benita-第33部分

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and　those　who　were　in　hiding　across　the　river　had　returned　and　knew

how　to　climb　the　wall。　They　bore　me　from　among　the　dead；　they　gave　me

food　so　that　my　strength　came　back；　but　in　the　night　I；　who　in　my

wickedness　would　not　live；　escaped　from　them　and　climbed　the　pillar　of

black　rock；　so　that　when　the　sun　rose　they　saw　me　standing　there。　They

begged　of　me　to　come　down；　promising　to　protect　me；　but　I　said　'No；'

who　in　the　evil　of　my　heart　only　desired　to　die；　that　I　might　join　my

father　and　my　brother；　and　one　who　was　dearer　to　me　than　all。　They

asked　of　me　where　the　great　treasure　was　hidden。〃



At　these　words　Jacob　gasped；　then　rapidly　translated　them；　while　the

figure　before　them　became　silent；　as　though　it　felt　that　for　the

moment　the　power　of　his　will　was　withdrawn。



〃Speak　on；　I　bid　you；〃　he　said；　and　she　continued；　the　rich；　slow

voice　dropping　word　after　word　from　the　lips　of　Benita　in　the　alien

speech　that　this　Benita　never　knew。



〃I　answered　that　it　was　where　it　was；　and　that　if　they　gave　it　up　to

any　save　the　one　appointed；　then　that　fate　which　had　befallen　my

people　would　befall　theirs　also。　Yes；　I　gave　it　into　their　keeping

until　I　came　again；　since　with　his　dying　breath　my　father　had

commanded　me　to　reveal　it　to　none；　and　I　believed　that　I　who　was　about

to　die　should　never　come　again。



〃Then　I　made　my　last　prayer；　I　kissed　the　golden　crucifix　that　now

hangs　upon　this　breast　wherein　I　dwell；〃　and　the　hand　of　the　living

Benita　was　lifted；　and　moving　like　the　hand　of　a　dead　thing；　slowly

drew　out　the　symbol　from　beneath　the　cloak；　held　it　for　a　moment　in

the　lamplight；　and　let　it　fall　to　its　place　again。　〃I　put　my　hands

before　my　eyes　that　I　might　not　see；　and　I　hurled　myself　from　the

pinnacle。〃



Now　the　voice　ceased；　but　from　the　lips　came　a　dreadful　sound；　such　as

might　be　uttered　by　one　whose　bones　are　shattered　upon　rocks；　followed

by　other　sounds　like　those　of　one　who　chokes　in　water。　They　were　so

horrible　to　hear　that　Mr。　Clifford　nearly　fainted；　and　even　Jacob

Meyer　staggered　and　turned　white　as　the　white　face　of　Benita。



〃Wake　her！　For　God's　sake；　wake　her！〃　said　her　father。　〃She　is　dying；

as　that　woman　died　hundreds　of　years　ago。〃



〃Not　till　she　has　told　us　where　the　gold　is。　Be　quiet；　you　fool。　She

does　not　feel　or　suffer。　It　is　the　spirit　within　her　that　lives

through　the　past　again。〃



Once　more　there　was　silence。　It　seemed　as　though　the　story　were　all

told　and　the　teller　had　departed。



〃Benita　da　Ferreira；〃　said　Meyer　at　length；　〃I　command　you；　tell　me；

are　you　dead？〃



〃Oh！　would　that　I　were　dead；　as　my　body　is　dead！〃　wailed　the　lips　of

Benita。　〃Alas！　I　cannot　die　who　suffer　this　purgatory；　and　must　dwell

on　here　alone　until　the　destined　day。　Yes；　yes；　the　spirit　of　her　who

was　Benita　da　Ferreira　must　haunt　this　place　in　solitude。　This　is　her

doom；　to　be　the　guardian　of　that　accursed　gold　which　was　wrung　from

the　earth　by　cruelty　and　paid　for　with　the　lives　of　men。〃



〃Is　it　still　safe？〃　whispered　Jacob。



〃I　will　look；〃　then　after　a　pause；　〃I　have　looked。　It　is　there；　every

grain　of　it；　in　ox…hide　bags；　only　one　of　them　has　fallen　and　burst；

that　which　is　black　and　red。〃



〃Where　is　it？〃　he　said　again。



〃I　may　not　tell　you；　never；　never。〃



〃Is　there　anyone　whom　you　may　tell？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Whom？〃



