benita-第40节
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gone back into the clay out of which they were formed and are not； nor
evermore shall be？ You have but one life； turn； turn to the living；
and make it happy。〃
〃I do not agree with you； Mr。 Meyer。 To me the dead are still living；
one day I shall find them。 Now let me go。〃
〃I will not let you go。 I will plead and wrestle with you as in the
old fable my namesake of my own race wrestled with the angel； until at
length you bless me。 You despise me because I am a Jew； because I have
had many adventures and not succeeded； because you think me mad。 But I
tell you that there is the seed of greatness in me。 Give yourself to
me and I will make you great； for now I know that it was you whom I
needed to supply what is lacking in my nature。 We will win the wealth；
and together we will rule〃
〃Until a few days hence we starve or the Matabele make an end of us。
No； Mr。 Meyer； no；〃 and she tried to push past him。
He stretched out his arms and stopped her。
〃Listen；〃 he said； 〃I have pleaded with you as man with woman。 Now； as
you refuse me and as you alone stand between me and madness； I will
take another course。 I am your master； your will is servant to my
will； I bid you obey me。〃
He fixed his eyes upon hers； and Benita felt her strength begin to
fail。
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃you are my servant now； and to show it I shall kiss
you on the lips； then I shall throw the sleep upon you； and you will
tell me what I want to know。 Afterwards we can be wed when it pleases
me。 Oh！ do not think that your father will defend you； for if he
interferes I shall kill that foolish old man； whom until now I have
only spared for your sake。 Remember that if you make me angry； I shall
certainly kill him； and your father's blood will be on your head。 Now
I am going to kiss you。〃
Benita lifted her hand to find the pistol at her waist。 It fell back
again； she had no strength； it was as though she were paralysed as a
bird is paralysed by a snake so that it cannot open its wings and fly
away； but sits there awaiting death。 She was given over into the hands
of this man whom she hated。 Could Heaven allow such a thing？ she
wondered dimly； and all the while his lips drew nearer to her face。
They touched her own； and then； why or wherefore Benita never
understood； the spell broke。 All his power was gone； she was as she
had been； a free woman； mistress of herself。 Contemptuously she thrust
the man aside； and； not even troubling to run； lifted her pail of
water and walked away。
Soon she saw the light again； and joyfully extinguished her lamp。
Indeed； the breast of Benita； which should have been so troubled after
the scene through which she had passed； strangely enough was filled
with happiness and peace。 As that glorious sunlight had broken on her
eyes； so had another light of freedom arisen in her soul。 She was no
longer afraid of Jacob Meyer； that coward kiss of his had struck off
the shackles which bound her to him。 Her mind had been subject to his
mind； but now that his physical nature was brought into the play； his
mental part had lost its hold upon her。
As she approached the hut she saw her father seated on a stone outside
it； since the poor old man was now so weak and full of pain that he
could not stand for very long； and seeing； remembered Meyer's threats
against him。 At the thought all her new…found happiness departed。
She might be safe； she felt sure that she was safe； but how about her
father？ If Meyer could not get his way probably he would be as good as
his word； and kill him。 She shivered at the thought； then； recovering
herself； walked forward steadily with her bucket of water。
〃You have been a long while gone； my love；〃 said Mr。 Clifford。
〃Yes； father； Mr。 Meyer was in the cave； and kept me。〃
〃How did he get there； and what did he want？〃
〃I don't know how he got therecrept in when we were not looking； I
suppose。 But as for what he wantedlisten； dear；〃 and word for word
she told him what had passed。
Before she had finished； her father was almost choking with wrath。
〃The dirty Jew！ The villain！〃 he gasped。 〃I never dreamed that he
would dare to attempt such an outrage。 Well； thank Heaven！ I can still
hold a rifle； and when he comes out〃
〃Father；〃 she said gently； 〃that man is mad。 He is not responsible for
his actions； and therefore； except in self…defence； you must not think
