benita-第35章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

swoon。



It　seemed　to　Benita　that　this　sleep　of　hers　suddenly　became　alive；　in

it　she　saw　many　things。　For　instance；　she　saw　herself　seated　in　a

state　of　trance　upon　that　very　step　where　now　she　knelt；　while　before

her　stood　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer。　Moreover；　something　spoke　in

her；　she　could　not　hear　a　voice；　but　she　seemed　to　see　the　words

written　in　the　air　before　her。　These　were　the　words：



　〃/Clasp　the　feet　of　the　Christ　and　draw　them　to　the　left。　The

　　passage　beneath　leads　to　the　chamber　where　the　gold　is　hid；　and

　　thence　to　the　river　bank。　That　is　the　secret　which　ere　I　depart；　I

　　the　dead　Benita；　pass　on　to　you；　the　living　Benita；　as　I　am

　　commanded。　In　life　and　death　peace　be　to　your　soul。/〃



Thrice　did　this　message　appear　to　repeat　itself　in　the　consciousness

of　Benita。　Then；　suddenly　as　she　had　slept；　she　woke　again　with　every

letter　of　it　imprinted　on　her　mind。　Doubtless　it　was　a　dream；　nothing

but　a　dream　bred　by　the　fact　that　her　arms　were　clasping　the　feet　of

the　crucifix。　What　did　it　say？　〃Draw　them　to　the　left。〃



She　did　so；　but　nothing　stirred。　Again　she　tried；　and　still　nothing

stirred。　Of　course　it　was　a　dream。　Why　had　such　been　sent　to　mock　her？

In　a　kind　of　mad　irritation　she　put　out　all　her　remaining　strength　and

wrestled　with　those　stony　feet。　/They　moved　a　little/then　of　a

sudden；　without　any　further　effort　on　her　part；　swung　round　as　high　as

the　knees　where　drapery　hung；　concealing　the　join　in　them。　Yes；　they

swung　round；　revealing　the　head　of　a　stair；　up　which　blew　a　cold　wind

that　it　was　sweet　to　breathe。



Benita　rose；　gasping。　Then　she　seized　her　lantern　and　ran　to　the

little　tent　where　her　father　lay。







XXII



THE　VOICE　OF　THE　LIVING



Mr。　Clifford　was　awake　again　now。



〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　asked　querulously　in　a　thin　voice。　〃I　wanted

