benita-第42部分

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all　thought　that　it　was　the　Spirit　of　Bambatse；　who　has　a　great

reputation　in　these　parts。　Well；　that　took　off　their　attention；　and

afterwards；　as　I　told　you；　it　occurred　to　them　that　I　might　be　an

engineer。　You　know　the　rest；　don't　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Benita　softly。　〃I　know　the　rest。〃



Then　they　plunged　into　the　reeds　and　were　obliged　to　stop　talking；

since　they　must　walk　in　single　file。　Presently　Benita　looked　up　and

saw　that　she　was　under　the　thorn　which　grew　in　the　cleft　of　the　rock。

Also；　with　some　trouble　she　found　the　bunch　of　reeds　that　she　had　bent

down；　to　mark　the　inconspicuous　hole　through　which　she　had　crept；　and

by　it　her　lantern。　It　seemed　weeks　since　she　had　left　it　there。



〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃light　your　candles；　and　if　you　see　a　crocodile；

please　shoot。〃







XXIV



THE　TRUE　GOLD



〃Let　me　go　first；〃　said　Robert。



〃No；〃　answered　Benita。　〃I　know　the　way；　but　please　do　watch　for　that

horrible　crocodile。〃



Then　she　knelt　down　and　crept　into　the　hole；　while　after　her　came

Robert；　and　after　him　the　two　Zulus；　who　protested　that　they　were　not

ant…bears　to　burrow　under　ground。　Lifting　the　lantern　she　searched　the

cave；　and　as　she　could　see　no　signs　of　the　crocodile；　walked　on　boldly

to　where　the　stair　began。



〃Be　quick；〃　she　whispered　to　Robert；　for　in　that　place　it　seemed

natural　to　speak　low。　〃My　father　is　above　and　near　his　death。　I　am

dreadfully　afraid　lest　we　should　be　too　late。〃



So　they　toiled　up　the　endless　steps；　a　very　strange　procession；　for

the　two　Zulus；　bold　men　enough　outside；　were　shaking　with　fright；　till

at　length　Benita　clambered　out　of　the　trap　door　on　to　the　floor　of　the

treasure　chamber；　and　turned　to　help　Robert；　whose　lameness　made　him

somewhat　slow　and　awkward。



〃What's　all　that？〃　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　hide　sacks；　while　they

waited　for　the　two　scared　Kaffirs　to　join　them。



〃Oh！〃　she　answered　indifferently；　〃gold；　I　believe。　Look；　there　is

some　of　it　on　the　floor；　over　Benita　da　Ferreira's　footsteps。〃



〃Gold！　Why；　it　must　be　worth！　And　who　on　earth　is　Benita　da

Ferreira？〃



〃I　will　tell　you　afterwards。　She　has　been　dead　two　or　three　hundred

years；　it　was　her　gold；　or　her　people's；　and　those　are　her　footprints

in　the　dust。　How　stupid　you　are　not　to　understand！　Never　mind　the

hateful　stuff；　come　on　quickly。〃



So　they　passed　the　door　which　she　had　opened　that　morning；　and

clambered　up　the　remaining　stairway。　So　full　was　Benita　of　terrors

that　she　could　never　remember　how　she　climbed　them。　Suppose　that　the

foot　of　the　crucifix　had　swung　to；　suppose　that　her　father　were　dead；

suppose　that　Jacob　Meyer　had　broken　into　the　cave？　Well　for　herself

she　was　no　longer　afraid　of　Jacob　Meyer。　Oh；　they　were　there！　The

heavy　door　/had/　begun　to　close；　but　mercifully　her　bit　of　rock　kept

it　ajar。



〃Father！　Father！〃　she　cried；　running　towards　the　tent。



No　answer　came。　She　threw　aside　the　flap；　held　down　the　lantern　and

looked。　There　he　lay；　white　and　still。　She　was　too　late！



〃He　is　dead；　he　is　dead！〃　she　wailed。　Robert　knelt　down　at　her　side；

and　examined　the　old　man；　while　she　waited　in　an　agony。



〃He　ought　to　be；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃but；　Benita；　I　don't　think　he　is。　I

