benita-第16节

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tufts　of　rank　grass；　and　a　few　bushes；　and　among　these　scores　of

skulls　and　other　bones。



〃The　Matabele　killed　these　in　the　time　of　Moselikatse；〃　he　said。　〃Now

do　you　wonder　that　we　who　remain　fear　the　Matabele；　and　desire　guns　to

defend　ourselves　from　them；　even　if　we　must　sell　our　secrets；　in　order

to　buy　those　guns；　who　have　no　money　to　pay　for　them？〃



〃No；〃　she　answered；　looking　at　the　tall；　dignified　man；　into　whose

soul　the　irons　of　fear　and　slavery　had　burnt　so　deep。　〃No；　I　do　not

wonder。〃



Next　morning　at　daybreak　they　trekked　on；　always　through　these

evidences　of　dead；　forgotten　people。　They　had　not　more　than　ten　miles

to　cover　to　reach　their　long　journey's　end；　but　the　road；　if　so　it

could　be　called；　ran　up…hill；　and　the　oxen；　whereof　only　fourteen　were

now　left　to　drag　the　heavy…laden　waggon；　were　thin　and　footsore；　so

that　their　progress　was　very　slow。　Indeed；　it　was　past　midday　when　at

length　they　began　to　enter　what　by　apology　might　be　called　the　town　of

Bambatse。



〃When　we　go　away　from　this；　it　will　have　to　be　by　water；　I　think；

unless　we　can　buy　trek…cattle；〃　said　Meyer；　looking　at　the　labouring

oxen　with　a　doubtful　eye。



〃Why？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford　anxiously。



〃Because　several　of　those　beasts　have　been　bitten　by　tetsefly；　like　my

horse；　and　the　poison　is　beginning　to　work。　I　thought　so　last　night；

but　now　I　am　sure。　Look　at　their　eyes。　It　was　down　in　that　bit　of　bush

veld　eight　days　ago。　I　said　that　we　ought　not　to　camp　there。〃



At　this　moment　they　came　to　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　and　on　its　further

