benita-第38部分

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exclamation；　then　said：



〃I　have　wrung　my　back　badly。　Help　me　to　the　tent。　I　must　lie　down。〃



Slowly　and　with　great　pain　they　staggered　up　the　cave；　Mr。　Clifford

leaning　on　Benita　and　a　stick；　till；　reaching　the　tent　at　last；　he

almost　fell　on　to　the　blankets　and　remained　there　practically

crippled。



Now　began　Benita's　terrible　time；　the　worst　of　all　her　life。　Every

hour　her　father　became　more　ill。　Even　before　they　took　refuge　in　the

cave　he　was　completely　broken　down；　and　now　after　this　accident　he

began　to　suffer　very　much。　His　rheumatism　or　sciatica；　or　whatever　it

was；　seemed　to　settle　upon　the　hurt　muscles　of　his　back；　causing　him

so　much　pain　that　he　could　scarcely　sleep　for　ten　minutes　at　a

stretch。　Moreover；　he　would　swallow　but　little　of　the　rough　food　which

was　all　Benita　was　able　to　prepare　for　him；　nothing；　indeed；　except

biscuit　soaked　in　black　coffee；　which　she　boiled　over　a　small　fire

made　of　wood　that　they　had　brought　with　them；　and　occasionally　a

little　broth；　tasteless　stuff　enough；　for　it　was　only　the　essence　of

biltong；　or　sun…dried　flesh；　flavoured　with　some　salt。



Then　there　were　two　other　terrors　against　she　must　fight；　the　darkness

and　the　dread　of　Jacob　Meyer。　Perhaps　the　darkness　was　the　worse　of

them。　To　live　in　that　hideous　gloom　in　which　their　single　lamp；　for

she　dared　burn　no　more　lest　the　oil　should　give　out；　seemed　but　as　one

star　to　the　whole　night；　ah！　who　that　had　not　endured　it　could　know

what　it　meant？　There　the　sick　man；　yonder　the　grinning　skeletons；

around　the　blackness　and　the　silence；　and　beyond　these　again　a

miserable　death；　or　Jacob　Meyer。　But　of　him　Benita　saw　nothing；　though

once　or　twice　she　thought　that　she　heard　his　voice　raving　outside　the

wall　which　they　had　built。　If　so；　either　he　did　not　try　to　pull　it

down；　or　he　failed　in　the　attempt；　or　perhaps　he　feared　that　should　he

succeed；　he　would　be　greeted　by　a　bullet。　So　at　last　she　gave　up

thinking　about　him。　Should　he　force　his　way　into　the　cave　she　must

deal　with　the　situation　as　best　she　could。　Meanwhile；　her　father's

strength　was　sinking　fast。



Three　awful　days　went　by　in　this　fashion；　and　the　end　drew　near。

Although　she　tried　to　force　herself　to　it；　Benita　could　not　swallow

enough　food　to　keep　up　her　strength。　Now　that　the　passage　was　closed

the　atmosphere　of　this　old　vault；　for　it　was　nothing　more；　thickened

by　the　smoke　of　the　fire　which　she　was　obliged　to　burn；　grew　poisonous

and　choked　her。　Want　of　sleep　exhausted　her；　dread　of　what　the　morrow

might　bring　forth　crushed　her　strong　spirit。　She　began　to　break　down；

knowing　that　the　hour　was　near　when　she　and　her　father　must　die

together。



Once；　as　she　slept　awhile　at　his　side；　being　wakened　by　his　groaning；

Benita　looked　at　her　watch。　It　was　midnight。　She　rose；　and　going　to

the　embers　of　the　little　fire；　warmed　up　some　of　her　biltong　broth

