benita-第39节

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She　climbed　it　easily　enough；　and　stood　in　the　little　cup…like

depression　on　its　dizzy　peak；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　rise　and　disperse

the　mists　which　hung　over　the　river　and　its　banks。



Now　whatever　may　have　been　the　exact　ceremonial　use　to　which　the

ancients　put　this　pinnacle；　without　doubt　it　had　something　to　do　with

sun…worship。　This；　indeed；　was　proved　by　the　fact　that；　at　any　rate　at

this　season　of　the　year；　the　first　rays　of　the　risen　orb　struck　full

upon　its　point。　Thus　it　came　about　that；　as　she　stood　there　waiting；

Benita　of　a　sudden　found　herself　suffused　in　light　so　vivid　and

intense　that；　clothed　as　she　was　in　a　dress　which　had　once　been　white；

it　must　have　caused　her　to　shine　like　a　silver　image。　For　several

minutes；　indeed；　this　golden　spear　of　fire　blinded　her　so　that　she

could　see　nothing；　but　stood　quite　still；　afraid　to　move；　and　waiting

until；　as　the　sun　grew　higher；　its　level　rays　passed　over　her。　This

they　did　presently；　and　plunging　into　the　valley；　began　to　drive　away

the　fog。　Now　she　looked　down；　along　the　line　of　the　river。



The　Matabele　camp　was　invisible；　for　it　lay　in　a　hollow　almost　at　the

foot　of　the　fortress。　Beyond　it；　however；　was　a　rising　swell　of

ground；　it　may　have　been　half　a　mile　from　where　she　stood；　and　on　the

crest　of　it　she　perceived　what　looked　like　a　waggon　tent　with　figures

moving　round　it。　They　were　shouting　also；　for　through　the　silence　of

the　African　morn　the　sound　of　their　voices　floated　up　to　her。



As　the　mist　cleared　off　Benita　saw　that　without　doubt　it　was　a　waggon；

for　there　stood　the　long　row　of　oxen；　also　it　had　just　been　captured

by　the　Matabele；　for　these　were　about　it　in　numbers。　At　the　moment；

however；　they　appeared　to　be　otherwise　occupied；　for　they　were

pointing　with　their　spears　to　the　pillar　on　Bambatse。



Then　it　occurred　to　Benita　that；　placed　as　she　was　in　that　fierce

light　with　only　the　sky　for　background；　she　must　be　perfectly　visible

from　the　plain　below；　and　that　it　might　be　her　figure　perched　like　an

eagle　between　heaven　and　earth　which　excited　their　interest。　Yes；　and

not　theirs　only；　for　now　a　white　man　appeared；　who　lifted　what　might

have　been　a　gun；　or　a　telescope；　towards　her。　She　was　sure　from　the

red　flannel　shirt　and　the　broad　hat　which　he　wore　that　he　must　be　a

white　man；　and　oh！　how　her　heart　yearned　towards　him；　whoever　he　might

be！　The　sight　of　an　angel　from　heaven　could　scarcely　have　been　more

welcome　to　Benita　in　her　wretchedness。



Yet　surely　she　must　be　dreaming。　What　should　a　white　man　and　a　waggon

be　doing　in　that　place？　And　why　had　not　the　Matabele　killed　him　at

once？　She　could　not　tell；　yet　they　appeared　to　have　no　murderous

intentions；　since　they　continued　to　gesticulate　and　talk　whilst　he

stared　upwards　with　the　telescope；　if　it　were　a　telescope。　So　things

went　on　for　a　long　time；　for　meanwhile　the　oxen　were　outspanned；

until；　indeed；　more　Matabele　arrived；　who　led　off　the　white　man；

apparently　against　his　will；　towards　their　camp；　where　he　disappeared。

Then　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　seen。　Benita　descended　the　column。



At　its　foot　she　met　her　father；　who　had　come　to　seek　her。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked；　noting　her　excited　face。



