benita-第7部分

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the　truth；　which　indeed　it　was　impossible　to　conceal　any　longer。　Mr。

Thompson　came　to　her　cabin　and　told　her　everything；　while　she　listened

silently；　horrified；　amazed。



〃Miss　Clifford；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　it　was　one　of　the　bravest　things

that　a　man　ever　did。　On　the　ship　I　always　thought　him　rather　a　head…

in…air　kind　of　swell；　but　he　was　a　splendid　fellow；　and　I　pray　God

that　he　has　lived；　as　the　lady　and　child　for　whom　he　offered　himself

up　have　done；　for　they　are　both　well　again。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　repeated　after　him　mechanically；　〃splendid　fellow　indeed；

and；〃　she　added；　with　a　strange　flash　of　conviction；　〃I　believe　that

he　/is/　still　alive。　If　he　were　dead　I　should　know　it。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　said　Mr。　Thompson；　who　believed　the

exact　contrary。



〃Listen；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　will　tell　you　something。　When　that　dreadful

accident　occurred　Mr。　Seymour　had　just　asked　me　to　marry　him；　and　I

was　going　to　answer　that　I　wouldbecause　I　love　him。　I　believe　that　I

shall　still　give　him　that　answer。〃



Mr。　Thompson　replied　again　that　he　hoped　so；　which；　being　as　honest

and　tender…hearted　as　he　was　brave　and　capable；　he　did　most　earnestly；

but　in　his　heart　he　reflected　that　her　answer　would　not　be　given　this

side　of　the　grave。　Then；　as　he　had　been　deputed　to　do；　he　handed　her

the　note　which　had　been　found　in　the　bosom　of　her　dress；　and；　able　to

bear　no　more　of　this　painful　scene；　hurried　from　the　cabin。　She　read

it　greedily　twice；　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips；　murmuring：



