benita-第31部分

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

weight　hung　to　each　of　them；　a　golden　weight。　There；　there；　they　were

open；　and　she　saw。　Her　father　had　ceased　his　efforts；　he　was　rubbing

his　brow　with　a　red　pocket…handkerchief；　but　behind　him；　with　rigid

arms　outstretched；　his　glowing　eyes　fastened　on　her　face；　stood　Jacob

Meyer。　By　an　effort　she　sprang　to　her　feet；　shaking　her　head　as　a　dog

does。



〃Have　done　with　this　nonsense；〃　she　said。　〃It　tires　me；〃　and　snatching

one　of　the　lamps　she　ran　swiftly　down　the　place。



Benita　expected　that　Jacob　Meyer　would　be　very　angry　with　her；　and

braced　herself　for　a　scene。　But　nothing　of　the　sort　happened。　A　while

afterwards　she　saw　the　two　of　them　approaching；　engaged　apparently　in

amicable　talk。



〃Mr。　Meyer　says　that　I　am　no　mesmerist；　love；〃　said　her　father；　〃and　I

can　quite　believe　him。　But　for　all　that　it　is　a　weary　job。　I　am　as

tired　as　I　was　after　our　escape　from　the　Matabele。〃



She　laughed　and　answered：



〃To　judge　by　results　I　agree　with　you。　The　occult　is　not　in　your　line；

father。　You　had　better　give　it　up。〃



〃Did　you；　then；　feel　nothing？〃　asked　Meyer。



〃Nothing　at　all；〃　she　answered；　looking　him　in　the　eyes。　〃No；　that's

wrong；　I　felt　extremely　bored　and　sorry　to　see　my　father　making

himself　ridiculous。　Grey　hairs　and　nonsense　of　that　sort　don't　go　well

together。〃



〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃I　agree　with　younot　of　that　sort；〃　and　the

