benita-第40章

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〃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。

But　I　say　to　you　that　this　shall　not　be　till　your　hair　is　as　white　as

mine；　and　your　years　are　as　many。　Ah！　you　thought　that　I　had　deserted

you；　when　fearing　for　your　father's　life　you　wept　and　prayed　in　the

darkness　of　the　cave。　Yet　it　was　not　so；　for　I　did　but　suffer　the　doom

which　I　had　read　to　fulfil　itself　as　it　must　do。〃



He　rose　to　his　feet　and；　resting　on　his　staff；　laid　one　withered　hand

upon　the　head　of　Benita。



〃Maiden；〃　he　said；　〃we　meet　no　more　beneath　the　sun。　Yet　because　you

have　brought　deliverance　to　my　people；　because　you　are　sweet　and　pure

and　true；　take　with　you　the　blessing　of　Munwali；　spoken　by　the　mouth

of　his　servant　Mambo；　the　old　Molimo　of　Bambatse。　Though　from　time　to

time　you　must　know　tears　and　walk　in　the　shade　of　sorrows；　long　and

happy　shall　be　your　days　with　him　whom　you　have　chosen。　Children　shall

spring　up　about　you；　and　children's　children；　and　with　them　also　shall

the　blessing　go。　The　gold　you　white　folk　love　is　yours；　and　it　shall

multiply　and　give　food　to　the　hungry　and　raiment　to　those　that　are

a…cold。　Yet　in　your　own　heart　lies　a　richer　store　that　cannot　melt

away；　the　countless　treasure　of　mercy　and　of　love。　When　you　sleep　and

when　you　wake　Love　shall　take　you　by　the　hand；　till　at　length　he　leads

you　through　life's　dark　cave　to　that　eternal　house　of　purest　gold

which　soon　or　late　those　that　seek　it　shall　inherit；〃　and　with　his

staff　he　pointed　to　the　glowing　morning　sky　wherein　one　by　one　little

rosy　clouds　floated　upwards　and　were　lost。



To　Robert　and　to　Benita's　misty　eyes　they　looked　like　bright…winged

angels　throwing　wide　the　black　doors　of　night；　and　heralding　that

conquering　glory　at　whose　advent　despair　and　darkness　flee　away。











End