side　saw　the　wonderful　ruins　of　Bambatse　close　at　hand。　In　front　of

them　stood　a　hill　jutting　out；　as　it　were　into　the　broad　waters　of　the

Zambesi　river；　which；　to　a　great　extent；　protected　it　upon　three

sides。　The　fourth；　that　opposite　to　them；　except　at　one　place　where　a

kind　of　natural　causeway　led　into　the　town；　was　also　defended　by

Nature；　since　here　for　more　than　fifty　feet　in　height　the　granite　rock

of　the　base　of　the　hill　rose　sheer　and　unclimbable。　On　the　mount

itself；　that　in　all　may　have　covered　eight　or　ten　acres　of　ground；　and

surrounded　by　a　deep　donga　or　ditch；　were　three　rings　of

fortifications；　set　one　above　the　other；　mighty　walls　which；　it　was

evident；　had　been　built　by　no　modern　hand。　Looking　at　them　Benita

could　well　understand　how　it　came　about　that　the　poor　fugitive

Portuguese　had　chosen　this　as　their　last　place　of　refuge；　and　were

overcome　at　length；　not　by　the　thousands　of　savages　who　followed　and

surrounded　them；　but　by　hunger。　Indeed；　the　place　seemed　impregnable

to　any　force　that　was　not　armed　with　siege　guns。



On　the　hither　side　of　this　natural　fosse；　which；　doubtless；　in　ancient

times　had　been　filled　with　water　led　from　the　Zambesi；　stood　the

village　of　the　Bambatse　Makalanga；　a　collection　of　seventy　or　eighty

wretched　huts；　round；　like　those　of　their　forefathers；　but　built　of

mud　and　thatch。　About　them　lay　the　gardens；　or　square　fields；　that

were　well　cultivated；　and　at　this　season　rich　with　ripening　corn。

Benita；　however；　could　see　no　cattle；　and　concluded；　therefore；　that

these　must　be　kept　on　the　hill　for　safety；　and　within　its　walls。



Down　the　rough　road　they　lumbered；　and　through　the　village；　where　the

few　women　and　children　stared　at　them　in　a　frightened　way。　Then　they

came　to　the　causeway；　which；　on　its　further　side；　was　blocked　with

thorns　and　rough　stones　taken　from　the　ruins。　While　they　waited　for

these　to　be　removed　by　some　men　who　now　appeared；　Benita　looked　at　the

massive；　circular　wall　still　thirty　or　forty　feet　in　height；　by

perhaps　twenty　through　its　base；　built　of　granite　blocks　without

mortar；　and　ornamented　with　quaint　patterns　of　other　coloured　stones。

In　its　thickness　she　could　see　grooves；　where　evidently　had　once　been

portcullises；　but　these　had　disappeared　long　ago。



〃It　is　a　wonderful　place；〃　she　said　to　her　father。　〃I　am　glad　that　I

came。　Have　you　been　all　over　it？〃



〃No；　only　between　the　first　and　second　walls；　and　once　between　the

second　and　third。　The　old　temple；　or　whatever　it　is；　is　on　the　top；

and　into　that　they　would　never　admit　us。　It　is　there　that　the　treasure

lies。〃



〃That　the　treasure　is　supposed　to　lie；〃　she　answered　with　a　smile。

〃But；　Father；　what　guarantee　have　you　that　they　will　do　so　now？

Perhaps　they　will　take　the　guns　and　show　us　the　dooror　rather　the

gate。〃



〃Your　daughter　is　right；　there　is　none；　and　before　a　box　is　taken　off

the　waggon　we　must　get　one；〃　said　Meyer。　〃Oh！　I　know　it　is　risky；　and

it　would　have　been　better　to　make　sure　first；　but　it　is　too　late　to

talk　of　that　now。　Look；　the　stones　are　cleared。　Trek　ontrek！〃



The　long　waggon…whip　cracked；　the　poor；　tired…out　oxen　strained　at　the

yokes；　and　on　they　went　through　the　entrance　of　that　fateful　fortress

that　was　but　just　wide　enough　to　admit　them。　Inside　lay　a　great　open

space；　which；　as　they　could　see　from　the　numerous　ruins；　had　once　been

filled　with　buildings　that　now　were　half　hidden　by　grass；　trees；　and

creepers。　This　was　the　outer　ring　of　the　temple　where；　in　ancient

days；　the　priests　and　captains　had　their　home。　Travelling　across　it

for　perhaps　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　they　came　near　the　second　wall；

which　was　like　the　first；　only　not　quite　so　solid；　and　saw　that　on　a

stretch　of　beaten　ground；　and　seated　in　the　shadow；　for　the　day　was

hot；　the　people　of　Bambatse　were　gathered　to　greet　them。



When　within　fifty　yards　they　dismounted　from　the　horses；　which　were

left　with　the　waggon　in　the　charge　of　the　Makalanga；　Tamala。　Then

Benita　taking　her　position　between　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer；　they

advanced　towards　the　ring　of　natives；　of　whom　there　may　have　been　two

hundredall　of　them　adult　men。



As　they　came；　except　one　figure　who　remained　seated　with　his　back

against　the　wall；　the　human　circle　stood　up　as　a　token　of　respect；　and

Benita　saw　that　they　were　of　the　same　stamp　as　the　messengerstall

and　good…looking；　with　melancholy　eyes　and　a　cowed　expression；　wearing

the　appearance　of　people　who　from　day　to　day　live　in　dread　of　slavery

and　death。　Opposite　to　them　was　a　break　in　the　circle；　through　which

Tamas　led　them；　and　as　they　crossed　it　Benita　felt　that　all　those

people　were　staring　at　her　with　their　sad　eyes。　A　few　paces　from　where

the　man　crouched　against　the　wall；　his　head　hidden　by　a　beautifully

worked　blanket　that　was　thrown　over　it；　were　placed　three　well…carved

stools。　Upon　these；　at　a　motion　from　Tamas；　they　sat　themselves　down；

and；　as　it　was　not　dignified　for　them　to　speak　first；　remained　silent。



〃Be　patient　and　forgive；〃　said　Tamas　at　length。　〃My　father；　Mambo；

prays　to　the　Munwali　and　the　spirits　of　his　fathers　that　this　coming

of　yours　may　be　fortunate；　and　that　a　vision　of　those　things　that　are

to　be　may　descend　upon　him。〃



Benita；　feeling　nearly　two　hundred　pairs　of　eyes　concentrated　upon

her；　wished　that　the　vision　might　come　quickly；　but　after　a　minute　or

two　fell　into　tune　with　the　thing；　and　almost　enjoyed　this　strange

experience。　Those　mighty　ancient　walls　built　by　hands　unknown；　which

had　seen　so　much　history　and　so　much　death；　the　silent；　triple　ring　of

patient；　solemn　men；　the　last　descendants　of　a　cultured　race；　the

crouching　figure　hidden　beneath　the　blanket；　who　imagined　himself　to

be　communicating　with　his　godit　was　all　very　strange；　very　well

worth　the　seeing　to　one　who　had　wearied　of　the　monotony　of

civilization。



Look；　the　man　stirred；　and　threw　back　his　blanket；　revealing　a　head

white　with　age；　a　spiritual；　ascetic　face；　so　thin　that　every　bone

showed　in　it；　and　dark　eyes　which　stared　upwards　unseeingly；　like

those　of　a　person　in　a　trance。　Thrice　he　sighed；　while　his　tribesmen

watched　him。　Then　he　let　his　eyes　fall　upon　the　three　white　people

seated　in　front　of　him。　First　he　looked　at　Mr。　Clifford；　and　his　face

grew　troubled；　then　at　Jacob　Meyer；　and　it　was　anxious　and　alarmed。

Lastly；　he　stared　at　Benita；　and　while　he　did　so　the　dark　eyes　became

calm　and　happy。



〃White　maiden；〃　he　said　in　a　soft；　low　voice；　〃for　you；　at　least；　I

have　good　tidings。　Though　Death　come　near　to　you；　though　you　see　him

on　your　right　hand　and　your　left；　and　in　front　of　you　and　behind　you；

I　say；　fear　not。　Here　you；　who　have　known　deep　sorrow；　shall　find

happiness　and　rest；　O　maiden；　with　whom　goes　the　spirit　of　one　pure

and　fair　as　you；　who　died　so　long　ago。〃



Then；　while　Benita　wondered　at　his　words；　spoken　with　such　sweet

earnestness　that　although　she　believed　nothing　of　them；　they　brought　a

kind　of　comfort　to　her；　he　looked　once　more　at　her　father　and　Jacob

Meyer；　and；　as　it　were　with　an　effort；　was　silent。



〃Have　you　no　pleasant　prophecy　for　me；　old　friend；〃　said　Jacob；　〃who

have　come　so　far　to　hear　it？〃



At　once　the　aged　face　grew　inscrutable；　all　expression　vanished　behind

a　hundred　wrinkles；　and　he　answered：



〃None；　white　mannone　that　I　am　charged　to　deliver。　Search　the　skies

for　yourself；　y