benita-第17节

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a　hundred　wrinkles；　and　he　answered：



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

for　yourself；　you　who　are　so　wise；　and　read　them　if　you　can。　Lords；〃

he　went　on　in　another　voice；　〃I　greet　you　in　the　name　and　presence　of

my　children。　Son　Tamas；　I　greet　you　also；　you　have　done　your　mission

well。　Listen；　nowyou　are　weary　and　would　rest　and　eat；　still；　bear

with　me；　for　I　have　a　word　to　say。　Look　around　you。　You　see　all　my

tribe；　not　twenty　times　ten　above　the　age　of　boys；　we　who　once　were

countless　as　the　leaves　on　yonder　trees　in　spring。　Why　are　we　dead？

Because　of　the　Amandabele；　those　fierce　dogs　whom；　two　generations

ago；　Moselikatse；　the　general　of　Chaka；　brought　up　to　the　south　of　us；

who　ravish　us　and　kill　us　year　by　year。



〃We　are　not　warlike；　we　who　have　outlived　war　and　the　lust　of　slaying。

We　are　men　of　peace；　who　desire　to　cultivate　the　land；　and　to　follow

our　arts　which　have　descended　to　us　from　our　ancestors；　and　to　worship

the　Heavens　above　us；　whither　we　depart　to　join　the　spirits　of　our

forefathers。　But　they　are　fierce　and　strong　and　savage；　and　they　come

up　and　murder　our　children　and　old　people；　and　take　away　the　young

women　and　the　maidens　to　be　slaves；　and　with　them　all　our　cattle。

Where　are　our　cattle？　Lobengula；　chief　of　the　Amandabele；　has　them；

scarce　a　cow　is　left　to　give　milk　to　the　sick　or　to　the　motherless

babe。　And　yet　he　sends　for　cattle。　Tribute；　say　his　messengers；

deliver　tribute；　or　my　impi　will　come　and　take　it　with　your　lives。　But

we　have　no　cattleall　are　gone。　We　have　nothing　left　to　us　but　this

ancient　mountain　and　the　works　built　thereon；　and　a　little　corn　on

which　we　live。　Yes；　I　say　itI；　the　MolimoI　whose　ancestors　were

great　kingsI　who　have　still　more　wisdom　in　me　than　all　the　hosts　of

the　Amandabele；〃　and　as　he　spoke　the　old　man's　grey　head　sank　upon　his

breast　and　the　tears　ran　down　his　withered　cheeks；　while　his　people

answered：



〃Mambo；　it　is　true。〃



〃Now　listen　again；〃　he　went　on。　〃Lobengula　threatens　us；　therefore　I

sent　to　these　white　men　who　were　here　before；　saying　that　if　they

would　bring　me　a　hundred　guns；　and　powder　and　ball；　to　enable　us　to

beat　off　the　Amandabele　from　behind　these　strong　walls　of　ours；　I

would　take　them　into　the　secret　holy　place　where　for　six　generations

no　white　man　has　set　a　foot；　and　there　suffer　them　to　search　for　the

treasure　which　is　hid　therein；　no　man　knows　where；　that　treasure　which

they　asked　leave　to　find　four　winters　gone。　We　refused　it　then　and

drove　them　hence；　because　of　the　curse　laid　upon　us　by　the　white　maid

who　died；　the　last　of　the　Portuguese；　who　foretold　her　people's　fate

for　us　if　we　gave　up　the　buried　gold　save　to　one　appointed。　My

children；　the　Spirit　of　Bambatse　has　visited　me；　I　have　seen　her　and

others　have　seen　her；　and　in　my　sleep　she　said　to　me：　'Suffer　the　men

to　come　and　search；　for　with　them　is　one　of　the　blood　to　whom　my

people's　wealth　is　given；　and　great　is　your　danger；　for　many　spears

draw　nigh。'　My　children；　I　sent　my　son　and　other　messengers　on　a　far

journey　to　where　I　knew　the　men　dwelt；　and　they　have　returned　after

many　months　bringing　those　men　with　them；　bringing　with　them　also

another　of　whom　I　knew　nothingyes；　her　who　is　appointed；　her　of　whom

the　Spirit　spoke。〃



Then　he　lifted　his　withered　hand　and　held　it　towards　Benita；　saying：

〃I　tell　you　that　yonder　she　sits　for　whom　the　generations　have

waited。〃



〃It　is　so；〃　answered　the　Makalanga。　〃It　is　the　White　Lady　come　again

to　take　her　own。〃



〃Friends；〃　asked　the　Molimo；　while　they　wondered　at　his　strange

speech；　〃tell　me；　have　you　brought　the　guns？〃



〃Surely；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford；　〃they　are　there　in　the　waggon；　every

one　of　them；　the　best　that　can　be　made；　and　with　them　ten　thousand

cartridges；　bought　at　a　great　cost。　We　have　fulfilled　our　share　of　the

bargain；　now　will　you　fulfil　yours；　or　shall　we　go　away　again　with　the

guns　and　leave　you　to　meet　the　Matabele　with　your　assegais？〃



〃Say　you　the　agreement　while　we　listen；〃　answered　the　Molimo。



〃Good；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford。　〃It　is　this：　That　you　shall　find　us　food

