benita-第24部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



possible　to　escape　down　the　river　in　a　canoe；　or　in　native　boats　such

as　the　Makalanga　owned　and　used　for　fishing；　or　to　cross　from　bank　to

bank。　Apparently　it　was　impossible；　for　although　the　river　beneath　and

above　them　was　still　enough；　about　a　mile　below　began　a　cataract　that

stretched　as　far　as　she　could　see；　and　was　bordered　on　either　side　by

rocky　hills　covered　with　forest；　over　which；　even　if　they　could　obtain

porters；　a　canoe　could　not　be　carried。　This；　indeed；　she　had　already

heard　from　the　Molimo；　but　knowing　his　timid　nature；　she　wished　to

judge　of　the　matter　for　herself。　It　came　to　this　then：　if　they　were　to

go；　it　must　be　on　the　horses。



Descending　the　cone　Benita　went　to　find　her　father；　to　whom　as　yet　she

had　said　nothing　of　her　plans。　The　opportunity　was　good；　for　she　knew

that　he　would　be　alone。　As　it　chanced；　on　that　afternoon　Meyer　had

gone　down　the　hill　in　order　to　try　to　persuade　the　Makalanga　to　give

them　ten　or　twenty　men　to　help　them　in　their　excavations。　In　this；　it

will　be　remembered；　he　had　already　failed　so　far　as　the　Molimo　was

concerned；　but　he　was　not　a　man　easily　turned　from　his　purpose；　and　he

thought　that　if　he　could　see　Tamas　and　some　of　the　other　captains　he

might　be　able　by　bribery；　threats；　or　otherwise；　to　induce　them　to

forget　their　superstitious　fears；　and　help　in　the　search。　As　a　matter

of　fact；　he　was　utterly　unsuccessful；　since　one　and　all　they　declared

that　for　them　to　enter　that　sacred　place　would　mean　their　deaths；　and

that　the　vengeance　of　Heaven　would　fall　upon　their　tribe　and　destroy

it　root　and　branch。



Mr。　Clifford；　on　whom　all　this　heavy　labour　had　begun　to　tell；　was

taking　advantage　of　the　absence　of　his　taskmaster；　Jacob；　to　sleep

awhile　in　the　hut　which　they　had　now　built　for　themselves　beneath　the

shadow　of　the　baobab…tree。　As　she　reached　it　he　came　out　yawning；　and

asked　her　where　she　had　been。　Benita　told　him。



〃A　giddy　place；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　never　ventured　to　try　it　myself。

What　did　you　go　up　there　for；　dear？〃



〃To　look　at　the　river　while　Mr。　Meyer　was　away；　father；　for　if　he　had

seen　me　do　so　he　would　have　guessed　my　reason；　indeed；　I　dare　say　that

he　will　guess　it　now。〃



〃What　reason；　Benita？〃



〃To　see　whether　it　would　not　be　possible　to　escape　down　it　in　a　boat。

But　there　is　no　chance。　It　is　all　rapids　below；　with　hills　and　rocks

and　trees　on　either　bank。〃



〃What　need　have　you　to　escape　at　present？〃　he　asked　eyeing　her

curiously。



〃Every　need；〃　she　answered　with　passion。　〃I　hate　this　place；　it　is　a

prison；　and　I　loathe　the　very　name　of　treasure。　Also；〃　and　she　paused。



〃Also　what；　dear？〃



〃Also；〃　and　her　voice　sank　to　a　whisper；　as　though　she　feared　that　he

should　overhear　her　even　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　〃also；　I　am　afraid

of　Mr。　Meyer。〃



This　confession　did　not　seem　to　surprise　her　father；　who　merely　nodded

his　head　and　said：



〃Go　on。〃



〃Father；　I　think　that　he　is　going　mad；　and　it　is　not　pleasant　for　us

to　be　cooped　up　here　alone　with　a　madman；　especially　when　he　has　begun

to　speak　to　me　as　he　does　now。〃



〃You　don't　mean　that　he　has　been　impertinent　to　you；〃　said　the　old

man；　flushing　up；　〃for　if　so〃



〃No；　not　impertinentas　yet；〃　and　she　told　him　what　had　passed

between　Meyer　and　herself；　adding；　〃You　see；　father；　I　detest　this

man；　indeed；　I　want　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　man；　for　me　all

