benita-第39章

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arms　and　legs；　his　lips　were　cracked；　blue　and　swollen；　his　face　was

almost　black；　but　his　eyes　still　shone　bright　with　insanity　and　hate。



〃I　know　you；〃　he　screamed　hoarsely　to　Robert。　〃You　are　another　ghost；

the　ghost　of　that　man　who　was　drowned。　Otherwise　my　bullet　would　have

killed　you。〃



〃Yes；　Mr。　Meyer；〃　Seymour　answered；　〃I　am　a　ghost。　Now；　you　boys；

here's　a　bit　of　rope。　Tie　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　search　him。

There　is　a　pistol　in　that　pocket。〃



They　obeyed；　and　presently　Meyer　was　disarmed　and　bound　fast　to　a

tree。



〃Water；〃　he　moaned。　〃For　days　I　have　had　nothing　but　the　dew　I　could

lick　off　the　leaves。〃



Pitying　his　plight；　Benita　ran　into　the　cave　and　returned　presently

with　a　tin　of　water。　One　of　the　Kaffirs　held　it　to　his　lips；　and　he

drank　greedily。　Then；　leaving　one　Zulu　to　watch　him；　Robert；　Benita；

and　the　other　Zulu　went　back；　and　as　gently　as　they　could　carried　out

Mr。　Clifford　on　his　mattress；　placing　him　in　the　shade　of　a　rock；

where　he　lay　blessing　them　feebly；　because　they　had　brought　him　into

the　light　again。　At　the　sight　of　the　old　man　Meyer's　rage　blazed　up

afresh。



〃Ah；〃　he　screamed；　〃if　only　I　had　killed　you　long　ago；　she　would　be

mine　now；　not　that　fellow's。　It　was　you　who　stood　between　us。〃



〃Look　here；　my　friend；〃　broke　in　Robert。　〃I　forgive　you　everything

else；　but；　mad　or　sane；　be　good　enough　to　keep　Miss　Clifford's　name

off　your　lips；　or　I　will　hand　you　over　to　those　Kaffirs　to　be　dealt

with　as　you　deserve。〃



Then　Jacob　understood；　and　was　silent。　They　gave　him　more　water　and

food　to　eat；　some　of　the　meat　that　they　had　brought　with　them；　which

he　devoured　ravenously。



〃Are　you　sensible　now？〃　asked　Robert　when　he　had　done。　〃Then　listen　to

me；　I　have　some　good　news　for　you。　That　treasure　you　have　been　hunting

for　has　been　found。　We　are　going　to　give　you　half　of　it；　one　of　the

waggons　and　some　oxen；　and　clear　you　out　of　this　place。　Then　if　I　set

eyes　on　you　again　before　we　get　to　a　civilized　country；　I　shoot　you

like　a　dog。〃



〃You　lie！〃　said　Meyer　sullenly。　〃You　want　to　turn　me　out　into　the

wilderness　to　be　murdered　by　the　Makalanga　or　the　Matabele。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Robert。　〃Untie　him；　boys；　and　bring　him　along。　I

will　show　him　whether　I　lie。〃



〃Where　are　they　taking　me　to？〃　asked　Meyer。　〃Not　into　the　cave？　I

won't　go　into　the　cave；　it　is　haunted。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　the　ghost