can　feel　his　heart　stir。　No；　don't　stop　to　talk。　Pour　out　some　of　that

squareface；　and　here；　mix　it　with　this　milk。〃



She　obeyed；　and　while　he　held　up　her　father's　head；　with　a　trembling

hand　emptied　a　little　of　the　drink　into　his　mouth。　At　first　it　ran　out

again；　then　almost　automatically　he　swallowed　some；　and　they　knew　that

he　was　alive；　and　thanked　Heaven。　Ten　minutes　later　Mr。　Clifford　was

sitting　up　staring　at　them　with　dull　and　wondering　eyes；　while　outside

the　two　Zulus；　whose　nerves　had　now　utterly　broken　down；　were

contemplating　the　pile　of　skeletons　in　the　corner　and　the　white

towering　crucifix；　and　loudly　lamenting　that　they　should　have　been

brought　to　perish　in　this　place　of　bones　and　ghosts。



〃Is　it　Jacob　Meyer　who　makes　that　noise？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford　faintly。

〃And；　Benita；　where　have　you　been　so　long；　andwho　is　this　gentleman

with　you？　I　seem　to　remember　his　face。〃



〃He　is　the　white　man　who　was　in　the　waggon；　father；　an　old　friend　come

to　life　again。　Robert；　can't　you　stop　the　howling　of　those　Kaffirs？

Though　I　am　sure　I　don't　wonder　that　they　howl；　I　should　have　liked　to

do　so　for　days。　Oh！　father；　father；　don't　you　understand　me？　We　are

saved；　yes；　snatched　out　of　hell　and　the　jaws　of　death。〃



〃Is　Jacob　Meyer　dead；　then？〃　he　asked。



〃I　don't　know　where　he　is　or　what　has　happened　to　him；　and　I　don't

care；　but　perhaps　we　had　better　find　out。　Robert；　there　is　a　madman

outside。　Make　the　Kaffirs　pull　down　that　wall；　would　you？　and　catch

him。〃



〃What　wall？　What　madman？〃　he　asked；　staring　at　her。



〃Oh；　of　course　you　don't　know　that；　either。　You　know　nothing。　I'll

show　you；　and　you　must　be　prepared；　for　probably　he　will　shoot　at　us。〃



〃It　all　sounds　a　little　risky；　doesn't　it？〃　asked　Robert　doubtfully。



〃Yes；　but　we　must　take　the　risk。　We　cannot　carry　my　father　down　that

place；　and　unless　we　can　get　him　into　light　and　air　soon；　he　will

certainly　die。　The　man　outside　is　Jacob　Meyer；　his　partneryou

remember　him。　All　these　weeks　of　hardship　and　treasure…hunting　have

sent　him　off　his　head；　and　he　wanted　to　mesmerize　me　and〃



〃And　what？　Make　love　to　you？〃



She　nodded；　then　went　on：



〃So　when　he　could　not　get　his　way　about　the　mesmerism　and　so　forth；　he

threatened　to　murder　my　father；　and　that　is　why　we　had　to　hide　in　this

cave　and　build　ourselves　up；　till　at　last　I　found　the　way　out。〃



〃Amiable　gentleman；　Mr。　Jacob　Meyer；　now　as　always；〃　said　Robert

flushing。　〃To　think　that　you　should　have　been　in　the　power　of　a

scoundrel　like　that！　Well；　I　hope　to　come　square　with　him。〃



〃Don't　hurt　him；　dear；　unless　you　are　obliged。　Remember　he　is　not

responsible。　He　thought　he　saw　a　ghost　here　the　other　day。〃



〃Unless　he　behaves　himself　he　is　likely　to　see　a　good　many　soon；〃

muttered　Robert。



Then　they　went　down　the　cave；　and　as　silently　as　possible　began　to

work　at　the　wall；　destroying　in　a　few　minutes　what　had　been　built　up

with　so　much　labour。　When　it　was　nearly　down　the　Zulus　were　told　that

there　was　an　enemy　outside；　and　that　they　must　help　to　catch　him　if

necessary；　but　were　not　to　harm　him。　They　assented　gladly　enough；

indeed；　to　get　out　of　that　cave　they　would　have　faced　half　a　dozen

enemies。



Now　there　was　a　hole　right　through　the　wall；　and　Robert　bade　Benita

stand　to　one　side。　Then　as　soon　as　his　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the

