benita-第34章

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

will　happen。　His　disease　won't　stand　still。　He　may　go　raving　mad　and

kill　himself。　Or　he　may　attempt　to　attack　us；　though　that　is　not

likely；　and　then　we　must　do　what　we　can　in　self　defence。　Or　help　may

reach　us　from　somewhere。　At　the　worst　we　shall　only　die　as　we　should

have　died　outside。　Come；　let　us　be　quick；　lest　he　should　change　his

mind；　and　creep　back　upon　us。〃



So　Mr。　Clifford　gave　way；　knowing　that　even　if　he　could　steel　himself

to　do　the　deed　of　attempting　to　kill　Jacob；　he　would　have　little

chance　against　that　strong　and　agile　man。　Such　a　struggle　would　only

end　in　his　own　death；　and　Benita　must　then　be　left　alone　with　Meyer

and　his　insane　passions。



Hurriedly　they　carried　their　few　belongings　into　the　cave。　First　they

took　most　of　the　little　store　of　food　that　remained；　the　three　hand…

lamps　and　all　the　paraffin；　there　was　but　one　tin。　Then　returning　they

fetched　the　bucket；　the　ammunition；　and　their　clothes。　Afterwards；　as

there　was　still　no　sign　of　Meyer；　they　even　dared　to　drag　in　the

waggon　tent　to　make　a　shelter　for　Benita；　and　all　the　wood　that　they

had　collected　for　firing。　This　proved　a　wearisome　business；　for　the

logs　were　heavy；　and　in　his　crippled　state　Mr。　Clifford　could　carry　no

great　burden。　Indeed；　towards　the　end　Benita　was　forced　to　complete

the　task　alone；　while　he　limped　beside　her　with　his　rifle；　lest　Jacob

should　surprise　them。



When　at　length　everything　was　done　it　was　long　past　midnight；　and　so

exhausted　were　they　that；　notwithstanding　their　danger；　they　flung

themselves　down　upon　the　canvas　tent；　which　lay　in　a　heap　at　the　end

of　the　cave　near　the　crucifix；　and　fell　asleep。



When　Benita　woke　the　lamp　had　gone　out；　and　it　was　pitch　dark。

Fortunately；　however；　she　remembered　where　she　had　put　the　matches　and

the　lantern　with　a　candle　in　it。　She　lit　the　candle　and　looked　at　her

watch。　It　was　nearly　six　o'clock。　The　dawn　must　be　breaking　outside；

within　an　hour　or　two　Jacob　Meyer　would　find　that　they　had　gone。

Suppose　that　his　rage　should　overcome　his　fear　and　that　he　should

creep　upon　them。　They　would　know　nothing　of　it　until　his　face　appeared

in　the　faint　ring　of　light。　Or　he　might　even　shoot　her　father　out　of

the　darkness。　What　could　she　do　that　would　give　them　warning？　A

thought　came　to　her。



Taking　one　of　the　tent　ropes　and　the　lantern；　for　her　father　still

slept　heavily；　she　went　down　to　the　entrance　of　the　cave；　and　at　the

end　of　the　last　zigzag　where　once　a　door　had　been；　managed　to　make　it

fast　to　a　stone　hinge　about　eighteen　inches　above　the　floor；　and　on

the　other　side　to　an　eye　opposite　that　was　cut　in　the　solid　rock　to

receive　a　bolt　of　wood　or　iron。　Meyer；　she　knew；　had　no　lamps　or　oil；

only　matches　and　perhaps　a　few　candles。　Therefore　if　he　tried　to　enter

the　cave　it　was　probable　that　he　would　trip　over　the　rope　and　thus

give　them　warning。　Then　she　went　back；　washed　her　face　and　hands　with

some　water　that　they　had　drawn　on　the　previous　night　to　satisfy　their

thirst；　and　tidied　herself　as　best　she　could。　This　done；　as　her　father

still　slept；　she　filled　the　lamps；　lit　one　of　them；　and　looked　about

her；　for　she　was　loth　to　wake　him。



Truly　it　was　an　awful　place　in　which　to　dwell。　There　above　them

towered　the　great　white　crucifix；　there　in　the　corner　were　piled　the

remains　of　the　Portuguese。　A　skull　with　long　hair　still　hanging　to　it

grinned　at　her；　a　withered　hand　was　thrust　forward　as　though　to　clutch

her。　Oh；　no　wonder　that　in　such　a　spot　Jacob　Meyer　had　seen　ghosts！　In

front；　too；　was　the　yawning　grave　where　they　had　found　the　monk；

indeed；　his　bones　wrapped　in　dark　robes　still　lay　within；　for　Jacob

had　tumbled　them　back　again。　Then　beyond　and　all　around　deep；　dark；

and　utter　silence。



At　last　her　father　woke；　and　glad　enough　was　she　of　his　human　company。

They　breakfasted　upon　some　biscuits　and　water；　and　afterwards；　while

Mr。　Clifford　watched　near　the　entrance　with　his　rifle；　Benita　set　to

work　to　arrange　their　belongings。　The　tent　she　managed　to　prop　up

against　the　wall　of　the　cave　by　help　of　some　of　the　wood　which　they

had　carried　in。　Beneath　it　she　spread　their　blankets；　that　it　might

serve　as　a　sleeping　place　for　them　both；　and　outside　placed　the　food

and　other　things。



While　she　was　thus　engaged　she　heard　a　sound　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave

Jacob　Meyer　was　entering　and　had　fallen　over　her　rope。　Down　it　she

ran；　lantern　in　hand；　to　her　father；　who；　with　his　rifle　raised；　was

shouting：



〃If　you　come　in　here；　I　put　a　bullet　through　you！〃



Then　came　the　answer　in　Jacob's　voice；　which　rang　hollow　in　that

vaulted　place：



〃I　do　not　want　to　come　in；　I　shall　wait　for　you　to　come　out。　You

cannot　live　long　in　there；　the　horror　of　the　dark　will　kill　you。　I

have　only　to　sit　in　the　sunlight　and　wait。〃



Then　he　laughed；　and　they　heard　the　sound　of　his　footsteps　retreating

down　the　passage。



〃What　are　we　to　do？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford　despairingly。　〃We　cannot　live

without　light；　and　if　we　have　light　he　will　certainly　creep　to　the

entrance　and　shoot　us。　He　is　quite　mad　now；　I　am　sure　of　it　from　his

voice。〃



Benita　thought　a　minute；　then　she　answered：



〃We　must　build　up　the　passage。　Look；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　lumps　of