you。〃　Then　as　the　light　from　the　candle　shone　upon　it；　he　noted　the

change　that　had　come　over　her　pale　face；　and　added：　〃What　has

happened？　Is　Meyer　dead？　Are　we　free？〃



Benita　shook　her　head。　〃He　was　alive　a　few　hours　ago；　for　I　could　hear

him　raving　and　shouting　outside　the　wall　we　built。　But；　father；　it　has

all　come　back　to　me；　I　believe　that　I　have　found　it。〃



〃What　has　come　back？　What　have　you　found？　Are　you　mad；　too；　like

Jacob？〃



〃What　something　told　me　when　I　was　in　the　trance　which　afterwards　I

forgot；　but　now　remember。　And　I　have　found　the　passage　which　leads　to

where　they　hid　the　gold。　It　begins　behind　the　crucifix；　where　no　one

ever　thought　of　looking。〃



This　matter　of　the　gold　did　not　seem　to　interest　Mr。　Clifford。　In　his

state　all　the　wealth　beneath　the　soil　of　Africa　would　not　have

appealed　to　him。　Moreover；　he　hated　the　name　of　that　accursed

treasure；　which　was　bringing　them　to　such　a　miserable　end。



〃Where　does　the　passage　run？　Have　you　looked？〃　he　asked。



〃Not　yet；　but　the　voice　in　me　saidI　mean；　I　dreamedthat　it　goes

down　to　the　river…side。　If　you　leant　on　me　do　you　think　that　you　could

walk？〃



〃Not　one　inch；〃　he　answered。　〃Here　where　I　am　I　shall　die。〃



〃No；　no；　don't　talk　like　that。　We　may　be　saved　now　that　I　have　found　a

way。　Oh；　if　only　you　couldif　only　you　could　walk；　or　if　I　had　the

strength　to　carry　you！〃　and　she　wrung　her　hands　and　began　to　weep；　so

weak　was　she。



Her　father　looked　at　her　searchingly。　Then　he　said：



〃Well；　love；　I　cannot；　so　there's　an　end。　But　you　can；　and　you　had

better　go。〃



〃What！　And　leave　you？　Never。〃



〃Yes；　and　leave　me。　Look；　there　is　but　a　little　oil　left　and　only　a

few　candles。　The　biscuits　are　done　and　neither　of　us　can　swallow　that

biltong　any　more。　I　suppose　that　I　am　dying；　and　your　health　and

strength　are　failing　you　quickly　in　this　darkness；　if　you　stop　here

you　must　soon　follow　me。　And　what　is　the　alternative？　The　madman

outsidethat　is；　if　you　could　find　strength　to　pull　down　the　wall；

which　I　doubt。　You　had　best　go；　Benita。〃



But　still　she　said　she　would　not。



〃Do　you　not　see；〃　he　added；　〃that　it　is　my　only　chance　of　life？　If　you

go　you　may　be　able　to　bring　me　help　before　the　end　comes。　Should　there

be　a　passage　the　probability　is　that；　although　they　know　nothing　of

it；　it　finishes　somewhere　by　the　wall　of　the　first　enclosure　where　the

Makalanga　are。　If　so；　you　may　find　the　Molimo；　or　if　he　is　dead；　Tamas

or　one　of　the　others；　and　they　will　help　us。　Go；　Benita；　go　at　once。〃



〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　answered　in　a　changed　voice。　〃Of

course；　it　may　be　so；　if　the　passage　goes　down　at　all。　Well；　at　least

I　can　look　and　come　back　to　tell　you。〃



Then　Benita　placed　the　remainder　of　the　oil　close　by　her　father's

side；　so　that　he　could　refill　the　lamp；　for　the　use　of　his　hands　still

remained　to　him。　Also；　she　set　there　such　crumbs　of　biscuit　as　were

left；　some　of　the　biltong；　a　flask　of　Hollands；　and　a　pail　of　water。

This　done；　she　put　on　her　long　cloak；　filled　one　of　its　pockets　with

biltong；　and　the　other　with　matches　and　three　of　the　four　remaining

candles。　The　fourth　she　insisted　on　leaving　beside　her　father's　bed。

When　everything　was　ready　she　knelt　down　at　his　side；　kissed　him；　and

from　her　heart　put　up　a　prayer　that　they　might　both　live　to　meet

again；　although　she　knew　well　that　this　they　could　scarcely　hope　to

do。



Had　two　people　ever　been　in　a　more　dreadful　situation；　she　wondered；

as　she　looked　at　her　father　lying　there；　whom　she　must　leave　to　fight

with　Death　alone　in　that　awful　place；　while　she　went　forth　to　meet　him

in　the　unknown　bowels　of　the　earth！



Mr。　Clifford　read　her　thoughts。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　strange

