benita-第14节

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〃'I　remember　the　guns　that　you　and　your　companion　brought　with　you；

which　can　kill　things　from　far　away。　If　I　had　a　supply　of　those　guns

from　behind　my　walls　I　might　defy　the　impi　of　Lobengula；　whose

warriors　use　the　assegai。　If　you　will　bring　me　a　hundred　good　guns　and

plenty　of　powder　and　bullets　for　them；　it　is　revealed　to　me　that　it

will　be　lawful　for　me　to　admit　you　to　the　secret；　holy　place；　where

you　may　look　for　the　buried　gold　for　as　long　as　you　wish；　and　if　you

can　find　it；　take　it　all　away　without　hindrance　from　me　or　my　people。

But　I　will　be　honest　with　you。　That　gold　will　never　be　found　save　by

the　one　appointed。　The　white　lady　said　so　in　the　time　of　my

forefather；　he　heard　it　with　his　ears；　and　I　have　heard　it　from　his

descendants　with　my　ears；　and　so　it　shall　be。　Still；　if　you　bring　the

guns　you　can　come　and　see　if　either　of　you　is　that　one　appointed。　But

I　do　not　think　that　any　man　is　so　appointed；　for　the　secret　is　hid　in

woman。　But　of　this　you　can　learn　for　yourselves。　I　do　but　speak　as　I

am　bidden。



〃'This　is　my　message　spoken　by　my　mouth；　Tamas；　son　of　my　body；　and　my

councillors　who　go　with　him　will　bear　witness　that　he　speaks　the

truth。　I；　Mambo；　the　Molimo　of　Bambatse；　send　you　greeting；　and　will

give　you　good　welcome　and　fulfil　my　promise；　if　you　come　with　the　far…

shooting　guns；　ten　times　ten　of　them；　and　the　powder；　and　the　bullets

wherewith　I　may　drive　off　the　Matabele；　but　not　otherwise。　My　son；

Tamas；　and　my　councillors　will　drive　your　waggon　into　my　country　but

you　must　bring　no　strange　servants。　The　Spirit　of　the　white　woman　who

killed　herself　before　the　eyes　of　my　forefather　has　been　seen　of　late

standing　upon　the　point　of　rock；　also　she　has　visited　me　at　night　in

my　secret　place　where　her　companions　died。　I　do　not　know　all　that　this

portends；　but　I　think　that　amongst　other　things　she　wished　to　tell　me

that　the　Matabele　are　about　to　attack　us。　I　await　the　decree　of　the

Heavens。　I　send　you　two　karosses　as　a　gift；　and　a　little　ancient　gold；

since　ivory　is　too　heavy　for　my　messengers　to　carry；　and　I　have　no

waggon。　Farewell。'〃



〃We　have　heard　you；〃　said　Meyer；　when　Mr。　Clifford　had　finished

translating；　〃and　we　wish　to　ask　you　a　question。　What　do　you　mean　when

you　say　that　the　Spirit　of　the　white　woman　has　been　seen？〃



〃I　mean　what　I　say；　white　man；〃　answered　Tamas。　〃She　was　seen　by　all

three　of　us；　standing　upon　the　pinnacle　at　the　dawn；　also　my　father

saw　and　spoke　with　her　alone　in　his　sleep　at　night。　This　is　the　third

time　in　my　father's　day　that　she　has　appeared　thus；　and　always　before

some　great　event。〃



〃What　was　she　like？〃　asked　Meyer。



〃Like？　Oh！　like　the　lady　who　sits　yonder。　Yes；　quite　the　same；　or　so

it　seemed　to　us。　But　who　knows？　We　have　seen　no　other　white　women；　and

we　were　not　very　near。　Let　the　lady　come　and　stand　side　by　side　with

the　Spirit；　so　that　we　can　examine　them　both；　and　we　shall　be　able　to

answer　better。　Do　you　accept　the　offer　of　the　Molimo？〃



〃We　will　tell　you　to…morrow　morning；〃　replied　Meyer。　〃A　hundred　rifles

are　many　to　find；　and　will　cost　much　money。　Meanwhile；　for　you　there

is　food　and　a　sleeping…place。〃



The　three　men　seemed　disappointed　at　his　answer；　which　they　evidently

believed　to　be　preliminary　to　a　refusal。　For　a　moment　or　two　they

consulted　together；　then　Tamas　put　his　hand　into　a　pouch　and　drew　from

it　something　wrapped　in　dry　leaves；　which　he　undid；　revealing　a　quaint

and　beautiful　necklace；　fashioned　of　twisted　gold　links；　wherein　were

set　white　stones；　that　they　had　no　difficulty　in　recognising　as　uncut

diamonds　of　considerable　value。　From　this　necklace　also　hung　a

crucifix　moulded　in　gold。



〃We　offer　this　gift；〃　he　said；　〃on　behalf　of　Mambo；　my　father；　to　the

lady　yonder；　to　whom　the　karosses　and　the　rough　gold　are　of　no　use。

The　chain　has　a　story。　When　the　Portuguese　lady　hurled　herself　into

the　river　she　wore　it　about　her　neck。　As　she　fell　into　the　river　she

struck　against　a　little　point　of　rock　which　tore　the　chain　away　from

hersee　where　it　is　broken　and　mended　with　gold　wire。　It　remained

upon　the　point　of　rock；　and　my　forefather　took　it　thence。　It　is　a　gift

to　the　lady　if　she　will　promise　to　wear　it。〃



〃Accept　it；〃　muttered　Mr。　Clifford；　when　he　had　finished　translating

this；　〃or　you　will　give　offence。〃



So　Benita　said：　〃I　thank　the　Molimo；　and　accept　his　gift。〃



Then　Tamas　rose；　and；　advancing；　cast　the　ancient；　tragic　thing　over

her　head。　As　it　fell　upon　her　shoulders；　Benita　knew　that　it　was　a