subject　dropped。



For　the　next　few　days；　to　her　intense　relief；　Benita　heard　no　more　of

mesmerism。　To　begin　with；　there　was　something　else　to　occupy　their

minds。　The　Matabele；　tired　of　marching　round　the　fortress　and　singing

endless　war…songs；　had　determined　upon　an　assault。　From　their　point　of

vantage　on　the　topmost　wall　the　three　could　watch　the　preparations

which　they　made。　Trees　were　cut　down　and　brought　in　from　a　great

distance　that　rude　ladders　might　be　fashioned　out　of　them；　also　spies

wandered　round　reconnoitring　for　a　weak　place　in　the　defences。　When

they　came　too　near　the　Makalanga　fired　on　them；　killing　some；　so　that

they　retreated　to　the　camp；　which　they　had　made　in　a　fold　of　ground　at

a　little　distance。　Suddenly　it　occurred　to　Meyer　that　although　here

the　Matabele　were　safe　from　the　Makalanga　bullets；　it　was　commanded

from　the　greater　eminence；　and　by　way　of　recreation　he　set　himself　to

harass　them。　His　rifle　was　a　sporting　Martini；　and　he　had　an　ample

supply　of　ammunition。　Moreover；　he　was　a　beautiful　marksman；　with

sight　like　that　of　a　hawk。



A　few　trial　shots　gave　him　the　range；　it　was　a　shade　under　seven

hundred　yards；　and　then　he　began　operations。　Lying　on　the　top　of　the

wall　and　resting　his　rifle　upon　a　stone；　he　waited　until　the　man　who

was　superintending　the　manufacture　of　the　ladders　came　out　into　the

open；　when；　aiming　carefully；　he　fired。　The　soldier；　a　white…bearded

savage；　sprang　into　the　air；　and　fell　backwards；　while　his　companions

stared　upwards；　wondering　whence　the　bullet　had　come。



〃Pretty；　wasn't　it？〃　said　Meyer　to　Benita；　who　was　watching　through　a

pair　of　field…glasses。



〃I　dare　say；〃　she　answered。　〃But　I　don't　want　to　see　any　more；〃　and

giving　the　glasses　to　her　father；　she　climbed　down　the　wall。



But　Meyer　stayed　there；　and　from　time　to　time　she　heard　the　report　of

his　rifle。　In　the　evening　he　told　her　that　he　had　killed　six　men　and

wounded　ten　more；　adding　that　it　was　the　best　day's　shooting　which　he

could　remember。



〃What　is　the　use　when　there　are　so　many？〃　she　asked。



〃Not　much；〃　he　answered。　〃But　it　annoys　them　and　amuses　me。　Also；　it

was　part　of　our　bargain　that　we　should　help　the　Makalanga　if　they　were

attacked。〃



〃I　believe　that　you　like　killing　people；〃　she　said。



〃I　don't　mind　it；　Miss　Clifford；　especially　as　they　tried　to　kill　you。〃







XVIII



THE　OTHER　BENITA



At　irregular　times；　when　he　had　nothing　else　to　do；　Jacob　went　on　with

his　man…shooting；　in　which　Mr。　Clifford　joined　him；　though　with　less

effect。　Soon　it　became　evident　that　the　Matabele　were　very　much

annoyed　by　the　fatal　accuracy　of　this　fire。　Loss　of　life　they　did　not

mind　in　the　abstract；　but　when　none　of　them　knew　but　that　their　own

turn　might　come　next　to　perish　beneath　these　downward　plunging

bullets；　the　matter　wore　a　different　face　to　them。　To　leave　their　camp

was　not　easy；　since　they　had　made　a　thorn　/boma/　round　it；　to　protect

them　in　case　the　Makalanga　should　make　a　night　sally；　also　they　could

find　no　other　convenient　spot。　The　upshot　of　it　all　was　to　hurry　their

assault；　which　they　delivered　before　they　had　prepared　sufficient

ladders　to　make　it　effective。



At　the　first　break　of　dawn　on　the　third　day　after　Mr。　Clifford's

attempt　at　mesmerism；　Benita　was　awakened　by　the　sounds　of　shouts　and

firing。　Having　dressed　herself　hastily；　she　hurried　in　the　growing

light　towards　that　part　of　the　wall　from　below　which　the　noise　seemed

to　come；　and　climbing　it；　found　her　father　and　Jacob　already　seated

there；　their　rifles　in　hand。



〃The　fools　are　attacking　the　small　gate　through　which　you　went　out

riding；　Miss　Clifford；　the　very　worst　place　that　they　could　have

chosen；　although　the　wall　looks　very　weak　there；〃　said　the　latter。　〃If

those　Makalanga　have　any　pluck　they　ought　to　teach　them　a　lesson。〃



Then　the　sun　rose　and　they　saw　companies　of　Matabele；　who　carried

ladders　in　their　hands；　rushing　onwards　through　the　morning　mist　till

their　sight　of　them　was　obstructed　by　the　swell　of　the　hill。　On　these

companies　the　two　white　men　opened　fire；　with　what　result　they　could

not　see　in　that　light。　Presently　a　great　shout　announced　that　the

enemy　had　gained　the　fosse　and　were　setting　up　the　ladders。　Up　to　this

