benita-第25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！



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

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

mentioned　that　they　were　going　to　have　an　outing；　to　climb　down　the

ladder　and　visit　the　Makalanga　camp　between　the　first　and　second　walls

and　mix　with　the　great　world　for　a　few　hours；　also　to　carry　their

washing　to　be　done　there；　and　bring　up　some　clean　clothes　and　certain

books　which　she　had　left　below。



Jacob　came　out　of　his　thoughts　and　calculations；　and　listened

gloomily。



〃I　have　half　a　mind　to　come　with　you；〃　he　said；　words　at　which　Benita

shivered。　〃It　certainly　is　most　cursed　lonesome　in　that　cave；　and　I

seem　to　hear　things　in　it；　as　though　those　old　bones　were　rattling；

sounds　like　sighs　and　whispers　too；　which　are　made　by　the　draught。〃



〃Well；　why　don't　you？〃　asked　Benita。



It　was　a　bold　stroke；　but　it　succeeded。　If　he　had　any　doubts　they

vanished；　and　he　answered　at　once：



〃Because　I　have　not　the　time。　We　have　to　get　this　business　finished

one　way　or　another　before　the　wet　season　comes　on；　and　we　are　drowned

out　of　the　place　with　rain；　or　rotted　by　fever。　Take　your　afternoon

out；　Miss　Clifford；　every　maid　of　all　work　is　entitled　to　as　much；　and

I　am　afraid　that　is　your　billet　here。　Only；〃　he　added；　with　that　care

for　her　safety　which　he　always　showed　in　his　more　temperate　moods；

〃pray　be　careful；　Clifford；　to　get　back　before　sundown。　That　wall　is

too　risky　for　your　daughter　to　climb　in　the　dusk。　Call　me　from　the

foot　of　it；　you　have　the　whistle；　and　I　will　come　down　to　help　her　up。

I　think　I'll　go　with　you　after　all。　No；　I　won't。　I　made　myself　so

unpleasant　to　them　yesterday　that　those　Makalanga　can't　wish　to　see

any　more　of　me　at　present。　I　hope　you　will　have　a　more　agreeable

afternoon　than　I　shall。　Why　don't　you　take　a　ride　outside　the　wall？

Your　horses　are　fat　and　want　exercise；　and　I　do　not　think　that　you

need　be　afraid　of　the　Matabele。〃　Then　without　waiting　for　an　answer；

he　rose　and　left　them。



Mr。　Clifford　looked　after　him　doubtfully。



〃Oh；　I　know；〃　said　Benita；　〃it　seems　horribly　mean；　but　one　must　do

shabby　things　sometimes。　Here　are　the　bundles　all　ready；　so　let　us　be

off。〃



Accordingly　they　went；　and　from　the　top　of　the　wall　Benita　glanced

back　to　bid　goodbye　to　that　place　which　she　hoped　never　to　see　again。

Yet　she　could　not　feel　as　though　she　looked　her　last　upon　it；　to　her

it　wore　no　air　of　farewell；　and　even　as　she　descended　the　perilous

stairs；　she　found　herself　making　mental　notes　as　to　how　they　might

best　be　climbed　again。　Also；　she　could　not　believe　that　she　had　done

with　Mr。　Meyer。　It　seemed　to　her　as　though　for　a　long　while　yet　her

future　would　be　full　of　him。



They　reached　the　outer　fortifications　in　safety；　and　there　were

greeted　with　some　surprise　but　with　no　displeasure　by　the　Makalanga；

whom　they　found　still　drilling　with　the　rifles；　in　the　use　of　which　a

