benita-第8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！
have done with men。 At the least I will try the place and see how I
get on。〃
〃Very well；〃 answered her father with a sigh of relief。 〃You can
always come back； can't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said indifferently。 〃I suppose that I can always come
back。〃
V
JACOB MEYER
More than three weeks had gone by when one morning Benita； who slept
upon the cartel or hide…strung bed in the waggon； having dressed
herself as best she could in that confined place； thrust aside the
curtain and seated herself upon the voorkisse； or driving…box。 The sun
was not yet up； and the air was cold with frost； for they were on the
Transvaal high…veld at the end of winter。 Even through her thick cloak
Benita shivered and called to the driver of the waggon； who also acted
as cook； and whose blanket…draped form she could see bending over a
fire into which he was blowing life； to make haste with the coffee。
〃By and by； Missieby and by；〃 he answered； coughing the rank smoke
from his lungs。 〃Kettle no sing yet； and fire black as hell。〃
Benita reflected that popular report painted this locality red； but
without entering into argument sat still upon the chest waiting till
the water boiled and her father appeared。
Presently he emerged from under the side flap of the waggon where he
slept； and remarking that it was really too cold to think of washing；
climbed to her side by help of the disselboom； and kissed her。
〃How far are we now from Rooi Krantz； Father？〃 she asked； for that was
the name of Mr。 Clifford's farm。
〃About forty miles； dear。 The waggon cannot make it to…night with
these two sick oxen； but after the midday outspan we will ride on； and
be there by sundown。 I am afraid you are tired of this trekking。〃
〃No；〃 she answered。 〃I like it very much； it is so restful； and I
sleep sound upon that cartel。 I feel as though I should like to trek
on for the rest of my life。〃
〃So you shall if you wish； dear； for whole months。 South Africa is
big； and when the grass grows； if you still wish it； we will take a
long journey。〃
She smiled； but made no answer； knowing that he was thinking of the
place so far away where he believed that once the Portuguese had
buried gold。
The kettle was singing now merrily enough； and Hans； the cook； lifting
it from the fire in triumphfor his blowing exertions had been
severepoured into it a quantity of ground coffee from an old mustard
tin。 Then； having stirred the mixture with a stick； he took a red
ember from the fire and dropped it into the kettle； a process which；
as travellers in the veld know well； has a clearing effect upon the
coffee。 Next he produced pannikins； and handed them up with a pickle
jar full of sugar to Mr。 Clifford； upon the waggon chest。 Milk they
had none； yet that coffee tasted a great deal better than it looked；
indeed； Benita drank two cups of it to warm herself and wash down the
hard biscuit。 Before the day was over glad enough was she that she had
done so。
The sun was rising； huge and red it looked seen through the clinging
mist； and； their breakfast finished； Mr。 Clifford gave orders that the
oxen； which were filling themselves with the dry grass near at hand；
should be got up and inspanned。 The voorlooper； a Zulu boy； who had
left them for a little while to share the rest of the coffee with
Hans； rose from his haunches with a grunt； and departed to fetch them。
A minute or two later Hans ceased from his occupation of packing up
the things； and said in a low voice：
〃/Kek！/ Baas〃that is 〃Look！〃
Following the line of his outstretched hand； Benita and her father
perceived； not more than a hundred yards away from them； a great troop
of wilderbeeste； or gnu； travelling along a ridge； and pausing now and
again to indulge in those extraordinary gambols which cause the Boers
to declare that these brutes have a worm in their brains。
〃Give me my rifle； Hans；〃 said Mr。 Clifford。 〃We want meat。〃
By the time that the Westley…Richards was drawn from its case and
loaded； only one buck remained； for； having caught sight of the
waggon； it turned to stare at it suspiciously。 Mr。 Clifford aimed and
fired。 Down went the buck； then springing to its feet again； vanished
behind the ridge。 Mr。 Clifford shook his head sadly。
〃I don't often do that sort of thing； my dear； but the light is still
very bad。 Still； he's hit。 What do you say？ Shall we get on the horses
and catch him？ A canter would warm you。〃
Benita； who was tender…hearted； reflected that it would be kinder to
put the poor creature out of its pain； and nodded her head。 Five
minutes later they were cantering together up the rise； Mr。 Clifford
having first ordered the waggon to trek on till they rejoined it； and
slipped a packet of cartridges into his pocket。 Beyond the rise lay a
wide stretch of marshy ground； bordered by another rise half a mile or
more away； from the crest of whichfor now the air was clear enough
they saw the wounded bull standing。 On they went after him； but before
they could come within shot； he had moved forward once more； for he
was only lightly hurt in the flank； and guessed whence his trouble
came。
Again and again did he retreat as they drew near； until at length；
just as Mr。 Clifford was about to dismount to risk a long shot； the
beast took to its heels in earnest。
〃Come on；〃 he said； 〃don't let's be beat；〃 for by this time the hunter
