benita-第30部分

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she　was　a　bold…spirited　woman；　and　by　degrees　her　courage　re…asserted

itself。　Indignation　filled　her　breast　and　shone　through　her　dark　eyes。

Suddenly　she　turned　upon　Jacob；　who　sat　before　them　smoking　his　pipe

and　enjoying　their　discomfiture。



〃How　dare　you？〃　she　asked　in　a　low；　concentrated　voice。　〃How　dare　you；

you　coward？〃



He　shrank　a　little　beneath　her　scorn　and　anger；　then　seemed　to　recover

and　brace　himself；　as　one　does　who　feels　that　a　great　struggle　is　at

hand；　upon　the　issue　of　which　everything　depends。



〃Do　not　be　angry　with　me；〃　he　answered。　〃I　cannot　bear　it。　It　hurts

ah！　you　don't　know　how　it　hurts。　Well；　I　will　tell　you；　and　before

your　father；　for　that　is　more　honourable。　I　darefor　your　sake。〃



〃For　my　sake？　How　can　it　benefit　me　to　be　cooped　up　in　this　horrible

place　with　you？　I　would　rather　trust　myself　with　the　Makalanga；　or

even；〃　she　added　with　bitter　scorn；　〃even　with　those　bloody…minded

Matabele。〃



〃You　ran　away　from　them　very　fast　a　little　while　ago；　Miss　Clifford。

But　you　do　not　understand　me。　When　I　said　for　your　sake；　I　meant　for

my　own。　See；　now。　You　tried　to　leave　me　the　other　day　and　did　not

succeed。　Another　time　you　might　succeed；　and　thenwhat　would　happen

to　me？〃



〃I　do　not　know；　Mr。　Meyer；〃　and　her　eyes　added〃I　do　not　care。〃



〃Ah！　but　I　know。　Last　time　it　drove　me　nearly　mad；　next　time　I　should

go　quite　mad。〃



〃Because　you　believe　that　through　me　you　will　find　this　treasure　of

which　you　dream　day　and　night；　Mr。　Meyer〃



〃Yes；〃　he　interrupted　quickly。　〃Because　I　believe　that　in　you　I　shall

find　the　treasure　of　which　I　dream　day　and　night；　and　because　that

treasure　has　become　necessary　to　my　life。〃



Benita　turned　quickly　towards　her　father；　who　was　puzzling　over　the

words；　but　before　either　of　them　could　speak　Jacob　passed　his　hand

across　his　brow　in　a　bewildered　way　and　said：



〃What　was　I　talking　of？　The　treasure；　yes；　the　uncountable　treasure　of

pure　gold；　that　lies　hid　so　deep；　that　is　so　hard　to　discover　and　to

possess；　the　useless；　buried　treasure　that　would　bring　such　joy　and

glory　to　us　both；　if　only　it　could　be　come　at　and　reckoned　out；　piece

by　piece；　coin　by　coin；　through　the　long；　long　years　of　life。〃



Again　he　paused；　then　went　on。



〃Well；　Miss　Clifford；　you　are　quite　right；　that　is　why　I　have　dared　to

make　you　a　prisoner；　because；　as　the　old　Molimo　said；　the　treasure　is

yours　and　I　wish　to　share　it。　Now；　about　this　treasure；　it　seems　that

it　can't　be　found；　can　it；　although　I　have　worked　so　hard？〃　and　he

looked　at　his　delicate；　scarred　hands。



〃Quite　so；　Mr。　Meyer；　it　can't　be　found；　so　you　had　better　let　us　go

down　to　the　Makalanga。〃



〃But　there　is　a　way；　Miss　Clifford；　there　is　a　way。　You　know　where　it

lies；　and　you　can　show　me。〃



〃If　I　knew　I　would　show　you　soon　enough；　Mr。　Meyer；　for　then　you　could

take　the　stuff　and　our　partnership　would　be　at　an　end。〃



〃Not　until　it　is　divided　ounce　by　ounce　and　coin　by　coin。　But　first

first　you　must　show　me；　as　you　say　you　will；　and　as　you　can。〃



〃How；　Mr。　Meyer？　I　am　not　a　magician。〃



〃Ah！　but　you　are。　I　will　tell　you　how；　having　your　promise。　Listen

now；　both　of　you。　I　have　studied。　I　know　a　great　many　secret　things；

and　I　read　in　your　face　that　you　have　the　giftlet　me　look　in　your

eyes　a　while；　Miss　Clifford；　and　you　will　go　to　sleep　quite　gently；

and　then　in　your　sleep；　which　shall　not　harm　you　at　all；　you　will　see

where　that　gold　lies　hidden；　and　you　will　tell　us。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Benita；　bewildered。