〃Her　in　whose　breast　I　lie。〃



〃Tell　her　then。〃



〃I　have　told　her；　she　knows。〃



〃And　may　she　tell　me？〃



〃Let　her　guard　the　secret　as　she　will。　O　my　Guardian；　I　thank　thee。　My

burden　is　departed；　my　sin　of　self…murder　is　atoned。〃



〃Benita　da　Ferreira；　are　you　gone？〃



No　answer。



〃Benita　Clifford；　do　you　hear　me？〃



〃I　hear　you；〃　said　the　voice　of　Benita；　speaking　in　English；　although

Jacob；　forgetting；　had　addressed　her　in　Portuguese。



〃Where　is　the　gold？〃



〃In　my　keeping。〃



〃Tell　me；　I　command　you。〃



But　no　words　came；　though　he　questioned　her　many　times　no　words　came；

till　at　last　her　head　sank　forward　upon　her　knees；　and　in　a　faint

voice　she　murmured：



〃Loose　me；　or　I　die。〃







XIX



THE　AWAKING



Still　Jacob　Meyer　hesitated。　The　great　secret　was　unlearned；　and；　if

this　occasion　passed；　might　never　be　learned。　But　if　he　hesitated；　Mr。

Clifford　did　not。　The　knowledge　of　his　child's　danger；　the　sense　that

her　life　was　mysteriously　slipping　away　from　her　under　pressure　of　the

ghastly　spell　in　which　she　lay　enthralled；　stirred　him　to　madness。　His

strength　and　manhood　came　back　to　him。　He　sprang　straight　at　Meyer's

throat；　gripped　it　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　drew　the　knife　he

wore。



〃You　devil！〃　he　gasped。　〃Wake　her　or　you　shall　go　with　her！〃　and　he

lifted　the　knife。



Then　Jacob　gave　in。　Shaking　off　his　assailant　he　stepped　to　Benita；

and　while　her　father　stood　behind　him　with　the　lifted　blade；　began　to

make　strange　upward　passes　over　her；　and　to　mutter　words　of　command。

For　a　long　while　they　took　no　effect；　indeed；　both　of　them　were　almost

sure　that　she　was　gone。　Despair　gripped　her　father；　and　Meyer　worked

at　his　black　art　so　furiously　that　the　sweat　burst　out　upon　his

forehead　and　fell　in　great　drops　to　the　floor。



Oh；　at　last；　at　last　she　stirred！　Her　head　lifted　itself　a　little；　her

breast　heaved。



〃Lord　in　Heaven；　I　have　saved　her！〃　muttered　Jacob　in　German；　and

worked　on。



Now　the　eyes　of　Benita　opened；　and　now　she　stood　up　and　sighed。　But

she　said　nothing；　only　like　a　person　walking　in　her　sleep；　she　began

to　move　towards　the　entrance　of　the　cave；　her　father　going　before　her

with　the　lamp。　On　she　went；　and　out　of　it　straight　to　her　tent；　where

instantly　she　cast　herself　upon　her　bed　and　sank　into　deep　slumber。　It

was　as　though　the　power　of　the　drug…induced　oblivion；　which　for　a

while　was　over…mastered　by　that　other　stronger　power　invoked　by　Jacob；

had　reasserted　itself。



Meyer　watched　her　for　awhile；　then　said　to　Mr。　Clifford：



〃Don't　be　afraid　and　don't　attempt　to　disturb　her。　She　will　wake

naturally　in　the　morning。〃



〃I　hope　so　for　both　our　sakes；〃　he　answered；　glaring　at　him；　〃for　if

not；　you　or　I；　or　the　two　of　us；　will　never　see　another。〃



Meyer　took　no　notice　of　his　threats；　indeed　the　man　seemed　so

exhausted　that　he　could　scarcely　stand。



〃I　am　done；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　as　she　is　safe；　I　don't　care　what　happens