that　is　over　and　done　with；〃　and　she　gave　a　dry　little　sob　which

appeared　to　come　from　her　very　heart。　〃And　yet；　he　seems　to　be　getting

some　kind　of　power　over　me。　He　follows　me　about　with　his　eyes；　prying

into　my　mind；　and　I　feel　that　he　is　beginning　to　be　able　to　read　it。　I

can　bear　no　more。　Father；　father；　for　God's　sake；　take　me　away　from

this　hateful　hill　and　its　gold　and　its　dead；　and　let　us　get　out　into

the　veld　again　together。〃



〃I　should　be　glad　enough；　dearest；〃　he　answered。　〃I　have　had　plenty　of

this　wildgoose　chase；　which　I　was　so　mad　as　to　be　led　into　by　the　love

of　wealth。　Indeed；　I　am　beginning　to　believe　that　if　it　goes　on　much

longer　I　shall　leave　my　bones　here。〃



〃And　if　such　a　dreadful　thing　as　that　were　to　happen；　what　would

become　of　me；　alone　with　Jacob　Meyer？〃　she　asked　quietly。　〃I　might

even　be　driven　to　the　same　fate　as　that　poor　girl　two　hundred　years

ago；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　cone　of　rock　behind　her。



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　don't　talk　like　that！〃　he　broke　in。



〃Why　not？　One　must　face　things；　and　it　would　be　better　than　Jacob

Meyer；　for　who　would　protect　me　here？〃



Mr。　Clifford　walked　up　and　down　for　a　few　minutes；　while　his　daughter

watched　him　anxiously。



〃I　can　see　no　plan；〃　he　said；　stopping　opposite　her。　〃We　cannot　take

the　waggon　even　if　there　are　enough　oxen　left　to　draw　it；　for　it　is

his　as　much　as　mine；　and　I　am　sure　that　he　will　never　leave　this

treasure　unless　he　is　driven　away。〃



〃And　I　am　sure　I　hope　that　he　will　not。　But；　father；　the　horses　are

our　own；　it　was　his　that　died；　you　remember。　We　can　ride　away　on

them。〃



He　stared　at　her　and　answered：



〃Yes；　we　could　ride　away　to　our　deaths。　Suppose　they　got　sick　or　lame；

suppose　we　meet　the　Matabele；　or　could　find　no　game　to　shoot；　suppose

one　of　us　fell　illoh！　and　a　hundred　things。　What　then？〃



〃Why；　then　it　is　just　as　well　to　perish　in　the　wilderness　as　here；

where　our　risks　are　almost　as　great。　We　must　take　our　chance；　and

trust　to　God。　Perhaps　He　will　be　merciful　and　help　us。　Listen　now；

father。　To…morrow　is　Sunday；　when　you　and　I　do　no　work　that　we　can

help。　Mr。　Meyer　is　a　Jew；　and　he　won't　waste　Sunday。　Well　now；　I　will

say　that　I　want　to　go　down　to　the　outer　wall　to　fetch　some　clothes

which　I　left　in　the　waggon；　and　to　take　others　for　the　native　women　to

wash；　and　of　course　you　will　come　with　me。　Perhaps　he　will　be

deceived；　and　stay　behind；　especially　as　he　has　been　there　to…day。

Then　we　can　get　the　horses　and　guns　and　ammunition；　and　anything　else

that　we　can　carry　in　the　way　of　food；　and　persuade　the　old　Molimo　to

open　the　gate　for　us。　You　know；　the　little　side　gate　that　cannot　be

seen　from　up　here；　and　before　Mr。　Meyer　misses　us　and　comes　to　look；

we　shall　be　twenty　miles　away；　andhorses　can't　be　overtaken　by　a　man

on　foot。〃



〃He　will　say　that　we　have　deserted　him；　and　that　will　be　true。〃



〃You　can　leave　a　letter　with　the　Molimo　explaining　that　it　was　my

fault；　that　I　was　getting　ill　and　thought　that　I　should　die；　and　that

you　knew　it　would　not　be　fair　to　ask　him　to　come；　and　so　to　lose　the

treasure；　to　every　halfpenny　of　which　he　is　welcome　when　it　is　found。

Oh！　father；　don't　hesitate　any　longer；　say　that　you　will　take　me　away

from　Mr。　Meyer。〃



〃So　be　it　then；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford；　and　as　he　spoke；　hearing　a

