benita-第33章

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〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　pleaded　with　you　as　man　with　woman。　Now；　as

you　refuse　me　and　as　you　alone　stand　between　me　and　madness；　I　will

take　another　course。　I　am　your　master；　your　will　is　servant　to　my

will；　I　bid　you　obey　me。〃



He　fixed　his　eyes　upon　hers；　and　Benita　felt　her　strength　begin　to

fail。



〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃you　are　my　servant　now；　and　to　show　it　I　shall　kiss

you　on　the　lips；　then　I　shall　throw　the　sleep　upon　you；　and　you　will

tell　me　what　I　want　to　know。　Afterwards　we　can　be　wed　when　it　pleases

me。　Oh！　do　not　think　that　your　father　will　defend　you；　for　if　he

interferes　I　shall　kill　that　foolish　old　man；　whom　until　now　I　have

only　spared　for　your　sake。　Remember　that　if　you　make　me　angry；　I　shall

certainly　kill　him；　and　your　father's　blood　will　be　on　your　head。　Now

I　am　going　to　kiss　you。〃



Benita　lifted　her　hand　to　find　the　pistol　at　her　waist。　It　fell　back

again；　she　had　no　strength；　it　was　as　though　she　were　paralysed　as　a

bird　is　paralysed　by　a　snake　so　that　it　cannot　open　its　wings　and　fly

away；　but　sits　there　awaiting　death。　She　was　given　over　into　the　hands

of　this　man　whom　she　hated。　Could　Heaven　allow　such　a　thing？　she

wondered　dimly；　and　all　the　while　his　lips　drew　nearer　to　her　face。



They　touched　her　own；　and　then；　why　or　wherefore　Benita　never

understood；　the　spell　broke。　All　his　power　was　gone；　she　was　as　she

had　been；　a　free　woman；　mistress　of　herself。　Contemptuously　she　thrust

the　man　aside；　and；　not　even　troubling　to　run；　lifted　her　pail　of

water　and　walked　away。



Soon　she　saw　the　light　again；　and　joyfully　extinguished　her　lamp。

Indeed；　the　breast　of　Benita；　which　should　have　been　so　troubled　after

the　scene　through　which　she　had　passed；　strangely　enough　was　filled

with　happiness　and　peace。　As　that　glorious　sunlight　had　broken　on　her

eyes；　so　had　another　light　of　freedom　arisen　in　her　soul。　She　was　no

longer　afraid　of　Jacob　Meyer；　that　coward　kiss　of　his　had　struck　off

the　shackles　which　bound　her　to　him。　Her　mind　had　been　subject　to　his

mind；　but　now　that　his　physical　nature　was　brought　into　the　play；　his

mental　part　had　lost　its　hold　upon　her。



As　she　approached　the　hut　she　saw　her　father　seated　on　a　stone　outside

it；　since　the　poor　old　man　was　now　so　weak　and　full　of　pain　that　he

could　not　stand　for　very　long；　and　seeing；　remembered　Meyer's　threats

against　him。　At　the　thought　all　her　new…found　happiness　departed。



She　might　be　safe；　she　felt　sure　that　she　was　safe；　but　how　about　her

father？　If　Meyer　could　not　get　his　way　probably　he　would　be　as　good　as

his　word；　and　kill　him。　She　shivered　at　the　thought；　then；　recovering

herself；　walked　forward　steadily　with　her　bucket　of　water。



〃You　have　been　a　long　while　gone；　my　love；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford。



〃Yes；　father；　Mr。　Meyer　was　in　the　cave；　and　kept　me。〃



〃How　did　he　get　there；　and　what　did　he　want？〃



〃I　don't　know　how　he　got　therecrept　in　when　we　were　not　looking；　I

suppose。　But　as　for　what　he　wantedlisten；　dear；〃　and　word　for　word

she　told　him　what　had　passed。



Before　she　had　finished；　her　father　was　almost　choking　with　wrath。



〃The　dirty　Jew！　The　villain！〃　he　gasped。　〃I　never　dreamed　that　he

would　dare　to　attempt　such　an　outrage。　Well；　thank　Heaven！　I　can　still

hold　a　rifle；　and　when　he　comes　out〃



〃Father；〃　she　said　gently；　〃that　man　is　mad。　He　is　not　responsible　for

his　actions；　and　therefore；　except　in　self…defence；　you　must　not　think

of　such　a　thing。　As　for　what　he　said　about　you；　I　believe　it　was　only

an　empty　threat；　and　for　me　you　need　have　no　fear；　his　power　over　me

is　gone；　it　went　like　a　flash　when　his　lips　touched　me；〃　and　she

rubbed　her　own　as　though　to　wipe　away　some　stain。　〃I　am　afraid　of

nothing　more。　I　believeyes；　I　believe　the　old　Molimo　was　right；　and

that　all　will　end　well〃



As　she　was　speaking　Benita　heard　a　shuffling　sound　behind　her；　and

turned　to　learn　its　cause。　Then　she　saw　a　strange　sight。　Jacob　Meyer

was　staggering　towards　them；　dragging　one　foot　after　the　other　through

the　grass　and　stones。　His　face　was　ghastly　pale；　his　jaw　had　dropped

like　that　of　a　dead　man；　and　his　eyes　were　set　wide　open　and　full　of

horror。



〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　man？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford。



