benita-第6部分

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he　was　carried　into　a　hell　of　waters　where；　had　it　not　been　for　his

lifebelt　and　the　plank；　he　must　have　been　beaten　down　and　have

perished。　As　it　was；　now　he　was　driven　into　the　depths；　and　now　he

emerged　upon　their　surface　to　hear　their　seething　hiss　around　him；　and

above　it　all　a　continuous　boom　as　of　great　gunsthe　boom　of　the

breaking　seas。



The　plank　was　almost　twisted　from　his　grasp；　but　he　clung　to　it

desperately；　although　its　edges　tore　his　arms。　When　the　rollers　broke

over　him　he　held　his　breath；　and　when　he　was　tossed　skywards　on　their

curves；　drew　it　again　in　quick；　sweet　gasps。　Now　he　sat　upon　the　very

brow　of　one　of　them　as　a　merman　might；　now　he　dived　like　a　dolphin；

and　now；　just　as　his　senses　were　leaving　him；　his　feet　touched　bottom。

Another　moment　and　Robert　was　being　rolled　along　that　bottom　with　a

weight　on　him　like　the　weight　of　mountains。　The　plank　was　rent　from

him；　but　his　cork　jacket　brought　him　up。　The　backwash　drew　him　with　it

into　deeper　water；　where　he　lay　helpless　and　despairing；　for　he　no

longer　had　any　strength　to　struggle　against　his　doom。



Then　it　was　that　there　came　a　mighty　roller；　bigger　than　any　that　he

had　seensuch　a　one　as　on　that　coast　the　Kaffirs　call　〃a　father　of

waves。〃　It　caught　him　in　the　embrace　of　its　vast　green　curve。　It　bore

him　forward　as　though　he　were　but　a　straw；　far　forward　over　the

stretch　of　cruel　rocks。　It　broke　in　thunder；　dashing　him　again　upon

the　stones　and　sand　of　the　little　river　bar；　rolling　him　along　with

its　resistless　might；　till　even　that　might　was　exhausted；　and　its　foam

began　to　return　seawards；　sucking　him　with　it。



Robert's　mind　was　almost　gone；　but　enough　of　it　remained　to　tell　him

that　if　once　more　he　was　dragged　into　the　deep　water　he　must　be　lost。

As　the　current　haled　him　along　he　gripped　at　the　bottom　with　his

hands；　and　by　the　mercy　of　Heaven　they　closed　on　something。　It　may

have　been　a　tree…stump　embedded　there；　or　a　rockhe　never　knew。　At

least；　it　was　firm；　and　to　it　he　hung　despairingly。　Would　that　rush

never　cease？　His　lungs　were　bursting；　he　must　let　go！　Oh！　the　foam　was

thinning；　his　head　was　above　it　now；　now　it　had　departed；　leaving　him

like　a　stranded　fish　upon　the　shingle。　For　half　a　minute　or　more　he

lay　there　gasping；　then　looked　behind　him　to　see　another　comber

approaching　through　the　gloom。　He　struggled　to　his　feet；　fell；　rose

again；　and　ran；　or　rather；　staggered　forward　with　that　tigerish　water

hissing　at　his　heels。　Forward；　still　forward；　till　he　was　beyond　its

reachyes；　on　dry　sand。　Then　his　vital　forces　failed　him；　one　of　his

legs　gave　way；　and；　bleeding　from　a　hundred　hurts；　he　fell　heavily

onto　his　face；　and　there　was　still。



The　boat　in　which　Benita　lay；　being　so　deep　in　the　water；　proved　very

hard　to　row　against　the　tide；　for　the　number　of　its　passengers

encumbered　the　oarsmen。　After　a　while　a　light　off　land　breeze　sprang

up；　as　here　it　often　does　towards　morning；　and　the　officer；　Thompson；

determined　to　risk　hoisting　the　sail。　Accordingly　this　was　donewith

some　difficulty；　for　the　mast　had　to　be　drawn　out　and　shipped

although　the　women　screamed　as　the　weight　of　the　air　bent　their　frail

craft　over　till　the　gunwale　was　almost　level　with　the　water。



〃Anyone　who　moves　shall　be　thrown　overboard！〃　said　the　officer；　who

steered；　after　which　they　were　quiet。



Now　they　made　good　progress　seawards；　but　the　anxieties　of　those　who

knew　were　very　great；　since　the　wind　showed　signs　of　rising；　and　if

any　swell　should　spring　up　that　crowded　cutter　could　scarcely　hope　to

live。　In　fact；　two　hours　later　they　were　forced　to　lower　the　sail

again　and　drift；　waiting　for　the　dawn。　Mr。　Thompson　strove　to　cheer

them；　saying　that　now　they　were　in　the　track　of　vessels；　and　if　they

could　see　none　when　the　light　came；　he　would　run　along　the　shore　in

the　hope　of　finding　a　place　free　of　breakers　where　they　might　land。　If

they　did　not　inspire　hope；　at　least　his　words　calmed　them；　and　they

sat　in　heavy　silence；　watching　the　sky。



At　length　it　grew　grey；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　glory　peculiar　to