and　shelter　while　we　are　with　you。　That　you　shall　lead　us　into　the

secret　place　at　the　head　of　the　hill；　where　the　Portuguese　died；　and

the　gold　is　hidden。　That　you　shall　allow　us　to　search　for　that　gold

when　and　where　we　will。　That　if　we　discover　the　gold；　or　anything　else

of　value　to　us；　you　shall　suffer　us　to　take　it　away；　and　assist　us

upon　our　journey；　either　by　giving　us　boats　and　manning　them　to　travel

down　the　Zambesi；　or　in　whatever　fashion　may　be　most　easy。　That　you

shall　permit　none　to　hurt；　molest；　or　annoy　us　during　our　sojourn

among　you。　Is　that　our　contract？〃



〃Not　quite　all　of　it；〃　said　the　Molimo。　〃There　is　this　to　add：　first

that　you　shall　teach　us　how　to　use　the　guns；　secondly；　that　you　shall

search　for　and　find　the　treasure；　if　so　it　is　appointed；　without　our

help；　since　in　this　matter　it　is　not　lawful　for　us　to　meddle；　thirdly；

that　if　the　Amandabele　should　chance　to　attack　us　while　you　are　here；

you　shall　do　your　best　to　assist　us　against　their　power。〃



〃Do　you；　then；　expect　attack？〃　asked　Meyer　suspiciously。



〃White　man；　we　always　expect　attack。　Is　it　a　bargain？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Mr。　Clifford　and　Jacob　Meyer　in　one　voice；　the　latter

adding：　〃the　guns　and　the　cartridges　are　yours。　Lead　us　now　to　the

hidden　place。　We　have　fulfilled　our　part；　we　trust　to　the　honour　of

you　and　all　your　people　to　fulfil　yours。〃



〃White　Maiden；〃　asked　the　Molimo；　addressing　Benita；　〃do　you　also　say

that　it　is　a　bargain？〃



〃What　my　father　says；　I　say。〃



〃Good；〃　said　the　Molimo。　〃Then；　in　the　presence　of　my　people；　and　in

the　name　of　the　Munwali；　I；　Mambo；　who　am　his　prophet；　declare　that　it

is　so　agreed　between　us；　and　may　the　vengeance　of　the　heavens　fall

upon　those　who　break　our　pact！　Let　the　oxen　of　the　white　men　be

outspanned；　their　horses　fed；　their　waggon　unloaded；　that　we　may　count

the　guns。　Let　food　be　brought　into　the　guest…house　also；　and　after

they　have　eaten；　I；　who　alone　of　all　of　you　have　ever　entered　it；　will

lead　them　to　the　holy　place；　that　there　they　may　begin　to　search　for

that　which　the　white　men　desire　from　age　to　ageto　find　it　if　they

can；　if　not；　to　depart　satisfied　and　at　peace。〃







IX



THE　OATH　OF　MADUNA



Mr。　Clifford　and　Meyer　rose　to　return　to　the　waggon　in　order　to

superintend　the　unyoking　of　the　oxen　and　to　give　directions　as　to

their　herding；　and　the　off…saddling　of　the　horses。　Benita　rose　also；

wondering　when　the　food　that　had　been　promised　would　be　ready；　for　she

was　hungry。　Meanwhile；　the　Molimo　was　greeting　his　son　Tamas；　patting

his　hand　affectionately　and　talking　to　him；　when　suddenly　Benita；　who

watched　this　domestic　scene　with　interest；　heard　a　commotion　behind

her。　Turning　to　discover　its　cause；　she　perceived　three　great　man　clad

in　full　war　panoply；　shields　on　their　left　arms；　spears　in　their　right

hands；　black　ostrich　plumes　rising　from　the　polished　rings　woven　in

their　hair；　black　moochas　about　their　middles；　and　black　oxtails　tied

beneath　their　knees；　who　marched　through　the　throng　of　Makalanga　as

though　they　saw　them　not。



〃The　Matabele！　The　Matabele　are　on　us！〃　cried　a　voice；　while　other

voices　shouted；　〃Fly　to　your　walls！〃　and　yet　others；　〃Kill　them！　They

are　few。〃



But　the　three　men　marched　on　unheeding　till　they　stood　before　Mambo。



〃Who　are　you；　and　what　do　you　seek？〃　the　old　man　asked　boldly；　though

the　fear　that　had　taken　hold　of　him　at　the　sight　of　these　strangers

was　evident　enough；　for　his　whole　body　shook。



〃Surely　you　should　know；　chief　of　Bambatse；〃　answered　their　spokesman

with　a　laugh；　〃for　you　have　seen　the　like　of　us　before。　We　are　the

children　of　Lobengula；　the　Great　Elephant；　the　King；　the　Black　Bull；

the　Father　of　the　Amandabele；　and　we　have　a　message　for　your　ear；

little　Old　Man；　which；　finding　that　you　leave　your　gate　open；　we　have

walked　in　to　deliver。〃



〃Speak　your　message　then；　envoys　of　Lobengula；　in　my　ear　and　in　those

of　my　people；〃　said　the　Molimo。



〃Your　people！　Are　these　all　your　people？〃　the　spokesman　replied

contemptuously。　〃Why　then；　what　need　was　there　for　the　indunas　of　the

King　to　send　so　large　an　impi　under　a　great　general　against　you；　when

a　company　of　lads　armed　with　sticks　would　have　served　the　turn？　We

thought　that　these　were　but　the　sons　of　your　house；　the　men　of　your

own　family；　whom　you　had　called　together　to　eat　with　the　white

strangers。〃



〃Close　the　entrance　in　the　wall；〃　cried　the　Molimo；　stung　to　fury　by

the　insult；　and　a　voice　answered：



〃Father；　it　is　already　done。〃



But　the　Matabele；　who　should　have　been　frightened；　only　laughed　again；

and　their　spokesman　said：



〃See；　my　brothers；　he　thinks　to　trap　us　who　are　but　three。　Well；　kill

on；　Old　Wizard；　if　you　will；　but　know　that　if　a　hand　is　lifted；　this

spear　of　mine　goes　through　your　he