chain　of　destiny　drawing　her　she　knew　not　where；　this　ornament　that

had　last　been　worn　by　that　woman；　bereaved　and　unhappy　as　herself；　who

could　find　no　refuge　from　her　sorrow　except　in　death。　Had　she　felt　it

torn　from　her　breast；　she　wondered；　as　she；　the　living　Benita　of

to…day；　felt　it　fall　upon　her　own？



The　three　envoys　rose；　bowed；　and　went；　leaving　them　alone。　Jacob

Meyer　lifted　his　head　as　though　to　address　her；　then　changed　his　mind

and　was　silent。　Both　the　men　waited　for　her　to　speak；　but　she　would

not；　and　in　the　end　it　was　her　father　who　spoke　first。



〃What　do　you　say；　Benita？〃　he　asked　anxiously。



〃I？　I　have　nothing　to　say；　except　that　I　have　heard　a　very　curious

story。　This　priest's　message　is　to　you　and　Mr。　Meyer；　father；　and　must

be　answered　by　you。　What　have　I　to　do　with　it？〃



〃A　great　deal；　I　think；　my　dear；　or　so　those　men　seemed　to　believe。　At

any　rate；　I　cannot　go　up　there　without　you；　and　I　will　not　take　you

there　against　your　wish；　for　it　is　a　long　way　off；　and　a　queer

business。　The　question　is；　will　you　go？〃



She　thought　a　space；　while　the　two　men　watched　her　anxiously。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered　at　length；　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃I　will　go　if　you

wish　to　go；　not　because　I　want　to　find　treasure；　but　because　the　story

and　the　country　where　it　happened　interest　me。　Indeed；　I　don't　believe

much　in　the　treasure。　Even　if　they　are　superstitious　and　afraid　to

look　for　it　themselves；　I　doubt　whether　they　would　allow　you　to　look

if　they　thought　it　could　be　found。　To　me　the　journey　does　not　seem　a

good　business　speculation；　also　there　are　risks。〃



〃We　think　it　good　enough；〃　broke　in　Meyer　decidedly。　〃And　one　does　not

expect　to　get　millions　without　trouble。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃but　she　is　rightthere　are　risks；　great

risksfever；　wild　beasts；　savages；　and　others　that　one　cannot

foresee。　Have　I　a　right　to　expose　her　to　them？　Ought　we　not　to　go

alone？〃



〃It　would　be　useless；〃　answered　Meyer。　〃Those　messengers　have　seen

your　daughter；　and　mixed　her　up　with　their　superstitious　story　of　a

ghost；　of　which　I；　who　know　that　there　are　no　such　things；　believe

nothing。　Without　her　now　we　shall　certainly　fail。〃



〃As　for　the　risks；　father；〃　said　Benita；　〃personally　I　take　no　account

of　them；　for　I　am　sure　that　what　is　to　happen　will　happen；　and　if　I

knew　that　I　was　to　die　upon　the　Zambesi；　it　would　make　no　difference

to　me　who　do　not　care。　But　as　it　chances；　I　thinkI　cannot　tell　you

whythat　you　and　Mr。　Meyer　are　in　more　danger　than　I　am。　It　is　for

you　to　consider　whether　you　will　take　the　risks。〃



Mr。　Clifford　smiled。　〃I　am　old；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　my　answer。〃



〃And　I　am　accustomed　to　such　things；〃　said　Meyer；　with　a　shrug　of　his

shoulders。　〃Who　would　not　run　a　little　danger　for　the　sake　of　such　a

glorious　chance？　Wealth；　wealth；　more　wealth　than　we　can　dream　of；　and

with　it；　powerpower　to　avenge；　to　reward；　to　buy　position；　and

pleasure；　and　all　beautiful　things　which　are　the　heritage　of　the　very

rich　alone；〃　and　he　spread　out　his　hands　and　looked　upwards；　as　though

in　adoration　of　this　golden　god。



〃Except　such　trifles　as　health　and　happiness；〃　commented　Benita；　not

without　sarcasm；　for　this　man　and　his　material　desires　disgusted　her

somewhat；　especially　when　she　contrasted　him　with　another　man　who　was

lost　to　her；　though　it　was　true　that　/his/　past　had　been　idle　and

unproductive　enough。　Yet　they　interested　her　also；　for　Benita　had

never　met　anyone　like　Mr。　Meyer；　so　talented；　so　eager；　and　so

soulless。



〃Then　I　understand　it　is　settled？〃　she　said。



Mr。　Clifford　hesitated；　but　Meyer　answered　at　once：



〃Yes；　settled　as　far　as　anything　can　be。〃



She　waited　a　moment　for　her　father　to　speak；　but　he　said　nothing；　his

chance　had　gone　by。



〃Very　well。　Now　we　shall　not　need　to　trouble　ourselves　with　further

doubts　or　argument。　We　are　going　to　Bambatse　on　the　Zambesi；　a　distant

place；　to　look　for　buried　gold；　and　I　hope；　Mr。　Meyer；　that　if　you

find　it；　the　results　will　come　up　to　your　expectations；　and　bring　you

all　sorts　of　good　luck。　Good…night；　father　dear；　good…night。〃



〃My　daughter　thinks　it　will　bring　us　ill…luck；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；

when　the　door　had　closed　behind　her。　〃That　is　her　way　of　saying　so。〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Meyer　gloomily；　〃she　thinks　that；　and　she　is　one　of

those　who　have　vision。　Well；　she　may　be　wrong。　Also；　the　question　is；

shall　we　seize　our　opportu