rock　that　the　explosion　of　their　mine　had　shaken　down　from　the　roof；

and　the　slabs　of　cement　that　they　had　broken　from　the　floor　with　the

crowbar。　〃At　once；　at　once；〃　she　went　on；　〃he　will　not　come　back　for

some　hours；　probably　not　till　night。〃



So　they　set　to　work；　and　never　did　Benita　labour　as　it　was　her　lot　to

do　that　day。　Such　of　the　fragments　as　they　could　lift　they　carried

between　them；　others　they　rolled　along　by　help　of　the　crowbar。　For

hour　after　hour　they　toiled　at　their　task。　Luckily　for　them；　the

passage　was　not　more　than　three　feet　wide　by　six　feet　six　high；　and

their　material　was　ample。　Before　the　evening　they　had　blocked　it

completely　with　a　wall　several　feet　in　thickness；　which　wall　they

supported　on　the　inside　with　lengths　of　the　firewood　lashed　across　to

the　old　hinges　and　bolt…holes；　or　set　obliquely　against　its　face。



It　was　done；　and　they　regarded　their　work　with　pride；　although　it

seemed　probable　that　they　were　building　up　their　own　tomb。　Because　of

its　position　at　an　angle　of　the　passage；　they　knew　that　Meyer　could

not　get　to　it　with　a　pole　to　batter　it　down。　Also；　there　was　no　loose

powder　left；　so　his　only　chance　would　be　to　pull　it　to　pieces　with　his

hands；　and　this；　they　thought；　might　be　beyond　his　power。　At　least；

should　he　attempt　it；　they　would　have　ample　warning。　Yet　that　day　was

not　to　pass　without　another　trouble。



Just　as　they　had　rolled　up　and　levered　into　place　a　long　fragment　of

rock　designed　to　prevent　the　ends　of　their　supporting　pieces　of　wood

from　slipping　on　the　cement　floor；　Mr。　Clifford　uttered　an

exclamation；　then　said：



〃I　have　wrung　my　back　badly。　Help　me　to　the　tent。　I　must　lie　down。〃



Slowly　and　with　great　pain　they　staggered　up　the　cave；　Mr。　Clifford

leaning　on　Benita　and　a　stick；　till；　reaching　the　tent　at　last；　he

almost　fell　on　to　the　blankets　and　remained　there　practically

crippled。



Now　began　Benita's　terrible　time；　the　worst　of　all　her　life。　Every

hour　her　father　became　more　ill。　Even　before　they　took　refuge　in　the

cave　he　was　completely　broken　down；　and　now　after　this　accident　he

began　to　suffer　very　much。　His　rheumatism　or　sciatica；　or　whatever　it

was；　seemed　to　settle　upon　the　hurt　muscles　of　his　back；　causing　him

so　much　pain　that　he　could　scarcely　sleep　for　ten　minutes　at　a

stretch。　Moreover；　he　would　swallow　but　little　of　the　rough　food　which

was　all　Benita　was　able　to　prepare　for　him；　nothing；　indeed；　except

biscuit　soaked　in　black　coffee；　which　she　boiled　over　a　small　fire

made　of　wood　that　they　had　brought　with　them；　and　occasionally　a

little　broth；　tasteless　stuff　enough；　for　it　was　only　the　essence　of

biltong；　or　sun…dried　flesh；　flavoured　with　some　salt。



Then　there　were　two　other　terrors　against　she　must　fight；　the　darkness

