benita-第44节

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yards　to　the　right　of　the　door；　a　hole　that　looked　as　though　it　were

water…worn。　Now　Benita　thought　that　she　understood。　The　rock　was

softer　here；　and　centuries　of　flood　had　eaten　it　away；　leaving　a　crack

in　the　stratum　which　the　crocodiles　had　found　out　and　enlarged。　Down

she　went　on　her　hands　and　knees；　and　thrusting　the　lantern　in　front　of

her；　crept　along　that　noisome　drain；　for　this　was　what　it　resembled。

And　nowoh！　now　she　felt　air　blowing　in　her　face；　and　heard　the　sound

of　reeds　whispering；　and　water　running；　and　saw　hanging　like　a　lamp　in

the　blue　sky；　a　starthe　morning　star！　Benita　could　have　wept；　she

could　have　worshipped　it；　yet　she　pushed　on　between　rocks　till　she

found　herself　among　tall　reeds；　and　standing　in　water。　She　had　gained

the　banks　of　the　Zambesi。



Instantly；　by　instinct　as　it　were；　Benita　extinguished　her　candle；

fearing　lest　it　should　betray　her；　for　constant　danger　had　made　her

very　cunning。　The　dawn　had　not　yet　broken；　but　the　waning　moon　and　the

stars　gave　a　good　light。　She　paused　to　look。　There　above　her　towered

the　outermost　wall　of　Bambatse；　against　which　the　river　washed；　except

at　such　times　as　the　present；　when　it　was　very　low。



So　she　was　not　in　the　fortress　as　she　had　hoped；　but　without　it；　and

oh！　what　should　she　do？　Go　back　again？　How　would　that　serve　her　father

or　herself？　Go　on？　Then　she　might　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Matabele