〃Yes；　I　will　think　kindly　of　you；　Robert　Seymour；　kindly　as　woman　can

of　man；　and　now　or　afterwards　you　shall　have　your　answer；　if　you　still

wish　for　it。　Whenever　you　come　or　wherever　I　go；　it　shall　be　ready　for

you。〃



That　afternoon；　when　she　was　more　composed；　Mrs。　Jeffreys　came　to　see

Benita；　bringing　her　baby　with　her。　The　poor　woman　was　still　pale　and

shaken；　but　the　child　had　taken　no　hurt　at　all　from　its　immersion　in

that　warm　water。



〃What　can　you　think　of　me？〃　she　said；　falling　on　her　knees　by　Benita。

〃But　oh！　I　did　not　know　what　I　was　doing。　It　was　terror　and　my　child；〃

and　she　kissed　the　sleeping　infant　passionately。　〃Also　I　did　not

understand　at　the　timeI　was　too　dazed。　Andthat　herohe　gave　his

life　for　me　when　the　others　wished　to　beat　me　off　with　oars。　Yes；　his

blood　is　upon　my　handshe　who　died　that　I　and　my　child　might　live。〃



Benita　looked　at　her　and　answered；　very　gently：



〃Perhaps　he　did　not　die　after　all。　Do　not　grieve；　for　if　he　did　it　was

a　very　glorious　death；　and　I　am　prouder　of　him　than　I　could　have　been

had　he　lived　on　like　the　otherswho　wished　to　beat　you　off　with　oars。

Whatever　is；　is　by　God's　Will；　and　doubtless　for　the　best。　At　the

least；　you　and　your　child　will　be　restored　to　your　husband；　though　it

cost　me　one　who　would　have　beenmy　husband。〃



That　evening　Benita　came　upon　the　deck　and　spoke　with　the　other　ladies

who　were　saved；　learning　every　detail　that　she　could　gather。　But　to

none　of　the　men；　except　to　Mr。　Thompson；　would　she　say　a　single　word；

and　soon；　seeing　how　the　matter　stood；　they　hid　themselves　away　from

her　as　they　had　already　done　from　Mrs。　Jeffreys。



The　/Castle/　had　hung　about　the　scene　of　the　shipwreck　for　thirty

hours；　and　rescued　one　other　boatload　of　survivors；　also　a　stoker

clinging　to　a　piece　of　wreckage。　But　with　the　shore　she　had　been

unable　to　communicate；　for　the　dreaded　wind　had　risen；　and　the

breakers　were　quite　impassable　to　any　boat。　To　a　passing　steamer　bound

for　Port　Elizabeth；　however；　she　had　reported　the　terrible　disaster；

which　by　now　was　known　all　over　the　world；　together　with　the　names　of

those　whom　she　had　picked　up　in　the　boats。



On　the　night　of　the　day　of　Benita's　interview　with　Mrs。　Jeffreys；　the

/Castle/　arrived　off　Durban　and　anchored；　since　she　was　too　big　a

vessel　to　cross　the　bar　as　it　was　in　those　days。　At　dawn　the

stewardess　awoke　Benita　from　the　uneasy　sleep　in　which　she　lay；　to

tell　her　that　an　old　gentleman　had　come　off　in　the　tug　and　wished　to

see　her；　for　fear　of　exciting　false　hopes　she　was　very　careful　to　add

that　word　〃old。〃　With　her　help　Benita　dressed　herself；　and　as　the　sun

rose；　flooding　the　Berea；　the　Point；　the　white　town　and　fair　Natal

beyond　with　light；　she　went　on　to　the　deck；　and　there；　leaning　over

the　bulwark；　saw　a　thin；　grey…bearded　man　of　whom　after　all　these

years　the　aspect　was　still　familiar。



A　curious　thrill　went　through　her　as　she　looked　at　him　leaning　there

lost　in　thought。　After　all；　he　was　her　father；　the　man　to　whom　she

owed　her　presence　upon　this　bitter　earth；　this　place　of　terrors　and

delights；　of　devastation　and　hope　supernal。　Perhaps；　too；　he　had　been

as　much　sinned　against　as　sinning。　She　stepped　up　to　him　and　touched

him　on　the　shoulder。



〃Father；〃　she　said。



He　turned　round　with　all　the　quickness　of　a　young　man；　for　about　him

there　was　a　peculiar　agility　which　his　daughter　had　inherited。　Like

his　mind；　his　body　was　still　nimble。



〃My　darling；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　have　known　your　voice　anywhere。　It

has　haunted　my　sleep　for　years。　My　darling；　thank　you　for　coming　back

to　me；　and　thank　God　for　preserving　you　when　so　many　were　lost。〃　Then

he　threw　his　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her。



She　shrank　from　him　a　little；　for　by　inadvertence　he　had　pressed　upon

the　wound　in　her　forehead。



〃Forgive　me；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　my　head。　It　was　injured；　you　know。〃



Then　he　saw　the　bandage　about　her　brow；　and　was　very　penitent。



〃They　did　not　tell　me　that　you　had　been　hurt；　Benita；〃　he　exclaimed　in

his　light；　refined　voice；　one　of　the　stamps　of　that　gentility　of　blood

and　breeding　whereof　all　his　rough　years　and　errors　had　been　unable　to

deprive　him。　〃They　only　told　me　that　you　were　saved。　It　is　part　of　my

ill…fortune　that　at　our　first　moment　of　greeting　I　should　give　you

pain；　who　have　caused　you　so　much　already。〃



Benita　felt　that　the　words　were　an　apology　for　the　past；　and　her　heart

was　touched。



〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　answered。　〃You　did　not　know　or　mean　it。〃