〃I　know　what　he　means；〃　broke　in　Mr。　Clifford。　〃You　mean　that　you　want

to　mesmerize　her　as　you　did　the　Zulu　chief。〃



Benita　opened　her　lips　to　speak；　but　Meyer　said　quickly：



〃No；　no；　hear　me　first　before　you　refuse。　You　have　the　gift；　the

precious　gift　of　clairvoyance；　that　is　so　rare。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that；　Mr。　Meyer？　I　have　never　been　mesmerized　in　my

life。〃



〃It　does　not　matter　how。　I　do　know　it；　I　have　been　sure　of　it　from　the

moment　when　first　we　met；　that　night　by　the　kloof。　Although；　perhaps；

you　felt　nothing　then；　it　was　that　gift　of　yours　working　upon　a　mind

in　tune；　my　mind；　which　led　me　there　in　time　to　save　you；　as　it　was

that　gift　of　yours　which　warned　you　of　the　disaster　about　to　happen　to

the　shipoh！　I　have　heard　the　story　from　your　own　lips。　Your　spirit

can　loose　itself　from　the　body：　it　can　see　the　past　and　the　future；　it

can　discover　the　hidden　things。〃



〃I　do　not　believe　it；〃　answered　Benita；　〃but　at　least　it　shall　not　be

loosed　by　you。〃



〃It　shall；　it　shall；〃　he　cried　with　passion；　his　eyes　blazing　on　her

as　he　spoke。　〃Oh！　I　foresaw　all　this；　and　that　is　why　I　was　determined

you　should　come　with　us；　so　that；　should　other　means　fail；　we　might

have　your　power　to　fall　back　upon。　Well；　they　have　failed；　I　have　been

patient；　I　have　said　nothing；　but　now　there　is　no　other　way。　Will　you

be　so　selfish；　so　cruel；　as　to　deny　me；　you　who　can　make　us　all　rich

in　an　hour；　and　take　no　hurt　at　all；　no　more　than　if　you　had　slept

awhile？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Benita。　〃I　refuse　to　deliver　my　will　into　the　keeping

of　any　living　man；　and　least　of　all　into　yours；　Mr。　Meyer。〃



He　turned　to　her　father　with　a　gesture　of　despair。



〃Cannot　you　persuade　her；　Clifford？　She　is　your　daughter；　she　will

obey　you。〃



〃Not　in　that；〃　said　Benita。



〃No；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford。　〃I　cannot；　and　I　wouldn't　if　I　could。　My

daughter　is　quite　right。　Moreover；　I　hate　this　supernatural　kind　of

thing。　If　we　can't　find　this　gold　without　it；　then　we　must　let　it

alone；　that　is　all。〃



Meyer　turned　aside　to　hide　his　face；　and　presently　looked　up　again；

and　spoke　quite　softly。



〃I　suppose　that　I　must　accept　my　answer；　but　when　you　talked　of　any

living　man　just　now；　Miss　Clifford；　did　you　include　your　father？〃



She　shook　her　head。



〃Then　will　you　allow　him　to　try　to　mesmerize　you？〃



Benita　laughed。



〃Oh；　yes；　if　he　likes；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　do　not　think　that　the

operation　will　be　very　successful。〃



〃Good；　we　will　see　to…morrow。　Now；　like　you；　I　am　tired。　I　am　going　to

bed　in　my　new　camp　by　the　wall；〃　he　added　significantly。



*****



〃Why　are　you　so　dead　set　against　this　business？〃　asked　her　father；

when　he　had　gone。



〃Oh；　father！〃　she　answered；　〃can't　you　see；　don't　you　understand？　Then

it　is　hard　to　have　to　tell　you；　but　I　must。　In　the　beginning　Mr。　Meyer

only　wanted　the　gold。　Now　he　wants　more；　me　as　well　as　the　gold。　I

hate　him！　You　know　that　is　why　I　ran　away。　But　I　have　read　a　good　deal

about　this　mesmerism；　and　seen　it　once　or　twice；　and　who　knows？　If

once　I　allow　his　mind　to　master　my　mind；　although　I　hate　him　so　much；

I　might　become　his　slave。〃



〃I　understand　now；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford。　〃Oh；　why　did　I　ever　bring　you

