benita-第26章

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asking　for　you；　and　I　gave　him　the　letter。



〃He　read　it；　and　oh！　then　he　went　mad。　He　cursed　in　his　own　tongue；　he

threw　himself　about；　he　took　a　rifle　and　wished　to　shoot　me；　but　I　sat

silent　and　looked　at　him　till　he　grew　quiet。　Then　he　asked　why　I　had

played　him　this　trick；　but　I　answered　that　it　was　no　trick　of　mine　who

had　no　right　to　keep　you　and　your　father　prisoners　against　your　will；

and　that　I　thought　you　had　gone　away　because　you　were　afraid　of　him；

which　was　not　wonderful　if　that　was　how　he　talked　to　you。　I　told　him；

too；　I　who　am　a　doctor；　that　unless　he　was　careful　he　would　go　mad；

that　already　I　saw　madness　in　his　eye；　after　which　he　became　quiet；

for　my　words　frightened　him。　Then　he　asked　what　could　be　done；　and　I

saidthat　night；　nothing；　since　you　must　be　far　away；　so　that　it

would　be　useless　to　follow　you；　but　better　to　go　to　meet　you　when　you

came　back。　He　asked　what　I　meant　by　your　coming　back；　and　I　answered

that　I　meant　what　I　said；　that　you　would　come　back　in　great　haste　and

perilalthough　you　would　not　believe　me　when　I　told　you　sofor　I　had

it　from　the　Munwali　whose　child　you　are。



〃So　I　sent　out　my　spies；　and　that　night　went　by；　and　the　next　day　and

night　went　by；　and　we　sat　still　and　did　nothing；　though　the　Black　One

wished　to　wander　out　alone　after　you。　But　on　the　following　morning；　at

the　dawn；　a　messenger　came　in　who　reported　that　it　had　been　called　to

him　by　his　brethren　who　were　hidden　upon　hilltops　and　in　other　places

for　miles　and　miles；　that　the　Matabele　impi；　having　destroyed　another

family　of　the　Makalanga　far　down　the　Zambesi；　was　advancing　to　destroy

us　also。　And　in　the　afternoon　came　a　second　spy；　who　reported　that　you

two　had　been　surrounded　by　the　impi；　but　had　broken　through　them；　and

were　riding　hitherward　for　your　lives。　Then　I　took　fifty　of　the　best

of　our　people　and　put　them　under　the　command　of　Tamas；　my　son；　and

sent　them　to　ambush　the　pass；　for　against　the　Matabele　warriors　on　the

plain　we；　who　are　not　warlike；　do　not　dare　to　fight。



〃The　Black　One　went　with　them；　and　when　he　saw　how　sore　was　your

strait；　wished　to　run　down　to　meet　the　Matabele；　for　he　is　a　brave

man。　But　I　had　said　to　Tamas'No；　do　not　try　to　fight　them　in　the

open；　for　there　they　will　certainly　kill　you。'　Moreover；　Lady；　I　was

sure　that　you　would　reach　the　top　of　the　poort。　Well；　you　reached　it；

though　but　by　the　breadth　of　a　blade　of　grass；　and　my　children　shot

with　the　new　rifles；　and　the　place　being　narrow　so　that　they　could　not

miss；　killed　many　of　those　hyenas　of　Amandabele。　But　to　kill　Matabele

is　like　catching　fleas　on　a　dog's　back：　there　are　always　more。　Still

it　served　its　turn；　you　and　your　father　were　brought　away　safely；　and

we　lost　no　one。〃



〃Where；　then；　are　the　Matabele　now？〃　asked　Benita。



〃Outside　our　walls；　a　whole　regiment　of　them：　three　thousand　men　or

more；　under　the　command　of　the　Captain　Maduna；　he　of　the　royal　blood；

whose　life　you　begged；　but　who　nevertheless　hunted　you　like　a　buck。〃



〃Perhaps　he　did　not　know　who　it　was；〃　suggested　Benita。



〃Perhaps　not；〃　the　Molimo　answered；　rubbing　his　chin；　〃for　in　such

matters　even　a　Matabele　generally　keeps　faith；　and　you　may　remember　he

promised　you　life　for　life。　However；　they　are　here　ravening　like　lions

round　the　walls；　and　that　is　why　we　carried　you　up　to　the　top　of　the

hill；　that　you　might　be　safe　from　them。〃



〃But　are　you　safe；　my　Father？〃



〃I　think　so；〃　he　replied　with　a　dry　little　chuckle　in　his　throat。

〃Whoever　built　this　fortress　built　it　strong；　and　we　have　blocked　the

gates。　Also；　they　caught　no　one　outside；　all　are　within　the　walls；

together　with　the　sheep　and　goats。　Lastly；　we　have　sent　most　of　the

women　and　children　across　the　Zambesi　in　canoes；　to　hide　in　places　we

know　of　whither　the　Amandabele　cannot　follow；　for　they　dare　not　swim　a

river。　Therefore；　for　those　of　us　that　remain　we　have　food　for　three

months；　and　before　then　the　rains　will　drive　the　impi　out。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　all　go　across　the　river；　Father？〃