certain　number　of　them　appeared　to　have　become　fairly　proficient。

Going　to　the　hut　in　which　the　spare　goods　from　the　waggon　had　been

stored；　they　quickly　made　their　preparations。　Here　also；　Mr。　Clifford

wrote　a　letter；　one　of　the　most　unpleasant　that　he　had　ever　been

called　upon　to　compose。　It　ran　thus：



　〃Dear　Meyer；



　〃I　don't　know　what　you　will　think　of　us；　but　we　are　escaping　from

　　this　place。　The　truth　is　that　I　am　not　well；　and　my　daughter　can

　　bear　it　no　longer。　She　says　that　if　she　stops　here；　she　will　die；

　　and　that　hunting　for　treasure　in　that　ghastly　grave…yard　is

　　shattering　her　nerves。　I　should　have　liked　to　tell　you；　but　she

　　begged　me　not；　being　convinced　that　if　I　did；　you　would　over…

　　persuade　us　or　stop　us　in　some　way。　As　for　the　gold；　if　you　can

　　find　it；　take　it　all。　I　renounce　my　share。　We　are　leaving　you　the

　　waggon　and　the　oxen；　and　starting　down　country　on　our　horses。　It

　　is　a　perilous　business；　but　less　so　than　staying　here；　under　the

　　circumstances。　If　we　never　meet　again　we　hope　that　you　will

　　forgive　us；　and　wish　you　all　good　fortune。Yours　sincerely　and

　　with　much　regret；



〃T。　Clifford。〃





The　letter　written；　they　saddled　the　horses　which　had　been　brought　up

for　their　inspection；　and　were　found　to　be　in　good　case；　and　fastened

their　scanty　belongings；　and　as　many　cartridges　as　they　could　carry　in

packs　behind　their　saddles。　Then；　each　of　them　armed　with　a　riflefor

during　their　long　journeyings　Benita　had　learned　to　shootthey

mounted　and　made　for　the　little　side…entrance；　as　the　main　gate

through　which　they　had　passed　on　their　arrival　was　now　built　up。　This

side…entrance；　a　mere　slit　in　the　great　wall；　with　a　precipitous

approach；　was　open；　for　now　that　their　fear　of　the　Matabele　had　to

some　extent　passed　off；　the　Makalanga　used　it　to　drive　their　sheep　and

goats　in　and　out；　since　it　was　so　constructed　with　several　twists　and

turns　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall；　that　in　a　few　minutes　it　could　be

effectually　blocked　by　stones　that　lay　at　hand。　Also；　the　ancient

architect　had　arranged　it　in　such　a　fashion　that　it　was　entirely

commanded　from　the　crest　of　the　wall　on　either　side。



The　Makalanga；　who　had　been　watching　their　proceedings　curiously；　made

no　attempt　to　stop　them；　although　they　guessed　that　they　might　have　a

little　trouble　with　the　sentries　who　guarded　the　entrances　all　day；

and　even　when　it　was　closed　at　night；　with　whom　also　Mr。　Clifford

proposed　to　leave　the　letter。　When　they　reached　the　place；　however；

and　had　dismounted　to　lead　the　horses　down　the　winding　passage　and　the

steep　ascent　upon　its　further　side；　it　was　to　find　that　the　only　guard

visible　proved　to　be　the　old　Molimo　himself；　who　sat　there；　apparently

half　asleep。



But　as　they　came　he　showed　himself　to　be　very　much　awake；　for　without

moving　he　asked　them　at　once　whither　they　were　going。



〃To　take　a　ride；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford。　〃The　lady；　my　daughter；　is