〃IIhave　seen　a　ghost；〃　he　whispered。　〃You　did　not　come　back　into

the　cave；　did　you？〃　he　added；　pointing　at　Benita；　who　shook　her　head。



〃What　ghost？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford。



〃I　don't　know；　but　my　lamp　went　out；　and　then　a　light　began　to　shine

behind　me。　I　turned；　and　on　the　steps　of　that　crucifix　I　saw　a　woman

kneeling。　Her　arms　clasped　the　feet　of　the　figure；　her　forehead　rested

upon　the　feet；　her　long　black　hair　flowed　down；　she　was　dressed　in

white；　and　the　light　came　from　her　body　and　her　head。　Very　slowly　she

turned　and　looked　at　me；　and　oh；　Heaven！　that　face〃　and　he　put　his

hand　before　his　eyes　and　groaned。　〃It　was　beautiful；　yes；　yes；　but

fearful　to　see；　like　an　avenging　angel。　I　fled；　and　the　lightonly

the　lightcame　with　me　down　the　cave；　even　at　the　mouth　of　it　there

was　a　little。　I　have　seen　a　spirit；　I　who　did　not　believe　in　spirits；

I　have　seen　a　spirit；　and　I　tell　you　that　not　for　all　the　gold　in　the

world　will　I　enter　that　place　again。〃



Then　before　they　could　answer；　suddenly　as　though　his　fear　had　got

some　fresh　hold　of　him；　Jacob　sprang　forward　and　fled　away；　crashing

through　the　bushes　and　leaping　from　rock　to　rock　like　a　frightened

buck。







XXI



THE　MESSAGE　FROM　THE　DEAD



〃Meyer　always　said　that　he　did　not　believe　in　spirits；〃　remarked　Mr。

Clifford　reflectively。



〃Well；　he　believes　in　them　now；〃　answered　Benita　with　a　little　laugh。

〃But；　father；　the　poor　man　is　mad；　that　is　the　fact　of　it；　and　we　must

pay　no　attention　to　what　he　says。〃



〃The　old　Molimo　and　some　of　his　peopleTamas；　for　instancedeclared

that　they　have　seen　the　ghost　of　Benita　da　Ferreira。　Are　they　mad

also；　Benita？〃



〃I　don't　know；　father。　Who　can　say？　All　these　things　are　a　mystery。

All　I　do　know　is　that　I　have　never　seen　a　ghost；　and　I　doubt　if　I　ever

shall。〃



〃No；　but　when　you　were　in　that　trance　something　that　was　not　you　spoke

out　of　your　mouth；　which　something　said　that　it　was　your　namesake；　the

other　Benita。　Well；　as　you　say；　we　can't　fathom　these　things；

especially　in　a　haunted　kind　of　place　like　this；　but　the　upshot　of　it

is　that　I　don't　think　we　have　much　more　to　fear　from　Jacob。〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure；　father。　Mad　people　change　their　moods　very