whose　camp　was　a　little　lower　down；　as　from　her　perch　upon　the　top　of

the　cone　she　had　seen　that　poor　white　man　do。　Ah！　the　white　man！　If

only　he　lived　and　she　could　reach　him！　Perhaps　they　had　not　killed　him

after　all。　It　was　madness；　yet　she　would　try　to　discover；　something

impelled　her　to　take　the　risk。　If　she　failed　and　escaped；　perhaps　then

she　might　call　to　the　Makalanga；　and　they　would　let　down　a　rope　and

draw　her　up　the　wall　before　the　Matabele　caught　her。　She　would　not　go

back　empty…handed；　to　die　in　that　dreadful　place　with　her　poor　father。

Better　perish　here　in　the　sweet　air　and　beneath　the　stars；　even　if　it

were　upon　a　Matabele　spear；　or　by　a　bullet　from　her　own　pistol。



She　looked　about　her　to　take　her　bearings　in　case　it　should　ever　be

necessary　for　her　to　return　to　the　entrance　of　the　cave。　This　proved

easy；　for　a　hundred　or　so　feet　above　herwhere　the　sheer　face　of　the

cliff　jutted　out　a　little；　at　that　very　spot　indeed　on　which　tradition

said　that　the　body　of　the　Se？ora　da　Ferreira　had　struck　in　its　fall；

and　the　necklace　Benita　wore　to…day　was　torn　from　hera　stunted

mimosa　grew　in　some　cleft　of　the　rock。　To　mark　the　crocodile　run

itself　she　bent　down　a　bunch　of　reeds；　and　having　first　lit　a　few

Tandstickor　brimstone　matches　and　thrown　them　about　inside　of　it；　that

the　smell　of　them　might　scare　the　beast　should　it　wish　to　return；　she

set　her　lantern　behind　a　stone　near　to　the　mouth　of　the　hole。



Then　Benita　began　her　journey　which；　when　the　river　was　high；　it　would

not　have　been　possible　for　her　to　make　except　by　swimming。　As　it　was；

a　margin　of　marsh　was　left　between　her　and　the　steep；　rocky　side　of

the　mount　from　which　the　great　wall　rose；　and　through　this　she　made

her　way。　Never　was　she　likely　to　forget　that　walk。　The　tall　reeds

dripped　their　dew　upon　her　until　she　was　soaked；　long；　black…tailed

finchessaccaboolas　the　natives　call　themflew　up　undisturbed；　and

lobbed　away　across　the　river；　owls　flitted　past　and　bitterns　boomed　at

the　coming　of　the　dawn。　Great　fish　splashed　also　in　the　shallows；　or

were　they　crocodiles？　Benita　hoped　notfor　one　day　she　had　seen

enough　of　crocodiles。



It　was　all　very　strange。　Could　she　be　the　same　woman；　she　wondered；

who　not　a　year　before　had　been　walking　with　her　cousins　down

Westbourne　Grove；　and　studying　Whiteley's　windows？　What　would　these

cousins　say　now　if　they　could　see　her；　white…faced；　large…eyed；

desperate；　splashing　through　the　mud　upon　the　unknown　banks　of　the

Zambesi；　flying　from　death　to　death！



On　she　struggled；　above　her　the　pearly　sky　in　which　the　stars　were

fading；　around　her　the　wet　reeds；　and　pervading　all　the　heavy　low…

lying　mists　of　dawn。　She　was　past　the　round　of　the　walls；　and　at

length　stood　upon　dry　ground　where　the　Matabele　had　made　their　camp。

But　in　that　fog　she　saw　no　Matabele；　probably　their　fires　were　out；

and　she　chanced　to　pass　between　the　sentries。　Instinctively；　more　than

by　reason；　she　headed　for　that　hillock　upon　which　she　had　seen　the

white　man's　waggon；　in　the　vague　hope　that　it　might　still　be　there。　On

she　struggled；　still　on；　till　at　length　she　blundered　against

something　soft　and　warm；　and　perceived　that　it　was　an　ox　tied　to　a

trek…tow；　beyond　which　were　other　oxen　and　a　white　waggon…cap。



So　it　/was/　still　there！　But　the　white　man；　where　was　he？　Through　the

dense　mist　Benita　crept　to　the　disselboom。　Then；　seeing　and　hearing

nothing；　she　climbed　to　the　voorkissie　and　kneeling　on　it；　separated

the　tent　flaps　and　peered　into　the　waggon。　Still　she　could　see　nothing

because　of　the　mist；　yet　she　heard　something；　a　man　breathing　in　his

sleep。　Somehow　she　thought　that　it　was　a　white　man；　a　Kaffir　did　not

breathe　like　that。　She　did　not　know　what　to　do；　so　remained　kneeling

there。　It　seemed　as　though　the　man　who　was　asleep　began　to　feel　her

presence；　for　he　muttered　to　himselfsurely　the　words　were　English！

Then　quite　suddenly　he　struck　a　match　and　lit　a　candle　which　stood　in

a　beer　bottle　by　his　side。　She　could　not　see　his　face　while　he　lit　the

match；　for　his　arm　hid　it；　and　the　candle　burned　up　slowly。　Then　the

first　thing　she　saw　was　the　barrel　of　a　revolver　pointing　straight　at

her。



〃Now；　my　black　friend；〃　said　a　pleasant　voice；　〃down　you　go　or　I

shoot。　One；　two！　Oh；　my　God！〃



The　candle　burned　up；　its　light　fell　upon　the　white；　elfish　face　of

Benita；　whose　long　dark　hair　streamed　about　her；　it　shone　in　her　great

eyes。　Still　she　could　see　nothing；　for　it　dazzled　her。



〃Oh；　my　God！〃　said　the　voice　again。　〃Benita！　Benita！　Have　you　come　to

tell　me　that　I　must　join　you？　Well；　I　am　ready；　my　sweet；　my　sweet！

Now　I　shall　hear　your　answer。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　whispered；　and　crawling　forward　down　the　cartel　Benita　fell

upon　his　breast。



For　she　knew　him　at　lastdead　or　living　she　cared　notshe　knew　him；

and　out　of　hell　crept　to　him；　her　heaven　and　her　home！







XXIII



BENITA　GIVES　HER　ANSWER



〃Your　answer；　Benita；〃　Robert　said　dreamily；　for　to　him　this　thing

seemed　a　dream。



〃Have　I　not　given　it；　months　ago？　Oh；　I　remember；　it　was　only　in　my

heart；　not　on　my　lips；　when　that　blow　fell　on　me！　Then　afterwards　I

heard　what　you　had　done　and　I　nearly　died。　I　wished　that　I　might　die

to　be　with　you；　but　I　could　not。　I　was　too　strong；　now　I　understand

the　reason。　Well；　it　seems　that　we　are　both　living；　and　whatever

happens；　here　is　my　answer；　if　it　is　worth　anything　to　you。　Once　and

for　all；　I　love　you。　I　am　not　ashamed　to　say　it；　because　very　soon　we

may　be　separated　for　the　last　time。　But　I　cannot　talk　now；　I　have　come

here　to　save　my　father。〃



〃Where　is　he；　Benita？〃



〃Dying　in　a　cave　up　at　the　top　of　that　fortress。　I　got　down　by　a

secret　way。　Are　the　Matabele　still　here？〃



〃Very　much　so；〃　he　answered。　〃But　something　has　happened。　My　guard

woke　me　an　hour　ago　to　say　that　a　messenger　had　arrived　from　their

king；　Lobengula；　and　now　they　are　talking　over　the　message。　That　is

how　you　came　to　get　through；　otherwise　the　sentries　would　have

assegaied　you；　the　brutes；〃　and　he　drew　her　to　him　and　kissed　her

passionately　for　the　first　time；　then；　as　though　ashamed　of　himself；

let　her　go。



〃Have　you　anything　to　eat？〃　she　asked。　〃IIam　starving。　I　didn't

feel　it　before；　but　now〃



〃Starving；　you　starving；　while　Ilook；　here　is　some　cold　meat　which　I

could　not　get　down　last　night；　and　put　by　for　the　Kaffirs。　Great

Heavens！　that　I　should　feed　you　with　Kaffirs'　leavings！　But　it　is　good

eat　it。〃



Benita　took　the　stuff　in　her　fingers　and　swallowed　it　greedily；　she

who　for　days　had　lived　on　nothing　but　a　little　biscuit　and　biltong。　It

tasted　delicious　to　hernever　had　she　eaten　anything　so　good。　And　all

the　while　he　watched　her　with　glowing　eyes。



〃How　can　you　look　at　me？〃　she　said　at　length。　〃I　must　be　horrible；　I

have　been　living　in　the　dark　and　crawling　through　mud。　I　trod　upon　a

crocodile！〃　and　she　shuddered。



〃Whatever　you　are　I　never　want　to　see　you　different；〃　he　answered

slowly。　〃To　me　you　are　most　beautiful。〃



Even　then；　wreck　as　she　was；　the　poor　girl　flushed；　and　there　was　a

mist　in　her　eyes　as　she　looked　up　and　said：



〃Thank　you。　I　don't　care　now　what　happens　to　me；　and　what　has　happened

doesn't　matter　at　all。　But　can　we　get　away？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　doubt　it。　Go　and　sit　on　the

waggon…box　for　a　few　minutes　while　I　dress；　and　we　will　see。〃



Benita　went。　The　mist　was　thinning　now；　and　through　it　she　saw　a　sight

at　which　her　heart　sank；　for　between　her　and　the　mount　Bambatse

Matabele　were　pouring