there　I　would　have　broken　down　their　wall　long　ago；　and　killed　that

old　snake　before　her　eyes。　Whenever　I　went　near　that　wall　I　saw　it

watching　me。〃



〃First　time　I　ever　heard　of　a　ghost　being　useful；〃　remarked　Robert。

〃Bring　him　along。　No；　Benita；　he　shall　see　whether　I　am　a　liar。〃



So　the　lights　were　lit；　and　the　two　stalwart　Zulus　hauled　Jacob

forward；　Robert　and　Benita　following。　At　first　he　struggled　violently；

then；　on　finding　that　he　could　not　escape；　went　on；　his　teeth

chattering　with　fear。



〃It　is　cruel；〃　remonstrated　Benita。



〃A　little　cruelty　will　not　do　him　any　harm；〃　Robert　answered。　〃He　has

plenty　to　spare　for　other　people。　Besides；　he　is　going　to　get　what　he

has　been　looking　for　so　long。〃



They　led　Jacob　to　the　foot　of　the　crucifix；　where　a　paroxysm　seemed　to

seize　him；　then　pushed　him　through　the　swinging　doorway　beneath；　and

down　the　steep　stairs；　till　once　more　they　all　stood　in　the　treasure…

chamber。



〃Look；〃　said　Robert；　and；　drawing　his　hunting…knife；　he　slashed　one　of

the　hide　bags；　whereon　instantly　there　flowed　out　a　stream　of　beads

and　nuggets。　〃Now；　my　friend；　am　I　a　liar？〃　he　asked。



At　this　wondrous　sight　Jacob's　terror　seemed　to　depart　from　him；　and

he　grew　cunning。



〃Beautiful；　beautiful！〃　he　said；　〃more　than　I　thoughtsacks　and　sacks

of　gold。　I　shall　be　a　king　indeed。　No；　no；　it　is　all　a　dreamlike　the

rest。　I　don't　believe　it's　there。　Loose　my　arms　and　let　me　feel　it。〃



〃Untie　him；〃　said　Robert；　at　the　same　time　drawing　his　pistol　and

covering　the　man；　〃he　can't　do　us　any　hurt。〃



The　Kaffirs　obeyed；　and　Jacob；　springing　at　the　slashed　bag；　plunged

his　thin　hands　into　it。



〃No　lie；〃　he　screamed；　〃no　lie；〃　as　he　dragged　the　stuff　out　and　smelt

at　it。　〃Gold；　gold；　gold！　Hundreds　of　thousands　of　pounds'　worth　of

gold！　Let's　make　a　bargain；　Englishman；　and　I　won't　kill　you　as　I

meant　to　do。　You　take　the　girl　and　give　me　all　the　gold；〃　and　in　his

ecstasy　he　began　to　pour　the　glittering　ingots　over　his　head　and　body。



〃A　new　version　of　the　tale　of　Dana？；〃　began　Robert　in　a　sarcastic

voice；　then　suddenly　paused；　for　a　change　had　come　over　Jacob's　face；

a　terrible　change。



It　turned　ashen　beneath　the　tan；　his　eyes　grew　large　and　round；　he　put

up　his　hands　as　though　to　thrust　something　from　him；　his　whole　frame

shivered；　and　his　hair　seemed　to　erect　itself。　Slowly　he　retreated

backwards；　and　would　have　fallen　down　the　unclosed　trap…hole　had　not

one　of　the　Kaffirs　pushed　him　away。　Back　he　went；　still　back；　till　he

struck　the　further　wall　and　stood　there；　perhaps　for　half　a　minute。　He

lifted　his　hand　and　pointed　first　to　those　ancient　footprints；　some　of

which　still　remained　in　the　dust　of　the　floor；　and　next；　as　they

thought；　at　Benita。　His　lips　moved　fast；　he　seemed　to　be　pleading；

remonstrating；　yetand　this　was　the　ghastliest　part　of　itfrom　them

there　came　no　sound。　Lastly；　his　eyes　rolled　up　until　only　the　whites

of　them　were　visible；　his　face　became　wet　as　though　water　had　been

poured　over　it；　and；　still　without　a　sound；　he　fell　forward　and　moved

no　more。



So　terrible　was　the　scene　that　with　a　howl　of　fear　the　two　Kaffirs

turned　and　fled　up　the　stairway。　Robert　sprang　to　the　Jew；　dragged　him

over　on　to　his　back；　put　his　hand　upon　his　breast　and　lifted　his

eyelids。



〃Dead；〃　he　said。　〃Stone　dead。　Privation；　brain　excitement；　heart

failurethat's　the　story。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　answered　Benita　faintly；　〃but　really　I　think　that　I　begin

