benita-第23节

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always　returned　to　the　cave；　where　for　many　years　it　had　been　his

custom　to　sleepat　any　rate　several　times　a　week；　in　the　gruesome

company　of　the　dead　Portuguese。　Jacob　Meyer　persuaded　Mr。　Clifford

that　his　object　was　to　spy　upon　them；　and　talked　of　turning　him　out；

but　Benita；　between　whom　and　the　old　man　had　sprung　up　a　curious

friendship　and　sympathy；　prevented　it；　pointing　out　that　they　were

much　safer　with　the　Molimo；　as　a　kind　of　hostage；　than　they　could　be

without　him；　also；　that　his　knowledge　of　the　place；　and　of　other

things；　might　prove　of　great　help　to　them。　So　in　the　end　he　was

allowed　to　remain；　as　indeed　he　had　a　perfect　right　to　do。



All　this　while　there　was　no　sign　of　any　attack　by　the　Matabele。

Indeed；　the　fear　of　such　a　thing　was　to　some　extent　dying　away；　and

Benita；　watching　from　the　top　of　the　wall；　could　see　that　their　nine

remaining　oxen；　together　with　the　two　horsesfor　that　belonging　to

Jacob　Meyer　had　diedand　the　Makalanga　goats　and　sheep；　were　daily

driven　out　to　graze；　also；　that　the　women　were　working　in　the　crops

upon　the　fertile　soil　around　the　lowest　wall。　Still；　a　strict　watch

was　kept；　and　at　night　everyone　slept　within　the　fortifications；

moreover；　the　drilling　of　the　men　and　their　instruction　in　the　use　of

firearms　went　on　continually　under　Tamas；　who　now；　in　his　father's　old

age；　was　the　virtual　chief　of　the　people。



It　was　on　the　fourth　morning　that　at　length；　all　their　preparations

being　completed；　the　actual　search　for　the　treasure　began。　First；　the

Molimo　was　closely　interrogated　as　to　its　whereabouts；　since　they

thought　that　even　if　he　did　not　know　this　exactly；　some　traditions　of

the　fact　might　have　descended　to　him　from　his　ancestors。　But　he

declared　with　earnestness　that　he　knew　nothing；　save　that　the

Portuguese　maiden　had　said　that　it　was　hidden；　nor；　he　added；　had　any

dream　or　vision　come　to　him　concerning　this　matter；　in　which　he　took

no　interest。　If　it　was　there；　it　was　there；　if　it　was　not　there；　it

was　not　thereit　remained　for　the　white　men　to　search　and　see。



For　no　very　good　reason　Meyer　had　concluded　that　the　gold　must　have

been　concealed　in　or　about　the　cave；　so　here　it　was　that　they　began

their　investigations。



First；　they　bethought　them　of　the　well　into　which　it　might　possibly

have　been　thrown；　but　the　fact　of　this　matter　proved　very　difficult　to

ascertain。　Tying　a　piece　of　metalit　was　an　old　Portuguese　sword…hilt

to　a　string；　they　let　it　down　and　found　that　it　touched　water　at　a

depth　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　feet；　and　bottom　at　a　depth　of　one

