's　prayer；　her　father　devoted　a

few　seconds　to　unbuckling　the　girths　and　pulling　off　the　bridle；　so

that　it　might　have　a　chance　of　life。　For　a　little　way　it　hobbled　after

them　on　three　legs；　then；　the　saddle　still　upon　its　back；　stood

whinnying　piteously；　till　at　last；　to　Benita's　intense　relief；　a　turn

in　their　path　hid　it　from　their　sight。



Half　a　mile　further　on　she　looked　round　in　the　faint　hope　that　it

might　have　recovered　itself　and　followed。　But　no　mare　was　to　be　seen。

Something　else　was　to　be