little　light　that　penetrated　there；　he　drew　his　revolver　and　beckoned

the　Kaffirs　to　follow。　Down　the　passage　they　crept；　slowly；　lest　they

should　be　blinded　when　they　came　to　the　glare　of　the　sunshine；　while

Benita　waited　with　a　beating　heart。



A　little　time　went　by；　she　never　knew　how　long；　till　suddenly　a　rifle

shot　rang　through　the　stillness。　Benita　was　able　to　bear　no　more。　She

rushed　down　the　winding　passage；　and　presently；　just　beyond　its　mouth；

in　a　blurred　and　indistinct　fashion　saw　that　the　two　white　men　were

rolling　together　on　the　ground；　while　the　Kaffirs　sprang　round

watching　for　an　opportunity　to　seize　one　of　them。　At　that　moment　they

succeeded；　and　Robert　rose；　dusting　his　hands　and　knees。



〃Amiable　gentleman；　Mr。　Jacob　Meyer；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　could　have

killed　him　as　his　back　was　towards　me；　but　didn't　because　you　asked　me

not。　Then　I　stumbled　with　my　lame　leg；　and　he　whipped　round　and　let

drive　with　his　rifle。　Look；〃　and　he　showed　her　where　the　bullet　had

cut　his　ear。　〃Luckily　I　got　hold　of　him　before　he　could　loose　off

another。〃



Benita　could　find　no　words；　her　heart　was　too　full　of　thankfulness。

Only　she　seized　Robert's　hand　and　kissed　it。　Then　she　looked　at　Jacob。



He　was　lying　upon　the　broad　of　his　back；　the　two　big　Zulus　holding　his

arms　and　legs；　his　lips　were　cracked；　blue　and　swollen；　his　face　was

almost　black；　but　his　eyes　still　shone　bright　with　insanity　and　hate。



〃I　know　you；〃　he　screamed　hoarsely　to　Robert。　〃You　are　another　ghost；

the　ghost　of　that　man　who　was　drowned。　Otherwise　my　bullet　would　have

killed　you。〃



〃Yes；　Mr。　Meyer；〃　Seymour　answered；　〃I　am　a　ghost。　Now；　you　boys；

here's　a　bit　of　rope。　Tie　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　search　him。

There　is　a　pistol　in　that　pocket。〃



They　obeyed；　and　presently　Meyer　was　disarmed　and　bound　fast　to　a

tree。



〃Water；〃　he　moaned。　〃For　days　I　have　had　nothing　but　the　dew　I　could

lick　off　the　leaves。〃



Pitying　his　plight；　Benita　ran　into　the　cave　and　returned　presently

with　a　tin　of　water。　One　of　the　Kaffirs　held　it　to　his　lips；　and　he

drank　greedily。　Then；　leaving　one　Zulu　to　watch　him；　Robert；　Benita；

and　the　other　Zulu　went　back；　and　as　gently　as　they　could　carried　out

Mr。　Clifford　on　his　mattress；　placing　him　in　the　shade　of　a　rock；

where　he　lay　blessing　them　feebly；　because　they　had　brought　him　into

the　light　again。　At　the　sight　of　the　old　man　Meyer's　rage　blazed　up

afresh。



〃Ah；〃　he　screamed；　〃if　only　I　had　killed　you　long　ago；　she　would　be

mine　now；　not　that　fellow's。　It　was　you　who　stood　between　us。〃



〃Look　here；　my　friend；〃　broke　in　Robert。　〃I　forgive　you　everything

else；　but；　mad　or　sane；　be　good　enough　to　keep　Miss　Clifford's　name

off　your　lips；　or　I　will　hand　you　over　to　those　Kaffirs　to　be　dealt

with　as　you　deserve。〃



Then　Jacob　understood；　and　was　silent。　They　gave　him　more　water　and

food　to　eat；　some　of　the　meat　that　they　had　brought　with　them；　which

he　devoured　ravenously。



〃Are　you　sensible　now？〃　asked　Robert　when　he　had　done。　〃Then　listen　to

me；　I　have　some　good　news　for　you。　That　treasure　you　have　been　hunting

for　has　been　found。　We　are　going　to　give　you　half　of　it；　one　of　the

waggons　and　some　oxen；　and　clear　you　out　of　this　place。　Then　if　I　set

eyes　on　you　again　before　we　get　to　a　civilized　country；　I　shoot　you

like　a