South　Africa；　the　great　red　sun　arose　and　began　to　dispel　the　mist

from　the　surface　of　the　sea。　Half　an　hour　more　and　this　was　gone；　and

now　the　bright　rays　brought　life　back　into　their　chilled　frames　as

they　stared　at　each　other　to　see　which　of　their　company　were　still

left　alive。　They　even　asked　for　food；　and　biscuit　was　given　to　them

with　water。



All　this　while　Benita　remained　unconscious。　Indeed；　one　callous

fellow；　who　had　been　using　her　body　as　a　footstool；　said　that　she　must

be　dead；　and　had　better　be　thrown　overboard；　as　it　would　lighten　the

boat。



〃If　you　throw　that　lady　into　the　sea；　living　or　dead；〃　said　Mr。

Thompson；　with　an　ominous　lift　of　his　eye；　〃you　go　with　her；　Mr。

Batten。　Remember　who　brought　her　here　and　how　he　died。〃



Then　Mr。　Batten　held　his　peace；　while　Thompson　stood　up　and　scanned

the　wide　expanse　of　sea。　Presently　he　whispered　to　a　sailor　near　him；

who　also　stood　up；　looked；　and　nodded。



〃That　will　be　the　other　Line's　intermediate　boat；〃　he　said；　and　the

passengers；　craning　their　heads　round；　saw　far　away　to　the　right　a

streak　of　smoke　upon　the　horizon。　Orders　were　given；　a　little　corner

of　sail　was　hoisted；　with　a　white　cloth　of　some　sort　tied　above　it；

and　the　oars　were　got　out。　Once　more　the　cutter　moved　forward；　bearing

to　the　left　in　the　hope　of　intercepting　the　steamer。



She　came　on　with　terrible　swiftness；　and　they　who　had　miles　of　water

to　cover；　dared　hoist　no　more　sail　in　that　breeze。　In　half　an　hour　she

was　nearly　opposite　to　them；　and　they　were　still　far　away。　A　little

more　sail　was　let　out；　driving　them　through　the　water　at　as　quick　a

rate　as　they　could　venture　to　go。　The　steamer　was　passing　three　miles

or　so　away；　and　black　despair　took　hold　of　them。　Now　the　resourceful

Thompson；　without　apologies；　undressed；　and　removing　the　white　shirt

that　he　had　worn　at　the　dance；　bade　a　sailor　to　tie　it　to　an　oar　and

wave　it　to　and　fro。



Still　the　steamer　went　on；　until　presently　they　heard　her　siren　going；

and　saw　that　she　was　putting　about。



〃She　has　seen　us；〃　said　Thompson。　〃Thank　God；　all　of　you；　for　there　is

wind　coming　up。　Pull　down　that　sail；　we　shan't　need　it　any　more。〃



Half　an　hour　later；　with　many　precautions；　for　the　wind　he　prophesied

was　already　troubling　the　sea　and　sending　little　splashes　of　water

over　the　stern　of　their　deeply　laden　boat；　they　were　fast　to　a　line

thrown　from　the　deck　of　the　three　thousand　ton　steamer　/Castle/；　bound

for　Natal。　Then；　with　a　rattle；　down　came　the　accommodation　ladder；

and　strong…armed　men；　standing　on　its　grating；　dragged　them　one　by　one

from　the　death　to　which　they　had　been　so　near。　The　last　to　be　lifted

up；　except　Thompson；　was　Benita；　round　whom　it　was　necessary　to　reeve

a　rope。



〃Any　use？〃　asked　the　officer　on　the　grating　as　he　glanced　at　her　quiet

form。



〃Can't　say；　I　hope　so；〃　answered　Thompson。　〃Call　your　doctor。〃　And

gently　enough　she　was　borne　up　the　ship's　side。