here？　It　would　have　been　better　if　I　had　never　seen　your　face　again。〃







On　the　morrow　the　experiment　was　made。　Mr。　Clifford　attempted　to

mesmerize　his　daughter。　All　the　morning　Jacob；　who；　it　now　appeared；

had　practical　knowledge　of　this　doubtful　art；　tried　to　instruct　him

therein。　In　the　course　of　the　lesson　he　informed　him　that　for　a　short

period　in　the　past；　having　great　natural　powers　in　that　direction；　he

had　made　use　of　them　professionally；　only　giving　up　the　business

because　he　found　it　wrecked　his　health。　Mr。　Clifford　remarked　that　he

had　never　told　him　that　before。



〃There　are　lots　of　things　in　my　life　that　I　have　never　told　you；〃

replied　Jacob　with　a　little　secret　smile。　〃For　instance；　once　I

mesmerized　you；　although　you　did　not　know　it；　and　that　is　why　you

always　have　to　do　what　I　want　you　to；　except　when　your　daughter　is

near　you；　for　her　influence　is　stronger　than　mine。〃



Mr。　Clifford　stared　at　him。



〃No　wonder　Benita　won't　let　you　mesmerize　her；〃　he　said　shortly。



Then　Jacob　saw　his　mistake。



〃You　are　more　foolish　than　I　thought；〃　he　said。　〃How　could　I　mesmerize

you　without　your　knowing　it？　I　was　only　laughing　at　you。〃



〃I　didn't　see　the　laugh；〃　replied　Mr。　Clifford　uneasily；　and　they　went

on　with　the　lesson。



That　afternoon　it　was　put　to　proofin　the　cave　itself；　where　Meyer

seemed　to　think　that　the　influences　would　be　propitious。　Benita；　who

found　some　amusement　in　the　performance；　was　seated　upon　the　stone

steps　underneath　the　crucifix；　one　lamp　on　the　altar　and　others　one

each　side　of　her。



In　front　stood　her　father；　staring　at　her　and　waving　his　hands

mysteriously　in　obedience　to　Jacob's　directions。　So　ridiculous　did　he

look　indeed　while　thus　engaged　that　Benita　had　the　greatest　difficulty

in　preventing　herself　from　bursting　into　laughter。　This　was　the　only

effect　which　his　grimaces　and　gesticulations　produced　upon　her；

although　outwardly　she　kept　a　solemn　appearance；　and　even　from　time　to

time　shut　her　eyes　to　encourage　him。　Once；　when　she　opened　them　again；

it　was　to　perceive　that　he　was　becoming　very　hot　and　exhausted；　and

that　Jacob　was　watching　him　with　such　an　unpleasant　intentness　that

she　re…closed　her　eyes　that　she　might　not　see　his　face。



It　was　shortly　after　this　that　of　a　sudden　Benita　did　feel　something；

a　kind　of　penetrating　power　flowing　upon　her；　something　soft　and

subtle　that　seemed　to　creep　into　her　brain　like　the　sound　of　her

mother's　lullaby　in　the　dim　years　ago。　She　began　to　think　that　she　was

a　lost　traveller　among　alpine　snows　wrapped　round　by　snow；　falling；

falling　in　ten　myriad　flakes；　every　one　of　them　with　a　little　heart　of

fire。　Then　it　came　to　her　that　she　had　heard　this　snow…sleep　was

dangerous；　the　last　of　all　sleeps；　and　that　its　victims　must　rouse

themselves；　or　die。



Benita　roused　herself　just　in　timeonly　just；　for　now　she　was　being

borne　over　the　edge　of　a　precipice　upon　the　wings　of　swans；　and

beneath　her　was　darkness　wherein　dim　figures　walked　with　lamps　where

their　hearts　should　be。　Oh；　how　heavy　were　her　eyelids！　Surely　a

weight　hung　to　each　of　them；　a　golden