〃No；　dear；　I　never　knew　or　meant　it。　Believe　me；　I　was　not　a　willing

sinner；　only　a　weak　one。　You　are　beautiful；　Benitafar　more　so　than　I

expected。〃



〃What；〃　she　answered　smiling；　〃with　this　bandage　round　my　head？　Well；

in　your　eyes；　perhaps。〃　But　inwardly　she　thought　to　herself　that　the

description　would　be　more　applicable　to　her　father；　who　in　truth；

notwithstanding　his　years；　was　wonderfully　handsome；　with　his　quick

blue　eyes；　mobile　face；　gentle　mouth　with　the　wistful　droop　at　the

corners　so　like　her　own；　and　grey　beard。　How；　she　wondered；　could　this

be　the　man　who　had　struck　her　mother。　Then　she　remembered　him　as　he

had　been　years　before　when　he　was　a　slave　to　liquor；　and　knew　that　the

answer　was　simple。



〃Tell　me　about　your　escape；　love；〃　he　said；　patting　her　hand　with　his

thin　fingers。　〃You　don't　know　what　I've　suffered。　I　was　waiting　at　the

Royal　Hotel　here；　when　the　cable　came　announcing　the　loss　of　the

/Zanzibar/　and　all　on　board。　For　the　first　time　for　many　a　year　I

drank　spirits　to　drown　my　griefdon't　be　afraid；　dearfor　the　first

time　and　the　last。　Then　afterwards　came　another　cable　giving　the　names

of　those　who　were　known　to　be　saved；　andthank　God；　oh！　thank　God

yours　among　them；〃　and　he　gasped　at　the　recollection　of　that　relief。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　suppose　I　should　thankHimand　another。　Have　you

heard　the　story　abouthow　Mr。　Seymour　saved　me；　I　mean？〃



〃Some　of　it。　While　you　were　dressing　yourself；　I　have　been　talking　to

the　officer　who　was　in　command　of　your　boat。　He　was　a　brave　man；

Benita；　and　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　he　is　gone。〃



She　grasped　a　stanchion　and　clung　there；　staring　at　him　with　a　wild；

white　face。



〃How　do　you　know　that；　Father？〃



Mr。　Clifford　drew　a　copy　of　the　/Natal　Mercury/　of　the　previous　day

from　the　pocket　of　his　ulster；　and　while　she　waited　in　an　agony　he

hunted　through　the　long　columns　descriptive　of　the　loss　of　the

/Zanzibar/。　Presently　he　came　to　the　paragraph　he　sought；　and　read　it

aloud　to　her。　It　ran：



　〃The　searchers　on　the　coast　opposite　the　scene　of　the　shipwreck

　　report　that　they　met　a　Kaffir　who　was　travelling　along　the

　　seashore；　who　produced　a　gold　watch　which　he　said　he　had　taken

　　from　the　body　of　a　white　man　that　he　found　lying　on　the　sand　at

　　the　mouth　of　the　Umvoli　River。　Inside　the　watch　is　engraved；　'To

　　Seymour　Robert　Seymour；　from　his　uncle；　on　his　twenty…first

　　birthday。'　The　name　of　Mr。　Seymour　appears　as　a　first…class

　　passenger　to　Durban　by　the　/Zanzibar/。　He　was　a　member　of　an　old

　　English　family　in　Lincolnshire。　This　was　his　second　journey　to

　　South　Africa；　which　he　visited　some　years　ago　with　his　brother　on

　　a　big…game　shooting　expedition。　All　who　knew　him　then　will　join

　　with　us　in　deploring　his　loss。　Mr。　Seymour　was　a　noted　shot　and　an

　　English　gentleman　of　the　best　stamp。　He　was　last　seen　by　one　of

　　the　survivors　of　the　catastrophe；　carrying　Miss　Clifford；　the

　　daughter　of　the　well…known　Natal　pioneer　of　that　name；　into　a

　　boat；　but　as　this　young　lady　is　reported　to　have　been　saved；　and

　　as　he　entered　the　boat　with　her；　no　explanation　is　yet　forthcoming

　　as　to　how　he　came　to　his　sad　end。〃



〃I　fear　that　is　clear　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；　as　he　folded　up　his

paper。



〃Yes；　clear　enough；〃　she　repeated　in　a　strained　voice。　〃And　yetyet

oh！　Father；　he　had　just　asked　me　to　marry　him；　and　I　can't　believe

that　he　is　dead　before　I　had　time　to　answer。〃



〃Good　Heavens！〃　said　the　old　man；　〃they　never　told　me　that。　It　is

dreadfully　sad。　God　help　you；　my　poor　child！　There　is　nothing　more　to

say　except　that　he　was　only　one　among　three　hundred　who　have　gone　with

him。　Be　brave　now；　before　all　these　people。　Lookhere　comes　the　tug。〃







The　following　week　was　very　much　of　a　blank　to　Benita。　When　they

reached　shore　some　old　friends　of　her　father's　took　her　and　him　to

their　house；　a　quiet　place　up