sound；　they　looked　up　and　saw　Jacob　approaching　them。



Luckily　he　was　so　occupied　with　his　own　thoughts　that　he　never　noted

the　guilty　air　upon　their　faces；　and　they　had　time　to　compose

themselves　a　little。　But　even　thus　his　suspicions　were　aroused。



〃What　are　you　talking　of　so　earnestly？〃　he　asked。



〃We　were　wondering　how　you　were　getting　on　with　the　Makalanga；〃

answered　Benita；　fibbing　boldly；　〃and　whether　you　would　persuade　them

to　face　the　ghosts。　Did　you？〃



〃Not　I；〃　he　answered　with　a　scowl。　〃Those　ghosts　are　our　worst　enemies

in　this　place；　the　cowards　swore　that　they　would　rather　die。　I　should

have　liked　to　take　some　of　them　at　their　word　and　make　ghosts　of　them；

but　I　remembered　the　situation　and　didn't。　Don't　be　afraid；　Miss

Clifford；　I　never　even　lost　my　temper；　outwardly　at　any　rate。　Well；

there　it　is；　if　they　won't　help　us；　we　must　work　the　harder。　I've　got

a　new　plan；　and　we'll　begin　on　it　to…morrow。〃



〃Not　to…morrow；　Mr。　Meyer；〃　replied　Benita　with　a　smile。　〃It　is

Sunday；　and　we　rest　on　Sunday；　you　know。〃



〃Oh！　I　forgot。　The　Makalanga　with　their　ghosts　and　you　with　your

Sundayreally　I　do　not　know　which　is　the　worse。　Well；　then；　I　must　do

my　own　share　and　yours　too；　I　suppose；〃　and　he　turned　with　a　shrug　of

his　shoulders。







XIV



THE　FLIGHT



The　next　morning；　Sunday；　Meyer　went　to　work　on　his　new　plan。　What　it

was　Benita　did　not　trouble　to　inquire；　but　she　gathered　that　it　had

something　to　do　with　the　measuring　out　of　the　chapel　cave　into　squares

for　the　more　systematic　investigation　of　each　area。　At　twelve　o'clock

he　emerged　for　his　midday　meal；　in　the　course　of　which　he　remarked

that　it　was　very　dreary　working　in　that　place　alone；　and　that　he　would

be　glad　when　it　was　Monday；　and　they　could　accompany　him。　His　words

evidently　disturbed　Mr。　Clifford　not　a　little；　and　even　excited　some

compunction　in　the　breast　of　Benita。



What　would　his　feelings　be；　she　wondered；　when　he　found　that　they　had

run　away；　leaving　him　to　deal　with　their　joint　undertaking　single…

handed！　Almost　was　she　minded　to　tell　him　the　whole　truth；　yetand

this　was　a　curious　evidence　of　the　man's　ascendancy　over　hershe　did

not。　Perhaps　she　felt　that　to　do　so　would　be　to　put　an　end　to　their

scheme；　since　then　by　argument；　blandishments；　threats；　force；　or

appeal　to　their　sense　of　loyalty；　it　mattered　not　which；　he　would

bring　about　its　abandonment。　But　she　wanted　to　fulfil　that　scheme；　to

be　free　of　Bambatse；　its　immemorial　ruins；　its　graveyard　cave；　and　the

ghoul；　Jacob　Meyer；　who　could　delve　among　dead　bones　and　in　living

hearts　with　equal　skill　and　insight；　and　yet　was　unable　to　find　the

treasure　that　lay　beneath　either　of　them。



So　they　hid　the　truth；　and　talked　with　feverish　activity　about　other

things；　such　as　the　drilling　of　the　Makalanga；　and　the　chances　of　an

attack　by　the　Matabele；　which　happily　now　seemed　to　be　growing　small；

also　of　the　conditions　of　their　cattle；　and　the　prospect　of　obtaining

more　to　replace　those　that　had　died。　Indeed；　Benita　went　farther；　in

her　new…found　zeal　of　deception　she　proceeded　to　act　a　lie；　yes；　even

with　her　father's　reproachful　eyes　fixed　upon　her。　Incidentally　sh