parting　and　a　wild　errand。　But　who　knows？　It　may　please　Providence　to

take　you　through；　and　if　notwhy；　our　troubles　will　soon　be　over。〃



Then　once　more　they　kissed；　and　not　daring　to　try　to　speak；　Benita

tore　herself　away。　Passing　into　the　passage　whereof　the　lower　half　of

the　crucifix　formed　the　door；　she　paused　for　a　moment　to　examine　it

and　to　place　a　fragment　of　rock　in　such　fashion　that　it　could　not　shut

again　behind　her。　Her　idea　was　that　it　worked　by　aid　of　some　spring；

but　now　she　saw　that　this　was　not　so；　as　the　whole　mass　hung　upon

three　stone　hinges　beautifully　concealed。　The　dust　and　corrosion　of

ages　which　had　made　this　door　so　hard　to　open；　by　filling　up　the　tiny

spaces　between　it　and　its　framework；　had　also　rendered　these　cracks

utterly　imperceptible　to　the　eye。　So　accurately　was　it　fashioned；

indeed；　that　no　one　who　did　not　know　its　secret　would　have　discovered

it　if　they　searched　for　months　or　years。



Though　at　the　time　Benita　took　little　note　of　such　details；　the

passage　beyond　and　the　stair　descending　from　it　showed　the　same

perfect　workmanship。　Evidently　this　secret　way　dated　not　from　the

Portuguese　period；　but　from　that　of　the　Ph？nicians　or　other　ancients；

to　whose　treasure…chamber　it　was　the　approach；　opening　as　it　did　from

their　holy　of　holies；　to　which　none　were　admitted　save　the　head

priests。　The　passage；　which　was　about　seven　feet　high　by　four　wide；

had　been　hewn　out　of　the　live　rock　of　the　mountain；　for　thousands　of

little　marks　left　by　the　workmen's　chisels　were　still　discernible　upon

its　walls。　So　it　was　with　the　stair；　that　had　been　but　little　used；

and　remained　fresh　as　the　day　when　it　was　finished。



Down　the　steps；　candle　in　hand；　flitted　Benita；　counting　them　as　she

went。　The　thirtieth　brought　her　to　a　landing。　Here　it　was　that　she　saw

the　first　traces　of　that　treasure　which　they　had　suffered　so　much　to

find。　Something　glittered　at　her　feet。　She　picked　it　up。　It　was　a

little　bar　of　gold　weighing　two　or　three　ounces　that　doubtless　had

been　dropped　there。　Throwing　it　down　again　she　looked　in　front　of　her；

and　to　her　dismay　saw　a　door　of　wood　with　iron　bolts。　But　the　bolts

had　never　been　shot；　and　when　she　pulled　at　it　the　door　creaked　upon

its　rusty　hinges　and　opened。　She　was　on　the　threshold　of　the　treasure…

chamber！



It　was　square　and　of　the　size　of　a　small　room；　packed　on　either　side

almost　to　the　low；　vaulted　roof　with　small　bags　of　raw　hide；

carelessly　arranged。　Quite　near　to　the　door　one　of　these　bags　had

slipped　down　and　burst　open。　It　was　filled　with　gold；　some　in　ingots

and　some　in　raw　nuggets；　for　there　they　lay　in　a　shining；　scattered

heap。　As　she　stooped　to　look　it　came　into　the　mind　of　Benita　that　her

father　had　said　that　in　her　trance　she　had　told　them　that　one　of　the

bags　of　treasure　was　burst；　and　that　the　skin　of　which　it　had　been

made　was　black　and　red。　Behold！　before　her　lay　the　burst　bag；　and　the

colour　of　the　hide　was　black　and　red。



She　shivered。　The　thing　was　uncanny；　terrible。　Uncanny　was　it　also　to

see　in　the　thick　dust；　which　in　the　course　of　twenty　or　more　of

centuries　had　gathered　on　the　floor；　the　mark　of　footprints；　those　of

the　last　persons　who　had　visited　this　place。　There　had　been　two　of

them；　a　man　and　a　woman；　and　they　were　no　savages；　for　they　wore

shoes。　Benita　placed　her　foot　in　the　print　left　by　that　dead　woman。　It

filled　it　exactly；　it　might　have　been　her　own。　Perhaps；　she　thought　to

herself；　that　other　Benita　had　descended　here　with　her　father；　after

the　Portuguese　had　hidden　away　their　wealth；　that　she　might　be　shown

where　it　was；　and　of　what　it　consisted。



One　more　glance　at　all　this　priceless；　misery…working　gold；　and　on　she

went；　she　who　was　seeking　the　gold　of　life　and　liberty　for　herself　and

him　who　lay　above。　Supposing　that　the　stairway　ended　there？　She

stopped；　she　looked　round；　but　could　see　no　other　door。　To　see　the

better　she　halted　and　opened　the　glass　of　her　lantern。　Still　she　could

perceive　nothing；　and　her　heart　sank。　Yet　why　did　the　candle　flicker

so　fiercely？　And　why　was　the　air　in　this　deep　place　so　fresh？　She

walked　forward　a　pace　or　two；　then　noticed　suddenly　that　those

footprints　of　the　dead　that　she　was　following　disappeared　immediately

in　front　of　her；　and　she　stopped。



It　was　but　just　in　time。　One　step　more　and　she　would　have　fallen　down

the　mouth　of　a　deep　pit。　Once　it　had　been　covered　with　a　stone；　but

this　stone　was　removed；　and　had　never　been　replaced。　Look！　there　it

stood　against　the　wall　of　the　chamber。　Well　was　this　for　Benita；　since

her　frail　strength　would　not　have　sufficed　to　stir　that　massive　block；

even　if　she　had　discovered　its　existence　beneath　the　dust。



Now　she　saw　that　down　the　pit　ran　another　ladderlike　stair　of　stone；

very　narrow　and　precipitous。　Without　hesitation　she　began　its　descent。

Down　she　went　and　downone　hundred　steps；　two　hundred　steps；　two

hundred　and　seventy…five　steps；　and　all　the　way　wherever　the　dust　had

gathered　the　man's　and　the　woman's　footprints　ran　before　her。　There

was　a　double　line　of　them；　one　line　going　down　and　the　other　line

returning。　Those　that　returned　were　the　last；　for　often　they　appeared

over　those　that　descended。　Why　had　these　dead　people　returned；　Benita

wondered。