of such a thing。 As for what he said about you； I believe it was only
an empty threat； and for me you need have no fear； his power over me
is gone； it went like a flash when his lips touched me；〃 and she
rubbed her own as though to wipe away some stain。 〃I am afraid of
nothing more。 I believeyes； I believe the old Molimo was right； and
that all will end well〃
As she was speaking Benita heard a shuffling sound behind her； and
turned to learn its cause。 Then she saw a strange sight。 Jacob Meyer
was staggering towards them； dragging one foot after the other through
the grass and stones。 His face was ghastly pale； his jaw had dropped
like that of a dead man； and his eyes were set wide open and full of
horror。
〃What is the matter with you； man？〃 asked Mr。 Clifford。
〃IIhave seen a ghost；〃 he whispered。 〃You did not come back into
the cave； did you？〃 he added； pointing at Benita； who shook her head。
〃What ghost？〃 asked Mr。 Clifford。
〃I don't know； but my lamp went out； and then a light began to shine
behind me。 I turned； and on the steps of that crucifix I saw a woman
kneeling。 Her arms clasped the feet of the figure； her forehead rested
upon the feet； her long black hair flowed down； she was dressed in
white； and the light came from her body and her head。 Very slowly she
turned and looked at me； and oh； Heaven！ that face〃 and he put his
hand before his eyes and groaned。 〃It was beautiful； yes； yes； but
fearful to see； like an avenging angel。 I fled； and the lightonly
the lightcame with me down the cave； even at the mouth of it there
was a little。 I have seen a spirit； I who did not believe in spirits；
I have seen a spirit； and I tell you that not for all the gold in the
world will I enter that place again。〃
Then before they could answer； suddenly as though his fear had got
some fresh hold of him； Jacob sprang forward and fled away； crashing
through the bushes and leaping from rock to rock like a frightened
buck。
XXI
THE MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD
〃Meyer always said that he did not believe in spirits；〃 remarked Mr。
Clifford reflectively。
〃Well； he believes in them now；〃 answered Benita with a little laugh。
〃But； father； the poor man is mad； that is the fact of it； and we must
pay no attention to what he says。〃
〃The old Molimo and some of his peopleTamas； for instancedeclared
that they have seen the ghost of Benita da Ferreira。 Are they mad
also； Benita？〃
〃I don't know； father。 Who can say？ All these things are a mystery。
All I do know is that I have never seen a ghost； and I doubt if I ever
shall。〃
〃No； but when you were in that trance something that was not you spoke
out of your mouth； which something said that it was your namesake； the
other Benita。 Well； as you say； we can't fathom these things；
especially in a haunted kind of place like this； but the upshot of it
is that I don't think we have much more to fear from Jacob。〃
〃I am not so sure； father。 Mad people change their moods very
suddenly。〃
As it happened Benita was quite right。 Towards suppertime Jacob Meyer
reappeared； looking pale and shaken； but otherwise much as usual。
〃I had a kind of fit this morning；〃 he explained； 'the result of an
hallucination which seized me when my light went out in that cave。 I
remember that I thought I had seen a ghost； whereas I know very well
that no such thing exists。 I was the victim of disappointment；
anxieties； and other still stronger emotions；〃 and he looked at
Benita。 〃Therefore； please forget anything I said or did； andwould
you give me some supper？〃
Benita did so； and he ate in silence； with some heartiness。 When he
had finished his food； and swallowed two or three tots of squareface；
he spoke again：
〃I have come here； where I know I am not welcome； upon business；〃 he
said in a calm； matter…of…fact voice。 〃I am tired of this place； and I
think it is time that we attained the object of our journey here；
namely； to find the hidden gold。 That； as we all know； can only be
done in a certain way； through the clairvoyant powers of one of us and
the hypnotic powers of another。 Miss Clifford； I request that you will
allow me to throw you into a state of trance。 You have told us
everything else； but you have not yet told us where the treasure is
hidden； and this it is necessary that we should know。〃
〃And if I refuse； Mr。 Meyer？〃
〃Then I am sorry； but I must take means to compel your obedience。
Under those circumstances； much against my will；