〃For　two　reasons；　Lady。　The　first　is；　that　if　we　once　abandoned　our

stronghold；　which　we　have　held　from　the　beginning；　Lobengula　would

take　it；　and　keep　it；　so　that　we　could　never　re…enter　into　our

heritage；　which　would　be　a　shame　to　us　and　bring　down　the　vengeance　of

the　spirits　of　our　ancestors　upon　our　heads。　The　second　is；　that　as

you　have　returned　to　us　we　stay　to　protect　you。〃



〃You　are　very　good　to　me；〃　murmured　Benita。



〃Nay；　nay；　we　brought　you　here；　and　we　do　what　I　am　told　to　do　from

Above。　Trouble　may　still　come　upon　you；　yes；　I　think　that　it　will

come；　but　once　more　I　pray　you；　have　no　fear；　for　out　of　this　evil

root　shall　spring　a　flower　of　joy；〃　and　he　rose　to　go。



〃Stay；〃　said　Benita。　〃Has　the　chief　Meyer　found　the　gold？〃



〃No；　he　has　found　nothing；　but　he　hunts　and　hunts　like　a　hungry　jackal

digging　for　a　bone。　But　that　bone　is　not　for　him；　it　is　for　you；　Lady；

you　and　you　only。　Oh！　I　know；　you　do　not　seek；　still　you　shall　find。

Only　the　next　time　that　you　want　help；　do　not　run　away　into　the

wilderness。　Hear　the　word　of　Munwali　given　by　his　mouth；　the　Molimo　of

Bambatse！〃　And　as　he　spoke；　the　old　priest　backed　himself　out　of　the

tent；　stopping　now　and　again　to　bow　to　Benita。



A　few　minutes　later　her　father　entered；　looking　very　weak　and　shaken；

and　supporting　himself　upon　a　stick。　Happy　was　the　greeting　of　these

two　who；　with　their　arms　about　each　other's　neck；　gave　thanks　for

their　escape　from　great　peril。



〃You　see；　Benita；　we　can't　get　away　from　this　place；〃　Mr。　Clifford

said　presently。　〃We　must　find　that　gold。〃



〃Bother　the　gold；〃　she　answered　with　energy；　〃I　hate　its　very　name。

Who　can　think　of　gold　with　three　thousand　Matabele　waiting　to　kill

us？〃



〃Somehow　I　don't　feel　afraid　of　them　any　more；〃　said　her　father；　〃they

have　had　their　chance　and　lost　it；　and　the　Makalanga　swear　that　now

they　have　guns　to　command　the　gates；　the　fortress　cannot　be　stormed。

Still；　I　am　afraid　of　someone。〃



〃Who？〃



〃Jacob　Mayer。　I　have　seen　him　several　times；　and　I　think　that　he　is

going　mad。〃



〃The　Molimo　said　that　too；　but　why？〃



〃From　the　look　of　him。　He　sits　about　muttering　and　glowing　with　those

dark　eyes　of　his；　and　sometimes　groans；　and　sometimes　bursts　into

shouts　of　laughter。　That　is　when　the　fit　is　on　him；　for　generally　he

seems　right　enough。　But　get　up　if　you　think　you　can；　and　you　shall

judge　for　yourself。〃



〃I　don't　want　to；〃　said　Benita　feebly。　〃Father；　I　am　more　afraid　of

him　now　than　ever。　Oh！　why　did　you　not　let　me　stop　down　below；　among

the　Makalanga；　instead　of　carrying　me　up　here　again；　where　we　must

live　alone　with　that　terrible　Jew？〃



〃I　wished　to；　dear；　but　the　Molimo　said　we　should　be　safer　above；　and

ordered　his　people　to　carry　you　up。　Also；　Jacob　swore　that　unless　you

were　brought　back　he　would　kill　me。　Now　you　understand　why　I　believe

that　he　is　mad。〃



〃Why；　why？〃　gasped　Benita　again。



〃God　knows；〃　he　answered　with　a　groan；　〃but　I　think　that　he　is　sure

that　we　shall　never　find　the　gold　without　you；　since　the　Molimo　has

told　him　that　it　is　for　you　and　you　alone；　and　he　says　the　old　man　has

second　sight；　or　something　of　the　sort。　Well；　he　would　have　murdered

meI　saw　it　in　his　eyeso　I　thought　it　better　to　give　in　rather　than

that　you　should　be　left　here　sick　and　alone。　Of　course　there　was　one

way〃　and　he　paused。



She　looked　at　him　and　asked：



〃What　way？〃



〃To　shoot　him　before　he　shot　me；〃　he　answered　in　a　whisper；　〃for　your