weary　of　being　cooped　up　in　this　fortress；　and　wishes　to　breathe　the

air　without。　Let　us　pass；　friend；　or　we　shall　not　be　back　by　sunset。〃



〃If　you　be　coming　back　at　sunset；　white　man；　why　do　you　carry　so　many

things　upon　your　packs；　and　why　are　your　saddle…bags　filled　with

cartridges？〃　he　asked。　〃Surely　you　do　not　speak　the　truth　to　me；　and

you　hope　that　never　more　will　you　see　the　sun　set　upon　Bambatse。〃



Now　understanding　that　it　was　hopeless　to　deceive　him；　Benita

exclaimed　boldly：



〃It　is　so；　but　oh！　my　Father；　stay　us　not；　for　fear　is　behind　us；　and

therefore　we　fly　hence。〃



〃And　is　there　no　fear　before　you；　maiden？　Fear　of　the　wilderness；

where　none　wander　save　perchance　the　Amandabele　with　their　bloody

spears；　fear　of　wild　beasts　and　of　sickness　that　may　overtake　you　so

that；　first　one　and　then　the　other；　you　perish　there？〃



〃There　is　plenty；　my　Father；　but　none　of　them　so　bad　as　the　fear

behind。　Yonder　place　is　haunted；　and　we　give　up　our　search　and　would

dwell　there　no　more。〃



〃It　is　haunted　truly；　maiden；　but　its　spirits　will　not　harm　you　whom

they　welcome　as　one　appointed；　and　we　are　ever　ready　to　protect　you

because　of　their　command　that　has　come　to　me　in　dreams。　Nor；　indeed；

is　it　the　spirits　whom　you　fear；　but　rather　the　white　man；　your

companion；　who　would　bend　you　to　his　will。　Deny　it　not；　for　I　have

seen　it　all。〃



〃Then　knowing　the　truth；　surely　you　will　let　us　go；〃　she　pleaded；　〃for

I　swear　to　you　that　I　dare　not　stay。〃



〃Who　am　I　that　I　should　forbid　you？〃　he　asked。　〃Yet　I　tell　you　that

you　would　do　well　to　stay　and　save　yourselves　much　terror。　Maiden；

have　I　not　said　it　days　and　day　ago；　that　here　and　here　only　you　must

accomplish　your　fate？　Go　now　if　you　will；　but　you　shall　return　again；〃

and　once　more　he　seemed　to　begin　to　doze　in　the　sun。



The　two　of　them　consulted　hastily　together。



〃It　is　no　use　turning　back　now；〃　said　Benita；　who　was　almost　weeping

with　doubt　and　vexation。　〃I　will　not　be　frightened　by　his　vague　talk。

What　can　he　know　of　the　future　more　than　any　of　the　rest　of　us？

Besides；　all　he　says　is　that　we　shall　come　back　again；　and　if　that

does　happen；　at　least　we　shall　have　been　free　for　a　little　while。

Come；　father。〃



〃As　you　wish；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford；　who　seemed　too　miserable　and

depressed　to　argue。　Only　he　threw　down　the　letter　upon　the　Molimo's

lap；　and　begged　him　to　give　it　to　Meyer　when　he　came　to　look　for　them。



The　old　man　took　no　notice；　no；　not　even　when　Benita　bade　him　farewell

and　thanked　him　for　his　kindness；　praying　that　all　good　fortune　might

attend　him　and　his　tribe；　did　he　answer　a　single　word　or　even　look　up。

So　they　led　their　horses　down　the　narrow　passage　where　there　was

scarcely　room　for　them　to　pass；　and　up　the　steep　path　beyond。　On　the

further　side　of　the　ancient　ditch　they　remounted　them　while　the

Makalanga　watched　them　from　the　walls；　and　cantered　away　along　the

same　road　by　which　they　had　come。



Now　this　road；　or　rather　track；　ran　first　through　the　gardens　and　then

among　the　countless　ruined　houses　that　in　bygone　ages　formed　the　great

city　whereof　the　mount　Bambatse　had　been　the　citadel　and　sanctuary。

The　relics　of　a　lost　civilization　extended　for　several　miles；　and　were

bounded　by　a　steep　and　narrow　neck　or　pass　in　the　encircling　hills；

the　same　that　Robert　Seymour　and　his　brother　had　found　too　difficult

for　their　waggon　at　the　season　in　which　they　visited　the　place　some

years　before。　This　pass；　or　port　as　it　is　called　in　South　Africa；　had

been　strongly　fortified；　for　on　either　side　of　it　were　the　ruins　of

towers。　Moreover；　at　its　crest　it　was　so　narrow　and　steep…sided　that　a

few　men　posted　there；　even　if　they　were　armed　only　with　bows　and

arrows；　could　hold　an　attacking　force　in　check　for　a　considerable

time。　Beyond　it；　after　the　hill　was　descended；　a　bush…clad　plain

dotted　with　kopjes　and　isolated　granite　pillars　formed　of　boulders

piled　one　upon　another；　rolled　away　for　many　miles。



Mr。　Clifford　and　Benita　had　started　upon　their　mad　journey