〃Oh！〃　she　said　or　rather　sobbed；　〃there　is　a　waggon　with　a　white　man

below。　I　saw　the　Matabele　capture　him。〃



〃Then　I　am　sorry　for　the　poor　devil；〃　answered　the　father；　〃for　he　is

dead　by　now。　But　what　could　a　white　man　have　been　doing　here？　Some

hunter；　I　suppose；　who　has　walked　into　a　trap。〃



The　face　of　Benita　fell。



〃I　hoped；〃　she　said；　〃that　he　might　help　us。〃



〃As　well　might　he　hope　that　we　could　help　him。　He　is　gone；　and　there

is　an　end。　Well；　peace　to　his　soul；　and　we　have　our　own　troubles　to

think　of。　I　have　been　to　look　at　that　wall；　and　it　is　useless　to　think

of　climbing　it。　If　he　had　been　a　professional　mason；　Meyer　could　not

have　built　it　up　better；　no　wonder　that　we　have　seen　nothing　more　of

the　Molimo；　for　only　a　bird　could　reach　us。〃



〃Where　was　Mr。　Meyer；〃　asked　Benita。



〃Asleep　in　a　blanket　under　a　little　shelter　of　boughs　by　the　stair。　At

least；　I　thought　so；　though　it　was　rather　difficult　to　make　him　out　in

the　shadow；　at　any　rate；　I　saw　his　rifle　set　against　a　tree。　Come；　let

us　go　to　breakfast。　No　doubt　he　will　turn　up　soon　enough。〃



So　they　went；　and　for　the　first　time　since　the　Sunday　Benita　ate　a

hearty　meal　of　biscuits　soaked　in　coffee。　Although　her　father　was　so

sure　that　by　now　he　must　have　perished　on　the　Matabele　spears；　the

sight　of　the　white　man　and　his　waggon　had　put　new　life　into　her；

bringing　her　into　touch　with　the　world　again。　After　all；　might　it　not

chance　that　he　had　escaped？〃



All　this　while　there　had　been　no　sign　of　Jacob　Meyer。　This；　however；

did　not　surprise　them；　for　now　he　ate　his　meals　alone；　taking　his　food

from　a　little　general　store；　and　cooking　it　over　his　own　fire。　When

they　had　finished　their　breakfast　Mr。　Clifford　remarked　that　they　had

no　more　drinking　water　left；　and　Benita　said　that　she　would　go　to

fetch　a　pailful　from　the　well　in　the　cave。　Her　father　suggested　that

he　should　accompany　her；　but　she　answered　that　it　was　not　necessary　as

she　was　quite　able　to　wind　the　chain　by　herself。　So　she　went；　carrying

the　bucket　in　one　hand　and　a　lamp　in　the　other。



As　she　walked　down　the　last　of　the　zigzags　leading　to　the　cave；　Benita

stopped　a　moment　thinking　that　she　saw　a　light；　and　then　went　on；

since　on　turning　the　corner　there　was　nothing　but　darkness　before　her。

Evidently　she　had　been　mistaken。　She　reached　the　well　and　hung　the

pail　on　to　the　great　copper　hook；　wondering　as　she　did　so　how　many

folk　had　done　likewise　in　the　far；　far　past；　for　the　massive　metal　of

that　hook　was　worn　quite　thin　with　use。　Then　she　let　the　roller　run；

and　the　sound　of　the　travelling　chain　clanked　dismally　in　that

vaulted；　empty　place。　At　length　the　pail　struck　the　water；　and　she

began　to　wind　up　again；　pausing　at　times　to　rest；　for　the　distance　was

long　and　the　chain　heavy。　The　bucket　appeared。　Benita　drew　it　to　the

side　of　the　well；　and　lifted　it　from　the　hook；　then　took　up　her　lamp

to　be　gone。



Feeling　or　seeing　something；　which　she　was　not　sure；　she　held　the　lamp

above　her　head；　and　by　its　light　perceived　a　figure　standing　between

her　and　the　entrance　to　the　cave。



〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked；　whereon　a　soft　voice　answered　out　of　the

darkness；　the　voice　of　Jacob　Meyer。



〃Do　you　mind　standing　still　for　a　few　minutes；　Miss　Clifford？　I　have

some　paper　here　and　I　wish　to　make　a　sketch。　You　do　not　know　how

beautiful　you　look　with　that　light　above　your　head　illuminating　the

shadows　and　the　thorn…crowned　crucifix　beyond。　You　know；　whatever

paths　fortune　may　have　led　me　into；　by　nature　I　am　an　artist；　and

never　in　my　life　have　I　seen　such　a　picture。　One　day　it　will　make　me

famous。



　'How　statue…like　I　see　thee　stand！

　　The　agate　lamp　within　thy　hand。'



That's　what　I　should　put　under　it；　you　know　the　lines；　don't　you？〃



〃Yes；　Mr。　Meyer；　but　I　am　afraid　you　will　have　to　paint　your　picture

from　memory；　as　I　cannot　hold　up　this　lamp　any　longer；　my　arm　is

aching　already。　I　do　not　know　how　you　came　here；　but　as　you　have

followed　me　perhaps　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　carry　this　water。〃



〃I　did　not　follow　you；　Miss　Clifford。　Although　you　never　saw　me　I

entered　the　cave　before　you　to　take　measurements。〃



〃How　can　you　take　measurements　in　the　dark？〃



〃I　was　not　in　the　dark。　I　put　out　my　light　when　I　caught　sight　of　you；

knowing　that　otherwise　you　would　run　away；　and　fate　stood　me　in　good

stead。　You　came　on；　as　I　willed　that　you　should　do。　Now　let　us　talk。

Miss　Clifford；　have　you　changed　your　mind？　You　know　the　time　is　up。〃



〃I　shall　never　change　my　mind。　Let　me　pass　you；　Mr。　Meyer。〃



〃No；　no；　not　until　you　have　listened。　You　are　very　cruel　to　me；　very

cruel　indeed。　You　do　not　understand　that；　rather　than　do　you　the

slightest　harm；　I　would　die　a　hundred　times。〃



〃I　do　not　ask　you　to　die；　I　ask　you　to　leave　me　alonea　much　easier

matter。〃



〃But　how　can　I　leave　you　alone　when　you　are　a　part　of　me；　whenI　love

you？　There；　the　truth　is　out；　and　now　say　what　you　will。〃



Benita　lifted　the　bucket　of　water；　its　weight　seemed　to　steady　her。

Then　she　put　it　down　again；　since　escape　was　impracticable；　she　must

face　the　situation。



〃I　have　nothing　to　say；　Mr。　Meyer；　except　that　/I/　do　not　love　/you/

or　any　living　man；　and　I　never　shall。　I　thank　you　for　the　compliment

you　have　paid　me；　and　there　is　an　end。〃



〃Any　living　man；〃　he　repeated　after　her。　〃That　means　you　love　a　dead

manSeymour；　he　who　was　drowned。　No　wonder　that　I　hated　him　when

first　my　eyes　fell　on　him　years　ago；　long　before　you　had　come　into　our

lives。　Prescience；　the　sub…conscious　self　again。　Well；　what　is　the　use

of　loving　the　dead；　those　who　no　longer　have　any　existence；　who　have

gone　back　into　the　clay　out　of　which　they　were　formed　and　are　not；　nor