and　the　dread　of　Jacob　Meyer。　Perhaps　the　darkness　was　the　worse　of

them。　To　live　in　that　hideous　gloom　in　which　their　single　lamp；　for

she　dared　burn　no　more　lest　the　oil　should　give　out；　seemed　but　as　one

star　to　the　whole　night；　ah！　who　that　had　not　endured　it　could　know

what　it　meant？　There　the　sick　man；　yonder　the　grinning　skeletons；

around　the　blackness　and　the　silence；　and　beyond　these　again　a

miserable　death；　or　Jacob　Meyer。　But　of　him　Benita　saw　nothing；　though

once　or　twice　she　thought　that　she　heard　his　voice　raving　outside　the

wall　which　they　had　built。　If　so；　either　he　did　not　try　to　pull　it

down；　or　he　failed　in　the　attempt；　or　perhaps　he　feared　that　should　he

succeed；　he　would　be　greeted　by　a　bullet。　So　at　last　she　gave　up

thinking　about　him。　Should　he　force　his　way　into　the　cave　she　must

deal　with　the　situation　as　best　she　could。　Meanwhile；　her　father's

strength　was　sinking　fast。



Three　awful　days　went　by　in　this　fashion；　and　the　end　drew　near。

Although　she　tried　to　force　herself　to　it；　Benita　could　not　swallow

enough　food　to　keep　up　her　strength。　Now　that　the　passage　was　closed

the　atmosphere　of　this　old　vault；　for　it　was　nothing　more；　thickened

by　the　smoke　of　the　fire　which　she　was　obliged　to　burn；　grew　poisonous

and　choked　her。　Want　of　sleep　exhausted　her；　dread　of　what　the　morrow

might　bring　forth　crushed　her　strong　spirit。　She　began　to　break　down；

knowing　that　the　hour　was　near　when　she　and　her　father　must　die

together。



Once；　as　she　slept　awhile　at　his　side；　being　wakened　by　his　groaning；

Benita　looked　at　her　watch。　It　was　midnight。　She　rose；　and　going　to

the　embers　of　the　little　fire；　warmed　up　some　of　her　biltong　broth

which　she　poured　into　a　tin　pannikin。　With　difficulty　she　forced　him

to　swallow　a　few　mouthfuls　of　it；　then；　feeling　a　sudden　weakness；

drank　the　rest　herself。　It　gave　her　power　to　think；　and　her　father

dozed　off　into　an　uneasy　sleep。



Alas！　thinking　was　of　no　use；　nothing　could　be　done。　There　was　no　hope

save　in　prayer。　Restlessness　seized　Benita；　and　taking　the　lantern　she

wandered　round　the　cave。　The　wall　that　they　had　built　remained　intact；

and　oh！　to　think　that　beyond　it　flowed　the　free　air　and　shone　the

blessed　stars！　Back　she　came　again；　skirting　the　pits　that　Jacob　Meyer

had　dug；　and　the　grave　of　the　old　monk；　till　she　reached　the　steps　of

the　crucifix；　and　holding　up　her　candle；　looked　at　the　thorn…crowned

brow　of　the　Christ　above。



It　was　wonderfully　carved；　that　dying　face　was　full　of　pity。　Would　not

He　Whom　it　represented　pity　her？　She　knelt　down　on　the　topmost　step；

and　clasping　the　pierced　feet　with　her　arms；　began　to　pray　earnestly；

not　for　herself　but　that　she　might　save　her　father。　She　prayed　as　she

had　never　prayed　before；　and　so　praying；　sank　into　a　torpor　or　a

swoon。



It　seemed　to　Benita　that