which　she　poured　into　a　tin　pannikin。　With　difficulty　she　forced　him

to　swallow　a　few　mouthfuls　of　it；　then；　feeling　a　sudden　weakness；

drank　the　rest　herself。　It　gave　her　power　to　think；　and　her　father

dozed　off　into　an　uneasy　sleep。



Alas！　thinking　was　of　no　use；　nothing　could　be　done。　There　was　no　hope

save　in　prayer。　Restlessness　seized　Benita；　and　taking　the　lantern　she

wandered　round　the　cave。　The　wall　that　they　had　built　remained　intact；

and　oh！　to　think　that　beyond　it　flowed　the　free　air　and　shone　the

blessed　stars！　Back　she　came　again；　skirting　the　pits　that　Jacob　Meyer

had　dug；　and　the　grave　of　the　old　monk；　till　she　reached　the　steps　of

the　crucifix；　and　holding　up　her　candle；　looked　at　the　thorn…crowned

brow　of　the　Christ　above。



It　was　wonderfully　carved；　that　dying　face　was　full　of　pity。　Would　not

He　Whom　it　represented　pity　her？　She　knelt　down　on　the　topmost　step；

and　clasping　the　pierced　feet　with　her　arms；　began　to　pray　earnestly；

not　for　herself　but　that　she　might　save　her　father。　She　prayed　as　she

had　never　prayed　before；　and　so　praying；　sank　into　a　torpor　or　a

swoon。



It　seemed　to　Benita　that　this　sleep　of　hers　suddenly　became　alive；　in

it　she　saw　many　things。　For　instance；　she　saw　herself　seated　in　a

state　of　trance　upon　that　very　step　where　now　she　knelt；　while　before

her　stood　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer。　Moreover；　something　spoke　in

her；　she　could　not　hear　a　voice；　but　she　seemed　to　see　the　words

written　in　the　air　before　her。　These　were　the　words：



　〃/Clasp　the　feet　of　the　Christ　and　draw　them　to　the　left。　The

　　passage　beneath　leads　to　the　chamber　where　the　gold　is　hid；　and

　　thence　to　the　river　bank。　That　is　the　secret　which　ere　I　depart；　I

　　the　dead　Benita；　pass　on　to　you；　the　living　Benita；　as　I　am

　　commanded。　In　life　and　death　peace　be　to　your　soul。/〃



Thrice　did　this　message　appear　to　repeat　itself　in　the　consciousness

of　Benita。　Then；　suddenly　as　she　had　slept；　she　woke　again　with　every

letter　of　it　imprinted　on　her　mind。　Doubtless　it　was　a　dream；　nothing

but　a　dream　bred　by　the　fact　that　her　arms　were　clasping　the　feet　of

the　crucifix。　What　did　it　say？　〃Draw　them　to　the　left。〃



She　did　so；　but　nothing　stirred。　Again　she　tried；　and　still　nothing

stirred。　Of　course　it　was　a　dream。　Why　had　such　been　sent　to　mock　her？

In　a　kind　of　mad　irritation　she　put　out　all　her　remaining　strength　and

wrestled　with　those　stony　feet。　/They　moved　a　little/then　of　a

sudden；　without　any　further　effort　on　her　part；　swung　round　as　high　as

the　knees　where　drapery　hung；　concealing　the　join　in　them。　Yes；　they

swung　round；　revealing　the　head　of　a　stair；　up　which　blew　a　cold　wind

that　it　was　sweet　to　breathe。



Benita　rose；　gasping。　Then　she　seized　her　lantern　and　ran　to　the

little　tent　where　her　father　lay。







XXII



THE　VOICE　OF　THE　LIVING



Mr。　Clifford　was　awake　again　now。



〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　asked　querulously　in　a　thin　voice。　〃I　wanted