suddenly。〃



As　it　happened　Benita　was　quite　right。　Towards　suppertime　Jacob　Meyer

reappeared；　looking　pale　and　shaken；　but　otherwise　much　as　usual。



〃I　had　a　kind　of　fit　this　morning；〃　he　explained；　'the　result　of　an

hallucination　which　seized　me　when　my　light　went　out　in　that　cave。　I

remember　that　I　thought　I　had　seen　a　ghost；　whereas　I　know　very　well

that　no　such　thing　exists。　I　was　the　victim　of　disappointment；

anxieties；　and　other　still　stronger　emotions；〃　and　he　looked　at

Benita。　〃Therefore；　please　forget　anything　I　said　or　did；　andwould

you　give　me　some　supper？〃



Benita　did　so；　and　he　ate　in　silence；　with　some　heartiness。　When　he

had　finished　his　food；　and　swallowed　two　or　three　tots　of　squareface；

he　spoke　again：



〃I　have　come　here；　where　I　know　I　am　not　welcome；　upon　business；〃　he

said　in　a　calm；　matter…of…fact　voice。　〃I　am　tired　of　this　place；　and　I

think　it　is　time　that　we　attained　the　object　of　our　journey　here；

namely；　to　find　the　hidden　gold。　That；　as　we　all　know；　can　only　be

done　in　a　certain　way；　through　the　clairvoyant　powers　of　one　of　us　and

the　hypnotic　powers　of　another。　Miss　Clifford；　I　request　that　you　will

allow　me　to　throw　you　into　a　state　of　trance。　You　have　told　us

everything　else；　but　you　have　not　yet　told　us　where　the　treasure　is

hidden；　and　this　it　is　necessary　that　we　should　know。〃



〃And　if　I　refuse；　Mr。　Meyer？〃



〃Then　I　am　sorry；　but　I　must　take　means　to　compel　your　obedience。

Under　those　circumstances；　much　against　my　will；　I　shall　be　obliged〃

here　his　eye　blazed　out　wildly〃to　execute　your　father；　whose

obstinacy　and　influence　stand　between　us　and　splendid　fortunes。　No；

Clifford；〃　he　added；　〃don't　stretch　out　your　hand　towards　that　rifle；

for　I　am　already　covering　you　with　the　pistol　in　my　pocket；　and　the

moment　your　hand　touches　it　I　shall　fire。　You　poor　old　man；　do　you

imagine　for　a　single　second　that；　sick　as　you　are；　and　with　your　stiff

limbs；　you　can　hope　to　match　yourself　against　my　agility；　intellect；

and　strength？　Why；　I　could　kill　you　in　a　dozen　ways　before　you　could

lift　a　finger　against　me；　and　by　the　God　I　do　not　believe　in；　unless

your　daughter　is　more　compliant；　kill　you　I　will！〃



〃That　remains　to　be　seen；　my　friend；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford　with　a　laugh；

for　he　was　a　brave　old　man。　〃I　am　not　certain　that　the　Godwhom　you

do　not　believe　inwill　not　kill　you　first。〃



Now　Benita；　who　had　been　taking　counsel　with　herself；　looked　up　and

said　suddenly：



〃Very　well；　Mr。　Meyer；　I　consentbecause　I　must。　To…morrow　morning

you　shall　try　to　mesmerize　me；　if　you　can；　in　the　same　place；　before

the　crucifix　in　the　cave。〃



〃No；〃　he　answered　quickly。　〃It　was　not　there；　it　was　here；　and　here　it

shall　be　again。　The　spot　you　mention　is　unpropitious　to　me；　the

attempt　would　fail。〃



〃It　is　the　spot　that　I　have　chosen；〃　answered　Benita　stubbornly。



〃And　this　is　the　spot　that　I　have　chosen；　Miss　Clifford；　and　my　will

must　prevail　over　yours。〃



〃Because　you　who　do　not　believe　in　spirits　are　afraid　to　re…enter　the

cave；　Mr。　Meyer；　lest　you　should　chance〃



〃Never　mind　what　I　am　or　am　not　afraid　of；〃　he　replied　with　fury。

〃Make　your　choice　between　doing　my　will　and　your　father's　life。

To…morrow　morning　I　shall　come　for　your　answer；　and　if　you　are　still

obstinate；　within　half　an　hour　he　will　be　dead；　leaving　you　and　me

alone　together。　Oh！　you　may　call　me　wicked　and　a　villain；　but　it　is

you　who　are　wicked；　you；　you；　/you/　who　force　me　to　this　deed　of

justice。〃



Then　without　another　word　he　sprang　up　and　walked　away　from　them

backwards；　as　he　went　covering　Mr。　Clifford　with　the　pistol　which　he

had　drawn　from　his　pocket。　The　last　that　they　saw　of　him　were　his

eyes；　which　glowered　at　them　through　the　darkness　like　those　of　a

lion。



〃Father；〃　said　Benita；　when　she　was　sure　that　he　had　gone；　〃that

madman　really　means　to　murder　you；　there　is　no　doubt　of　it。〃



〃None　whatever；　dear；　if　I　am　alive　to…morrow　night　I　shall　be　lucky；

unless　I　can　kill　him　first　or　get　out　of　his　way。〃



〃Well；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃I　think　you　can。　I　have　an　idea。　He　is

afraid　to　go　into　that　cave；　I　am　sure。　Let　us　hide　ourselves　there。

We　can　take　food　and　shall　have　plenty　of　water；　whereas；　unless　rain

falls；　he　can　get　nothing　to　drink。〃



〃But　what　then；　Benita？　We　can't　stop　in　the　dark　for　ever。〃



〃No；　but　we　can　wait　there　until　something　happens。　Something　must　and

will　happen。　His　dise