was alive in him。
So off they went at a gallop； up slopes and down slopes that reminded
Benita of the Bay of Biscay in a storm； across half…dried vleis that
in the wet season were ponds； through stony ground and patches of ant…
bear holes in which they nearly came to grief。 For five miles at least
the chase went on； since at the end of winter the wilderbeeste was
thin and could gallop well； notwithstanding its injury； faster even
than their good horses。 At last； rising a ridge； they found whither it
was going； for suddenly they were in the midst of vast herds of game；
thousands and tens of thousands of them stretching as far as the eye
could reach。
It was a wondrous sight that now； alas！ will be seen no moreat any
rate upon the Transvaal veld； wilderbeeste； blesbok； springbok； in
countless multitudes； and amongst them a few quagga and hartebeeste。
With a sound like that of thunder； their flashing myriad hoofs casting
up clouds of dust from the fire…blackened veld； the great herds
separated at the appearance of their enemy； man。 This way and that
they went in groups and long brown lines； leaving the wounded and
exhausted wilderbeeste behind them； so that presently he was the sole
tenant of that great cup of land。
At him they rode till Mr。 Clifford； who was a little ahead of his
daughter； drew almost alongside。 Then the poor maddened brute tried
its last shift。 Stopping suddenly； it wheeled round and charged head
down。 Mr。 Clifford； as it came； held out his rifle in his right hand
and fired at a hazard。 The bullet passed through the bull； but could
not stop its charge。 Its horns； held low； struck the forelegs of the
horse； and next instant horse； man； and wilderbeeste rolled on the
veld together。
Benita； who was fifty yards behind； uttered a little cry of fear； but
before ever she reached him； her father had risen laughing； for he was
quite unhurt。 The horse； too； was getting up； but the bull could rise
no more。 It struggled to its forefeet； uttered a kind of sobbing
groan； stared round wildly； and rolled over； dead。
〃I never knew a wilderbeeste charge like that before；〃 said Mr。
Clifford。 〃Confound it！ I believe my horse is lamed。〃
Lamed it was； indeed； where the bull had struck the foreleg； though；
as it chanced； not badly。 Having tied a handkerchief to the horn of
the buck in order to scare away the vultures； and thrown some tufts of
dry grass upon its body； which he proposed； if possible； to fetch or
send for； Mr。 Clifford mounted his lame horse and headed for the
waggon。 But they had galloped farther than they thought； and it was
midday before they came to what they took to be the road。 As there was
no spoor upon it； they followed this track backwards； expecting to
find the waggon outspanned； but although they rode for mile upon mile；
no waggon could they see。 Then； realizing their mistake； they retraced
their steps； and leaving this path at the spot where they had found
it； struck off again to the right。
Meanwhile； the sky was darkening； and at about three o'clock in the
afternoon a thunderstorm broke over them accompanied by torrents of
icy rain； the first fall of the spring； and a bitter wind which
chilled them through。 More； after the heavy rain came drizzle and a
thick mist that deepened as evening approached。
Now their plight was very wretched。 Lost； starved； soaked to the skin；
with tired horses one of which was lame； they wandered about on the
lonely veld。 Only one stroke of fortune came to them。 As the sun set；
for a few moments its rays pierced the mist； telling them in what
direction they should go。 Turning their horses； they headed for it；
and so rode on until the darkness fell。 Then they halted a while； but
feeling that if they stood still in that horrible cold they would
certainly perish before morning； once more pushed on again。 By now Mr。
Clifford's horse was almost too lame to ride； so he led it； walking at
his daughter's side； and reproaching himself bitterly for his
foolishness in having brought her into this trouble。
〃It doesn't matter； Father；〃 she answered wearily； for she was very
tired。 〃Nothing matters； one may as well die upon the veld as in the
sea or anywhere else。〃
On they plodded； they knew not whither。 Benita fell asleep upon her
saddle； and was awakened once by a hyena howling quite close to them；
and once by her horse falling to its knees。
〃What is the time？〃 she said at last。
Her father struck a match and looked at his watch。 It was ten o'clock；
they had been fifteen hours away from the waggon and without food。 At
intervals Mr。 Clifford； who had remounted； fired his rifle。 Now there
was but one cartridge left； and having caught sight of his daughter's
exhausted face by the light of the match； he fired this also； though
in that desperate wilderness there was little hope of its bringing
succour。
〃Shall we stop or go on？〃 he asked。
〃I do not care；〃 she answered。 〃Only if I stop I think it will be for
ever。 Let us go on。〃
Now the rain had ceased； but the mist was as dense as before。 Also
they seemed to have got among bush； for wet leaves brushed their
faces。 Utterly exhausted they stumbled forward； till suddenly Benita
felt her horse stop as though a hand had seized its bridle； and heard
a man's voice； speaking with a foreign accent； say：
〃Mein Gott！ Where are you going？〃
〃I wish I knew；〃 she answered； like one in a dream。
At t