time　the　Makalanga　appeared　to　have　done　nothing；　but　now　they　began

to　fire　rapidly　from　the　ancient　bastions　which　commanded　the　entrance

the　impi　was　striving　to　storm；　and　soon　through　the　thinning　fog　they

perceived　wounded　Matabele　staggering　and　crawling　back　towards　their

camp。　Of　these；　the　light　now　better；　Jacob　did　not　neglect　to　take

his　toll。



Meanwhile；　the　ancient　fortress　rang　with　the　hideous　tumult　of　the

attack。　It　was　evident　that　again　and　again；　as　their　fierce　war…

shouts　proclaimed；　the　Matabele　were　striving　to　scale　the　wall；　and

again　and　again　were　beaten　back　by　the　raking　rifle　fire。　Once　a

triumphant　yell　seemed　to　announce　their　success。　The　fire　slackened

and　Benita　grew　pale　with　fear。



〃The　Makalanga　cowards　are　bolting；〃　muttered　Mr。　Clifford；　listening

with　terrible　anxiety。



But　if　so　their　courage　came　back　to　them；　for　presently　the　guns

cracked　louder　and　more　incessant　than　before；　and　the　savage　cries　of

〃Kill！　Kill！　Kill！〃　dwindled　and　died　away。　Another　five　minutes　and

the　Matabele　were　in　full　retreat；　bearing　with　them　many　dead　and

wounded　men　upon　their　backs　or　stretched　out　on　the　ladders。



〃Our　Makalanga　friends　should　be　grateful　to　us　for　those　hundred

rifles；〃　said　Jacob　as　he　loaded　and　fired　rapidly；　sending　his

bullets　wherever　the　clusters　were　thickest。　〃Had　it　not　been　for　them

their　throats　would　have　been　cut　by　now；〃　he　added；　〃for　they　could

never　have　stopped　those　savages　with　the　spear。〃



〃Yes；　and　ours　too　before　nightfall；〃　said　Benita　with　a　shudder；　for

the　sight　of　this　desperate　fray　and　fear　of　how　it　might　end　had

sickened　her。　〃Thank　Heaven；　it　is　over！　Perhaps　they　will　give　up　the

siege　and　go　away。〃



But；　notwithstanding　their　costly　defeat；　for　they　had　lost　over　a

hundred　men；　the　Matabele；　who　were　afraid　to　return　to　Buluwayo

except　as　victors；　did　nothing　of　the　sort。　They　only　cut　down　a

quantity　of　reeds　and　scrub；　and　moved　their　camp　nearly　to　the　banks

of　the　river；　placing　it　in　such　a　position　that　it　could　no　longer　be

searched　by　the　fire　of　the　two　white　men。　Here　they　sat　themselves

down　sullenly；　hoping　to　starve　out　the　garrison　or　to　find　some　other

way　of　entering　the　fortress。



Now　Meyer's　shooting　having　come　to　an　end　for　lack　of　men　to　shoot

at；　since　the　enemy　exposed　themselves　no　more；　he　was　again　able　to

give　his　full　attention　to　the　matter　of　the　treasure　hunt。



As　nothing　could　be　found　in　the　cave　he　devoted　himself　to　the

outside　enclosure　which；　it　may　be　remembered；　was　grown　over　with

grass　and　trees　and　crowded　with　ruins。　In　the　most　important　of　these

ruins　they　began　to　dig　somewhat　aimlessly；　and　were　rewarded　by

finding　a　certain　amount　of　gold　in　the　shape　of　beads　and　ornaments；

and　a　few　more　skeletons　of　ancients。　But　of　the　Portuguese　hoard

there　was　no　sign。　Thus　it　came　about　that　they　grew　gloomier　day　by

day；　till　at　last　they　scarcely　spoke　to　each　other。　Jacob's　angry

disappointment　was　written　on　his　face；　and　Benita　was　filled　with

despair；　since　to　escape　from　their　gaoler　above　and　the　Matabele

below　seemed　impossible。　Moreover；　she　had　another　cause　for　anxiety。



The　ill…health　which　had　been　threatening　her　father　for　a　long　while

now　fell　upon　him　in　earnest；　so　that　of　a　sudden　he　became　a　very　old

man。　His　strength　and　energy　left　him；　and　his　mind　was　so　filled　with

remorse　for　what　he　held　to　be　his　crime　in　bringing　his　daughter　to

this　awful　place；　and　with　terror　for　the　fate　that　threatened　her；

that　he　could　think　of　nothing　else。　In　vain　did　she　try　to　comfort

him。　He　would　only　wring　his　hands　and　groan；　praying　that　God　and　she

would　forgive　him。　Now；　too；　Meyer's　mastery　over　him　became

continually　more　evident。　Mr。　Clifford　implored　the　man；　almost　with

tears；　to　unblock　the　wall　and　allow　them　to　go　down　to　the　Makalanga。

He　even　tried　to　bribe　him　with　the　offer　of　all　his　share　of　the

treasure；　if　it　were　found；　and　when　that　failed；　of　his　property　in

the　Transvaal。



But　Jacob　only　told　him　roughly　not　to　be　a　fool；　as　they　had　to　see

the　thing　through　together。　Then　he　would　go　again　and　brood　by

himself；　and　Benita　noticed　t