to　believe　in　ghosts　also。　Look；　I　never　noticed　them　before；　and　I

didn't　walk　there；　but　those　footsteps　seem　to　lead　right　up　to　him。〃

Then　she　turned　too　and　fled。







Another　week　had　gone　by。　The　waggons　were　laden　with　a　burden　more

precious　perhaps　than　waggons　have　often　borne　before。　In　one　of　them；

on　a　veritable　bed　of　gold；　slept　Mr。　Clifford；　still　very　weak　and

ill；　but　somewhat　better　than　he　had　been；　and　with　a　good　prospect　of

recovery；　at　any　rate　for　a　while。　They　were　to　trek　a　little　after

dawn；　and　already　Robert　and　Benita　were　up　and　waiting。　She　touched

his　arm　and　said　to　him：



〃Come　with　me。　I　have　a　fancy　to　see　that　place　once　more；　for　the

last　time。〃



So　they　climbed　the　hill　and　the　steep　steps　in　the　topmost　wall　that

Meyer　had　blockedre…opened　nowand　reaching　the　mouth　of　the　cave；

lit　the　lamps　which　they　had　brought　with　them；　and　entered。　There

were　the　fragments　of　the　barricade　that　Benita　had　built　with

desperate　hands；　there　was　the　altar　of　sacrifice　standing　cold　and

grey　as　it　had　stood　for　perhaps　three　thousand　years。　There　was　the

tomb　of　the　old　monk　who　had　a　companion　now；　for　in　it　Jacob　Meyer

lay　with　him；　his　bones　covered　by　the　/débris/　that　he　himself　had

dug　out　in　his　mad　search　for　wealth；　and　there　the　white　Christ　hung

awful　on　His　cross。　Only　the　skeletons　of　the　Portuguese　were　gone；

for　with　the　help　of　his　Kaffirs　Robert　had　moved　them　every　one　into

the　empty　treasure…chamber；　closing　the　trap　beneath；　and　building　up

the　door　above；　so　that　there　they　might　lie　in　peace　at　last。



In　this　melancholy　place　they　tarried　but　a　little　while；　then；

turning　their　backs　upon　it　for　ever；　went　out　and　climbed　the　granite

cone　to　watch　the　sun　rise　over　the　broad　Zambesi。　Up　it　came　in

glory；　that　same　sun　which　had　shone　upon　the　despairing　Benita　da

Ferreira；　and　upon　the　English　Benita　when　she　had　stood　there　in

utter　hopelessness；　and　seen　the　white　man　captured　by　the　Matabele。



Now；　different　was　their　state　indeed；　and　there　in　that　high　place；

whence　perhaps　many　a　wretched　creature　had　been　cast　to　death；　whence

certainly　the　Portuguese　maiden　had　sought　her　death；　these　two　happy

beings　were　not　ashamed　to　give　thanks　to　Heaven　for　the　joy　which　it

had　vouchsafed　to　them；　and　for　their　hopes　of　life　full　and　long　to

be　travelled　hand　in　hand。　Behind　them　was　the　terror　of　the　cave；

beneath　them　were　the　mists　of　the　valley；　but　above　them　the　light

shone　and　rolled　and　sparkled；　and　above　them　stretched　the　eternal

sky！



They　descended　the　pillar；　and　near　the　foot　of　it　saw　an　old　man

sitting。　It　was　Mambo；　the　Molimo　of　the　Makalanga：　even　when　they

were　still　far　away　from　him　they　knew　his　snow…white　head　and　thin；

ascetic　face。　As　they　drew　near　Benita　perceived　that　his　eyes　were

closed；　and　whispered　to　Robert　that　he　was　asleep。　Yet　he　had　heard

them　coming；　and　even　guessed　her　thought。



〃Maiden；〃　he　said　in　his　gentle　voice；　〃maiden　who　soon　shall　be　a

wife；　I　do　not　sleep；　although　I　dream　of　you　as　I　have　dreamt　before。

What　did　I　say　to　you　that　day　when　first　we　met？　That　for　you　I　had

good　tidings；　that　though　death　was　all　about　you；　you　need　not　fear；

that　in　this　place　you　who　had　known　great　sorrow　should　find

happiness　and　rest。　Yet；　maiden；　you　would　not　believe　the　words　of

the　Munwali；　spoken　by　his　prophet's　lips；　as　he　at　your　side；　who

shall　be　your　husband；　would　not　believe　me　in　years　past　when　I　told

him　that　we　should　meet　again。〃



〃Father；〃　she　answered；　〃I　thought　your　rest　was　that　which　we　find

only　in　the　grave。〃



〃You　would　not　believe；〃　he　went　on　without　heeding　her；　〃and

therefore　you　tried　to　fly；　and　therefore　your　heart　was　torn　with

terror　and　with　agony；　when　it　should　have　waited　for　the　end　in

confidence　and　peace。〃



〃Father；　my　trial　was　very　sore。〃



〃Maiden；　I　know　it；　and　because　it　was　so　sore　that　patient　Spirit　of

Bambatse　bore　with　you；　and　through　it　all　guided　your　feet　aright。

Yes；　with　you　has　that　Spirit　gone；　by　day；　by　night；　in　the　morning

and　in　the　evening。　Who　was　it　that　smote　the　man　who　lies　dead　yonder

with　horror　and　with　madness　when　he　would　have　bent　your　will　to　his

and　made　you　a　wife　to　him？　Who　was　it　that　told　you　the　secret　of　the

treasure…pit；　and　what　footsteps　went　before　you　down　its　stair？　Who

was　it　that　led　you　past　the　sentries　of　the　Amandabele　and　gave　you

wit　and　power　to　snatch　your　lord's　life　from　Maduna's　bloody　hand？

Yes；　with　you　it　has　gone　and　with　you　it　will　go。　No　more　shall　the

White　Witch　stand　upon　the　pillar　point　at　the　rising　of　the　sun；　or

in　the　shining　of　the　moon。〃



〃Father；　I　have　never　understood　you；　and　I　do　not　understand　you

now；〃　said　Benita。　〃What　has　this　spirit　to　do　with　me？〃



He　smiled　a　little；　then　answered　slowly：



〃That　I　may　not　tell　you；　that　you　shall　learn　one　day；　but　never

here。　When　you　also　have　entered　into　silence；　then　you　shall　learn。