you。〃　Then　as　the　light　from　the　candle　shone　upon　it；　he　noted　the

change　that　had　come　over　her　pale　face；　and　added：　〃What　has

happened？　Is　Meyer　dead？　Are　we　free？〃



Benita　shook　her　head。　〃He　was　alive　a　few　hours　ago；　for　I　could　hear

him　raving　and　shouting　outside　the　wall　we　built。　But；　father；　it　has

all　come　back　to　me；　I　believe　that　I　have　found　it。〃



〃What　has　come　back？　What　have　you　found？　Are　you　mad；　too；　like

Jacob？〃



〃What　something　told　me　when　I　was　in　the　trance　which　afterwards　I

forgot；　but　now　remember。　And　I　have　found　the　passage　which　leads　to

where　they　hid　the　gold。　It　begins　behind　the　crucifix；　where　no　one

ever　thought　of　looking。〃



This　matter　of　the　gold　did　not　seem　to　interest　Mr。　Clifford。　In　his

state　all　the　wealth　beneath　the　soil　of　Africa　would　not　have

appealed　to　him。　Moreover；　he　hated　the　name　of　that　accursed

treasure；　which　was　bringing　them　to　such　a　miserable　end。



〃Where　does　the　passage　run？　Have　you　looked？〃　he　asked。



〃Not　yet；　but　the　voice　in　me　saidI　mean；　I　dreamedthat　it　goes

down　to　the　river…side。　If　you　leant　on　me　do　you　think　that　you　could

walk？〃



〃Not　one　inch；〃　he　answered。　〃Here　where　I　am　I　shall　die。〃



〃No；　no；　don't　talk　like　that。　We　may　be　saved　now　that　I　have　found　a

way。　Oh；　if　only　you　couldif　only　you　could　walk；　or　if　I　had　the

strength　to　carry　you！〃　and　she　wrung　her　hands　and　began　to　weep；　so

weak　was　she。



Her　father　looked　at　her　searchingly。　Then　he　said：



〃Well；　love；　I　cannot；　so　there's　an　end。　But　you　can；　and　you　had

better　go。〃



〃What！　And　leave　you？　Never。〃



〃Yes；　and　leave　me。　Look；　there　is　but　a　little　oil　left　and　only　a

few　candles。　The　biscuits　are　done　and　neither　of　us　can　swallow　that

biltong　any　more。　I　suppose　that　I　am　dying；　and　your　health　and

strength　are　failing　you　quickly　in　this　darkness；　if　you　stop　here

you　must　soon　follow　me。　And　what　is　the　alternative？　The　madman

outsidethat　is；　if　you　could　find　strength　to　pull　down　the　wall；

which　I　doubt。　You　had　best　go；　Benita。〃



But　still　she　said　she　would　not。



〃Do　you　not　see；〃　he　added；　〃that　it　is　my　only　chance　of　life？　If　you

go　you　may　be　able　to　bring　me　help　before　the　end　comes。　Should　there

be　a　passage　the　probability　is　that；　although　they　know　nothing　of

it；　it　finishes　somewhere　by　the　wall　of　the　first　enclosure　where　the

Makalanga　are。　If　so；　you　may　find　the　Molimo；　or　if　he　is　dead；　Tamas

or　one　of　the　others；　and　they　will　help　us。　Go；　Benita；　go　at　once。〃



〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　answered　in　a　changed　voice。　〃Of

course；　it　may　be　so；　if　the　passage　goes　down　at　all。　Well；　at　least

I　can　look　and　come　back　to　tell　you。〃



Then　Benita　placed　the　remainder　of　the　oil　close　by　her　father's

side；　so　that　he　could　refill　the　lamp；　for　the　use　of　his　hands　still

remained　to　him。　Also；　she　set　there　such　crumbs　of　biscuit　as　were

left；　some　of　the　biltong；　a　flask　of　Hollands；　and　a　pail　of　water。

This　done；　she　put　on　her　long　cloak；　filled　one　of　its　pockets　with

biltong；　and　the　other　with　matches　and　three　of　the　four　remaining

candles。　The　fourth　she　insisted　on　leaving　beside　her　father's　bed。

When　everything　was　ready　she　knelt　down　at　his　side；　kissed　him；　and

from　her　heart　put　up　a　prayer　that　they　might　both　live　to　meet

again；　although　she　knew　well　that　this　they　could　scarcely　hope　to

do。



Had　two　people　ever　been　in　a　more　dreadful　situation；　she　wondered；

as　she　looked　at　her　father　lying　there；　whom　she　must　leave　to　fight

with　Death　alone　in　that　awful　place；　while　she　went　forth　to　meet　him

in　the　unknown　bowels　of　the　earth！



Mr。　Clifford　read　her　thoughts。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　strange

parting　and　a　wild　errand。　But　who　knows？　It　may　please　Providence　to

take　you　through；　and　if　notwhy；　our　troubles　will　soon　be　over。〃



Then　once　more　they　kissed；　and　not　daring　to　try　to　speak；　Benita

tore　herself　away。　Passing　into　the　passage　whereof　the　lower　half　of

the　crucifix　formed　the　door；　she　paused　for　a　moment　to　examine　it