They　wanted　to　cast　off　the　boat；　but　Thompson　remonstrated；　and　in

the　end　that　also　was　dragged　to　deck。　Meanwhile　the　news　had　spread；

and　the　awakened　passengers　of　the　/Castle/；　clad　in　pyjamas；

dressing…gowns；　and　even　blankets；　were　crowding　round　the　poor

castaways　or　helping　them　to　their　cabins。



〃I　am　a　teetotaller；〃　said　second　officer　Thompson　when　he　had　made　a

brief　report　to　the　captain　of　the　/Castle/；　〃but　if　anyone　will　stand

me　a　whiskey　and　soda　I　shall　be　obliged　to　him。〃







IV



MR。　CLIFFORD



Although　the　shock　of　the　blow　she　had　received　upon　her　head　was

sufficient　to　make　her　insensible　for　so　many　hours；　Benita's　injuries

were　not　of　a　really　serious　nature；　for　as　it　happened　the　falling

block；　or　whatever　it　may　have　been；　had　hit　her　forehead　slantwise；

and　not　full；　to　which　accident　she　owed　it　that；　although　the　skin

was　torn　and　the　scalp　bruised；　her　skull　had　escaped　fracture。　Under

proper　medical　care　her　senses　soon　came　back　to　her；　but　as　she　was

quite　dazed　and　thought　herself　still　on　board　the　/Zanzibar/；　the

doctor　considered　it　wise　to　preserve　her　in　that　illusion　for　a

while。　So　after　she　had　swallowed　some　broth　he　gave　her　a　sleeping

draught；　the　effects　of　which　she　did　not　shake　off　till　the　following

morning。



Then　she　came　to　herself　completely；　and　was　astonished　to　feel　the

pain　in　her　head；　which　had　been　bandaged；　and　to　see　a　strange

stewardess　sitting　by　her　with　a　cup　of　beef…tea　in　her　hand。



〃Where　am　I？　Is　it　a　dream？〃　she　asked。



〃Drink　this　and　I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　the　stewardess。



Benita　obeyed；　for　she　felt　hungry；　then　repeated　her　question。



〃Your　steamer　was　shipwrecked；〃　said　the　stewardess；　〃and　a　great　many

poor　people　were　drowned；　but　you　were　saved　in　a　boat。　Look；　there

are　your　clothes；　they　were　never　in　the　water。〃



〃Who　carried　me　into　the　boat？〃　asked　Benita　in　a　low　voice。



〃A　gentleman；　they　say；　Miss；　who　had　wrapped　you　in　a　blanket　and　put

a　lifebelt　on　you。〃



Now　Benita　remembered　everything　that　happened　before　the　darkness

fellthe　question　to　which　she　had　given　no　answer；　the　young　couple

who　stood　flirting　by　herall　came　back　to　her。



〃Was　Mr。　Seymour　saved？〃　she　whispered；　her　face　grey　with　dread。



〃I　dare　say；　Miss；〃　answered　the　stewardess　evasively。　〃But　there　is

no　gentleman　of　that　name　aboard　this　ship。〃



At　that　moment　the　doctor　came　in；　and　him；　too；　she　plied　with

questions。　But　having　learned　the　story　of　Robert's　self…sacrifice

from　Mr。　Thompson　and　the　others；　he　would　give　her　no　answer；　for　he

guessed　how　matters　had　stood　between　them；　and　feared　the　effects　of

the　shock。　All　he　could　say　was　that　he　hoped　Mr。　Seymour　had　escaped

in　some　other　boat。



It　was　not　until　the　third　morning　that　Benita　was　allowed　to　learn

the　truth；　which　indeed　it　was　impossible