hundred　and　forty…seven　feet。　Therefore　there　were　twenty…seven　feet

of　water。　Weighting　a　bucket　they　sank　it　until　it　rested　upon　this

bottom；　then　wound　it　up　again　several　times。　On　the　third　occasion　it

brought　up　a　human　bone　and　a　wire　anklet　of　pure　gold。　But　this

proved　nothing；　except　that　some　ancient；　perhaps　thousands　of　years

ago；　had　been　thrown；　or　had　fallen；　into　the　well。



Still　unsatisfied；　Jacob　Meyer；　who　was　a　most　intrepid　person；

determined　to　investigate　the　place　himself；　a　task　of　no　little

difficulty　and　danger；　since　proper　ladders　were　wanting；　nor；　had

they　existed；　was　there　anything　to　stand　them　on。　Therefore　it　came

to　this：　a　seat　must　be　rigged　on　to　the　end　of　the　old　copper　chain；

and　be　lowered　into　the　pit　after　the　fashion　of　the　bucket。　But；　as

Benita　pointed　out；　although　they　might　let　him　down；　it　was　possible

that　they　would　not　be　able　to　draw　him　up　again；　in　which　case　his

plight　must　prove　unfortunate。　So；　when　the　seat　had　been　prepared；　an

experiment　was　made　with　a　stone　weighing　approximately　as　much　as　a

man。　This　Benita　and　her　father　let　down　easily　enough；　but；　as　they

anticipated；　when　it　came　to　winding　it　up　again；　their　strength　was

barely　sufficient　to　the　task。　Three　people　could　do　it　well；　but　with

two　the　thing　was　risky。　Now　Meyer　askedor；　rather；　commandedthe

Molimo　to　order　some　of　his　men　to　help　him；　but　this　the　old　chief

refused　point　blank　to　do。



First；　he　made　a　number　of　excuses。　They　were　all　employed　in

drilling；　and　in　watching　for　the　Matabele；　they　were　afraid　to

venture　here；　and　so　forth。　At　last　Meyer　grew　furious；　his　eyes

flashed；　he　ground　his　teeth；　and　began　to　threaten。



〃White　man；〃　said　the　Molimo；　when　he　had　done；　〃it　cannot　be。　I　have

fulfilled　my　bargain　with　you。　Search　for　the　gold；　find　it　and　take

it　away　if　you　can。　But　this　place　is　holy。　None　of　my　tribe；　save　he

who　holds　the　office　of　Molimo　for　the　time；　may　set　a　foot　therein。

Kill　me　if　you　willI　care　not；　but　so　it　is；　and　if　you　kill　me；

afterwards　they　will　kill　you。〃



Now　Meyer；　seeing　that　nothing　was　to　be　gained　by　violence；　changed

his　tone；　and　asked　if　he　himself　would　help　them。



〃I　am　old；　my　strength　is　small；〃　he　replied；　〃yet　I　will　put　my　hand

to　the　chain　and　do　my　best。　But；　if　I　were　you；　I　would　not　descend

that　pit。〃



〃Still；　I　will　descend　it；　and　to…morrow；〃　said　Meyer。







XII



THE　BEGINNING　OF　THE　SEARCH



Accordingly；　on　the　next　day　the　great　experiment　was　made。　The　chain

and　ancient　winding　gear　had　been　tested　and　proved　to　be　amply

sufficient　to　the　strain。　Therefore；　nothing　remained　save　for　Meyer

to　place　himself　in　the　wooden　seat　with　an　oil…lamp；　and　in　case　this

should　be　extinguished；　matches　and　candles；　of　both　of　which　they　had

a　large　supply。



He　did　so　boldly　enough；　and　swung　out　over　the　mouth　of　the　pit；

while　the　three　of　them　clutched　the　handles　of　the　winch。　Then　they

began　to　lower；　and　slowly　his　white　face　disappeared　into　the　black

depth。　At　every　few　turns　his　descent　was　stopped　that　he　might

examine　the　walls　of　the　well；　and　when　he　was　about　fifty　feet　down

he　called　to　them　to　hold　on；　which　they　did；　listening　while　he

struck　at　the　rock　with　a　hammer；　for　here　it　sounded　very　hollow。



At　length　he　shouted　to　them　to　lower　away　again；　and　they　obeyed；

until　nearly　all　the　chain　was　out；　and　they　knew　he　must　be　near　the

water。　Now　Benita；　peeping　over　the　edge；　saw　that　the　star　of　light

had　vanished。　His　lamp　was　out；　nor　did　he　appear　to　attempt　to

re…light　it。　They　shouted　down　the　well　to　him；　but　no　answer　coming；

began　to　wind　up　as　fast　as　they　were　able。　It　was　all　that　their

united　strength　could　manage；　and　very　exhausted　were　they　when　at

length　Jacob　reappeared　at　the　top。　At　first；　from　the　look　of　him

they　thought　that　he　was　dead；　and　had　he　not　tied　himself　to　the

chain；　dead　he　certainly　would　have　been；　for　evidently　his　senses　had

left　him　long　ago。　Indeed；　he　had　fallen　almost　out　of　the　seat；　over

which　his　legs　hung　limply；　his　weight　being　supported　by　the　hide

rope　beneath　his　arms　which　was　made　fast　to　the　chain。



They　swung　him　in　and　dashed　water　over　his　face；　till；　to　their

relief；　at　last　he　began　to　gasp　for　breath；　and　revived　sufficiently

to　enable　them　to　half…lead　and　half…carry　him　out　into　the　fresh　air。



〃What　happened　to　you？〃　asked　Clifford。



〃Poisoned　with　gases；　I　suppose；〃　Meyer　answered　with　a　groan；　for　his

head　was　aching　sadly。　〃The　air　is　often　bad　at　the　bottom　of　deep

wells；　but　I　could　smell　or　feel　nothing　until　suddenly　my　senses　left

me。　It　was　a　near　thinga　very　near　thing。〃



Afterwards；　when　he　had　recovered　a　little；　he　told　them　that　at　one

spot　deep　down　in　the　well；　on　the　river　side　of　it；　he　found　a　place

where　it　looked　as　though　the　rock　had　been　cut　away　for　a　space　of

about　six　feet　by　four；　and　afterwards　built　up　again　with　another

sort　of　stone　set　in　hard　mortar　or　cement。　Immediately　beneath；　too；

were　socket…holes　in　which　the　ends　of　beams　still　remained；

suggesting　that　here　had　been　a　floor　or　platform。　It　was　while　he　was

examining　these　rotted　beams　that　insensibility　overcame　him。　He　added

that　he　thought　that　this　might　be　the　entrance　to　the　place　where　the

gold　was　hidden。



〃If　so；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；　〃hidden　it　must　remain；　since　it　can　have

no　better　guardian　than　bad　air。　Also；　floors　like　that　are　common　in

all　wells　to　prevent　rubbish　from　falling　into　the　water；　and　the

stonework　you　saw　probably　was　only　put　there　by　the　ancients　to　mend

a　fault　in　the　rock　and　prevent　the　wall　from　caving　in。〃



〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Meyer；　〃since　unless　that　atmosphere　purifies　a　good

deal　I　don't　think　that　even　I　dare　go　down　again；　and　until　one　gets

there；　of　that　it　is　difficult　to　be　sure；　though　of　course　a　lantern

on　a　string　will　tell　one　something。〃



This　was　the　end　of　their　first　attempt。　The　search　was　not　renewed

until　the　following　afternoon；　when　Meyer　had　recovered　a　little　from

the　effects　of　the　poisoning　and　the　chafing　of　the　hide　ropes　beneath

his　arms。　Indeed；　from　the　former　he　never　did　quite　recover；　since

thenceforward　Benita；　who　for　her　own　reasons　watched　the　man　closely；

discovered　a　marked　and　progressive　change　in　his　demeanour。　Hitherto

he　had