sake；　dearbut　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　do　it。〃



〃No；〃　she　said　with　a　shudder；　〃not　thatnot　that。　Better　that　we

should　die　than　that　his　blood　should　be　upon　our　hands。　Now　I　will

get　up　and　try　to　show　no　fear。　I　am　sure　that　is　best；　and　perhaps　we

shall　be　able　to　escape　somehow。　Meanwhile；　let　us　humour　him；　and

pretend　to　go　on　looking　for　this　horrible　treasure。〃



So　Benita　rose　to　discover　that；　save　for　her　stiffness；　she　was　but

little　the　worse；　and　finding　all　things　placed　in　readiness；　set　to

work　with　her　father's　help　to　cook　the　evening　meal　as　usual。　Of

Meyer；　who　doubtless　had　placed　things　in　readiness；　she　saw　nothing。



Before　nightfall　he　came；　however；　as　she　knew　he　would。　Indeed；

although　she　heard　no　step　and　her　back　was　towards　him；　she　felt　his

presence；　the　sense　of　it　fell　upon　her　like　a　cold　shadow。　Turning

round　she　beheld　the　man。　He　was　standing　close　by；　but　above　her；

upon　a　big　granite　boulder；　in　climbing　which　his　soft　veld　schoons；

or　hide　shoes；　had　made　no　noise；　for　Meyer　could　move　like　a　cat。　The

last　rays　from　the　sinking　sun　struck　him　full；　outlining　his　agile；

nervous　shape　against　the　sky；　and　in　their　intense　red　light；　which

flamed　upon　him；　he　appeared　terrible。　He　looked　like　a　panther　about

to　spring；　his　eyes　shone　like　a　panther's；　and　Benita　knew　that　she

was　the　prey　whom　he　desired。　Still；　remembering　her　resolution；　she

determined　to　show　no　fear；　and　addressed　him：



〃Good…evening；　Mr。　Meyer。　Oh！　I　am　so　stiff　that　I　cannot　lift　my　neck

to　look　at　you；〃　and　she　laughed。



He　bounded　softly　from　the　rock；　like　a　panther　again；　and　stood　in

front　of　her。



〃You　should　thank　the　God　you　believe　in；〃　he　said；　〃that　by　now　you

are　not　stiff　indeedall　that　the　jackals　have　left　of　you。〃



〃I　do；　Mr。　Meyer；　and　I　thank　you；　too；　it　was　brave　of　you　to　come

out　to　save　us。　Father；〃　she　called；　〃come　and　tell　Mr。　Meyer　how

grateful　we　are　to　him。〃



Mr。　Clifford　hobbled　out　from　his　hut　under　the　tree；　saying：



〃I　have　told　him　already；　dear。〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Jacob；　〃you　have　told　me；　why　repeat　yourself？　I　see

that　supper　is　ready。　Let　us　eat；　for　you　must　be　hungry；　afterwards　I

have　something　to　tell　you。〃



So　they　ate；　with　no　great　appetite；　any　of　themindeed　Meyer　touched

but　little　food；　though　he　drank　a　good　deal；　first　of　strong　black

coffee　and　afterwards　of　squareface　and　water。　But　on　Benita　he

pressed　the　choicest　morsels　that　he　could　find；　eyeing　her　all　the

while；　and　saying　that　she　must　take　plenty　of　nutriment　or　her　beauty

would　suffer　and　her　strength　wane。　Benita　bethought　her　of　the　fairy

tales　of　her　childhood；　in　which　the　ogre　fed　up　the　princess　whom　he

purposed　to　devour。



〃You　should　think　of　your　own　strength；　Mr。　Meyer；〃　she　said；　〃you

cannot　live　on　coffee　and　squareface。〃



〃It　is　all　I　need　to…night。　I　am　astonishingly　well　since　you　came

back。　I　can　never　remember　feeling　so　well；　or　so　strong。　I　can　do　the

work　of　three　men；　and　not　be　tired；　all　this　afternoon；　for　instance；

I　have　been　carrying　provisions　and　other　things　up　that　steep　wall；

for　we　must　prepare　for　a　long　siege　together；　yet　I　should　never　know

that　I　had　lifted　a　single　basket。　But　while　you　were　awayah！　then　I

felt　tired。〃



Benita　changed　the　subject；　asking　him　if　he　had　made　any　discoveries。