to　me。　I　must　rest；〃　and　he　staggered　from　the　tent；　like　a　drunken

man。



Outside；　at　the　place　where　they　ate；　Mr。　Clifford　heard　him　gulping

down　raw　gin　from　the　bottle。　Then　he　heard　no　more。



All　the　rest　of　the　night；　and　for　some　hours　of　the　early　morning；

did　her　father　watch　by　the　bed　of　Benita；　although；　lightly　clad　as

he　was；　the　cold　of　dawn　struck　to　his　bones。　At　length；　when　the　sun

was　well　up；　she　rose　in　her　bed；　and　her　eyes　opened。



〃What　are　you　doing　here；　father？〃　she　said。



〃I　have　come　to　see　where　you　were；　dear。　You　are　generally　out　by

now。〃



〃I　suppose　that　I　must　have　overslept　myself　then；〃　she　replied

wearily。　〃But　it　does　not　seem　to　have　refreshed　me　much；　and　my　head

aches。　Oh！　I　remember；〃　she　added　with　a　start。　〃I　have　had　such　a

horrid　dream。〃



〃What　about？〃　he　asked　as　carelessly　as　he　could。



〃I　can't　recall　it　quite；　but　it　had　to　do　with　Mr。　Meyer；〃　and　she

shivered。　〃It　seemed　as　though　I　had　passed　into　his　power；　as　though

he　had　taken　possession　of　me；　body　and　soul；　and　forced　me　to　tell

him　all　the　secret　things。〃



〃What　secret　things；　Benita？〃



She　shook　her　head。



〃I　don't　know　now；　but　we　went　away　among　dead　people；　and　I　told　him

there。　Oh！　father；　I　am　afraid　of　that　manterribly　afraid！　Protect

me　from　him；〃　and　she　began　to　cry　a　little。



〃Of　course　I　will　protect　you；　dear。　Something　has　upset　your　nerves。

Come；　dress　yourself　and　you'll　soon　forget　it　all。　I'll　light　the

fire。〃



A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　Benita　joined　him；　looking　pale　and　shaken；

but　otherwise　much　as　usual。　She　was　ravenously　hungry；　and　ate　of　the

biscuits　and　dried　meat　with　eagerness。



〃The　coffee　tastes　quite　different　from　that　which　I　drank　last

night；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　there　must　have　been　something　in　it　which

gave　me　those　bad　dreams。　Where　is　Mr。　Meyer？　Oh；　I　know！〃　and　again

she　put　her　hand　to　her　head。　〃He　is　still　asleep　by　the　wall。〃



〃Who　told　you　that？〃



〃I　can't　say；　but　it　is　so。　He　will　not　come　here　till　one　o'clock。

There；　I　feel　much　better　now。　What　shall　we　do；　father？〃



〃Sit　in　the　sun　and　rest；　I　think；　dear。〃



〃Yes；　let　us　do　that；　on　the　top　of　the　wall。　We　can　see　the　Makalanga

from　there；　and　it　will　be　a　comfort　to　be　sure　that　there　are　other

human　beings　left　in　the　world　besides　ourselves　and　Jacob　Meyer。〃



So　presently　they　went；　and　from　the　spot　whence　Meyer　used　to　shoot

at　the　Matabele　camp；　looked　down　upon　the　Makalanga　moving　about　the

first　enclosure　far　below。　By　the　aid　of　the　glasses　Benita　even

thought　that　she　recognised　Tamas；　although　of　this　it　was　difficult

to　be　sure；　for　they　were　all　very　much　alike。　Still；　the　discovery

quite　excited　her。



〃I　am　sure　it　is　Tamas；〃　she　said。　〃And　oh！　how　I　wish　that　we　were

down　there　with　him；　although　it　is　true　that　then　we　should　be　nearer

to　the　Matabele。　But　they　are　better　than　Mr。　Meyer；　much　better。〃



Now　for　a　while　they　were　silent；　till　at　length　she　said　suddenly：



〃Father；　you　are　keeping　something　back　from　me；　and　things　begin　to

come　back。　Tell　me；　did　I　go　anywhere　last　night　with　Mr。　Meyeryou

and　he　and　I　together？〃



He　hesitated　and　looked　guilty；　Mr。　Clifford　was　not　a　good　actor。



〃I　see　that　we　did；　I　am　sure　that　we　did。　Father；　tell　me。　I　must

know；　I　will　know。〃



Then　he　gave　way。



〃I　didn't　want　to　speak；　dear；　but　perhaps　it　is　best。　It　is　a　very

strange　story。　Will　you　promise　not　to　be　upset？〃



〃I　will　promise　not　to　be　more　upset　than　I